(Soul, Vocal Jazz) Jeff Cascaro - The Other Man - 2012, WEB, FLAC (tracks), lossless

Jeff Cascaro - vocal, horns
Bruno Müller - guitar
Ulf Kleiner - rhodes, piano, organ, moog
Christian von Kaphengst - fender jazz bass
Flo Dauner - drums, percussion
Peter Lübke - drums, percussion
Michael Heupel - flute

Before Heatwave hit it big in the United States with their debut album Too Hot to Handle, they had a large following in Europe. The band was especially popular in Germany. By the mid 1970s, Heatwave was following a well-worn path to Germany that had been blazed by acts such as The Beatles. So it’s clear that German music lovers have an ear and affinity for soul, rock and other musical styles made in America. German artists have also spent considerable amount of time listening, watching and woodshedding, as is evidenced by the latest release by Jeff Cascaro, who has just released his third soul album, The Other Man.
Cascaro’s musical history should not be too surprising considering the absolute love that many Europeans have for soul, blues and jazz music. Cascaro is a trumpeter who has played with the top German bands and with American legends such as Joe Sample. He developed a love for the blues when he was 14-years old. That Cascaro is currently 43 underscores the fact that he was digging the blues at a time when his American counterparts were actively rejecting the music. From the blues and jazz Cascaro made the transition to soul and R&B music.
Vocally, Cascaro is especially suited to sing soul music. He sports a smooth but muscular tenor that effortlessly soars into falsetto range, as displayed on the ballad “You.” That tune is reminiscent of the work that Leon Ware did on his 2008 release Moon Ride. Tracks such as “Swing Thing” and “Beale Street” honor the important role that blues and jazz take in Cascaro’s life. Cascaro displays a musicologist’s command of jazz history, as he calls out some of the greats in jazz history on “Swing Thing.” The number also reveals that while Cascaro does a lot of singing, he retains his instrumentalist sensibilities. “Swing Thing” showcases Cascaro’s horn playing, and also provides ample room for his sidemen to improvise.
It’s clear that Cascaro finds being so far removed from soul music’s epicenter somewhat liberating. He neither faces the prospect of being forced to update his sound in order to be heard among the din of singers screeching to gain the attention of the youth orientated artists, Nor does he have to wander through the wilderness – a musical prophet without honor – because he adheres to the ideal of pure soul music. That’s often the fate of American soul singers, which is why so many of them seek and find critical and commercial success in Europe. Nope, Cascaro has the freedom to put his entire heart and soul into singing southern soul numbers such as the title track and “Going Home,” or he can drop a hot buttered soul track such as the flute infused “Give it To Me,” or even include jazzy numbers such as the pensive “The Girl Who Got Away.” These diverse cuts all add up to a cohesive whole on The Other Man, and Cascaro’s American listeners will not have to be worry about anything being lost in translation. Highly Recommended ~ Howard Dukes, soultracks.com

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Ever since the soul revival the big names in black music are back on the turntables. However, independent of trend and retro fashion, a white name has stood out in the world of black soul music in Germany – with his debut album "Soul Of A Singer" in 2006, Jeff Cascaro rose to the peak of soul credibility and proved that the legacy of Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett and Marvin Gaye is still thriving on our soil. The third album by this Bochum-born soul man proves once again that he has the power to really convince, not with a plethora of acoustic mediums but rather with his mature and intelligent minimalistic approach firmly embedded in the roots.
His new work 'The Other Man', recorded once again with the help of his trusted team around the producer Christian von Kaphengst, finds Jeff back on the trail of his original soul drive, turning inwards to find space for the essence to come alive. "This album sounds more transparent, straightforward and acoustic", he says. And the album does indeed deliver a sound that is both warm and earthy, a sound that doesn't try to convince with stylized details but with a majestic minimalism that shouldn't be confused with asceticism. Everything happens in exactly the right place, from the Fender Rhodes and Hammond organ touches to the funky sparseness of the guitar, the soulful groove of the rhythm section and the splendid exuberance of the brass – with trombone and trumpet solos played by Jeff himself, by the way. As usual, albeit resounding perceptibly deeper and more expressive than before, it is the voice that takes centre stage.
In the title track, which tells the story of a man who believes he has been betrayed brooding over 'the other man', Cascaro's laconic vocal flawlessly portrays the jealous lover. He reveals wonderful mellow qualities over the entire range of his voice in 'The Girl Who Got Away' and then lets loose in 'Stop!', an honest and timeless lover's confession. 'You' takes a more reflective turn, its light-heartedly relaxed mood reminiscent of Marvin Gaye featuring wonderful multi-layered chorus harmonies. With its rousing a capella intro, Jeff's reverential tribute to Al Green, a six minute version of 'Let's Stay Together', fits the album's mood perfectly and allows his unique style to really come to the fore.
Central to the album is the southern rock groove of “Beale Street”, taking the search for roots into the heart of Memphis, blistering trombone solo included. And finally, paying tribute to jazz greats from Charles Mingus to Ray Brown, with its complex grooves and harmonies, ‘Swing Thing’ even rouses the protagonist to burst into a scat interlude. “I have never distinguished between jazz, soul or blues, I can’t say how much of which there is in my music. I am a musician, full-stop. And my aim is to become more and more mature and discerning in my expression”. With The Other Man“ Jeff Cascaro has achieved this aim without the shadow of a doubt. ~ Herzog Records