Irreversible Entanglements, Who Sent You?

It's rare that you get something truly original entering your ears. And this is, truly, highly original. Not since The Epic has something so obviously important come along. And yet this is so different in scale reaching for the philosopher's stone.

Published: 26 Mar 2020. Updated: 4 years.

It's rare that you get something truly original entering your ears. And this is, truly, highly original. Not since The Epic has something so obviously important come along. And yet this is so different in scale reaching for the philosopher's stone.

Grounded in a spiritual Coltranian sense in the undertow with spoken word poetry on top, black consciousness, meditational profundity swim here in Afrofurist quantity and the quality of the musical ideas is expressed on one level by the rapport demonstrated by newcomers to an international audience Keir Neuringer on saxophone and Aquiles Navarro on trumpet. On another, poet Camae Ayewa, aka Moor Mother, is a Gil Scott-Heron for our times, her words have a ringing, compelling doomsday quality to them that make you sit up, then stand up.

Playing original Afrofuturist tunes Irreversible Entanglements are the band for our times. They have the inspiration of the Art Ensemble of Chicago behind them and when the dust settles surely a sea of audiences in front of them. Superb. SG

Out on the International Anthem label.

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Cover of Gentleman revealed: a little of the Lowe down on the latest from Curtis Stigers

The legions of publicists at the label have so far only got round to revealing the cover of Gentleman, new from Curtis Stigers (cool photo) soon. If you believe in redemption but above all in not pigeonholing crooners Stigers is your man and even …

Published: 25 Mar 2020. Updated: 4 years.

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The legions of publicists at the label have so far only got round to revealing the cover of Gentleman, new from Curtis Stigers (cool photo) soon.

If you believe in redemption but above all in not pigeonholing crooners Stigers is your man and even the hardcore free-jazz loving throng among us who on our off days still like an old ballad delivered meaningfully surely dig Stigers hand on heart.

Long since his pop days the singer/saxophonist is a pretty credible hard touring small club-loving and bigger venue old time jazzer even when he goes for songs that some might feel are to use an old title of his real emotional, ''Gentleman'' (the title reminds me of obituaries in local newspapers that eulogise the deceased in the highest possible terms going like ''he was a real gentleman and had a dry wit''), is co-produced by Stigers and pianist/organist/composer Larry Goldings and features jazz arrangements of standards by Nick Lowe, Tom T. Hall, John Fullbright and David Poe, plus four new original songs. Tracks are: Nick Lowe's exquisite 'Lately I've Let Things Slide,' 'After You’ve Gone,' 'A Lifetime Together,' 'Gentleman,' 'As Usual,' 'Remember,' 'She Knows,' 'Here We Go Again,' Tom T. Hall's 'Shame On The Rain,' 'Green Growing Under The Snow' and 'Learning To Let You Go.' More when we know more and hopefully can share a track. For now check out some of the songs he tackles. Look for the release in late-April-May. Such a shame the current crisis is playing havoc with the extensive touring planned to support the release. But hey everyone is hurting.