Pop & Rock Новости

in 2017 Qur’an met Los Angeles producer and keyboardist Jesse Justice. The two clicked and got to work quickly. This freshman release from Qur’an is a culmination of personal growth and discovery, almost three years in the making. Throughout, they explore their own musical limits by pushing themselves and each other, resulting in a unique, honest project. The musicians who appear on this album are young and incredibly talented artists from LA including: Mekala Session, Devin Daniels, Aaron & Lawrence Shaw (Black Nile) and more.

Music for the healing inspired by the Tarot, fucking up, and learning. Written and recorded by friends who love each other very much.

Side A.
Re Mastered and Re 1967 -You Don't have to worry
Lost classic , sampled by so many.. 50cent, Common, Wu Tang , Royce 5'9
Such killer vocals right out of the gate. If you are not familiar with this song its gonna flip your wig!!! Must Have !!!

Side B. Bohannon - 1973 Save Their souls Remastered Re edited
Sampled by Jay z, Large Professor, Musiq Soul child, Craig Mack, Jay Dilla ,
Primo, Pete Rock..
Funk-filled tune timeless classic..

This all-time classic record brought to you by the master of modern blues, Magic Sam, will receive its first analogue repress in over ten years through P-VINE records.

Repress!

Turkish Disco Folk Moog Edits,
Edited & Remastered by Arsivplak (2012 ~ 2014). All rights reserved.

Zelienople frontman Matt Christensen returns to Miasmah with Constant Green - a record of reverberant country inspired songs that puts the weight somewhere between Johnny Cash and Slowdive. Matt pours out his soul through flashes of life - small and large. His voice roaming over the guitars in a way which feels like a floating poetic deluge.

Appearing fresh from last years Zelienople album Hold You Up, Matt has made a very personal record that arrives as perfectly as it could be. It is full of beautiful sparse moments that capture the feeling of time standing still while simultaneously flashing in front of your eyes. As a child of the 70ies, growing up with country influenced AM rock on the radio, riding around in cars without seatbelts, Matt creates this nostalgic feeling of free riding through the city streets at dusk : a dream world where one can see green as a symbol for humanity and optimism. Not to say the album doesn't have it's share of darkness. Christensen always lingers deep in melancholy, driving his fears and anxieties out through music.

Visions of being able to move anywhere, picking his mother up from jail, family matters, change, the small things in life - all outtakes from what he sings about. Although it's hard to pick up on unless you really listen, as his ramblings can at one moment be fully clear while in the next drowned or muffled - becoming a mere meditative element to the music. Steady collaborators Brian Harding and Eric Eleazer from Zelienople accompanies on pedal steel and keys to further fill the sound into a warm dream, following in the footsteps of Matt ́s previous Miasmah album Honeymoons (2016). That said, while Honeymoons used drum machines and vast open spaces, Constant Green is another step closer towards the classic singer-songwriter folklore. Timeless gold from an artist that never stops creating.

I Be Trying might be the title of the new record from two-time GRAMMY nominee Cedric Burnside, but it's also a mission statement in an era when plenty of us have discovered what "the blues" really means. Recorded over three days at Royal Studios in Memphis (the home studio of Al Green and Hi Records in the 60s and 70s), this album is the ultimate statement of purpose for a critically acclaimed artist who has proudly carried the mantle of Mississippi Hill Country blues around the world. Over thirteen tracks, Burnside delivers his bruised but unfettered truth over blistering guitar and deep pocket drums-a sound birthed in his soul but developed and perfected on the road. But no matter how far he travels, the righteous sound he makes could only come from one place. I Be Trying is the sound of modern Mississippi. Produced by second-generation Memphis soul trailblazer Boo Mitchell ("Uptown Funk") and featuring guest appearances from Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars) and Zac Cockrell (Brittany Howard), I Be Trying takes the sound that Burnside learned from his grandfather, blues legend R.L. Burnside, and reinterprets it into a modern, bold Black American sound that expands the sonic landscape while respecting and honoring its roots.

Freshly started label blickwinkel (Dauw sister label) announces the release "Balts" by Schreel Van De Velde. It’s the first outing of the duo Lucas Schreel and Casper Van De Velde under this new moniker and can be seen as the follow-up album of Schreel's acclaimed debut album which was released last year.

As the album titles suggest, love in all its glory formed a major inspiration in the making of this album. The duo, however, didn’t restrain themselves to a sole conceptualization of this theme but instead explored it more widely and free. The result is a consistent collection of compositions reflecting on human encounters, relationships, sexuality and more. It’s love and broken love. It’s attraction and repulsion.

With Balts, the duo created a set of animal miniatures evoking feelings of melancholy while also joy and happiness have their place. Given the instrumental nature of the songs, the music remains kind of mythical and never really shows its true meaning. As such, these little miniatures form the duo’s own unique wildlife and is open for the listeners interpretation and own narrative. Dolfijn is the first single from the album and will be released on all digital platforms alongside a video by Jelle Martens.

Lucas Schreel is a classically trained guitarist based in Brussels. His first solo album We're Never Afraid of Getting Up Every Morning was released through Sentimental Records in 2020 and was well-received both in written-press (Humo, Enola & Indiestyle) and radio (Duyster, Radio 1 & Klara). Besides his solo work, Schreel is also a member of the lo-fi indierockband Kloothommel.
Acclaimed Brussels percussionist Casper Van De Velde made quite a name for himself through his bands like SCHNTZL, Bombataz, Donder among others. His work received prices at International Jazz Contest d’Avignon and Storm! Contest (Jazzlab). Casper is currently also a member of the recently formed An Pierlé Quartet.

Blickwinkel is a freshly born label based in Ghent and Brussels. It’s founded by Pieter Dudal (Dauw) and visual artist Jelle Martens (Nicolas Jaar, Vinyl on Demand, W.E.R.F.). After working in the music scene separately for almost a decade, they found common ground in both their admiration for sound, image and especially its dialogue. Unfettered by place or genre.

Breites Lächeln, Unmengen von Charisma, Talent ohne Ende und sehr klug: Jon Batiste Der Instrumentalist,
Sänger, Tänzer und Künstler Batiste ist Bandleader in der Show von Stephen Colbert, Aktivist in der BlackLive-Matters-Bewegung, Julliard-Absolvent und nicht zuletzt Sprössling einer Musiker-Dynastie aus New Orleans. Vater, Onkel und allein 30 seiner Cousins sind Musiker. Seine Wurzeln liegen im Jazz, aber sein
jugendliches Temperament vereinigt diesen mit R&B, Soul, Rap und überhaupt allem, das in kulturellen Kontext mit seinem künstlerischen Ursprung steht. Heraus kommt ein bewegendes Album, mit er nun auch
in Europa für Aufsehen sorgen wird.

Previously unreleased DIY homemade psychedelia, teenbeat and fuzz-psych/prog by this amazing Swedish band, 1965-1971!!

Tracks like Third Image' or Look at the stars' are an incredible find for anyone into US garage-psych (they wouldn't sound out of place on any Pebbles or Psychedelic Unknowns volume!) and others like Flicka', Stolta Vingar' or Mittuppslag' are top notch '70s fuzzed out Scandinavian psych/prog. We can't believe that such fabulous stuff has remained hidden in a carboard box until now.

Formed in the industrial town of Norrköping in the mid '60s, Cymbeline (also known as Motala Ström and W&J) only released a 45 in 1971 before breaking up. But during their existence, the band recorded a lot of stuff, included here for the first time along with their rare 45.

Cymbeline was basically two guys, Michael Journath and Anders Weyde, who met in 1965 while they both played in beat bands. They started recording songs at Anders little home studio with help with some friends and that's how songs like Imagination' and Look at the stars', amazing examples of homemade teen-beat, were born. At the same time, Michael and Anders were feeling a bit tired of playing cover versions with their beat bands so decided to start recording more experimental stuff, using armchairs and furniture as percussion, sounds from seagulls and birds, an electric cocktail mixer, improvising lyrics...these incredible experiments were recorded as Images', including the killer garage-psych sounding Third Image'.

As the years passed by, the home studio improved and new songs were recorded in a more psych-prog vein, some of them included here. They also played a few live gigs with some help from other local musicians. In 1970, Ulf Ryberg joined the group and soon after a 45 was released containing his song New York'. The flip side was Sixth Image', originally one of the Images' but rearranged and re-recorded.

In 1971, demos for an LP where recorded at Europafilm Studios in Stockholm. Two fantastic songs are included here and the sound is different from the earlier recordings - closer to the groups live performances.

So, 40 years later, here's the LP that Cymbeline always dreamed of.


*Remastered sound

*Insert with photos and liner notes by band member Michael Journath

*LP includes digital download card

Lee 'Scratch' Perry's Black Ark Studio opened its doors in 1974. Situated in his backyard at 5 Washington Gardens, Kingston, Jamaica. Using only basic
equipment, a Teac Four-Track Recorder, a Sound craft mixing desk, an Echoplex delay unit and later adding a Phaser effects unit that he used in conjunction with his Roland RE201 Space Echo. He managed mixing down the tracks from Four track to Two track to make his distinctive whirling sound that sets apart the Black Ark Sound from the other Jamaican Studios.

Born Rainford Hugh Perry, 28 March 1936, Hanover, Jamaica. He began his career at the grand age of 16, working for Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd’s sound
system, rising quickly to the position of record scout and organising recording sessions during his 3-year period 1963-1966. Restlessness and unsatisfied with credit he felt due to him he moved on to work with Producers J.J. Johnson and Clancy Eccles, the latter of which would help him set up his ‘Upsetter’ label in 1968, which would see his first of many recordings telling the injustices done to him by previous employers. ‘The Upsetter’ track itself pointed at Mr Dodd but reflected to Perry when he inherited it as a nick name alongside many others during the course of his career, including ‘Scratch’, again taken from one of his recordings ‘Chicken Scratch’ recorded in 1965/1966. Perrys work in 1968 with producer Joe Gibbs was fruitful and resulted in many successful releases, but again feeling a lack of credit and itchy feet, it was time to move on. Still not having a studio of his own, Perry recorded at the various Kingston establishments at the time, Randy’s Studio 17 on North Parade, Dynamics on Bell Road and Harry J’s on Roosevelt Avenue where the bulk of the aforementioned recordings with The Wailers were carried out. His dream was always to build his own studio and not to have to work to the constraints of the other studios and producers.

On opening the Black Ark studios, the hits seemed to come immediately. Firstly with Junior Byles' 'Curly Locks' and in 1975 the massive crossover hit Susan Cadogans' 'Hurt So Good' that reached No 4 in the UK charts.1976 saw Island Records releasing Perrys vast output, timeless material like the Heptones 'Party Time', Max Romeo's 'War Inna Babylon' Bob Marley and the Wailers 'Jah Live', 'Punky Reggae Party' and Junior Murvins 'Police and Thieves' to name but a few.But sometimes missing out on a few classics like Perrys own 'Roast Fish, Collie Weed & Corn Bread' and possibly one of the best reggae albums of all time The Congos 'Heart of the Congos'. Dub releases like 'Revolution Dub' (1975) showed a way forward for his production skills in this formidable arena. Having his own studio allowed him to build up a vast catalogue of tracks to work on. We have culled together some lost productions that Lee Perry carried out with singer Mike Brookes, a fine singer, arranger from that special time in the Black Arks history. Sounding like Junior Marvin in parts and Max Romeo in others but still carrying a distinctive Falsetto voice. Some classic tracks as you can see recorded with the cream of musicians at Lee Perrys disposal. Mr Perry works his magic that gives these songs that distinctive feel that his output.
carried around the mid 1970's.

So we hope you enjoy some more lost treasures from the Black Ark that we feel should be added to that mighty cannon of material that still sound so fresh and strong today.

Great double sided blues shouter and rare on original press

Get ready for two brand-spanking new chapters in Perfect Toy's high octane, Down & Wired series of garage-mod-soul nuggets because the label has once again persuaded the man responsible for Volumes 1 and 2 - crate digger par excellence 'Chan The Man' - to unearth even more gems from his record collection!

The goodness kicks off with The Revival's virtually unknown, but irresistible, blues-funk head nodder I Chose To Sing The Blues followed by Take 5+2's stank slice of fuzz-heavy rnb, Motherless Child, originally (not to mention bizarrely) released on an EP handed out as a election promo giveaway for a man who later became mayor of Bonn - Hans Daniels of Germany's Conservative party, the CDU. Elsewhere, Heather Black delivers a blisteringly fast version of Third Avenue Blues Band's Come And Get It while The Turks provide an equally scorching take on Hendrix's Fire. The covers (and the treats) continue with teenage band The Aftermath's heavy take on Junior Wells' Messing With The Kid and Hunger's Brian Auger-ish Mind Machine. Elsewhere, Pump as well as the Sancho Brothers deliver two solid freaked-out instrumentals.

This is a super-hot collection of vintage rarities (accompanied by detailed liner notes and never-before-seen photos of the artists!) imbued with all the glorious imperfections of the golden age of the analogue era that artists now often strive so hard to recreate. Little surprise then that these cuts should sound so fresh today. Available on vinyl LP, CD and digital download.

In tune with the intensity of the record, ‘IS’ is available via 200 gram super deluxe heavy weight vinyl that comes with a free digital download for those long walks with the iPod. It offers a world of micro-trance subtleties as well as epic landscape raga journeys all brought to you on both six and twelve steel-string guitars. With multiple releases all around the globe Steffen offers a very unique approach to the instrument. Not simply trying to be just another John Fahey and while taking clear influence from Robbie Basho, treads his own path from experimental simplistic minimal space to unexplainable complex finger picking (But never for the sake of it) as Basho said “Soul first – technique later“. “it is as if a thousand fingers are brushing the strings, bringing them to a luminous sheen.” - Mr Olivetti, Freq Basho-Junghans has been forging unprecedented ground within the solo guitar world over the last few decades where his out-put has covered everything from John Fahey style finger-picking, epic pieces influenced by Indian ragas to minimalist micro-trance adventures capable of taking your consciousness beyond the limitations of time. ‘IS’ comfortably straddles Steffen’s two mainstays: transcendental landscape ragas and experimental excursions that take the steel-string guitar to places that it has never been before. For example the finishing track on the album ‘…and like Wind we go’, is a scratchy textural piece, that while devoid of any obvious melody has a striking atmosphere that will get the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end.

Classic risqué Jump Blues

Schmelzend und beschwingt: Berühmte Sänger knöpfen sich bekannte Weihnachtstitel vor: Wenn Dean Martin den Schöpfer dazu auffordert, es schneien zu lassen ("Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"), Paul Anka weiß, dass nun überall Weihnachten ist ("It's Christmas Everywhere"), Harry Belafonte Glöckchen vernimmt ("I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day"), Frank Sinatra die Heilige Nacht beschwört ("Silent Night") sowie Bing Crosby & The Andrew Sisters beobachten, wie der Nikolaus in die Stadt kommt ("Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"), nähern wir uns nicht nur dem 24. Dezember, vor allem hat dann die Stunde der Crooner geschlagen. Mit ihren schmelzend-beschwingten Swing-, Soul- und Gospel Interpretationen bekannter Weihnachtstitel sorgen sie auf der LP-Kompilation "Noël Crooners" auf unterhaltsame Weise dafür, dass die Stimmung nicht ins Rührselige abdriftet, und dennoch eine besinnliche Note bewahrt bleibt. Das gilt auch für weitere Titel wie "Wade In The Water" (Sam Cooke), "Christmas In New Orleans" (Louis Armstrong), "Blue Christmas" (Elvis Presley) oder "The Snow Is Falling" (Ray Charles).

The concept album Eli (1976) was the result of the collaboration between two of the most prolific musicians in Dutch history. After leaving Prog heroes Focus in the mid seventies, guitarist Jan Akkerman teamed up with singer Kaz Lux of the equally legendary Prog band Brainbox. Eli is a celebration of everything Folk, progressive Blues and Funk, weaved together with the virtuoso string play of globally acclaimed guitarist Akkerman. It’s exactly 40 years ago since he was voted best guitar player in the world by Melody Maker, which makes this the perfect time to reissue this wonderful album, which was awarded the Dutch Edison Award for Best Album in 1976.

Available as limited edtion of 1000 individually numbered copies on gold coloured vinyl. The package includes an insert.

Trouble, the aptly named new album on Goner Records, is a confident and joy-filled statement delivering the good-news gospel message unapologetically through music influenced by Ray Charles, Junior Kimbrough, Bill Withers and of course, his father.

Recorded at legendary Royal Studios in Memphis by Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell (Al Green, Solomon Burke, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars, North Mississippi Allstars), Trouble is the culmination of everything in Rev. Wilkins’s remarkable life, his regional history, his family music history. And in a world once again riven with discord and division, like the Memphis of Wilkins’ youth in the 1960’s, Trouble delivers passionate and confident musical performances with a message of hope that meets our present moment equal to the best music from that earlier era.

To call the Reverend John Wilkins a national treasure would not be an overstatement. He is the son of pre-war blues/folk-revival legend Reverend Robert Wilkins and he leads one of the most exciting and uplifting musical acts on the blues and gospel circuit today. His multiracial, multi-generational band blends soul, southern gospel and hill country rhythm, into a sound that has the infectious drive of hill country blues with the emotional heights of a summer tent revival.

Following in the footsteps of his famous father Rev. Robert Wilkins, a blues-singer turned preacher who went from the juke joint to the pulpit, the life of Rev. John Wilkins took a similar path, echoing the story of the elder Wilkins’ most famous song, “Prodigal Son.”

But in 2020 John Wilkins’ life has been closer to a different iconic bible character, Lazarus, as he has miraculously risen after surviving a month-long stay in intensive care battling Covid19 in a Memphis hospital. As Rev. Wilkins sings on the closing track of his forthcoming album, “I’ve come through the storm and rain, I’ve come through the storm and rain, and I made it!”

Super-loud vinyl!

Born in Redlands, California in 1980, Marquis Howell grew up in a lovely way. Raised to appreciate hand-me-downs, secondhand goods & older influences, he started imitating Chuck Berry riffs on air guitar in elementary school to impress the girls. Having little to no luck with the invisible instrument & with many promises & persuasions, his parents bought him his first guitar. Marquis took lessons at the local guitar shop and as often as possible he would practice 4 or more hours a day.

Marquis first started collecting records at the age of 15. His first job was at an antique store with a section of records that set off the retro-active chain of events that would change his life, more or less. It started with a Johnny Cash record, Live At Fulsom Prison. Thru the route of early country music that led to Emmett Miller while Cliff Edwards was introduced by a friend with a bargain bin cd. Pre-war jazz flooded his ears and he was joyfully treading water.

In 2002, Marquis' band, Hobo Jazz, was formed with no big bravado but a lot of eager charm. Culling it's selections from all sides with an emphasis on early country, blues & jazz along with originals in a decidedly vagabond vein. He traded his acoustic guitar for an upright bass in 2004 to fill the spot of an absentee hobo. Teaching himself how to play by listening to early Willie Dixon records & studying the techniques of Pops Foster, Bill Johnson, and the tuba lines off many early jazz recordings.

Tramp proudly presents the debut 45rpm single by Hobo Jazz! "It's a Man's World" was recorded live at the New Years Eve Show 2009 at The Piano Bar in Hollywood while "One Glance (At the Jolly Roger)" is taken from their studio album "The Curse Of Tramp Life".

This posthumous live 11 track album was recorded in 1969 -70, originally released in 1972 & later reissued in 2011. Double black vinyl set. Marketing.

Historic Recordings Vol.1

Rare recordings of legendary blues guitarist Eric Clapton.

Features performances with The Yardbirds, Jimmy Page and Sonny Boy Williamson.

FANTASTIC 140 GRAM VINYL.
LIMITED EDITION
Full servicing to all relevant media
Extensive print & internet advertising

The Authorized Hendrix Family Edition- All Analog Mastering From The Original Monophonic Tapes! Bernie Grundman Remastering, Complete Original Artwork!

London duo Andy Clutterbuck and James Hatcher – better known as HONNE – have cultivated a huge and fiercely dedicated global fan base since the release of their critically-acclaimed debut LP, ‘Warm on a Cold Night’, in 2016. Boasting over 150 sold-out shows outside of the UK, collaborations with everyone from Tom Misch to BTS and over 1.4 billion global streams, their music is deeply emotive; from the glistening, sugar-coated highs of international hit ‘Day 1’, to the heartache and angst played out on ‘Sometimes’ – both standout cuts from 2018’s sophomore record, ‘Love Me / Love Me Not’. Laying themselves bare in their songs, HONNE are hyper-connected with fans both in the UK and all over the world – in 2018 alone, they played a sold-out Brixton Academy for the first time, embarked on an extensive, 26-date US headline tour and saw ‘Warm on a Cold Night’ officially certified as 6x Platinum in South Korea.

Transluscent Red 10” Vinyl
FOLK DEVILS, the London group that took their name from a well-known academic text on social scapegoating, and who blazed a trail across the UK’s independent music scene of the mid-80s with their unique brand of post-punk energy, have returned with their first new music in 35 years.
Recorded at London’s famous Konk Studios in North London and mixed and co- produced by Grammy Award-winning engineer Rik Simpson, the re-born Folk Devils drew inspiration from the release of their 2016 career retrospective “Beautiful Monsters” and the reactions at subsequent live shows around the UK with kindred spirits Membranes, Inca Babies and The Cravats.
Founder members, guitarist Kris Jozajtis and bassist Mark Whiteley, reformed the group by recruiting members of a short-lived 1987 version of Folk Devils; guitarist Nick Clift and drummer John Hamilton. Together with singer Dave Hodgson they soon discovered they had created a well-oiled twin-guitar juggernaut that brimmed with the same restless, twisted blues that characterized the first and second iterations of the band from 1983-87 when they were fronted by the highly underrated and now sadly-departed singer/songwriter Ian Lowery. Hodgson, a fellow transplant from the North-East, had known Lowery in the early 80s prior to Folk Devils, when the two were in their respective post-punk bands Ski Patrol and Parting Shots.
On the re-recording of “Ink Runs Dry” Kris Jozajtis notes...”It’s a classic Folk Devils song with a brilliant lyric by Ian. So it’s an acknowledgment of the debt we owe him, a nod of respect to one of the great unsung talents of rock’n’roll. It always felt like a ‘BIG’ tune to us; Yet despite there being two pretty decent radio session versions of it available, there’s always been a sense of unfinished business because “Ink” had never received the full studio treatment the song deserved. I think the new, turbo-charged twin guitar version puts that right.”
”the songs will hopefully still speak to malcontents like ourselves, who are both fascinated and appalled by what we might encapsulate as ‘the human condition’. The dark humour and mordant wit that characterized Lowery’s lyrics is still intact I think, and despite the inevitable encroachments of age we haven’t really lost the dissatisfaction and anger that we tried to articulate in words and music back in the ‘80s. So we’re likely to continue making a mighty and righteous racket, both live and on record, as long as anyone cares to listen.”

The blues roots grow surprisingly deep in the Finnish music scene. From this fertile ground rises singer Emilia Sisco, who debuts on Timmion with her phenomenal single "Don't Believe You Like That". With her strong background in fusing blues, r&b and jazz, Emilia apparently slips also nicely into the dark soulful grooves of Cold Diamond & Mink.

In "Don't Believe You Like That" Emilia sets herself into the role of a mistreated lover, who still tries to see a speck of hope in the doomed relationship. By dubbing herself, and accompanying the lyric with graceful harmonies, she succeeds in building a powerful beat ballad, that should appeal to the darker end of the dance floor.

There's a special lane in history for soul music this understated. It's cool and intimate at the same time, like there's something dangerous lurking under the surface. So roll up something nice, if that's your thing, and hop along for the ride.

The wait is over, Joe Bonamassa’s new solo studio album Royal Tea was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios and will be released on October 23rd. Bonamassa is known for taking risks and venturing into uncharted territory throughout his wide-ranging career but now he has found a new way to surprise his fans and music lovers. Royal Tea brings Bonamassa full-circle.

This album reconnects the 43-year-old with the guitar-slinging kid from upstate New York, who stumbled across the Jeff Beck Group, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton and Cream in his dad’s vinyl collection – whose British blues influences have shaped him to be the player he is today. Naturally, the backdrop of Abbey Road demanded an album of British-flavoured blues. But even before the sessions, Bonamassa immersed himself in the culture, living in London over summer 2019 to let the capital’s pulse and daily rhythms flow down his antennae, wash over his songcraft and spice his new material.

These ten original tracks were co-written by Joe and a cast of homegrown notables including former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden, ex-Cream lyricist Pete Brown and national-treasure piano man Jools Holland.

At a point in time when Johnny Winter had only recently recovered from past addictions and blues giant Muddy Waters had faced a decline in his career with illness and the collapse of Chess records in 1975, it was Steve Paul of Blue Sky records who would appear as saviour to both musicians. The results of his investment soon paid off and Winter's childhood dream to play alongside his hero Muddy waters was soon realised. Waters' comeback album was a return to his original Chicago sound. Its raw, expressive feel harked back to his Chess Records days, and the outstanding musicianship and intimate exuberance exceeded all expectations, earning Waters a Grammy in the process.
The Hard Again tour combined the respected powerhouse of Waters, Winter and Cotton with musicians from the Hard Again sessions. Hard Again cast a further four albums with Blue Sky before Waters would leave in 1983. Although this particular collaboration was short-lived, it has provided blues fans a rare opportunity to indulge in the work of two hugely important musical figures whose respect for each other is evidently unflinching.

The second LP from Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps, a self-titled affair, was recorded in October 1956 a mere 4 months after the debut. Again featuring the searing guitar work of Cliff Gallup, this album shows Vincent at his most mature and confident. The band was capable of running circles around basically all white rock and roll groups around at the time and this LP showcases their depth and breadth fantastically. Featuring amazing originals, one of the more brilliant covers of The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody", and a haunting version of The Delmore Brothers' "Blues Stay Away From Me", Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps is necessary for all fans of early rock and roll.

Janet Erskine Stuart said that “Egypt was full of dreams, mysteries, memories”. Her music, like her architecture is somehow hardwired into us, more than we know. When Oum Kalthoum was at her zenith, Egyptian music circled the world on shortwave, picked up and marvelled over by millions who didn’t understand a word she sang but understood the emotion in it.

Something different might be said about an astonishing single by Mohamed Mansour, now issued by Staalplaat as a limited edition 7” single. Many will know the words on the first side, because they come from the Eurhythmics song “Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This”, its glorious, operatic line translated into Arabic as “Ahlamna el Helwa”. When the Lebanese singer Mayssa Karaa re-recorded Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit in Arabic for the American Hustle soundtrack, many were reminded that the sheer beauty of the original song went beyond limitations of language. So it is with Mansour’s version of the Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox classic, a soaring line over a universal beat.

To make the single doubly special, the flipside is Mansour’s reworking of Woody Guthrie’s “All You Fascists Bound To Lose”, a song that had resonance when it was first performed but which seems ever more relevant today. Mansour’s version is called “Hatehhsare”, but its message remains the same: evil never prevails for long. Mansour’s music is a compelling synthesis of European, American and Egyptians styles and sounds. It is genuinely international. Just as shortwave radio fans used to twiddle dials to find Oum Kalthoum phasing up and down in the ether, so Mansour’s music has a global presence on the internet, but how fine to have it in physical form too, in a beautifully designed sleeve by Staalplaat.

Mo is a lyricist, vocalist and physicist from Egypt, Scotland and Kuwait, who has never worked on the 1st of May.