Ropeadope Vinyl, CD & Tape 27 Items

DJ Harrison's first full collection of tapes from 2014 - the first release on RVA's Jellowstone Records via Ropeadope, available on vinyl for the very first time. Nods to his heroes abound, but the sound is distinctly Devonne Harris.

DJ Harrison's first full collection of tapes from 2014 - the first release on RVA's Jellowstone Records via Ropeadope, available on vinyl for the very first time. Nods to his heroes abound, but the sound is distinctly Devonne Harris.

Michael Whalen is a composer who has been nominated for Emmys 8 times and taken home the win twice. He knows music and he knows music promotion. An adjunct professor at NYU and Berklee, Whalen decided to dive into a genre he loves with the desire to make it FUN. Michael tapped friends Michael League and Vinnie Colaiuta to form the rhythm section, and added the powerhouse Bob Magnuson on bass. The result is a fusion-y record with a little bit of Go-Go.

Anu Sun aka Anu The Giant works closely with Robert Glasper: first on the acclaimed Black Radio Project, and further on the Miles Ahead soundtrack and the recent Johnny Cash release Forver Words, where he and Robert wrote the music to a Cash poem Going Going Gone. After three years of work he is ready to release Sanguine Regum, self described as a genre merging album that is 'progressive adult contemporary - the maturation of Hip-Hop and jazz ‘ The album has a distinct solo-political slant with a positive outcome, celebrating the accomplishments of Black artists in today’s world. The title means ‘Blood Of Kings’, and the album features guests Robert Glasper, Casey Benjamin, Alex Han, Maurice Brown, Tone Whitfield, and many more.

If Salvador Dali ever made a heist movie, then Mexico’s Troker would have been the soundtrack. Hailing from the land where tequila has long been its most famous export, Troker may just be the most important new musical export today. Troker’s sound careens between the sublime and the dangerous; a blend where metal riffage merges with powerhouse funk drumming and DJ scratching, with melodic horn lines pull from jazz and mariachi traditions. Troker is a band that cannot be pigeonholed into any one genre.Their albums are almost cinematic; awaken the senses, and provoke powerful emotional reactions from listeners around the world. This proposal looks for adventurous, fearless listeners with diverse tastes in music; an invitation to join a sonic journey that has been curated by a group of creatively crazy musicians – an experience that might tactically be comparable to shock and awe. Troker’s artistic mission is to create music that excites the audiences’ sensesInspired by MMW and DJ Logic, Troker takes fusion to the next level, pulling in rock and Mexican roots to build an explosive sound. Featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk and playing worldwide to growing audiences.

Aaron Parks' "Little Big", the new Ropeadope album from the acclaimed pianist, keyboardist and composer, is at once the culmination of his brilliant early career and the long-awaited follow-up to his Blue Note Records debut, Invisible Cinema. That 2008 release, with its gorgeously melodic writing and improvising and deft use of indie-rock, electronica and hip-hop elements, established Parks as one of the most gifted and original young voices in jazz. “This is the natural successor to that record,” says the New York-based artist, 34. “It’s taking the ideas of that project and doubling down on them—fully committing to that direction.”

A simple search on the internet for Russell Gunn will yield little result, an unusual occurrence in these days of ubiquitous information. And this is a clue into the man; soft spoken, laid back, happy to reside just outside the spotlight as he immerses himself in a wide variety of musical projects. Russell Gunn was raised in East St. Louis, Illinois. The relative distance of the city from other scenes meant that Russell was exposed to new music only when a scene gained national exposure. This broad input informed his playing and composing, and led to his understanding of the full context of a genre. He holds the tradition and an understanding of history in high regard, and counts himself as fortunate to grow up in a time when he could learn from the greats. ‘If you don’t wanna learn Charlie Parker’s language, that’s your business. But you’re missing a foundation piece – it’s like building a house starting on the second floor. It’s all about language, and if don’t have a grasp of the language you are limiting yourself’ Russell Gunn’s schedule speaks of the breadth of his interest – recently he completed a residency at Columbia College in Chicago, spending time teaching, performing, and consulting with students. Then it was off to Belgium to produce an album, then out on the road with Marcus Miller. His credits speak of the same breadth, recording or touring with the likes of Maxwell, Lou Reed, Cee Lo and many more. Russell Gunn’s new project is The Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra. A big band based in his current home of Atlanta Georgia, RKJO is a natural mashup of the traditional Jazz Big Band, with Rhythm & Blues and Southern Hip-Hop sensibility. The band played live weekly for over a year, with Gunn providing the vision and inspiration for the band to embrace and follow willingly. Once the natural language was fully mature, they headed into the studio to record Get It How You Live, their debut album set for release in summer 2018. ‘Get It How You Live is about explaining yourself in an honest way – when you open your mouth it has to be genuine’ The album is big, with all the swagger and power that you’d expect. It leads off with a speaker introducing the band and setting the stage, and once you’re in your chair you have to jump up as the horn section sets the groove with Theo Croker in the front. But that’s just the start – concise and delicate moments are interspersed with guest vocalists Dionne Farris and Dashill Smith. Get It How You Live is easy to listen to, and each time it reveals yet another level of craft – truly a reflection of Russell Gunn’s intent.

‘’ORIGINS” is a fusion album from the roots and elements of flamenco (bulerías, soleáres), afro-cuban (guaguancó and rumba) and american jazz form. The work is also an exploration of the musical origins of this international pianist who has traveled the world and explored the roots of afro-cuban music and jazz from a flamenco perspective. African music and its tradition on percussion are the key of most of the world folkloric rhythms and syncopated accents. During colonial times, Africans were exported as slaves to many geographies, and in the process, their cultural and religious believes as well as their rhythmic patterns landed in the Caribbean, North America and Spain. Consequently, it’s not a coincidence that the magic resemblance of the ‘’3+2’’ rhythmical patterns from Africa is implicit in the most traditional expressions of flamenco, rumba and jazz. The mystery of the clave can be found in Spanish flamenco palos like seguiriya, bulería or soleá. These rhythms are unique and specific expressions from a region where a unique melting pot of sounds and cultures (Jewish, Moorish, and Gypsy) co-existed for centuries. The rhythmic elements of North Africa collided with Eastern melodies and European harmonies, creating unique combinations of ‘’3 plus 2’’ on the rhythmical cells, clapping and footwork spread on the twelve-beats patterns. Alex Conde blends all these ingredients in compositions like “Bulerijazz”, a piece that combines the sounds, rhythms and flavors of a bulería de Jerez with a touch of the Jazz Messengers three-horns sounds in Caravan, bridging Jerez and New York City in one go. He also shows his colors on “Upper West Side”, a Tango flamenco (not to be confused with the Argentinian tango) that is not too fast, not too slow, and that merges the flavor of Latin-jazz trumpet solo improvisation with a traditional compás reminiscent of Granada.

In an era where people eschew tangibility for technology, Butcher Brown is a ray of hope for the future. They are soldiers of peace, armed with respect for the lineage of Black music, who aren't afraid to push forward. Rooted in the soil of the earth, their music reflects an aesthetic that exists beyond chronology. As anomalous as brown leaves of fall on a spring tree, they cause you to question exactly how a group of relatively “young” men possess such “old” souls. They are agents of a continuum. A spectrum of color that defies categorical constructs, like that of dusk settling across the evening sky. They are a subtle, yet beautiful, reminder that after the darkness of nightfall, we are soon to expect the promise of the sun.

The Gritz Band is more of an eclectic super-group than your average hip-hop band. Known by some as Erykah Badu’s band. Founded by band leader RC WIlliams in 2004, the group is made up of a diverse mix of musicians from across Texas and whose repertoire includes, R&B, HipHop, and Soul Music.

Philty is a 14-piece Los Angeles based band has been playing epic shows all over the West Coast with the likes of Jammcard, The Nth Power and more. This party is just getting started!

"Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah - Trumpet, Sirenette and Reverse Flugelhorn Elena Pinderhughes - Flute Braxton Cook - Alto, Straight Alto Corey King - Trombone Cliff Hines - Guitar Lawrence Fields – Piano, Fender Rhodes Kris Funn – Bass Corey Fonville ‒ Drums, SPD-SX pad (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10) Joe Dyson Jr. - Pan African Drums, SPD-SX (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) Special Guests: Matthew Stevens - Guitar (tracks 4, 5, 7, 10) Warren Wolf - Vibes (tracks 3, 7)"

"Equal parts jazz club, dance party and live remix experiment, Church is a musical journey of no boundaries and endless surprises. Globetrotting musician/producer Mark de Clive-Lowe leads live sets interpolating jazz, improv, organics, technology, beats and dancefloor electronica into a melting pot of sounds and styles unlike any other. Joined by a stellar cast of musicians, vocalists, DJs and spontaneous guests from LA and beyond, each and every show is a totally unique and individual musiclover’s experience...Church is MdCL’s resident clubnite in Los Angeles and New York. Blending the jazz tradition with forward thinking hip hop, breaks, bass and club music, Church is MdCL’s vehicle to share his musical vision with musician and audiences worldwide. With a constantly rotating cast of resident and guest musicians and vocalists, Church represents the new school jazz movement – paying homage to the past while asserting itself forward in step with global club and beat culture."

"This album reflects the rawness and passion of a sound I like to call "Neo or New Blues" Neo Blues Project incorporates Rock, R&B, and soulful melodies from the past with a glimpse into the future, while highlighting the stories of many who still walk, sleep and live the Blues today. I strived to keep every note, from my voice to the guitar as authentic as possible. Approaching every song with honesty and conviction. For this EP, the sounds you will hear include those of my roots, mixed with the influence of modern music-- and the different voicings that the slide guitar can produce--from singing guitar solos to rhythmic patterns. I can’t wait to share this with you." - AJ Ghent

The first single, “Breathless,” is a stunning track that expresses their love – for each other, for music, and for the divine. Simple, universal lyrics of love. Kizzie sings the hook over her own recorded harmonies. Adam beatboxes while handling the keys, with some freestyle in the bridge. And that is just the beginning – from start to finish Book Of EEDO Vol. 3 is a journey through their world of spontaneous musical expression. Another standout track is “On Behalf Of the Shaniquas,” written as a dedication to the victims of OKC police officer Daniel Holtzclaw, who was sentenced to 263 years for his persistent victimization of black women. “On Behalf Of the Shaniquas” is a poignant statement showing respect for all black women.Book Of EEDO Vol. 3 is that album that will inspire dissection of the style and technique, and inspire imitation and development of new blends of music and methods of recording.

As Ghost-Note hit the road in 2017, they could not avoid the barrage of news hitting every day, so the band made a conscious choice to find comedy and positivity in these troubling times. They began recording their moments of discussion and humor as voice memos, which would later find their way into the new album. Studio dates were set, and the surprise announcement that Nick Werth would be leaving the band for his solo work left things wide open. Without Nick, Ghost-Note started anew with no notions; they just went in to the studio and risked it all. And so, Swagism was recorded in the same way the band developed: start with the base and leave the destination wide open. With a growing cast of players bringing fresh new arrangements of sound, Nate and Sput brought in some friends, further altering the end game. Kamasi Washington, Karl Denson, Raja Kassis, Prudence the Auset Sneed, Brandon ‘Taz’ Neiderauer, Nigel Hall, Bob Lanzetti, Alvin Ford Jr, Jay Jennings, Nick Werth, Bobby Ray Sparks, Phil Lassiter, Michael Palmer and many more added their incredible flourish to the album, rounding out a document that captures the entire Ghost-Note experience, tying everything together in the same way it evolved – as a family, as a multi-cultural band of humans that fully embraces the time they spend together and their common goal, complete with reflection on the times we live in. This is Ghost-Note.“The record started out (as) instrumental, genre bending music… and I thought we are on a really good track… It’s an incredible journey for making a record, to start somewhere and end in a place of protest, of speaking your mind and hoping that peace and love resonate with the listeners.” — Nate Wert“This is my voice, it means more than all of the other things. Of course I’m sharing a platform with others in Ghost-Note, but this is me.” — Robert 'Sput’ Searight

10 time Grammy winner, legendary Latin Jazz musician, special guests Donald Harrison Jr, Joe Locke, Bernard Purdie, and more.Eddie Palmieri’s influence on the world of modern music is often celebrated, but just as often underestimated. As he completes his 80th year with us, his energy and commitment seem to be increasing, as if to fully emphasize the power of not just the music but also the cross-cultural importance of the process. With no sign of slowing, Mr. Palmieri is the elder of a global culture of musicians, actively teaching young students and leading the way for the next generation. And now Mr. Palmieri brings to the world his first project since his back to back Grammy wins in 2005/2006 - SABIDURÍA. Sabiduría is the Spanish word for WISDOM, and the message is clear from the outset that wisdom is the exalted value that should guide us all. His intent with Sabidurí a, as it has been with all of his recordings, is to create art that will be analyzed and understood well beyond his time.

Concord Records Recording Artist, Logan Richardson, is a native son of Kansas City, Missouri born, and raised (b1980), Logan Richardson is considered by top critics as a breath of fresh air for the future of music. A young star pushing the boundaries of modern improvised music, carrying the torch of vitality for improvised music as a premier alto saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator.Blues People was created in the oral tradition of the blues, and improvised music as a whole. The viscous entirety of the 14 song repertoire was relayed all by ear during the process of the documentation of the album. Blues People, is a modern day version of the Kansas City Blues, Black American Music, and Rock & Roll tradition. In being such, consequently this documentation is an accumulation of experiences, and influences that have given way to a fresh sonic fusion of sound that calls on the genetic DNA of the forefathers of modern popular music.

Call it rock, call it alt-country, call it the blues, or call it pop - an important element of this music is its self-reflection. While the songs transform the human condition to a positive assimilation of sounds, the lyrics speak of real life and feelings with a certain lament about the destiny of it all. This is the challenge that Great Peacock accepts with songs like ‘Begging To Stay’ and ‘Hideaway’. You will hear fragments of reference for a moment, from Dispatch to Ryan Adams, but the sound always comes right back to being distinctly Great Peacock. And so we present Gran Pavo Real, the next album from Great Peacock.

For the first time on vinyl, the historic 1969 Preservation Hall recording of Sister Gertrude Morgan “Let's Make a Record” paired with its 2004 re-imagining “King Britt Presents Sister Gertrude Morgan”Triple gatefold, double LP features both original album covers and art from Sister Gertrude Morgan.

10 time Grammy winner, legendary Latin Jazz musician, special guests Donald Harrison Jr, Joe Locke, Bernard Purdie, and more.Eddie Palmieri’s influence on the world of modern music is often celebrated, but just as often underestimated. As he completes his 80th year with us, his energy and commitment seem to be increasing, as if to fully emphasize the power of not just the music but also the cross-cultural importance of the process. With no sign of slowing, Mr. Palmieri is the elder of a global culture of musicians, actively teaching young students and leading the way for the next generation. And now Mr. Palmieri brings to the world his first project since his back to back Grammy wins in 2005/2006 - SABIDURÍA. Sabiduría is the Spanish word for WISDOM, and the message is clear from the outset that wisdom is the exalted value that should guide us all. His intent with Sabidurí a, as it has been with all of his recordings, is to create art that will be analyzed and understood well beyond his time.

HUW is multi-instrumentalist and producer Aaron Dolton. His brother, Mike, is the principal collaborator on the project. Both brothers compose and perform, with Mike holding down the rhythm while Aaron provides the production skills that realize their sound. Their music is a downtempo blend of electronica, jazz and soul.