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Icebreaker Early Distant Warning (Aesthetics)
The Brand New Heavies In Tha Beginning (Acid Jazz)
Dave Turner The Year of the Tiger (DSM/Unidisc) On one of the best CDs of recent times, altoman Dave Turner is joined by Jean Beaudet and one of Toronto's great rhythm teams, Steve Wallace and Barry Elmes. Fresh from a week's engagement in T.O., they were flying at this concert last October at the Maison de la Culture Frontenac. Six long cuts including Turner's tribute to mythical Afro-Quebecois saxman "Sonny Lematina" (get it?). Awesome! 10/10 (Len Dobbin)
Natalie Cole Snowfall on the Sahara (Warner)
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The music here is mostly frosty, spacious tonescapes, with episodes of Philip Glass-style hypnotica. This captures perfectly the theme of this duo's disc, and of the NATOarts project of which this recording is a part. NATOarts, you see, is an artistic exploration of the missile alert stations scattered along the northernmost stretches of Canada and Alaska--leftovers from the days of duck-and-cover. What could be more Cold War than these lonely Arctic outposts? Slap this on and make believe you're an Army guy with the fate of the free world in your hands, slowly and quietly losing your mind to the bleak white vistas around you. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Although the term "acid jazz" had been kicking around the U.K. since the mid-'80s, North America wasn't fully introduced to the jazz-funk and urban soul stylings coming out of Britain until about '92. That was when the Brand New Heavies' self-titled debut was released on Delicious Vinyl. This album is their original British release, featuring their first singer Jae Ella Ruth, who was followed by N'dea Davenport. Meaning that it comes from the period before the Heavies switched their focus from instrumental grooves to vocal jams. A sweet look into the beginnings of the whole acid jazz scene. 8/10 (Scott C)
Since '91's Unforgettable album, which featured her duet with dear old dad, Natalie Cole has been stuck in retro-cycle. This set is no exception. Standards, ranging from the sublime "A Song for You" to the raucous "Reverend Lee," are in the spotlight. To her credit, Cole doesn't do injustice to her selections, though she doesn't necessarily deliver material that justifies the cover. Cole fans, and those who think there's no song like an old song, will get off on this. 7/10 (Gerard Dee)