Pop & Rock News

Compiled by Katie, the Ultimate Collection LP features 26 tracks from her studio albums as well as her cover of ‘Fields of Gold’ and two brand new recordings of Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and Shirley Bassey’s ‘Diamonds Are Forever’.
Singles on the album include her worldwide hit ‘Nine Million Bicycles’, ‘The Closest Thing to Crazy’, ‘If You Were A Sailboat’ amongst others
The double LP also include liner notes written by Katie.

Lascelle 'Lascelles' Gordon - the driving force behind Vibration Black Finger – astonishes us yet again with a magnificent second album. Once more his inspiration is drawn from the obscure spiritual jazz collectives of the 1970s where he employs a vast array of like-minded collaborators to create a listening experience infused with an ever-present undercurrent of personal expression and cultural empowerment that's as enriched with ideas as it is progressive in its form.

Having earned his chops as founding member of the Brand New Heavies, Campag Velocet and Heliocentric World, Lascelle's latest album Can You See What I'm Trying to Say bursts with energy and vivid contrasts, flowing effortlessly between beat-laden grooves, oscillating improvisations, soulful recitations, audio verité and moody atmospherics. The album drops like a post-hip-hop reimagining of foundational genres, with a prayer to the future.

''Can You See What I'm Trying to Say' is a quote from Marion Brown, the great alto saxophonist' explains Gordon. 'The album was put together over the last three years, not in the conventional way of going into the recording studio with musicians, but starting from ideas I had on various formats (cassettes, mini disc, DATs & reel to reel). I also used field recordings. I did a lot of home recording with long time musical friends Ben Cowen & Diana Gutkind, some of them going back 20 years. The voices of my nieces (heard on Law of the Universe) were recorded 25 years ago. 'Only in a Dream' and 'Empty Streets' are the only songs that were recorded live in the studio.'

'I was blown away by the New Life Trio 'Empty Streets' (from 1978) and was fascinated by the vocals' continues Lascelles. 'I always thought it would be great to cover this tune'. Such is the power of this song, it's used to open the album, with vocalist Ebony Rose turning in a thoroughly haunting vocal performance. While not a concept album as such, Lascelles has nonetheless conceived and presented Can You See What I'm Trying to Say to be heard as a complete listening experience, with each track blending into the next, resulting in a seamless expression of music.

Following 'Empty Streets', some instrumental interludes segue into a dimensional drift of beats, space synths, horns and electronics; there's a vocal reprise of 'Acting For Liberation', sung with gusto by Maggie Nichols, and then there's the album's momentous finale, 'Only In A Dream', which takes off as an ominous drone before a delicious bassline from the late Ken Kambayashi transforms it into an intense, soaring epic which finally descends onto another world.

In a career spanning several decades, Lascelle Gordon remains an omnivorous musical force, whether as DJ, collaborator or radio broadcaster. As amply demonstrated on Can You See What I'm Trying to Say, he refuses to rest on his laurels and continues to impress with music that is as rich, vital and contemporary as anything he's done before, covering an incredible amount of musical ground in the process.

Well this is brilliantly bizarre; pivotal US underground mail-art and poetry figure John M. Bennett spills his guts on Middle America and other matters in a compendium of perplexing and peculiar
performances set to fractured flute, marimba, concrète tape works and FM synthesis in a way that reminds us of Laurie Anderson’s hyper-influential ‘Home Of The Brave’ via Fluxus, Max Headroom,
Burrroughs, Kurt Schwitters.
All newly remastered by contemporary avant conduit Jack Callahan, ‘A Flattened Face Fogs Through’ yields a fascinating cross section of JM Bennett’s vast catalogue, selected and sequenced by John
Also Bennett (JAB) from some 15 hours of cassette recordings issued 1986-1995. Encompassing fleeting glimpses of warped and processed tekkers thru to relatively straighter recitals, each
juxtaposed with dizzyingly imaginative instrumentals that account for half the interest, the set plunges us into a highly personal perspective on American life in the ‘80s/‘90s, salvaging a poetry from its mundane, “corn walled, strip mall infested landscape” that resonates with Lynch’s evocation of the surreality underfoot USA, and dovetails with early dada and fluxus movements explored by Burroughs (whose manuscripts he edited) and the work of Bennett’s contemporary
Richard Kostelanetz.
Flattened Face includes recordings of classic Bennett poems like “The Shirt The Sheet”, “Last In Line”, “The Transmission”, and “The Blur”, the sound works presented here were made with a spirited cast of collaborators and conspirators - Byron D. Smith, Ficus Strangulensis, Mike Hovancsek, and Jack Wright to name a few (not to mention JMB’s oldest son William E. Bennett, then a child). They represent a fraction of John M. Bennett’s massive output in this marginal but fertile artistic community, and should stand as a testament both to it and to the underlying strangeness of language, the American Midwest, and of being itself.”.

Yellow Vinyl

The first Documenting Sound release to appear on vinyl (we’re just doing a handful of them on wax) is this obsession-forming fever-dream recorded in Kallista, Dandenong Ranges / Autumn 2020 by Jonnine Standish of HTRK, newly mastered and featuring completely genius new meta-artwork/painting by Gian Manik. Anyway, you either altready know how good this one is, or else yr about to find out…

The other week we dreamt that we asked Jonnine aka Jonnine Standish of f#cking HTRK to make some music for a tape series. She ended up sending us what was essentially a 9 track album of new songs featuring Jonnine on bass guitar, a Mopho synth, a wave drum and an electric wind instrument, plus her vocals, clicks and garden chimes, and contributions from Conrad Standish (of CS + Kreme) and mixing by Tarquin Manek. Oh wait…

We approach all of Jonnine’s music with caution cos - hooks - she warned us about them. When her last record 'Super Natural’ was released last year the ohrwurm wasn’t for leaving us in peace, for real it was almost too much - and this time, if you can believe it - it’s worse.

You get 9 songs - 9 - songs - there are chorus pedals and strings and endless atmospheres. The opener is a dream, blurred vision - heartache. The title track - pan flutes - this is basically The Cure’s ‘Dressing Up’ remade. Except Jonnine has never heard ’The Top’. It’s all v weird and auspicious, a complete heartmelt. Also, somehow, real?

Fresh from an appearance on Space Afrika’s 'Honest Labour’ album, collaborations with Klein and Lol K and a placement in the Dazed 100 list, LA Timpa finally offers his head-turning 'Equal Amounts Afraid' album on vinyl following a short CD run just before the pandemic hit in early 2020.

Served up on promising yung London label O___o, and made with additional mixing from Solange collaborator Kwes and mastering from sometime Dean Blunt engineer Amir Shoat, ‘Equal Amounts Afraid’ is a beautiful smudge of pop experimentation riddled with timeless musical soul. Following from his 2016 debut ‘Animal’, and guest production for Cold Specks’ trip hop sound, LA Timpa’s gently reserved and melancholic productions push an intimate pop vocabulary into spectral, dreamlike dimensions.

Introspective and avant like Klein’s psyched chop-ups, as sensuous as Blood Orange, but with a taste for expressively harmonised pop refrains that clearly recall Yves Tumor via Richard Youngs, the album unfolds with its own logic, deploying eyelid-tugging levels of hypnagogic charm that practically demand to be heard in sequestered, lowlit situations.

Seducing us to his singular temporality and hazy atmosphere with the vaporous falsetto and ambient soundfield of sirens and groggy bass in ‘Around’, a cut-up interlude leads into fragmented music box melody and intimate plainsong on ‘Fertile’, while ‘Core’ almost echoes the 4AD dream-pop of A.R. Kane, and ‘Give’ beautifully dematerialises indie-pop into ambient gauze.

‘Backyard Exotic’ surfaces his strangest side in a maze of mushied songcraft, ushering a trippier 2nd half where the songs really start to fray between ‘Caretaker’, the smokers’ hymnal vignette ‘Towel Under The Door’, before channelling Thom Yorke in the melting Mbira melody of ‘Rattle Snake’, and spooling out into proper ambient soul with the spine-tracing lines of ‘Tried Ice’ and the smudged magic of ‘Memory Phone’ where he truly divines a strength in his vulnerability in a way that should resonate with the most sensitive souls.

Donut chiefs The Mighty Mocambos return with triumphant funk workout "The Take Off" out on limited edition 45.

On the instrumental A-side, crunchy drums and percussion set off into a 7-minute breakbeat extravaganza where dramatic horns and psychedelic, fuzzed-out guitars build up to an epic finale.

On the flip, Nichola Richards chants soulfully before passing the baton to Brooklyn MC JSwiss, whose spoken word poetry takes the listener to another level, ready for take-off!

Another sure-shotwinner from the Mocambo camp, for all funk DJs and aficionados.

Some things take time to happen, some things perhaps take a bit longer than they should but, finally, we are delighted to present an issue of the iconic, and sought-after, Brazilian album 'Alucinolândia' by Zito Righi e Seu Conjunto from 1969.

The trippy, surrealist 60s cover design with hands holding eyeballs is somewhat confusing. Rather than the stoner acid rock record that the art may suggest, 'Alucinolândia' is actually a quintessential 60s gem, mixing samba, MPB, bossa nova, quirky organ-led mod-jazz groovers and easy-listening crooners with a relaxed cool swagger.

Zito Righi aka Isidoro Righi, the Brazilian saxophonist, instrumentalist, conductor and composer brought together an illustrious cast for this masterpiece, including the much-loved vocalist Sônia Santos. Sônia delivers a masterclass on the album's opener, and maybe its crown-jewel 'Poema Ritmico Do Malandro’. The song is fierce and driving with an enticing funk intro that bursts into a Samba / Batucada workout. A real monster that works magic on the dancefloor. Sônia would later re-visit this track in 1971 on a recording for Copacabana Records, which Mr Bongo released as part of the Brazil45 series. The Brazilian songwriter Roberval penned three tracks on the record, including another highlight and the far too short 'Birimbau'; a catchy Brazilian jazzy-samba dancer at its finest. Other musicians include the drummer Fernando who also recorded with the greats Dila & Guilherme Coutinho.

The fact the record was released in 1969 meant it was probably a bit out of step with its contemporaries in comparison to the works of artists such as Os Mutantes, Gilberto Gil et al. The core of 'Alucinolândia' is that of a more optimistic early to mid-sixties party feelgood vibe rather than the angsty, psychedelia, and rebellion of the Tropicália movement. Over 50 years since its release, the work can finally be judged on its own merit; and what a beauty it is.

Reissue des Best-Of-Albums von Nouvelle Vague, das 2010 als CD mit dem Titel 'Best Of' und einem anderen Cover erschien und jetzt erstmals auf Vinyl erhältlich wird. Das neue Cover ist dem legendären Debütalbum von 2004 nachempfunden, mit dem der Nouvelle Vague-Hype begann. Die Sammlung enthält 15 essentielle Hits der Band (darunter 'In A Manner Of Speaking', 'Just Can't Get Enough', 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', 'Too Drunk Too Fuck') sowie prominente Features von Martin Gore (Depeche Mode), Ian McCulloch (Echo & The Bunnymen) und Terry Hall (The Specials).

Berlin-based Swedish dynamic duo of sax man Otis Sandsjö and bassist/producer Petter Eldh return with new music on We Jazz Records. Remember the hard hitting banger "Tremendoce" from Otis Sandsjö's "Y-OTIS 2"? Well, the saga continues, and the new directions are surprising to say the least, just as we like it!!! Some proper late night / early morning out there vibes on this one, and the flip is yet another step forward, bringing in Kathrin Pechlof on harp. Things are liquid, just as you would guess, but the whole consistency of the substance has flipped and evolved. A new sound. A new idea. Another new day in Mauerpark, Berlin.

Acclaimed L.A. rapper Blu has crafted a remarkable discography, partnering with a series of exceptional producers to deliver cohesive collections showcasing his vivid lyricism and effortless flows. Now, Blu is turning to talented SoCal beatsmith Sirplus, a protégé of famed producer Exile who has worked with the likes of Planet Asia, Edo G, MED, Cali Agents, and more. "Sirplus is my guy," says Blu. "He is the newest member of the Dirty Science crew, and I could tell he had talent and skill. I knew I had to work with him." Now available worldwide, "For Sale" is a new EP from Blu entirely produced by Sirplus, featuring appearances by Nolan The Ninja, Johaz of Dag Savage, Scienze, Noveliss, and more.

ntroducing jazz harpist Amanda Whiting. From Wales, the home of the harp, Amanda has taken her classical roots and forged them in the path of jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby.

She has toured extensively with Matthew Halsall and the Gondwana Orchestra performing at Jazz festivals around the world. More recent collaborations have included recording with DJ Yoda and Chip Wickham and touring Wickham's latest album including appearances at Ronnie Scotts and Le Petit Halle, Paris.

Whiting's first album was recorded as a trio for CD in 2013, and pays tribute to Coltrane and Ashby with her own take on standards. She's joined by Deej Williams (bass) and Tony Robinson (drums). Here we've taken a selection of tracks for inclusion on vinyl, the best medium for serious music lovers.

Just 500 copies pressed and housed in a beautiful bespoke flip-back sleeve.

Acclaimed L.A. rapper Blu has crafted a remarkable discography, partnering with a series of exceptional producers to deliver cohesive collections showcasing his vivid lyricism and effortless flows. Now, Blu is turning to talented SoCal beatsmith Sirplus, a protégé of famed producer Exile who has worked with the likes of Planet Asia, Edo G, MED, Cali Agents, and more. "Sirplus is my guy," says Blu. "He is the newest member of the Dirty Science crew, and I could tell he had talent and skill. I knew I had to work with him." Now available worldwide, "For Sale" is a new EP from Blu entirely produced by Sirplus, featuring appearances by Nolan The Ninja, Johaz of Dag Savage, Scienze, Noveliss, and more.

Die beiden 'Microtronics' Ausgaben sind zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl erhältlich, remastered von den Originalbändern, mit Artwork von Julian House. Ursprünglich erschienen sie als zwei auf jeweils 2.000 Exemplare limitierte Tour-3inch-CDs: 'Microtronics Vol. 1' 2003 zur 'Haha Sound' Tour, 'Microtronics Vol. 2' folgte 2005 zur 'Tender Buttons' Tour.

Recorded in 1972 at the legendary Landsdowne Studios in London, Cosmic Eye is an extraordinary piece of recorded music. Led by Indian born guitarist Amancio D'Silva, Cosmic Eye was a highly innovative studio experiment in which 'Jazz Meets World'. Following in the footsteps of other pioneering Landsdowne jazz recordings such as Joe Harriott & John Mayer's Indo Jazz sessions, Cosmic Eye is modal, but is also under-pinned with traditional Indian instrumentation and structure, resulting in a hypnotic, psychedelic jazz excursion.
Constructed into two conceptual pieces (Dream Sequences), two side-long jazz ragas showcasing D'Silva's soulful guitar playing reminiscent of his earlier 60s sessions, Hum Dono and Integrations, as well as his session work for the Bollywood film industry under the musical directors Laxmikant-Pyarelal. Featuring a host of UK and Indian musicians, Cosmic Eye is a Singular recording from a fervently rich period of British modern jazz. Finally this phenomenal jazz recording sees a legitimate reissue.

Sublime funky jazz album by Harold Vick under the Sir Edward name - first time reissue from the 1973 edition on Funky Drummer Bernard Purdies short lived Encounter Label !

One of the great unsung saxophone hero's: Harold Vick worked as a sideman with Hammond Legends Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Big John Patton, and Larry Young. He played on and off with Walter Bishop, Jr. and also worked with Philly Joe Jones, Howard McGhee, Donald Byrd and Ray Charles and appeared with Dizzy Gillespie, King Curtis, and from 1970 to 1974 with Aretha Franklin. He played in Jack DeJohnette's jazz-rock band Compost from 1971 to 1973,recording with them in 1972 which is about the same time as this recording and that is probably the reason it is under the pseudonym of "Sir Edward". Add to that an absolutely top notch band, including bassist Wilbur "Bad" Bascomb, Jumma Santos on percussion and the mellow vibes of Omar Clay and this is a must have soulful jazz outing.

The music is a funky mix of some of the big Soul tunes of the day, with versions of Donny Hathaway and The Stylistics and a nod to the CTI stylings of the day with a get down version of "People Make The World Go Round".

A compilation of Australian Spiritual Jazz. 1969-1979.

Includes rare tracks from artists such as Jazz Co-Op, The Alan Lee Quartet, The John Sangster Quartet, The Brian Brown Quintet.

Modal and Eco Jazz.

Tip-On Sleeve.

World Speaks is the new album by Piotr Kurek. It consists of seven vivid paintings. We are greeted by processed voices. A bit later we listen to a fine reed solo, while an organist performs a meditative melody. Hints of a human presence, but World Speaks sounds uninhabited. Instead we enter a glassy reality where the simulation is at play. And where nothing seems what it is: are we witness to the choreography – or the rocky seashore?

“At that time I was playing with various vocal banks I’ve made on Kontakt with some exaggerated modulation bends and tried to mimic the feeling of the memory of the picture with some vocal sequences played on the MIDI keyboard.”

“Since a few years I have these Thomas Cole paintings as my laptop’s desktop wallpaper. And I absolutely love them. I’m pretty sure that something from that landscapes must have soaked into this material. A few titles here actually refer to actually works of Thomas Cole.”

Clouds slowly creeping trough the hills. The trees damp green. A few whitewashed houses …

Piotr Kurek (°1978) is a Warsaw based composer and multi-instrumentalist. Through his unconventional use of various electronic instruments and synthesisers he cultures hypnotic worlds drenched in peculiar arrangements.

“I saw an old b/w photo of a group of people standing in a circle, facing each other. I imagined they were singing but I’m not sure about it … I guess it was just a gathering or some kind of dance choreography near the rocky seashore.”

World Speaks is the new album by Piotr Kurek. It consists of seven vivid paintings. We are greeted by processed voices. A bit later we listen to a fine reed solo, while an organist performs a meditative melody. Hints of a human presence, but World Speaks sounds uninhabited. Instead we enter a glassy reality where the simulation is at play. And where nothing seems what it is: are we witness to the choreography – or the rocky seashore?

“At that time I was playing with various vocal banks I’ve made on Kontakt with some exaggerated modulation bends and tried to mimic the feeling of the memory of the picture with some vocal sequences played on the MIDI keyboard.”

“Since a few years I have these Thomas Cole paintings as my laptop’s desktop wallpaper. And I absolutely love them. I’m pretty sure that something from that landscapes must have soaked into this material. A few titles here actually refer to actually works of Thomas Cole.”

Clouds slowly creeping trough the hills. The trees damp green. A few whitewashed houses …

Piotr Kurek (°1978) is a Warsaw based composer and multi-instrumentalist. Through his unconventional use of various electronic instruments and synthesisers he cultures hypnotic worlds drenched in peculiar arrangements.

“I saw an old b/w photo of a group of people standing in a circle, facing each other. I imagined they were singing but I’m not sure about it … I guess it was just a gathering or some kind of dance choreography near the rocky seashore.”

What to say about Roland Johnsons Set your mind free – if you are reading this and haven’t listened to the track – STOP RIGHT NOW AND HIT THE DAMN PLAYBUTTON!

Then come back and read about Roland.

Roland Johnson is the real deal, bonafide, time served Soul and Blues man. He cut this track at the tender age of 71, having recorded his first album of original material at the age of 68.

Both albums were recorded at Blue Lotus recording studio in St Louis, Missouri and feature the wealth of talent that uses the studio as a creative hub. The studio is owned and run by Paul Niehaus IV, also a talented sound engineer, musician and performer.

This track was picked up by a couple of the upfront DJs and in particular was championed by Cliff Steele in his sets, following his visiting the studio and sourcing copies of the album of the same name.

Roland is aiming for the stars and given the quality of the two tracks on this release we are honoured to be working in partnership with the Blue Lotus studio and Roland to bring this to a 45.

The A side, Set your mind free, has already been flagged as one of the monster spins of 2020. From the minute that rolling drum intro rolls through and the melody flows straight out of the back, being cut through by Rolands voice – dripping soul from every phrase. Beautiful production and composition bring to life a new breed of soul from St Louis, with more than a passing nod to the heritage soul of the area. Look up Arch and Emerge record labels.

Flip it over and get ready to be torn in half by what I think is one of the best modern deep and soulful tracks I have heard in a long long time. You can hear every story of a broken heart that ever existed in Rolands delivery and the backing and instrumentation are just sublime.

So did you read this before listening to the tracks – If you did shame on you! GO and listen now.

If you did listen before reading this – now go back and listen again… to Roland Johnsons Set your mind free backed with Now your gone. Enjoy.

The ability to bring this to you humbles both myself and Des and we are truly astounded by the skill, passion and dedication of artists that can translate life into Soul!

Ryley Walker currently resides in New York City. But his latest LP is a Chicago record in spirit. The masterful Course In Fable, the songwriter’s fi@h solo effort,
draws from the deep well of that city’s ferCle 1990s scene, when bands like Tortoise, The Sea and Cake and Gastr del Sol were reshaping the underground,
mixing and matching indie rock, jazz, prog and beyond.
Walker spent his formaCve years in Chicago, absorbing those heady sounds and finding ways to make them his own. Even though he emerged at first in folkrock
troubadour mode, it makes sense that he’s arrived at this point; each LP has grown more intricate and assured, his influences disClling into something
original and unusual. To put it simply: Course In Fable is Walker’s best record yet, full of acCve imaginaCon and endless possibiliCes.
Last October, Ryley went straight to one of the primary architects of the Chicago sound to make the LP. John McEn:re, Course In Fable’s producer/engineer/
mixer, can rightly be called a legend for his work with Tortoise, Stereolab, The Red Krayola, Jim O’Rourke and countless others over a prolific career that now
spans more than three decades. Seeing his name in an album’s liners is preVy much a trademark of quality.
Another Windy City exile, McEnCre is based on the west coast these days, working out of the Portland, OR studio he’s dubbed Soma West. On the seven songs
here, he delivers the signature shimmering and prisCne sonics he’s become known for over the years. But McEnCre was also inCmately involved with Course
In Fable’s overall creaCve process. “I told him to take the mixes and have at it,” Walker says.
The result is a rich, immersive affair — a headphones record if ever there was one. Course In Fable’s songs are twisty, labyrinthine things, stuffed full of ideas
(Walker half-jokingly calls it his “prog record”). But no maVer how complex it gets, the album is never overwhelmingly busy. Wiry guitars melt into gorgeous
string secCons (arranged by Douglas Jenkins of the Portland Cello Project). Tricky Cme signatures abound but feel as natural as can be. Melodies o@en dri@ in
unexpected direcCons but remain downright hummable. Like Walker’s beloved Genesis, the pop element is never too far from the surface even when shit
gets weird. (And speaking of weird, Ryley says that in addiCon to Genesis, much of the album’s inspiraCon comes from “Australian extreme scooter riders on
YouTube and balding gear heads on Craigslist.” Go figure.)
To help put together these various puzzle pieces, Ryley assembled a band made up of several longCme collaborators. Bill MacKay (another Chicago mainstay)
and Walker have made two excellent instrumental duo records of interlocking guitars and warm give-and-take — a rapport very much in evidence
throughout Course In Fable. The freakishly talented drummer Ryan Jewell has performed with Walker for years now in a variety of seangs, from
straighborward song-centric sets to blown-out improv extravaganzas. Bassist Andrew ScoJ Young (Tiger Hatchery, Health&Beauty) has logged many miles on
tour with Walker; he and Jewell are frequently astonishing, a buoyant-but-always-locked-in rhythm secCon, able to navigate someCmes dizzying turnarounds
with apparent ease. Listening to the interplay between Walker and these musicians and you might be fooled into thinking they’d spent a year roadtesCng
Course In Fable’s songs. But it all came together relaCvely fast, thanks to demos, rehearsals and the kind of musical empathy that comes from years of
playing together.
Beneath the wondrous interplay, you’ll find some of Walker’s most personal – if sCll typically crypCc — lyrics, hinCng at some of the trials the songwriter has
been dealing with in recent years. Balanced with necessary doses of dark humor and oddball poetry, Course In Fable feels most of all like a life-affirming
record, fresh air in the lungs, sun on your skin. “Fuck me, I’m alive,” Ryley sings at one point, a moment of both disbelief and pure joy.
Walker has released his albums on a who’s-who of independent labels over the past decade — Tompkins Square, Dead Oceans, Thrill Jockey and Drag City
among them. This Cme around, he’s doing it DIY-style, puang Course In Fable out on his own Husky Pants imprint. You’re in good hands. This is an album that
sounds great (mastered by Greg Calbi), looks great (artwork by Jenny Nelson and design by Michael Vallera). It probably even smells great. Whether you’ve
been onboard since the beginning or are new to the Ryley Walker universe, you’re in for a treat.

Led By Saxophonist Rob Mitchell, Abstract Orchestra Have Been A Consistent Presence On The U.k. Music Scene, Touring Constantly In Promotion Of Their Debut Lp "dilla" And Follow Up 45 "new Day Feat. Illa J", Steadily Building A Loyal And Supportive Fanbase.inspired By The Legendary Live Performances Of The Roots With Jay-z And The 40 Piece Orchestral Arrangements By Miguel-atwood Ferguson Of The Work Of J Dilla, Classic Arranging Techniques Underpin Modern Loop-based Structures, Breathing New Life Into Familiar Material.

The Band Itself Is Based On The Classic Jazz Big Band Instrumentation Of Saxes, Trumpets And Trombones And Features The Cream Of The North Of England's Jazz Scene Who Collectively Have Played With Jamiroquai, Corinne Bailey Rae, Mark Ronson, Martha Reeves, John Legend & The Roots, Roots Manuva And Amy Winehouse.

"madvillain Vol. 1" Takes The Template Of Their Debut Lp "dilla" And Applies The Same Approach To The Collaboration Ofmf Doomandmadlib, Akamadvillainand Their Albumsmadvillainyandmadvillain 2. Sampling The Likes Of Sun Ra, Bill Evans, Freddie Hubbard, George Duke, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Quincy Jones And Stevie Wonder Gave The Albums A Jazz Oriented Feel And Ethos Which In Turn Lend Themselves Perfectly To The Deconstruction And Re-imagining Of Abstract Orchestra. As With Their Debut, All The Tracks Were Recorded Live In The Studio With Very Few Overdubs.

Abstract Orchestra'smadvillain Vol 1. Explores The Jazz, Tv Soundtrack And Film Score Aspect Of The Original Work, Combining It With Classic Big Band Writing And A Focus On Improvisation. There Is A Strong Influence Ofquincy Jones, Lalo Schifrinanddavid Shire(composer Of The Soundtrack Tothe Taking Of Pelham 123) On The Album, And The Arranger Rob Mitchell Crafts His Own Sound That Inhabits The Space Between Madlib's Production And Quincy Jones' Writing. Bandleader And Arranger Rob Mitchell Says Of The Record: "'madvillainy' Is A Jazz Album As Much As It Is A Hip-hop Album And I Wanted To Explore This Reciprocal Territory There Has Always Been Between Jazz And Hip-hop. 70's Cop Show Soundtracks Have Always Captured My Interest And Imagination, And I Discovered So Much Amazing Music Through Tv Themes, Quincy Jones And Lalo Schifrin In Particular. They Explored Sounds That Were Menacing, Angular, Dissonant, Frantic And Yet Captivating. They Were Also Able To Write Music That Was The Flip Side Of All That Dark Chaos, And Write Lush And Beautiful Music. Arranging And Scoring Up Madvillain Vol 1. Has Allowed Me To Explore These Sounds That I've Always Loved, Yet Keeping A Strong Hip-hop Identity As The Core Of Its Sound."

2LP on sky blue vinyl. In these trying times, where intimacy and closeness are fraught with danger, Dans Dans brings you the sound of connection, communication, passion and togetherness.

In these trying times, where intimacy and closeness are fraught with danger, Dans Dans (Dance Dance) brings you the sound of connection, communication, passion and togetherness.

Dans Dans unites the talents of three of Belgium's most prolific music makers in Bert Dockx (Flying Horseman), Fred 'Lyenn' Jacques (Lyenn, Lanegan band) and Steven Cassiers (Dez Mona, DAAU). An utterly unique musical collective, the trio are set to release new album 'Zink' on the 23rd April via Ghent based independent, Unday Records.
From jazz, psychedelic blues and ecstatic noir soundtracks to spacey rock 'n' roll, Dans Dans cut their teeth on the cool jazz cafe scene in Flanders, Brussels with their sensational live performances and have since gone on to become a mainstay on the flourishing Belgian musical landscape.

Releasing their self-produced, eponymous debut album back in 2012, their highly distinctive, intuitive mix of musical styles and their ever-imaginative live shows caught the attention of discerning music lovers, journalists and promoters. A relatively unknown tour de force outside the Benelux region, Dans Dans have built a solid fan base since their inception with limited edition runs of early releases becoming collector's items among vinyl enthusiasts.

Well-received appearances at Cactus Festival, North Sea Jazz and Pukkelpop, as well as Gent Jazz, Ljubljana Jazz and Jazz Middelheim have confirmed their reputation as one of the most unique and exciting bands to come out of Belgium. In recent years, the group has been touring throughout Europe, garnering enthusiastic reactions beyond the Belgian borders as well. There's a case to be made that Dans Dans even played a key role in breaking down the wall between the Belgian jazz scene and the pop/rock circuit (years before pop journalists began referring to a New Wave of Belgian Jazz).

Opening with the moody noir rhythms of 'Cinder Bay', Dans Dans look to construct their own musical universe across 'Zink'. 'Naiad' unfolds into a devastating explosion of heavy feedback and wild, crashing drums before subtle electronica and baroque art-rock collide on 'Anemone' giving a good indication of Dans Dans' eclecticism. There's unquestionably a deep, underlying filmic beauty to the music, an evolving darkness and a perpetual sense of dread and paranoia. Elsewhere, 'Ravine' is intoxicating, provocative and uncompromising while the beatific 'Shell Star' is an infectious exploration of hypnotic grooves, atmospheric sounds and mind-bending melodies.

Producer Christine Verschorren (Philippe Catherine, Ivan Paduart) accentuates the music's wondrous fluidity throughout 'Zink'; the intriguing interplay; the subtle ties; the deep layering. Musical styles and influences are being blended organically and sublimated into what can only be called Dans Dans-music. "This is no fusion, no rock or jazz or ambient. This is the sound of the searching, intuitive human; of a timeless, mysterious dream; of the heart, the gut and the soul," says Dockx.

Anlässlich des 25-jährigen Label-Jubiläums erscheint erstmalig seit zehn Jahren auf Thrill Jockey eine Wiederauflage des Jeff Parker Albums "The Relatives" aus dem Jahr 2005 als Vinyl mit MP3-Download Coupon. Jeff Parker ist Multiinstrumentalist und bekannt als Mitglied von Tortoise sowie für seine Arbeit mit Isotope 217, Fred Anderson, Rob Mazurek, Tricolor, Chicago Underground, Brian Blade Fellowship, Makaya McCraven, Toumani Diabaté, Matana Roberts und Meshell Ndegeocello. Das Album wurde von John McEntire aufgenommen und Parker wird von Percussionist Chad Taylor, Bassist Chris Lopes und Pianist Sam Barsheshet begleitet.

“One of the standout releases of the year” - The Times

“Lady Blackbird finds her calling with an extraordinary collection of songs and performances that burn deep into you” - The Guardian, 5*

The debut album Black Acid Soul from Lady Blackbird is one of the standouts for 2021. It's instant and within a minute you are hooked. Think Nina Simone, Hot Buttered Soul-era Isaac Hayes, Billie Holiday and Chaka Khan with critics drawing comparisons to Adele, Amy and Celeste, Lady Blackbird’s distinct and beguiling talent is not one to be missed. Gilles Peterson called her "the Grace Jones of Jazz".

With a voice that has stopped critics in their tracks, Lady Blackbird is a revelatory new talent with music that transcends the jazz scene through which the LA-based artist is rooted. Minimal yet rich, classic yet timely, the album connects backwards to Miles Davis (his pianist, Deron Johnson, plays Steinway Baby Grand, Mellotron and Casio Synth throughout) and forwards to Pete Tong (he made the Bruise mix of ‘Collage’ his Number Two Essential Selection tune of 2020).

It's 11 tracks have a sound, feeling and attitude that speak of Lady Blackbird's deep experiences in music, stretching all the way back to infancy. Standout tracks include the sad, elegantly simple tune, ‘Nobody’s Sweetheart’, plus two killer cuts written by Lady Blackbird and Seefried, ‘Fix It’ and ‘Five Feet Tall’. The former is an elegant piano ballad that sounds like a Great American Songbook standard sung by a woman on the side of the angels. Her ability to nail the song in the studio in minimal takes was clearly something to behold. The album also includes Wanted Dead or Alive, a rare groove classic recorded by funk/gospel collective Voices of East Harlem in 1973 and co-produced by Curtis Mayfield, an inspired reinvention on the aching 'It’ll Never Happen Again', written by Tim Hardin and a stunning take on Nina Simone's Blackbird.

$ (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 1971 movie of the same name. The soundtrack was composed and produced by Jazz legend Quincy Jones and includes performances from Roberta Flack, Little Richard and Doug Kershaw. This version will be the first repressing since 2002, and will be pressed the color of money on mint green vinyl.

São Paulo-based carnival collective and brass band combine retro horns with cumbia, baile funk, jazz, Michael Jackson & more

A Espetacular Charanga do França started as a political act, part of a recent movement which has seen the people of São Paulo reclaim their streets, turning their city into a revelation of Brazilian carnival. The group takes equal inspiration from the powerful charanga horn and percussion bands that stir the crowds at Brazilian football matches, and the expertly-arranged sounds of 60s

samba, finding that sweet spot between musicianship and music that makes you lose your shit. And they do it with humour, clear as day in their covers of Michael Jackson and pagode pop hits, and the baile funk and Balkan rhythms that sneak their way in to the tunes.

Since forming in 2013 the group have become an iconic staple of São Paulo’s revived carnival, generating crowds 15,000 strong. Though COVID-19 put a stop to them hitting the streets this year, in 2020 they made their way to carnival with over 60 brass players and 30 percussionists, declaring their bloco an anti-fascist zone, their reply to a political climate in Brazil that is suffocating human rights, culture and any hope for equality.

“I like to think that Charanga is an oasis in the middle of all the shit that we live, where you don't have to be worried about who you are, what are your preferences, whether you can be comfortable. If you want to parade with us wearing a tea towel you can, you won't be harassed. And it's also about music, it's about listening to music. We do this thing the whole year, we rehearse all year, we do too much so that people can just get crazy and not care about the music.” Thiago França

The group is the brainchild of saxophonist Thiago França, best known as a founding member of Afro-punk explorers Metá-Metá, and one of São Paulo’s most in-demand horn men, with credits on influential albums by Criolo, Elza Soares, Céu and Lucas Santtana. A

Local jazz scenes keep evolving into new interesting variations, and this album by Copenhagen collective Jiyu, is no exception. A dusty brass opening, old as the sun, followed by a guitar/flute theme, driven by a lazy boom-clack beat, quickly outlines this hybrid-jazz sound, blown in from the future. The blend of dreamy, mellow jazz, hip hop, downbeat, bossa nova vibes, and cinematic electronic soundscapes, has caught the listeners attention worldwide, and the digital singles “So Many Moons to Go”, “King of Mañana” and “Parallel Dreams”, have made it to some serious jazz playlists on Apple Music, Spotify and Tidal. The album have been supported by radio dj’s in UK, DK, IT, ES and more…

Jiyu is produced by guitar player and composer Emil Jonathan Søegaard A.K.A Low Pressure and former Stereo Deluxe recording artist EMO. The fellow musicians are, Bo Rande on trumpet, Lukas Rande on flute and sax. Carsten Skov on Vibraphone. Lennart Ginman on upright bass. Kinck on vocal, Thomas Dietl on drums, and AC. Woodman on Wurlitzer-piano.

Dynamite Cuts are proud to add these two wicked bangers to the Dynamite Cuts 45s series. The Legendary ‘Larry Young’s Fuel’, club classic “Turn of the Lights” mega rare 7” version, which was issued back in the 70’s on the dreaded Styrene (which always snapped so easily). Now for the first time on vinyl with its iconic sleeve. Plus, a quirky, funky vocal track “People do be funny” first time on 45. Another must-have 45.

Dynamite Cuts are proud to add these two wicked bangers to the Dynamite Cuts 45s series. The Legendary ‘Larry Young’s Fuel’, club classic “Turn of the Lights” mega rare 7” version, which was issued back in the 70’s on the dreaded Styrene (which always snapped so easily). Now for the first time on vinyl with its iconic sleeve. Plus, a quirky, funky vocal track “People do be funny” first time on 45. Another must-have 45.

Blue Notes weltweit erfolgreiche audiophile TONE-POET-LP-Serie zeichnet aus:

- audiophiles, rein analoges Mastering von den Originalbändern
- Pressung in 180g-Vinyl
- extra-dicke, laminierte Tip-on-Sleeves
- wattierte Innenhüllen

In diesem Monat dabei: ”For Django”, ein Album des amerikanischen Jazzgitarristen Joe Pass von 1964, das Interpretationen von Kompositionen enthält, die von Django Reinhardt oder für ihn geschrieben wurden. Und ”Rough ‘N Tumble”, ein legendäres Album von Saxofonist Stanley Turrentine, das ursprünglich 1966 auf Blue Note Records veröffentlicht wurde.

Blue Notes weltweit erfolgreiche audiophile TONE-POET-LP-Serie zeichnet aus:

- audiophiles, rein analoges Mastering von den Originalbändern
- Pressung in 180g-Vinyl
- extra-dicke, laminierte Tip-on-Sleeves
- wattierte Innenhüllen

In diesem Monat dabei: ”For Django”, ein Album des amerikanischen Jazzgitarristen Joe Pass von 1964, das Interpretationen von Kompositionen enthält, die von Django Reinhardt oder für ihn geschrieben wurden. Und ”Rough ‘N Tumble”, ein legendäres Album von Saxofonist Stanley Turrentine, das ursprünglich 1966 auf Blue Note Records veröffentlicht wurde.

Gothenburg-based Finnish pianist Joona Toivanen makes his We Jazz Records debut with his long-standing trio featuring Tapani Toivanen on bass and Olavi Louhivuori of Superposition on drums. Searching for new opportunities on the minimal side of acoustic groove-based free music, the trio introduces a single edit of a hard-driving album track to be, "Except For", and a fresh take on Terry Riley's "Keyboard Study No. 2" on the flip. Fans of introspective jazz piano plus minimalist modern composition take notice.

Matasuna's latest tidbit takes us back to the South American continent once again - to Venezuela to be exact. The song "Zambo" by the band "La Retreta Mayor", which was released in 1976 on the self-titled LP, is now available as an official reissue and the very first time ever on a 7inch vinyl single! The 45 is complemented by an excellent rework of the American producer & DJ "King Most" from San Francisco.

The A-side features the original of the song. "Zambo" is a furious mix with versatile influences of Latin, Jazz & Funk. The rich horn section and percussion of the guest quartet bring pure heat to the track - the drums, bass and piano intensify this even more. An absolute heater for any dance floor!

The B-side features the "King Most" Redirection. The talented producer gently takes on the song, keeping the organic vibe of the original but still giving it a different, new side. His re-arrangement and additional in/outro and a new passage in the middle of the song fit exquisitely. Also his crunchy drums and own piano passages are very tasty and give the song an own flavour!

"Alexandro Rodríguez" was born in Caracas in 1952 and is considered one of Venezuela's most important jazz guitarists of the seventies. He studied classical guitar in his early years, played electric guitar in various rock groups and performed at various national music festivals. He also had the opportunity to play as a musician for renowned orchestras such as "Onda Nueva", "Renny Show's Orchestra" on Venezuelan Television and "Radio Caracas TV's Orchestra".

In the late 1970's he recorded two significant works that may be considered a reference in Venezuelan music history. He formed the short-lived band "La Retreta Mayor" to record a self-titled album, which was released as an LP on the Venezuelan label "Discomoda" in 1976. The 10-piece band and numerous guest musicians created a jazz-funk & fusion gem. The band unfortunately broke up right after the recording and did not play live or record any more music.

His self-released album "Busqueda", released in 1978 under his name, was recorded between New York and Caracas and has an excellent reputation not only in connoisseur circles. In 2012, the album was reissued on CD by a Japanese label, proving the influence Alexandro's music still has in the jazz scene today.

Between 1979 and 1982, Alexandro lived in "New York", where he worked as a composer, arranger, performer and orchestrator in the jazz scene with renowned orchestras before returning to Venezuela. Subsequently, his musical career turned to the classical guitar, both as a composer and performer. In 2013, he settled in "Pittsburgh", Pennsylvania (USA), where he continues his activity as composer, arranger, guitarist, bassist and teacher to the present time.

*** ULTRA-RARE Spiritual SOUL-JAZZ FROM 1965 AS FEATURED ON PEACE CHANT 4***

Los Angeles, not unlike other great cities such as Detroit, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia, has given birth to and nurtured many great musicians. One of those young, versatile musicians Los Angeles has produced was Wayne Powell. In High School he played percussion & tuba in the concert band, later he switched to baritone horn. Shortly after Wayne heard Lionel Hampton play vibraphone at the Paramount Theater in downtown Los Angeles, he purchased his own set of vibes. In 1965, Wayne decided to organize his own group which he called The Wayne Powell Octet. That same year he recorded his debut 33rpm record titled "Plays Hallucination".

"Plays Hallucination" is the one and only album by the Wayne Powell Octet. This is spiritual soul-jazz at its very best! A stunning treasure rarely to be found - unless it's on Mo-Jazz!

The impact of Weldon Irvine's music across a wealth of genres cannot be overstated with his jazzy piano playing and compositions regularly passed down to newer generations. Artists like Q-Tip and Mos Def are noted admirers of the jazz-funk artist, and the distinct sounds of Irvine echo across the ages in samples etched into hip-hop history. The album version of Time Capsule was originally released in 1973, and this 10" features two versions of "Deja vu" on the side A, and "Feelin' Mellow" and "Watergate --- Don't Bug Me!" on the B.

Although it is based on jazz, it is a work released in 1973 that is more soul/funk than the first album, and reflects more experimental and political aspects and ideas. For over 30 years, it has been loved by diggers all over the world and reigns at the top of the rare groove as a most wanted item, and today the original is almost impossible to obtain for less than $1000. It is also a masterpiece of 70's jazz, with many gems of songs performed in a heated manner. The album opens with the eloquent and spiritual spoken word song "Time Capsule," which shows off its heresy from the get-go. "Feelin' Mellow" is a heart-warming soul number co-written and performed with Johnny King of FATBACK BAND, and is a masterpiece that reflects the loving feelings of Weldon, who wrote the lyrics. In addition, "Deja Vu", which is the most popular rare groove classic in this album, is a Latin mannered vocal jazz with impressive electric piano and tricky solo performances that make you think of the universe. The simple singing and Weldon's philosophical lyrics are perfectly synchronized with the spacey orchestra, and the result is a wonderful mix of intense acidity and popularity! In addition, there are many famous songs such as "Watergate---Don't Bug Me!"and "Bananas"! This work is a bridge to the prestigious, leading to the subsequent Strata East album and RCA label trilogy. A masterpiece among masterpieces, packed with pop and experimentation, lively performances full of dynamism that will make your blood bleed, and Weldon's passion for music. It's like a spectacular story!

When it comes to legendary albums, very few can match the cult status achieved on the international jazz and funk scene, by Alice Clark's eponymous album, recorded for Mainstream Records in 1972. The record which went unnoticed when it first came out has become one of the most sought-after albums ever since it became cult on the London jazz and funk scene in the late 80s. It is now being acknowledged as one of the best soul albums of all-times. Recorded live over two days at the Record Plant studios in New York City, the album was produced by Bob Shad and arranged by Jazz veteran Ernie Wilkins with a big band setting. The music is a superb mix of jazz and soul blessed by Clark's superb singing and including two all-time favourites, "Don't You Care" and "Never Did I Stop Loving You" plus a selection of heart-wrenching songs beautifully sung by Clark. Very little is known about Alice Clark and the legendary two-day session. All is known is she only ever recorded one album and passed away in the early 2000s. Wewantsounds will tell the Alice Clark story for the first time and give a unique insight into the birth of this cult album with a deluxe release that will pay tribute to her talent.

Produzent, Songwriter und Gitarrist Dave Okumu, der bisher eher im Hintergrund für namhafte Acts wie Arlo Parks, Radioheads Ed O’Brien, St. Vincent, Tony Allen, Jessie Ware, Grace Jones, David Lynch oder Adele gearbeitet hat, tritt mit seinem ersten Soloalbum, das am 24. September via Transgressive erscheinen wird, erstmals selbst ins Scheinwerferlicht. Auf dem komplett instrumental gehaltenen Album treffen HipHop Beats auf Jazz und experimentelle elektronische Musik. Das Album, das teilweise als Hommage an J Dillas Klassiker „Donuts“ gesehen werden kann, ist außerdem inspiriert vom Album „Sen Am“ des befreundeten Pianisten Duval Thimothy und greift auch Elemente aus diesem Album auf.

Limited 10" in a deluxe tip on sleeve. Steiger eagerly explore the outer margins of jazz and dive into other universes (contemporary music, electronica, pop, free improvisation,...)This new EP also sets the tone for their next full-length album, for which the band intends to try out shorter songs and a stronger emphasis on sound exploration.