Organic Grooves CD 397 Items

Extremely obscure ‘Rare Groove’ album recorded in Argentina in 1974 and produced by great radio and music producer Mochin Marafioti. It has been impossible to learn who the musicians of the amazing session were. Soul, funk, psychedelia and latin melt into a sort of funkadelic sound. Spoken intro, sensual vocals and a monster rhythm section flirt with wah wah guitars and catchy melodies. A truly hidden treasury brought back to life by legendary Easy Tempo crew and destined to please the worldwide Rare Groove clubbing nation. To the original recording were added Edits by Andrea Passenger done in the spirit of the classic disco music manipulators like Tom Moulton, Danny Krivit and Walter Gibbons. To be played very loud.

Easy Tempo has achieved, through time, the status of legendary label. The seminal first volume of the fortunate series was released in early 1996 and it was responsible for the now huge worldwide Italian Cinematic legacy. The names of Piero Umiliani, Piero Piccioni or Gianni Ferrio, where totally unknown by the most. All the way through the 90’s Easy Tempo has released 10 Volumes (no fillers only killers) and complete soundtracks, some never previously released and most edited directly from the film master tapes. Today, Easy Tempo strikes back with a stunning long awaited 11th Volume (the round trip) compiled by Nicola Conte and with the re issue of an obscure disco funk album called Genius which is a dance floor earthquake. Easy Tempo is back with his irresistible cinematic groove which comes across stronger than ever.

‘Shapes,’ the third album from London-based multi-instrumentalist, Robohands, fuses elements of jazz, krautrock, hip hop and ambient music. For fans of Khruangbin, Yusef Dayes, CAN, Coltrane and 70s library music moods. Shapes is the solo project of London based composer, instrumentalist and producer Andy Baxter. His debut LP Green was released on Village Live Records in 2018 and was received with much love and acclaim in the UK Jazz, hip hop and surrounding scenes.

His follow up full-length, 'Dusk’, dropped in 2019, combining soul, funk, Latin & experimental moods. It featured vocalists & musicians from around the world including legendary New York French horn player, John Clark, who has worked with Isaac Hayes, Gil Evans Orchestra, McCoy Tyner, Jaco Pastorius, Ornette Coleman and many more greats.

'Shapes' is inspired by 1970s library music and their legendary composers including Piero Umiliani, David Axelrod, Brian Bennett and co. The album builds on these influences and incorporates modern motifs, contemporary jazz/hip hop drumming styles with a nod to 1990s Mo Wax artists such as DJ Shadow. The theme for the record is future/nostalgia, mixing vintage & modern instruments and production techniques.

Much of ‘Shapes’ was recorded with JB Pilon at Buffalo Studios in Limehouse, London. Due to the Covid restrictions that changed everything in 2020, the remaining parts were recorded in Andy’s flat using a collection of old mixing desk preamps and instruments.

For the heads – ‘Shapes’ features an array of vintage snares, including a 1960's Ludwig Pioneer and a mono, overhead ribbon mic on the drum kit provided extra old school points! The kick drum was re-amped through a huge vintage bass amplifier on a couple of tracks to give it some real character: “My favourite guitar sound achieved on this LP project is a Sontronics Sigma ribbon microphone in front of a WEM Dominator amp, which you can hear on the track 'Odysea'. The bass sound for all the tracks is a 1973 Fender Precision into an old Altec valve preamp, the one used on most Motown recordings."

This EP is the first release to mark the start of a new adventure, illustrating Rude Jude's commitment to a smooth and melodic vintage sound. Featuring 3 original songs, a cover and an epilogue, it is deeply inspired by the legends of Adult Oriented Rock and a mix of 70s/80s Soft Rock, Jazz and Pop. The contribution of the talented vocalist, songwriter and violin player, Jon GK can't be understated in creating and interpreting these songs. All the parts are played by musicians and the production is made through as much analog gear from that era as possible. It is not just a tribute but an attempt to carry the torch and bring something new to the current music landscape

Including The singles Weekend At The Club Paradiso and Rock mMy Disco

After more than 45 years forgotten in the personal archives of Jean Schwarz, Transversales Disques is very happy to release this previously unpublished recording which brings together the great Don Cherry and his friend, composer Jean Schwarz, pioneer in electro-acoustic music and member of G.R.M. This concert was recorded in 1977 at the Paris MIX festival (Théatre Récamier) organised by G.R.M and hosted by director François Bayle. An elegant mix of spiritual jazz and electronic sounds around this astounding quintet made up of JF Jenny Clark, Nana Vasconcelos and Michel Portal. First CD edition. Remastered from the original master tapes. OBI Strip, Twelve pages booklet with exclusive pictures and liner notes

All DJs have their own way of building their set. Some pick records entirely on the spur of the moment and trust their instincts, others write down a precise list on a piece of paper and never stray from it; the set is a kitchen where the DJ is the Chef. It doesn't matter how it’s done, as long as it's done properly and enjoyed by everyone, that's what matters the most.

I think I'm combining these two methods when building my set, except that instead of a meal, I'm talking about a story. A story that crosses styles, countries, atmospheres, and that I tell in a different way every night. With, however, a method that I respect.

Between the new stuff I get from the labels, the stuff that friends and fans send me, and what I dig myself, I have enough to make a different set from A to Z, every night! However, before these treats can delight the dancefloor, each of them has to go through a quite precise process.

The first step is to digitalize my tracks in high quality. I can play several dates in a week, so carrying boxes of records to places that are sometimes far apart is out of the question. The WAV format has become my best friend. With it, I can edit some tracks, cut parts or lengthen others. Sometimes, an interminable intro is not necessary, while a furious break needs to repeat itself a bit longer.

Then, the second step consists in classifying the tracks by genre and origin. A real library is thus created where each title has its own place. Accessible (almost) without searching. I know all too well the experience of getting lost in one's own collection, trying to read the spines, pulling out a record halfway from its shelf only to put it back in it immediately. No, that's not the one... where did I put that other one then?...

From these folders I then draw the titles which will be part of the third stage: the selection for the DJ set. Nothing is set in stone, tracks come and go on a regular basis. I have year-round squatters as well as residents passing through for a few weeks. Or days. It is from there that I begin to elaborate the story that I will be telling for three or four hours.

The beginning of the set is always the same. Welcoming the dancers gently. Letting them take their marks with a musical aperitif of tracks at 80/90 BPM, something that many DJs don’t do or no longer do.

The end is always the same. Parting with the dancers gently. Letting them go down peacefully. Their evening with me is over, but it is perhaps another one, more intimate, that will be starting for them.

In between these two moments, it’s all about the story itself, with its cumbia, reggae, hip hop, lusophone music, funk, soul-jazz twists... A rich story which tells itself in the mood of the moment and back on the dance floor. Depending on the general atmosphere, the rise in musical power can start after an hour and thirty minutes of preliminaries, or it can happen only after 45 minutes. The climax is reached with the Afro-house part, a furious passage that makes overexcited music from Zimbabwe and punk music from South Africa confront each other along a total experimentation with tracks so disturbing that they put the dancers' legs out of sync. This represents a moment of rupture in the narrative, its only purpose being to help reconnect with the dance floor as soon as it is over and to re-launch the story with even greater interest.

Those who have already come to see my DJ set know this: each of my stories is unique.

I hope you’ll enjoy the one I’m telling you in this third volume.

Pura Vida

Guts

We are proud to present the Mr Bongo pressing of Guilherme Coutinho E O Grupo Stalo's self-titled mythical album. Blending lo-fi, Brazilian tropicalia, jazz, funk and MPB with a unique aroma, this record is pure perfection.

It was originally released in 1978 on Erla - Estudio Rauland, an obscure record label from Belém in Brazil, that only released 7” singles, with this album being one of two exceptions. During the 1970s, Belém had a thriving nightclub scene, but it is thousands of miles away from the music industry hubs of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, making this record insanely difficult to find, even in Brazil. Added to the scarcity factor is the magical nature of the recording, which has naturally resulted in a hefty price tag to match. Original copies have become a prized, collector’s item.

The elusive Brazilian band leader and keyboard player, Guilherme Coutinho is a true cult artist. He passed away in 1983, at the age of just 41, and during his career he only seems to have appeared on a handful of marvellous records, which makes them all the more special. This album feels individualistic and distinctive from other albums of the day. Listening back to vocalist Elinho’s (aka Hélio Rubens de Oliveira) delivery, it sounds not too dissimilar to some of Belle & Sebastian’s songs. ‘Guilherme Coutinho E O Grupo Stalo’ is rich in charm, quirky and playful. It feels cinematic, soothing and benefits from being heard in its entirety. A proper album experience.

Sim Sim Sim' is the Latin Grammy award-winning debut album from Bala Desejo. A band who are at the forefront of Rio de Janeiro’s artistic renaissance, they channel influences of Brazilian 60s Tropicália, 70s psychedelia and MPB to create a nostalgic, yet joyfully, avant-garde sound.

The band is comprised of four distinct characters, each one an incredible talent in their own right and each with impressive credentials in the Brazilian Independent music scene. Central to the resurgent Rio de Janeiro musical community, the quartet of Dora Morelenbaum, Julia Mestre, Lucas Nunes and Zé Ibarra thrive in a group dynamic. They formed Bala Desejo to play collaboratively for a festival date in 2021, but when that show became a victim of pandemic shutdowns the idea for an album project materialised.

'Sim Sim Sim’, which translates into English as ‘Yes Yes Yes’, weaves through a fusion of genres, taking twists and turns as it progresses. There is Tropicália, MPB, rock, samba-canção soul-funk and reggae in the mix. It possesses many of the qualities of a classic album from Brazilian music’s golden era of the 60s and 70s, but also manages to sound very now, which is not an easy task to pull off. As solo musicians, they have worked and collaborated with Brazilian icons Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso and Milton Nascimento to name but a few. Bala Desejo feels like a natural extension of what came before, taking the baton from these luminaries, adding their unique spin and moving the sound forward.

When we first heard Bala Desejo, we were blown away. Their epic theatrical live shows leave audiences stunned and they are the band we had always been hoping to find. A modern-day Novos Baianos or Mutantes, but definitely not an imitation. They celebrate their influences, but are an innovative group, and consequently, they have created one of the finest records to come out of Brazil in recent years. A truly sensational debut!

É Soul Cultura Vol.1 seemed to land at exactly the right moment. Post-lockdown, optimism was back on the rise and the dance floors swelled again. For many listeners, Manchester based DJ Luke Una’s intriguingly woven pattern of new, old, rare and under-discovered music from around the world became the soundtrack to rejuvenated positivity.

This second volume gives another opportunity for Luke to share his journey of the past four decades of staying up late and getting transcendental whilst listening to holy grail music as the city slept. It at times ventures into the deeper, spiritual, soulful, downtempo, experimental aspects of his tastes. From the conscious, street soul fusion gospel of Veronica Mickie's 'Lost Children', to an excursion into Swiss, psych, progressive rock in the form of Pyranha, then onto the classic Indian music-inspired electronic workout of Andi Otto's 'Bangalore Whispers'. Luke hints at his softer side in Avis; a sweet, obscure cover version of Minnie Riperton’s ‘Baby, This Love I Have’, as well as championing local heroes in the shape of Manchester’s Yargo and their driving, obscure, proto-house belter, ‘Marimba’. There’s also Japanese, electronic, slo-mo heaviness from 1979, courtesy of Bach Revolution. House music is integral to the É Soul sound and is represented by Nav Aktah’s deep remix of Mr Scruff, and then there’s Isis ‘In Essense’; a track of such majestic brilliance that it has never left Luke’s record bag.

The selection is eclectic, global, and plucked from different times and spaces. In theory, perhaps they shouldn't work together, but there is a mysterious link that makes them gel as a whole. That’s what Luke does best. He creates a sort of musical alchemy, unifying the diverse.

It is best described by Luke himself, “It’s not about showing off, collector rarity, or ego-strutting, it’s all about telling stories, sharing the music, and making life’s journey mean something. In the end, of course, it’s just a compilation of other people’s music, but hopefully it’s more than that, adding something back to the pot.”

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.

The popularity of Brazilian music from the 60s, 70s and 80s has experienced quite the renaissance; artists such as Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil, Arthur Verocai, Joyce et al, have become household names to an international audience passionate about global sounds. However, even for die-hard fans and collectors of Brazilian music of the past, discovering contemporary Brazilian artists is not always easy, nor accessible. But, if you know where to look, you will see that there is a resurgence well underway that can be epitomised by an exciting new wave of Brazilian artists beginning to break through and gather momentum overseas. It’s with thanks to Sound and Colours, a website devoted to promoting Latin American music and culture, that we can help shine a light on one particular collective, bursting with creativity and camaraderie.

‘Hidden Waters: Strange and Sublime Sounds of Rio de Janeiro’ is compiled by Joe Osborne (founder of specialist Brazilian music platform Brazilian Wax) and Russ Slater (editor at large of Sounds and Colours). Focusing solely on the 'Rio Scene', rather than taking on the mammoth task of tackling Brazil as a whole, this collection presents 20-plus ground-breaking artists selected from Rio’s resurgent music scene. By presenting a snapshot into the pulse of the city and the vibrant musicians that live in it, ‘Hidden Waters’ collates tracks from a wide spectrum of musical genres from the avant-garde edge to bossa nova, samba, Candomblé, lo-fi rock, jazz and funk.

‘Hidden Waters’ showcases musicians such as iconic Rio mainstays Negro Leo & Ava Rocha, Brazilian jazz upstart Antônio Neves, critically lauded Avant-pop trailblazer Thiago Nassif, breakthrough artists Ana Frango Elétrico and Letrux, lo-fi psych rocker Lê Almeida, plus the Latin Grammy-winning Bala Desejo who are set to explode onto the world stage. The music featured on ‘Hidden Waters’ is unequivocally Brazilian, swelling with samba, bossa nova, funk, and jazz. But it’s within the album's blend; from sunny psychedelia to dusky synth-pop via experimental electronics, that marks the compilation as the sound of modern, multicultural Rio.

This comprehensive compilation comes with album artwork designed by Rio music’s leading album artwork designer, Caio Paiva. It features essays by professor and music critic Bernardo Oliveira and music journalist Leonardo Lichote, plus extensive notes on each track by the artists themselves.

Durand Jones's Wait `Til I Get Over is a memoir and a love letter. It is the story of Jones's life, his growth and revelations, the wisdom of his hometown and the wisdom he could only gain once he left. In it, he writes through Hillaryville's contradictions: the pristine beauty and the ragged roads; his teenage desire to leave and his adult desire to honor his tangled roots; the plantation history and the ups and downs of the Black community that made homes of this reparation town. "Hometowns have a way of keeping a part of you," says Jones, "and if I'm making something young-me would be proud of, Hillaryville is a big part of that." Jones finds something transformative in his memories there and the life he has led since, ultimately claiming and embracing his whole self. The result is vulnerable, personal, touching on Jones's relationship to church life, to his mother, to his queerness, to his worth. "I wish I could tell my younger self `you don't have to stick to the dreams people have for you,'" says Jones, "'you can dream bigger. You are more than capable, you are more than able. I think about some nerdy punk kid in the rural south who needs to hear that now.'" Wait `Til I Get Over does exactly that.

Jorge Ben is surely one of the world’s greatest all-round musical artists. He is internationally renowned and vastly influential as a vocalist, musician, performer and phenomenal songwriter. Famed for penning ‘Taj Mahal’, which was the source for Rod Stewart’s ‘Do You Think I’m Sexy?’, and also ‘Mas Que Nada’, one of Brazil’s most iconic anthems, Jorge Ben is a powerful musical force. A simple glance at his impressive back catalogue reveals a master of his craft, with a depth and quality that is seldom paralleled.

For 'Tudo Ben' we take a side-step, focusing on Jorge Ben’s songs that have been performed by other artists. Complied by Mr Bongo, Greg Caz and Sean Marquand, this collection features the Brazilian legends Elza Soares, Claudette Soares, and Wilson Simonal, alongside prodigious artists such as Marijô, Os Brazoes, and Doris Monteiro to name but a few. The selection covers a wide range of genres including samba, bossa nova, MPB and batacuda workouts. Many of the songs featured have become staples in Mr Bongo DJ sets over the years and are some of our most loved classics. As with many of history’s great songwriters, Jorge Ben’s songs transcend genres and styles, they can be covered and reinterpreted, yet the quality of the writing holds up to the standard of the original.

In the dark days of the mid to late 2000s when the end of vinyl seemed inevitable, Mr Bongo released 'Tudo Ben' on CD only. Years later, we finally get to put this right and present it for the first time on vinyl with alternative artwork by Mr Krum.

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!

Fabiano do Nascimento, one of the most popular and talented guitarists/composers in the Brazilian scene today, and Itibere Zwarg, the backbone of the Hermeto Pascoal Group, will be releasing a new album as a collective!! The new album will be released worldwide from rings!! ---- "Fabiano do Nascimento, the guitar virtuoso who shared Brazilian music with Sam Gendel, has completed a beautiful recording with a collective by bassist/composer Itibere Zwarg, who also received praise by Pino Palladino. It is a truly creative and inspiring album that beautifully captures the empathy that exists between Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro." - Masaaki Hara (rings)

Rubinho E Mauro Assumpção's 'Perfeitamente, Justamente Quando Cheguei' has to be up there as one of the finest Brazilian-psych-folk-MPB records we know. Unfortunately, it's very hard to find in the wild; even on digging trips to Brazil, an original copy rarely shows up, and when it does, it comes with a hefty price tag.

This highly sought-after rarity was released on the Brazilian label Tapecar Records in 1972 and is the one and only album by the sensational pairing of Rubinho and Mauro Assumpção. Effortlessly blending folk, MPB, funky-psych, rock, and relaxed, swaggering samba, this record ought to be heralded as a true Brazilian classic. However, maybe due to its scarcity and the previous reissue predominantly being only available to the Brazilian market, it has not had a chance to fully shine and find the wider audience it deserves. Through our reissue we hope to put things right. Fans of records by Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges are sure to enjoy the same magic and allure in 'Perfeitamente, Justamente Quando Cheguei'.

In addition to being the album’s songwriters, Mauro Assumpção took on the role of producer and Rubinho was co-producer as well as playing piano, organ, acoustic guitar and performing vocals. The record features the drummer Gegê who worked with Milton Nascimento, Edu Lobo, Nana Caymmi, Dom Um Romão and more. It also features guitarist Rick Ferreira, who played with Erasmo Carlos, Gal Costa and other greats. Rounding off the players on the album are Darcy Da Cruz and Formiga who have graced many a fine recording on horns.

'Perfeitamente, Justamente Quando Cheguei' is a truly stunning work that washes over you with beauty. Delve in and savour.

Heralded by the “Soul Drum” 12” EP (scep507, 2022), Gerardo Frisina’s new double record “Joyful Sound” represents another step forward on his ongoing travel towards new musical paths. Joyful sounds narrate a journey made of wisely distilled notes, bright and sometimes mysterious atmospheres, harmonies that wander through shadows, silences, and lights. A chameleonic Gerardo enchants with every release, mixing jazz, Latin, Afro-Cuban sounds, oriental fragrances, electronic beats, tribal percussions, funky variations and, to summarize, elegant symphonic arrangements with refined mastery. “Joyful Sound” once again sees the participation of the late Enzo Frassi (double bass), Fabrizio Bernasconi (piano, Rhodes), Gendrickson Mena (trumpet, piano), Alfonso Deidda (sax, flute) and Ernesto Lopez (drums, percussion), with the addition of Piero Perelli on drums and Giovanni Guerretti on piano, Hammond and Rhodes. This new record, carefully orchestrated and produced by Gerardo, required over a year of intense work, however it is worth every second of its 75 minutes of music. As the great Charles Mingus once said, “Play it in the key of your soul”. Without a doubt, Gerardo always gives his soul in full!

This one takes us back! We originally reissued Waltel Branco's 'Meu Balanço' in 1995, it was one of the first releases to come out on Mr Bongo. It is a much-requested title with original copies becoming ever more-scarce and the price tag increasingly rising, so it feels fitting to present this stunning record once again for all to enjoy.

Waltel Branco was born in Paranaguá, Brazil in 1929 and died in Rio de Janeiro in 2018. During his triumphant career he accumulated an impressive musical portfolio. A true maestro who from the 1950s onwards appeared on productions as a guitarist, writer, conductor, composer, and arranger. He worked with some of the greats of Brazilian music including Elis Regina, Dom Um Romao, Bossa Três, Marcos Valle and Tony Bizarro to name just a few.

'Meu Balanço' was originally released on CBS Records Brazil in 1975. It is Brazilian big band, orchestrated jazz-funk at its finest. Echoing the library and film productions created in Europe and the USA at the time, it also displays the hallmarks of Waltel’s heritage with distinct threads of Brazilian flavour running throughout. The musicians on the record include under-the-radar players that were the backbone of the Brazilian music industry in the 1970s including Luizão Maia on bass, Edmundo Maciel on trombone and Paulinho Braga on drums.

The album flirts between jazz-funk, cinematic library excursions, breaks and beats, easy-listening, and 70s cop show instrumentals. It is a breezy ride into Waltel's world, wonderfully nostalgic and of another time and place, yet snippets of the production echo the beats of contemporary hip-hop iconic artists such as Madlib, knxwledge and The Alchemist.

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.

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.

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.

Compiled by Sean Marquand and Greg Caz, 2 DJs well-known for their epic parties at Williamsburg’s legendary Black Betty club, that sadly closed in 2009. The duo played a deep variety of strictly vintage samba, samba-rock, Tropicalia, and Brazilian funk under the banner of ‘Brazilian Beats Brooklyn’.

Sean is known as half of Embassy Sound Productions. He took his team to Brazil to help resurrect Black Rio legends Uniao Black for a new release. Greg has DJ'd at some of the hottest Brazilian parties around the globe and presents a monthly radio show ‘Warm Wave’ on Soho Radio NYC.

Featuring Noriel Vilela’s singular “16 Toneladas,” a sublime cover of the Tennessee Ernie Ford smash “16 Tons” with a spare samba groove and unbelievable baritone vocals and hot jams from Tim Maia, Erasmo Carlos, Joao Bosco, Toni Tornado.

Included in this compilation of original 60's and 70's Brazilian gems are some of Greg and Sean's favourite tracks that have been filling dancefloors for years.

Texas Alexander was from a small town in Texas called Jewett, in between Dallas and Houston. It was here that he first started to sing on the streets and in church. He started to build a reputation through doing gigs. He is known for his personal and unique tenor voice and hollering style which is very reminiscent of field singing.

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).

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.

The journey gives your senses a taste of a future groove, erotica and nu-disco exploitation. With Private Alex is stepping forward musically into a new club direction, bringing a fresh sound to the production with retro drum machines, synthesizers, house piano, and killer funky basslines. Open the door and walk through the secrets of the night with ”Submission”, ”Blue City Club”, ”Dark Room”, ”The Visitor” and the singles ”I Feel You”, ”Attraction” and ”Odyssey 9000”.

I spent a while thinking about the title for this album; it was quite hard to pin down the feeling I felt it represented. At a certain point I realised it was nostalgia, for everything; our life passed by, childhood, moments of happiness and sadness, where we grew up”. - Skinshape Will Dorey aka Skinshape has proven himself time and again as a connoisseur for the cosmopolitan, across a prolific career expertly exploring understated sounds and theatrical textures. Taking his place alongside the likes of Khruangbin, Tame Impala, Bonobo and Madlib, Skinshape’s global kaleidoscopes are loaded with warmth and wisdom created on vintage analogue equipment applying a perfectionist’s touch. As a former member of indie band Palace, he has played everywhere from Glastonbury and BBC Maida Vale to headlining Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Conversely, as a solo artist Skinshape has never played live preferring to record, releasing an album a year (two in 2020’s lockdown) and keeping away from the trappings of stardom.

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)

Since his introduction in the 60’s, he has lit stages on fire, whether it be with The Rickers Orchestra or with The Melo-Togo Orchestra (taking home 2nd place for the first National Festival of Tologese Music). His first seven-inch vinyl, “Wait For Me,” is a holy grail for diggers all around the world. It was such a hit that Togolese music is and will forever be stamped by Roger Damawuzan. He was principal in introducing Gazo, Akpesse and Kamou rhythms to modern day soul music. In Avépozo - a few kilometers from the capital, Lomé. Though Tropicana Hotel has been closed for years, the many European tourists who were lucky enough to visit have not forgotten the nights that Roger Damawuzan set ablaze throughout the years. Indeed, in their collective memory is nostalgic of his flaming spirit and the rawness of his rigorous funk. He is timeless: since 1987, the Tropicana is no longer but Damawuzan roars on. In response to requests from his studio and his label, “Tropicana Sounds”, which, during 80s, was responsible for releasing his work, Damawuzan also gave his expertise and was a major influence on the evolution of hip-hop and Tologese electro. Relentless and unstoppable, Roger Damawuzan is now making a comeback with Seda. Afro. Soul. Funk. Vaudou. This album may be described, but it cannot be explained. Only through listening to this disk at a high volume will one completely understand, at its full scope, Roger Damawuzan’s emotions, his complaints, his cries, and all his evisceration when he takes the mic. Such a force of nature, Roger Damawuzan could have been supported by only one group. Led by Peter Solo, the members of the Vaudou Game and Lomé’s most talented musicians are at Damawuzan’s disposal for this album. The bass thunders in his honor, the brass escorts his arrival through the drums' rhythmatic steps, and the guitars riff so perfectly to serve as the ideal bedrock. Such a force of nature, this album could have been only captured, if not mastered, by one studio. Such mission was accomplished by the legendary studio Otodi (Office Togolese of Disks) by utilizing solely analog equipment to translate and to breath all of Damawuzan’s soul into this album. In Mina, Roger Damawuzan’s native tongue, Seda means “listen.” And this is neither advice nor a suggestion - it’s an order!

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!

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.

The unbreathable air saturated with moisture, the soggy soil that swallows every step like a starving death, the hostile nature and, finally, the remote swamp. The one they invested in composing Fire Eater. The one they left a few traces in. Tracks that can talk. Six men heavily armed with instruments, a seventh fastest, only weighted by a microphone. They left the inhospitable vegetation, leaving behind a succession of footprints. As we try to follow them, the afrobeat that made it easy to spot them now dissipates into a floating mist. So, we have to connect the radars and try to capture the vintage waves of equipment that emit more than one point but several. Be attentive to jazz solos and funk scarifications, as much as to what could chant and tap on the times of these tight rhythms. Because their blending has become a personal style as much as hybrid, and it is to avoid being watched by asphyxiation that they left the stagnant waters. Escaped from the car sound systems or plastered on the walls announcing their many concerts, it is in the city that they are now detected. Infiltrating them is a daunting task. A track where you have to avoid the vigilance of the electric and venomous keyboards, escape the copper flames and the guitar shears. Enter the choking groove to finally enjoy a purely instrumental passage, sneak in and dance. Progress outside the Afro mangrove, Running The Way nevertheless retains many cables still connected. The bottom of the jeans still ‘Roforofo’. ‘Muddy’ in Yoruba. Just 2 years after the first EP Fire Eater released in 2021, Radio Nova’s crush (title Helelyos enthroned 3 months in playlist), the Roforofo Jazz returns with the LP Running The Way, 8 tracks even more ambitious, with careful production, marking a clear progression in its quest for an increasingly more personal sound and writing. Putting the listener immediately in the tone of his atypical afro jazz rap fury, Love In Time and its sharp rhythmic appeal to the power of the music, in an ultra-energetic piece yet smelling with jazz via well-felt keyboard surges. Side To Side is a rearrangement of a piece by Togolese artist Bella Bello and Manu Dibango, yet glancing towards Motown and resonating like a anthem to life and directions to take to counter the negativity of our modern societies. Then on Stand Up in a more deepfunk US style like Breakestra or The Greyboy Allstars, MC Days (aka RacecaR) switches between fast flows and downtempo in an injunction to all fight for what we believe in. An epic piece concluded with a nod to Master Hendrix… Gas punctuates the A side with a light but saving rhythmic lull, coming closer to a nu-soul atmosphere and punctuated with an explosive refrain in which rap, rock and jazz clash, tending to prove as Days chants that by being more realistic our differences can only fade…Title Shawarma has nothing to do with a Kebab sandwich, although…! Life unfolds like a menu, in which everything is not always to our liking but which teaches us to accept judicious and juicy mixes, and combinations. The result is a joint with an oriental touch, almost ethio, a rhythm that perfectly matches the hip-hop flow and the Roforofo Jazz style.The Big Hustle is a UFO. Articulated around a 20 bars loop that gives it a communicative energy, punctuated by a bass line reminiscent of Fela Kuti’s Colonial Mentality, this title sounds like a highway for frantic breakbeat dancers; epic! From Here To Benin brings us back to the group’s Afro-inspired origins, while injecting a slight dose of well-felt pop music. A piece that encourages travel to learn to share, universally. And finally, Mode For DD, a cover of the instrumental title of the obscure jazz funk of The Awakening, with added voice of Days telling the meaning of life and its mysteries, our beliefs and certainties, as human beings as well as artists.