Have Your Heard? Soul!

Feed My Soul--The Holmes Brothers--These guys can do no wrong for those of us at the Narrows who have worked with them over the years. You might call their rootsy sound soul or rhythm & blues. But even when they're singing about loving a woman--e.g. on this recording, "Pledging My Love," a tune associated with Johnny Ace--the sound is church'd up. And why not? Ain't love divine? So without preaching the cleansing feeling of gospel pervades--even when they cover the Beatles' "I'll Be Back," an odd choice perhaps, but not a total surprise since this is the trio that covered Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me" as a touching ballad. Not to mention taking on Nick Lowe's "What So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding?" The CD was produced by Joan "If God Were One of Us" Osborne and recorded in part at beautiful Longview Farms Studios, North Brookfield, MA. For Narrows alumni trivia fans: Ollabelle's fab keyboardist Glenn Patscha and jazz/blues vocalist Catherine Russell lend a hand. Catch brothers Wendell (above, at a Narrows Festival of the Arts) and Sherman Holmes and Popsy Dixon May 14 at the Narrows.

Only Everything--David Sanborn--The saxophonist who has pretty much sat in with everybody has put out a delightful CD, even, I submit, for those having difficulty listening to instrumental recordings. The sound is jazz, but the melody remains through the riffing--and passionate 23-year-old British R & B tigress Joss Stone and nice guy flexible folkie James Taylor break it up nicely at the microphone. The theme is that Sanborn is getting back to his

roots--namely Ray Charles--featuring tunes written and/or recorded by The Genius, including "Hallelujah, I Love Her So," given the JT treatment and "Let the Good Times Roll" fronted finely by Stone (this is not the hit for Shirley and Lee in the 1950s, but rather a song associated with Louis Jordan in the 1940s). Feature of note: Soulful Hammond B3 all over the place. Pop this one into your vehicle's sound system and cruise.