Happy Thursday. Next week at this time we’ll be attending the Durango Songwriters Expo in Denver, and we can’t wait. In the meantime, here are five more artists to check out.
Artist Name: Down North
Album Name: No Retreat, Vol. I
Label: Self-released
Genre: Soul/Funk
Track Listing: 1. Heartbreaker; 2. So What; 3. Eventually; 4. Stupid Man; 5. Hollywood
Publicist: Wolfson Entertainment
Review: Soul and funk are two of our favorite jams, and Down North has this genre locked up, delivering a rousing five-song EP that will definitely get you moving and grooving to the beat. Their music is also radio friendly, and would make the perfect placement for party scenes on television and movies. You can’t go wrong with any of these tunes, so put this one on repeat and get up and boogie. The lead singer’s vocals sound like a mixture of James Brown and Prince, and add a lot to the mix.
Recommendation: Definitely Get this one.
Artist Name: Johnaye Kendrick
Album Name: Flying
Label: Self-released
Genre: Jazz
Track Listing: 1. Never you Mind; 2. Fallen; 3. It Could Happen to You; 4. You Two; 5. The Very Thought of You; 6. I’ve got no Strings; 7. Scorpion; 8. The Lonely One; 9. 3X5; 10. Secrets; 11. Boxed Wine; 12. Flying
Publicist: Mouthpiece Music
Review: Johnaye Kendrick is a graduate of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, where she learned from the best in the trade, including Herbie Hancock, Apparently, she mastered the art, because her latest album delivers music that is as good as the music of her instructors. She has assembled an incredible array of musicians to help her on this project, including Dawn Clement on piano and Nord, Chris Symer on bass, D’Vonne Lewis on drums and percussion, Michael Nicolella on guitar on the title track and Adore and Nola Oliver on backing vocals on “You Two.” Kendrick also arranged and produced the album, composed six of the tracks, and contributed her talents on harmonium. This album definitely belongs in the musical library of every true jazz lover. We especially love her arrangements on “The Very Thought of You” and “I’ve Got no Strings.”
Recommendation: Rush out and Get this one!
Artist Name: Hybrid
Album Name: Light of the Fearless
Label: Distinctive
Genre: Electronic
Track Listing: 1. We are Fearless; 2. Hold Your Breath; 3. Superpower; 4. Down to the Wire; 5. Usual Rules; 6. Light Up; 7. Beauty Queen; 8. Shaking; 9. Long Time Coming; 10. I Won’t Back Down
Publicist: Send to Media
Review: Mike and Charlotte Truman are a pair of UK-based film score composers who are also amazing artists in their own right. They have worked on a plethora of film scores, including Fast and Furious 8, Interlude in Prague, Hercules, Luther, X-men, and Deja Vu, to name a few. They have also included The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra on this project, as well as tackled and delivered a brilliant cover of Tom Petty‘s “I Won’t Back Down.” All in all, it rocks! Favorite tracks include “Hold Your Breath,” “Down to the Wire,” “Light Up,” “Beauty Queen,” and “I Won’t Back Down.”
Recommendation: This one will make an excellent addition to your music collection. Get it.
Artist Name: Jack Drag
Album Name: 2018
Label: Burger Records
Genre: Pop/Rock
Track Listing: 1. New Number One; 2. I am not Willing; 3. Hope Revisited; 4. Little Lies; 5. Bloody Noses; 6. Strangers; 7. I Suppose; 8. Spirits; 9. Marigolds; 10. Chelsea Moon
Publicist: The Syndicate
Review: John Dragonetti aka Jack Drag brings us an upbeat and radio friendly collection of songs about many of the same issues we’ve all been through this year, including the universal themes of hope, despair and uncertainty. Besides this amazing collection of tunes, Dragonetti has also been working on composing music for film and television, including the movie All About Nina. Best tracks include “New Number One,” “Little Lies,” “Bloody Noses,” “Strangers,” and “Chelsea Moon.”
Recommendation: If you’re one of us who can smile even when we’re going through pain, then this is the album for you. We highly recommend you go Get it.
Artist Name: Erik Deutsch
Album Name: Falling Flowers
Label: LoHi Records
Genre: Jazz/Blues
Track Listing: 1. Jump Change; 2. Ghostfeather; 3. Falling Flowers; 4. Scratch Out; 5. Little Bell; 6. Big Bongos; 7. Amor Eterno; 8. Mel’s Drive In; 9. Tiny Lion
Publicist: The Syndicate
Review: Erik Deutsch is a keyboardist, band leader and collaborator, and has worked with a myriad of artists from Roseanne Cash, Shooter Jennings and Shelby Lynne to Norah Jones. He was also a member of Leftover Salmon. His sixth album is a cornucopia of goodness, with upbeat jazz and blues tunes that have a hint of the islands in their sound, and which would make a great soundtrack for those times when you just want to hear some great instrumental music. We think this is one of the best jazz blends we have encountered this year, and can’t say enough about just how good it is.
Recommendation: Don’t stop until you Get this one.