Cerca:the young spirits

The Blue Note Record label needs little introduction. Musically, graphically and sonically iconic, the label created and defined the golden age of modern jazz on record. Founded in 1939 by German émigré Alfred Lion, the label's roster of artists is a litany of giants - Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Herbie Hancock and many more. With peerless musicians in the grooves, the legendary Rudy Van Gelder behind the boards, and graphic design genius Reid Miles creating emblematic artwork for every release, Blue Note - 'the Cadillac of the jazz lines' - was outstanding in every way.

Volume 8 of Jazzman's Spiritual Jazz series takes a close look at the deeper side of Blue Note - from the experimental avant-garde explored by younger musicians such as Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson and Pete La Roca, to the exciting new developments in modal sounds put forward by stalwarts Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean and Duke Pearson. The music we have selected shows how musicians working with the label responded to a period of dramatic social and sonic change, charting the route toward the esoteric and spiritualised sounds that would dominate the deepest jazz of the 1970s.

As ever, Blue Note had lit the path, and this new Spiritual Jazz collection shows that the progressive and underground jazz sound of the 1960s was not only the preserve of obscure artists and private pressings. Blue spirits and heavy sounds on Blue Note - the finest in jazz since 1939, brought to you by Jazzman.

When Aretha Franklin joined Atlantic Records in 1967, it was the beginning of an unprecedented run that would ultimately cement her place as a music legend, a global household name, and one of the most influential singers of all time.

The Atlantic Singles Collection 1967-1970 features 34 singles which Franklin released during her first three years with Atlantic Records. Arranged chronologically, the songs on the new collection originally appeared on six studio albums: I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You (1967), Aretha Arrives (1967), Lady Soul (1968), Aretha Now (1968), Soul '69 (1969), This Girl's In Love With You (1970), and Spirits In The Dark (1970). The only exception is Franklin's cover of Elton John's 'Border Song', which was released as a single in 1970 and later appeared on her 1972 album Young, Gifted and Black. The vinyl version is a double LP with 25 tracks.

The album is stacked with many of Franklin's best-known songs, including 'I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)', 'Respect', 'Baby I Love You', 'Chain Of Fools' and '(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone.' Several of the songs on this collection are cover versions that underscore Franklin's exceptional skill at reinterpreting music and making songs her own. Among the highlights are her versions of Sam Cooke's 'You Send Me', The Band's 'The Weight', The Beatles' 'Eleanor Rigby', and Dionne Warwick's 'I Say A Little Prayer', which became a Billboard Top 10 hit for Franklin in 1968.

The first release on the newly established Greyhound Days imprint comes from Christian Kroupa alias Alleged Witches, hailing from Slovenia, who proved his skills and innovation as a participant at the Red Bull Music Academy in 2014. Since then he became one of the most prominent names of Slovenia's techno and house scene, with making appearance on the mighty Fabric mix compilation, producing a remix of Alex Smoke for legendary Belgian label R&S, while also releasing a 12" entitled Serve The Spirits on R&S sub-label Meda Fury.»One Skilled In The Black Arts« EP consists of four tracks, meant for dictating the dance floor with their drum workout, as well as luring you into its deep ritualistic feel, with distant native tongues echo.For an extra wonderful hypnotic polyrhytms, a rework has been provided by Passarani, one of the Italian leading dance music producers and DJs, who continues to be an inspiration and providing his knowledge and skills to younger generations. While Bristol based Jacob Martin alias Hodge demonstrated his expertise in percussion, resulting in an slamming rework, not meant for the faint-hearted. Just shows, why Hodge is one of Bristol's most exciting new names.

Joe Powers is from Edinburgh, far outside the network of the Grime capital of London. His caffeinated productions as Proc Fiskal are faster than usual, with many clocking in at 160bpm. 'The Highland Mob', his 2017 debut EP, opened up his music to open-eared footwork and drum'n'bass fans as well as the grime crowd. After following that up with a jungle-inflected EP on Cosmic Bridge, 'Insula' switches the feel and intention towards a personal, and melodic music with one foot in Grime, infused with often comic, often wistful recorded moments from his environment. He says 'I wanted to be aware of where the music is coming from, referencing things I'm presently experiencing, like making Grime, my Radar radio show, phone addiction, alcohol, my surroundings, girls, depression, positivity, being unemployed, being employed and hating it, my friends etc. Trying to be true to myself instead of relying on other peoples' nostalgia, and focusing on now.'

The record is a huge leap in vision, with delicate, pointillist melodies and intricate edits reminiscent of Grime producers such as Terror Danjah. It also resonates with Japanese video game music like that recently explored on the 'Diggin' In The Carts' compilation.

'I think I probably make tunes to get out emotions I don't express in day-to-day life. I used clips of my friends talking, drunk folk, and general Scottish life to preserve and represent what my experience is like right now, like a time capsule. Social media notification sounds are designed to release serotonin, which is what I'd like my music to do, to make me, and other people happy, and in using these manipulative noises in a positive way, I like to think I'm taking back the power of the manipulation.'

Proc Fiskal is adventurous and thoughtful as a producer, and at the young age of 21, his debut album is very advanced in its ideas and execution.

In 1989 Oumou Sangare, a young singer from the Wassoulou region of southern Mali, went to the JBZ
studio in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire to record her debut album. Except for electric guitar and bass, the
line-up was traditonal - kamalengoni or 5-string 'youth's harp', karinyang (iron scraper) and violin
(substtutng the local one-string fddle). The music they recorded was exactly the kind of music per-
formed by hunters to charm the wild animals and invoke the protectng spirits, but with updated lyrics
refectng the concerns of young women living in African cites today.

The music of Wassoulou, with its funky beat and strong melodies has become increasingly popular
in Mali over the last few years. But no one could have foretold the wild success of Oumou Sangare's
recording, which within a few months had sold over one hundred thousand copies in West Africa
alone - not countng bootlegs. This was Mali's best selling cassete ever. And not a drum machine or
synthesizer on it!

What is the secret of Oumou Sangare's astounding rise to fame Partly the sheer force and beauty
of her voice - she frst trained with the Mali Natonal Ensemble and then lef to join the independent
group Djoliva Percussions (with whom she toured France and the UK in 1986). And undoubtedly, be-
cause of her powerful lyrics, which address the problems of young Malian women - torn between the
old values of the countryside and the modern ways of city life. But it's also the brilliant arrangement
of the typical Wassoulou sound - with its slow-driving rhythm punched out on the bass strings of the
harp and its soaring melodies. 'Moussolou' ranks among the best recordings of Malian music of all
tme.

Now for the very frst tme World Circuit are releasing this iconic album on deluxe single vinyl.
Mastered at Abbey Road the vinyl is pressed on 180 gram heavyweight vinyl and presented alongside a
beautful 10 page booklet and download card.