October 2020 Black Music Releases of Note

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

Blues, Folk, Country
Ben Harper: Winter Is for Lovers (Anti)
Dennis Jones: Soft Hard & Loud (Blue Rock)
JoJo Mason: Changes (604 Records)
Matt ‘Guitar’ Murphy: Memphis To Chicago 1952-1961 (Jasmine)
Nora Jean Wallace: Blueswoman (Severn)

Classical
Brandon Patrick George: Flute Sonatas & Solo Works (Profil – Edition Günter Hänssler)

Funk, Rock, Pop, House, Electronic
Brandi & the Alexanders: Live in Brooklyn (dig)  
Bootsy Collins: The Power of the One (eOne / Sweetwater)
Bourgeoisie Paper Jam: Sugar Fit (CD Baby)
Buscrates: Blasting Off (Bastard Jazz)
Fitz and The Tantrums: Pickin’ Up The Pieces (Live in Chicago) (Dangerbird)
Larry “Moogstar” Clemon: Jesus Just Knocked on Your Door (Who’s Got the Nerve to Let Him In)
Mandrill: Back In Town (Code Black / SPV)
Shamir: S/T (dig) (Dist. Bandcamp)
WheelUP: Wanezi EP (Tru Thoughts)

Gospel, Spirituals, CCM
Brian Courtney Wilson: Still (Motown Gospel)
Demetrius West and Jesus Promoters: Do It Again (Black Smoke Music)
Elder Charles Beck: Your Man of Faith (Gospel Friend)
House Gospel Choir: Re//Choired (Island)
Jonathan Nelson ft. Purpose: The Reunion (eOne)
Kergyma Community Choir: Choir Life: The Prelude (dig) (Enon Music Group)
Marvin Sapp: Chosen Vessel (RCA)
Pastor Skylar Patterson & Predestined: Testify (dig) (Ruffboyzmusic)
Tasha Cobbs Leonard: Live at the Ryman (Motown Gospel)
Various: A Capella Black Gospel: Look How the World Has Made a Change, 1940-1969 (Gospel Friend)
Various: A Stranger I May Be: Savoy Gospel 1954-1986 (Honest Jon’s/Forced Exposure)
Various: Turn It Loose, Ain’t No Good: Savoy Gospel 1970 -1979 (Honest Jon’s/Forced Exposure)

Holiday
Amber Weekes: The Gathering (self-released)
Benny Barksdale Jr: Christmas Time Is Here (dig) (Essential Media Group)
Brian Bromberg: Celebrate Me Home: The Holiday Sessions (Artistry Music)
Leslie Odom Jr.: The Christmas Album (S-Curve Records)
Lynda Randle: White Christmas (Gaither Music Group)

Jazz
Alonzo Demetrius: Live From The Prison Nation (Onyx Productions)
Analog Players Society: Soundtrack to a Nonexistent Film (Ropeadope)
Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes: Heritage of the Invisible II (International Anthem)
Azymuth, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad: Azymuth JID004 (Jazz is Dead)
Benjamin Boone: The Poets Are Gathering (Origin)
Brianna Thomas: Everybody Knows (Breathline)
César Orozco and Kamarata Jazz: Rooted Forward (Self-released)
Devin Gray & Gerald Cleaver: 27 Licks (Rataplan)
Ella Fitzgerald: The Lost Berlin Tapes (Verve)
Eric Essix: Songs from the Deep (dig) (Lightyear Ent.)
James Brandon Lewis: Molecular (Intakt)
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis: A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration (Blue Engine)
Jazz In Pink (ft. Gail Jhonson): Joy! (Shanachie)
Joel Ross: Who Are You? (Blue Note)
Junk Magic (Craig Taborn): Compass Confusion (Pyroclastic)
Kahil El’Zabar: America The Beautiful (Spiritmuse)
King Khan: The Infinite Ones (Ernest Jennings)
Lafayette Gilchrist: Now (Bandcamp)
Lionel Loueke: HH (Edition)
Mike Sopko, Bill Laswell & Tyshawn Sorey: On Common Ground (Mod Reloaded)
Noah Haidu: Doctone [tribute to Kenny Kirkland] (Sunnyside)
Peter Bernstein: What Comes Next (Smoke Sessions)
Roland Haynes: 2nd Wave (reissue) (Black Jazz/ Real Gone Music)
Ron Miles: Rainbow Sign (Blue Note)
Sun Ra Arkestra: Swirling (Strut)
Taber Gable: Hidden Driveways (dig)      
Tivon Pennicott: Spirit Garden (New Phrase)
Various: Blue Note Reimagined (Blue Note)

R&B, Soul
Body Language: Travel Guide (dig) (Om)
Carla Thomas: Let Me Be Good To You – The Atlantic & Stax Recordings, 1960-1968 (4CD Box Set) (Soul Music)
Cory Henry: Something to Say (Culture Collective)
Curtis Knight & the Squires: No Business: The PPX Sessions Volume 2 (Dagger/Experience Hendrix L.L.C.)
Devin B. Thompson: Tales of the Soul (Severn)
DJ Ronnie Herel: Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1 (BBE)
Earth, Wind & Fire: Greatest Hits: Japanese Singles Collection (Sony)
Eric Bellinger: ERIC B FOR PRESIDENT: TERM 3 (YFS Music/EMPIRE)
Famous Dex: Diana (300 Ent.)
Infinity Song: Mad Love EP (dig) (Roc Nation)
James Tillman: Modern Desires (dig) (Musella Creative)
Jessie Wagner: Shoes Droppin (Wicked Cool)
Jon Scott: Freedom: A New Jerusalem EP (dig)    
Kenny Carter: Showdown – The Complete 1966 RCA Recordings (Ace)
Kiana Ledé: KIKI (Deluxe) (Republic)
Loleatta Holloway: Loleatta / Cry To Me (Ace)
Luh Kel: L.O.V.E. (dig) (Cinematic Music Group)
Mariah Carey: The Rarities (Legacy)
Omarion: The Kinection (dig) (Omarion Worldwide)
PORCELAN: Mood Ring (dig)       
Resistance Revival Chorus: This Joy (Righteous Babe)
Ronnie Herel: Neo Soul Sessions, Vol. 1 (BBE)
Sade: This Far (6 LP box set) (Sony Legacy)
Sananda Maitreya (aka Terence Trent D’Arby): Pandora’s PlayHouse Chapter 3 (dig)
T.Nava: Blackberry mango EP (Empire)
Tony Strong: Philly Style (EMG)
Various: I Can’t Breathe/Music for the Movement EP (dig) (The Undefeated/Hollywood)
Various: The Soul of the Midnight Special (5 DVD set) (Time Life)
Xavier Omär: If You Feel (RCA)

Rap, Hip Hop
21 Savage and Metro Boomin: Savage Mode 2 (Slaughter Gang)
Benny The Butcher: Burden Of Proof (Empire)
Black Thought: Streams of Thought Vol. 3: Cain and Able (Passyunk)
BlocBoy JB: FatBoy (Interscope)
Bryson Tiller: Anniversary (RCA)
Busta Rhymes: Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God (Empire)
Capolow: Kid Next Door (Cinematic Music Group)
Chuck Strangers: Too Afraid to Dance (Sounds of Beverly)
Common: A Beautiful Revolution PT 1 (Loma Vista)
Daja Marie: S/T EP (dig)
Dice Soho: Gemini in Paradise (Icey Life)
Dinner Party: Dessert (Empire)
Discrepancies: The Rise (Invogue)
Dougie F: Without a Smile (Stragg)
Eric Bellinger: Eric B for President: Term 3 (Empire)
Fat Tony: Exotica (Car Park)
Future Utopia: 12 Questions (Fraser T Smith)
Headie One: EDNA (Relentless /Sony UK)
Hoodrich Pablo Juan: Master Sensei 2 (Empire)
Jay Electronica: Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn) (Roc Nation)
Joyner Lucas: Evolution (Twenty Nine Music Group)
Junglepussy: Jp4 (Jagjaguwar)
Larry June & Harry Fraud: Keep Going (dig) (The Freeminded)
Lil Loaded: A Demon in 6lue (dig) (Lil Loaded Music)
Lil Poppa: Evergreen Wildchild 2 (Deluxe) (Interscope)
Lilbootycall: 23 EP (Glow-up Ent)
Lud Foe: Guns up Funds Up (YSN/Groundwērk/eOne)
MC Sa-Roc: The Sharecropper’s Daughter (Rhymesayers)
Ms Banks: Banks Statement (Platoon)
Odario: Good Morning Hunter (dig) (Do Right Music)
OG 3THREE: The Appetizer mixtape (38 Records/eOne)
Open Mike Eagle: Anime, Trauma and Divorce  (Otherground)
Outkast: Stankonia (20th Anniv. Ed.) (Sony)
Papoose: Endangered Species (Honorable)
Price (of Audio Push): Clrd (Empire)
Rucci: Midget (Empire)
Serial Killers: Summer of Sam (Open Bar Ent)
Smoke DZA: Homegrown (Cinematic Music Group)
Soultru: The Truth EP (dig)          
Tech N9ne: Fear Exodus (Strange Music)
TOBi: Elements Vol. 1 (dig) (RCA)
Tony Velour: 3M (Mad Decent)
Trey Songz: Back Home (Atlantic)
Trippie Redd: Pegasus (1400 Ent)
Ty Dolla $ign: Featuring (dig) (Atlantic)
Westside Gunn: Who Made the Sunshine? (Interscope)
Willie The Kid: Capital Gains (dig) (The Fly LLC)
Wiz Khalifa: The Saga of Wiz Khalifa Deluxe (Atlantic)
WizKid: Made in Lagos (RCA)
YG: My Life 4Hunnid (Def Jam)
Yung Bleu: Love Scars: The 5 Stages of Emotions EP (Empire)

Reggae, International
Badi & Boddhi Satvai: Trouble Fête (Batakari)
Lustre Kings: Star Chile EP (dig) 
Major Lazer: Music Is the Weapon (Mad Decent)
Papa Rosko: S/T (Voodoo Possum)
Prince Ashton Sizzle: Living In The Land Of Make Believe (KingJam/EMG)
Queen Teena Dazzle: Stir It Up (KingJam/EMG)
Seba Kaapstad: Konke (Mello Music Group)
Urban Village: Ubaba (Nø Førmat)
Various: New Orleans Mambo: Cuba to NOLA (Putumayo)
Heshoo Beshoo Group: Armitage Road (reissue) (We Are Busy Bodies)