Pop & Rock News

The Lauded Krautrocking, Global Groove Ensemble’s First Album On Maverick Producer Madlib’s Label. The late Christian Burchard, who founded the Embryo ensemble in 1969, loved the slogan Auf Auf, German for Up, Up, or Keep On Going. Anyone with anything more than a passing interest in the German Krautock scene of the 1970s and 1980s knows that Burchard followed that intent, all around the world, tirelessly seeking out new sounds and inspirations and creating a catalog of music unlike most anything else the world has ever heard. Madlib has often said Embryo is his favorite rock band. Of course the hip-hop-producer-with-the-deepest-musical-knowledge knows Embryo is more than just a rock band – but, for the purposes of these notes, let’s keep it simple. When Marja Burchard, Christan’s daughter, who grew up with Embryo and toured with them for years, took the reins of the ensemble after Christian’s death in 2018, she started recording what would become this album, over the course of two years, finishing it in the throes of the Covid pandemic in 2020. She approached Madlib and Egon, who had, years back, visited and jammed with Christian Burchard, and Embryo musicians Uve Mullrich, Roman Bunka and Jan Weissenfeldt, in a Bavarian wine cellar, with the idea to issue Auf Auf on Madlib Invazion. The reply was a resounding, definitive “yes.” So here is Marja’s take on the Embryo ethos, continuing with her father’s intrepid style, and leading the band in her own style. Auf Auf ranges from the deep, free-form jazz of “Alphorn Prayer” to modal music from Afghanistan on “Baran” to psychedelic-tinged jazz-rock of the title track Joining Marja are those like Embryo veterans Bunka, on oud and guitar, and Karl Hector and the Malcouns/Whitefield Brothers/Poets of Rhythm producer and guitarist Jan Weissenfeldt and others, including important players on the global scene from Afghanistan and Morocco

Madlib Invazion reissues Madlib’s collaboration with legendary Brazilian drummer Ivan “Mamao” Conti, propellant for lauded jazz fusion archetypes Azymuth. 5000 pressed for worldwide. Debuts on Black Friday. First released in 2008 on CD by the US based Mochilla imprint with vinyl being issued only in Europe on the Kindered Sprits label. Both formats are out of print with vinyl unavailble since its initial run. Alternate cover artwork, photography by B+. When Madlib went to Brazil in 2002 with Mochilla to participate in the production of Brasilintime his one mission was to meet Ivan “Mamao” Conti the drummer of the legendary trio Azymuth. Madlib had made an Azymuth tribute record he wanted to play for him. On a rainy night in Rio Mamao and Madlib went in the studio. Several hours later the rhythm tracks that make up Sujinho were laid and the process began. Featuring the music of Madlib, Mamao, Edu Lobo, Chico Buarque de Hollanda, Luiz Eca, Baden Powell, Vinicius De Moraes, Marcos Valle, Joao Donato, Dom Um Romao, Airto Moreira and even George Duke… and with guest vocals by Thalma De Freitas — Jackson Conti is a unique and classic record. Filled with the angularity and edge of a Madlib production and underwritten by the polyrhythmics of Mamao — Sujinho takes Brazilian music into places it has never been, bringing oft forgotten classics like Upa Neguinho to 21st century ears.

Handpicked by Gilles Peterson from Manchester’s vibrant live music scene, and newly signed to Brownswood, 2021 set to be the main stage for them to breeze on to the scene, as a multi-generational band breathing new life into the classic British street-soul sound, founded by singer/song-writer Kemani Anderson, multi-instrumentalist and song-writer Callum Connell and Manchester music scene stalwart Stuart Whitehead.

Debut track ‘The Sun’ was inspired by a poem written by Callum Connell at the top of Greenwich Park viewpoint looking over the infamous London cityscape as the sun set. At the time the band were writing and arranging separately with Callum & Kemani living in South London while they attended Trinity Laban (following in the footsteps of many of the UK’s young Jazz prodigies). Eventually, they congregated for a fateful recording session at Blueprint studios in Manchester, that would be the amalgamation of their individual processes, to create ‘The Sun’. Inspired by four bass chords flowing like a stream of consciousness, Callum’s poem sprung



to life as the centrepiece of the track, with the melody being polished and refined by Kemani on keys and vocals. The result is an invigorating debut produced by influential music producer and sound engineer Yvonne Ellis (Simply Red & Swing Out Sister). Kemani coins this sound as “spiritual and healing” whilst Callum shares “The Sun’ is a powerful and uplifting song that can take you on a

spiritual journey but also make you reflect on everyday life.”

black vinyl repress

Created in Brussels in 2015, Azmari is a weaving musical odyssey that expertly fuses ethiogroove, dub, psychfunk and eastern sounds.

Taking inspiration from artists such as Okay Temiz, Mulatu Astatke, Cymande, Fela Kuti and The Heliocentrics, an Azmari, literally "one who praises" in Amharic, is an Ethiopian singer-musician, comparable to the European bard or the West African griot often accompanied with a masenqo - one-stringed fiddle or krar - lyre, two traditional ethiopian instruments.

Having released their debut EP 'Ekera' last year, a series of shows across Europe saw the Azmari sound develop and ten days performing in Istanbul opened the band's ears to the Turkish sounds and rhythms from the 1960s.

Keen to get back in the studio to start work on their debut album, studiously studying Turkish and Ethiopian scales, along with learning new instruments along the way including the berimbau, the ney and baglama, the Azmari sound transformed into a rebellious, unrelenting and mesmerising trip.

The resulting nine tracks that make up debut album 'Sama'i', released 22nd January via Sdban UItra, is a deeply hypnotic experience where mesmerising rhythms and winding improvisations send the listener in to a higher state of consciousness.

From the magical sax of album opener 'Zegiyitwali', to the dubby template of 'Cosmic Masadani' and joyous horns of 'Kugler', Azmari seamlessly blend African and oriental melodies with effortless precision, providing a fresh take on the ethiojazz sound.

Elsewhere, the heavy, rhythmic sounds of 'Tariq Al Sahara' and the mystical and cosmological 'Azalai' continue our sacred journey full of raging saxes and wig-out percussion, while the free-spirited, trippy 'Kadikoy' coming in at nine minutes in duration, lends a trance-like quality to proceedings where psychedelic jazz meets afro-funk.

Released 40 years ago in 1977 ''Rhythm Of Life '' by James Mason was possibly one of the greatest vocal Jazz fusion releases of all time . New vinyl imprint Dynamite Cuts releases a quality limited edition double pack release showcasing the highlights from that album plus two additional incredibly rare versions of the most in-demand tracks.

• Fully licensed and restored from the original master in the Gallo Record Company vault.
• Featuring Teaspoon Ndelu, West Nkosi and Michael Xaba on saxophones and Marks Mankwane on lead guitar.
• Includes new liner notes and full recording personnel on sleeve rear.
• Strictly limited run of 500 copies!

'Umsakazo Records is proud to present the first in a series of limited-edition replica 45rpm records. This collection of ‘seven singles’ has been carefully curated from key holy-grail recordings made during the golden age of South African township jive. It is fitting that the first in this series comes from the band so closely identified with the genesis of the style – the Makgona Tsohle Band, the hardest working session team in apartheid-era South Africa.

Under the guidance of talent scout and producer Rupert Bopape, the Makgona Tsohle Band (“The Band That Can Do Anything”) would underpin literally hundreds of recording sessions as the house band of Gallo Africa’s Mavuthela Music subsidiary from its launch in 1964 right through to 1977. This included all of the hit records made by Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, as well as classic hits from the Mthunzini Girls, Irene Mawela, Abafana Baseqhudeni, Lemmy ‘Special’ Mabaso, Reggie Msomi, Sipho Bhengu, Teaspoon Ndelu and so many more artists essential to the sound of urban jive music.

The Mavuthela operation formed the core of Gallo’s ‘black music’ production and, by the mid-1970s, accounted for as much as 20% of the organisation’s total income. Mavuthela’s market dominance was usually attributed to the resourcefulness of director Bopape, along with the well-oiled machine that was Gallo Africa. True enough, Mavuthela releases were of a high musical and technical quality and were always well publicised, be it through Gallo’s promotions department or the countless stage performances made by Mavuthela artists in South Africa and neighbouring countries.

But the Makgona Tsohle Band was the real secret to Mavuthela’s success. Its repertoire stretched from traditional sax and accordion jive right through to disco and ‘English pop’, and this 45rpm sees them effortlessly tackling the burgeoning 1970s Soweto soul-jazz sound. Ironically, the musical influence behind this recording was almost certainly Michael Xaba, the seasoned African jazz veteran who had scornfully referred to the newer strains of jive in the late 1950s as ‘mbaqanga’. As the Makgona Tsohle began making history as the country’s first all-electric ensemble, that epithet would resurface and was eventually ‘reclaimed’ as a term of endearment for the music they had largely created. By the 1970s, Xaba and a number of other longstanding jazzmen found themselves employed by Mavuthela as musical directors, under the initiative of Bopape who was not particularly musically inclined himself. The Makgona Tsohle Band members consequently gained a rich musical education and were fully equipped to move into arranging and producing roles when Bopape retired in 1977.

Issued only once on a 45rpm single in 1972 - and restored from the original master in Gallo’s Johannesburg tape vault - “Take Your Time” and “Marabi Blues” both offer new insight into the diverse catalogue of this greatest of all mbaqanga bands.'

MOTOR CITY SCENE, also released as Stardust, by American saxophonist PEPPER ADAMS and trumpeter DONALD BYRD, was recorded in 1960 and released on the Bethlehem label. Donald Byrd and Pepper Adams—and their ace band, including Kenny Burrell, Tommy Flanagan & Paul Chambers—deliver what is one of the finest performances of “Stardust” you’ll ever hear on this album. And that’s just the first track; this is Donald Byrd hitting his first peak, and summoning a band behind him that was formidable, and deft.

Acclaimed L.A. rapper Blu has left an indelible mark on the hip-hop landscape, crafting an impressive catalog instilled with the essence of the vibrant city he calls home. Now, the gifted lyricist is back with the new album "The Color Blu(e)". Among Blu’s most conceptual projects to date, "The Color Blu(e)" is an artistic thesis statement, celebrating and reflecting on a remarkable creative journey. The word “Blue” is featured in every song title, and “Blue” is also weaved into each of the album’s soundscapes. “This album is the ultimate cartoon series about myself,” Blu explains. “The Color Blu(e) is the cool breeze. Another day in the life of being Blu.” While he typically works with a single producer on each project, Blu recruited Sirplus, J57, and longtime collaborator Exile to shape the album’s sonic texture. An unapologetically personal collection with no features, "The Color Blu(e)" is packed with intricate wordplay and dynamic production, reaffirming the unique talent of the artist known as Blu

Reissue of the 1955 Classic feat. “Confirmation,” “Autumn In New York” & “You Can Depend
On Me.” DEXTER GORDON wasn’t quite THE Dexter Gordon when he made DADDY PLAYS THE HORN, but his unique, obtuse way of playing the saxophone and hitting his rhythm section’s playing at weird, swinging angles was already fully formed for this album. Recorded in between periods of tumult and distress--he was in and out of jail with a bear of a heroin addiction--Gordon is one of the finest men to ever put a reed in his mouth, and this album--particularly “Autumn in New York”--belongs in every discerning Jazzbo’s collection.

Special one Time Limited Edition in Rosé Colour Vinyl.

MARA is the debutalbum of Munich-based jazz group FAZER. The young musicians combine African and Latin rhythms with dubby basslines and melancholic melodies. The unusual lineup with two drummers (Simon Popp, Sebastian Wolfgruber), bass (Martin Brugger), guitar (Paul Brändle) and trumpet (Matthias Lindermayr) leaves an open space for unfettered improvisation. Through the concept of repetition and finely measured dynamics, Fazer create a drawing energy that can be felt directly at their live shows and has been captured perfecty on this record.

Ilmiliekki Quartet from Helsinki return with their new self-titled album on We Jazz Records on 11 February 2022. The group, including Verneri Pohjola (trumpet), Tuomo Prättälä (piano), Antti Lötjönen (bass) and Olavi Louhivuori (drums) is a mainstay in the Finnish scene and the band has been steadily developing their sound for nearly two decades now. It could be said that the group's musicians, each also a solo artist of note these days, has grown with and through performing together with this regularly working quartet. Ilmiliekki Quartet's music has a song-like melodic quality, which pairs naturally with their often freeform search for new musical landscapes.

As testament of Ilmiliekki Quartet being a Band with a capital B, the songs on the new album come from each of the four members. As before, the band also takes a borrowed tune in for a loving rendition, this time tackling "Aila" by the Finnish dream pop group Karina. All in all, there's a deep, moody element to the music, yet at the same time, their sound flows with remarkable ease and lightness of touch. This brings out a wide range of color in their music, which is easy to fall in love with.

Ilmiliekki Quartet from Helsinki return with their new self-titled album on We Jazz Records on 11 February 2022. The group, including Verneri Pohjola (trumpet), Tuomo Prättälä (piano), Antti Lötjönen (bass) and Olavi Louhivuori (drums) is a mainstay in the Finnish scene and the band has been steadily developing their sound for nearly two decades now. It could be said that the group's musicians, each also a solo artist of note these days, has grown with and through performing together with this regularly working quartet. Ilmiliekki Quartet's music has a song-like melodic quality, which pairs naturally with their often freeform search for new musical landscapes.

As testament of Ilmiliekki Quartet being a Band with a capital B, the songs on the new album come from each of the four members. As before, the band also takes a borrowed tune in for a loving rendition, this time tackling "Aila" by the Finnish dream pop group Karina. All in all, there's a deep, moody element to the music, yet at the same time, their sound flows with remarkable ease and lightness of touch. This brings out a wide range of color in their music, which is easy to fall in love with.

Ilmiliekki Quartet from Helsinki return with their new self-titled album on We Jazz Records on 11 February 2022. The group, including Verneri Pohjola (trumpet), Tuomo Prättälä (piano), Antti Lötjönen (bass) and Olavi Louhivuori (drums) is a mainstay in the Finnish scene and the band has been steadily developing their sound for nearly two decades now. It could be said that the group's musicians, each also a solo artist of note these days, has grown with and through performing together with this regularly working quartet. Ilmiliekki Quartet's music has a song-like melodic quality, which pairs naturally with their often freeform search for new musical landscapes.

As testament of Ilmiliekki Quartet being a Band with a capital B, the songs on the new album come from each of the four members. As before, the band also takes a borrowed tune in for a loving rendition, this time tackling "Aila" by the Finnish dream pop group Karina. All in all, there's a deep, moody element to the music, yet at the same time, their sound flows with remarkable ease and lightness of touch. This brings out a wide range of color in their music, which is easy to fall in love with.

KX9000 is back with his fantastic universe between jazz-funk and disco-house. Behind this alias that one would believe straight out of a Japanese animated film, we find Kerim Ben Mustapha who has established himself since 2018 as “one of the most remarkable producers of the moment“ (Mixmag) with no less than 4 EPs on Pont Neuf, in Germany on Blaq Numbers or in Italy on Apparel Music. He returns with a new EP 2L84ME which explores a new neo-soul facet of the musical palette of the Parisian producer, while remaining faithful to his recognizable style.

"(…) Pak Yan Lau, one of the most original pianists of the new European creative scene, has the ability to build complex formal architectures starting from minimal materials – insistent rhythms, barely hinted melodies, electronic effects as evocative as they are mysterious. Darin Gray uses his long experience as the backbone of many improvisational groups with a painstaking work on timbre and a deep and multiform sound, providing a solid support to extemporary creations that have the solidity of pondered compositions. The music of the duo develops on wide structural strings, elegantly combining the continuous surprise of free improvisation with the material suggestions of electroacoustic experimentation, in a game of references and narrative developments almost cinematic, which tell a fascinating sound world, strangely familiar yet constantly new and surprising."
(Nicola Negri, Centro d’Arte Padova, Italy)

Tete Mbambisa has performed and recorded with many of the giants of South African Jazz (Bazil ‘Manenberg’ Coetzee, Johnny Dyani, Dick Khoza, Duku Makasi, Gideon Nxumalo, Dudu Pukwana, etc...), and is one of the very few South African jazz musicians that can claim to have played with the three jazz generations of the last fifty years. His work as a pianist, vocalist, composer and arranger is a landmark on South African jazz history.

After a recording hiatus, Mbambisa returned in 1974 with an octet album, 'Tete's Big Sound' released on a newly formed label, As Shams or The Sun, established by South African record store owner and independent producer Rashid Vally. 'Tet's Big Sound' included tracks like 'Unity' and the 'Black Heroes Lamentation', now considered a classic in the South African jazz underground. The sound that Mbambisa carved in this period was wholly acoustic, and is a style that now is often loosely labelled spiritual jazz, a sound that alludes to deep African textures and rhythms balanced with clear nods to American hard bop and modal jazz, sometimes edging toward free improvisation in echoes of John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders.

Butch Hendricks recorded these two songs with his band The Vegas in 1966. Shorty after he got drafted and when he came home from Vietnam two years later he formed the Carolina Tikis. They released two 45s, the B-side of one of them contains the monster deep funk instrumental "Rap". They also did many more recordings of which many were never published, including these two.

“In the early 2000s, Tokyo's SuperDeluxe was a meeting point for many experimental musicians, both international and Japanese. This duo sprung from a live collaboration at the venue in 2006, where Machida was experimenting with processed steel pan and Lyall was largely performing using a tabletop guitar setup with a range of electronics. Many subsequent encounters were heavily experimental, ranging from densely layered noise music to sound collage.

Through the years, the collaboration shifted to a more tonal approach, with standard tunings and stronger compositional elements. Both musicians have a deep interest in traditional improvisational forms, so there was a natural evolution towards structural ideas—based on minimal scalar patterns—as the sound became more acoustic. The most recent instrumentation explores the unusual combination of steel pan, slit drums and banjo, while also delving deeper into the characteristics of the instruments themselves.”

"Available again for the first time since original release in 1974, Outernational Sounds proudly presents one of the deepest custom press jazz recordings of all – Jaman’s spiritualised and funky Sweet Heritage.

The history of jazz is often told as though it was principally a history of releases and recordings. On those terms, it’s easy to mistake a small recorded footprint for obscurity or silence. But that is to put the cart before the horse, for the true history of the jazz is the story of the music as it was played night after night in the clubs, bars, concert halls and backrooms of cities and towns across America and the world. Only a tiny fraction of this living tradition ever makes it onto a recording. The far greater part is embodied in the musicians and their music as they play it and live it. And even though 1974’s Sweet Heritage is James Edward Manuel’s only release, the pianist and educator better known as Jaman has undoubtedly lived it.

Brought up in Buffalo, New York, Jaman studied classical piano before beginning formal jazz studies under greats including Earl Bostic and Horace Parlan. Quickly becoming a respected regular on the club scene in Buffalo, Jaman held down innumerable residencies and worked with top local musicians – one of his early trios included the renowned bassist John Heard and drummer Clarence Becton, both of whom were poached one night by a visiting Jon Hendricks; sometime Sun Ra Arkestra bassist Juini Booth and regular Ahmad Jamal sideman Sabu Adeyola (also of Kamal & The Brothers) have graced his groups too. At famous night spots all over Buffalo’s East Side and on excursions to Manhattan’s storied jazz clubs, Jaman has shared the stage with some of the most illustrious names in jazz and blues: Big Joe Turner, Muddy Waters, Joe Henderson, Ruth Brown, Frank Morgan, Woody Shaw, Sonny Stitt, and too many others to mention. His eponymous group, Jaman, was formed in 1970; they toured the US and Canada steadily in the years that followed. He became, in short, one of Buffalo’s true jazz stalwarts, and so he remains.

But despite a life lived deep within the music, Jaman only recorded a single LP, 1974’s Sweet Heritage. Pressed in tiny quantities by the Mark Records custom service, and issued with a stock landscape cover, Sweet Heritage featured the regular Jaman group playing a mixture of covers and originals. The whole LP showcases an ensemble in compete control, and with the flying, spiritual sound of ‘Free Will’ and the upful, Latin-tinged ‘In The Fall of The Year’ – both Jaman originals – the album has since become a legendary collector’s classic. Unavailable since its original issue, Outernational Sounds is proud to present Jaman’s Sweet Heritage – the soulful and spiritualised sounds of a master at work."

'What Does it Mean to Be American?' is the eighth solo album by Maine-born, UK-based composer & multi-instrumentalist Robert Stillman. Performed, recorded & mixed by Stillman with a Prince-like versatility, the album takes in elements of jazz, drone, funk, blues, psychedelia, new age & chamber music across its seven tracks.

On the opener 'Cherry Ocean', we are treated to Robert's voice for the first time ... the effect is like a lost, sombre Beach Boys demo, with Brian Wilson talking us through the aftermath of a weekend spent in the French Quarter of New Orleans. What follows loops from glass-clinking, freeform jazz ('It's All Is') to angular, rhodes-heavy funk ('Self-image') and dub echo-drenched piano blues ('Acceptance Blues').

As with much of Robert's music, unexpected swerves and gear shifts are never far away; this is partly due to his improv-driven tape bricolage recording process, but also a wilful defiance to adhere to any particular genre. This fluid, unpredictable approach dovetails perfectly with the subject matter of Stillman's national identity crisis. Nothing is quite as it seems, as oddly rousing militaristic psychedelia, morning reveilles and mountain blues are dismantled in the melting pot.

Perhaps most remarkable is the size of Robert's sound on 'American?' - a one-man studio has no right to conjure scenes so raucous and convivial. And it's at these half-dreamt fraternal moments, where Stillman seems to touch directly at the tragic, optimistic heart of his question.

Mr Bongo is delighted to present a new and exciting collaborative project with Swedish label Piano Piano Records.

Hearing the Swedish outfit Sven Wunder for the first time is as refreshing as an ice-cold Limoncello after an Italian meal. One of those bands that feel instantly familiar like an old friend, yet simultaneously fresh and new. Straight away we fell in love with their sound and knew we had to work with them.

The first fruits of our partnership is a collector's edition 7”. We have selected two tracks of Turkish inspired funk goodness taken from their already cult-classic 2019 album, 'Doğu Çiçekleri (Eastern Flowers )'. Both instrumentals, 'Tulip' and 'Magnolia' could easily have come from a lost soundtrack to a psychedelic movie. With their beautiful, yet raw aesthetic, they will enthrall funk, B-Boy / Girls, and psychedelia fans alike.

Cut at the Timmion Records Cutting Lab in Finland.

Record Kicks presents "Origin of Forms" the vibrant debut album by Moscow funk band The Diasonics, a mix of cinematic funk, instrumental hip-hop and soviet psychedelia.

Record Kicks is proud to present the mesmerizing psychedelic universe of The Diasonics. "Origin of Forms" is the startling debut full-length by the Muscovite band, coming out on January 28 2022 on ltd edition LP, CD and Digital. The album is anticipated by the instrumental soul single "Gurami", released on limited edition 45 vinyl and digital.

Welcome to "hussar funk", that's how The Diasonics call their music: a style that blends infectious deep funk instrumentals, East European flavours, hip-hop rhythms and psychedelia. Firmly rooted in the late 60s and early 70s, their debut album "Origin of Forms" was recorded on an 8-channel Japanese tape recorder Otari MX-5050 MK III at The Diasonics HQ's Magnetone Studio in Moscow and was mixed by Henry Jenkins (The Cactus Channel / Karate Boogaloo) in Melbourne. All the band's influences are well reflected in the heavy cinematic sound of the 12 tracks of their debut LP. From the Eastern funk atmosphere of tracks such as "Almandine" and "Salmanazar" to the trip-hoppish solid groove of "Spiders" and "Andromeda"; from the 70s heavy cinematic moods of "Origin" and "Affair", to instrumental soul gems such as "Kayana" and "Balance", "Origin of Forms" has the power to hypnotize you, captivating you from start to finish. Built on dope funk (in the truest sense), supplemented by raw soul and deep wicked Eastern grooves, the 40+ minutes of "Origin Of Forms" can either plunge the listener into a comfortable melancholy, or cause themunstoppabledance impulses.

The Diasonics are one of the latest additions to the Russian instrumental funk scene. The band was only formed in 2019 and it's made of five young and seriously talented Muscovite musicians: Anton Moskvin (drums), Maxim Brusov (bass guitar), Anton Katyrin (percussions), Daniil Lutsenko (electric guitar) and Kamil Gzizov (keyboards). In just a couple of years the band has amassed a cult following, releasing a shower of ten celebrated singles and various in-demand 45 vinyl records on funk labels such as Funk Night Records and Mocambo Records.

Fans of Khruangbin, Dj Shadow and of instrumental soul, take note!

While Joe Henderson seemed to arrive fully formed on his auspicious 1963 debut Page One, the album was really a showcase for the transcendent collaboration between the tenor saxophonist and trumpeter Kenny Dorham who would form a potent frontline team on numerous mid-60s Blue Note classics. Page One opens with a pair of indelible Dorham compositions (“Blue Bossa” and “La Mesha”), with the balance of the six-song set penned by Henderson including his enduring theme “Recorda-Me.” Dazzling performances by pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Butch Warren, and drummer Pete La Roca further elevate this album making it one of the crown jewels of the Blue Note catalog. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

Fresh Afro-Soul Music - Ghana's Highlife going by the heartbeat of 70s Soul Music

Jembaa Groove is a multicultural band founded in late 2020 by bass player and composer Yannick Nolting, and singer-percussionist Eric Owusu. Speaking the same musical language, they quickly realized the fruitful outcome of their musical encounter and decided to spend a couple of months composing their original music. Digging deep into both their backgrounds and musical identities, they came up with an organic result both like to label as Afro-Soul. After seeking for the right companions for the upcoming journey and stumbling on a few of Berlin's finest musicians, they finally formed Jembaa Groove, a 7-piece band that combines fresh sounds from Berlin's underground music scene with traditional West-African sounds from Ghana and Mali, such as Highlife, Adowa and Wassoulou. Their aesthetic vision is inspired by soul music from the '60s and '70s and avoids overly-produced commercial arrangements while merging driving bass grooves and steady drum patterns with fresh horn lines and catchy melodies.

“This recording is not a "best of", it is a reflection of Tori Kudo's evolution as a composer, from playing with seasoned musicians, to playing with people just starting out, from playing with meticulous scores, to playing call & response melodies written down, to the songs here on "Je est un Autre": instant improvisations based on keyboard compositions that Tori plays for the group. Yes, that is it. He plays a recording of himself on the keyboard, with singing or humming sometimes and he leaves it to the "big band" to interpret this on the spot. Sometimes, you can make out the melody, other times it is quite obscure, as if a sort of common shyness flows out of the collected instrumentarium.

And other times, well, it is a big party.

Mr Kudo and the group were invited to tour Europe to celebrate 20 years of the project Le Ton Mité, members of which are absorbed into the ensemble. The recording evolves from the static sound of hermetic conditions to the live concert in the later tracks. The studio here, is a trendy concert hall in Brussels Les Ateliers Claus. You hear the applause of the brave ears that weathered the ride of accidental psychedelia & moiré of various notes fading into and out of each other. This is only a sliver of the material from the 20 hour recording marathon documenting the new composing/playing style of Mr Kudo & snippets from the last concert of the March 2018 tour. Perhaps the album should be called "Je est un autre : Volume 1" in a vague reference to "My Brother The Wind" series from Sun Ra. In any case, here you have four sides of ten inch vinyl to take you on a journey into Maher: Je est un autre…”

World-renowned drummer/composer, & producer/beatmaker, Myele Manzanza, has proved that he's an artist who continues to dissolve the borders between modern jazz and electronic beat production. Having released three solo albums, and racking up tours and collaborations with Jordan Rakei, Theo Parrish, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Recloose and Amp Fiddler amongst others. Myele is already developing a strong live presence in his new London base; his quartet has shared stages with the likes of Hiatus Kaiyote, The Bad Plus, Alfa Mist, and drawing packed houses to top venues such as The Jazz Café and Ronnie Scott’s.

Tapping into the vibrant scene of his adopted home, Myele now readies his next project on London-based label DeepMatter. 'Crisis & Opportunity' Vol.1 - London features a top tier cast of young London based talent including Ashley Henry (piano), James Copus (trumpet), George Crowley (tenor saxophone), Benjamin Muralt (bass) and additional contributions from the legendary Mark de Clive-Lowe (synths), with Myele Manzanza (drums) captaining the ship.

Born out of Myele’s necessity to direct his creative energy in a productive direction and maintain his growth as an artist during the 2020 Covid 19 lockdown, 'Crisis & Opportunity’ is a reflection of the time we currently live in as a global society. The EP draws the global health crisis, the parallel economic crisis as a consequence of the necessary lockdowns, and the broader racial crisis brought to the forefront as a result of the death of George Floyd. Whilst it has been a difficult time for Myele Manzanza as an artist, it’s offered him opportunities to pause, reflect, and set new creative directions. Weaving his unique blend of forward-thinking genre bending jazz, broken beat, electronica and world music, Manzanza drives ‘Crisis & Opportunity’ through a set of original compositions inspired by the city of London which he now calls home.

‘Crisis & Opportunity’ Vol. 1 documents Myele Manzanza’s artistic journey throughout the global crisis, illustrating a strong creative growth reliant on the artist’s roots and those of Jazz as a global language. Features of supreme collaborators consolidate the image of unity which London Jazz represents. 

On tracks like ‘Brixton Blues’, Myele paints London’s rich and diverse cultural landscape. Myele explains: “Upon first arriving in London, I found a home in Brixton, one of the city’s most vibrant and multicultural areas. Through Brixton I got to know London in all its contradictions; vibrant markets on one side, espresso slinging co-working café’s on the other. Musically, ‘Brixton Blues’ was one of those rare compositions that started from the drums. This piece reminded me of the ‘less is more’ lesson; I decided to wear my Jimmy Cobb ‘Kind Of Blue’ hat & focus on holding the space for the soloists to speak. I’m glad I did, Ashley and James ended up delivering masterfully clear, understated solos that are a great study for any musician looking for a master study in making statements behind your instrument.”

On ‘Portobello Superhero’, Myele praises the stalwarts of London-Centric Jazz infused institutions such as CoOp, Jazz Re:Freshed and Plastic People, paying homage to its origins and infections effect on its listeners: “As a young music student back in New Zealand I discovered the scene of Broken Beat. My life was never the same since. With this track I wanted to shout out to the team at Jazz Re:Freshed who I saw help bring a London jazz sound to the world. I wanted to have something on this record that went some way to capturing that energy of a sweaty dance floor with musicians just raging out on some broken beat jazz funk vibes. PLAY IT LOUD.

Favorite Recordings proudly presents Deux, second album of French Jazz-Funk quartet Aldorande. In this new chapter, the four explorers pursue their interstellar trip on the Aldorande
planet, deploying their ever deeper love for the 70's Jazz-Funk & Fusion scene. Extending their first
visions of this new world, the bigger-than-life arrangements of this second album reflect again their
high attention to dramatic narrative schemes, breezy Brazilian vibes, tempestuous funky grooves and
strong cosmic melodies from outer space. Classic and contemporary at the same time, Deux is built
for the like-minded souls still looking for the perfect beat.
Twisting time and space but never forcing the groove, the band dives more profoundly into the
Cortex influence of their compositions, with intense female back vocals fitting perfectly into their
cinematographic vision. Like a cry in space, could these esoteric incantations be heard by Aldorande's
divinities? Or will they be more impressed by the super-tight rhythm section with its bangin' basslines
or an irresistible blend of drums and percussion? In the end, they probably would have to surrender
after hearing the infinite echoes of the synthesizers and horns reflecting in the atmosphere. Deep and
thoughtful, the travel has only begun but it seems that so much has already been experienced.
Breaking the code, they opened the gates to a rebirth. One that could be only accomplished by finding
the “Pierre des Mondes”, deeply buried somewhere on Aldorande - the only key to solve the riddle of
the groove. Mission accepted.
You'll find in Aldorande some of the best French jazzmen including bandleader and founder Virgile
Raffaëlli on bass (Setenta & Joe Bataan, Camarão Orkestra), Florian Pellissier on keys (Iggy Pop,
Setenta, Cotonete & Di Melo, …), Mathieu Edouard on drums (Chassol, De La Soul) and Erwan
Loeffel on percussion (Camarão Orkestra, 10LEC6). On this album, they took the initiative to invite
two guests on some tracks: AOR singer Al Sunny and killer guitarist Laurent Guillet (Le Soldat Rose,
Setenta).eir ever deeper love for the 70's Jazz-Funk & Fusion scene. Classic and contemporary at the same time, Deux is built for the like-minded souls still looking for the perfect beat.

Available on November 19th 2021 as Tip-On Vinyl LP & CD.

“Is that what you wanted, Alfred?” we hear in Miles Davis’ unmistakable rasp at the end of “One for Daddy-O,” making it clear that the legendary (and assertive) trumpeter was not just playing the role of sideman on Somethin’ Else, the sole Blue Note album by Cannonball Adderley.

The alto saxophonist was a member of Davis’ band at the time and the depth of their musical camaraderie lifts this session up to rarefied heights throughout, from the breath-taking performance of “Autumn Leaves” that opens the album to the thrilling call-and-response theme of the title track. Pianist Hank Jones, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Blakey round out the quintet on this timeless classic.

This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

Tenderlonious has proven himself to be one of the most versatile and
uninhibited artists in music today, blending genres and multi-instrumentation with style and ease. Whether it be jazz fusion with his band Ruby Rushton, Hindustani classical with Pakistani quartet Jaubi or deep house, electro funk and ambient electronica in his solo studio productions, he has accumulated a back catalogue of releases
and collaborations that unveil a musician who is continuously striving to evolve and push the boundaries of sound. ‘Still Flute’ continues with that notion, combining his signature live flute and synth work over Detroit house, p-funk, spiritual ragas and ambient sound designs. There are four deep house jams, including ‘Song For My Mother’ and title track ‘Still Flute’, all embellished with energetic flute solos, while ‘Isaac’s Theme’ and ‘Neptune’s Mood’ add the downbeat p-funk mood. ‘Journey to Thra’ adds the ambient palette to another
phenomenal record from Tenderlonious and the 22a camp.
‘Still Flute’ is the long awaited follow up to Tenderlonious’s highly acclaimed 2016 mini-album ‘On Flute’. For fans of Larry Heard, Moodymann, Dam-Funk...

The wonderful world of Louis Armstrong All Stars are the cream of the crop of curr
ent New Orleans musicians, paying tribute to the musician who started it all in the Crescent City. The album is comprised of new arrangements and recordings of music assosciated with Louis, featuring a previously unknown Louis Armstrong and the All Stars track, and a touching spoken word private recording made by Louis made near the end of his life. Produced by Wycliffe Jordan, Jackie Harris, and Nicholas Payton, with a rotating cast of key New Orleans players including guest features from Wynton Marsalis, Common, and more. This is the LP release.

The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin released her seventh studio album Yeah!!! in 1965. Despite the overdubbed sounds of audience murmurs, the album is not a live album. Instead, the album was recorded live at New York’s Columbia Studios and produced by Clyde Otis. Yeah!!! features “Misty”, “If I Had a Hammer” and “There Is No Greater Love” amongst others

The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin released her seventh studio album Yeah!!! in 1965. Despite the overdubbed sounds of audience murmurs, the album is not a live album. Instead, the album was recorded live at New York's Columbia Studios and produced by Clyde Otis. Yeah!!! features “Misty”, “If I Had a Hammer” and “There Is No Greater Love” amongst other

Limited version on smokey coloured vinyl.Black Flower is a vibrant, hypnotic mix of Ethio jazz, afrobeat, psychedelia and oriental influences, inspired by Mulatu Astatke, Fela Kuti and varied western musical traditions.

After being out of print for several years, Duval Timothy’s phenomenal ‘Brown Loop’ has finally been reissued. Recorded in New York in the winter months of 2016, this brand-new edition features a slightly adjusted track listing. The release date is 2nd of October 2020, which happens to be the multidisciplinary artist’s birthday. Duval has asked me to write a few words about his record.

I often find myself listening to Duval’s music when travelling. On an aeroplane for example, where the comforting piano pieces are set starkly against the sound of the world passing by, the constant engine humming, air conditioning running. Or when I’m walking through a city I’ve not been to before, the music blending into the continuous noise of cars and motorbikes, anchoring me when I find myself in unknown surroundings. Grounding me, one note at a time, in contrast to a city that does the exact opposite. Duval’s compositions bring a sense of comfort where there is detachment. It’s the soundtrack for an immigrant (such as myself), alienated from wherever he came, but someone who also doesn’t fully belong to the place he set off to.

I heard Duval describe the music of Brown Loop as ascending a mountain, and after you reached the top you come down to the other end. Through rhythmic repetitive patterns, the music builds. Within the pieces, melodies stray away from the theme, into unknown territories, but always find their way back to a comfortable home. Most elaborately this happens on my favourite piece, ​Hairs. The patterns and melodies on pieces such as ​Through The Night and (recently added to the vinyl version) ​G are stripped down to their very essence.

It is not just jazz, it’s pure hip hop, as the hooks are reminiscent of the shards of melancholy legends like Dilla, Pete Rock and Havoc used in their best work. In terms of repetition, the music is also very techno. And like in all good techno, the patterns (perhaps contrary to popular belief) ooze humanity and emotion. But most of all Duval’s Brown Loop is a very personal record. it takes courage to expose your inner self like that in the most minimal of compositions. But once you find the right notes, the right pattern, music is the most beautiful thing in the world.

Art Blakey’s 1960 hard bop classic The Big Beat introduced one of the greatest line-ups of The Jazz Messengers with the legendary drummer joined by trumpeter Lee Morgan, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt. Three of the six tunes here were composed by Shorter including “Lester Left Town,” but the album is best-known for an unforgettable version of Timmons’ enduring hit “Dat Dere”. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

In 1964 legendary Jazz icon Nina Simone released a new single "Mississippi Goddam", a song that marked her turn to political engagement with Civil Rights protest songs. It is the single's B-side that brings us here today, with a truly wonderful remake of "See-Line Woman" by Atjazz featuring Dominique Fils-Aimé.

Setting sail on a mammoth musical journey in 1995, Martin Iveson aka Atjazz has become well known over the world for his creativity & constant delivery of well-crafted music. Showing no signs of slowing down and having remixed many Foliage gems over the years, we are delighted to welcome Atjazz for a debut original production on the label.

Dominique Fils-Aimé is a Juno Award winning singer-songwriter hailing from Montreal, Canada.

Her musical inspiration draws from soul icons of the 40's and 60's such as Billie Holiday, Etta James and Nina Simone.

Dominique's sophomore album "Stay Tuned!" was released in February 2019 and brings to the centre of stage the resiliency of mankind in the face of adversity and oppression and pays homage to Afro-American history and culture.

Bill Evans catapulted to the top of the jazz world in June 1961 after reeling off three straight masterpiece sessions at New York's Village Vanguard with his trio. Yet the emotional highs came to a screeching halt shortly thereafter when bassist Scott LaFaro died in a car accident. Devastated, Evans refrained from playing for nearly a year. If not for an inspirational collaboration of tremendous creative outpouring, one wonders what fate may have befallen Evans. Undercurrent, the outcome of two studio sessions with guitarist Jim Hall, is that project.

Mastered on Mobile Fidelity's world-renowned mastering system and pressed at RTI, this Silver Label LP edition bursts forth with brilliant textures, you-are-there realism, and extraordinary tonalities. No other version outside of this analogue copy brings you face-to-face with these two jazz giants' sonic communion, a kind of spiritual musical summit on which Evans' deft keyboard touches and Hall's reliably subtle phrasings seamlessly mesh and wonderfully dance, the compositions streaked with natural instrumental decay, full-frequency extensions, and poignant emotionalism that, on this LP, you can feel.

While Evans managed to sit down for a few one-off takes between LaFaro's passing and these April-May 1962 dates, he largely remained on hiatus and abstained from recording. Whether it owes to the intimate pairing, he and Hall's brotherly chemistry, or the exquisite selection of program material, the results consistently come across as the equivalent of a private meditation - such is the level of introspective depth and quietly shaded interplay throughout. For Evans, the duet clearly functions as therapy, a healing episode in which his partner patiently lays back, shadowing moves and suggesting others, neither musician interested in the spotlight but each striving for (and achieving) transcendent beauty.

In tackling standards such as Rodgers and Hart's "My Funny Valentine" and the Broadway classic "Darn That Dream," as well as the Hall original "Romain," the pair traverses complex harmonies with the astute elegance of a figure skater. At times, Evans and Hall go for broke on a hard-swinging romps, yet it's their implied melancholy and drifting, softly struck melodic refrains on waltzes and ballads that bestows Undercurrent with a nuanced romanticism and whispered atmosphere befitting the record's title.

Indeed, even the album's cover - an iconic photograph by Toni Frissell - exhibits the surreal, almost-hallucinogenic properties of the fare contained within.

Flutist Bobbi Humphrey debuted on Blue Note in 1971 and released a run of six creative and highly enjoyable albums on the label capped by Fancy Dancer in 1975, the flutist’s third collaboration with forward-looking producer Larry Mizell. It proved to be a winning combination once again with Humphrey’s alluring flute dancing through a set that featured standout Mizell compositions like “Uno Esta,” “You Make Me Feel So Good,” and “Please Set Me At Ease.” This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

Gregory Porter’s upcoming brand new Greatest Hits double album. This will be the first EVER hits collection from the seven-time Grammy nominated, two-time Grammy winner, celebrating Gregory Porter’s decade of success with his best songs from 2010 to 2021, multiple brand new songs, bonus material, and new recordings of his much-loved global hits.