The Soul Express Album of the Month
May 2000
MODERN TRIBE Groove On (UK
Expansion)
1) Reach the Top 2) Groove On 3)
Keep On Walking 4) So Good To Have Someone 5)
Someday 6) Misunderstood 7) I Never Told You 8)
It's Your Love 9) Kissing You (Intro) 10) Kissing
You 11) By the Sea 12) Groove On (Remix)
Produced by Charles Scales (co-produced by
Gwendolyn Scales)
The best album of 1999 was provided by this
Detroit-based jazz-soul group led by the husband
and wife duo of Charles and Gwen Scales,
responsible for keyboards and vocals,
respectively. Other members include percussionist
Melvin Maxwell and saxophonist Ray
Manzerolle, a name familiar to me from Gene
Dunlap Band. Some of you may also be
aware of Charles and Gwen through their
critically acclaimed indie single Inside My
Love from 1988. The trumpet-infused groover Reach
the Top opens the album in a superb fashion,
but is overshadowed by the compelling title
track, a piece of J. Spencer / Impromp2
type of hip hop jazz with some genuinely exciting
piano work by Charles. The remix transforms the
track into a moody funker reminiscent of Tom
Browne's Hip Bop material. Jazz
influences are highlighted on the captivating
mid-tempo stepper Misunderstood, spiced
with nice guitar and vibes solos, and the
superlative finger-snapper I Never Told You which
Gwen handles extremely well.
In addition to these jazz-funk gems, we are
treated to a quartet of excellent soul ballads.
These include the slow and sensuous Keep On
Walking and the smouldering It's Your
Love, both of which remind me of Khani
Cole at her finest. Even better are the
uplifting mid-tempo ballad So Good to Have
Someone, earlier recorded by Johnny
Bristol, and the swaying Someday,
which has traces of another legendary Detroit
group, Chapter 8. Needless to
say, the arrangements make good use of saxophone
and piano. The remaining two cuts are Kissing
You, a smooth instrumental version of Keith
Washington's breakthrough hit, and By
the Sea, a summery jam with lots of
saxophone and acoustic guitar. One not to be
missed by any self-respecting soul fan. (9)
-Kimmo Heikkinen
The Review from Soul Express
1/2000.
Albums
of the Month in 1999
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of the Month in 1998
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