FunkFreak75
Produced and performed (and mostly composed) by the Nicolosi Family for Nicolosi Productions at the Nicolosi Studios, obviously this Milanese family cares deeply about helping to keep jazz, jazz-Rock Fusion, and Jazz Funk as living, viable music alternatives. Gregg Brown has distinguished himself by promoting the Afro-beat music of Ghana since the 1980s with the band Osibisa (for 34 years) (as well as Ekomé), Youssou N'Dour, Lauren Hill, Damon Albarn, Bombino, and Billy Cobham.
Line-up / Musicians: - Gregg Kofi Brown / vocals, composer, bass - Novecento / composition, production - Lino Nicolosi / guitars - Pino Nicolosi / keyboards - Rossana Nicolosi / bass - Marco Fadda / percussion - Dora Nicolosi / background vocals With: - Sting / vocals (1) - Dominic Miller / guitars (1, 8), composition (1, 8) - Stanley Jordan / guitar & composition (5) - Airto Moreira / percussion & vocals (6) - Billy Cobham / drums (9) And: - Emanuele Cisi / saxophones [tenor & soprano] - Fabrizio Boss / trumpet - Riccardo Fioravanti / double bass Additonal vocals provided by: - Joe Cang, Lorna Marshall, Patti Boulaye, Teddy Osei, and Tim Hain
1. "Lullaby To An Anxious Child" (featuring Sting) (4:09) sounds like a classic STING song melded with some African traditional elements in the form of the Ghanaese chants. Nice operatic female background vocals behind Sting from (probably) Dora Nicolosi. The only problem with this fine song is the fact that we've already heard so many Sting songs structured and colored just like this one. Nice Dominic Miller-like acoustic guitar performance holding it all together beneath all of the vocalists. (8.875/10)
2. "Live As One" (featuring Novecento) (5:08) a great, laid-back groove that is built over a smooth jazz African-pop sound palette. It sounds very, very much like something SEAL could've done. (Is that Seal singing the lead vocal?) Incredible percussion play in the conga solo during the fourth and fifth minutes. (9.5/10)
3. "World Spirit" (featuring Novecento) (5:30) this song sounds very much like a continuation or alternate take of the previous song: groove, percussion, melodies, everything seems to be based on the elements of "Live as One" except for more layers (keyboards, guitars, bass, percussionists, and horns). The lyrics seem to borrow and vary Steve Miller's "Fly Like and Eagle." Nice smooth sax solo in the fifth and sixth minutes. (9/10)
4. "Wake Up The Morning" (featuring Des'ree, Gabrielle) (5:24) a gospel-like SEAL world anthem. Amazing energy and spirit! Definitely like a SEAL song--one co-created with KIRK FRANKLIN. I absolutely LOVE the African village sounds, noises, and chants throughout the song in the background, forming the background choir chants! I can definitely see/hear how Gregg could've been part of Ekomé. This is what music can do! (10/10)
5. "Sky Flower" (featuring Stanley Jordan) (4:51) I haven't heard Stanley Jordan since he first skyrocketed onto the scene with his solo two handed finger-tapping style in the late 1970s. After a very loose and seemingly-disorganized intro of tribal chants mixed with guitar, flute, and electronica sound magics over the first minute, everything suddenly gels into an awesome drum, bass, and Fender Rhodes groove over which Stanley Jordan soars and daredevils like a swallow. Great vocal from Gregg though the lyrics are totally lost on my cuz I'm so busy being astonished at the skills and melodies of all of the instrumentalists weaving beneath him. Wow! A song worth many listens. I can't fathom giving this anything less than full marks! So glad to have this reminder of the incredible talents of Mr. Jordan! (10/10)
6. "Aya A" (featuring Airto Moreira) (6:07) a percussion dream circle with both Gregg and Airto providing vocals (some worded, most chanted in a language that is not English). This is another song that sounds familiar--as if it came from (or was borrowed by) Sting on one of his mega-hit albums. (The descending chord progression and main melody here seems to imitate a pattern Sting used in constructing many of his famous songs. Perhaps he was a student/admirer of Ghanaese music & melodies.) (8.875/10)
7. "Midnight Flyer" (featuring Novecento) (7:00) an awesome, mostly-instrumental, whole-band, Latin-infused Jazz-Rock Fusion jam. (13.375/15)
8. "Tender Eyes" (featuring Dominic Miller) (4:48) with the gorgeous jazz-electric guitar of Dominic Miller we get a great jazz-pop song (with awesome background vocals) with a voice that sounds like the late great BILL WITHERS singing over music that is a cross between NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN, EARTH, WIND & FIRE, and GEORGE BENSON. (9.75/10)
9. "Shadow" (featuring Billy Cobham) (4:59) I don't know who wrote this song (Gregg, Pino and Lino) but it is one heckuva groove with quite the musicianship from top to bottom. This could easily be a huge pop hit (I'm not sure why it hasn't been)! The organ and bass parts are incredibly infectious and the jazz guitar is awesome as well. (10/10)
10. "Je Fre Me Kofi" (6:46) a little Acid Jazz in this one! A composition of Pino and Lino's, this one is as infectious as any of the grooves and melodies It's an instrumental which begs the question: who is playing what? What is Gregg Kofi Brown's instrument (besides voice)? (15/15)
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I find it interesting that the only "weak" song on this album happen to be the one "featuring" the most notable/famous guest.
A/five stars; an absolute masterpiece of beautifully-blended Jazz-Rock Fusion, Jazz-Funk, Smooth Jazz, Jazz-Pop, and African pop influences. This music makes me so happy! Definitely one of the best albums (much less Jazz-Rock Fusion albums) of the Naughties.
