Album Review of
Uprising

Written by Joe Ross
May 20, 2017 - 12:00am EDT
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Miles Mosley’s Get Down Sessions resulted in the recording of over 100 songs, and “Uprising” is his debut of eleven of them. Showing elements of funk, soul, jazz and blues, Mosley’s compositions feature his rock solid upright bass, soaring vocals, and rich orchestration. His three compositions co-penned with Barbara Sealy present rather straight-forward messages such as “I won’t let L.A. bring you down.” To explore what drives Mosley, “More Than This” speaks to hanging onto the muse and shaking in one’s boots at the thought of others only being in it for the money. “Reap a Soul” and “Sky High” start with more plaintive, expressive lyrical notes that provide soothing statements before they dynamically build. Mosely sports a tattoo that says “basso agitato,” and if you’re not familiar with that Italian musical term, “agitato” is an indication to play quickly, with agitation and excitement. The approach works for Miles Mosley and the West Coast Get Down as they tour this summer to jazz festivals in the likes of Los Angeles, Telluride, Detroit and Monterey. (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)