Release: Dionne Bennett - Sugar Hip Ya Ya

DIONNE BENNETT - SUGAR HIP YA YA [SOUL BLUES, SOUL, R&B, FUNK]

 When you first experience the British Jamaican singer-songwriter, producer, and radio personality

Dionne Bennett, one of the first words that comes to mind is powerhouse, defined as a person or thing of great energy, strength, skill, and power. It is no wonder producer, songwriter and artist Little G Weevil assembled a muscular wrecking crew of the best players for her new album Sugar Hip Ya Ya released on Hunnia Records.

The ten-song collection covers all Afro-culture music genres from jazz to R&B, soul, reggae, funk, rock ‘n’ roll and beyond with a sound that leaps out of the speakers like Blood Sweat and Tears meeting the Red Hot Chili Peppers at Stax Records in Memphis for a supersonic soul party.

Recorded in Budapest Hungary with local musicians - Laszlo Borsodi on guitar, Attila Herr on bass, drummer Lajos Gyenge and keyboardist Matyas Premecz - who are augmented by the Jambalaya Horns: trumpeter Tamas Sovari and Zoltan Albert on sax. Little G Weevil adds his acclaimed lead guitar and vocals to the mix of eight original numbers he wrote or co-wrote for the project and two classic cover songs that showcase every aspect of Bennett’s expansive dynamic range.

 The chart topping 1968 hit for Etta James, “Tell Mama (3.39),” is a bold choice to open an album and Bennett and company do not fail to deliver by recreating the fire of the original Muscle Shoals’ recording. The title track, “Sugar Hip Ya Ya (3.22),” celebrates the voice of a strong independent woman over a heavy swinging groove. A thundering beat from Gyenge kicks off the jagged funk rocker “Spy Me (4.02),” before the sultry one drop infused “My Life (5.55),” embracing Bennett’s island roots. She salutes receiving her life’s calling to be a singer on the rowdy gospel fueled “Full Time Job (3.27).” Allen Toussaint’s freedom song “Yes We Can Can (3.48)” is given more of that Stax Records treatment with greasy clavinet, fiery horns, and Bennett channeling Mavis Staples. Dubstep influenced “Let It Rain (5.38),” samples the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., from his “We Shall Overcome” speech, with the southern influenced R&B licks of Little G Weevil and Bennett’s caressing vocal. The duo also issued a call to stand up against racism, writing “This song cannot be more accurate. Speak up against racism and social injustice!” The dramatic torch song ballad, “Don’t Fall For Love (3.58)” has strains of Billie Holiday and Carmen McRae and is a modern twist on a traditional form. Bennett encourages us all to do better on the thumping track “Get It Right (3.44),” that features a wicked solo from Laszlo.  G Weevil for Sugar Hip Ya Ya began as a guest 

BIOGRAPHY

Dionne Bennett is a British/West-Indian singer-songwriter, producer, and radio personality. She started singing and performing live at age 14 and released her first soul single by the time she was 15. Dionne is internationally known for her unique and diverse vocal style that covers all Afro-culture influenced genres from blues, jazz, R&B, soul, reggae, drum bass funk, rock ‘n’ roll, and beyond.

WEBLINKS

OS: www.dionnebennett.com

For more info: Betsie Brown, Blind Raccoon, betsie@blindraccoon.com