10 New and Noteworthy Releases

Time again to spin some new albums that have caught my ears recently.

We start with a feel-good inspirational song by Michael Franti and his great band Spearhead. I have loved this guy, this band ever since they were the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy 25 years ago. This song is especially fitting for the holiday season, or anytime!

French band Caravan Palace is back with a new album, and we’ll check out the final cut on it, “Lay Down”. Straight from the Bronx we next hear Spanglish Fly with some cool boogaloo, soul salsa. Let’s pair it with a Spanish version of Lennon & McCartney’s “Because” by Grupo Fantasma.

A quartet of new jazz releases comes next, with music by the Amp Trio, Brad Allen Williams’ cover of Joe Jackson’s “Steppin’ Out”, French trumpeter Eric le Lann’s cover of Claude Debussy’s “Danse Profane”, and an all-star band lead by bassist Stanley Clarke, featuring Bireli Lagrene on guitar and Jean-Luc Ponty on violin.

We wrap up this package of new releases with a new cd put together by Radio Head’s Jonny Greenwood, featuring music from Rajasthan, birthplace of flamenco gypsy music. Finally, a timely song by the late great Algerian musician Lili Boniche, “There’s only one God”. Lili Boniche, along with pianist Maurice el Medioni, were part of the 1950s music scene in Oran, Algeria’s Jewish quarter, before the war of independence that tore up the country.

I hope you enjoy all this new music!