SOUL UNLIMITED Radioshow 640

This episode focuses on jazz. It kicks off with a few classics and some current recordings. The new album “Gadabout Season” by Brandee Younger is the first main topic. It is a special album on which the talented musician plays the restored harp of the legendary Alice Coltrane. The songs on this album have a remarkable spirit that defies these threatening times and allows us to see the beauty in them. Music as a healing force that strengthens resilience and resistance. Great!
With his debut album “Open Up The Senses,” young singer Tyreek McDole enters the jazz scene and shines with an excellent selection of songs, which he breathes new life into with his warm baritone voice. An extraordinary voice that we are sure to hear a lot more of in the future!
Fittingly, this is followed by an album classic from Andy Bey, who died on April 26 and whose voice will remain unforgettable. His 1998 album “Shades Of Bey” also features his unique interpretation of the Nick Drake classic “River Man,” which is one of his most beautiful recordings.
I saw Stuttgart drummer Lisa Wilhelm last year at “Encore” in Reutlingen as the drummer for the indie rock band Nitsch. But this is just one of several projects she is involved in. With her Lisa Wilhelm Quartet, she makes completely different music, which is rooted in jazz. On the new album “So Close,” she has expanded the quartet to include singers and a string quartet. The musical range has expanded somewhat with pop and folk influences, which sounds very refreshing overall. Very nice!
One of the most remarkable discoveries of recent years for me was the singer Enji Erkhem. I saw her live for the first time in 2019 at the Pappelgarten in Reutlingen, a concert that left a lasting impression. Enji’s musical journey began when she took part in a program led by bassist Martin Zenker at the Goethe Institute in Ulaanbaatar and was introduced to the world of jazz. She then studied jazz singing in Munich, where she also met musicians such as guitarist Paul Brändle from the Squama Records label. Since her second album, “Ursgal,” released on Squama Records, her career has taken off. Here she developed her personal style, which uniquely blends jazz, folk, and traditional Mongolian music. With her new album “Sonor,” she has once again created a collection of remarkable songs that invite us listeners on a journey through the landscapes of her experiences, building bridges between cultures, embracing change, and finding beauty in the transitions that shape our lives. Her music reminds us that moments of change, like sunset, can be both beautiful and poignant. The record of the week!
Finally, there is an interesting project to report on, started by musicians Alisha Joy, Hidden Spheres, and Finn Rees. On their debut album “Solina,” you can immerse yourself in a new soundscape whose groove develops in the tension between jazz, soul, and electronica. An album that sounds very good. Enjoy listening to this episode!

Tracklist:

Soul Unlimited – Radioshow Theme
Inge Brandenburg - Summertime
Rhetta Hughes & Tennyson Stephens - Come On Home
Cinephonic - Refuge
Amanda Whiting - Waiting To Go (feat. Chip Wickham)
Brandee Younger - Gadabout Season
Brandee Younger - Surrender (feat. Courtney Bryan)
Chien Chien Lu - Special Things
Brian Jackson & Masters At Work - Is That Jazz ?
Tyreek McDole - The Creator Has A Masterplan
Tyreek McDole - Won’t You Open Up Your Senses
Andy Bey - Dark Shadows
Andy Bey - River Man
Lisa Wilhelm Quartett - Dreaming Of Okapis
Lisa Wilhelm Quartett - Four Voices (feat. Mareike Riegert)
Jakob Bänsch - Iroh
Enji - Ulbar
Enji - Eejiinhee Hairaar
Joy Spheres Rees - Promised Me Love
Joy Spheres Rees - Always Leaving
Resavoir - Love Theme From Spartacus
Maurice Storrer Quartet - Aiming High