SLY LIVES! AKA The Burden of Black Genius
Sly and the Family Stone (1968 publicity photo) Photo: supplied
The new documentary by Questlove, drummer and bandleader for The Roots, assesses the toll that fame can take on Black artists.
Ostensibly it covers the career of Sly Stone, the prodigious musician who, during the late '60s and '70s, generated some of the most beloved songs of all time with his band Sly and the Family Stone. But Questlove presents Sly's trajectory as part of a bigger story (hence the AKA in its title).
The film's soundtrack will attract completists more than casual fans. DJ J.Period's edit of 'Everyday People', or Questlove's remix of 'Family Affair', focusing on its Rhythm King drum machine, are intriguing but not essential. That also applies to the first take of 'Stand', and the many alternate versions rounding out the tracklist.
There are two competing threads within the movie: one with Questlove asking André 3000, Q-Tip (from A Tribe Called Quest), and D'Angelo about their experiences as Black musicians, and one documenting an incredibly important band.
It stresses how heavy Sly's drug use became, and is structured in such a way that viewers may assume he's dead, but in fact Stone is alive and well at eighty years old.
At a certain point he completely withdrew from the spotlight. Questlove seems to suggest that if he hadn't, he may not have survived.
New Tomorrows by Sola Rosa
Photo: Bandcamp
The output of NZ musician Andrew Spraggon hinged on one major pivot. In the '90s he sang and played guitar in Cicada, who made atmospheric post-rock, before changing gears entirely as Sola Rosa.
This solo project initially trafficked in haunted beat architecture, with subsequent releases incorporating soul, reggae, jazz, lounge, and live instrumentation.
The New Tomorrows EP has contributions from a host of local musicians, as well as longtime band members Ben White, Matt Short, and Peter Leupolu. But in an accompanying press release, Spraggon says the release marks the end of this version of Sola Rosa, explaining he's moved away from "writing music specifically to be performed with a live band".
It's a fitting send off, weaving in elements of cosmic jazz and exotica alongside acoustic strumming and synth funk, all housed within Spraggon's crisp beat making.
Luminescent Creatures by Ichiko Aoba
Photo: Bandcamp
Japanese singer-songwriter Ichiko Aoba has gradually built an international cult following. Her music is, by design, not attention-grabbing, but sit with it for a while and her uniquely soothing songs begin to take hold.
As with her previous album, Windswept Adan, Aoba co-wrote the music with Taro Umebayashi, who among other things has composed for anime series. The connection makes sense: Aoba has spoken about being influenced by animation from Disney and Studio Ghibli. You can hear it most clearly in songs like 'Tower'.
In the final track 'Wakusei No Namida' she looks upward, and sings about "the tears of stars". The world-building throughout is evocative, matched with delicate music which hides hidden depths.
*Tony Stamp reviews the latest album releases every week on The Sampler.
