With all his accomplishments as a bassist, producer, writer, bandleader and coveted sideman, it's startling to think of how many people STILL don't know who Marcus Miller is. Chalk it up to him always letting his music speak for him. The anonymity is about to change in a big way with his ninth and latest album, simply titled Marcus, tailor made to fortify his profile in the commercial music world (he is a God among other musicians and a prophet among the musical astute). The new album literally BLASTS OFF with Marcus & Co.'s opening track "Blast," an instrumental that fuses mad funk and Middle Eastern textures with a fierceness! Then its on to the radio targeted jams; the first single (a cover of Deniece Williams' "Free" featuring Corinne Bailey Rae) an instrumental remake of "Lost Without U" with the bass upfront (a bonus track features spoken word by actress Taraji Henson), and a sexy poetry piece featuring Shihan the Poet titled "'Cause I Want You." Then there are his patented Marcus-ized covers of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" Miles Davis "Jean Pierre" the Nat King Cole chestnut "When I Fall in Love" and an absolutely slammin' take on Tower of Power's "What is Hip" (in salute to that band's pioneering assist Francis Rocco Prestia). "Run for Cover," indeed!

Malcolm, best known as a TV actor, has been working long and hard with his band Miles Long to hone a very personal blend of jazzy soul spoken word. After a couple of EP releases, he finally unleashes his first full-length CD and it is worth the wait. Malcolm comes across as an unusually sensitive thinker – a guy who came up in the classic hip hop era but is completely at odds with what that idiom has devolved to. There's a sexual candor to several of the pieces that is "mackalicious" yet interestingly balanced with an emotional vulnerability rarely heard from men in R&B or hip hop. Malcolm laces all of it with strong commentary on what it means to be a man and an artist over some smooth bumpin' tracks. He also turns in some tastefully melodic bass playing throughout this generous 14-song debut. My personal favorite is the blues-shaking "What if Summer Never Came," a bow to the power of my favorite season featuring special guest rapper Poetri and a chorus sung by Ananda Lewis.

The spirit of the late, great Tony Williams is all over this powerful double disc from jazz drummer Cindy Blackman, known in the pop world for years of rockin' skins on world tours with Lenny Kravitz. Interestingly, Cindy's earlier jazz Lps were more traditional with a sound reminiscent of Art Blakey. Now she brings a decidedly modern and minimalist approach to composition that gives her plenty of room to flex her expansive "rhythmatics" in every section of a song. Truly one from the heart, many of the pieces are dedicated to people she loves, and there is a burning synergy between Cindy and all the members of her quartet (J.D. Allen on tenor, Carlton Holmes on Fender Rhodes and synth, and George Mitchell on bass) that suggests they've been shedding together for some time. Recorded in 2005 but only just now being released, this CD kicks of 2008 with some righteous energy we could all use right now.

Rapper Guru spearheaded a movement with his genre and generations-crossing Jazzmatazz debut. Now on his fourth volume – this time on his own record label 7 Grand records a joint venture with producer Solar. He mixes up another winning batch of jazz and R&B-kissed hip hop. Highlights include a heady duet with Common titled "State of Clarity" laid over a replay of a classic Bob James groove…done by Mr. James himself. Sax men Ronnie Laws ("This is Art") and David Sanborn ("Living Legend") slide in on a tune apiece. On the R&B tip, Kem ("Connection") lends his vibe to a piece Guru penned about the connection to strong Black icons of the past and present while and Raheem DeVaughan ("Wait on Me") brings passionate verses and choruses to a funky song about a man who knows he's found the right one. Other collaborators include Caron Wheeler, Vivian Green, Damian Marley and Bobby Valentino. Also note that there is a second disc – separately sold – that is more on the underground Hip Hop tip it's titled Guru's Jazzmatazz: The Timebomb – Back to the Future mix tape, which features more up and coming rappers from different parts of the country, as well as C. Knowledge of Digable Planets and Aceyalone, among others. Contact: (212)730-1177.

I went to the Temple Bar back in November to see Chrisette Michele and had the happy surprise of also catching Jean Baylor doing an opening set. Ms. Baylor, formerly Jean Norris of the duo Zhane', is happily married now to drummer Marcus Baylor of the jazz band the Yellowjackets. Kindred spirits, husband and wife have put their heads together and took two precious years to create a project that is a deft balance of acoustic ("Come Go With Me") and techno ("Days Like These") sounds, all at the service of thoughtful, uplifting lyrics, enchanting melodies and Jean's heavenly voice. It's such a pleasure to hear artists who were so ahead of their time in the'90s growing even more into their own today. You can feel the joy flowing right out of the speakers on this with shades of Minnie Riperton and Curtis Mayfield on the title track "Testimony", hubby Marcus having fun playing 3-card Monty with the beats on "Music Makes Me High" and "Love Poem," the acoustic guitar attitude jam "Wait For Your Love" followed so sweetly by the piano ballad "Still a Part of Me,' and on and on 16 amazing songs in total, the mix of textures on Testimony is mind-blowing. This is a most welcome solo debut from a lady whose talents are still only just beginning to bloom. www.jeanbaylor.com

The soul man cometh a bit more commercial for this second album, which should take him to the next level in the love man wars. There's a bit more street heat this time around, but it's the old school songs that truly shine. Fans have already been grooving to the clever shopping metaphors of "Customer," but he's got several more gems on this 17-track set. This writer strongly suggests the shimmering ode of adoration "Mo Better" (produced by multi-instrumentalist Jack Splash), the sensual fever dream "Marathon" (produced by Kenny Dope and featuring Floetry), and the CD-closer "Four Letter Word" which brings to mind Wendy & Lisa-era Prince (produced by Blaq Smurph).

Received this one a little late but it was definitely worth the wait. The word on the street has been that Rahsaan kinda went off the deep end with some of the production, but I'm feeling a lot of the new directions. The album opens with "Cloud 9"which sounds like something a lubricated Sly Stone would do today if he was able to channel some of Billy Preston's and Ike Turner's auras from the great beyond . "Pitch Black" is pen to despair set to some music like some old minimalist techno rock while "Water," similar in theme, is all mood awash in celestial synth wizardry. But don't think its all darkness. A slice of pure bliss is to be had in the love celebration "No Danger." Rahsaan continues to grow and experiment, as witnessed on the album closer, a cover of Janis Ian's "Stars," a string-kissed rumination on fame which he collaborated on with contemporary jazz men Brian Bromberg and Jeff Lorber.

Freckle-faced southern belle Melissa Young represents for the forlorn sisters of today with her laidback sounds of soul. The production gives you just enough of everything – light touches of guitar, organ, and beats – leaving plenty of room for Young's voice to shine through. She brings a lot of tender, introspective blues on songs like "You'll Never Know" and "Stay," autobiographical on "Be Right There" and "Silver Buttons" exceedingly tender on "Funny" and "It's About You." The most upbeat songs are the openers "Just a Girl" and the flirty "Mr. Shonuff," and the Betty Wright-esque "Rock With Me." But more importantly, there is a consistency to the sequencing that pulls you in, light a long languid drive through the country on a summer evening. By the time she gets to the closing title track (featuring guest vocals by her daddy), you know everything is gonna be alright. Now she just needs an Anthony Hamilton duet!

It's been a minute since Keith Sweat swung down to gift us with his new jack/old school whine. Though the album is titled Just Me, he does have a few special guests to help him make it through the night. The album opens wit ha couple of bumpin' club tracks like "The Floor" that are very much in line with the sound of today. It's followed by "Girl of My Dreams" where he convincingly plays the knight in black armor to a chocolate damsel in distress. He steps to another honey in a lock step groove of "Sexiest Girl" before re-teaming with Athena Cage (formerly of Kut Klose) for the dreamy "Butterscotch." Two other duets are in store on "Suga Suga Suga" (w/ Paisley Bettis) and Keyshia Cole ("Love You Better"). The pop world will love "Me and My Girl" while his R&B fans will revel in the sex down sound-scapes of "Never Had a Lover," "Just Wanna Sex You" and "Teach Me," plus an especially strong song about bustin' his girl on the DL titled "What's a Man to Do." Keith put in work so you can get your full-service Sweat on to this instant classic of contemporary boudoir soul.

Tom Scott made his name as one of the pioneering saxophonists of contemporary jazz in the ‘70s. But those who have truly studied his career and catalog know that he came up inspired by the soul jazz strains of the legends that came before him. Scott takes a crack at the music of one of his heroes, alto sax giant Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, on this slickly produced new CD, Cannon Reloaded. To do so he assembled an enviable band that includes trumpeter Terence Blanchard, one-time Cannonball sideman George Duke on keyboards, and a dynamic rhythmic tag team that Scott has played with in the past consisting of bassist Marcus Miller and drummer Steve Gadd. So I don't have to tell you that this dream team revisiting classics like "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," "Jive Samba," "Work Song" and "Sack o' Woe" packs a whole lot of authentic and heartfelt soul. And the icing on the cake is two numbers with the legendary Nancy Wilson that find her looking back at two chestnuts she cut with Cannon on their seminal collaboration Lp forty years ago; "Save Your Love For Me" and "The Masquerade is Over." Most moving of all is the ballad "I Should Care" which drips with a lyricism rarely heard anymore. Chalk it up to the spirit Cannon and a group of musicians who've been tuned into it all their lives.

The Brazilian pianist/singer returns to the Blue Note fold with a special project dedicated to the artistry of piano great Bill Evans. Working in the trio format for which Mr. Evans was famous, Eliane enlisted bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joey Baron to render her versions of songs to which Mr. Evans lent his magic touch. Highlights include "Minha (All Mine)" one of only two Brazilian songs Evans ever recorded is lovingly played and sung by Eliane who also translated the lyric into English. There is a medley of "But Beautiful" (vocal) and "Here's That Rainy Day" (instrumental) that was intuitively put together by Eliane. And in a nod to Evans impeccable solo piano work, Eliane does "I Love My Wife," a song Evans recorded overdubbing multiple piano tracks, but that she distilled into one very potent single piano performance. The CD ends with one original composition of Eliane's titled "After All" that flows into a closing piano introduction of "Here is Something for You" played by the master himself and captured by bassist Johnson on a cassette during a gig. This is one CD for which you can truly feel the love.

Here's another one that slipped by me from last year. Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan is the keyboardist/vocalist of the band WAR. For the past decade, he has been the only original member to grace the group that continues to tour under that name (the other surviving original members - Howard Scott, Lee Oskar, Harold Brown and B.B. Dickerson – still perform superiorly under the name Original Lowriders, but that's another LONG story). While War with just Lonnie in the band has yet to move me, Lonnie's third and latest solo CD has some very inspired moments. Imagine "The World is a Ghetto" done in shifting odd meters and up-tempo in contrast to the hazy blues of the original or a version of "Don't Let No One Get You Down" taken to (Stevie) Wonderland, or the Texas funk of "Baby Brother" slowed down to an introspective Southern California rocker. The 14-song CD isn't all WAR covers, though. There are a couple of new tunes, including "Rock and Roll Days" on which Lonnie reminisces about the life he's lived (including jamming with Jimi Hendrix the night of his death), a cover of Hendrix's "Third Stone From the Sun" and a version of the Rolling Stones' "Pant it Black" (which WAR used to play with Eric Burdon) hijacked to the barrio. This project makes you think Lonnie may be missing his old comrades. Fans from way back (like me) still hold out hope that this strong solo effort can build a bridge to a proper reunion of all five funk slingers sometime soon…

The highly revered South African vocal ensemble pays passionate salute to Shaka Zulu, the charismatic young warrior of the late 1700s who united the Zulu tribe with several neighboring tribes to form a mighty union that gave birth to a proud nation. Focusing each song on character traits that are an inspiration not just for South Africans but people around the globe, the CD highlights include ""Let's Do It" (which acknowledges the dark side of politics but insists the people can still overcome) and "Hlala Nami" which stresses the importance of keeping people close to you who will keep you on a righteous path. Catchiest of all are "Umon Usuk Esweni" which cautions against the dangers of jealousy, and "O Mmu Beno Mmu" about the inherent benefits of people coming together to work for the common good.

British Ambassador of Soul David Nathan is at it again, this time with a collection of rarities and previously unreleased gems from the '70s through the '90s. The 16 song set features club gems from the Dynamic Superiors ("Face the Music") and the Reflections ("Three Steps from True Love"), and the inspirational gem "Make Every Day Count" by the New York Community Choir. And what would a David Nathan compilation be without a pocketful of divas? David delivers with TWO outtakes from Angela Bofill's Too Tough album ("All The Reasons Why" and "Love and Marriage", both of which she penned), "The Wind" by Aretha Franklin (produced by Luther Vandross for the Get it Right album but not issued until now), "Only Heaven Can Wait for Love" by Dionne Warwick (a studio bonus left off of her 1980 Hot, Live and Otherwise Lp), "I'm Not Asking You To Say by the late great Phyllis Hyman (a Thom Bell production left off of her Goddess of Love album) and two songs from Trina Broussard's criminally unreleased 1999 album. And there's more from Enchantment, Mtume, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Revelation and Martha Reeves. This is a treasure chest of soul. Package includes extensive and personal liner notes by Mr. Nathan.

Last year's top grossing music act was the reunion of reggae rock trio The Police. Celebrating the band's continuing influence, several of today's reggae artists pay them tribute here. The first thing that must be notes is that there has already been a two disc set with the same theme that was done in the '90s on Police drummer Stewarts Copeland's brothers Miles Copeland's record label. However, since nearly a decade separates the projects, this one stands up fairly well. Highlights include "Invisible Sun" by Horace Andy back to back with "Invisible Dub" by Lee Scratch Perry, "So Lonely" by Gregory Isaacs, "One World (Not Three)" by the Wailing Souls, "Spirits in the Material World" by Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, and a pair of pop contributions from Joan Osborne ("Every Breath You Take") and Cyril Neville ("Wrapped Around Your Finger"). 13 tracks total, these men and women do The Police justice in the end.

This is a wonderful anthology of local New Orleans talent representing traditional and modern interpretations of classic jazz and R&B. Assembled by Harrah's New Orleans along with14 artists who generously donated their time and talents, this CD celebrates the expansion of Fulton Street – one of New Orleans' must-see destinations. Highlights of the CD, benefiting the non-profit Tipitina's Foundation, include a breezy take on "Just Squeeze Me" by Troi Bechet, "Keep on Gwine" by Joe Krown's trio, and "Flip Flop and Fly" by Luther Kent. One listen to this light-hearted CD and you won' be able to wait to visit and experience it all! For more info, go to www.harrahsneworleans.com

With Sony's Legacy catalog department getting the rights to the Verity catalog, there are now four quite thorough double disc compilations by some of contemporary gospel's brightest lights available. Newcomers get a great overview while longtime fans get their favorites' finest music all in one place with re-mastered sound. With 26 tracks apiece, the featured artists are John P. Kee, Donnie McClurkin, Fred Hammond and Hezekiah Walker. Drink long and deep from the spiritual waters of gospel's modern best!