Jazz | Fusion CD 185 Items

The BBC’s Third Programme aired four radio broadcasts between January 1964 and September 1965, collectively known as Inventions for Radio.
They were ground-breaking in both form and content, conceived by playwright Barry Bermange and consisting of the voices of the general public answering questions on four themes,
one for each programme: dreams, the existence of God, life after death and ageing. Delia Derbyshire was assigned by the Radiophonic Workshop to edit and add electronic music/ effects.
The collaborative result is dreamlike and mesmerising, an audial window to another era. For many years Derbyshire was not credited for her contribution, nor were the broadcasts available commercially,
although they still managed to acquire something of a cult following. This boxset duplicates the recent vinyl release on CD, with one disc for each broadcast and two further CDs of additional material.
The booklet includes notes by producer Mark Ayres on these extraordinary pieces which have been the most elusive of Twentieth Century classics until now.

Washington calls Fearless Movement his dance album. “It’s not literal,” Washington says. “Dance is movement and expression, and in a way it’s the same thing as music—expressing your spirit through your body. That’s what this album is pushing.” Dance as an embodied form of expression signals a shift in focus for Washington. Where previous albums dealt with cosmic ideas and existential concepts, Fearless Movement focuses in on the everyday, an exploration of life on earth. This change in scope is due in large part to the birth of Washington’s first child a few years ago. “Being a father means the horizon of your life all of a sudden shows up,” says Washington. “My mortality became more apparent to me, but also my immortality—realizing that my daughter is going to live on and see things that I’m never going to see. I had to become comfortable with this, and that affected the music that I was making.” The album features Washington’s daughter—who wrote the melody to “Asha The First” during some of her first experimentations on the piano—as well as a host of collaborators new and old. André 3000 appears on flute, George Clinton lends his voice, as do BJ The Chicago Kid, Inglewood rapper D-Smoke and Taj and Ras Austin of Coast Contra, the twin sons of West Coast legend Ras Kass. Washington further enlisted lifelong friends and collaborators Thundercat, Terrace Martin, Patrice Quinn, Brandon Coleman, DJ Battlecat and more. The album also features “The Garden Path,” a song Washington performed for the first time ever, making his late-night television debut, on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

Winter in America is the fifth studio album by American Jazz vocalist Gil Scott-Heron and keyboardist Brian Jackson, released in 1974. The album is produced in a stripped-down fashion, relying on traditional African and R&B sounds. The subject matter deals with the African-American community and inner city in the 1970s. “Scott-Heron’s most Righteous & Provocative” – ALL Music. Vinyl has been out of print and unavailable. This deluxe package includes an OBI side strip, gatefold album jacket with one pocket, original album art work, printed inner sleeve, original record labels and specialty color vinyl.

Sun Ra Arkestra, Live in Japan! Recorded at Shinjuku Pit Inn on August 8, 1988, this recording has undergone fresh remastering from the master tape, marking the first reissue in 36 years!!

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First time officially reissue, sourced from the original master tapes in a new edition, the Milan based imprint Dialogo, returns with this compilation published in Italy by RCA Victor in 1962 - a precious historical document of some important international jazz and pop artists who came to Italy and left their marks, influencing the generations of those golden years. The RCA artists on this LP record have only two things in common: “Inter-continental Airport Rome-Fiumicino” stamped on their passports and a great love for Italy. As a tribute to the country which gave them a friendly welcome and where they spent unforgettable vacations and reaped enthusiastic applause, all of them chose to sing songs in Italian or perform - in the case of Perez Prado - a number of outstanding Italian hits. The dazzling trumpets and electrifying rhythms of Perez Prado, the captivating voice of Helen Merrill, rightly considered the top-notch white jazz singer by critics over the world, the young, all-time best-sellers, Paul Anka and Neil Sedaka, the fantastic trumpet of Chet Baker and his mysterious swinging style of singing, and lastly Antonio Prieto, the Latin-American singer-songwriter who wrote “LA Novia”, are the guest stars of this “passport TO Italy”, which, more than a record, is a full-fledged musical show, with a vast assortment of voices, of musical styles and songs. The Italian pronunciation of these North and South American recording artists is virtually perfect and particularly praiseworthy, if for no other reason than for the effort they have made in getting around, in just a few days, the difficult twists and turns of the Italian language. Their accent is naturally somewhat exotic but it only adds to the charm and the originality of the interpretations. The “show” opens with the already classic “arrivederci Roma”, which, though turned into an overpowering “chunga” by Perez Prado, has kept all its original melody intact. Prado, the wizard of Latin-American dance music, is an extremely refined blender of sounds and rhythms, and without any difficulty can take even a Neapolitan song, change it into a mambo and adapt it to his orchestra. In “guaglione”, for example, the “corruption” comes off perfectly and testifies to the everfresh inventiveness and the unmistakable personality of the Cuban-born pianist arranger. Helen Merrill prefers quality over quantity and so has made very few records but they already occupy a place of their own in the annals of jazz. She consented to record two popular ballads only because Armando Trovajoli, the most qualified exponent of Italian jazz as well as a far-out modernist, was to conduct the orchestra. Furthermore, the two songs, “nessuno AL Mondo” and “estate” are particularly congenial to her musical temperament, for she is most of all concerned with creating subtle and seductive moods, making an intelligent use of her vocal resources in that she tries to “add” her voice to the orchestra as though it were another instrument. Canadian-born Paul Anka, by now a regular member of the exclusive club of top-selling vocal artists of America, presents one of his own songs, “ogni Giorno” originally entitled “love ME Warm AND Tender”, the most requested hit in his present-day repertoire. And the young singing star’s interpretation of “voglio Sapere” (“i’d Like TO Know”) once again makes clear why his name became a permanent fixture as all-time best-seller. Neil Sedaka is another representative of the younger generation of American singers. When he was still in high school in Brooklyn, Neil became a close friend of one of schoolmates: Howard Greenfield. The two of them wrote numerous songs together for school shows: Neil handled the music and Howard the words. Their collaboration proved extremely fruitful, and they were soon to make their debut as professional songwriters with two hits of the calibre of “stupid Cupid” and “falling”. The Sedaka-Greenfield team, which in only a few year time has become one of the best-known, presents, in Italian, two songs which in their original tongue have already climbed to the top: “esagerata” (“little Devil”), translated by Leo Chiosso, and “UN Giorno Inutile” (“I Must BE Dreaming”), translated by Gentile and De Simoni. After Sedaka comes one of the big names of cool jazz: Chet Baker. Trumpet-player and singer, he proves here for the nth time that the names “Golden Trumpet” and “Angel Voice”, given him not only by his fans but by the crites as well, are in no way exaggerated. With an at once restless, desperate and almost possessed musical style, Chet sings and plays two songs which he himself wrote: “IL MIO Domani” and “SO CHE TI Perdero”. His reserved, curiously, precarious and profoundly dramatic way of singing, virtually the mirror-image of his life, is the same in both songs and makes them seem almost unconsciously autobiographical. The “show” then closes with Antonio Prieto. Precisely because of his Latin origins (he was born in Chile, but is Argentine by adoption), it is perhaps easier for him than for the others to express himself in Italian. As is well-known, the name of Prieto soared to the Olympic heights of popular music with “LA Novia” which he wrote in collaboration with his brother, Joaquin. He is a typically Latin singer with a warm, melodious and romantic voice, tinged with melancholy, and on more than one occasion he has shown that he thoroughly understands the tastes of the public. Listen to his two most recent compositions: “papà”, written in collaboration with singer-songwriter Sergio Endrigo, the author of “aria DI Neve”, and “baciami” and... judge for yourselves.

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... that groundbreaking album that changed jazz music ... sampled by Aceyalone, Black Moon, Chi-Ali, Fabe, Heavy D, Lootpack and others!

Classic jazz-funk fusion from the late, great Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki. Recorded in New York, and originally released in 1976, 'Juice' presents Ryo at the height of his powers.

Born in Japan in 1947, Ryo had a long and stellar career recording and releasing music up until his passing on 13 April 2020, in Tallinn, Estonia. Ryo is one of the pioneers of the jazz fusion genre, with the Japanese jazz fusion / funk sound becoming extremely influential within the 80s UK club scene and amongst its DJs. His track 'Trinkets & Things' became a bonafide underground classic. In the US he worked with some of the greats of jazz, such as Elvin Jones, Chico Hamilton and Bobbi Humphrey, to name but a few. A forward-thinking and ever-evolving musician, Ryo collaborated with the Roland Corporation and Korg on the 'guitar synthesizer' and later wrote music software for computers. Later in life he relocated to Estonia and worked there, as well as Finland, Sweden, and the Baltic states.

'Juice' has become a much-loved album for crate diggers and jazz-funk enthusiasts, with its tracks frequently being sampled and re-imagined in hip-hop. The smokey, beat-down, spiritual funk jam 'Bamboo Child' has been flipped by Diamond D, Puff Daddy, and Kool G Rap. The album was released in 1976 on RCA Records and features the musicians' drummer Jimmy Young, rhythm guitarist Hugh McCracken, and bassist Stu Woods amongst other luminaries. A solid album throughout that incorporates a heavy dose of tripped-out synths alongside the emerging disco sound of the time. Tracks such as the opener ‘Raisins’, with its drum beat intro and bubbling bass-line, rivals The Headhunters at their finest. A superb album from an underground legend.

The Mankunku Quartet's 1968 album 'Yakhal' Inkomo’ clocks in at just over 30 minutes of jazz perfection. This compact, and to-the-point, album would sit comfortably in amongst some of the best works in the catalogues of any of the quintessential jazz labels such as Blue Note, Prestige and Impulse. 'Yakhal' Inkomo’, however, was originally released on the South African record label World Record Co., which resulted in it becoming an elusive and sought-after piece for jazz collectors. First press copies sometimes fetch as much as £1,000 on the collectors' market. It has been long regarded as one of the finest South African jazz albums and DJ / broadcaster Gilles Peterson cemented this when he included it in his "best of genre" focussed radio show, 'The 20 - South African Jazz'.

Tenor saxophonist Winston "Mankunku" Ngozi recorded the session on 23rd July 1968 at the Manley van Niekerk Studios, in Johannesburg. It was recorded by Dave Challen and produced by Ray Nkwe. The session is built up of two original works by Mankunku on the A-side, 'Yakhal' Inkomo' & 'Dedication (To Daddy Trane and Brother Shorter)', and on the B-side, the Horace Silver composition 'Doodlin', and a John Coltrane number 'Bessie's Blues'. What is striking is how the Mankunku-penned compositions not only hold their own next to Silver and Coltrane but they are, arguably, the better tracks on the record - a testament to the beautiful writing and playing of Mankunku.

'Yakhal' Inkomo' features the great musicians; Agrippa Magwaza on bass, drummer Early Mabuza, and pianist Lionel Pillay. Pillay was of Indian descent, making this a mixed-race group, thus the very recording of the album was an act of resistance as it broke the apartheid restrictions of the time. The title of 'Yakhal’ Inkomo' means “the bellow of the bull”, the Black audience would have understood this as coded community symbolism and an act of protest but it escaped the attention of the white government.

For this edition, we have enlisted the services of Abbey Road Studios mastering, and lacquer-cutting engineer Miles Showell to cut a special half-speed master from the audio taken off the original master tapes. Miles has previously worked on our Arthur Verocai, Marcos Valle and Ian Carr re-issues, and once again we are blown away by the richness and clarity of Miles' work. We have also presented it as a replica copy using the cover artwork and labels from the primary World Record Co. original version.

On the sleeve notes, Ray Nkwe the producer and the President of the Jazz Appreciation Society of South Africa writes "This is the LP that every jazz fan has been waiting for" and Ray was not wrong, it's a stone-cold timeless jazz classic.

. Talk Memory,
the band's first album with XL Recordings, features 9 new songs and is due October 8th. The album
features musical contributions from Arthur Verocai, Karriem Riggins, Terrace Martin, Laraaji and
acclaimed harpist Brandee Younger, who has worked with Moses Sumney, and Thundercat. Sporting
visuals from Virgil Abloh, whose design firm Alaska-Alaska™ designed the cover for Talk Memory,
the album is an evolution focused on collaboration and the magic of improvised live performance.Demonstrating emotional and poetic progress, the new album is an aural odyssey and a heartfelt
expression of joy for the music and community the band considers itself lucky to inhabit.
Of the album, BBNG says: "It took a year or two of just living life to get to the place where the
creative process was exciting again and once we actually went in to the studio it was the most
concise recording and writing process we’ve ever had. We hope that the improvised studio
performances bring the listener closer to our live experience."

The UK’s cosmic, psychedelic-funk ensemble issue their second album on maverick producer Madlib’s label, Madlib Invazion. The Heliocentrics’ albums are all confounding pieces of work. Drawing equally from the funk universe of James Brown, the disorienting asymmetry of Sun Ra, the cinematic scope of Ennio Morricone, the sublime fusion of David Axelrod, Pierre Henry’s turned-on musique concrète, and Can’s beat-heavy Krautrock, they have – regardless of the label on which they’ve released their music - pointed the way towards a brand new kind of psychedelia, one that could only come from a band of accomplished musicians who were also obsessive music fans. Drummer Malcolm Catto and bassist Jake Ferguson are the Heliocentrics’ masterminds and producers, and they are obsessive weirdos in today’s musical climate, searching, progressive humans who are often out-of-time with current trends. They have been playing together for nearly two decades and their collective drive is to find an individual voice. The Heliocentrics search for it in an alternate galaxy where the orbits of funk, jazz, psychedelic, electronic, avant-garde and “ethnic” music all revolve around “The One.” With Madilb’s label Madlib Invazion for Telemetric Sounds, the Heliocentrics have returned to develop their epic vision of psychedelic funk, while exploring the possibilities created by their myriad influences – Latin, African, and more.

First time on CD! Isle Of Jura's first LP reissue, the highly sought after 'Voyage'. A Journey Into Discoid Funk by Brian Bennett originally released in 1978. A cosmic disco classic completely re-mastered from the original master tapes by Matt Colton. 180g vinyl. Bootlegged badly in the past, re-issued with love now, the sound quality s top notch! TIP.

This recording was made on November 5, 2007 at the Christuskirche in Mannheim, Germany, during the Enjoy Jazz Festival. It was on a Sunday, on September 19, 1993 to be exact, that Charlie Haden heard Brad Mehldau for the first time. Charlie and I were walking through the halls of the Hidden Valley Resort located in the Laurel Mountains in southwest Pennsylvania. The resort was sponsoring a jazz festival and Charlie had just finished an interview after which we needed to get back to the hotel room in order to prepare for Charlie’s sound-check and concert that night. As we hurried through the hall, one could hear, from behind the closed doors of the auditorium we passed, the sounds of a concert in progress,

Now, Charlie had the biggest ears of anyone in jazz, and while we were walking and talking, Charlie came to a sudden halt and said, “Shhh!"

His eyes opened wide as he crept to the door to listen. Someone was taking a solo. He said to me, "I have to go in and listen." We entered the auditorium and stood at the back to listen to the rest of the concert. It was Joshua Redman’s band with Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride and Brian Blade who, together, in 1994 recorded Joshua’s album Moodswing.

Once the concert was finished Charlie strode to the stage to greet the guys and to speak directly to the young pianist. It was Brad Mehldau who had taken that solo. They spoke for some time, and when Charlie came back to me, he said, “That pianist is brilliant. He is special, so unique.” Charlie would later go on to pronounce Brad one of the most important musicians of his generation because of his unique voice, his depth of knowledge of and facility on the instrument, and how he has moved the language of jazz forward.

Eventually, in 1996, Charlie found a way to bring Brad out to LA to perform with Lee Konitz and him at the Jazz Bakery. This led to a trio recording on Blue Note (1997) called Alone Together. In 2011, he and Brad recorded a live album with Lee Konitz, and Paul Motian for ECM called Live at Birdland. Brad and Charlie remained friends from the time of their first meeting. They had a special connection. In the early days, Charlie, in a sense, mentored this young pianist in life lessons. Personally, I think he saw a bit of himself in this young brilliant player.

The two musicians, however, had never had the chance to perform on stage in duo when, in 2007, Rainer Kern, the director of the Enjoy Jazz Festival in the Heidelberg region of Germany, invited Charlie and Brad to play a duet concert at a beautiful church, the Christuskirche in Mannheim. This was a rare opportunity for the two of them to have a musical dialogue and they both eagerly agreed. Rainer had asked to record the concert but the two artists said an emphatic, “No!” I, however, had a feeling about this concert and was able to talk the two musicians into relenting as Rainer graciously agreed to let us own the tapes. For contractual reasons regarding both musicians, the recording could not be released until now. Charlie listened to the tape often and dearly wanted to release it at some point. I am forever grateful to Rainer Kern for allowing us to record and own the work. As a result we have a dazzling testament to the interaction between two genius musicians: piano and bass, their brilliance resounding through the hallowed space of an art nouveau cathedral, recorded on November 5, 2007.

I must thank, first and foremost, Charlie Haden and Brad Mehldau for their transcendent performances and the devotion they show to the music. A special thanks to Brad Mehldau for being such a wonderful partner throughout this entire project. I must thank our friend, Rainer Kern for organizing this concert, and acknowledge the Enjoy Jazz Festival team for its support. Thank-you Jean-Philippe Allard for believing in the music and agreeing to release this recording on Universal Music, France. JP has been a great friend to Charlie’s music for many years.

It took a lot more people to make this recording happen as several parties had to agree thus many thanks to the hard work our lawyers put in to bring this project to fruition: Fred Ansis of Reed Smith LLP, Paul Bezilla of Fox Rothschild LLP, Valerie Foray and Christelle D’Almeida of Universal Music, Scott Southard and Tom Korkidis of IMN, Nanette Monton of Warner Bros. Records Inc, Bob Hurwitz, Nonesuch Records. Additional thanks to our friends, Farida Bachir, Jenny Defaut, Pascal Bod and Nicolas Pflug of Universal Music, France.

One of the most important aspects of recording is mixing and mastering. Charlie and I have worked with the recording engineer ,Jay Newland, for many years and he, again, worked his magic, bringing us the full experience of this live recording despite the inherent difficulties of such a recording taking place in an echo-resounding cathedral. Thank-you, Jay, for your incredible ears and skill. Many thanks to our mastering engineer, Mark Wilder of Battery Studios for his dedication to sound and his understanding that “Jazz is more than notes on a piece of paper.” Many thanks to Joe D’Ambrosio for facilitating the mixing and mastering process.

I need to mention the cover art. The painting was done by a friend of Charlie’s and mine, the Dutch-American painter, Luc Leestemaker who passed away in 2012. He had a timeless poetic style that Charlie and I really loved. Luc revered Charlie’s music, and we revered Luc’s paintings. We also used one of his paintings for the cover of Charlie’s album Land of the Sun. It feels good that Luc and Charlie get to do a project together again.

Charlie is gone now, and this recording was made “long ago and far away”, yet the music remains immediate. The music is now.

Ruth Cameron Haden, Los Angeles, California, July 2018

Every 20 years or so, certain musical movements come full circle. Young musicians are inspired by genres dating back two decades, channelling them through their modern sensibility. The legendary J Dilla’s Donuts album was released in 2006 and instantly marked a starting point for the work of musicians worldwide, laying the foundations especially for the beat scene in Los Angeles. A whole young generation of musicians brought up on the new, instrumental and abstract hip-hop has carried jazz into a new era. The four London-based musicians who make up Uniri have gone one step further by abandoning the idea of a jazz band and "bedroom production" in favour of collective composing, creating a new look at the new-beat aesthetics, framing it as a road novel set in an unspecified time and space.

Uniri translates as ‘one unified dream’ and is the key driving motto of the project conceived by Chiminyo (Cykada, Maisha), the band's founder and head honcho. The project materialised in his private studio, where he invited fellow jazz musicians Amane Tsuganami (Jorja Smith, Maisha), Al Macsween (Nubya Garcia, Gary Bartz, Kefaya) and Luke Wynter (Nubyan Twist, Golden Mean) to spontaneously compose together. Hence, despite this being the band's first album, it wouldn't be right to call them rookies. The result of Uniri's collaborative work is the psychedelic, rhythmic album Infinite Reflections, packed with cosmic and warm synths, which neatly balances hip-hop beat and jazz composition. It's safe to say this music is even more appealing when played live, although it's equally suited to the club dancefloor.

UK Jazz has become a permanent fixture in the London landscape, but also across Europe and the US. Today, the musicians who shape the new wave of jazz are drawing on more and more genres, reducing solo improvisation for the benefit of composition and increasingly drawing on influences from the beat scene. Among such formations are the British NOK Cultural Ensemble, the Polish Błoto, the Belgian Echt!, and the Dutch Comité Hypnotisé. Uniri is part of this emerging yet already international trend, creating an entirely fresh aesthetic that echoes artists such as Flying Lotus, Samiyam, Dorian Concept, Ras G and Nosaj Things oriented around the Californian 'new beats generation' scene.

The title Infinite Reflections alludes to a phenomenon observable on the open sea or during intercontinental flights. Gazing at the horizon blurs the boundary between the ocean and the sky, forming an infinite palette of blue shades. This inspiration sparked an elusive musical narrative, navigating between a sea voyage and an astral journey, destination unknown.

The album will be released by Astigmatic Records in digital, CD, and LP formats in both standard and limited editions. The pre-sale begins on March 1st on the Bandcamp platform, with the album scheduled for release on March 29, 2024.

Grammy award-winning Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame inductee (Jefferson Airplane & Hot Tuna) Jorma Kaukonen and bandmate John Hurlbut's new album is a followup to the highly successful River Flows releases. This deluxe package includes 180g Audiophile Black Vinyl, Doubled sided color cardboard photo board insert and an OBI side spin.

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Multi-instrumentalist and visionary artist Yussef Dayes is set to release his highly anticipated debut solo studio album ‘Black Classical Music’, on the 8th September 2023. ‘Black Classical Music’ is a 19-track record taking listeners through a looking glass into the exalted artist’s past and present whilst exploring themes of home and family. The album draws influence from his musical heroes Miles Davis & Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Yussef’s extensive travel around the globe that has deepened his study of rhythm. Honourable features on “Black Classical Music” - Chronixx, Jamilah Barry, Tom Misch, Shabaka Hutchings, Miles James, Sheila Maurice Grey, Nathaniel Cross, Theon Cross and the Chineke! Orchestra, plus Venna, Rocco Palladino, Charlie Stacey & Elijah Fox.

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CD Release: Limited edition of 100.

Since the age of six, multi-instrumentalist Aya Suzuki has been developing a musical universe informed by classical training and emboldened by a prodigious, almost innate feel for sound.

Her precocious leanings into percussive instrumentation led her to study at the pioneering Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo under the mentorship of world-renowned marimba player Keiko Abe, after which she left her native Japan to pursue a Master’s in percussion at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent.

Winged Seeds, her debut album recorded during a summer residency at Stuk in Leuven, presents the work of a musician whose ingenuity is in full flight. Clay pots, vibraphone, aluphone, bowls, and, of all things, rice, are her tools for conjuring arresting atmospheres through intricate fantasias and serene abstractions.

Aya’s mastery of percussive techniques goes hand in hand with her gift for poetic improvisation, as sound and silence have an equal and deliberate weight that charge each moment, suspending time and place into a magical stasis.

The surprising spoken word intermezzo “To The Earth” anchors these floating tones to the temporal spaces of our humanity, instilling a sense of humility which, despite her acumen, Aya deploys in all her artistry.

Winged Seeds is an unspoiled ode to the elements, honoring the earth we dwell in through the music that lifts us every higher.

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24kt Gold CD

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The Aleksi Heinola Quartet presents a new take on vintage hard-bop with their latest record, featuring original compositions and reinterpretations of works by iconic jazz greats. Impeccable musicianship, groovy swing, and a distinct sense of style are on display, with Gábor Bolla on tenor sax, Jukkis Uotila on piano, and Daniel Franck on double bass. This quartet date is not to be missed!

Plastic Carved Out In The Shape Of The Music compiles all the non-album releases of the 1990s by Dunedin free improvisation quartet-cum-trio, Sandoz Lab Technicians. One of many hermetic enclaves of creative endeavour in the nineties NZ underground, Sandoz Lab Technicians are James Kirk (also of King Loser, The Stumps, Black Boned Angel, Renderizors, etc.), Nathan Thompson (Sleep, Renderizors, Eye, Expansion Bay, etc.), Tim Cornelius (Sky Blue Lodge, Three Forks, Ray Off, etc.) and, for their first few years, Mark Curragh.

Like many of their peers, Sandoz Lab Technicians also ran their own label, Blunt Instrumentals, on which they released lathe-cuts of their own music, both with Sandoz, and in other configurations (The Cornelius Brothers, Unspecified, etc.); once word had spread, particularly thanks to the release of their debut album on Siltbreeze, their music also leaked out via an international network of small labels dedicated to underground experimental music. Plastic Carved Out In The Shape Of The Music features all their Sandoz self-released EPs, and a few extra bits and pieces, offering the listener an excellent overview of their music’s development, from their very first sessions, through to the wildly sophisticated free noise sculpting of their later material.

Sandoz Lab Technicians were always a curious proposition, even within the NZ free noise ‘scene’ (such as it was, or was not). Their early material has a particularly loose, suburban cast, not without some humour: the material sounds like it’s been recorded in scungy lounge rooms, dimly lit hallways, kitchens full of bric-à-brac, sharehouses with dusty curtains. Neighbours drop by to ask about their cats; guitars clang, drums tumble, all kinds of incidental instruments clatter and pulse, in a matter not unlike collectives like Smegma or Los Angeles Free Music Society (as mentioned in the excellent liner notes by Mike Trouchon).

As the group’s playing develops, the music becomes more expansive, patient, laminar. The audio verité recording techniques gift the music an unerringly right sense of space, place, and drama; the interaction between the musicians is always spot-on, growing in sensitivity and nuance over the course of these two discs, able to flip on a dime from all-in group-mind levitation to inhabiting parallel, coincident universes. It’s a bravura collection of music that tells us much about free and improvised sound from the South Island, while still holding its cards close to its chest. - Jon Dale

37 tracks presented on 2 CDs, the first one compiling tracks recorded between 1993 and 1996 and the second one 1996 to 1999. 6-panel digipack with a 12-page booklet. Edition of 500 copies.

A Brief History OF THE Drums Jazz Drums as we know them today are a complex group of percussive instruments that reveal the inventive genius of the first jazz-band players of New Orleans, on Mississippi show-boats and later, in Chicago. In their actual form (which is substantially the same as that used in the first New Orleans groups ) they are none other than the como ination into one single instrument of all the percussive units used by the Southern blacks. Let us examine the drums in their single parts: the bass drum is a percussion instrument without definite pitch, normally beaten by a stick that has a large, felt-covered knob on one end, while the other end is attached to a pedal played by the right foot. It is the same instrument used in parades with brass bands, when it is worn around the neck and can also be played with regular drumsticks if a drum roll is required. Also a descendant of the traditional New Orleans brass bands are the Charlestons, two superimposed metal plates which are also played by pedal. Drumsticks or brushes are used to play one or two cymbals, large, slightly cupped disks of brass which when struck together loudly, also produce a crashing, dramatic effect. Drumsticks are also used to play the snare drum, of military origin, and the tom tom, of African descent, which can also be played by beating the drum-head with the fingers and the heel of the hand to accompany dancing. Other supplementary instruments such as the castanets, cow-bells, etc., are also played with drumsticks. In early jazz formations and in all New Orleans jazz, drums were used to rhythmically sustain the group, in other words, to furnish the beat, particularly with the bass drum playing the strong beats; the Charlestons would follow on the weak beats and the other parts would more or less ‘fill in’ depending on the player’s ability, by playing syncopation and off-beats. Rarely were the drums used as a solo instrument in New Orleans or traditional jazz bands; at the most, the drums would perform during a break, that is, a brief solo that filled in a pause left by the other melodic instruments between two stanzas or refrains. In jazz history the most important representatives of this ‘archaic’ jazz style are considered to be Warren ‘Baby’ Dodds (brother of the famous clarinet player Johnny Dodds ) and Zutty Singleton; both can be heard on the historical recordings of the Hot Five and the Hot Seven where they played under Louis Armstrong. During the swing era the drums were somewhat modified and perfected (it was during the ’30s that they assumed their standard and present form), thus requiring players to develop a more refined, sophisticated playing technique. In fact, during the swing era the small groups that had made up the backbone of New Orleans and Chicago jazz moved momentarily into the background and attention was focused on the first big, commercial dance bands, then to small, experimental groups that consisted of trios and quartets. But while the New Orleans drummer had been accustomed to playing with musicians he knew personally and with them performed music with which he was completely familiar and could therefore easily provide rhythmic support to, during the ’30s the drummer found himself in the new situation of having to play with a large number of musicians who played written music that had been selected for commercial reasons and part of complicated, orchestral arrangements. In addition, because of continuous changes in orchestral personnel, he seldom had time to familiarize himself with his fellow musicians; he was forced, by necessity, to adapt himself to the needs of the group at a short time notice and it was not unusual for the band leader to expect an exceptionally long break during which the drummer had to demonstrate his particular virtuosity. Naturally the technical superiority of this generation of musicians found supremacy in small groups in which the drums sustained first place together with the melodic instruments. An example of two such outstanding drummers of the swing era were Chick Webb and Gene Krupa. Around and immediately following World War II there took place, gradually and not as suddenly as one is led to believe, a so-called ‘revolution’ that initiated what was the ‘modern jazz’ trend, to which the preceding jazz style was superimposed and defined as ‘traditional’ jazz. While it would be impossible to analyze here all the melodic, harmonic, rhythmic and timbric innovations created by modern jazz musicians, two considerations can be made about the drums. The first is that in modern jazz there is no longer any distinction between ‘melodic’ and ‘accompanying’ instruments, thus leveling all instruments of the group to equal importance, all with solo possibilities (just think of what a classic accompanying instrument like the guitar becomes, in the hands of Charlie Christian!). The second is that while in traditional jazz the beat, i.e., the basic rhythmic scansion of a piece, offered the possibility of rhythmic balance, in swing, rhythm became explicitly an element of sound, while in modern jazz the beat is implicit and despite its prominence throughout an entire piece, whether solo or group playing, no instrument has the specific job of sustaining the others. It is clear therefore, that when the drums have been given equal value to the other instruments, they are freed from the obligation they once had to sustain rhythmically an orchestra or group and in modern jazz find enormous expressive possibilities. The musician most responsible in giving the drums their prominence in this era was Kenny Clarke, and among his many followers two of completely different styles but both with supreme technical skills, were Shelley Manne and Max Roach.

THE Drums AND POP Music The introduction of drums in European pop music occurred at the same time as the transformation of dance bands and was conditioned by the popularity of jazz. In the first dance orchestras that offered American dance music in Europe (the fox trot, one-step, and later the Charleston), the drummer often gave his name to the entire group, which was called a ‘jazz band’. The pop music drummer, in general, was not just a pale image of his jazz colleagues. If he performed any virtuoso passages they were certainly not the result of an expressive need, but rather, well-calculated effects created by an arranger for purely commercial reasons. The drums in pop music were also liberated from their secondary role, however, in another change similar to that brought on by the modern jazz revolution: it was with rock ‘n’ roll and the experiments of the new American groups that followed the Beatles and the Rolling Stones that re-evaluated the possibilities of the drums in new forms of instrumental ‘sounds’ and added to the wealth of technical capacity and the actual physical make-up of the instrument, adding other percussive instruments from both Afro-Cuban origin (bongos) and classical music (tympani), as well as oriental instruments like the gong, Chinese bells, Korean blocks, etc. For those who are fascinated by the virtuosity of some jazz or pop musician and have undertaken the study of the drums with the intention of imitating them, it is well to remember that it is no longer possible to do so with just a good sense of rhythm, musical sensitivity and the physical capacity to play. The modern drummer must also have a thorough theoretical background and a good teacher to guide him. Sightreading is of course indispensable particularly for playing the drums and a music school diploma certainly helps. This record, therefore, does not pretend to offer more than a series of modern rhythms that anyone with a good musical background can learn from and have fun with. The rest is up to you!

Muhammad Ali X Yosuke Yamashita Trio CD is back!! A cutting-edge collage of the Muhammad Ali vs. Mac Foster documentary held at the Budokan in April 1972, with performances by the Yosuke Yamashita Trio (w/ Takeo Moriyama and Seiichi Nakamura).

A special vinyl version of Terry Carrier's 10th anniversary of his passing is now available on CD and cassette in a limited quantities. The singer-songwriter, who spun a unique style between soul, jazz, and folk with blues. Before he passed away in 2012 he recorded a series of albums (2001-2009) for Mr. Bongo in the UK in his later years. The album is a compilation of 8 selected songs including "Ordinary Joe (Live At Jazz Cafe)" from his last albums (2001-2009). Directed / Compiled by Tomoaki Nakamura (musicaänossa / Bar Music)

Nautilus - one of the best new generation rare groove bands in Japan. Long-awaited 7th full album to be released simultaneously on Lp&cd!! The album contains 11 songs including original songs with strong funkiness and covers such as "Caught Up" by Terri Walker with Emi Tawata on vocals.

Adam Blackstone is not only a multi-faceted bass player, musician, Emmy-nominated music director and Grammy award-winning writer, but he is also notably the musical mastermind behind the live shows of many of today’s biggest artists (Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys, Eminem,...the list goes on). Blackstone’s TV legacy continues to expand as music director and on-screen personality. He has contributed his talents to today’s biggest shows, including the Oscars, NBC’s “The Voice,” the Grammy Awards, numerous BET, VH1 and MTV specials and as the music director for The hit Fox shows “The Four” and “The Masked Singer.” This is Adam’s debut album and features guest artists including Jazmine Sullivan, Jill Scott, Mary Mary, & Kirk Franklin.

A body of evocative recordings included in Pupa O Crisalide with three different line-ups for this fantastic album by Enrico Rava which, thanks to Dialogo Records, finally sees the light for jazz lovers. With the Italian Giovanni Tommaso, Bruno Biriaco, Franco D'Andrea, Michele Ascolese, Mandrake and Tommaso Vittorini in “Pupa O Crisalide” and “Giramondo”, the American David Horowitz, John Abercombie, Herb Bushler, Jack De Johnette, Warren Smith and Ray Armando in “C.T.’S Dance” and “Tsakwe” and the the Argentines Finito Ginbert, Matias Pizarro, Rodolfo Mederos, Riccardo Lew, El Negro Gonzales, Nestor Astarita and El Chino Rossi in “El Samba Graciele”, “Revisione Del Processo N.6” and “Lingua Franca” Enrico Rava was the first Italian jazz artist to represent the country internationally, born in Trieste in 1939. Rava's music at its best is a mix of Central European and Italian culture.

An urban jazz-pop album dedicated to all music lovers!! Tetsuro Yafune & Seira Kariya's full album is here. The album features original songs and colorful cover songs that transcend time and genre. All 10 songs feature Seira Kariya on vocal. The acoustic band sound is the essence of the Yafune Tetsuro Trio's jazzy arrangements and Seira Kariya's cute and powerful voice is brought out to its fullest.

Mermaids really do exist, and I discovered this a few days ago. I came across the fantastic story of the Ama, literally the women of the sea. They live in Toba Bay, Japan, and have a long-established custom that has been passed on from one generation to another for more than two thousand years. Not so few. What do they do? They jump into the sea half-naked to fish for seaweed, octopus and, above all, for pearls. They are the real pearl fisherwomen. They reach a depth of just under 30m, with only the strength of their lungs. They are as beautiful as the sun. When they ascend, due to a strange play of sounds and noises coming from their hyperventilating lungs, they emit a kind of whistle that sounds like the cry of dolphins. Or more precisely, the song of mermaids. They go down into the deep sea and search for pearls. When out of the water, they train all their lives and help each other passing on practices and secrets, confiding in one another to stay united. And they are cohesive, never envious of one another, just a great sense of belonging. With his new work Gianluca seems to have drawn from this ancient hunt, made up of memories and traces. He submerged and searched in the remotest memories and ancestral sounds of skins, streets, eras and styles. With his appreciation he has connected black ghettos, slums, townships, ‘the bronx’ of all over the world and explored them with the curious sounds of contemporaneity. Gianluca also has a very cohesive community of musicians around him, he is proud of this, and with them he finds his element, his peace. ‘Anyone who doesn’t get along with musicians has an unresolved problem,’ he tells me. And that’s why he makes a point of letting it be known that each of the five well-known members of his Cosmic Band and the many valuable guests who populate this new record, contributed decisively to the creation of these crazy tracks. In what way? By using the words of their instruments, generating a language that serves precisely to connect past and present, useful for finding the thread of dialogue. A continuous back-and-forth between generations. To speak of the best in the field is an idle exercise: all have striven in the realisation of the composition, all deserve full praise, none excluded. Ovations for all. If you think you are only listening to jazz, you are sadly mistaken. There are exotic ghosts, promises of evasion. There is a celebration of the human condition. There is a life in here. A plunge into the heart of music and its many languages. A record about confrontation on words, about memory, about being true to oneself. But it is also a work on how complicated it is to come to terms with what we call identity, and Gianluca rewrites this identity in his own way. A work made of whispers, murmurs, in which music and language try to invent a new encounter. That takes us down into the abyss of the sea and up to the sky. Federico Scoppio

EM Records celebrates Roland P. Young’s 80th adventurous year on the planet with “Spontaneous Bounce”, the sixth RPY solo release on the label. After a musical youth in Kansas City followed by audio activities in San Francisco and New York and elsewhere, he began releasing self-produced solo music in 1980 with “Isophonic Boogie Woogie”, the title of which hints at the forward-thinking yet earthy nature of his sound, a soulful and spiritual multi-world avant-music, drawing on elements of ambient, jazz, soul, new age and electronic music. His ‘Isophonic Music’ concept crystallizes these elements through a comprovisational use of soprano sax, keyboards, drum machines and the possibilities of the recording studio. This release features 13 new pieces, a diverse array of appealing and joyful celebrations of music and life. Come and join the celebration!

This amazing album from 1974 was the natural predecessor to Johnny Hammond’s classic “Gears” recorded with the Mizell brothers the following year. It contains the rare groove/Jazz Funk anthems “Star Borne” and “Yesterday Was Cool”.

“Gambler’s Life” was the album where Hammond switched from his customary organ to electric piano at a time the Mizell brothers had just produced Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey for Blue Note. They had become noted for their "multi-layered funky sound". As much as Hammond shines on electric piano, this album is a true band effort, an all-star jam session of sorts, thanks to the presence of ace musicians such as George Benson, Eric Gale, Melvin Sparks, Ron Carter, Harvey Mason, Billy Cobham, Steve Gadd, Airto Moreira, Ralph MacDonald, Grover Washington, and of course the Mizell brothers themselves.

In addition to the 8 tracks that were on the original "Gambler's Life" album, this CD reissue includes 4 bonus tracks, all of which originally appeared on other Kudu/CTI studio albums in 1971 and 1974, and on those 4 tracks you get to hear Hammond's trademark organ. Title track “Gambler’s Life” was also sampled by Erykah Badu on "Mama's Gun" LP

"Hey, there's this new guy around that plays like Herbie Hancock!!". When Chilean pianist Matías Pizarro arrived in Argentina fleeing Pinochet's dictatorship, word spread like wildfire in the local jazz scene.

In the two short years that Pizarro spent in Buenos Aires, he became one third of the Viejas Raíces project alongside local jazz heroes Jorge López Ruiz and Pocho Lapouble, recorded with famed Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava and released his own solo album, Pelo de Rata ("Rat's hair").

Pizarro was no beginner though. Whilst in Chile he had already participated in several music projects and worked as a producer and arranger for the IRT label, and was connected to influential bands such as Los Jaivas and Blops. He had also studied in the Berklee School of Music where he not only met and lived with the cream of an emerging new wave of musicians, but he also had the chance to attend live performances of giants such as Miles Davis or Thelonious Monk.

In the recording of Pelo de Rata Pizarro is joined by fellow Chilean Alejandro Rivera (Sacros, Grupo Sol) on quena and charango, Swedish bassist Bo Gathu on bass, Uruguayan saxophonist Finito Bingert and an impressive percussion team featuring Pocho Lapouble, "El Zurdo" Roizner and the mighty Domingo Cura. The album draws from the US jazz fusion currents of the time (think Chick Corea and Miles Davies), adding an undeniable Latin American character, all projected through Pizarro's own musical prism which displays his acute sense of harmony and a musical intimacy that reminds of those sincere, dreamy moments in Viejas Raíces.

The 8-page booklet that accompanies the vinyl edition will give you a deeper insight into the story of Matías Pizarro, with previously unseen pictures and liner notes by Argentinean journalist Humphrey Hinzillo (La Nación , Rolling Stone Argentina).

Atlantis' is a smouldering jazz-funk, cinematic excursion courtesy of the Brazilian maestro, Daniel Salinas. A conductor, pianist, arranger, and producer, he has worked across several genres within Brazil’s rich musical tapestry, including the Beatles-inspired Jovem Guarda movement, jazz-funk, and MPB to name just a few. He featured on records by Franco, Célia, Perfume Azul Do Sol, Wilson Simonal, Juca Chaves and a whole host of Brazilian greats.

Released in 1973 on Top Tape Records, 'Atlantis’, features one of Salinas’ best-known recordings (at least in Europe), his much-loved interpretation of 'Also Sprach Zarathustra’ entitled 'Straussmania’. It was inspired by Eumir Deodato's global hit of the same year and went on to be adopted by various scenes becoming a classic within rare groove circles as well as amongst breaks and beats diggers.

Other highlights include the only original Salinas composed track on the album; the driving, orchestrated Brazilian groover, 'Baião', and an epic, head nod breakbeat interpretation of Donovan's folky 'Atlantis'.

'Atlantis' was also issued by the American record label Cadet in 1974 with alternative yellow sleeve artwork; this re-issue is a replica of the original Brazilian Top Tape version from 1973.

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24kt Gold CD

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After the release of their critically acclaimed first album « Bluestaeb & S. Fidelity Present Underground Canopy » (menace - 2020), Underground Canopy (uc) was able to take time, due to the unforeseen period of doubt in 2020, to craft new compositions with a fresh approach. Throughout this forced period of introspection, the Parisian band experimented with more refined musical codes and colorful sounds.

Following the new additions of Raphaël Henry on drums and Christopher Johnson on electric guitar, UC was able to record and film a live rendition of four original pieces at the end of 2020, thanks to an invitation by the Centre des Arts d’Enghien-les-Bains’s artistic program and Sense. These music videos, each filmed in one shot by Romain Lalire, capture UC’s musical digressions away from their mainly hip-hop and groove-infused jams and into new territory.

The resulting new EP «Séquences : Live Session» celebrates cinematic aesthetics and the suspension of time. It stands as an audiovisual testimonial to the band’s continued progression. In this era marked by uncertainty but full of hope, what will come next?

The respected Japanese jazz drummer Akira Ishikawa was not messing around when he recorded the 'Uganda (Dawn of Rock)' album with his band the Count Buffaloes. For this offering, originally released in 1972 on Toshiba Records, Akira Ishikawa takes us on a deep tripped-out journey. 'Uganda (Dawn of Rock)' is a fusion of progressive and psych rock with African percussion workouts, dergy-wah wah blues-funk, and jazzy sensibilities; with different genres morphing and uniting as they progress. A long way from his funk and afrobeat album 'Back To Rhythm’, re-issued on Mr Bongo in 2019, this record has a darker, deeper, abstract and experimental stoned tone with the listener being pulled into its vortex for the ride. This record doesn’t pull any punches. For this album, Akira is joined by Hideaki Chihara on bass, guitarist Kimio Mizutani, sounding at times like an early 70s Peter Green, percussionist Larry Sunaga and composer Takeru Muraoka. The album has become highly sought-after amongst psych, prog and acid rock collectors and due to the rare nature of original copies they come at a hefty price tag. We are delighted to present an officially licensed re-issue of this underground Japanese rock rarity.

This previously unreleased album by the Horace Tapscott Quintet was unearthed from master tapes in the Flying Dutchman archives. Recorded in 1969 and was intended to be a follow-up album to the classic 'The Giant Is Awakened' which was released that year.

The iconic pianist and composer Horace Tapscott was one of the most unique and important figures in LA’s jazz world. This lost recording was produced by one of the pivotal figures in jazz, Bob Thiele, a leading behind-the-scenes star who worked with many of the greats in jazz, such as Quincy Jones, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Della Reese, Shirley Scott, Gil Scott-Heron, the list goes on. His name can be seen gracing, arguably the best, Impulse! releases and those released on his own Flying Dutchman imprint set up in 1969.

Joining Horace for this three-track, deep, heavy, avant-garde session is the same stellar cast featured on 'The Giant Is Awakened'; Arthur Blythe on Alto Sax, Everett Brown Jr on Drums, with David Bryant and Walter Savage Jr. on Bass. Kicking things off we have 'World Peace’, which starts with an almost baroque-esque melody, leading to an eruption in sound, it then ends in the same manner it began. The beautiful 'Your Child' is the jewel in the crown, skirting modal, deep jazz and introducing elements of free jazz. 'For Fats' with its bow bass and piano intro takes you on a journey, dropping into, at times dark, stormy melodies and developing a driving energy as the composition progresses.

After recording this album, Horace was said to be wary of the music industry, so he retreated and distanced himself from this world, recording only for the independent labels Ugmaa, Interplay Records, and Nimbus West Records. He set up The Pan-Afrikan People’s Arkestra and reintroduced the pan-African-roots sound back into the heart of jazz. He also developed and promoted the art form through performances and recordings.

Thankfully, this session from these wonderful musical pioneers was preserved and finally has its time to shine.

Featuring brand-new artwork by the illustrious artist/designer/musician Raimund Wong (Total Refreshment / Floating World Pictures)

Songs and Poems is a project born from the necessity to explore, in a chamber dimension, the possibilities of the sound of the word. The quartet joins Blend 3 - the trio of Andrea Grossi with Manuel Caliumi and Michele Bonifati - to the voice of Beatrice Arrigoni and finds its personal dimension within a sound world generated by the fusion of 20th century European traditions, starting from improvised music and European jazz, passing through contemporary music until arriving in echoes of progressive rock, noise, and ambient. An aspect on which the research of this group is based is the relationship between the human voice and instruments, in particular the instrumental use of the voice and the translation of vocal inflections and possibilities onto instruments. The compositional architecture of the poetic text can also suggest that of the musical writing, avoiding a constant coloristic evocation, in favor of a deep research, based on structural affinities: abstract episodes with a visionary flavor are mixed with more punctual and scientific interventions. To each Poet, Emily Dickinson and E. E. Cummings, in this case, corresponds a different compositional style aimed at emphasizing and praising the uniqueness of each “voice”.

15 self-portraits by Sebi Tramontana. The shortest is about 30 seconds and the longest is almost nine minutes. In these fifteen pieces the trombone is explored in multiple directions. There are techniques dear to the world of European improvised music as well as echoes of Duke Ellington's trombone masters, Italian accounting as well as the pure sound of the air. Tramontana is a northern wind but Tramontana comes from the south, they have met and through a tube they take us on a curious, light, surprising journey. A journey that directly refers to the brass bible "Song and wind" by Arnold Jacobs, tubist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The idea for Girotondo is taken from the play of the same name written by Arthur Schnitzler. Like the characters in Schnitzler’s text, here the musicians are invited to take part in a series of dialogues in pairs, so as to form a chain, a roundabout: the first with the second, the second with the third, until the last one joins the first, closing the circle. The musicians have been matched by lot to a theatre character, so that the duets are the random result. Fazio acts as a guest, an external narrator to the couples, elaborating an electronic introduction that represents the scenic space in which the encounters develop, and a final roundabout in which everyone is involved.

Swedish multi-instrumentalist and composer Gustaf Ljunggren has teamed up with Icelandic Bass Guitar player and composer Skúli Sverrisson (Laurie Anderson, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Bill Frisell, Blonde Redhead ) to create an album that wishes to offer the listener private musical spaces to dwell in for a while. Ljunggren’s musical language is clear, gentle, and melodic, and the pieces chosen for this album all share a sense of weaving past and future together into the present. Gustaf Ljunggren reflects about the music on Floreana: “I listened inwards, and it sounded like this. Melodies came to the surface, and I chose to say ‘yes’ to them, embrace them, carry them forward. My musical partner on this album, Skúli Sverrisson, has been with me throughout this process; embracing the music with both profound dedication and artistic boldness.” The music on the album grants the listener access to something that’s forgotten or undiscovered. There’s a sensuousness throughout the work; musical spaces that reveal possibilities to listen inwards, aided by repetition in melodies and patterns. The music doesn’t seek climaxes as much as it seeks states of presence and attention. The live concerts with Gustaf Ljunggren and Skúli Sverrisson will explore the spaces the music on Floreana invites to. Two of northern Europe’s most distinctive instrumentalists will interpret Ljunggren’s compositions with a strong attention to the environment where the music is performed. The audience can expect the performers to display a deep commitment to the presence of the music as it unfolds.

Wrwtfww Records and MEG Museum (Geneva) are ecstatic to announce a new full length album by celebrated Japanese percussionist Midori Takada (Through The Looking Glass), in collaboration with Buddhist monks belonging to the Samgha group of the Shingon school of Koya-san, led by Reverend Syuukoh Ikawa. You Who Are Leaving To Nirvana is available on half speed mastered vinyl LP, housed in a 350gsm sleeve, with OBI, and liner notes, as well as on digipack CD.

Recorded at The Premises Studio (London) and in Tokyo in 2019,You Who are Leaving to Nirvana is a majestic work combining a suite of six Buddhist liturgical chants and a musical creation by Midori Takada. The Buddhist chants come from three types of repertoires: shomyo ("Teisan", "Unga-Bai", "Sange", "Taiyo"), but also goeika ("Kannon-Daiji") and mantra ("Hannya-Singyo").

After supervising the recording of the Buddhist chants, Midori Takada added her own compositions, with subtle layers of percussion and the melodies of her beloved marimba, giving full life to the sacred texts.

Reverend Syuukoh Ikawa explains: "Shomyo is a form of declamation of sacred esoteric texts, inherited over many generations. The power of words goes far beyond their mere pronunciation. I think there is something that words alone cannot really convey. If I recite prayers in a musical way, the feeling transmitted will be even stronger than if I say it normally, in everyday language. I think that the musicality of a work carries a hidden power that cannot be expressed in words alone. The setting of the music has an additional power for you and for those around you who listen to it. The words of a song are not just words set to music. They carry an additional hidden power that cannot be expressed in any other way. Listening to Midori Takada's musical performance, the words truly seem to come alive."

Original recordings of the Buddhist chants are held in the International Archives of Folk Music (iafm) at the MEG Museum in Geneva. The album sleeve features an artwork by famed Japanese sculptor Katsura Funakoshi selected by Midori Takada. You Who Are Leaving To Nirvana is released in conjunction with Midori Takada's Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter, also available on LP and CD on Wrwtfww Records.