Search - Rad. :: Higher Plane

On her third album, Higher Plane, rad. delivered ten songs with charm and attitude. She continued to pursue her very own style of meshing funky grooves with solid songwriting and unconventional arrangements. It also marked her return to California, drawing upon her r&b roots and love for West Coast Latin Jazz. Intentionally reducing the instrumentation to a minimum, rad. creates an intimate and wonderfully inviting atmosphere. Recorded at the legendary Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, CA, "Higher Plane" is one of rad.'s most personal recordings. From the opening track "Never Stop", a light and breezy foray to "Layin' Low", a romping vocalese track with a twist of Oakland Stroke, to "Guarabe Love", classic rad. with a dash of Soul Sauce, to the haunting title track "Higher Plane", rad.'s music embodies the best of many musical worlds. Nod your head to grooveneck tunes like the reflective "Emily's Garden" and "Be With You". A feeling of bright lights, big city comes to mind in the closing track "Veils", an alto sax laden shuffle with quotes of James Brown thrown in for good measure. Higher Plane showcases the development of rad.'s unique vocalist-pianist style, as well as the talents of a team of highly respected musicians and friends. Fans of early Tower of Power recordings will be delighted to hear drummer David Garibaldi's funky flavor again. Guitarist Ray Obiedo's impeccable taste and time enhance rad.'s keyboard playing ("E.L.B.O.Y.", "Guarabe Love"), a talent that his previous keyboard partners including Herbie Hancock and George Duke have taken advantage of in the past. Check out the beautiful and melodic bass playing of Marc van Wageningen on "Never Stop" and the ever attitudinous smack of bass Bobby Vega (formerly with Sly Stone) on the title track. "Veils", the album's most elusive track, is given a good dose of West Coast with some lascivious blowing by saxophonist and former Yellowjacket Mark Russo. Finally, rad. subtly lets us in on her own skills, with the dirty left hand Hammond organ bass on "Guarabe Love", the funky vocalese style featured "Layin' Low" and a gorgeously haunting moog solo on "Higher Plane" and the unique voice that embody the compositions. A thoughtful mixture of soul, latin and funk, rad. manages to mesh gut-wrenching groove and intellect with her own musical signature (no need for samples here). "Higher Plane" will ease you from a loud Saturday night into a sunny Sunday morning.