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Wednesday, 30 October 2024

'This Is...' by Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos (2024 deluxe version)



Celebrating fifteen years since the album's initial release, Légère Recordings unveil a deluxe reissue of Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos' 2009 album that is a mouth-watering package and duly pays respect to a contemporary classic.


Proving to be a milestone release for both factions, 'This is Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos' paired dynamic UK singer-songwriter Smith with Hamburg's multi-faceted soul ensemble, The Mighty Mocambos, unveiling an album that would go on to cast a long shadow for each going forward.  And it's not hard to see why - theirs proved to be an inimitable chemistry punctuated by the Mocambos' rich landscape of fiery drums and plush horns alongside Gizelle’s voice swooning skilfully over it all.


For Gizelle Smith, her star as a solo artist continued to rise with single releases via Italy's Record Kicks and two full-length projects via the UK's Jalapeno Records.  The soul-drenched 'Ruthless Day' came to us in 2018 followed by the imaginative and self-assured 'Revealing' in 2021.  Likewise, The Mighty Mocambos career went from strength-to-strength with a series of releases under their own name, the continued development of their own Mocambo Records, high-profile pairings with Eric Boss and Caroline Lacaze and the cultivation of their steel pan alter ego, Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band.


But despite their warranted successes separately, there's a natural fit when you regard the pairing of Smith alongside the Mocambos that just feels right.  Like it belongs.  


While listeners may have long craved an official follow-up to 'This is...' - which may very well still happen - this deluxe package proves as strong a consolation prize as we could get.  Bumping the original 12-track collection to a whopping 23 tracks, the bonus material offers a scintillating collection of live performances from London and Paris, unreleased recordings from the album's recording sessions and remixes which include Kenny Dope's beloved take on 'Working Woman' originally released via his own Kay Dee Records.  Hats off to Légère and all involved for this release which offers as definitive a depiction of the album's story that we're likely to receive. 


We are certainly within a thriving era of contemporary soul music with record labels, bands and artists around the world continuing to push forward and present some sensational offerings that don't just hark back to bygone eras of funk & soul, but also seek to look forward and offer something new to the scene.  'This is Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos' is a pioneering record in this context.  An album that stands tall amidst a new generation of releases and one, if missed the first time round, should certainly not be missed this time.


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