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With all the releases we receive each week, sometimes one may unintentionally slip by us, but in going back through the vast releases, are we ever glad we discovered this one by Nicola Conte. Free Soul is an outstanding showcase of the wares of Italy-based talented guitarist and producer. Though recording is very vocal-driven, the arrangements allow the musical performances to shine through. Comprised of mostly original compositions, there’s kind of a retro sound to this effort that feels a bit like 60’s soul meet jazz in the twenty-first century. Among the album’s featured vocalists are Jose James, Marvin Parks, Bridgette Amofah, Melanie Charles and Heidi Vogel. The band is tight with Greg Osby on alto sax (for one tune), Magnus Lindgren on tenor sax and flutes,  Francesco Lento on trumpet, Luca Alemanno on bass and Pietro Lussu on piano, just to name a few. The production quality is superb and makes for a very entertaining result. A truly first-rate creation that thankfully made our review cut.