Tom Scott Sneaking in The Back

This third installment in the "Diggin' Deeper: The Roots of Acid Jazz" series, which collects likely funk, jazz, soul, fusion, and disco sides from the deep Columbia/Epic/Sony catalog, includes such gems as Art Blakey's "Cubano Chant" and Lalo Schifrin's "Jaws," a Shaft-meets-Frankenstein hybrid version of the "Jaws" movie theme.
This set moves and grooves from end to end, and even listeners with little interest in the acid jazz movement that surfaced some two decades after most of these tracks were recorded will find a great little alternative dance album lurking here.

American troubadour Tom Russell, regarded as one of the finest songwriters of his generation, returns with October in the Railroad Earth on March 15 via Proper Records. The new studio album comprises ten original Tom Russell songs, including the title track from the Irish film Small Engine Repair and features Bill Kirchen on lead electric guitar, Eliza Gilkyson on backing vocals and the Grammy Award winning Texmaniacs. Russell describes the songs and sound as: “Jack Kerouac meets Johnny Cash…in Bakersfield”.

Although it isn't the revelation or surprising, extraordinary achievement that his 2010 record Praise & Blame was, Spirit in the Room is another solid, very welcome set of stripped-back interpretations from Tom Jones, produced once again by Ethan Johns, making those comparisons to Johnny Cash's late-period recordings with Rick Rubin all the more fitting. Know that the songbook has changed from classic (spirituals, blues, and traditional numbers) to more contemporary (Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, Paul McCartney, the Low Anthem, and others) and that Jones and Johns are both in top form and you've got the picture, along with that same frustration that no matter how fun "What's New Pussycat?" and "Sex Bomb" were, a couple more albums like this along the way would have been rich and rewarding.

Although it isn't the revelation or surprising, extraordinary achievement that his 2010 record Praise & Blame was, Spirit in the Room is another solid, very welcome set of stripped-back interpretations from Tom Jones, produced once again by Ethan Johns, making those comparisons to Johnny Cash's late-period recordings with Rick Rubin all the more fitting. Know that the songbook has changed from classic (spirituals, blues, and traditional numbers) to more contemporary (Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, Paul McCartney, the Low Anthem, and others) and that Jones and Johns are both in top form and you've got the picture, along with that same frustration that no matter how fun "What's New Pussycat?" and "Sex Bomb" were, a couple more albums like this along the way would have been rich and rewarding.

This is possibly pianist Geri Allen's most advanced release. […] Allen performs three atmospheric piano solos, including a version of Ron Carter's "Little Waltz" […]. There is a duet with percussionist Cyro Baptista, two duets with altoist Ornette Coleman (who through the years has almost never recorded as a sideman), and four numbers in which Allen is joined by her husband trumpeter Wallace Roney (two of which also include Baptista). […] The music is mostly avant-garde, but purposeful and logical in its own fashion. Well worth several listens. ~Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

‘The most powerful & original lyrical songwriter this country has produced in years’ – Daily Telegraph.
‘Searingly poignant’ – Sunday Times.
Following the release of his 2014 debut album ‘War, Peace and Diplomacy’, on March 31st 2017 Tom will release his new album ‘Monsters In The Deep’.