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Various Artists: Black Lives - From Generation to Generation

By Glenn Astarita
May 19, 2022
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Track review of "Masters of Mud (Shape Shifting)"

Various Artists: Black Lives - From Generation to Generation

Indeed, African Americans are the architects of several musical formations, hearkening back to

Scott Joplin

piano
1868 - 1917

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott Joplin's development of 'ragged' rhythms i.e., Ragtime, along with blues, funk, jazz, and other genres, often evolving into various tangents and offshoots. And on this comprehensively entertaining set produced by Belgian Stefany Calembert with assistance from her husband and acclaimed bassist

Reggie Washington

bass
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Reggie Washington, they righteously bestow Black Music as a "source of moral truth and potent weapon against racism."

Numerous stars such as saxophonist

Marcus Strickland

clarinet, bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Marcus Strickland, pianist

Andy Milne

piano
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Andy Milne and artists spanning a multinational consortium appear within these two albums, including extensive liner notes and lyrics. Hence, these buoyant pieces cover lots of territory, such as Afro-Cuban, Hip-Hop, lush balladry, Caribbean sub-grooves, Jazz and a few works that inject a college education of sorts into Pop music.

The final track of the production "Masters of Mud (Shape Shifting)" is a trio, featuring guitarist

Jean-Paul Bourelly

guitar
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Jean-Paul Bourelly, who made a splash in the 1990s as a resourceful jazz and jazz fusion performer who possesses a distinct methodology and a partially Hendrix-like sound, while equally comfortable engaging other genres. Moreover,

Vincent Henry

saxophone, baritone

" data-original-title="" title="">Vincent Henry doubles on baritone and tenor sax, whereas Terrance "Sub Z" Nicholson renders the spoken word.

Although not credited in the album notes, Bourelly also uses electronics, bass, and percussion to generate a funkified electro vibe in support of Nicholson's urbane iterations amid popping bass parts and the instrumentalists' expressive and scorching phraseology. As the rumbling rhythmic element hearken remembrances of

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis' fusion recordings with percussionist

James Mtume

percussion
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">James Mtume, but this piece is a bit more supersonic, coupled with imagery of street music for a sweltering summer night. The album closes on an optimistic tone, yet signals an ongoing celebration of these wondrous sessions that help transport the 'The Great Black Music' experience into the eternal spheres of musicality.

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Personnel

Jean-Paul Bourelly

guitar

Kokayi

vocals

Terrence "Sub Z" Nicholson

vocals

Cheick Tidiane Seck

keyboards

Immanuel Wilkins

saxophone, alto

Marvin Sewell

guitar

David Gilmore

guitar

Stephanie McKay

vocals

Reggie Washington

bass

Jacques Schwarz-Bart

saxophone, tenor

Andy Milne

piano

Alicia Hall Moran

vocals

Jeremy Pelt

trumpet

Marcus Strickland

clarinet, bass

E.J. Strickland

drums

Oliver Lake

saxophone

Gene Lake

drums

Joel Ross

vibraphone

Adam Falcon

vocals

Gr��gory Privat

piano

Album information

Title: Black Lives - From Generation to Generation | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Jammin' Colors

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