March 2021 Black Music Releases of Note

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

Blues, Folk, Country
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers: Vol. 2 (Stony Plains)

Classical
Demondrae Thurman: Sound & Light (euphonium/piano) (Navona)

Funk, Rock, Pop, House, Electronic
Chuck Berry: Toronto Rock & Rock Revival 1969 (remastered ed.) (Sunset Blvd)
The J.B’s: Food For Thought / Doing It To Death / Damn Right I Am Somebody (Robinsongs)
Tower of Power: 50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater [2-CD + DVD] (Mack Ave./Artistry)
Various: The Charles Craig Trunk of Funk Vol. 1 (Soul Bank Music)
Visionist: A Call To Arms (Mute)

Gospel, Spirituals, CCM
CeCe Winans: Believe For It (Fair Trade)
Evvie McKinney: This Is Evvie McKinney EP (Motown Gospel)
Various: Say Amen Somebody Soundtrack (Liberation Hall/MVD)

Jazz
Brand New Heavies: Shibuya 357 (Live In Tokyo 1992) (Acid Jazz)
Charles Lloyd & The Marvels: Tone Poem (Blue Note)
Dr. Lonnie Smith: Breathe (Blue Note)
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, & LSO: Promises (Luaka Bop)
Hamiet Bluiett: Bearer of the Holy Flame (reissue) (Black Fire/Strut)
Hasaan Ibn Ali: Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album (Omnivore)
Hugh Masekela: Live at the Record Plant, 24th February 1974 (Honeypie)
Jazz WORMS: Squirmin’ (Capri)
Keith Jarrett: Sun Bear Concerts (reissue) (ECM)
Logan Richardson: AfroFuturism (Whirlwind)
Lon Moshe & Southern Freedom Arkestra: Love Is Where The Spirit Lies (reissue) (Black Fire/Strut)
Miguel Zenón: Law Years: The Music of Ornette Coleman (dig) (Miel Music)
Reggie Quinerly: New York Nowhere (Redefinition)
Wes Montgomery: The NDR Hamburg Studio Recordings (Live) (Jazzline)

R&B, Soul
Bobby Womack: The Poet (remastered ed.) (ABKCO)
Bobby Womack: The Poet II (remastered ed.) (ABKCO)
Bubbha Thomas: Life & Times (reissue) (Tidal Waves Music)
Gallant: Neptune (Empire)
Jacksons: The Jacksons Live! (expanded ed.) (Sony)
Jon Batiste: We Are (Verve)
Joyce Wrice: Overgrown (dig)    
Karl Benjamin: D.R.I.S.T. EP (Atlantic UK)
Mary Wilson: Mary Wilson (Expanded ed.) (Motown/Ume)
serpentwithfeet: Deacon (Secretly Canadian)
Sly5thAve: What It Is: Live Before the Lockdown (dig) (Tru Thoughts)
Starrah: The Longest Interlude (dig)        
Teena Marie: John Morales Presents – Love Songs & Funky Beats (BBE)
The Weeknd: House of Balloons (10th Anniversary ed.) (Republic)
Trevor Jackson: The Love Language (dig) (Born Art/EMPIRE)

Rap & Hip Hop
22gz: The Blixky Tape 2 (dig) (Atlantic)
24kGoldn: El Dorado (Columbia)
4Hunnid: Gang Affiliated (dig) (4Hunnid)
Armand Hammer & The Alchemist: Haram (dig) (Backwoodz Studioz)
Badda TD: Prince of Flatbush (dig) (Epic/Humble King)
Benny The Butcher and Harry Fraud: The Plugs I Met 2 (dig) (Griselda)
BlueBucksClan: Clan Virus 2 (OTB)
Caleborate: Light Hit My Skin (TBKTR/AWAL)
Clay “Krucial” Perry III: If We Must Die (dig) (Warner)
DDG & OG Parker: Die 4 Respect (Epic)
Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats: Unlocked 1.5 (Loma Vista)
Devin the Dude: Soulful Distance (Coughee Brothaz Ent)
DJ Muggs & Flee Lord: Rammellzee (sig) (Soul Assasin)
Drake: Scary Hours 2 EP (dig)     
Guapdad 400 and !llmind: 1176 (dig)      
Joey Trap: Loyalty (dig) (Young Rich Squad)
K Camp and Rare Sound: Rare Sound Unloaded (dig) (Rare Sound)
Kalan.FrFr: TwoFr2 (dig) (Roc Nation)Leeky Bandz: Life After Future (dig) (Atlantic)
Molly Brazy: Pink Molly EP (dig) (Empire)
Nappy Nina & Jwords: Double Down (dig)             
OFB, Bandokay & Double Lz: Drill Commandments (dig) (Rattrap Reality Ltd.)
OMB Peezy: Too Deep For Tears (dig) (300 Ent.)
Only the Family: Loyal Bros (dig) (Empire)
Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin: $mokebreak (dig) (Lex)
Price: F.O.E.S (dig) (Clrd Ent)
Rod Wave: SoulFly (Alamo)
Saigon: Pain Peace and Prosperity: The Yardfather Album (Point Blank Media)
Serious Klein: Ludus (dig) (Guin)
Termanology & Shortfyuz: Goya 3 (dig) (Brick)
Tireek & Lonely Leonard: CROOKLAND (Goat Gang)
Tokyo Jetz: Cancel Culture (dig) (Grand Hustle/Empire)
Trap Manny: In Trap We Trust (Atlantic/Highbridge)
UMI: Introspection Reimagined (RCA)
Vic Mensa: I Tape (dig) (Roc Nation)
Vic Spencer: Psychological Cheat Sheet 2 (dig) (Old Fart Luggage)
YBN Almighty Jay: Battling My Spirit (Atlantic)
YBN Nahmir: Visionland (dig) (Atlantic)
Young Dolph & Key Glock: Dum and Dummer 2 (Paper Route/Empire)

Reggae, Latin, International
Derrick Harriott & The Crystalites: The Undertaker (expanded ed.) (Doctor Bird/Cherry Red)
Gentleman’s Dub Club: Down To Earth (Easy Star)
Kiazi Malonga: Tembo Kia Ngoma (Redtone)
Omar Sosa: An East African Journey (Ota)
Various: Edo Funk Explosion Vol.1 (Analog Africa)
Witch Camp: I’ve Forgotten Now Who I Used to Be (Six Degrees)
Yabby You & the Prophets: Conquering Lion (expanded ed.) (Pressure Sounds)

Soundtracks
Andra Day: The United States Vs. Billie Holiday (Warner)

Spoken Word
Ross Gay: Dilate Your Heart (Jagjaguwar)