Anything Chaka Khan is a part of, is worth listening to, and Incognito front-man Jean Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick, after 30 years in the music game, knows this too well as he ropes her in to lead off the LP on “Lowdown” which incorporates Boz Scaggs’ classic of the same title, and also features Italian singer Mario Biondi, who adds his deep, baritone vocals alongside Chaka’s. Thank God for groups like Incognito and Bluey leading the way, reviving a genre – that being Acid Jazz – that is beyond me on how it just sort of fell out of the limelight.

The brainchild and success of its two founders Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister (of Kruder & Dorfmeister, Peace Orchestra, Tosca fame), G-Stone Recordings from Vienna, Austria over the last 16 years throughout the European electronic music scene and armed with some of these memorable, ‘cuss-free’ classics here, has been quite a remarkable and consistent story. Since 1995, when the term and concept of ‘electronica’ seemed hard to grasp, through new artists such as Marsmobil on her lounge-like “Patience,” or Makossa & Megablast on their chill-out grooves on “Coming Home” featuring the extra-soulful Hubert Tubbs, fans were starting to abandon traditional mainstream radio programs and tap into what a lot of fed-up DJs, underground/alternative stations and the birth of public internet had to offer.

It’s really difficult to compare the sounds of Chico Mann in its entirety to any one particular group you’ve ever been familiar with. Maybe Senor Coconut’s cover of Kraftwerk’s “Trans Europe Express (Cumbia)” comes to mind? But that was one song, while Chico Mann’s entire vibe is blessed with such an authentic diversity. So to attempt at any comparison you’ll have no choice but to gather a couple artists such as Afrika Bambaattaa & The Soul Sonic Force, Fela Kuti & Africa 70 and Buena Vista Social Club – combine all their distinctive elements and envision all those sounds working incredibly together.

Just a listen to “Game Over” and you’d want to see V.V. Brown perform this live! Her energy and power in delivering this uplifting and defiant track, moves you (as everything else around you shifts too)! Entirely produced and written by V.V. herself, this young Brit now embarking on breaking through to the States, comes equipped with the lead single, “Shark In The Water” and you can’t help but feel her determined type of soulful expressiveness, fashion direction and blessed talent destined to be compared or mentioned in the same circles of other diva dames like Shingai Shoniwa (of Noisettes), Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse and others.

NICEST “09” (nine) ALBUMS of ‘09! and “10” (ten) LPs STILL Worth Listening to in ’10! From BASEMENT JAXX, DIANE BIRCH, EL MICHELS AFFAIR, Fela Kuti, HEATHER JOHNSON, Jay Z, JOY JONES, Lee Fields & The Expressions, Let Freedom Sing, little dragon, Major Lazer, Maxwell, NOISETTES, Passion Pit, Phoenix, Raekwon, Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Snoop Dogg, Strictly The Best 40 etc.

Toronto, Canada’s K-Os shouldn’t be a stranger to you if you follow good, thought-provoking hip-hop, though to a lot of his peers, he’s stranger than your average lyricist. Exactly. After all, he’s not average by any means. On the opener, like the many of his signature tracks of past LPs that define him, K-Os sings and spits rhymes over “Zambony,” an 808 kick drum-driven, illusive beat glided and guided by angelic melodies from voices that seem to be live-spirits looking down upon his soul. His tracks always seem to have a very high level of orchestration, enhanced with some classic

“Soldier Of Love,” which will appear on the album of the same, is the first in-studio recording heard from Sadé in nearly a decade. And it’s very much in line with her past work — the haunting vocals and brooding nature of the music. But this track also takes on a militaristic feel, obviously a play on its title. Thankfully, the chugging guitars and heavy snares don’t overpower Sade’s vocals, which sound rich and full.”Soldier Of Love” hits radio stations for airplay today while Soldier Of Love (the album) drops Feb. 8, 2010.

Originally slated for a release in 2001, Q-Tip’s Kamaal The Abstract got shelved but some of you out there got your hands on it. However, many never did, and now in ‘09, we’re all able to enjoy pieces of Q-Tip’s deeper thought process along the experiences he’s had (mostly with the opposite sex) on stand-out tracks such as “Feelin’” and “Barely In Love”, the LP’s lead single. His vision and continued connectivity with his surroundings, especially in tuned with the intelligent, progressive-thinking international hip-hop community is always evident, and on “Even If It Is So” and “Make It Work” (the LP’s new bonus) he pushes his nu form of jazz further than just getting you to bop your head by always gracefully raising the bar.

Hailing from Demark, rock-duo The Ravonettes, unlike this thing Danes refer to as ‘Jane Loven’ (or ‘Jante Law’ – which proclaims you’re not to think of yourself as superior), have since propelled themselves four albums ago by doing quite the opposite: thinking of their band very highly! On their fifth LP here, naturally encompassing a host of different-sounding spin-offs to rock n’ roll injected with hints of outside influences of soul, pop and even some hip-hop heavy rhythms on “Bang!”, The Ravonettes take you into dark corridors, open your windows to a brighter sunshine and through their first single, “Last Dance” – though somewhat sad – carry the listener into a depth of joyful appreciation within the song’s sorrowful unfolding.

Fink, who you might not have known co-wrote “Greenlight” with John Legend (featuring Andre 3000), on his 3rd LP here under UK’s Ninja Tune imprint, is calm with the niceness. And I mean, super calm in his husky, commanding singing. On the title track, his gentle yet distinctively towering vocal tones ease any tension throughout your body mass, and on “Move On Me” as he’s joined on piano by John Legend, his deep lust or vision thereof, begs his target to do the inevitable. From his brightly-lit NYC ode on “See It All” to my ultimate favorite track titled “Q&A” which is a sort of stripped-to-the-bone, trip-hop human beat-box jam incorporating Inner City’s “Big Fun” melodic groove, Fink defines what it means to be sexy, in the least overt way, combining his soulful, chilled-out rock. Light some candles, press play and watch her clothes come off, gently.