Soul of Wood

Medeski Martin & Wood - Radiolarians II (2009)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 293 Mb | Artwork (web) -> 2 Mb
© 2009 Indirecto Records | IR05
Jazz / Jam / Jazz Funk / Avant-Garde Jazz

The second volume in keyboardist John Medeski, drummer Billy Martin, and bassist Chris Wood's Radiolarians series is, much like the first, wildly eclectic. Certainly all the trio's records could be classified in this way, but few of them are as playful and musically adventurous as the ones in this series. Once more, the band incorporates everything in its own brand of modern jazz: from funk and rhythm & blues to the vanguard tradition; from soul and rock through carnival music, country, and beat-conscious grooves. "Flat Tires" opens the set and comes off all distorto-rockist in the intro thanks to Wood's nasty bassline that feels more like an electric guitar riffing before it's addressed by a couple of taut rolls by Martin and some wailing carnival organ by Medeski.

In an album that includes world-premiere recordings, Michael Waldron and the London Choral Sinfonia perform Francis Grier’s modern-day Passion, Sword in the Soul, to texts by Rowan Williams narrated by Simon Callow, Samantha Bond and Adrian Peacock. Alongside Grier’s Sword in the Soul, we hear Lux Eterna, the profoundly moving choral setting of Elgar’s famous ‘Nimrod’ from his Enigma Variations, as well as a rarely-heard piece by Elgar recorded only once before: the intensely poignant We Will Remember Them, a beautiful and simple a cappella arrangement of a famous text. The album also features music by contemporary composer David Bednall, and LCS’s Composer in Residence Owain Park.

2016 three CD collection. After a two-year hiatus, Ministry's multi-million selling series returns with Anthems Soul Classics. Soul music, for it's namesake, has one characteristic like no other music genre… A pure, heartfelt warmth that shines through it's gospel routes into melodies that defined a generation. Anthems Soul Classics is the definitive collection of the biggest names and greatest sounds in soul.

Sessions is Union Square Music’s 2CD urban and dance music range. Aimed at both the hardened dance music fan and the impulse purchaser, each Sessions title is packed full of hit singles, big club tracks and a choice selection of forgotten gems and underground classics picked out by our expert crate-digging compilers. Strong generic packaging including an outer slipcase, informative sleeve notes and a low price in the shops have made Sessions one of our most popular labels.