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HEAD’S UP
NAJEE/Rising Sun: Cats like Najee have to give it some thought when they get to a certain point. He’ll forever have to compete with himself as one of the contemporary architects of smooth jazz, but how does he keep the old fans and get new ones after a certain point? Sometimes you just have to break the rules and mix James Moody with John Mayer and hope for the best. A talented enough player that he can and does pull it off, you can feel that he’s trying to make a set that more than just another one in a series. With a sound that’s refreshed and freshened up, Najee let’s his maturity lead the way and isn’t afraid to put his ever deepening chops on display. All told, it’s a nice set to have playing when almost any adult past time is underway—-but don’t mistake it for background music.
3129
MUCKLOW PRODUCTIONS
MICHAEL MUCKLOW/View from Here: In which we find Mucklow’s solo debut was no fluke. Starting out under the influence of new age masters, Mucklow refines his approach where the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree but he injects more of his own personality in this new outing. A fingerstyle guitarist that knows how to pay attention to his art and deepen his craft, there hasn’t been a succession and progression like this going on in guitar since the early Leo Kottke records. For delicate instrumental work that has a lot of substance, this is fine work that will blow your guitar loving ears wide open.
37055
NOT JUST NOISE
NOT JUST NOISE/Not Just Noise: Coming together from two St. Louis contemporary rock bands that were looking to do something different after knocking around the circuit for several years, the core of Silent Q added a girl singer from several areas bands, most notably The Patsies, to change their sound and outlook to a jazz/power pop thing. Certainly keeping a stiff edge, you aren’t gong to confuse them with other groups looking to break out as they craft off beat material in the style of 90’s bubbling under alt.bands that had more influence than sales but always managed to make themselves felt. A nice stop to make if you’re really looking for something new.
5678
NuVISION
BR6/Here to Stay-Gershwin & Jobim: A few years ago, a few Brazilian vocalists got together and decided what the world needed in the new millennium was a new acappella group. Their passion for their work earned them bat out of hell status as their debut rocketed to the top in Brazil and caught everyone off guard. Back with their first American release, the crew keeps their vision in tact and they go ‘mainstream’ tackling the works of Jobim and Gershwin. With a set card that comes with no misfires already built in, their new take on things adds the special dimension that gives these classics and chestnuts that extra something. A mind blowing, ear opening set that has so much on the ball you don’t know where to begin, simply put if you have any kind of world beat or left leaning tastes, this set is quickly going to become one of your new faves. With it’s organic, unmanufactured vibe, it feels fresh and spontaneous and full of the kick you get when you discover something on your own that blows you away.
6000
Volume 30/Number 268
July 26, 2007
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
(c)2007 Midwest Record
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