Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

?Sunrise In New York? by Kevan Leonard Carter
?Stealth Jazz? by Muziki Roberson
?Respect Movement? by King Wawa

I do not know much about hockey but I am aware of the term ?hat trick,? used whenever a player scores three goals in a game and usually accompanied by fans throwing their hats onto the ice. Here, then, is the critical equivalent of a hat trick: three CDs, all major scores for any music collection, hats and ice not included. Just as hockey is considered a not-quite-major sport when compared to the triad of baseball, basketball, and football, so do these artists compare to the major label pantheon of music icons: not well-known, just done well. Unlike hockey, however, none of these CDs features fights, high sticking, or a penalty box.

?[tag]Sunrise In New York[/tag]? by Kevan Leonard Carter is a collection of ten guitar- or piano-based songs written and performed by Carter. He is joined by a rhythm section of James Levy or George Hearst on drums and George Franklin on bass for most of the selections. Melicio Magdaluyo contributes soulful sax solos (soprano, alto, and tenor) on three of the songs and especially shines on ?Where Do We Go From Here.? The appropriately-named Ricardo Scales and Byran Carter share keyboard duties with KLC; all three display thoughtful, well-formed skills on the instrument.

Carter?s music, beginning with the title track and continuing to the finale ?What Can I Do For You,? is the type that goes through the ears, gets under the skin, and stays there. Think of a singer/songwriter mixed with gospel and soul-jazz singers like Donny Hathaway and Al Jarreau. A nice blend, spiritual without being dogmatic, extremely heartfelt, a good band, and a refreshing alternative to what most of the above-mentioned pantheon?s members are shoveling out. Good food for one?s soul, too: more KLC, less KFC.

?Stealth Jazz? by Muziki Roberson has been in my to-play stack for two or three months. Since I suffer from CDRADD (CD Reviewer Attention Deficit Disorder), I played it, took notes and intended to review it, but did not return to it until this week. Originally I felt this CD was a two-headed creature, combining Return-to-Forever-with-funk pieces with music reminiscent of Art Blakey?s Blue Note Records period. It seemed like a session co-led by Chick Corea and Horace Silver. I felt the ?stealth? in the CD?s title was a pun and a description of how a spoonful of fusion sugar would help the ?real jazz? (huh?) medicine go down. (The previous sentence, incidentally, may be the only recorded instance of using Mary Poppins as a reference point in a jazz review.)

Turns out if there was any stealthiness involved, it was in my mind: all of these songs stand up extremely well without any labeling on my or anyone?s part. Roberson?s keyboard work and compositions are delightful on this recording. He surrounds himself with some fine talent on the CD?s ten songs, including Dave Ellis and Joshi Marshall on saxes, Marty Wehner (part of San Francisco?s Jazz Mafia, whose music available for free and legal downloading at www.archive.org was recently reviewed in L&BH) on trombone, Raymond Graham on percussion, and Sheharizade Stone?s vocal on ?Having Once Loved.? All references to stealth are hereby forgotten: this CD is a fine collection of music. Period.

?Respect Movement? by King Wawa is a collection of reggae and Caribbean music. The CD?s title serves to describe its contents well: this is a recording designed for the ?respect? movement, to respect ?movement,? and usually both at the same time.

The band?s rhythmic intentions are announced in the very first line of the opener ?Shake It,? where King Wawa sings ?Shake it time, let?s jump up to reach the sky,? and they proceed to deliver for the next fortysomething minutes. Thoughtful lyrics like ?I realize you?re so Westernized, you just need a man to colonize/Sorry, I been down this way before, I?m not going to do it anymore? in ?Renew Your Mind? serve as both a love song and a parable of Third World resistance to New World exploitation. With this music it is possible to shake it AND respect yourself.

King Wawa wrote, sang, and played rhythm guitar on all of the CD?s twelve songs. He also played keyboards on all but one of them and contributed some guitar solos, congas, bongos, and shekere. The Oneness Kingdom Band, an eighteen-member group of horns, backing vocals, bass, drums, percussion, and keyboards accompanies him on these tracks. This music was recorded in Richmond, CA and mixed and mastered in Nashville, TN. Long live the king and the band.

The CDs reviewed were all from local musicians, give or take a few miles. If you are a local musician (or know any of them), send your/their CD to Listen & Be Heard, 818 Marin Street, Vallejo, CA 94590. I can?t review what I haven?t heard. And speaking of hearing music, catch Kevan Leonard Carter in concert at the Listen & Be Heard Poetry Caf? on January 6. Showtime is 9:00 p.m., admission is $10.00. 707-554-4540

Be Sociable, Share!

•