Count Basic - Love & Light (2007)

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    For American audiences not familiar with the sounds of Count Basic, their latest CD Love & Light is the perfect introduction for a band with 13 years of  delivering their jazz flavored rhythms all over the world. Mastermind, composer, and guitarist Peter Legat along with dynamic vocalist Kelli Sae are the soul of Count Basic, a group of 11 band members who have achieved an impressive number of hit singles. Love & Light, the group's fifth project since their 1994 debut Life Think It Over, is perhaps their most soulful project to date, with a mixture of funk and R&B with some very clever arrangements.
    For American audiences not familiar with the sounds of Count Basic, their latest CD Love & Light is the perfect introduction for a band with 13 years of  delivering their jazz flavored rhythms all over the world. Mastermind, composer, and guitarist Peter Legat along with dynamic vocalist Kelli Sae are the soul of Count Basic, a group of 11 band members who have achieved an impressive number of hit singles. Love & Light, the group's fifth project since their 1994 debut Life Think It Over, is perhaps their most soulful project to date, with a mixture of funk and R&B with some very clever arrangements.

    Legat's dazzling guitar sets the tone on the opening track, "Last Man on Earth." Sae, with her amazing vocal abilities, wails with conviction as she sings "I can't look at you/ love nothing about you/ I won't change my mind/ if you were the last man on Earth," and almost makes you feel bad for the person about whom she's singing. It's followed by the title track, which has a message of empowerment and features the funky horn section that is a signature of the Count Basic sound.  The track "No Visible Scars" is a throwback to the Memphis bred Stax sound of the early 70s. Other standout tracks include "I Wanna Get Off," "Sun Shines On You" and "Sir Karl."

    After conquering the international music scene for a number of years, Love & Light should  be the CD that gains Count Basic a legion of admirers in the United States. Fans of the acid jazz movement of the early to mid 90s will be familiar with Sae, who has fronted the legendary band Incognito as well as the Philippe Saisse Trio. From the first track to the last, this is a great CD that will make you feel good and is soothing to the soul and comes highly, highly recommended.

    Christopher Whaley