Sekou

The first album in nearly a decade to include younger brothers Ernie and Marvin backing up brother Ronald, the album scored two more R&B hits with "Whatever Turns You On" and "Sensitive Lover". It would be the group's last studio recording for Warner Bros.

ABUC is the 8th album by Roberto Fonseca hes released under his own name and the first to appear on the Impulse! label. Teeming with rascally rhythms and burly brass and woven from allusions, souvenirs and contrasts, ABUC is a kaleidoscope of dancing colors with which Roberto tells a story: the great and rich story of Cuban music, from yesterday to today.

When trumpeter Tom Browne hit the Billboard charts in 1980, one would have thought that he was an overnight sensation. However, the licensed pilot had several years under his belt working with Weldon Irvine, Sonny Fortune, and others. His debut smash single, "Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)," took the music industry by storm. Between Browne's piercing horn intro and his chilling riffs in the vamp, the New York native and his cohorts lay down one jammin' groove. From the thunderous bass of Marcus Miller and Browne's trumpeting trips to the salacious vocals of Toni Smith and the colorful conversation referencing Browne, this single was slick and exhilarating.

Like Roy Ayers, Patrice Rushen, George Benson, and George Duke, Tom Browne is a perfect example of a jazz musician who switched to R&B and was lambasted by jazz snobs for it. As jazz's hardcore saw it, the trumpeter was a sellout – a gifted Clifford Brown disciple who was shamelessly wasting his chops playing commercial music. But commercial music isn't necessarily inferior to jazz, and the fact is that much of Browne's soul/funk output was excellent.

With Lip Service, Richard Elliot has come full circle as one of the reigning merchants of Soul Jazz and cementing his role as one of the great contemporary sax players in the world. While working on Summer Horns in 2013, he had the opportunity to revisit his roots as one of the founding members of Tower of Power by performing "So Very Hard To Go" and working alongside arranger Greg Adams again. This led to Greg Adams arrangement for the GRAMMY-nominated "Shining Star" on Lip Service.

George Howard began his solo musical career in the late 1970's; prior to going solo Howard had done session work for artists such as Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, First Choice, Blue Magic, and Grover Washington Jr., who invited him to tour with him 1979. The tour helped establish Howard's name and unique sound and in 1982 he released his debut album, Asphalt Garden. The CD is an exacting mix of Contemporary Jazz and funk, with a slow jam thrown in for good measure. Reflections is a must for any George Howard fan.

His third studio album provides confirmation that the 36-year-old Cuban pianist is one of the most gifted, adventurous spirits of his generation. A lyrical approach recalling Herbie Hancock and Abdullah Ibrahim persists, but Yo also explores Cuban-African connections with guests such as kora player Sekou Kouyaté, percussionist Baba Sissoko and Mali singer Fatou Diawara. Elegant melodies such as "Bibisa" and "JMF" develop into intense instrumental sparring, while Fonseca touches on funk and electronica ("80's"), and laces compositions with poetry (an overexcited Mike Ladd on "Mi Negra Ave Maria"). By turns playful and passionate, Yo boasts poise and experimentation in equal measure.