Deniece Williams - Gonna Take A Miracle : The Best Of Deniece Williams (Sony - 2006)

Deniece Williams has one of the most nice crystal clear soprano voice of black music with Minnie Riperton and has been largely overlooked recently. She started as a backup vocalist for Stevie Wonder but it's Earth Wind & Fire Maurice White that produced her first album, This Is Niecy: a classic. You'll find four tracks of This Is Niecy on this best of: Free, of course, Cause You Love Me, Baby, That's What Friends Are For and If You Don't Believe. Deniece Williams continued working with Maurice White for her second album, Song Bird. Her third try, When Love Comes Calling, saw her working with other producers and releasing the excellent and uptempo I Found Love. She then worked with Thom Bell On My Melody and Niecy for a nice Philly sound. By respect for this brilliant artist, I'll keep silence on the rest of her career since the mid 80's. Gonna Take A Miracle is producer Leo Sacks personnal best of but gives you the opportunity to hear Deniece Williams greatest tracks without any real filler.

































Download => Deniece Williams - Gonna Take A Miracle

Conte Candoli - Modern Sounds From The West (Lone Hill Jazz - 2005)

After a quick search on the internet, I discovered that the then Blue Note released two albums gathered on Modern Sounds From The West, Best From The West Vols 1 & 2, are celebrated like a must-have among jazz heads. I had strictly no clue about it when I found this CD in a dusty sales bin with a cracked box. I have to admit that Conte Candoli made a brilliant work here and you'll certainly like it, whether you are into jazz or not. The cuts are clean, simple and short. You'll find everything you need to know about this cool as fuck record here: http://www.jazzwax.com/2009/01/conte-candoli-best-from-the-west.html

Download => Conte Candoli - Modern Sounds From The West

Ubiquity - Starbooty (Elektra - 1978)

Produced by Roy Ayers (his name is on the cover), this is the sole album that features Roy Ayers backing band, Ubiquity, without Roy Ayers signing or playing vibes on it. The songs switch between disco and jazz funk and are well executed by seasoned musicians and singers. Starbooty is definitely a good album but a bit too mechanical and certainly not as good as what Roy Ayers did under his own moniker. The best tracks are not necessarily the ones written by Roy Ayers himself. My personnal preference goes to the midtempo Simple And Sweet and its killing head nobbing bassline.

Download => Ubiquity - Starbooty