I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Carry On The Spirituals Vol. 2, from Radha Botofasina and it's quite good. Opening with Satan We Gonna Tear Your Kingdon Down, Brooklyn born, Radah Botofasina presents a strong spiritual journey in music. Having a two decade long association with Alice Coltrane, Alice became her spiritual and musical mentor and gifted her her first harp. With Gemi Taylor on guitar, Botofasina on harp and lead vocal, John Barnes on synth and rhythms and the McCrary Sisters on backing vocals, this is a solid opener. With R&B influence over a definite gospel framework, Woman At The Well, features really nice call and response between Botofasina on lead vocal and backing vocals by Aankha Neal, Isabel Beyosa, Arianna Gouveia and Shyam Tony Reyes. With a Latin rhythm, gospel classic, Mary Don't You Weep, gets a contemporary makeover. Botofasina on lead vocal, backed by Neal, Beyoso, Gouveia and Reyes on backing vocal work nicely with the synth work of Surya Botofasina on synth organ, Cecil McBee Jr on bass, Munyungo Jackson on percussion and Alma Cielo on viola. Really getting that gospel roll, Move On Up A Little Higher shows real richness with excellent lead work by Botofasina and the addition of Rod Hines on piano, Surya on synth organ, McBee on bass, Caleb Buchanan on acoustic bass, Jackson on percussion Cielo on cello and Neal, Beyoso, Gouveia and Reyes on backing vocals. Wrapping the release is original composition and title track, Carry On with a cool R&B rhythm. Botofasina leads with excellent vocal phrasing and Taylor on guitar adds some real nice solo work. Barnes on synth, and Neal, Beyoso, Gouveia, Reyes, Barnes and the McCrarey Sisters create a cool envelope of music closing out the release.
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