Album Review: Dreamroot – Phases
This Durham, North Carolina group combines neo-soul, jazz and spoken word in a style that seems incredibly natural and effortless. Joe MacPhail’s piano runs are lyrical and accessible, and Lynn Grissett’s trumpet is soulful and heartfelt. The combination of jazz vocals and spoken bits works quite well; it’s closer to Anita Baker than Gil Scott-Heron, and it feels equal parts classic and contemporary.
The group mixes things up: “Good Morning Afternoon” has a vaguely Gershwin feeling, where “Caught in a Long Goodbye” bears the subtle influence of ‘70s late-night soul. In fact, with its musical shade and light, the latter may well be the best track on this consistency engaging release.
The understated engine room of Dreamroot is bassist Ittai Korman and drummer Theous Jones; their interplay is subtlety itself. And the talents of Serena Wiley (sax, spoken-word vocals) are extraordinary as well. Of course the pandemic means no live shows for now, but once that’s behind us, Dreamroot will be on my must-see list.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.