Review: Lance Ferguson's work with The Bamboos and Menagerie has been critically acclaimed, but he is just as essential as a solo artist.This new release is a freshly scored soundtrack for the 1981 French film of the same name. It was a romantic thriller directed by Leroi Alarie that was once thought lost until a 35mm print was recently discovered. Alarie was dissatisfied with the original score so asked Ferguson to compose new music for the film ahead of its restoration and re-release. Ferguson's dreamy, instrumental funk sound does a great job of capturing the film's sun-drenched atmosphere and subtly infuses it with 80s vibes next to more contemporary sounds. It's fair to say that the soundtrack very much enhances this rediscovered European arthouse gem.
Review: New Zealand-born Lance Ferguson has been the beating heart of Melbourne's modern funk and soul scene for the best part of two decades. It's this that allowed him to gather many of the city's best musicians together to record "Rare Groove Spectrum", an album of fresh covers of rare and classic funk, soul and Latin jams. There are some killer versions to be found amongst the 11 tracks on offer. We're particularly enjoying the collective's riotous instrumental revision of Pleasure classic "Joyous", the strutting deep funk heaviness of "Egg Roll" (a similarly restless cover of a mysterious but much-played cut that should be familiar to dusty-fingered diggers and knowledgeable dancers) and the sumptuous summer breeze that is the combo's meandering take on Earth, Wind and Fire staple "Brazilian Rhyme". It is, though, all superb.
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