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Melky Sedeck Sister&Brother (MCA/Universal) While the world eats the fruits of Lauryn Hill, Wyclef seems to have laid quite low. His brother and sister, however, are ready to jump into the fray. Sister Blandinna Melky Jean has the makings of a soulful noise which she displays on songs like "Mi Amor" and "Foolish Heart," but the songs just aren't strong enough for you to fully appreciate her voice. The horrid "To Sir With Love" and "Shake It" don't really help the case either, filling out an array of mostly weak songs and sparsely produced tracks. I'd give these two some time and some help from a talented sibling before I'd give them more than a 6/10 (Scott C) Blackstreet Finally (Universal)
Various Brasil 2 Mil (Crammed/Fusion III) This makes an interesting companion piece to David Byrne's Luaka Bop comps of Brazilian folk pop. Not that this one lets loose the batucada drum thunder; consider Brasil to chill an alternate title. Nor is this a faded historical document--the music's lush textures and sultry nuances are placed in a modern, globalist context. Sometimes that's a good thing (Smoke City, Suda, Virginia Rodriguez), sometimes not (Daudé, Rec.a). 8.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) Ganesh Anandan FingerWorks (independent) Everybody's got that habit of tapping their fingers absentmindedly, on the phone, bus, dinner table, wherever. Montrealer Anandan's trio expand tic into talk, expressing themselves eloquently in their found lingo of finger drumming. Despite the shakers, handclaps and occasional chanting, the basis of FingerWorks is the frame drum, Indian to Middle Eastern to Celtic. Rhythm can be a language, and these are some lively conversations. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) Johnny Hodges ...with Billy Strayhorn (Verve/Universal) A most timely reissue--we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Duke Ellington's birth on the 29th of this month. This is a marvellous 1961 recording featuring the alto sax of Hodges with some exquisite piano from Jimmy Jones on 11 arrangements by Strayhorn. These include "Azure," "Jeep's Blues" and "I Got It Bad." This is also Hoagy Carmichael's centennial year and his "Star Dust" is also here, featuring trombonist Lawrence Brown. 10/10 (Len Dobbin)
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As a member of '80s funk trio Guy, Teddy Riley brought forth a whole new generation of beats. He's accomplished similar results with this '90s incarnation of the quintessential urban outfit, most notably with the '96 anthem "No Diggity." On Blackstreet's third set, Riley continues to use innovation as his most lethal weapon, deploying staccato beats to enhance the Janet duet "Girlfriend/Boyfriend," jazz-blended funk on "I'm Sorry" and searing gospel inspiration with Hezikiah Walker on the title track. The total R&B experience. 7.5/10 (Gerard Dee)