Gecko Turner - Gone Down South (2010)

Gone Down South, the third album by Spanish world beatnik Gecko Turner, is another wild excursion through the international marketplace of dance beats and deep grooves. His blend of blues, jazz, Brazilian music, reggae, hip-hop, and rock played with plenty of Cuban, African, and Arab rhythms dancing through the mix has made him one of the most unique talents on the global pop scene. Like Manu Chao, the artist he most resembles, Turner borrows beats and grooves to produce his own highly personal sound. Chao's slick production often calls attention to itself, but Turner's output is more low-key -- smoky instead of glossy, laid-back instead of over the top. For the last few years, Turner has been crisscrossing the American South, the birthplace of the blues music that first inspired him, and as the title suggests, this time he has added a bit of soul, funk, and R&B to his palette. He also shows off the soulful side of his vocals, delivering his messages in English as well as Spanish and Portuguese. "Truly" opens the set with a sharp R&B groove and a hint of Cuba in its backbeat. "You Can't Own Me" is a soulful serenade that rides a dub reggae bassline supported by chiming Congolese guitars and a funky percussion track. "Let's Say Tonight" could have been written for a '70s blaxploitation flick with its sexy wah-wah guitar and smooth backing harmonies. "Gone Down South," a short, late-night, Cuban-flavored piano blues, harks back to the '40s and is delivered by Turner in a lazy drawl that would have made Hoagy Carmichael proud. The funkiest track is "The Love Monk," which adds African percussion to the mix to up the rhythm ante.