From: Wesley (wesleyc_at_cox.net)
Date: 2003-04-26 01:57:35
Reviews :: Sunaga t Experience, Bebe
reviews of the new Sunaga t Experience groove spectacular (which happens
to contain one of the best hip-hop songs of the year, among other gems)
and Bebe (Jazztronik works closely with her). also, Dusty Groove has
'Bebe' listed as a 2002 release. it's not; it's a brand new 2003 release.
-Wesley
[Sound :: Lounge] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoundLounge
-- source: Metropolis, Dusty Groove SUNAGA T EXPERIENCE Double Standard (Readymade) For a man who infuses so much sweet soul, enviable style, and in-the-pocket jazz into his music, Tatsuo Sunaga truly deserves to be called an Experience—a magical one. After the release of several supremely curated compilations last year, Sunaga t Experience’s second original album is yet another delicious journey of sonic beauty, sublime grooves and stylistic globe hopping. Surprisingly, Tatsuo places a triumvirate of formulaic house cuts at the exact center of the record, but gems like the Okinawa inflected “Futari” and the astral “No Reason No Rhyme” brings the brilliance back. Like Crouka, Double Standard also delivers a stunning hip-hop number, “Strobe/Fruit,” that puts most other hip-hop acts to shame: G-Ton’s bouncy emceeing rides above an awe-inducing mélange of swinging strings, dancing piano motifs, and feverishly syncopated drum hits. Although a little fatty at the gut, the rest of Double Standard is unadulterated beauty. Wesley Chu http://metropolis.japantoday.com/tokyo/recent/music_cd.asp Bebe -- Bebe . . . CD Universal (Japan), 2003 A real change from earlier work for Bebe -- a shift towards a singer who's both steeped in American vocal traditions of the 20th century, but who also proudly sings in her native Japanese on most of the album. The format of the album is that of lush ballads and mellow numbers -- small jazz combo backing upfront, often with Bebe on piano, and soaring strings and orchestrations behind her on most numbers. The album's got some nice covers of standards -- like "Moon River", "Love Letters", "This Girl's In Love With You", and "Close To You" -- plus a number of other songs with Japanese titles. http://www.dustygroove.com/nusoulcd.htm#69393 -- The Eclectic Sounds of Japan [Sound :: Lounge] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoundLounge