December 2020 – January 2021 Black Music Releases of Note

Following are additional albums released December 2020 and January 2021 across multiple genres—some will be reviewed in future issues of Black Grooves.

Blues, Folk, Country
Skylar Rogers: Firebreather (dig)              

Broadway, Sountracks
Devonté Hyne: We Are Who We Are (OST) (Sony)
Griselda and BSF: Conflicted OST (Griselda)
Kamasi Washington: Becoming OST (Young Turks)
Marisha Wallace: Tomorrow (Decca)

Funk, Rock, Pop, House, Electronic
Arlo Parks: Collapsed In Sunbeams (Transgressive)
Craig Charles: Trunk of Funk Vol. 1 (K7)
Lonnie Holley: National Freedom (vinyl) (Jagjaguwar)
Mike Dunn: Defected Presents House Masters (vinyl) (Defected)

Gospel, Spirituals, CCM
Mica Paris: Gospel (East West)

Jazz
Bill Evans: Live at Ronnie Scott’s (Resonance)
Bubbha Thomas: Life & Times…(reissue) (Tidal Waves)
Cleveland Eaton: Plenty Good Eaton (Remastered Ed.) (Real Gone)
Dezron Douglas & Brandee Younger: Force Majeure (International Anthem)
George Coleman Quintet: In Baltimore (Reel to Real)
Leon Lee Dorsey: Thank You Mr. Mabern (Jazz Avenue)
Lon Moshe & Southern Freedom Arkestra: Love Is Where The Spirit Lies (Black Fire/Strut)
Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo: El Arte Del Bolero (digital) (Miel Music)
Monty Alexander: Love You Madly: Live at Bubba’s (Resonance)
Santi Debriano: Flash of the Spirit (Truth Revolution)
Sonny Rollins: Rollins In Holland: The 1967 Studio & Live Recordings (Resonance)
The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time OutTakes (Brubeck Editions)
Various: Our New Orleans (Expanded Edition) (Nonesuch)
William Parker: Migration of Silence Into and Out of The Tone World (Vol. 1-10) (Centering)

R&B, Soul
Alycia Bella: Muse (dig) (Hurt People)
Baby Washington: A Handful Of Memories 1956-1962 (Jasmine)
Beyonce: Homecoming: The Live Album (4 LP set) (Columbia)
Billy Eckstine: Collection 1947-62 (Acrobat)
Boulevards (ft. Blake Rhein): Brother! (vinyl) (Normaltown)
Clarence ”Gatemouth” Brown: Rocks (Bear Family)
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio: I Told You So (Colemine)
Demae: Life Works Out Usually (vinyl) (Touching Bass)
dsvn: Amusing Her Feelings (dig)              
Four Knights: Collection 1946-59 (Acrobat)
Jazmine Sullivan: Heaux Tales (RCA)
Jimmy Rushing: Do You Wanna Jump, Children? 1937-1946 (Jasmine)
Jones Girls: We’re a Melody–The Essential Jones Girls (Real Gone)
Lee Fields & the Expressions: Big Crown Vaults, Vol. 1 (Big Crown)
Marvin Gaye: Funky Nation: The Detroit Instrumentals (dig) (Uni/Motown)
Pete Rock: Petestrumentals 3 (Tru Soul)
Sharon Musgrave: Jewelweed EP (dig)   
VanJess: Homegrown EP (Cool/RCA)

Rap & Hip Hop
2nd Generation Wu: Hereditary (dig)      
Aminé: Limbo (Deluxe Ed.) (Republic)
Beatchild: Nostalgia: Beats of 2008 – 2020 (BBE)
BlackMayo: OMO (On My Own) (dig) (Slaughter Gang Ent.)
Bun B and Le$: Distant (Striker Life/Closed Sessions)
CJ Fly: The Way I H(ear) It            
Dee Mula: Respect (dig)
Doe B: The Last Definition of a Trapper (dig)        
Drakeo the Ruler: Because Y’all Asked (dig)         
Erick the Architect: Future Proof (dig)    
Fredo Bang: In The Name Of Gee (Still Most Hated) (dig) (Def Jam)
G Perico: Welcome to the Land (dig)       
J Stone: The Definition of Pain (dig)         
Jody Lo: I Will Not Break the Scale (dig) 
Johnny Cinco: North (Sakreligious)
JPEGMAFIA: EP! (EQT/Republic)
Kazi & Madlib: Blackmarket Seminar (CD reissue) (Below Systems)
Key! and Tony Seltzer: The Alpha Jerk (dig)          
Kid Cudi: Man On The Moon III: The Chosen (Republic)
Kota the Friend: Lyrics to Go Vol. 2 (dig) (Fltbys LLC)
KRS-One: Between Da Protests (dig)       
Lo Village: Lost in America EP (dig)           
Madlib: Sound Ancestors (dig)   
Pacman Da Gunman & Yhung T.O.: Lord Knows (dig)       
Peewee Longway: Longway Sinatra 2 (dig) (Empire)
Philmore Greene: The Survival Scroll (dig)            
Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin: Flysiifu’s (Lex)
Rayne Storm: Uptown Baby (Monopolyhouse)
Shordie Shordie and Murda Beatz: Memory Lane (dig)    
Smoke DZA, NYM LO & Jayy Grams: R.F.C (Money Is the Motive), Pt. 1 (dig)          
Taylor J: Still Ballin (dig) (Scenious Ent.)
TH1RT3EN (Pharoahe Monch, Daru Jones & Marcus Machado): A Magnificent Day For An Exorcism (Fat Beats)
UnoTheActivist: Unoverse (dig)
YG Teck: Undeniable (dig)           
Young Dolph: Rich Sex (dig) (Paper Route)

Reggae, Latin, International
Afronauts: Africans from Outta Space (dig) (The Good Times)
Alostmen: Kologo (Strut)
Bob Marley & The Wailers: Complete Island Recordings [11 CD Box Set] (Tuff Gong)
Bob Marley & The Wailers: Songs of Freedom: The Island Years [Box Set] (Tuff Gong)
Buju Banton: Til Shiloh 25th Anniversary Edition [2 LP]   
Nahawa Doumbia: Kanawa (Awesome Tapes From Africa)
Sly & Robbie: Red Hills Road (dig)             
Stellio: L’etoile de la Musique Creole 1932-1938 (reissue) (Fremeaux Heritage)
The Tennors: Do the Reggay Dance (reissue) (Sutro Park)
Various: When Jah Shall Come (Pressure Sounds)