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They don't get much more anthemic than Idris Muhammad's 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This' and who better to rework it than edit royalty, Late Nite Tuff Guy. Subtle in his touches yet incorporating a more DJ friendly, dancefloor orientated beat and tension building intro which teases elements of this classic, before that instantly recognisable bass riff and staccato guitar chords come into play.That subtlety is key when it comes to handling a record as epic as this, elements are accentuated and looped, delicate effects are woven in, but the soul and feeling of Idris' music is lovingly maintained by LNTG.
And for the purists out there, the flip houses the original mix so you've got two paths to heaven to choose from.

PDD are proud to present an official Sony reissue of 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This', widely acknowledged as quite simply one of the greatest disco releases of all time.
On the flip are Idris Muhammad's two other bangers from that period, 'Turn This Mutha Out' and 'Tasty Cakes', thus making this release a trio of delights. Taken from the original master tapes, and released on 180g vinyl, this release is a must have for your collection.

Jazz Is Dead geht in die dritte Phase von Veröffentlichungen mit erstklassigen Aufnahmen, die den Hörer auf eine Reise durch die funkigen Klänge Ghanas bis hin zum psychedelischen Soul und Samba Brasiliens mitnehmen. Von den Labelgründern Adrian Younge und Ali Shaheed Muhammad produziert, enthält Jazz Is Dead 021 neue analoge Aufnahmen der lebenden Legenden Ebo Taylor, Hyldon, Dom Salvador, Antonio Carlos e Jocafi, Carlos Dafé, und Joyce e Tutty Moreno.

Where's Joao Donato? It's a frequently asked question, referring simultaneously to the physical location and the musical moment he inhabits. A sampling of some of his more descriptive song titles suggests Donato's comfort with musical hybrids: "Bluchanga," "Sambolero," and "Sambongo," to name just a few. Lacking a formal genre for his style of music, Donato's is a distinct sound, immediately recognizable from the first few bars of any of his compositions. He was funky back when "funk" was a bad word (listen to either of his 1960s Brazilian LPs, Sambou, Sambou and The New Sound if Brasil, for proof). His compositions are deceptively simple, while his arrangements are harmonically complex, revealing their intricate details upon repeat listening. Today, Donato brings this flavor, now near synonymous with his name, to a new album in the Jazz Is Dead series with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad: Joao Donato JID007. "Donato is one of the greatest Brazilian composers from that golden era. His signature style, simple melodies combined with colorful chordal progressions, establishes a new lane for Jazz Is Dead," explains Younge. "Joao is one of the most innovative Brazilian jazz composers of the last century. Creating with and learning from this maestro was one of the greatest experiences of my career."

Azymuth JID004 is the fourth installation in the Jazz Is Dead catalog. This album features newly recorded songs by Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Azymuth, the beloved Brazilian samba funk trio. Azymuth JID004 showcases the trio's distinctive sound as the bedrock for some of the greatest Brazilian albums of the 1970s (Hyldon, Marcos Valle, etc.) All songs produced by Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Recorded and mixed by Adrian Younge at Linear Labs, the preeminent analog studio of Los Angeles, CA.

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.

During the year 2019, Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad made music with the masters. Composing and producing brand new albums with their heroes. Jazz Is Dead 001 is where it all started, their first presentation of work that has come out of these initial sessions.

Der legendäre ghanaische Afrobeat-Pionier Ebo Taylor veröffentlicht in Zusammenarbeit mit den Jazz Is Dead-Gründern Adrian Younge und Ali Shaheed Muhammad ein neues Studioalbum. Im Alter von 88 Jahren reiste der ghanaische Highlife- und Afrobeat-Pionier Ebo Taylor zum ersten Mal in die USA, um bei der inzwischen kultigen Jazz Is Dead-Konzertreihe aufzutreten, die landesweit ausverkaufte Hallen bescherte. Während dieser Zeit nahm Ebo zusammen mit den Jazz Is Dead-Produzenten Adrian Younge und Ali Shaheed Muhammad ein psychedelisches Afrobeat-Album auf. Eine Zusammenarbeit, die Ebo-Fans auf der ganzen Welt nicht erwartet hätten und die Kenner des klassischen westafrikanischen Funks sicherlich zufriedenstellen wird. Die wirbelnden Bläser und düsteren Gitarren auf "Ebo Taylor JID022" erinnern an seine bahnbrechenden Aufnahmen aus den Siebzigern, die ihn zu einem der produktivsten und revolutionärsten afrikanischen Künstler aller Zeiten machten. Aufgenommen im Linear Labs Studio von Adrian Younge, beweist dieses Album mit polyrhythmischer Perkussion und twangy, fuzzed out Gitarren, dass Rhythmus der Schlüssel zu allem ist. Das Ensemble ghanaischer Backgroundsänger*innen verströmt einen einzigartig spirituellen Sound, der die Hörer*innen in Ebos Glanzzeit zurückversetzt. Eine der aufregendsten Komponenten dieses Albums ist jedoch Taylors unverkennbarer Ansatz beim Gesangsstyling. Seine zu Herzen gehenden Texte über Liebe, Frieden und Spiritualität spiegeln seine jahrzehntelange Erfahrung und Weisheit wider. Dies ist ein Afrobeat-Klassiker, der ein echtes Highlight im Kanon von Ebo Taylors unbestreitbarem Katalog und ein Kronjuwel in der Jazz Is Dead-Bibliothek darstellt.

Der legendäre ghanaische Afrobeat-Pionier Ebo Taylor veröffentlicht in Zusammenarbeit mit den Jazz Is Dead-Gründern Adrian Younge und Ali Shaheed Muhammad ein neues Studioalbum. Im Alter von 88 Jahren reiste der ghanaische Highlife- und Afrobeat-Pionier Ebo Taylor zum ersten Mal in die USA, um bei der inzwischen kultigen Jazz Is Dead-Konzertreihe aufzutreten, die landesweit ausverkaufte Hallen bescherte. Während dieser Zeit nahm Ebo zusammen mit den Jazz Is Dead-Produzenten Adrian Younge und Ali Shaheed Muhammad ein psychedelisches Afrobeat-Album auf. Eine Zusammenarbeit, die Ebo-Fans auf der ganzen Welt nicht erwartet hätten und die Kenner des klassischen westafrikanischen Funks sicherlich zufriedenstellen wird. Die wirbelnden Bläser und düsteren Gitarren auf "Ebo Taylor JID022" erinnern an seine bahnbrechenden Aufnahmen aus den Siebzigern, die ihn zu einem der produktivsten und revolutionärsten afrikanischen Künstler aller Zeiten machten. Aufgenommen im Linear Labs Studio von Adrian Younge, beweist dieses Album mit polyrhythmischer Perkussion und twangy, fuzzed out Gitarren, dass Rhythmus der Schlüssel zu allem ist. Das Ensemble ghanaischer Backgroundsänger*innen verströmt einen einzigartig spirituellen Sound, der die Hörer*innen in Ebos Glanzzeit zurückversetzt. Eine der aufregendsten Komponenten dieses Albums ist jedoch Taylors unverkennbarer Ansatz beim Gesangsstyling. Seine zu Herzen gehenden Texte über Liebe, Frieden und Spiritualität spiegeln seine jahrzehntelange Erfahrung und Weisheit wider. Dies ist ein Afrobeat-Klassiker, der ein echtes Highlight im Kanon von Ebo Taylors unbestreitbarem Katalog und ein Kronjuwel in der Jazz Is Dead-Bibliothek darstellt.

Jazz Is Dead geht in die dritte Phase von Veröffentlichungen mit erstklassigen Aufnahmen, die den Hörer auf eine Reise durch die funkigen Klänge Ghanas bis hin zum psychedelischen Soul und Samba Brasiliens mitnehmen. Von den Labelgründern Adrian Younge und Ali Shaheed Muhammad produziert, enthält Jazz Is Dead 021 neue analoge Aufnahmen der lebenden Legenden Ebo Taylor, Hyldon, Dom Salvador, Antonio Carlos e Jocafi, Carlos Dafé, und Joyce e Tutty Moreno.

Original Score To The Motion Picture: Run This Town is the soundtrack created by Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge for Ricky Tollman's 2019 political drama. Based on true events, the film exposes the story of Toronto's drug addicted mayor. With orchestration by Adrian Younge, the rich and complex score takes listeners on an unpredictable journey in to Tollman's world. All Music was recorded in Blakeslee Studios located in North Hollywood, CA. and Linear Labs, the preeminent analog studio of Los Angeles.

The Midnight Hour Live At Linear Labs was recorded on February 22nd, 2019. Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad performed The Midnight Hour in front of a live audience at Linear Labs studio in Los Angeles. This was a direct-to-analog tape recording that 200 very lucky fans were a part of. Recorded and mixed by Adrian Younge at Linear Labs, the preeminent analog studio of Los Angeles, CA.

"Idris Muhammad is an American jazz drummer and bandleader and is one of contemporary music’s most sampled drummers. His resume includes nearly 500 recording credits that range across the genre spectrum and 12 studio albums as a bandleader, including the 1976 House of The Rising Sun. The album is arranged by David Matthews, also known as leader of the Dave Matthews Band (DMB), and produced by Creed Taylor, founder of CTI Records. The track ""Sudan"" is arranged by jazz trumpeter Tom Harrell. The album features several guest performances by New York studio aces, including Joe Beck, Don Grolnick, David Sanborn, Fred Wesley, and Michael Brecker amongst others. House of the Rising Sun is available on black vinyl."

House Of The Rising Sun by Idris Muhammad, released 7 March 2024, includes the following tracks: "Hard to Face the Music", "Sudan" and more.

This version of House Of The Rising Sun comes as a 1xLP.

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.

Black Rhythm Revolution! Is the first solo album from the jazz-funk legend Idris Muhammad, a New Orleans-bred rhythm king who successfully made the leap from the finest soulful jazz records of the ’60s to the nastiest fusion funk of the ’70s. Here we catch him literally on the cusp of the two in 1970, with one good foot in the get-down of “Express Yourself” and “Super Bad,” and the other in his own heady excursions into modal rhythm and melody, accompanied by virtuosos Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, Melvin Sparks, who came together for sessions overseen by legendary producer Rudy Van Gelder. This 180-gram reissue of Black Rhythm Revolution! was cut from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray and pressed at RTI, and comes packaged in a tip-on jacket.

A native of Los Angeles, Henry Franklin came of age while the city was producing a crop of exciting jazz talent. Frankin’s lasting impact on jazz can be evidenced by the long list of legends who sought him out for tours and recording sessions, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Humphrey, Freddy Hubbard, & Pharaoh Sanders to name a few. Franklin’s solo output is best remembered for his two solo outings with the Black Jazz label- “The Skipper” & “The Skipper At Home”. Together, they form one of the most compelling diptychs in the entire post-bop canon. Recognised by his peers and contemporaries, Franklin’s entry for Jazz Is Dead gives the living legend his flowers and recognises the contributions The Skipper has made as one of jazz’s most influential heartbeats.

Ltd Transparent Blue Colored Vinyl. Lonnie Liston Smith JID017 is the seventeenth installment in the Jazz Is Dead catalog. This album features nine original songs by Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and the 1970s jazz-funk pioneer, Lonnie Liston Smith. Smith's music (Expansions, 1974 and Visions of a New World, 1975) has served as the foundation for iconic hip-hop samples and ecstatic dance floor revelry. Lonnie Liston Smith 017 marks the legend's return to the Fender Rhodes keyboard, an instrument he had not played since the 1970s. All songs produced by Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Recorded and mixed by Adrian Younge at Linear Labs, the preeminent analog studio of Los Angeles, CA.

One of the most recognisable keyboard players of all time, Lonnie Liston Smith has been a crucial figure in the ongoing pollination of jazz for over fifty years. Having worked and performed with some of the genre"s biggest innovators, he is responsible for some of the genres" major stylistic shifts and taking Jazz-Funk into exciting new directions. His notable turns as sideman for heavyweights like Max Roach, Art Blakey, Got Barbieri, Miles Davis & Rahsaan Roland Kirk, along with his output as a leader of his own group stands as some of the most creative keyboard work of all time. He is revered by generations of musicians and continues to be a presence in shaping contemporary sounds.

A native of Los Angeles, Henry Franklin came of age while the city was producing a crop of exciting jazz talent. Frankin’s lasting impact on jazz can be evidenced by the long list of legends who sought him out for tours and recording sessions, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Humphrey, Freddy Hubbard, & Pharaoh Sanders to name a few. Franklin’s solo output is best remembered for his two solo outings with the Black Jazz label- “The Skipper” & “The Skipper At Home”. Together, they form one of the most compelling diptychs in the entire post-bop canon. Recognised by his peers and contemporaries, Franklin’s entry for Jazz Is Dead gives the living legend his flowers and recognises the contributions The Skipper has made as one of jazz’s most influential heartbeats.

imited dark green vinyl

With Jazz Is Dead Series 2, Younge and Muhammad have once again, together with a roster of world-renowned legends, crate digger patron saints, and an exciting vanguard of young talent, delivered another unimpeachable collection of fresh and captivating recordings inspired by jazz's past, present, and future. There are names that some may already be familiar with, such as Lonnie Liston Smith, Jean Carne, and Tony Allen, and those less so, like Henry Franklin, Phil Ranelin, Wendell Harrison, Garrett

Saracho, & Katalyst. What unites each new collaborator is their unbent dedication to remaining original, preserving their creativity, and sharing it with the world.

Born in Los Angeles to fourth generation Angelenos, Garrett’s childhood was surrounded by music. The afternoons spent at his uncle’s boxing gym in Montebello introduced him to jazz, and the restaurants he worked in as a teenager exposed him to stars such as Cal Tjader and Eddie Cano. In 1973, Garrett re-emerged in the scene rejuvenated and recalibrated releasing “En Medio” - a singular vision, a multi-genre blend of Latin rhythm, headhunter-inflicted funk, and Arkestra jazz, one that could have only come from LA. Today, Garrett is ready to meet his fans, and make many more, as he wraps up his entry in the Jazz Is Dead series and records new music for the first time in decades.

Orange Vinyl


Born in Los Angeles to fourth generation Angelenos, Garrett’s childhood was surrounded by music. The afternoons spent at his uncle’s boxing gym in Montebello introduced him to jazz, and the restaurants he worked in as a teenager exposed him to stars such as Cal Tjader and Eddie Cano. In 1973, Garrett re-emerged in the scene rejuvenated and recalibrated releasing “En Medio” - a singular vision, a multi-genre blend of Latin rhythm, headhunter-inflicted funk, and Arkestra jazz, one that could have only come from LA. Today, Garrett is ready to meet his fans, and make many more, as he wraps up his entry in the Jazz Is Dead series and records new music for the first time in decades.

With Jazz Is Dead Series 2, Younge and Muhammad have once again, together with a roster of world-renowned legends, crate digger patron saints, and an exciting vanguard of young talent, delivered another unimpeachable collection of fresh and captivating recordings inspired by jazz's past, present, and future. There are names that some may already be familiar with, such as Lonnie Liston Smith, Jean Carne, and Tony Allen, and those less so, like Henry Franklin, Phil Ranelin, Wendell Harrison, Garrett Saracho, & Katalyst. What unites each new collaborator is their unbent dedication to remaining original, preserving their creativity, and sharing it with the world.

Founded in 2014, Katalyst Collective has never been one for labels. Rather than strictly a live act, they've acted as an incubator for a fresh crop of local talent, helping hone the voices and talents of individual members, while collectively advancing like a phalanx. Each 'Kat' writes their own solo material, and everyone contributes and works together on each project, feeding off the communal energy. Leading to the group's upping collaboration for Jazz Is Dead, Katalyst has poised themselves as the next breakout stars of Los Angeles' rapidly expanding Jazz universe - a small army of creative firebrands, each burning more brightly together.

Purple Vinyl

Founded in 2014, Katalyst Collective has never been one for labels. Rather than strictly a live act, they've acted as an incubator for a fresh crop of local talent, helping hone the voices and talents of individual members, while collectively advancing like a phalanx. Each 'Kat' writes their own solo material, and everyone contributes and works together on each project, feeding off the communal energy. Leading to the group's upping collaboration for Jazz Is Dead, Katalyst has poised themselves as the next breakout stars of Los Angeles' rapidly expanding Jazz universe - a small army of creative firebrands, each burning more brightly together.

Jean Carne JID012 is twelfth installation in the Jazz Is Dead catalog. This album features seven original songs by Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and the incomparable Jean Carne, who first came to life for many hip hop heads after being famously sampled by Brand Nubian. Jean Carne JID012 allows Carne the space to showcase her shape shifting vocal abilities. Arrangements crafted by Younge and Muhammad are reminiscent of Carne's 1970s collaborators: her then-husband Doug Carn (Black Jazz Records), Mtume (Third Street Records) and songwriting duo Gamble and Huff (Philly International). All songs produced by Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Recorded and mixed by Adrian Younge at Linear Labs, the preeminent analog studio of Los Angeles, CA.

Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents: the official reissue of this fantastic album, back available on vinyl for the first time since 1987. Available as a deluxe 180g 2XLP set, with TWO bonus tracks from the same session that were not featured on the original vinyl release. Pharoah `Farrell' Sanders (born 1940) is a leading figure in the world of jazz and one of the last living legends with connections to players like Sun Ra and John Coltrane. His tenor saxophone playing has earned him royal status amongst free jazz players, critics and collectors. On "Africa" from 1987 Sanders plays with an all-star line-up consisting of Idris Muhammad, John Hicks and Curtis Lundy. Muhammad brings his trademark tight sense of timekeeping, but with a looseness that we love - and Lundy's warm soulful bass does more than enough to give the set a sound bottom- all this while Hick's free lyrical piano works nicely with Sander's spiritual horn. The brilliant `Africa sessions' features the quartet at their best...soulful but also searching for a strong groove at the same time. The music here is less ornamented than on most of Sanders' studio recordings, where sextets, septets or larger lineups have been the norm, but this brilliant effort here remains every bit as compelling. Pharoah and his crew play with the utmost sensitivity and give a demonstration that shows us the full extent of their skills.

As the final chapter in the initial run of Jazz Is Dead releases, Remixes JID010 continues the creative catharsis of an exhilarating new chapter in jazz music. Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad tapped nine iconic creators to reimagine their personal favorites from Jazz Is Dead’s catalogue to-date, who created striking new versions by Cut Chemist, DJ Spinna, Georgie Anne Muldrow, Akili, Shigeto, Pink Siiffu, Dibiase, Natureboy Flako, and Kaidi Tathum. It’s a family affair.

As the final chapter in the initial run of Jazz Is Dead releases, Remixes JID010 continues the creative catharsis of an exhilarating new chapter in jazz music. Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad tapped nine iconic creators to reimagine their personal favorites from Jazz Is Dead’s catalogue to-date, who created striking new versions by Cut Chemist, DJ Spinna, Georgie Anne Muldrow, Akili, Shigeto, Pink Siiffu, Dibiase, Natureboy Flako, and Kaidi Tathum. It’s a family affair.

IDRIS MUHAMMAD was born Leo Morris in New Orleans in 1939. He mastered the drums at a very early age and can be heard on Fats Domino’s “Blueberry Hill” at just seventeen! His early career was steeped in R&B before moving to New York to emnbrace the jazz scene. “I’m A Believer” is the perfect fusion of the two genres and features the sublime vocals of his wife Dolores LaLa Brooks of the Crystals (aka Sakinah Muhammad).

Our chosen B-side by Chicago soul singer JEAN SHY is the rare modern soul masterpiece “What Can I Do I’m So In Love With You” reissued here for the first time.

Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge are best known for their collaborations with vocalists and MCs, but these two multi-instrumentalists and producers excel in their ability to conjure musical moods with or without vocal accompaniment. Similarly, the musical legends that these two handpicked to collaborate with across this series are all jazz legends equally at home crafting unadorned compositions as they are collaborating with vocalists. This collection presents exclusive instrumental versions of songs originally released on the Jazz Is Dead albums; Roy Ayers JID002, Marcos Valle JID003, Gary Bartz JID006, and Joao Donato JID007. More than the previous eight Jazz Is Dead releases Instrumentals JID009 delivers on Adrian and Ali's original promise of showcasing the music made with their heroes, laying bare the inspired compositions created when different generations of musicians come together to collaborate in the studio. For nearly all of these songs, Adrian and Ali began with sketches and elements of songs that they developed alongside the featured musicians live in Adrian Younge's Linear Labs studio located in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

One happy thing to be grateful for during otherwise trying times is finally getting to hear and enjoy new work by a man whose music is familiar to millions even if his name is less so. Indeed, Gil Scott-Heron continues to cast such a wide shadow that even many of his biggest fans often seem to forget that there's another name next to his on the bulk of his albums, the name of a man teamed up with Gil as a teenager and proceeded to ride out the decade as his writing partner, keyboardist, arranger, and bandleader for their Midnight Band. That man's name is Brian Jackson. His considerable backlog of unheard material reveals a stillenergetic and still-vital icon of the music wing of the Black Liberation movement. Prepare to hear from a musician whose work has contributed to the enhancement of all our lives in some form or another with the latest installment of the Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge's Jazz Is Dead series.

One happy thing to be grateful for during otherwise trying times is finally getting to hear and enjoy new work by a man whose music is familiar to millions even if his name is less so. Indeed, Gil Scott-Heron continues to cast such a wide shadow that even many of his biggest fans often seem to forget that there's another name next to his on the bulk of his albums, the name of a man teamed up with Gil as a teenager and proceeded to ride out the decade as his writing partner, keyboardist, arranger, and bandleader for their Midnight Band. That man's name is Brian Jackson. His considerable backlog of unheard material reveals a stillenergetic and still-vital icon of the music wing of the Black Liberation movement. Prepare to hear from a musician whose work has contributed to the enhancement of all our lives in some form or another with the latest installment of the Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge's Jazz Is Dead series.

LTD GREEN VINYL

Where's Joao Donato? It's a frequently asked question, referring simultaneously to the physical location and the musical moment he inhabits. A sampling of some of his more descriptive song titles suggests Donato's comfort with musical hybrids: "Bluchanga," "Sambolero," and "Sambongo," to name just a few. Lacking a formal genre for his style of music, Donato's is a distinct sound, immediately recognizable from the first few bars of any of his compositions. He was funky back when "funk" was a bad word (listen to either of his 1960s Brazilian LPs, Sambou, Sambou and The New Sound if Brasil, for proof). His compositions are deceptively simple, while his arrangements are harmonically complex, revealing their intricate details upon repeat listening. Today, Donato brings this flavor, now near synonymous with his name, to a new album in the Jazz Is Dead series with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad: Joao Donato JID007. "Donato is one of the greatest Brazilian composers from that golden era. His signature style, simple melodies combined with colorful chordal progressions, establishes a new lane for Jazz Is Dead," explains Younge. "Joao is one of the most innovative Brazilian jazz composers of the last century. Creating with and learning from this maestro was one of the greatest experiences of my career."

In February 2018, Roy Ayers performed four sold out shows in Los Angeles as part of the Jazz Is Dead Black History Month series. It wasn"t until 2020 that fans of Ayers discovered that in addition to those shows, the legendary vibraphone player had also recorded an entire album of new material with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad.

Among the heroes and innovators of 70s spiritual/progressive/funk/jazz, Doug Carn has always flown a little under the radar. He has long plied his trade with patience and dedication, releasing absolutely stunning albums that are cherished by cognoscenti but lesser known even to the jazz mainstream, even as his influence can be detected among his colleagues. Carn"s newest project, his entry in the Jazz Is Dead album series helmed by Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, takes his unique and timeless art and places it within the context of a musical culture that has always taken cues from his "70s classics. There"s no mistaking the musical mind that created legendary albums like Infant Eyes and Adam"s Apple, but the encounter of that with the distinctive jazz-hip hop-funk-noir that is the Younge/Muhammad/JID trademark creates something worthy of comparison to Carn"s past work but which could only have been made right now.

INDIE EXCLUSIVE, LTD PURPLE VINYL! Among the heroes and innovators of 70s spiritual/progressive/funk/jazz, Doug Carn has always flown a little under the radar. He has long plied his trade with patience and dedication, releasing absolutely stunning albums that are cherished by cognoscenti but lesser known even to the jazz mainstream, even as his influence can be detected among his colleagues. Carn's newest project, his entry in the Jazz Is Dead album series helmed by Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, takes his unique and timeless art and places it within the context of a musical culture that has always taken cues from his '70s classics. There's no mistaking the musical mind that created legendary albums like Infant Eyes and Adam's Apple, but the encounter of that with the distinctive jazz-hip hop-funk-noir that is the Younge/Muhammad/JID trademark creates something worthy of comparison to Carn's past work but which could only have been made right now.

Idris's fifth and perhaps most popular of his near-20 LP strong solo discography (that's not including the epic array of artists he's worked with from Fats Domino to Art Davis) Ranging from the heavily-sampled stone-cold soul stunner "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This" to silky disco funk such as the album title track and the sleazier "Crab Apple" to the frenetic jazz blasts of tracks such as "Camby Bolongo", this is the sound of a man fully committed to the craft and spirit of the groove. Nothing short of essential.