If you like your music sounding like you’re in a hip club, then take an ear to this ep by Ari Joshua. The Cape Town, South African born singer/guitarist takes his lessons learned from teaming with the likes of Robert Glasper and forms a snappy trio with organist Ray Paczkowski and drummer Russ Lawton. The result is a soulful half hour plus of jams, tunes and grooves that will get the head bobbin’.
There’s a clever mix of jazz, funk and blues throughout, with the team sounding like a mix of Jimmy Smith meeting with Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters on “For Ray” and some nifty and well created guitar lines on the bluesy “Audio Bicycle Day”. Joshua sings like a melding of John Mayer and Eric Clapton for laid back sounds that hint at vintage Allman Brothers on “Rae of Light” and the boogieing “Gramama” while a cool vocal choir (with Chava Mirel) glides over the sleek shuffle of “Bernie Meme”. The team knows how to lay down a deep rivulet throughout, particularly on the hip “Star Lord”, with the keys humming and the licks more tasty than a Tootsie Roll Pop. Fresh as a bakery opened at 5 am.