Reviews roundup – Robert Cray vs. Stone Foundation vs. Susan Clynes

Reviews roundup – Robert Cray vs. Stone Foundation vs. Susan Clynes

THE ROBERT CRAY BAND
In My Soul
Provogue

I’m not entirely sure that Robert Cray has ever made anything less than a good album. And this one is no exception as he jumps on the soul bandwagon that’s seen the likes of Jonny Lang and his ilk moving away from the blues over the past few years. Of course, I say bandwagon, but that’s pretty much what Cray has been doing from day one. He’s just being blatant about it this time.

His vocals were always straight out of classic soul, so to hear him on songs like Otis Redding’s ‘Nobody’s Fault But Mine’ and the Hayes / Porter tune ‘Your Good Thing Is About To End is just delightful. And the originals are straight out of the top drawer as well. Best of all though is his take on the Bobby “Blue” Bland’ gem ‘Deep In My Soul’. I reckon it’s the song he was born to sing and it’s absolutely killer.

As always his band is just sublime, all helped along with a right in the pocket production from Steve Jordan. Soul album of the year? Probably.

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STONE FOUNDATION
To Find The Spirit
The Turning Point Recording Organisation

And while we’re in a soulful mood, here comes of the Britain’s top soul acts, ladies and gennelmum, I give you, all the way from Warwickshire, the one and only Stone Foundation.

It’s album number five from them, and even though I only have a nodding acquaintance with their earlier material, this is so good, it makes you want to hunt them down and make them your bitch. To be honest, I was put off a few years back when someone said they were a bit like Dexys Midnight Runners. The bastard. They’re much better than that. For sure, they nod back to Philadelphia and Detroit, but their music is very much their own.

It’s a great sound with Hammond organ and a horn trio kicking things along, and guitarist and singer Neil Jones more than holds his own. They’ve got an array of actual special guests with Nolan Porter, Carleen Anderson and Andy Fairweather Low amongs the heavyweights, but on songs as good as ‘That’s The Way I Want To Live My Life’ they show that they don’t need nobody.

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SUSAN CLYNES
Life Is…
Moonjune Records

Hmm, nice. Yes it’s jazz time, and it sees the arrival of Belgian singer, pianist and composer Susan Clynes on to Moonjune Records. She’s been recording over in Europe land for a wee while, guesting hither and thither, but this is her international début, and it will certainly find favour amongst the devout modern jazz colligere.

This record is actually a live album, but one collated from three different concerts. Two of the shows saw her accompanied by Pierre Mottet on bass and Nico Chkifi on drums, with the third show seeing her with Simon Lenski on the cello. She’s an engaging singer, who seems to find new ways of expressing herself in lyric, with songs like ‘Childhood Dreams’ and ‘Ileana’s Song’ giving you pause for thought.

Musically it is immaculate, as befits someone who graduated in 2012 from the Conservatory of Ghent, and even if some of the lyrical motis betray her youth, the power of the performance wins you over every time. Definitely a name to watch out for in years to come.

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