Pop & Rock News

Originally released on Prestige in 1957, this is the third LP from NYC street performer and avant garde/minimalist composer Moondog. Perhaps the least accessible of his early releases, this album is made up of percussive jams, usually on instruments of his own creation, street sounds, poetry, and Far East melodies, despite opening with a swinging number that is, oddly, the most bizarre thing on the album. Another classic from Moondog reissued with its original Andy Warhol artwork. Limited edition of 1,000 on purple and green starburst vinyl.

Bitches Brew was a shot across the bow of jazz insularity, and, much like the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper before it, it drew upon elements both inside and outside the mainstream to fashion an avant-garde. Repressed on 180 gram vinyl.

An exciting collection from pioneering Thai molam idol Banyen Rakkaen, featuring her most thrilling performances from the early to mid-70s, with innovative genre-bending arrangements and
production from Thepphabut Satirodchomphu.

These tracks, all originally released on 7-inch vinyl, showcase her powerful yet alluring voice, revolutionary yet rooted in tradition. Her exciting performance style was revolutionary and shocked traditionalists, but none could dispute the fact that she was a truly gifted singer, and Theppabut's visionary production skills added to the feeling of freshness and vitality.

The early 1970s saw a growing demand in Thailand for exciting and danceable music, and the recordings compiled in this release filled that demand perfectly. Banyen was one of the great singers of that era who propelled Isan music to nationwide popularity. A true star who in 2013 was designated a living national treasure, Banyen stole hearts with these hard-driving hits, while inspiring a new generation of aspiring singers. Banyen will now steal your heart.

Great compilation of classic 'undiscovered' jazz and rare groove tunes as well as some new productions from interesting band like NOMO, Francisco Mora & Dwight Trible...
This compilation is kicking off the Spiritual Jazz series on Kindred Spirits, called Free Spirits. What better way to do it with a compilation that mainly consists of super rare jazz from around the globe, but also touches on recent material and even unreleased material. This is an absolute must have for every jazz fan. Sarah Vaughan, Stanley Cowell, Steve Reid & Doug Hammond o.a. represent the classic 70s period, while Francisco Mora & Nomo fuel the contemporary period. To finish it of we have included an unreleased version of Coltranes A Love Supreme covered by Build An Arks Dwight Trible, clocking at an impressive 11:34 min.

This year its been 10 years since jazz legend and philosopher Sun Ra died. Therefore Kindred Spirits is released a dedication album and what a way to do it! Many contemporary artists / producers from different parts of the music spectrum have been asked to do a cover or inspiration. They all had one thing in common: they were heavily inspired and/or influenced by the live and music of Sun Ra. On a straight jazz tip are Francisco Moras (drummer of Sun Ras band, the Arkestra) Outerzone Band, Madlibs Yesterdays New Quintet (feat. Dudley Perkins) and Mocky. Jimi Tenor gives Love In Outta Space a soul twist and also Kirk Degiorgio as Offworld comes with a souled out cover of Astro Black. Recloose and Theo keep it slightly house and Mustang remains close to his offbeat production, while LA based Build An Ark debuts with a African vibed cover of Door Of The Cosmos. King Britt pays homage to his fellow Philly musician on a hip hop tip, while Philip Charles closes off in synthesizer wonderland. We could keep on describing this, but in essence it is all jazz, an experiment, put together by many of the great musicians of today. Sun Ra lives onforever.

Second release on KingUnderground
Double sided instrumental funk 45
Limited edition of 300 copies
For fans of funk, soul, library records & old film soundtracks
Promo copies have been sent to Giles Peterson & Thris Tian

Magic in Threes release their second release on KingUnderground with a double sided funk 45 inspired by 70s soundtracks.

The band Magic in Threes, consisting of 3 members are from Nashville, Tennessee. On Friday 9th February 2018 we are releasing two songs of theirs that sound like they could be on an old KPM library record or a 1970's soundtrack. The band have a full length in the making coming out on KingUndeground in the near future.

In 2016, the band were writing and recording a new track every week. They spent so much time in the studio that year that the song ideas just kept coming, one after another. They have always been rooted in library music and over the years they've dug deeper and deeper into that sphere of inspiration. "Finnish Funk" and "Shot Thru The Grease" are both loving homages to that genre. Heavy beats with diabolical melodies are the name of the game for The A-side, "Finnish Funk". On the flip side "Shot Thru The Grease" has more of a loping feel to it with ample portions of moody thematic elements. Like a score to a lost 1970s Italian action film, these tracks hit like a hard nosed detective closing in on his next collar.

Raw rhythm & blues out of Seattle! Camelot Records, operated by Jan Kurtis Skugstad from 1964 to 1966, released an astounding number of singles and even full length albums during its short time of existence. Camelot is best known in collector circles for two monster releases by organist Ron Buford (accompanied on vocals by Ural Thomas on "Deep Soul"), however within their output are still some recordings which not many people have heard of yet. This is exactly the case with the two songs by Johnny Lewis which you find on this sweet 45RPM single. "Unchain My Heart" and "I Got A Woman" are two really nice cover versions which sound even better on this properly mastered 45 with its crispy and raw sound.

Fuzati (Klub des Loosers), Produzent und hartgesottener Plattensammler liefer die nächste japanische Rarität auf dem Le Très Jazz Club Label. Neuauflage des atemberaubenden 1973er Modal- und Spiritual-Jazz Albums "Morning Flight" von Posaunist Hiroshi Fukumura, begleitet von Shinji Mori (Schlagzeug), Tsutomu Okada (Bass), Hiroshi Tamura (Klavier) und Shigeharu Mukai an Posaune. Essentiell!

Fuzati (Klub des Loosers), Produzent und hartgesottener Plattensammler liefert die nächste japanische Rarität auf dem Le Très Jazz Club Label. Mit dieser Neuauflage von "Orang-Utan" des legendären Bassisten und Cellospielers Isao Suzuki bietet Le Tres Jazz Club ein bemerkenswertes und begehrtes Free-Jazz-Album. Der gleichnamige Track ist eine erhabene Mischung aus Free Jazz und Jazz Fusion, geleitet von Saxofonist Kenji Mori und Kazumi Watanabe an der Gitarre. Essentiell!

This 12' begins with Collocutor ripping into Miles Davis' 'Black Satin', from the benchmark On The Corner LP, and owning it from the off. A respectful homage is paid to the original with sensational improvised parts being added with a hip groove from the percussive wonders of Magnus Mehta (Magnus P.I.), Maurizio Ravalico and bassist Suman Joshi. The sparks fly as guitarist Marco Piccioni channels the spirits of late '60s psychedelic fires. The melodic riff of Miles' classic is stripped down by Simon 'Shwaa' Finch and Mike Lesirge who subtly encapsulate the original's atmosphere.

The A-side is completed with the label's latest signing, DJ Khalab delivering a sharp, warped assault on Collocutor's 'The Search', just in time for the LP's repress.

On the flip is a live version of 'The Search' recorded during the 'Live at the Fish Factory' Session in 2016 which, have so far resulted in two collector's edition dubplates that are as rare as hen's teeth. The invigorated far out sound has been mixed on this recording by producer Sam Jones who has entrenched himself with the On the Corner approach and brought his 'Sam Jones Construct' vision to the label. Marco Piccioni sold his soul at a highway crossroads on the way to the recording. There are spirits riding on the backs of the ensemble guiding this version of 'The Search' out into cosmic oceans.

The 12' ends with bassist Ruth Goller (Melt Yourself Down, Let Spin, Gufo and Bug Prentice) stewarding her virtuosic groove sensibilities into the twilight zone with this brooding off -kilter abstraction of 'Everywhere'. The stripped backbones of the tracks rhythm are punctuated by a dialogue and mantra summoned by Goller that moves menacingly over a synth bass augmented b-line.

As label founder Pete OntheCorner describes the release: 'This EP ushers in a string of releases that embody the label's vision. The futuristic concept first realised by Miles Davis with On The Corner and more generally during his electric period is at the heart of our collaborative, genre-less burning chalice. Analogue genius being mutated with a charge into something other, a vanishing point of ethereal musical feeling where the space for fresh narratives can be formed beyond genre and out On the Corner.

Victoria's artwork is always stunning and for this series of works she has already conquered the sublime with the sleeve for Black Satin".

* Lp pressed sea green colored vinyl

* Extra heavy print board, metallic ink jacket

* Comes with digital download and extra tracks, instrumentals, dance remixes, ability for dj's to remix.

* Album features young up and coming P-funk musicians: Danny Bedrosian, Tonysha Nelson ( George's grand daughter), Benzel Cowan

* Also includes all the master such as: Blackbyrd McKnight-guitar, Lige Curry- Bass, Steve Boyd vocals and guest stars: Sue Ann from Prince, Kern Brantley from Lady Gaga, Mary J Blige

* Recorded live in Detroit at United Sound- home to Motown

DETROIT RISING: A COSMIC JAZZ FUNK ADVENTURE—an unprecedented project created by universally respected musicians, including current and original members of the archetypal funk band Parliament-Funkadelic, along with a selection of world class talent from across the country—is going to bring a new style of funk to audiences this spring.

The hybrid jazz-funk and R&B-flavored album—set for release Friday, March 30 via Down Jazz Records, with physical distribution via the Seattle-based Light In the Attic Records—is a collaboration between highly sought after young P-Funk artists and writers, and is supported by legendary industry veterans, including members that have performed with artists such as Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Mary J. Blige, Herbie Hancock, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, Theo Parrish and Red Hot Chili Peppers, in addition to their regular work with Parliament-Funkadelic. Key figures in the group also played regularly with late, great artists such as Prince and Miles Davis, among others.

The 10-track album—conceived and overseen by creative producer David Schwartz over the past three years—opens with the saxophone and keys-heavy Lashing Out' followed by Little Bit,' one of multiple tracks that musically stretches out over nine minutes in length. Elsewhere is the soulful Rocket Love,' the sexy ode of Gorgeous' and the groovy unity-themed anthem With Peace & Harmony.' *See below for the full track listing.

DETROIT RISING was recorded live at the world famous Motown affiliated United Sound Studios in Detroit, as well as at renowned studios in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and the Swamp Funk studios in Florida, and mixed and mastered by some of the best engineers in the business, including Richie Beretta (Beyonce), Tatsuya Sato (A Tribe Called Quest) and Mark Santangelo (Childish Gambino). The result is a highly skilled, vibrant and progressive album that combines elements of funk, jazz, soul, hip-hop and rock 'n' roll to capture a live sound that genuinely represents the next best thing to having the full band performing live in front of an audience.

Featured on DETROIT RISING are United Sound musicians guitarist DuminieDeporres (Theo Parrish) and bassist Kern Brantley (Lady Gaga, Beyonce) and P-Funk musicians Gabe Gonzalez (drums), Danny Bedrosian (piano, keys, moog, vocals and current young Parliament-Funkadelic synth leader), DeWayne Blackbyrd' McKnight (guitar/has also played with Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bootsy Collins), Lige Curry (bass), Greg Thomas (saxophone, vocals/also played with Bootsy Collins), Benjamin Benzel' Cowan (drums and son of P-Funk trumpet player Benny Cowan), Tonysha Nelson (vocals and granddaughter of George Clinton) and Steve Boyd (vocals), along with special guest vocalist Sue Ann Carwell (Prince, Parliament-Funkadelic).

After years of honing their performance skills on worldwide stages, the current touring musicians of DETROIT RISING now take center stage, performing original compositions that shine a light on the true extent of their talent and creativity.

- 180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL
- INCLUDES INSERT

Invitation was the third album by Jaco Pastorius, originally released in 1983 while the bassist was a member of Weather Report. This is a live album recorded at various venues during a tour of Japan, featuring his Word of Mouth' big band. While his debut album Jaco Pastorius (MOVLP136) showcased his eclectic and impressive skills on the electric bass, both Invitation and his previous album, Word of Mouth (MOVLP1260) focused more on his ability to arrange for a larger band.

This album features mostly numbers written by other artists. The exceptions are Continuum', from his debut album, and Liberty City', from Word of Mouth, as well as Reza', an original number bookending his version of John Coltrane's Giant Steps'.

The band's all-star cast included Randy Brecker, Bobby Mintzer, Toots Thielemans, Peter Erskine, Othello Molineaux and Don Alias.

Park Jiha first gained attention as the leader and producer of the neotraditional Korean duo (su:m). Her music combines the formalism of classical minimalism, the rootedness of Korean folk motifs and the dynamics of post-rock and contemporary jazz. A calm from within the storm.

Based on a small inspiration by Kudo Tori, with additional material added from the voicemail recordings made by Hashizaka Ai (and her family) and from a Maher Shalal Hash Baz 30th anniversary show in Shinjuku, to make up three levels of sound.

Hashizaka's sounds are full of the highly entropic sadness of northern Wakayama and Maher at Shinjuku sounds like they were a little angry.

Kudo-san says that he picked up a sense of blankness and kindness from these fragments. Something like the feeling you get at an out of the way bookstore that has a nice collection of books, or at a small cheap bar that features fried organ meat, or a bakery, or taking a long trip, or when you're extremely busy with cooking, cleaning, housework and child care, or other real experiences that make life worth living.

- Notes by Geshi Nodoka translated by Kato David Hopkins

- CD Mixture Of All Tracks

Musicians make albums. But in this case it's different. The four tracks on this ten inch release were created in between. It's an intermediate piece that sits between two albums, reflecting on a series of special moments and special evolutions of Black Flower. The inspiration came from Salvador Dali's creative dreaming ritual. With a pair of scissors in his hand, he sat back, closed his eyes and slid into sleep. The moment his body and mind enter deep sleep, the scissors dropped and waked him up. Dali then started painting using the inspiration he gathered from his dreams. These paintings can be considered the result of an intermediate state between consciousness and subconsciousness, a zone between being awake and sleeping. Black Flower has derived four dream-tracks from their individual intermediate state, materialised into microscopic grooves on a black vinyl disc. - 'Almaz' occurred as the first dream. It became Black Flower's very first cover song. An Ethiopian traditional, famous thanks to egendary singer Mahmoud Ahmed. Immediately, this dreamy track pulls you deeply into the intermediate state. 'Maqam Tizita Saba' was a vision about an unexpected connection between the Arabian and the Ethiopian world. Black Flower utilised an extended musical scale, beginning with the peaceful, consonant Ethiopian Titzia, and fusing it with the upper structure of the dissonant Arabic Saba scale. In the 'Good Side of Bad', Black flower commemorated its recent collaboration with Dijf Sanders's latest album which is a groovy patchwork between electronics and his field recordings in Indonesia. Samples from this part of the world pass by just like that. No distance is to big in the intermediate state.'Fly High Oh My' happened just before the scissors fell back on the ground. Strong energy propelling high into the ecstatic sky.

Belgian musician Dijf Sanders pens and produces soundtracks for distant, far-flung places that brood with exotica, psychedelia, jazz and electronica. His new album 'JAVA', is a psychedelic and modern search for the sounds of the homonymous Indonesian island. Armed with a set of field recorders, Dijf traveled to every urban and rural corner of Indonesia in the spring of this year. As a contemporary incarnation of ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax, he collected an impressive repertory of recordings, commissioned by the Europalia Arts Festival and KAAP Creative Compass. 'Kacapi', 'Kendang', 'Angklung', 'Calung' or 'Gamelan' are not the names of indigenous tropical diseases by the way, but those of local instruments that Dijf encountered on his adventurous musical quest. For two weeks the American expert ethnographer Palmer Keen stood by Dijf through his total immersion into the island's colourful culture and rich, ceremonial traditions. On his return to Belgium, Dijf headed straight back into the studio with the gathered material and invited some of his musical soulmates to put the icing on the cake. It is no coincidence that the three guests - Nathan Daems, Filip Vandebril and Simon Segers - are all part of Black Flower, a band that famously flirts with Oriental sounds. From hours and hours of field recordings, Dijf distilled ten psychedelic pieces which ride on waves of ecstasy and trance, and bridge the gap between two worlds. Tribal rhythms and warm melodies are fused to a seamless and beautiful musical work in utopia. The Brugge-born, Gentbrugge-based musician is one of those great Flemish talents. In the past, he earned his stripes with Teddiedrum and The Violent Husbands and has produced bands like Kenji Minogue and Blackie & The Oohoos. He has also released music under his own name including the critically acclaimed album 'Moonlit Planetarium'. Welcome to Dijf Sanders' wonderful journey into future exotica.

Part of the next wave in the thriving Afro-Latin alternative scene of greater Los Angeles & The Inland Empire, El Santo Golpe's debut release on Names You Can Trust leaves its mark with a very personal fusion of Central American & Caribbean folkloric traditions. This influence of different styles & cultures across the divergent regions is on full display, from the time honored rhythms and percussion of Garifuna music, to those lovingly reconizable lead elements such as the acordeón in cumbia (as heard in La Cosecha) or the jarana in son jorocho (as heard in El Camotal). It is through this uniquely American, and more specifically, Californian experience, that this group of peers has been able to come together to form a new set of multi-cultural roots and attitudes. The result of this two-sided debut is a fusion of raw percussion, unbridled energy & live performance. Two heavy sides to be celebrated within the dance.

Letherette start the year off continuing their Brown Lounge series with Brown Lounge vol.4. A collection of new beats from the letherette bunker.

"Moon In Libra" is the fifth album by Stefano Tirone aka S-Tone Inc, it follows the same artistic path of the previous ones with a renewed passion for the Brazilian sonorities from the sixties, and is influenced by the soul jazz atmospheres connected to noir movies. Many are the special guests here: the singers Laura Fedele, Angie Brown and Manuela Ravaglioli on one side, the Brazilian Toco and Adi Souza on another, plus the well-known Rosalia De Souza and Kal dos Santos (from the band Mitoka Samba)!

During three long years Soulstance have gathered a lot of material to focus on and developed new compositions that express different angles of the same perspective towards what is today generally referred as 'nu-jazz'. Some moments are spiritual and modal, others are emotional in dreamy atmospheres. The musicians dialogue between latin jazz harmonies and dance-floor percussive grooves. In a great crescendo the listeners are engaged in the great parade of sounds presented by Soulstance with skilful care and great artistic sensitivity.

'100% DOLCE VITA: SPACE AGE * COCKTAIL * MOD JAZZ * POP CORN * TIKI' - First volume in this cool lounge/exotica series. All tracks transferred from the original vinyl.

When Imarhan released their self-titled debut album in 2016, they stepped into a genre already flooded with talent and exposure, but still managed to rise to the top and be heralded as the new wave Of Tuareg music . It is with much anticipation that the band from Tamanrasset, Algeria have announced the details of their second album Temet, due out February 26 on City Slang.

Temet is a huge leap forward in production, as well as creatively for Imarhan. Whereas their debut was anchored in the meditative Desert Blues tradition, Temet eclipses such notions, finding bounce and drive by stirring their sound with funk, fuzz, disco and rock. This is not a novel concept to the band, as anyone who has seen them play will attest. Imarhan's experience as a touring band has reinforced the focus and meaning behind their music.

With Temet, Imarhan have firmly established themselves as a band to reckon with. Rather than being distracted by meddling around with big producers or famous guests, they've focused this release on their inherent strength of songwriting, using the eternal bonds in their community, families and friendships as a blueprint not only for an amazing standalone album, but as a reference for generations to come. We hope that Imarhan will allow the younger generation to become aware of the fundamental importance of friendship. As long as someone is by your side supporting you, asking for your friendship, what more could you want out of life You will want for nothing.'

Returning to Berlin for the third installment of their acclaimed live-score performance to accompany silent film classic Menschen am Sonntag' (1930), múm will also present a special treat during the upcoming Berlinale: The band's label Morr Music will release a limited edition vinyl 10inch comprising of material that was recorded during previous installments of this extraordinary film/music event. Initiated by curators Ben Czernek and Hannes Frey for their genre-defying UM:LAUT live series at Radialsystem V in Berlin, the members of what's possibly the most original band hailing from Iceland' (ByteFM) gained universal praise.

Joined by guest percussionist Samuli Kosminen, múm founders Gunnar Tynes & Örvar Smárason create stunning instrumental soundscapes to accompany and enhance the late-1920s action portrayed in the film, which was already considered a milestone shortly after its release. German daily newspaper taz praised the band's live score after the 2016 performance, stating: It worked so well that one can easily imagine the 74 minutes as an album.' Absorbingly rich in scope and cinematic in their own right, the four tracks that comprise this (significantly shorter) release work just as well without their visual counterpart.

Directed by Robert Siodmak & Edgar G. Ulme (and co-written by Billy Wilder), Menschen am Sonntag' follows the lives of a group of Berlin residents on a summer's day in a series of leisurely snapshots. A late-period semi-documentary silent film with a unique feel, it's considered a pivotal work. The film feels quite opposite to the expressionist vehemence, that dominated German cinema within the 20s: Menschen am Sonntag' is a modernist work, it feels calm and light. Watching it today however feels poignant, because it portrays a generation that was heading for the (then) unthinkable disaster.

Accordingly, múm don't shy away from adding explosive elements and sonic drama to the score: Arriving with shimmering sounds and ambient layers, the first track Cards' eventually bursts into a mix of live drums and massive beams of electronica. Whereas Evaporate' includes great piano miniatures, Cycle Boats' boasts a melody that perfectly reflects the leisurely coming and going, the ebb and flow of a summer Sunday in and around the city. The final song My Claws' is a wildly dense, unstoppable force of nature: catchy like an 80s pop tune, it's impossible to resist this instrumental grand finale that completes this special live release.

Known for presenting a mix of electronica, ambient sounds, and experimental indie pop, múm was founded in 1997 and over the course of the last decade, the former quartet has evolved into an open collective of sorts. With seven LPs under their collective belt, múm also worked on various film-related projects including a score to Sergej Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin.'

At age 78, Joe McPhee shows no sign of slowing down. Plan B is the master improviser's new trio, with James Keepnews on guitar & laptop and David Berger on drums. A soundtrack to a science fiction movie existing only in their heads, From Outer Space finds McPhee and company envisioning the first encounter between alien life and a delegation of earthlings (while giving a nod to jazz's original man from another planet, Sun Ra, with a side-long suite dedicated to him). It's quite unlike anything else in McPhee's vast discography.

Recorded December 19, 2015 in Beacon, NY.Cover art by Judith Lindbloom.

DVD Language: English
Subtitles: Italian, English, French, Portuguese, Japanese


A journey inside the Sicilian chromosome of jazz, forgotten by the official history, the incredible story of a Sicilian who became the world's first man in Jazz.

Sicily Jass - The world's first man in Jazz is a film directed by Michele Cinque, about the life, the music and times of Nick La Rocca, a son of Sicilian immigrants, a self taught cornet player and leader of the Original Dixieland Jass band, the New Orleans based combo which eventually recorded the first Jazz record, in New York, in 1917.

Moving between fiction and documentary, while travelling from a timeless Sicily through New Orleans past and present, the film follows the infectious rhythms of early Jazz and goes deep into an introspective journey narrated by the voice, the gestures and the puppets of Sicilian master Mimmo Cuticchio.

Thanks to the special contribution of historians and Jazz critics and along with the discovery of precious archive materials, the film will give the audience the chance to re-live both the incredible success and the sad decline of La Rocca and his fellow musicians. The voice of Nick La Rocca himself, caught in a hitherto unpublished interview, together with the intimacy of the tale of Nick's son, Jimmy, will lead the viewer to discover why La Rocca and his men are often forgotten within the official history of jazz.

Needless to add that Sicily Jass comes with an amazing soundtrack, curated by Mark Berenford and carefully remastered by Nick Dellow. The accompanying CD features the ODJB's historical 1917 recordings, along with a selection of extra tracks by illustrious contemporaries such as Louis Armstrong, Joe Venuti, Bix Beiderbeck, Fletcher Henderson and others, amazing recordings from the beginning of jazz, over 100 years old. Mark Berenford who also curated the extensive liner notes, is considered one of the most respected experts and most passionate collectors of early Jazz and Blues. Since 1990, Mr. Berenford has been the editor of Vintage Jazz Mart, the world's leading means for buying and selling rare Jazz and Blues 78's.

After a slew of acclaimed releases by Equiknoxx, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, Shinichi Atobe and Mica Levi in 2017, Demdike Stare's DDS start 2018 in typically unexpected style with a remastered reissue of David Moufang (Move D), Karl Berger, Jamie Hodge, Gunter Kraus and Jonas Grossmann's gorgeous sophomore Conjoint album, Earprints (2000).
Conjoint was the little-known but hugely regarded ensemble founded by David Moufang two decades ago, featuring techno pioneer Jamie Hodge, Deep Space Network's Jonas Grossmann, acclaimed jazz guitarist Gunter Ruit Kraus and, most intriguingly - Karl Berger (Jazz Pianist and Vibraphone player for Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry and George Clinton to name but three).
The ensemble are accompanied on Earprints by Andrew Pekler, Anna-Lena Fiedler, Burkhard Höfler, and Kai Kroker, among many others, and flesh out a full frequency spectrum of instrumental and electronic timbres, precisely yet louchely coalescing a timeless and cool blue sound that is entirely respectful to its roots, yet dares to imagine them in an altered context. In that respect it's an influential, memorable precursor to Jan Jelinek's acclaimed Loop-FInding Jazz Records that was eleased the following year.
Democratic in its construction and flush with pregnant contemplative space between and around the notes, the lasting impression made by Earprints is indelibly classic, quietly awaiting immersion by a new wave of listeners who will no doubt marvel at its many charms.
If you're into late night listening and have followed the work of Move D, Miles Davis, Tortoise or Jan Jelinek's frayed, late night Jazz minimalism - this one's for you.

"Mystiphonic" is the third release from Roland P. Young on EM Records, following "Isophonic Boogie Woogie" which was originally released in 1980 and re-issued by EM in 2005, and the 2009 "Istet Serenade."
"Mystiphonic" is the fruit of two years of recordings at Young's Isophonic Sound Laboratory in Brooklyn, "comprovisations" which are more electronic than the previous EM releases, and yet this new CD retains Young's emotional life-long horn playing, a romance which began in his youth in Kansas City. Also carrying on from previous releases is the all-encompassing warmth and organic/oceanic feeling of Young's music, a rootedness that has been present since his early exposure to Charlie Parker, on through his San Francisco years and ever forward, linking past, present and future through deep American soil to his world-embracing current music, all united through his "Isophonic" philosophy.
The "Mystiphonic" blend of electronics, percussion and horns is one of subtle beauty, sure to please Young's fans while attracting new admirers.

'That Jazz' is Coops' first official offering since signing to High Focus Records back in October. By no means a debut, having already released two critically acclaimed albums 'Lost Soul' & 'God Complex' under his own steam in 2014 and 2016, the London MC is putting his best foot forward - a 'no nonsense' masterclass in smooth rhyming and soulful boom bap, produced by long time collaborator Talos. The beginning in a long line of releases planned for Coops this year, 'That Jazz' serves as the perfect introduction.
'That Jazz' is officially released on Friday 9th of February on limited edition hand numbered 7' vinyl (limited to 300) and across all digital platforms worldwide.

First ever vinyl reissue of this fabulous kraut, jazz-funk / fusion / rare grove / library album from 1972, originally released on the budget Tempo label from Germany. Lots of fuzzy distorted organ & Fender Rhodes courtesy of Kristian Schultze (pre-Passport) plus the mighty Pawel Jazerbski on bass and Joe Nay (Tete Montoliu, Roland Kirk, Blue Note Club...) on drums.

Master tape sound, original artwork and insert with liner notes.

RIYL: PASSPORT, SUNBIRDS, NUCLEUS, KLAUS DOLDINGER...

Subtitled 'Classic Latin Tunes Became Salsa Hits' LP 12" Black 140 gram vinyl (+CD)

"This is the second volume in our series on the roots of salsa...The main criterion was to pick tracks that sounded adequate for today's DJs to play at a gig, or were sufficiently interesting (or enough of a surprise to fans of the later version) to merit inclusion. The other measuring stick was that they needed to come from the old-school, before the more modern era (from 1962 on) and all of its recording innovations and marketing strategies...for now, listen to these dozen gems and then go back to their more familiar cousins from recent times and compare and contrast, and we're sure you'll be enlightened and entertained." Pablo E. Yglesias, aka DJ Bongohead

A1. Sujétate La Lengua - La Sonora Matancera (1954) Covered by: Eddie Palmieri Y La Perfecta (Ismael Quintana), Willie Rodríguez And His Orchestra (Adalberto Santiago), Agustin Arce Y Su Nuevo Sonido , Papo Y Su Combo (Pachito Nalmy), Alfredito Linares (Panchito Nalmy, Koky Palacios, Rolo Bernal), Eddie Palmieri (Hermán Olivera)
A2. El Paso Del Mulo - Conjunto Colonial de Nelo Sosa (1950) Covered by: Orquesta Riverside, Celia Cruz And Johnny Pacheco
A3. Micaela Me Botó - Chappotín y Sus Estrellas (1958) Covered by: Pete Rodríguez, La Lupe (with Tito Puente)
A4. Nadie Se Salva De La Rumba - Trío Matamoros (1960) Later covered by: Los Guaracheros De Oriente, Los Armónicos, Ray Barretto And His Orchestra (Celia Cruz, Adalberto Santiago)
A5. La Familia - José Curbelo and His Orchestra (1953) Covered by: La Sonora Matancera (Carlos Argentino), Ray Barretto And His Orchestra (Tito Allen)
A6. Salsa - Flores Valdéz y Su Conjunto Musical (195) Covered by: La Sonora Del Caribe (Daniel Santos), La Sonora Habanera, La Playa Sextet, Conjunto Sensación (Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez), Johnny Pacheco (Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez), Johnny Pacheco and Monguito
B1. Hay Cráneo - Tito Rodríguez y Los Lobos Del Mambo (1951) Covered by: Fallo Cabrera Sus Voces Y Su Conjunto Ritmico, Bobby Valentín Y Su Orquesta (Marvin Santiago), Los Soneros Del Barrio (Frankie Vásquez)
B2. Fania - Estrellas de Chocolate (1960) Covered by: Johnny Pacheco Y Su Nuevo Tumbao (Pete "Conde" Rodriguez), Chamaco Ramírez, Negros Star De Dakar, Poncho Sánchez, Pancho Amat
B3. Yo No Quiero Piedra En Mi Camino - Pacho Alonso con Bebo Valdés y Su Orquesta (1960) Covered by: Cortijo Y Su Combo (Ismael Rivera), Orquesta Estrellas Cubanas, Ismael Rivera y Sus Cachimbos, Celia Cruz, Orquesta Ritmo Oriental, Willy Chirino
B4. Corta El Bonche - Conjunto Kuvabana de Alberto Ruíz (1947) Covered by: Tito Puente And His Orchestra (Chivirico Dávila, Santos Colón), Los Blanco, Grupo Folklorico Y Experimental Nuevayorquino
B5. Tumba Mabó - Conjunto Niágara (1945) Covered by: La Sonora Ponceña (Luigi Texidor), Los Soneros Del Barrio (Frankie Vásquez)
B6. Llora Timbero - La Orquesta Siboney de Pepito Torres (1944) Covered by: Arsenio Rodríguez Y Su Conjunto (Miguelito Cuní), Mariano Mercerón Y Sus Muchachos Pimienta , Machito And His Afro-Cubans (Machito), Senén Suarez Y Su Conjunto, Tito Puente Y Su Orquesta (Santos Colón), Chico O'Farrill (Miguelito Valdés), Tito Rodríguez And His Orchestra, Manny Oquendo Y Su Conjunto Libre , Estrellas De Areito, Rubén Blades, Virgilio Martí, Sierra Maestra, Willie Rosario Y Su Orquesta , La Sonora Gloria Matancera

First new LP in over 15 years. Builds on 3 successful ATFA reissues of Mergia's music. Legendary artist still active after decades of historic work. Modern Ethiopian jazz built on ancient scales and standards. Capping several successful years traveling the world performing to audiences big and small, Hailu Mergia's Lala Belu has been a long time coming. It builds on Mergia's remarkable career resurgence over the past few years. Beginning in 2013 with the reissue of his dreamy Hailu Mergia and His Classical Instrument followed by the enormous success of his seminal Ethio-jazz masterpiece Tche Belew and continuing with last year's widely acclaimed Wede Harer Guzo, Mergia has received considerable accolades from listeners and press globally, including The New York Times, Pitchfork and The Wire. His old recordings are cherished revelations for Ethiopian music fans; however, Mergia's return to the stage has been just as inspiring and electrifying. Mergia's vintage recordings are known for an inherently mysterious and worn-in quality, while his new recordings echo his band's 21st century live show with modern instrumental interpretations of crucial Ethiopian standards and Mergia's own original compositions. Tony Buck (drums) and Mike Majkowski (bass), who have backed Mergia on tour throughout Europe and Australia, form the bass-drums trio on the recording. Having played venues from Radio City Music Hall and the Kennedy Center to jazz festivals, rock clubs and DIY spaces all over North America, Europe and Australia, Mergia and Awesome Tapes From Africa want to document this moment in his landmark career with a snapshot of Mergia's current sound. Since he emigrated from Ethiopia and built a life in Washington, D.C. around 1981—where he remains working as an airport taxi driver when he is not on tour—Mergia's career has followed a humble trajectory. He made a few recordings in America but they didn't easily reach fans back home. He kept making music on his own and with friends but after the early 80's his gigs in the U.S. mostly dried up. It wasn't until he began working with Awesome Tapes From Africa and putting together bands with the help of booking agents and musicians in Europe and the U.S., that he was able to chart a new path. With a broad audience of young listeners in diverse venues and distant locales, at age 71, Mergia is enjoying his comeback and is not slowing down.

Personnel: Robbie Basho, acoustic guitar Overview: Basho (1940-86), who died young after a stroke, never got his due in the culture at large, but steel-string guitar enthusiasts have known for decades that he was one of the greats of "American Primitive." Technically adept and compositionally imaginative, fusing the music of many cultures into a mesmerizing solo style, he has been an inspiration for many; his music has generated a surge of interest in recent years. This 1982 concert was part of a four-show Italian tour. It took place at the 18th-century Palazzo Gaddi that housed the local music high school and was mostly used for classical concerts, in an intimate space co-organizer Mario Calvitti (whose memories of the events surrounding this concert make up the bulk of the liner notes) says Basho called "one lovely little room where I could play all night." Only previously released incompletely as a download, this show can now be heard in its full glory.