KWCW

Most tribute albums are hit or miss affairs, usually filled in mostly equal parts with interesting takes on old standards and boring or even embarrassing filler material. Come Together – A Jazz/Soul Tribute to the Beatles is no different.

In terms of contributing artists, this compilation is miles ahead of most tribute albums, with many of the greatest artists in the history of jazz and soul music present, including Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, and Herbie Mann. But even some of these great artists make missteps in their experimentation (or lack thereof) with the Beatles’ catalogue. In general, the experimental takes work better than the straight covers. Herbie Mann & Tamiko Jones’ version of “Day Tripper” is overly similar to the original, and Jones’ vocals seem flat in the context of the song. Aretha Franklin’s first track on the album, “Let It Be” is also a bit dull in its similarity to the Beatles’ version. The exception to this rule is Little Richard performing “I Saw Her Standing There”, which is great fun, simply as a result of the original being right up Richard’s alley to begin with. Clarence Wheeler & the Enforcers suffer the opposite problem with their jazz exploration of “Hey Jude”: their version doesn’t have enough to do with the original song, seemingly bleating out the “Na-na-na” part every few minutes only out of obligation before diving back into a jazz workout which, while good, feels like a non sequitur.

The songs that do work are superb, however. The Meters and Black Heat transform “Come Together” and “Drive My Car”, respectively, into funk songs, and the results are tremendous. And the instrumental jazz rendition of “Something” by Wade Marcus is simply gorgeous. Aretha Franklin even manages to nearly trump the original “The Long and Winding Road” with her soulful version.

Ultimately, most of the weak tracks on Come Together are in the first half of the album (such as Charles Wright’s truly awful cover of “Here Comes the Sun”) but listeners who make it through the first few rough spots will find a lot of great material on the second half.

-Ben

When George Clinton says allstars, he’s not fooling around. Packed to the brim, How Late Do You Have 2BB4UR Absent indeed excercises the gaudy excess of funk with special guests such as Prince, Belita Woods, and Kendra Foster. The 2-disc collection, the latest new work from Clinton in nine years, features an arsenal of different styles. There are some great standard sounding funk tracks such as Bounce 2 This and Paradigm Shift on disc one, as well as Something Stank on disc two. The rest of the tunes are a slew of soul and hip-hop, with the occasional funky guitar riff peppered in the background for good measure. Also, in true funkadelic style, the gritty humor of truly nasty music is present on such tracks as I Can Dance and the bonus track after Booty on disc two. There’s just something about the way the line “Get the fuck out, you got to go over on the other side of the door” is presented that makes you grin when you listen to it.

Which brings us to the last point which should be brought up. There are many, many, many tracks which contain explicit lyrics on this disc set. Honestly, if you have a problem with harsh language, then you might want to steer clear of the George Clinton vein of funk. Although you should be able to expect what you’re gonna get with tracks named U Ain’t Runnin’ Shit. So if you’re checkin’ out da funk for the first time, you might want to try something a little less gritty, or just stick with the clean stand out tracks on the album (Bounce 2 This and Paradigm Shift).

Let’s get one thing straight - Average White Band is hot. Trying to write a bad review of an artist of this caliber would be like trying to denounce one of the driving forces of the genre. Greatest and Latest represents a re-invention of some of the group’s stand out work over the past three decades. Most note-worthy is track 2, the nu-jazz version of perhaps AWB’s most famous instrumental Pick Up the Pieces. Opening with driving tracks such as In the Beginning, the song choices move into a more relaxed soulful sound for the majority of the album, closing strong with the funky bass ofLet’s Go Round Again.

Indeed, while crooning tunes such as Love At First Sight and Window to Your Soul are pleasant listening, Greatest and Latest would fall flat if not for the live performance of Oh Maceo strategically placed in the middle of the album. The energy and raw power of the song will refresh you as you journey along the track listing.

The name Greatest and Latest has its flaws, as this album is missing some staple AWB songs to truly be called a “best of” type of offering (where’s Cut the Cake and Got the Love?). However, the live tracks and re-interpretation of some of their classic tunes breath new life into this band of white boys playing in a stereotypical black genre.

Neo-soul fresh from Syracuse Italy. Originally a duo established in 1997, Simone Sheckles joins Alessya Piermarini (Lead vocalist) and Toriano for the group’s second release. Hitches offers a new sound with more defined rhythms compared to their debut album Time Is Ours.

Soul Basement is often described as urban, soulful, jazzy, sophisticated, and smooth. Hitches starts off full of energy with Liar and Lonely No More, moving on into a more easy listening vibe reminiscent of their old work. The album closes with the great track To Be Free, a sultry number with a punching guitar rhythm. Little Hitches Of Living is perfect for unwinding after a long day, or like any good soul album, for cuddling up next to that special someone on the sofa at night.