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Despite tired gangsta posturing and rap twosome Sandy Carriello and Luis S P O T L I G H T S P O T L I G H T cliché peddling on several tracks, Deschamps runs through a good -time including single "Not Tonight" (by Lil' set of bravura -laced anecdotes high- Kim et al.), the album has some lighted by "La Fiesta" and "El inspired moments, especially Coolio's Alacrán." AL3..,vs "C U When U Get There." A sampling EIDITEED BY PAUL VERNA of the state of the art in hip -hop. WORLD MUSIC * SALLY NYOLO P O P JAll Tribu * DREW WEAVER BARBARA DENNERLEIN PRODUCERS: Sally Nyolo & Xavier Desandre- Navarre Unfaithful Kind Junkanoo Tinder 42846792 PRODUCER: Michael Kramer PRODUCER. Barbara Dennerlein Former Zap Mama member Sally Nyolo Black Saddle 414 Verve 537 122 has made one of the brightest, most con- Delaware resident Drew Weaver has a Second label release from German jazz sistently enjoyable world music debuts keener eye for a good lyric and a finer ear organist/composer Barbara Dennerlein of the year. Nyolo- raised in Cameroon for a good tune than most songwriters is defined by the swings, stings, and but based in Paris -knows her American with bigger names and fatter bank surges of her classic Hammond B3. pop styles well and can elegantly blend voice with African forms, as on the dra- accounts. Weaver's potent, bluesy MATT MOLLOY Backed by an impressive crew that them -solid featuring MANSUN matically metronomic "Tamtam." Even a hovers over rock grooves Shadows On Stone includes David Murray, Randy Brecker, reverb -soaked, vibrato-accented guitars Attack Of The Grey Lantern Frank Lacy, Howard traditional theme like the call-and- Draper PRODUCER: Matt Molloy David Sanchez, (courtesy of his band, the Alvarados) and PRODUCER: Paul Thomas Chapin, Mitch response "Ndongo" is adorned with Epic 67935 Caroline 1168 Johnson, - delightfully pop -tuneful choruses. Other the occasional touch of exotica. It's an In the U.K., where singles still serve Master flutist Matt Molloy has been Watkins, and Dennis Chambers, Den sound that works best on -ized set highlights include the light- stepping unpretentious a vital need in the marketplace, rock a fixture of the Celtic music circuit nerlein kicks off a well- organ multitracked vocals on "Shana "; the his brilliantly arranged tunes -such as quartet Mansun garnered so much for years, first as a member of the with enjoyably funky themes "A Cat -Age Stripper," hypnotic, concentric patterns of "Awou "; "Bigger Than Life," "Teen acclaim for its first batch of EPs Bothy Band and Planxty and since Strikes Back" and "Walk On Air." Writ- Isaak -rem- and the rumbling funk lines of "Ovouni." "Love On The Line," the Chris that it won the coveted Brit Award 1979 through his distinguished work ing and performing in musical settings on the vocalism of iniscent "I Couldn't Walk Away," and the for best band even before this with the Chieftains. As a solo artist, that could appeal to traditional and con- Perhaps reflecting title cut-many of which are rife with debut shipped. session player, and ringleader of the temporary jazz fans alike, Dennerlein her previous band, Nyolo composes gor- album -its -had with the sweetly insightful social commentary. An undis- the full -length release "Evenings At Matt Molloy's" series, offers such other standouts as the sub- geous vocal collages Fortunately, and cyber- covered gem. Contact: 302 -322-8410. lives up to its weighty expectations, the Sligo -born musician has upheld tly lyrical "Visions," the seductively breathless "Mamterry" the Irish musical tradition and pro- bluesy "Nightowls," the briskly Brazil - inflected "Meguem." ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST thanks to Mansun mastermind Paul moted it on a worldwide basis. His ianized "Samba And The Drum Stick," Play On! Draper's inspired songwriting and strong, crystalline voice and the latest release is a work of character- and the bittersweet "Andre's Mood," PRODUCER: Bruce Kimmel which puts her acoustic piano passages CLASSICAL Varèse Sarabande 5837 band's penchant for musically istically subtle beauty and inspired in poignant counterpoint to vibist Joe *DANIEL JONES COMPLETE STRING Though the Broadway show was short - inspired arrangements. Highlights playing, featuring fellow Chieftain include the string- soaked "The Chad Derek Bell and such other talents as Locke. QUARTETS lived, the cast album to "Play On!" lives on Delmé String Quartet Who Loved Me "; "Naked Twister "; Mairtin O'Connor, Stephen Cooney, happily, providing a wonderful musical Brian Couzens, Malcolm Binney Only Frankie Gavin, Arty McGlynn, PRODUCERS: commentary on Duke Ellington's great- the cleverly titled "Mansun's Chandos 7038 Maireah Ni Mhaonaigh, Neil Mar- LATIN ness as a composer of pop songs. He is the Love Song "; the snide, Beatle -esque From Haydn to Beethoven to Bartók, tin, Christy Moore, Paddy Rafferty, * DESORDEN PUBLICO melody man behind all19 songs except "Taxloss "; and lead single "Wide tended to make their Ciaran Tourish. The material Plomo Revienta composers have Billy Strayhorn's "Take The Ä Train." His Open Space," which is making a and statements via the string comprises traditional pieces PRODUCER: K.C. Porter most personal triumphs here, performed with soulful, strong showing on the Modern Rock and contrary to its rap as over- by Molloy, along with Sony Latin/Sony 82302 quartet, swinging elegance by the cast, include "I Tracks chart. A band that melds arranged the medium is the source some newer original compositions Venezuelan bad boys return with anoth- ly intellectual, Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart," "It orchestral music and psychedelic of some of the loveliest, most accessible by Molloy and O'Connor. A delight- er choice slab of slyly witty, topical Don't Mean A Thing," "It Got It Bad And rock without succumbing to the pre- music in the canon. In fact, one of the ful work. parables enriched mostly with That Ain't Good," "I'm Beginning To See tensions of either. Jamaican -style riddims and mild punk year's most strikingly beautiful records The Light," "Prelude To A Kiss," and sensibilities. Given numerous esoteric comes courtesy of the British Delmé "Mood Indigo." Wow! And wow! too to Busta Rhymes, Martin Lawrence and Tim Robbins fea- tracks, smooth -flowing disc might be String Quartet and its two -disc set of orchestrator Luther Henderson and the late Notorious B.I.G., Mase, Lil' Kim, Carl Thomas, Jay -Z, tures some of the biggest names in hip - most appropriate for U.S. university the complete quartets of late Welshman cast members, who include Carl Ander- Black Rob, the Lox, Ginuwine, Twista, hop: Naughty By Nature, Lil' Kim (fea- and world music outlets. Still, "Shing A Daniel Jones. More inviting than the son, Yvette Cason, Andre De Shields, Foxy Brown, Faith Evans, 112, and Kelly turing Left Eye, Missy Elliott, and Ling Rub A Dub" and "Manuela" could astringent quartets of Jones' English Cheryl Freeman, Lawrence Hamilton, Price put a shine on a record as Angie Martinez), Coolio (featuring the strike a spark at Latino radio with the near- contemporary Robert Simpson Larry Marshall, and Tonya Pinkins. -can't mediocre as this. 40 Thevz), Oran "Juice" Jones, OutKast, proper label push. (which the Delmé have recorded for Hy- Queen Latifah, Dat Nigga Daz of Tha perion), Jones' essays are intricate yet VARIOUS ARTISTS SANDY & PAPO MC full of yearning melody R A P Dogg Pound, Stetsasonic, Quad City warm-hearted, Nothing To Lose -Music From And Inspired By DJ's, and others. It also includes Otra Vez . and involving textures. You couldn't ask PUFF DADDY & THE FAMILY The Motion Picture Des'ree's topically appropriate, non -rap PRODUCERS: Pavel de Jesús, Socrates de Jesús for a better entree into the world of No Way Parche/Plátano 2016 Out PRODUCERS: various tune "Crazy Maze" from her break- 20th -century chamber music than this. PRODUCERS: various Among more stylish purveyors of Tommy Boy 1169 through album, "I Ain't Movin.' " Distributed in the U.S. by Koch Inter- Bad Boy /Arista 73012 Soundtrack to summer flick starring merengue-rooted sounds, Dominican national. As if we needed it, here's more proof that commercial success doesn't necessarily equal artistic merit. Purportedly a N E W A G E -haunted work, VITAL REISSUES® mature, reflective, death *WILLIAM COULTER Sean "Puffy" Combs' solo debut is actual- STAN KENTON "Then I'll Be Tired Of You," and an is indeed pearly toned and pointed. Celtic Sessions ly plagued by the same old specters of PRODUCER: William Coulter The Ballad Style Of Stan Kenton enjoyably embellished treatment of "A But the true star here is arranger /con- misanthropy, misogyny, and self- aggran- Gourd Music 126 REISSUE PRODUCER: Michael Cuscuna tex- dizing melodrama. Preening mafioso Sunday Kind Of Love." ductor Gil Evans, whose dramatic, Capitol Jazz 56688 as Guitarist William Coulter has been poses and pseudo -corporate pretensions tured charts make such songs Blue Note's new `Ballads" compilation KENNY BURRELL Night investigating the Celtic vein for years. abound throughout "No Way Out" and its "Lotus Land," "Loie," and "Last the catalogs of Lou Guitar Forms and On this album, he gathers longtime packaging, effectively snuffing any glim- series mines When We Were Young" shimmer Rawls, Ike Quebec, Joe Henderson, ORIGINAL PRODUCER: Creed Taylor in Verve's 20- associates such as Barry and Shelley mer of genuine emotion. The writing is smolder. Other classics Hubbard for gentle REISSUE PRODUCERS: Michael Lang & Ben Young Phillips and adds in a few Celtic heavy- banal at best, and -perhaps worse for a and Freddie title Master Edition include Stan Getz 1958 Kenton Verve 314- 521 -451 weights, including Seamus Egan, Alas - producer's album production itself is grooves, but these Stan and Joao Gilberto's bossa nova icon -the sessions make up the only intact rere- Verve's Master Edition is synonymous dair Fraser, and Martin Hayes. Not tired. Contrary to any claims of homage "Getz/Gilberto," Ella Fitzgerald's lease in The visionary band- with class, and the reissue of this clas- quite as atmospheric as his previous or postmodern pastiche, the over -reliance the series. standard "Sings The Cole Porter leader/arranger creates a warm ambi- sic album epitomizes all that is won- Duke and album, "Celtic Crossing," it neverthe- on huge swathes of undiluted samples is Songbook," and Ellington ence that contrasts his lush, derful about the series: state- of-the- The less explores the quieter side of Celtica, simply clumsy, lazy, and demeaning to the Johnny Hodges' classy "Play charts with his art packaging, sumptuous sound, To less full of slow airs and slowed -down slip sources. (The Police, David Bowie, Rober- Ellingtonian orchestral Blues Back Back." And spare, evocative piano lines -as he exemplary documentation, and astute renowned yet no less timeless are jigs. Coulter's arrangements are subtly ta Flack, and others deserve better, but at notes. Verve has been doing right by wrought, and he avoids the Celtic chest- least they're credited. The great Ameri- does in "Ill Wind" and "Early Lester Young's presidential "With The Autumn." Other highlights of a sweet, some great music, which in the case of nuts; but some of these could become can composer Samuel Barber, whose Oscar Peterson Trio," Getz's experi- soft -focus set include the saxes-and- "Guitar Forms" is dark and lovely. By the genius con- favorites, including "Cití na gCumman" "Agnus Dei" is lifted for the intro of "I'll mental "Focus," and brass dialogue of "How Deep Is The consensus, the record is guitarist and "Drops Of Brandy." Contact: 800 -487- Be Missing You," goes unmentioned.) clave of "Coleman Hawkins Encoun- the sensuously slinky reeds of Kenny Burrell's finest, and his playing 4939. Even the constellation of guest stars -the Ocean," ters Ben Webster."

SPOTLIGHT: Releases deemed by the review editors to deserve special attention on the basis of musical merit and/or Billboard chart potential. VITAL REISSUES: Rereleased album of special artistic, archival, and commercial interest, and outstanding collet- of their musical ALBUMS. tions of works by one or more artists. PICKS (II.): New releases predicted to hit the top half of the chart in the corresponding format. CRITICS CHOICES (* ): New releases, regardless of chart potential, highly recommended because merit.MUSIC TO MY EARS (J)): New releases deemed Picks which were featured in the "Music To My Ears" column as being among the most significant records of the year. All albums commercially available in the U.S. are eligible. Send review copies to Paul Verna, Billboard, 1515 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10036. Send R&B albums to J.R. Reynolds, Billboard, 5055 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036. Send country albums to Chet Flippo, Billboard, 49 Music Square W., Nashville, TN 37203.Send Latin albums to John Lannert, 1814 Fern Valley Road, Louisville, KY 40219. Other contributors: Havelock Nelson (rap/N.Y.); Iry Lichtman (Broadway/cabaret/N.Y.); Brad Bambarger (classical/N.Y.); Drew Wheeler (jazz/N.Y.); Deborah Evans Price (contemporary Christian/Nashville); Gordon Ely (gospel); John Diliberto (new age).

BILLBOARD AUGUST 16, 1997 61 www.americanradiohistory.com