Shanachie
2009
Brother's Keeper
About This Album
Karl Denson's Brother's Keeper is his initial Shanachie offering and revives his longstanding Tiny Universe outfit that went on recording hiatus in 2004. 2007 saw the release of the Karl Denson Trio's killer Lunar Orbit with just his saxophone, a Hammond B-3, and drums. The set offered a new sonic take on that classic jazz sound. Brother's Keeper, by contrast, features a full septet (with MeShell Ndégeocello on electric bass) augmented by a slew of guest musicians who include an expanded horn section and strings. The sound here is different than past Tiny Universe offerings. It's a very roots-oriented sound that, while not exactly enveloping the back-to-basics of funk and jazz, folds these into a brew that also includes soul, gospel, reggae, and club jazz. Denson wrote or co-wrote 10 of the set's 11 tunes, two of them with Switchfoot's lead singer Jon Foreman (the set opener and first single "Shake It Out," and "Mighty Rebel"). Foreman penned the stellar "The Drums of War," and co-producer David Veith helped Denson on "Just Got Paid."

"Shake It Out" is the logical choice for a single because it is the closest thing to the classic sound of Tiny Universe.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8)

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