Organic Grooves 436 Items

Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings is the first official release of the complete previously unissued recordings from jazz guitar giant Wes Montgomery with the Wynton Kelly Trio at the famed Half Note jazz club in New York City in 1965 with drummer Jimmy Cobb and bassists Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Herman Wright and Larry Ridley. Including over 2 hours from the original radio broadcasts with host Alan Grant, the limited-edition 3-lp 180-gram (and deluxe 2-cd) set will be mastered by Matthew Lutthans and come in a deluxe triple gatefold with an elaborate booklet containing previously unpublished photos taken at the Half Note by Raymond Ross; plus a new essay from acclaimed journalist and author Bill Milkowski; interviews with jazz legends Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter, who both recorded with Wes; guitar icons Bill Frisell and Mike Stern; plus bassist Marcus Miller, who is Wynton Kelly’s cousin! 2023 marks Wes Montgomery’s Centennial (born March 6, 1923), and this is Resonance’s 7th release of Wes Montgomery recordings in cooperation with the estate. Now Wes Montgomery fans can hear the rest of the music from the Half Note that was only broadcast on the radio nearly 60 years ago.

The complete works, including newly discovered recordings, by South Carolinian funk/soul bandleader James Reese, a jazz-inflected producer as ambitious as he was talented. Trombonist, bandleader, songwriter, arranger and producer James Reese never issued an album with his Progressions band, only a series of 45s – some under his own name, some under that of his collaboraors – out of Spartanburg, South Carolina on his Najma label, from the late 1960s until the mid 1970s. He was as ambitious as he was talented, and his ouevre ranges from brutal, deep soul to sophisticated instrumental ballads to jazz-inflected funk.
Now-Again’s Egon first discovered Reese’s music on a 24 lock-in in Concord, North Carolina’s legendary record and antique clock repository, Ye Olde Clock Shoppe, in 1999. After he tracked down Reese, he officially reissued two of Reese’s songs on his seminal Stones Throw anthology The Funky 16 Corners. He later issued more of Reese’s music on the Now-Again anthology Loving On The Flipside. Sourced from rare 45s and multi-track master tapes, Wait For Me: The Complete Works 1967-1972 presents both issued and recently-rediscovered songs in the full-length format, in a cohesive set that shows the brilliance still arising from the American soul and funk sub-strata. Included among them is a remix of the track “Throwing Stones” from longtime Now-Again associate Kenny Dope. Also comes bundled with an extensive booklet detailing the trajectory of Reese and his band. Download card for WAV files included with the LP.

The latest release in Now-Again’s deluxe Reserve Edition series: the first ever anthology of Zamrock musician Mike Nyoni’s funky, psych-rock and folkloric 1970s recordings, plus bonus tracks on DL card for WAV files.
Zambian guitarist and singer/songwriter Mike Nyoni’s music is Zamrock only because he came of age during the country’s rock revolution. His preferred wah-wah to fuzz guitar, James Brown to Jimi Hendrix. His 70s recordings – often politically charged, and ranging from despondent to exuberant – are amongst the funkiest on the African continent. He was also one of the only Zamrock musicians to see his music contemporaneously issued in Europe. This anthology collates works from his three 70s LPs – his first, with the Born Free band, and his two solo albums Kawalala and I Can’t Understand You – and presents a singular Zambian musician on par with celebrated artists Rikki Ililonga, Keith Mlevhu and Paul Ngozi. The package also features an extensive, photo-filled booklet contains an overview of the Zamrock scene and Nyoni’s story. Includes a download card to WAV files, including bonus tracks.

They have been known to deep soul, funk and disco collectors for decades for their sought after 7” “Watching Out/Dazed,” long thought to be the band’s only recordings.
Egon tracked down Split Decision Band’s vocalist and songwriter Gordon Starr Flipping in the hopes of more and got it – with Split Decision Band, Now-Again presents a never-before-released album of devastatingly good disco and boogie from the unlikely
city of Des Moines, Iowa. Flipping’s collaborations with Prince’s stable made him a Midwestern legend, but his band’s music is more than an urban tall tale – this album finally proves to the world their merits.

* 180gram HQ pressing * Remastered from the 1st generation Oasis Records master tape * Lacquer cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio * First time on vinyl reissue * Pressed on Blue Bubble Vinyl / This is the 3rd solo album by Yon Seok-won, whose career as composer/arranger spans 5 decades, released in 1991. The Mermaid is a monumental work representing Yon’s first output as a pioneer of a unique jazz-based Korean new age/fusion sound. The album has recently become much sought-after among listeners and collectors drawn to the ambient elements and Balearic vibes that permeate the album. At long last, after nearly 30 years, this hidden masterpiece from a visionary composer who was way ahead of his time has been reissued! Yon Seok-won was born in 1949 in Hwanghae Province, in what is now part of North Korea. After his family fled to the South during the Korean War, he grew up in Incheon. In 1969, he met Incheon-born musician Kim Myoung-kil, with whom he formed the soul band ‘Devils’. Playing mainly on the U.S. 8th Army entertainment circuit, the group also dominated music competitions and the club scene. Yon left the band when he was drafted into military service soon after the release of the Devils debut album. As soon as his service was complete, Yon formed and led the Outsiders, a rock band that mixed soul and Latin influences. The outfit’s only album was released in 1975. Yon then went on to join Shin Byoung-ha’s jazz-rock / disco unit, the Four Seasons, while also working on solo material and furthering his career as an arranger. Having built a working relationship with SRB Records at the time, he handled production duties as composer / arranger for various acts such as the folk singer Jung Tae-choon as well as soul-funk singers like Yoon Si-nae and Moon Ji-young. Ever passionate about exploring new music, in 1982 he left behind a promising career as composer / arranger in the domestic gayo scene and went to America to discover a greater world of music. He spent the next 5 years studying jazz and playing local gigs in Hawaii. Upon his return to Korea in 1986, Yon’s broadened musical scope organically found expression on numerous remarkable gayo productions, signaling the start of a new heyday for him. This is plain to see in his work on the albums by various top acts of the time, including In Soon-ee, Lee Eun-ha, Kim Wan-sun, and Kim Beom-ryong. In particular, he demonstrated an unparalleled knack for arranging New Wave-influenced disco tunes as well as ballads that incorporated elements of chamber music. Additionally, since the early 1990s to the early 2000s, Yon has been prolific as a score composer for numerous films and drama series. In 1990, Yon established a musicianship crew of his own, ‘Creation’, which became a steadfast vehicle for him to give form to his musical visions. His jazz-based fusion / new age albums, which threw a fresh new light on Yon and his work, were released during this era. Building on his close working relationship with Oasis Records at the time, in 1991 Yon released his first solo material in 10 years – ‘Mermaid’, while also working as head producer of Shin Hyo-bum’s idiosyncratic jazz-oriented gayo album ‘Jazz: The Outing (1991). Also prolific as an arranger, his career peaked when he participated in hit songs by Lee Moon-sae and Kim Gwang-seok. Ever since the 2000s, Yon has focused mainly on composing scores for drama series. Yon’s extraordinary yet woefully under-documented career saw him pursue a unique musical journey after his beginnings in a soul / rock band in the 70s, after which he infused jazz elements into gayo and realized his greater musical vision. His touch can be found everywhere from 70’s gems to the various gayo hits and score albums of the late 91’s. As such, Yon Seok-won is a mysterious musician whose works are familiar to any gayo lover / collector even while little is known about the man himself. It’s high time for a proper appreciation of Yon and his work.

Ike's all time classic is back in!