(Funk, Male Vocal, African Jazz) Jacaranda Muse - September Sun - 2012, WEB, FLAC (tracks), lossless

A pretty compelling little quartet – a jazz combo from Zimbabwe, and one who play with a lot of spiritual jazz overtones – yet also throw in some occasional vocals in English! Instrumentation is pretty unique – like some of the hipper experiments on Strata East in the 70s – with a mix of piano, mbira, cello, alto sax, percussion, and marimba – all used in shifting rhythmic passages that have a really hypnotic feel – almost the same sort of slow-building energy of some of Phil Cohran’s classic recordings, but with a bit more focus on the vocal tunes. Singer Vimbai Mukarati is great – with a voice that makes his lyrics way more than just an afterthought – and titles include “Let You Go”, “Thirty Five”, “September Sun”, “Kunakirwa”, “Moonlight”, “Free Fall”, “Coming Home”, and “Underwater Subway”. (Dusty Groove)