The Prodigal Son
Ry Cooder
«In a very real sense then, The Prodigal Son lives up to its title, a return to his earliest archival sounds». (Lee Zimmerman) Whether playing folk rock with Taj Mahal in the sixties in the Rising Sons, as a member of Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band on Safe As Milk, recording with Mali’s Ali Farka Touré, working with the Chieftains or gathering Cuban musicians to celebrate the island’s music as the Buena Vista Social Club, Cooder has showered our ears with unusual and delectable vibrations. The Prodigal Son takes him back to the beginning when he recorded old blues, gospel, folk, and swing tunes reflecting his musical past as an example of the historical present. Though not obviously so at first, Ry Cooder continues on the road of political involvement by inciting us to fight for justice while proving once more that there is no better rhythm guitarist.
Fantasy, May 2018
Both Directions at Once
John Coltrane
How lucky we are to be gifted with a full new album by the giant of jazz, based on recordings made at Rudy van Gelder’s legendary studio in Englewood Cliff, NJ, in 1963! The 14 track, two-disc album sounds as fresh as if it had been recorded yesterday, featuring John Coltrane’s classic quartet: McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums. Next to previously released tracks such as Nature Boy and Impressions, it is entirely comprised of new material showing Coltrane at the height of his solo career and his brand of abstract, yet melodious jazz at the pinnacle of popularity and meaning. «Listening to Coltrane, particularly in his prime, in the nineteen-sixties, is among the best musical experiences that exist.» (Richard Brady)
Impulse, June 2018
Feels Like Summer & Summertime Magic
Childish Gambino
Part of a two-track package called Summer Park, these two new creations by Donald Glover, aka as Childish Gambino, highlight the exceptional vocal talent of the musician who might be seen as the successor of Marvin Gaye. They stand far apart from his last, highly political release This is America, which we introduced in our last goodnews. Summer Park was written and produced by Gambino and his longtime collaborator Ludwig Göransson as a promotional single announcing the release of his forthcoming album. Their breeziness and happy mood make these tracks ideal summer hits.