While not as well known as Kamasi Washington, Godwin Louis in similar fashion has released a debut album that is ambitious in size (two discs) and range, including musical sounds from almost every continent, along with rich vocals to add meaning and message.
The wide ranging album includes trumpet/flugelhorn (Billy Buss), vibes (Joel Ross), piano (Axel Tosca Laugart), drums (Obed Calvaire), bass (Hogyu Hwang/Jonathan Michel) and various guests on instruments and voice. You get lots of rich African grooves with warm voice by a choir including Melissa Styliannou and Djore Nance on “Nago-Kongo” with warm alto soloing, while Buss’ horn floats over the exotic “The Four Essential Prayers of Guinea.” Rich gospel grooves teamed with organ and Melanie Charles passionate voice make “Revelations” a riveting highlight with some tribal sounds thundering on “Bondy Ede N” mixing percussion and a trio of voices.
The second disc includes a rich Israeli chant with Shelly Alma and Ilan Bar-Lavi” and some wondeful flute on “Yamim Tovim” and the socio-political “I Can’t Breathe” features Louis on a declaratory soprano. Some dreamy moods are painted on “Global part 1” and the team gallops to “Global Part II” creating a rich mosaic of colors and textures over the long haul. Impressive in scope and delivery!