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March 2016

“Miles Ahead” Lags Bars of Beats Behind

“Miles Ahead”: Where Mercury Meets The Milky Way
Movie Musings by A. Scott Galloway
 
For Miles Davis whose artistic and personal essence was “no compromise” at fortissimo, the hybrid fictional movie “Miles Ahead” undeservedly smacks of way too much of it. Actor Don Cheadle, making his directorial debut here, gives a performance of bravura voodoo as the iconic, forward-marching musician. Yet he and co-screenwriter Steve Baigleman created a convoluted maze of a story in which to contextualize it – dually necessitated by Cheadle’s choice to play between the lines as opposed to the melody as written…and Hollywood’s infuriating insistence on giving even the boldest of real life black men a white knight.
 
Photo 1 (3)
Cheadle as Davis

Silk | Quiet Storm

Silk - Quiet Storm
 
Silk | Quiet Storm
Shanachie Records
by Peggy Oliver
 
The R&B male vocal bands such as Jodeci, Dru Hill, Mint Condition and many more were dominating the charts in the nineties, emphatically reminding the ladies that the infatuation, romance and relationships were in huge supply. One of R&B’s solo crooners in that decade, Keith Sweat, discovered a group who stood toe-to toe with the aforementioned, whose harmonies absolutely aligned with their namesake.

Jason Miles Captures The Spirit of Grover Washington, Jr.

Jason Miles - To Grover With Love - Live In Japan
 
Jason Miles
To Grover with Love: Live in Japan
(Whaling City Sound)
Record Reflections by A. Scott Galloway
 
In the scheme of all things musical, the question often arises, “Why a tribute CD?” Would you rather hear people paying tribute to an artist by rerecording their works or instead hear the legendary artist’s music itself? In most cases, the latter is true. Sometimes there are exceptions, the latest being keyboardist/producer Jason Miles’ third tribute to a man that has given him consistent inspiration, saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. Unlike the previous two, this one was recorded live.

Jaheim | Struggle Love

Jaheim - Struggle Love
 
Jaheim | Struggle Love
by Peggy Oliver
 
In the quest for artistic integrity of the highest degree, the absolute hit makers and music shakers usually develop a trademark body of work that fans can easily identify with. Since the day he handed a demo tape to producer Kay Gee (Naughty by Nature) at age seventeen, Jaheim already was prepared to wear his raw feelings on both sleeves, whether it’s the grown and sexy jams to striving for maturity in a relationship.

New Band Groove Legacy Launches On a Soul-Jazz Crusade!

Groove Legacy II
 
Groove Legacy
Groove Legacy
(Groove Legacy)
 
Record Reflections by A. Scott Galloway
 
Having been in the music industry in one role or another since the early `80s, I’ve come to know a lot of people.  So when one trusted peer from my radio and records days invites me to a gig and then I find another trusted friend from my journalist days there – and unbeknownst to each other they are both promoting this band – the chances are that I’m in for some really good music.

Kenny Lattimore LIVE in Concert at Jazz Alley in Seattle, WA | March 2nd, 2016

Kenny Lattimore - 2016
 
Kenny Lattimore LIVE in Concert
Jazz Alley in Seattle, Washington, March 2, 2016
 
Jazz Alley is a long-time Seattle, WA establishment, who have prided themselves in welcoming a diversified and expanding family of vocalists and musicians from jazz, world music and the contemporary urban market. Many of those artists have made the rounds back to the Alley on several occasions include Kenny Lattimore, who burst onto the scene in the nineties with other smooth soul-sters…

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