All Ya Needs That Negrocity

Personnel: Abby Dobson, Andre Lassalle, Ben Tyree, Bruce Mack, Dave Smith, Greg Tate, Harald Kisiedu, Jared Nickerson, Jason Di Matteo, Lewis Flip Barnes Avram Fefer, Lisala Beatty, Maya Azucena, Mazz Swift, Meret Koehler, Micah Gaugh, Michael Veal, Mikel Banks, Moist Paula Henderson, Rene Akan, Swiss Chris, Thom Loubet, Trevor Holder, Vijay Iyer

“"Burnt Sugar, the provocative aggregate that was doing mashups before the term was even coined, returns with its most accessible offering. Greg Tate, the group’s ringleader, still emphasizes tex- tual ingenuity and controlled cacophony but the results are less murky and less derivative. During the band’s early years, Tate’s fascination with P-Funk, Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew and Butch Morris’ conductions often got the best of the ensemble, making the music loud and quizzical but wanting for a distinctive sound beyond its influences. By moving to the center and at times concentrating more on durable songs, Burnt Sugar is inching its way into its own thing.

That said, the disc begins with two intrigu- ing makeovers: an Afro-Cuban take on James Brown’s “Cold Sweat” and a noir-ish romp through Astor Piazzolla’s “I’ve Seen That Face Before (Libertango).” In both instanc- es, Burnt Sugar tucks in its penchant for sonic aggression and allows the songs to reign. In turn, Mazz Swift’s haunting violin and Maya Azucena’s dramatic singing on the latter shine.

From there, things get hazier as Azucena and vocalists Abby Dobson and Lisala Beatty swap lead on the frontline, alternating between phan- tasmagorical singing to spoken-word erotica. The rotating cast of drummers and bassists gives the music an insistent, slow-roiling sensation, espe- cially on “Claudine,” which becomes an ideal vehicle for tenor saxophonist Harald Kisiedu. Vijay Iyer showcases his rhythmic flair on the afrobeat-inspired “Bliques Haff Moor Funn” and the avant-reggae dub “Blique Stategems.””
by  John Murph
http://www.downbeat.com/