Pop & Rock News

Das neunköpfige australische Spiritual-Jazz-Ensemble Menagerie um Produzent, Songwriter, Gitarrist, DJ und Aufnahmeleiter Lance Ferguson expandiert seinen Sound weiter in das Musikuniversum. Das neue Album 'The Shores Of Infinity' ist ein zukunftsweisender, rhythmuslastiger Ausdruck des zeitgenössischen Jazz, der, tief in der Tradition verwurzelt, sich jeder Genre-Schublade entzieht. Inspiriert sowohl von der Post-Coltrane-Generation der 70er Jahre als auch von der aktuellen New Wave Of Jazz haben Menagerie international große Wellen geschlagen und bei Worldwide FM, Jazz FM und Jazzwise mehrfach ausgezeichnet.

'So well - and lovingly - executed that it's ultimately impossible to ignore.' - Jazzwise

"There is an overarching sense of profound amazement throughout it all.' - Blues & Soul

'A stunning work, full of integrity and class… Essential.' - Echoes

'Wonderful record, full of some great Kamasi/Donald Byrd/even Art Blakey moments!' - The Guardian

Brand new Studio One compilation of rare and unreleased tracks from the archives. Featuring Aton Ellis, Otis Gayle, The Thriller, Royals, Marcia Griffiths, Prince Jazzbo and loads more!.

Brand new Studio One compilation of rare and unreleased tracks from the archives. Featuring Aton Ellis, Otis Gayle, The Thriller, Royals, Marcia Griffiths, Prince Jazzbo and loads more!.

Repress!

Named after the theoretical breakdown of the basic elements of conscious experience, Alfa Mist's latest album 'Structuralism' is based around a conversation between Mist and his sister, discussing themes of debate culture and personal growth and is an intricate and profound glimpse into the East London artist's battles with self and the societal pressures that inform our own conscious experience.

Ein weiteres Kultalbum von Jazz Room Records mit Danny Ward & Reality, die Mitte bis Ende der 70er Jahre die Go-To-Funky-Jazz-Band für College- und andere Hardcore-Funk-Party-Gigs in und um Seattle im pazifischen Nordwesten waren.

Sie veröffentlichten Coverversionen der neuesten Disco- und Top-40-Hits und nahmen ihr Publikum regelmäßig mit auf einen musikalischen Trip durch die funkigsten und jazzigsten Sounds der Zeit mit Titeln, die durch George Benson, Lydia Pense & Coldblood, The Headhunters, Mandrill, u.v.m. berühmt wurden.

Diese einzigartige Aufnahme, die die Band live bei einem Auftritt unter der Woche in Bremerton, Washington, einfängt, zeigt ihren unnachahmlichen Stil.

First Word Records is very proud to welcome the return of the inimitable Kaidi Tatham, with his 5th album for us, entitled 'The Only Way'. Kaidi Tatham is a legendary multi-instrumentalist born in the Midlands and based in Belfast. Established as one of the original creators of the Broken Beat sound, he is a virtuoso on the keys and a true innovator in sound production. A deeply prolific artist, this is Kaidi's 5th solo album under his own name, following on from 'Don't Rush The Process' (2022), 'An Insight To All Minds' (2021), 'It's A World Before You' (2018), and 'In Search Of Hope' (re-pressed in 2020), all released on First Word, along with several EPs from 2017 onwards. 'The Only Way' is the latest chapter in Kaidi's entirely unique explorations into sound. 11 tracks touching on bruk, funk, jazz, mid-tempo hip hop and hyper-energetic Brazilian flavours, all thrown into a melting pot that's difficult to define, but all containing Kaidi's unmistakable sonic signature. The ...

Instrumentals JID019 captures the musical alchemy produced at the Linear Labs Studio by producers Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. These instrumental recordings encapsulate the spirit of the Jazz Is Dead concert and recording series, celebrating the African-American art form known as jazz through improvisation, musical collaboration and authentic cross-generational and cross-cultural communication.

Neuauflage der 2017er remastered Vinyl-Premiere, diesmal auf 180g Eco-Doppel-Vinyl: Der Original-Soundtrack des legendären Playstation-Horror-Videospiels 'Silent Hill 2' von 2001, der stark von David Lynchs Twin Peaks-Serie inspiriert wurde.

Electronic-jazz pioneer Mark de Clive-Lowe returns with the second installment of his Midnight Snacks EP series. Vol.2 kicks off with two dedications: “Crush Velvet”, a break-heavy, broken beat jam full of twists and turns, dedicated to Phlash – Mark’s mentor and dear friend, the late great Phil Asher. “Sorceress” is dedicated to the legend Chick Corea, a reworking of his Return to Forever classic by the same name. Featuring Mark’s lithe rhodes and piano lines, it’s perfect for the jazz-minded dancefloor. Side B kicks off with the downtempo head-nod of “Float into ETHer” before taking things back up-tempo again with “Joyful Resistance Part II” – a latin jazz-flavored 3/4-time broken beat samba keeping our spirits high in these unpredictable times. An EP packed full of future classics from one of the masters of the game.

GOLD, the follow-up to Alabaster DePlume's widely-acclaimed, 2020-released cinematic instrumental LP To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1, introduces the world to the artist’s truest self.

21-year-old New Zealand musician Arjuna Oakes's debut EP,
The Watcher, is a showcase of his ability as a singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and producer, and a testament to his depth of engagement with music. The first two tracks on the EP fit neatly
within the jazz-infused soul music landscape he is quickly becoming part of, but the latter half of the EP is far harder to categorise.

Featuring instrumentation from some of New Zealand’s most exciting young jazz musicians, The Watcher explores a wide variety of themes and musical ideas, with Arjuna’s charismatic soul vocals and robust sonic palette serving as a connective thread. From big social issues to personal relationships and internal self-discoveries, across The Watcher, Arjuna takes his cue from the title track and exploration of mass surveillance, and it’s relevance within our everyday lives.

This watcher theme continues throughout the rest of the EP, with the stories told rendered as if being observed by an outside force. Decorated by cinematic soundscapes, hypnotic grooves, creative improvisation and catchy melodies, Arjuna's debut is a test palette for his future projects, one that makes his enthusiasm to develop and explore themes and style in song abundantly clear.

Essential South African jazz, funk and soul - An anthology dedicated to the legendary Black Disco ensemble. Distilling the group’s recorded output into a single commemorative document, Discovery 1975-1976 compiles cuts from the lauded Night Express album alongside rare gems from the group’s long-out-of-print first and third albums. The newly remastered selection features previously unissued single versions of the mighty “Night Express” itself, a funk juggernaut with piercing flute whistles and rapturous sax cries as well as “Dawn” from the album Black Disco 3, a trippy, flute-driven awakening of soft light and gentle colours.

With a Yamaha organ and a dream, Pops Mohamed started his musical journey in the mid-1970s as the bandleader and composer of Black Disco, creating a hip melange of chill-out jazz with futuristic drum machine sounds and spiritual overtones. His cosmic organ transmissions were accompanied by two of the most sought-after session players on the South African scene, the sax and flute wizard Basil Coetzee, who had risen to fame in 1974 as one of the soloists on the hit “Mannenberg,” and Sipho Gumede, the young bass prodigy who was already rubbing shoulders with the old guard at the outset of his career. Backed at first with polyphonic beats from Mohamed’s electric organ and later taking on a drummer, Black Disco created a signature sound and a trilogy of innovative albums in a burst of studio creativity between 1975 and 1976.

On the heels of their epic various artists compilation, As-Shams Archive have produced a doozy of a compilation of some very essential South African jazz.

A bit of blues here, a bit of rock there, and maybe even a little jazzy improvization, with numerous inspirations from the folk music of various cultures, and the never absent, albeit not always conscious Turkish modes and vaguely reminisced melodies.

A songwriter accompanied by a team of marvellous musicians who left an important imprint on the Turkish music scene since the 80s.

Bülent Somay, an academic, writer, translator, political activist, educator and musician, is a former member of the Turkish Jazz-rock-fusion group Mozaik. He rolls up his sleeves and dusts off some old songs that were never published before with 'a little help from his friends'.

On “Dizzy Strange Summer”, Genevieve Artadi offers a window into her ad-lib creativity and the LA community where it’s been nurtured. This is the vocalist, composer and producer’s second solo album, and it sees her stake out her own ground outside of her other groups KNOWER, Expensive Magnets and Everything’s Under Control.

She brings her own slant to the DIY LA scene that she’s grown up in, melding influences from jazz, psychedelia, bossa nova and avant-garde electronics. “Dizzy Strange Summer” marks not only Artadi’s debut on Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder imprint, but her first self-produced project released on any record label.

An impulsive spirit underwrites every part of the album, something reflected in the energy Genevieve devotes to create the videos to accompany them. It’s an honest, unmediated reflection of the period in which she created the music, supported by a close circle of like-minded musical friends including - but not limited to - Louis Cole (Brainfeeder), Sam Wilkes (Leaving Records), Henry Halliwell, Daniel Sunshine, Adam Weissman (Pollyn / Real Bad Man), Ruslan Sirota, Ross Garren, David Binney and Jacob Mann — each of whom she tapped up to add their flavour to songs where she felt their styles or talents aligned. Most tracks would begin life on her laptop, be sent to a friend for them to add their spin to it, before coming back to Artadi to be elevated to their final form. Reflecting on what drives her to create, she says: “Sometimes I just really get that burning feeling to make something and get it out there.” Above all, this is an album that speaks to that drive: to create something and share it with people.

The album was written in a time of upheaval, something reflected in both the lyrics and the sound of the record. “I was pretty lost… but enjoying feeling lost,” Artadi says. Drawing inspiration from the tumult around her and she relished the opportunity to express herself uninhibited by the shackles of compromise associated with collaboration. Crucially, this often means a silly, playful side being played off against a serious one; but she doesn’t think the former
undercuts the latter, seeing the two as vital shared ingredients to what she does. “I don’t feel like I would be giving an honest picture if I didn’t do both,” she says.

‘Dizzy Strange Summer” revels in juxtapositions, unleashing high energy assaults at full tilt before giving way to soft-focus melancholia, allowing Genevieve to show off the full spectrum of her vocal prowess. On the first single ‘Living Like I Know I’m Gonna Die’ for example, her delivery is beautifully understated and airy: “Living like the future is a guess, living like I’m smaller than a speck”. “I sing it softly ‘cos it’s an internal proclamation... a message to myself,” she
explains. She displays this vulnerability on ‘All I Want For Now’, ‘Before The Dark’ and ‘Will You Tell Me’ too - the later a stunning duet with harp. Elsewhere, on ’Godzillaaaa’ for example, her delivery is informed by ESG and Talking Heads, stomping past on a stark riddim in a whirlwind of distorted percussion and synths

140g crystal clear vinyl LP in an artworked inner sleeve housed in a 3mm spined outer sleeve. Artwork by Genevieve Artadi. Includes MP3 download code

Composer/saxophonist Kenny Garrett emerged as a distinctive voice on the national scene in 1978 with an undisputed aptitude for emotive melodic phrasing that led him to collaborations with Woody Shaw,
Freddie Hubbard, Art Blakey and Miles Davis.
With Sounds from the Ancestors, Garrett remembers the spirit of the sounds of African ancestors from church services, recited prayers, songs from the work fields, Yoruban chants and African drums, alongside tributes to Roy Hargrove and two drum pioneers - Art Blakey and Tony Allen - who all looked into the past
to influence the future sound and evolution of jazz.

Having released his debut album Around The Corner in 2018, as well as a critically acclaimed LP in collaboration with Los Angeles-based musician Tristan de Liège two years later, Keno aka David Hanke's latest opus, Out Past The Current, brings together not only some of his finest remixes from the past four years but also a handful of new and exclusive works.

Once again Hanke's love for more downtempo styles is on show - a passion that has immersed the producer into the electronic music scene since the early 2000s. Developing his own style over the last few years with lush instrumentations, more complex songwriting and distinctive drum programming, his songs and remixes ease the mind with echoes from the past.

Originally out on CD, this mix was for a free compilation for a clothes trademark, this is finally out on vinyl:) Boots Groove:)

Neroli starts a new series of one offs releases within its own catalogue, with a seven inch double a-sider from Nicola Kramer. The urge to finally put on wax these beautiful songs produced by Domu in 2008 was the sparkle that brought Volcov to create this Neroli From The Archive series references to his old label Archive and the From the Archive radio shows and compilations are pretty clear. Nicola Kramer was the phenomenal voice behind many Domu, Rima, Bakura songs with appareances also on Jazzanova and Chateu Flight releases. But especially on her only solo album The Other Side, from which these two songs are taken, she shines immensely with her unique ghostly soulful tones.

Nils Petter Molvær is one of the most prominent performers within an electroacoustic jazz hybrid that has, since the 1990s, become a genre all of its own. In this domain, sometimes referred to as ‘future jazz’ or ‘nu jazz’, the Norwegian composer is both a pioneer and a veteran having been one of the first jazz musicians to embrace the new digital and electronica tendencies at the turn of the century. With his signature sound that brings together poignant trumpet and dynamic electronic soundscapes, Molvær has achieved heavyweight status for showing a path forward for the genre in a new age, a path which, faithful to jazz’ past, remains cool all the way. His newest release, Stitches, is no different. Unafraid to explore new sounds and emotions, Molvær once again shows us that not only jazz has a future, but one that is both bright and exciting.

Beyond trumpeter and composer, Molvær is also a seasoned bandleader with an aptitude for choosing the finest musicians to make up his many musical teams, and providing them with just the right mix of framework and flexibility that enhances each of their individual skills as well as the project’s overall vision. For Stitches the trumpeter collaborates with drummer Erland Dahlen, bassist Jo Berger Myhre and guitarist Johan Lindstrøm, first in-person at Ocean Sound Recordings on the island of Giske, in his native Norway, and later, when the pandemic broke out, the conversations and musical exchanges had to be transposed online. Despite the sudden shift in their mode of interaction, the material on Stitches suffered no harm with spontaneity and fluidity continuing to be at the heart of the compositions – such is the four musician’s musical intimacy and synergy. Stitches was later sewn together and mixed by Jon Marius Aareskjold and Molvær himself at Kysten Studio in Tromsø.

Dahlen, Myhre and Lindstrøm were given full artistic freedom by Molvær when it came to adding their particular and special imprint on the tracks. The result is a breathtaking journey that spans different moods and inspires reflection, meditation and deep insights. From the poetic and tender Median via the dramatic A Sudden Rash to the three extremely powerful pieces taken from Frameworks – Molvær's commissioned work for the 2021 Kongsberg Jazz Festival – the album showcases the trumpeter's distinct musical language that constantly innovates while keeping the fragility of the trumpet at the heart of every movement. It’s exactly this fine balance between pure tenderness and avant-garde sensibilities that has made Molvær’s sound known and appreciated by listeners worldwide. Despite the album’s darker moments, with track title’s that reference disorder and disease, Stitches comes across as a cathartic experience, a necessary journey that provides both listener and composer with a sense of cleansing and renewal. Stitches’ closing track, a heartwarming version of Radiohead's True Love Waits, feels both hopeful and prophetic – after turbulent times, the wounds will heal.

Founded by the pianist Robin Notte (from the former electro-jazz band WISE) Panam Panic is one of the best Jazz-Groove french band. Influenced by Musician like Yussef Dayes, Robert Glasper, Roy Hargrove or Christian Scott, Panam Panic mix up Jazz with groove, Hip hop and electronic textures. The Black Monk is their first vinyl album.
Robin Notte's gamble is to create a Jazz which is sufficiently sophisticated to delight the most demanding experts, yet also accessible enough to initiate neophytes.
As such, Panam Panic defends a resolutely actual Jazz, open with no borders or blinders, combining powerful organic grooves with tidy melodies, delicate harmonies and frenzied solos.

For 1971’s Black Unity, Pharaoh Sanders added groove to foundation of spiritual and free jazz he had explored on his previous Impulse! albums. The result is a piercing and emotive 37-minute rhythm-driven title track exploration of African, Latin, aborigine and Native American sounds.

This Verve By Request title is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Third Man in Detroit.

"Sun Khosi" is a tribute to Tender's father who spent many years in Nepal working as a Gurkha Officer. The name is taken from one of the most famous rivers in Nepal, which runs through the Himalayas. It translates to "River of Gold" and is an appropriate title for this uplifting, feel-good summertime tune. It's also Tender's first composition and recording to feature him playing the alto flute, which has a deeper, more mellow tone compared to the usual concert flute that he plays.

The B-side "Chrysalis" composed by keys and synth bass maestro Aidan Shepherd, is inspired by the playing of pianist and British jazz legend John Taylor, who had something of an obsession with music in 3/4 time. 'Chrysalis' breaks into two distinct parts; kicking off with with Ruby Ruston's signature tight, snappy melodies and driving
groove, then reversing back into the bands carefree 'Two for Joy' sound of 2015, when the bass is given a rare chance to come to the forefront by joining the flute and trumpet melody. Herbie Hancock's classic track "Butterfly" has become a staple in the bands set, so the snappy melodies and driving groove of "Chrysalis" represent the
restless energy of the butterfly about to emerge from its chrysalis.

These two new tracks are taken from the bands forthcoming album, their fifth in 5 years, due for release in November on 22a.

Funkamental is a label of new releases and first-time-on-wax reissues curated by Funkamente, also behind the Edits Estrela and Lisbon's East Side Radio.

When a record collection starts to grow, some blind spots become very noticeable: records too hard to find, upcoming artists with music so good it deserves a nice record or old releases that have never been
pressed to vinyl. Yet.

That's how Funkamental was born: out of the desire – should we say "the need"? – to have a specific release on vinyl. How specific? Anything that'd fit in our bag.

The first Funkamental release is Sonic Fiction, the only album by Spaceboys, initially released on CD back in 2003 described as an interplanetary never-ending jam session between Sun Ra and Fela Kuti, materialized by the hands of Francisco Rebelo, João Gomes and Tiago Santos who first assembled as Cool Hipnoise in 1995 a prolific band recording a string of albums, singles and EPs revolving around Funk, Acid Jazz, Jazz Funk and Dub for the best part of ten years

Spirale were an Italian quintet from Rome, consisting of Gaetano Delfini (wind instruments, vocals, percussion), Giancarlo Maurino (saxophone, flute, percussion), Corrado Nofri (piano, marimba, mbira, siren, Jew’s harp), Giuseppe Caporello (contrabass, guitar, percussion) and Giampaolo Ascolese (drums) who released a single eponymous album in 1974. This is a release known mostly by Italian progressive rock lovers, since its sound can be easily associated
to the jazz-rock delivered by the way more popular Napoli Centrale and Perigeo - but also to the ‘fundamentals’ Dedalus, Arti & Mestieri, Uno, or even the lesser known Bauhaus for instance. But playing this
kind of music and trying to release an album in the first half of the ’70s in Italy was also incredibly hard and courageous: Spirale, in fact, was one of the many bands that lived a very short life, before splitting up and disappear forever. Spirale was originally released on the International King record label, thanks to Mario Schiano, a free-jazz
saxophonist who discovered the band, and producer Toni Cosenza, who included the album in the ‘King JazzLine’ series. Consisting of just four tracks, most of which taken by the 13-minute long “Cabral, Anno 1” and the marvellous 17-minute “Peperoncino (Cose vecchie, cose nuove)”, Spirale is an incredibly balanced and flowing record that sounds still fresh and inspired even today, and it’s a shame that it has remained hidden and overlooked for such a long time. Moreover, it is characterized by that undescribable and particular Mediterranean flavour that only Italian musicians were able to obtain. This beautiful album is of course immensely rare in its original edition, and is now finally reissued on Dialogo record label in a faithful restored version that will finally satisfy any collectors who have waited for
years for this beauty to see the light again!

Steve Lacy (July 23, 1934 – June 4, 2004) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer recognized as one of the important players of soprano saxophone. Lacy worked extensively in experimental jazz and to a lesser extent in free improvisation, but his music was typically melodic and tightly-structured. Lacy also became a highly distinctive composer, with compositions often built out of little more than a single questioning phrase, repeated several times. In 1977 he released a one-off record titled "Straws" for the Italian Cramps Records label, as the 6th volume of the DIVerso series (which included, among others, Demetrio Stratos' solo albums) dedicated to contemporary avant-garde composers. "Straws" is now made available again on Dialogo in a faithful reproduction of the original gatefold cover artwork and inner sleeve.

Studio One Records is excited to announce the release of their new boxset, the Studio One U.K Red series! Featuring 16 classic tracks from artists such as Ken Boothe, The Heptones, and Ernest Ranglin, this collection is a must-have for any music lover. Get your copy now and experience the sounds of Studio One Records!

Deviation Records is pleased to present you their latest and exiting collaboration with the Mieruba Label Team.
The Super Biton has existed since the 60s, like Ségou, its orchestra, the Super Biton has always remained behind what was done in Bamako and in the big cities of Africa. The Ségou orchestra developed and incorporated amplified instruments that mingle with brass, in particular electric guitars, symbols of modernity at the time. It opens up to Cuban music, and congas and bongos complement the sound of the orchestra. The group drew a unique sound from it, a perfect balance between tradition and the modern. There are about fifteen artits on stage, singers, guitarists drummer and percussionists. The Super Biton has for years been the best known and most sought-after orchestra of Mali outsid the country's borders, the Super Biton transcends the only Bambara heritage with its repertoire. Ségou is crossroads between Bambara, Fulani, Mandingo and Somono cultures and Biton has drawn on all these traditions to creat a repertoire extremely rich in rhythms and words. Some musicians completed their training in Cuba. They play "bambara jazz", incorporating a lot of
brass instruments such as saxophone, trumpet, clarinet. The compositions are modern and sophisticated.
Mieruba Art Center is a place dedicated to the transmission and safeguarding of Malian musical heritage through musical exchange between the older and newer generation - Artist residences, music lessons, rehearsals, Workshops, Masterclasses - and so on. Just as happy former musicians of Mali, the members of Super Biton give lessons on site. It is also the office of the Mieruba-ML label in the same place where Deviation Records is collaboration for the second time on the album - After the « Lost Maestros Collection » - with the
support of La Manufacture de Vinyles. Phil of Deviation Records tells: "I am very enthusiastic at the idea of offering you these two volumes of the History of the Super Biton of Ségou, Clique of Super Heroes of sound,
a source of inspiration for generations of musicians, DJs and also griots and storytellers of great renown! This double LP compiles the first Chapter of the rich Afro-Jazz-Folk Collection whose tapes have been remastered by Monsieur Jonin and cut at the MB Mastering Studio in Aubervilliers .The gatefold artwork is conceived by
Ewwanuelle Collage and formatted by Bertrand Tondeur, Graphic designer of Les Mouches. All that’sleft to say is that i hope that you enjoy listening to the final result !"

Raised on the salted air and pebbled beaches amidst the faded seaside opulence of Brighton, Tigers & Flies spent much of their formative years building a friendship forged on a diet of the melodies and rhythms to be found deep within their parents’ wildly eclectic record collections. A worthy and noble pursuit for anyone, from those wonderfully endless hours, those bottomless cups of tea great ideas can flourish. Tigers and Flies are a great and flourishing idea.

From the bounce and sunny optimism of Orange Juice to the brutalist edge of Gang of Four. From XTC to Bacharach. Each listen offers more. A harmony appears where you’re convinced there wasn’t one before, or a rhythmic change you hadn’t noticed. A lyrical twist. Harmonies that seem to float in through an open window.

"As Purple is to Lavender..."

With our Africa Airways series flying high we felt it is time to introduce a new compilation focusing on the unique contribution from some of Africa's most recognised female artists and some lesser known ones for good measure. We are excited to be launching this on Women's Day 2018 as our way to highlight the incredible, yet under-acknowledged musical contribution that African women have given to the funky sounds of Africa. Taking our cue from the Alice Walker essay "In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens", the creative sparks that inspired this collection of songs were formed in their Mothers' Gardens by Mothers who paved the way for their daughters to keep the creativity of black women alive through their strength and resilience. Whilst we have a bit more of a message with this one, we wouldn't be Africa Seven if it wasn't damn funky at the same time!

We kick things off with the infectious sound of South-African Letta Mbulu. Letta started her career playing alongside fellow heavyweights Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela as cast members of King Kong in the 1950's and has since gone on to become one of the most influential south-African artists, even featuring on Michael Jackson songs, as well as being recognised for her contribution both musically and to that of the country's liberation struggles. With a crate-digger, secret weapon version of her classic Kilimanjiro single, "Kilimanjiro, Take Us Higher" is longer and has all the disco groove and delight you need and desire from such a star.

Uta Bella takes over from Letta, with a powerful Africa Seven return. "Enyin" is a glamorous disco scorcher heightened by glittering keys and irresistible West African vocals. One of Nigeria's unsung pioneers, and first female pop bandleader, Mona Finnih continues the flow with an effortless boogie number "Ani Kewa Jo" which just keeps on giving for nearly 7 glorious minutes. This devastating 80's number "Nou Ke Sa Inmew" from Cida Desvarieux follows up Uta and is dealt in two halves. Firstly a hit of beautiful vocals and slap bass controls the floor before handing over to the powerful guitar riffs and horns which groove out for the rest of this number. Wrapping up the first side with a classy reggae inspired number "Time Waits For No One" is Christy Essien, the grand dame of Nigerian pop, who was never far away from the issues affecting women in the Nigerian music industry.

Side two, enter Togolese singer Akofa Akoussah causing a storm with "Tango", delicate at times yet with a ferocious, unforgiving energy. Next a more obscure offering from Carmen Ezumah with vintage afro goodness in the form of "Tala Tala". Moving on, we have the Nigerian Lijadu sisters (dubbed "the West African Pointer Sisters") with one of their most notable hits "Danger". Our penultimate offering is another dose of obscurity, sandwiched between two greats, with Kenyan Bakambi N'Kela's uncompromising "Kilimanjoro".

Mothers' Garden finishes the way we started. With another one of Africa's leading ladies and music royalty, Miriam Makeba. Nicknamed Mother Africa, Miriam is famed for her huge musical contributions, her role in fighting the apartheid and for becoming a UN Ambassador. "Xica Da Silva" is a cover of Jorge Ben and the slow, hypnotic rhythm allows for the power of Miriam's voice to shine through.

A high quality selection of little known and underrated Soul, AOR and anything in between!

As a spare time dj and only one of the many thousands of record collectors on this planet (but avowedly one of the not so many from Austria) it's a wonderful feeling to share some of my personal favourite songs with fellow music lovers from around the world. I don't wanna bore the pants off anyone out there as the music clearly speaks for itself. But then I think that I should shine some light on particular songs of my choice selection.

The twelve tracks on this album display a wide range of genres with some being difficult to categorize. Call it whatever you feel describes it best. I would say it is authentic music with a whole lot of soul. A fact which should be mentioned (and which makes me proud to be honest) is that many of the songs have not found its way onto a compilation album yet. Rarity was not the prime reason though, however some of the original records do not turn up often and thus might be considered 'rare'. During the last couple of months I have had listened to this selection at least a hundred times. For some reason I am still not tired of it and this is what I hope for you to experience too.

Roman Bloecker – December 2021

Don Cherry, Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden und Ed Blackwell verbündeten sich ursprünglich, um das Werk ihres Mentors Ornette Coleman zu würdigen, aber das Repertoire ihres Quartetts Old and New Dreams entwickelte sich bald zu einem Projekt von viel größerer Tragweite, das auch die musikalischen Erfahrungen einbezog, die die Spieler auf ihren Reisen rund um die Welt gemacht hatten. Neben einzigartigen Versionen von Ornettes ”Lonely Woman” und ”Open or Close” umfasst dieses einflussreiche, heute als Klassiker geltende Album von afrikanischer Musik inspirierte Stücke von Cherry und Blackwell, Redmans rätselhaftes ”Orbit of La-Ba” und Hadens impressionistisches ”Song for the Whales”. Das Album wurde im August 1979 in Oslo aufgenommen und von Manfred Eicher produziert. Die Vinyl-Neuauflage der Luminessence Serie enthält einen neuen Begleittext, der historischen Kontext und Hintergrundinformationen liefert.

180g Vinyl LP Reissue featuring All-Analog Mastering from the Original Tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio Plus Eight Collectible Baseball Cards!

Craft Recordings presents a 180g vinyl LP reissue of the Peanuts classic, A Boy Named Charlie Brown! The album, recorded by the seminal Vince Guaraldi Trio, has been newly remastered from the original analogue tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio. Recorded in 1964, the music of A Boy Named Charlie Brown contains Guaraldi's earliest Peanuts creations, including the first appearance of "Charlie Brown's Theme" and "Linus and Lucy," which became the defining song of all the early TV specials.



The album was an instant success upon release, thanks to such memorable tracks as the lilting "Oh, Good Grief," the reflective "Happiness Is," and the buoyant "Frieda (With the Naturally Curly Hair)." The reissue also includes a special bonus: eight collectible baseball cards that showcase Charlie Brown's team of misfits: Snoopy, Woodstock, Peppermint Patty, Linus and Lucy Van Pelt, Franklin Armstrong, Schroeder, and, of course, manager and pitcher, Charlie Brown. On the back of the cards are key stats for each player, including their field position and favourite sandwich.

Following the reissue of his cult album "Ti jan pou vélo", HS decided to continue their collaboration with Edmony Krater and record a new album! The first one in 30 years! Comes with Insert.
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As an avant-gardist percussionist, singer and trumpet player, Edmony Krater has always worked to develop and promote the gwoka music of Guadeloupe and to feed it with different influences, from jazz to reggae.

Recorded in 1966, Fats Sadi’s ‘Ensadinado’ was his second recording as leader, his first album had been an early Blue Note 10”. Essentially comprising the Clarke-Boland rhythm section, with Sadi on vibes, Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums, this 45 features the two standout tracks from this rare SABA LP, which remains unissued on vinyl since its release in 1966. ‘Ensadinado’ finds the quartet playing a latin oriented title penned by Jimmy Woode. Boland’s ‘Night Lady’, a standard for the band and the highlight from this collectable album, has a hard, swinging percussive groove driven by the irrepressible pulse of Kenny Clarke.

Although considered to be the greatest jazz singer the world has ever known, Mark Murphy remained underground with a cult status. Perhaps the pinnacle of his recording career was Midnight Mood released by SABA in 1968, aligning his unique vocal skills with the Clarke-Boland Octet. With the arrangements of Francy Boland, Kenny Clarke playing offbeats and between-beats, and individualists like Sahib Shihab and Ake Persson, the backing on this date provided a unique dialogue for Murphy. After the latin touch of Jimmy Woode’s ‘Sconsolato’, the mood switches on side 2’s ‘Just Give Me Time’ – a hot, uptempo jazzy bossa dancer, with a rich sound and room-filling low end on this all-analogue 45.

Another highly collectable Nathan Davis release on SABA, also recorded in 1965, ‘Happy Girl’ has remained unissued on vinyl since the 1960s. The date gathers together another top drawer line-up, with Woody Shaw on Trumpet and Larry Young, the Coltrane of the organ, uniquely found on piano for this session. Jimmy Woode again supports on bass, with a furious Billy Brooks on drums. ‘Theme From Zoltan’, a fierce modal original by Shaw, was recorded by Young the following year on his classic Blue Note album ‘Unity’. Side 2 maintains the unstoppable tempo with ‘Mister E’, penned by Davis, featuring blistering solos by Davis, Shaw and Young.