Experiments in Ambient Soul sounds like a daft title to me but don't let the hint of a concept album put you off. Experiments in Nu-Jazz-Soul-Funk-Latin would have been equally as bad but lets not go down that route.

This is their fourth album and the follow-up to 2003's Tre, which received some serious remixing by the likes of Conte and The Cinematic Orchestra. The duo has teamed up again with South African Sean Martin, a number of other vocalists and the brilliant Don Freeman.

But before we get to the vocals, this CD is worth getting for the four instrumental tracks. Novelist Girogio Scerbanenco apparently inspired 'Milano Calibro 9' but don't put your reading glasses on as it funks with a real groovy Rhodes and drums. 'Afrolicious' is afrolicious - funky 70s get down with Don Freeman on Rhodes and Clavinova (every home should have one). 'Il Girotondo Del Grandi' is in a similar vein with Lalo Schifrin style horn orchestrations. OH YEAH! The title track sees more trumpet magic from Palo Milanesi on a downtempo groove which at two and a half minutes is far too short.

So that's a third of the album. Are the vocal tracks any good?

The CD starts with the solid 'No Problem' that features Sean Martin and it swings in a soul-jazz style. 'Driving' also features Sean and is a steady groover with a Rhodes solo from Mr. Freeman. 'Within' and 'Diamonds & Comforts' finds Amraah 8 and Clover on vocals plus a spoken word-poet rap from Channeng N. Payton. All three of them were on the last Deyampert album. 'Within' has a tension which is complimented by the booming double bass of Marcello Testa.

'Forever's Not' features Marta Collica on a reggae beat with Hugo Race on a deep rap solo. She also appears on the sensitive 'Thin Ice', which is much better, more in a Break Reform mode.

And if you're still not convinced, you will be when you hear "two magical moments of vocal jazz" by Don Freeman. Like a downtempo Amp Fiddler, 'Destination Moon' is superb. It has a Richard E piano/acoustic bass blues feel about it. It wouldn't have been out of place on Nicola Conte's last Blue Note album, it's that good. The 'experiment' on 'The World She Made' sees Don in a soul drenched Barry White spoken style. What a find Don is!

I have warned in previous reviews that May is a very good month for new album releases and this is one of them. Are we any clearer what ambient soul is? The bonus track is an indication and hear some of them in the Radio Mix by half a Dining Room (see below link). Brilliant inspiration. Brilliant Don. Brilliant Dining. Enjoy your meal.

Reviewed: CD Catalog#: SCCD 389

Links:
The Dinning Rooms
Schema
Radio Zerogravity 'Contemporary Urban sounds and visions from Italy' Via Ravizza 2,20149 - Milan, Italy
The Dining Rooms - Experiments in Ambient Soul Guest Mix
The DJ set called Experiment in ambient soul shows all the secrets and inspirations behind the latest release on Schema Records by the same name - compiled by Stefano Ghittoni + Biography in English.