Destination...Get Down!

Iowa City's keepers of the good groove, the Diplomats of Solid Sound are serving up more old-school funk and soul on their third album, Destination...Get Down! The biggest change in the group's attack this time out is the addition of David Basinger on sax, who adds a new level of muscle and atmosphere to the Diplomats' signature sound, but for the most part this is in the same vein as their previous set, Let's Cool One. But while Destination...Get Down! may offer up "more of the same," the truth is that the DOSS are getting better at their Meters meets Booker T. Hammond-fortified grooves, and the group sounds both cool and passionate throughout these 12 instrumental tracks, with keyboard man Nate "Count" Basinger clearly the star of this show. The jazzy undercurrents in the Diplomats' tunes are easier to spot here, without sacrificing the R&B heart of their music, and even without the presence of a full-time bassist on these sessions, they have the ability to get the dancefloor burning in no time flat, without leaving the listeners behind. Fun stuff, and well worth a spin for those who like their soul hot and cool at the same time.