| Funk, Soul Jazz |
I already spoke to you about Myles Sanko in 2021 regarding his album *Memories Of Love* (review: here), which left a strong impression on us. Generally, when we talk about Soul/Funk music, Myles follows a different path. He is English, a singer-songwriter, producer, and director. Rooted in Ghanaian and French cultures, his music embodies a rich tapestry of cultures.
For a few weeks now, Myles Sanko has been teasing with a few videos, which, in my opinion, marked a continuation toward the excellence of his work (you can find these videos at the end of this review). First, I was impressed by the musicians when I heard the introduction of the first track of this album, *Unfold*. Trumpeter Samuel Evans set the tone right from the start, while guitarist Chris Booth kept us assured for the rest of the album. Indeed, there is no reason to be disappointed. Myles Sanko’s voice, already impressive on the previous album, reaches new heights. Although we don’t have a new Barry White, the musicality is even more refined, and comparisons abound. It’s as if Myles Sanko and his musicians have taken a bit from the entire history of soul music.
An album with the colors of the great Motown era, it is far more than pleasant to listen to. We, who are used to the cream of soul artists like Tower Of Power from our friends at the Mack Avenue label or Ghost-Note, find that Myles Sanko holds his own. Through his influences of soul, hip hop, jazz, and more, he has now succeeded in establishing an inimitable style where lyrics also play an important role, as seen in the remarkable track *Stronger*. With this album, we have also decided that, like the big names we’ve just mentioned, Myles Sanko belongs to the artists who are perpetually on Bayou Blue Radio. Most of the albums are jazz, very few blues artists, a few folk artists, and some soul artists, whom we usually leave to our friends at Release-it Radio, which specializes in this genre.
We must also mention the musicians on this album, who truly work wonders. The arrangements and compositions are incredibly effective. With such a high-quality team, Myles Sanko is ready for international festivals, which, in my view, should have every interest in booking him as he brings something extra and displays a unique originality in this musical style. On this album, we find Myles Sanko – Vocals, Backing Vocals, Tom O’Grady – Piano & Rhodes, Jon Mapp – Bass, Chris Booth – Electric Guitar, Ric Elsworth – Drums, Vibraphone, Marimba, Congas, Gareth Lumbers – Saxophone, Flute, Samuel Ewens – Trumpet, Flugelhorn. You quickly become hypnotized by this album; jazz lovers will find themselves at home just as much as soul or funk enthusiasts. We also appreciate the order of the tracks, taking us through different universes, like with the track *Won’t Be Lonely*. The album ends with the brilliant track *Say It*.
The 11 tracks of this album go by far too quickly. I confess that I listened to it many times before starting this review because I was so fascinated by the arrangements, so well-suited to Myles Sanko’s voice. It really takes a very high-quality album to impress us, and this is the case here. Like the jazz albums we’ve received from England in recent months, this album is truly impressive, as is the beautiful album by Asha Parkinson that I mentioned here. Myles Sanko also finds himself with the little Rose logo that symbolizes our “Indispensable” albums.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, September 23rd 2024
Follow PARIS-MOVE on X
::::::::::::::::::::::