Organic Grooves 194 Items

Altercat proudly presents the definitive reissue of one of the crown jewels of South American jazz. Essentially the brainchild of Argentinian jazz's leading figure Jorge López Ruiz, the project Viejas Raíces marked Lopez Ruiz's departure from the traditional forms of jazz. The trio that recorded this album, consisting of López Ruiz joined by his life-long friend drummer Pocho Lapouble and gifted Chilean pianist Matías Pizarro, created a thrilling blend of jazz and Uruguayan candombe, surrounded by an undeniable cinematic feel spurred by López Ruiz's long experience in the soundtrack field. When read as one element, the cleverly chosen combination of group name and album title (in English: 'Old Roots of the Colonies of the River Plate') readily hints at the kind of sounds the listener will be challenged with when diving into this LP.

Don't judge a book by its cover. Judge a record by its cover.

And, perhaps, its title.

Cedar Walton's Mobius is as outrageously, disorientatingly brilliant as the stunning jacket design, featuring the legendary jazz pianist morphing into a mobius strip, set against a beautiful sky filled with cumulus clouds. A proper jazz-funk fusion slapfest, Mobius is a stellar electric set from - essentially - one *hell* of a SUPERBAND.

Yes, in addition to Walton's Fender Rhodes wizardry, Mobius is elevated by Ryo Kawasaki's stinging electric guitar, pristinely clear vocals by Adrienne Albert and Lani Groves, rootsy percussion by Ray Mantilla and Omar Clay, alto and baritone from Charles Davis, trumpet from Roy Burrowes, Gordon Edwards on bass and Frank Foster's tenor sax. Oh and did we mention STEVE GADD ON DRUMS?!?!

Gem after gem of looping, bliss-inducing gold, it's an incredibly revelatory album. It presents a thrilling synthesis of R&B, funk, blues and hard bop (with a hint of rock), all driven by an idiosyncratic electronic keyboard. Walton, a giant in the jazz world, got quite the workout every time he played, from piano to arp synthesizer to clarinet to electric piano to mini-moog and back again.

Mobius was Cedar Walton's debut for RCA in 1975. The versatile artist confirmed his abilities as a player, composer, interpreter and arranger with this stunning record, and his own bright compositions offered a springboard for the improvisations of the different soloists. Coltrane's "Blue Trane" is the first classic to be given the funkafied Mobius treatment, Ryo Kawasaki let loose all over neck-snapping Gadd-drum gold before the horns take a fiery turn and subsequently give way to Cedar's virtuosity. A sparkling b-boy break version of Thelonious Monk's "Off Minor" (featuring an absolutely *fire* solo from Walton) really sets proceedings alight. Of the three original pieces, the shuffling, percussive power of "Soho" is just absolutely mind bending Latin-influenced jazzy soul whilst the mellow vibes of "The Maestro" bring elegant, sumptuous soul. And then there's the effortlessly funky "Road Island Red". Just too, too good.

Cedar Walton was born in Dallas, Texas, on January 17, 1934 and began his professional career in 1959 when he began touring for several years with the J.J. Johnson Quintet. He later joined the Art Farmer-Benny Golson Jazztet and then Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Pretty solid credentials, right? While based in New York City, Cedar played with such luminaries as Donald Byrd, Eddie Harris, Blue Mitchell, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Heath and Milt Jackson. Without question, he was one of the most complete and gifted musicians of his time and Mobius provides proof of that. The fresh, danceable tracks, all firmly rooted in the living tradition of blues and gospel, are skilfully presented by a master who enjoyed keeping abreast of contemporary tastes and was always keen to renew his language.

As the album notes state: “Mobius, which is the theoretical shape of the infinite universe, makes use of the most modern recording techniques and synthesizers. We mastered and mixed so that it’s hotter than the competition, which should help radio play and in-store demonstration.” Indeed. Mobius is really gorgeous mid-70s fusion, ranging from the funky to the ecstatic. It's an absolute MONSTER that will completely blow you away; and, yes, it's as wild and hypnotic as the cover. The audio for Mobius has been carefully remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring it sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

Off of the backs of the 2006 release a pair of 7-inch singles called the Shaolin Series, El Michels Affair would eventually drop the LP “Enter the 37th Chamber” in 2009, which covered classics by the Wu-Tang Clan. To commemorate the 15th anniversary of the landmark full-length, Fat Beats Records is not only re-releasing the original 45s in the Shaolin Series, but will be adding to the series with choice cuts from the LP. First up is “Shimmy Shimmy Ya,” a hauntingly unforgettable take on ODB’s classic single, with blaring horns and a chorus of children to sing the iconic hook. The b-side features a darker, moodier interpretation of Raekwon’s “Incarcerated Scarfaces,” perfectly representing El Michels Affair’s slow-riding style dubbed “Cinematic Soul.”

After scoring a surprise hit in 2006’s red-hot 7” funk market with their cover of “C.R.E.A.M.,” El Michels Affair quickly turned around another smash 7” double-single of re-imagined takes of the Wu-Tang Clan. “Duel of the Iron Mics” sees the hypnotic piano hook of the “Liquid Swords”-classic elevated to intriguing heights with dramatic strings and Catch the blast of a hype version on the b-side, where “Bring Da Ruckus” is brought to life in imaginative ways not hinted at on the bulletproof original. The raw sample stabs and sub-bass of the stripped-down Wu-Tang stunner are replaced with mind-bending bass notes, and the re-played organ hook turned way up. Both of these tracks would eventually feature prominently on El Michels Affair’s landmark LP “Enter the 37th Chamber,” celebrating its 15th Anniversary in 2024.

In 2006, the slight buzz of a Brooklyn band called El Michels Affair started to sound a bit more like a swarm of killer bees when their instrumental rendition of Wu-Tang Clan’s “C.R.E.A.M.” was released as a 7” vinyl single. The band’s namesake Leon Michels and his production partner Jeff Silverman dropped the single on their boutique label called Truth & Soul, and it created such commotion that it would spawn an entire album of Wu-based covers. In honor of the 15th anniversary of that LP— “Enter The 37th Chamber”—the single is now getting its first vinyl repress in years. “C.R.E.A.M.” is featured on Side A, with its prominent guitars and powerful horns complementing the signature baseline and unforgettable piano hook that practically defined an era of New York hip hop. The B-side “Glaciers of Ice” offers a deeper, melancholic interpretation of the hard-driving “Cuban Linx” banger, with a mood consistent to the A-side, as the drums take a comfortable backseat to the melodic guitars and punchy horn lines. Originally released in 2009, El Michels Affair’s “Enter The 37th Chamber” LP on Fat Beats Records is celebrating its 15th Anniversary in 2024.

Not much is known about this early 1970's psychedelic soul group from the Germantown section of Philadelphia. But we do know this record was recorded in 1969 released in 1970 - and one of two records on Michael Nise's (Nise Productions Inc) Philadelphia Round Records (see More Below) Brewerytown Records Label & Insert design by Jeremy Zombie 1984 consists of band members - Gerald Foster, Ronald Hynson, Andrea Johnson, Harold Johnson, Arthur "sly" RAY, Stanley Vurton - From Nise Productions INC: Circa 1970 Audio Magazine, a nationally respected magazine and audio authority, recognizes Nise Productions, Inc. in a special campaign. The promotional director for North American Publishing Company initiates this promotional campaign that utilizes the extended relationship between Frank and Michael Nise with Audio Magazine through the years. "Nise Productions, Inc. is a successful sound production company." Audio Magazin In conjunction with sports announcer Gene Kelly (Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies), Nise Productions, Inc. produces a commemorative audio record highlighting the 20th Anniversary of the 1950 Phillies pennant-winning home run. Wpbs-fm markets and advertises the product. Nise Productions, Inc. moves into corporate audio-visual and multi-track studio production. They establish an entertainment management, publishing and production entity. They sign The Ghetto Children and later, individually, Joy Stamford, who began with The Ghetto Children. Frank and Michael acquire a Sony Superscope dealership and build a two-track audio recording studio, a graphics department and a record mastering facility. They do this while also producing albums for schools and churches on location and produce over 40 albums. The Nise's initiate their first record label, Philadelphia Round Records, with two groups: American Asphalt and 1984.

Not much is known about this early 1970's psychedelic soul group from the Germantown section of Philadelphia. But we do know this record was recorded in 1969 released in 1970 - and one of two records on Michael Nise's (Nise Productions Inc) Philadelphia Round Records (see More Below) Brewerytown Records Label & Insert design by Jeremy Zombie 1984 consists of band members - Gerald Foster, Ronald Hynson, Andrea Johnson, Harold Johnson, Arthur "sly" RAY, Stanley Vurton - From Nise Productions INC: Circa 1970 Audio Magazine, a nationally respected magazine and audio authority, recognizes Nise Productions, Inc. in a special campaign. The promotional director for North American Publishing Company initiates this promotional campaign that utilizes the extended relationship between Frank and Michael Nise with Audio Magazine through the years. "Nise Productions, Inc. is a successful sound production company." Audio Magazin In conjunction with sports announcer Gene Kelly (Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies), Nise Productions, Inc. produces a commemorative audio record highlighting the 20th Anniversary of the 1950 Phillies pennant-winning home run. Wpbs-fm markets and advertises the product. Nise Productions, Inc. moves into corporate audio-visual and multi-track studio production. They establish an entertainment management, publishing and production entity. They sign The Ghetto Children and later, individually, Joy Stamford, who began with The Ghetto Children. Frank and Michael acquire a Sony Superscope dealership and build a two-track audio recording studio, a graphics department and a record mastering facility. They do this while also producing albums for schools and churches on location and produce over 40 albums. The Nise's initiate their first record label, Philadelphia Round Records, with two groups: American Asphalt and 1984.

Smooth telepathists, Seattle trio Afrocop have delivered their debut LP—just in time to score the most exciting moments of the Summer Olympics. Stitched together with flamboyant precision from myriad sessions in various studios, Afrocop extrapolates on the nonchalantly cosmic jams that the group has laid down in live performance and earlier, digital-only releases, including 2020’s Moondust. Afrocop enters the musical underground poised to be heard by true heads worldwide. As longtime Afrocop fans know, they are inveterate sonic chameleons. They’ve been honing their prodigious improv chops for over a decade on the live circuit, playing everything from corporate gigs to psychedelic-music festivals to residencies at classy Italian restaurants and wine bars, and in many spaces in-between. No matter the setting in which they flex their dynamic creativity, keyboardist Noel Brass Jr., drummer Andy Sells, and bassist Carlos Tulloss flaunt an uncanny versatility: they can beautify the background like ambient masters, get up with it à la Miles Davis’ filthiest electric-era band, or fling you into deepest, fusionoid space on a nanosecond’s notice. “Everything was improvised,” says Brass of the seven tracks on Afrocop, while noting that there was some editing. “With [“Splitting The Atom: Sunflower Envelope”], we told SCNTFC, 'use your best Teo Macero mixing techniques.' Because we want this to be a listening experience. When we play live, we're trying to mesh with how people are feeling. We make it different every time, not just, 'here's this change.' Andy might start in a weird time signature and then go into a Latin swing and next thing you know, we're somewhere else.” The album’s opening track, the aforementioned “Splitting The Atom,” instantly alerts listeners that Afrocop are heading outward bound, with soulful afterburners. This is transcendent jazz funk elevated by Brass' organ drones and interstellar-space-thriller swoops, Tulloss's bulbous bass throbs, Sells' “‘'Funky Drummer' goes to grad school" beats, and guest percussionist Jayson Powell’s transportive congas. Vibrating with vibrant life forces and at once earthy and spacey, this nearly 11-minute track sets the lofty tone for Afrocop. The mellow, dub-infused funk of “Seeking New Strata” comes off like Massive Attack remixing Lonnie Liston Smith. Using his Nord Wave’s Mellotron setting, Brass conjures harmonic majesty that contrasts spicily with Sells' drumming, which has the precise funkiness of Ziggy Modeliste. Afrocop’s sly humor surfaces on the title “Les McCan't”—a reference to late, great soul-jazz keyboardist and Noel favorite Les McCann. After Brass’ spare, icily ruminative piano intro, Sells finesses more methodical funk drumming while Tulloss' bass provides subliminal, elastic cushioning. “The 'Les McCan't' thing was almost a joke,” Brass recalls. “I was just messing around, trying to come up with something on a piano. But the true, improvisational aspect of it came through.” Speaking of titles, Brass says that they “are either easy to come up with or extremely tedious and tough. I'm always writing and coming up with stuff from dreams, random streams of consciousness. A lot of those ideas are just me sitting with the music. We used to have a document with hundreds of possible track titles all of us had come up with. We would grab words off of there. It was crazy psychic wordplay, almost. You don't always want it to be straightforward. Afrocop's a Rorschach thing.”

Afrocop’s also a Miles/Macero thing. They typically prune a massive amount of music into tighter pieces that hit with a more concentrated oomph. “Andy and I are huge fans of that school of listening,” Brass says, “so we approached [the album] a little like that—let it get weird here, let's give it some space there, let's let the congas shift the shape, let's add this to this part. Make it cinematic, something that has relistenable value. It tells a story or can be adaptable to different settings.” Sells, in particular, spent much time editing hours and hours of recordings into the polished gems you hear on Afrocop. The Miles connection flares up on “Get In, Let's Ride,” which creeps in on chill, In A Silent Way keyboard whorls, then quickly shifts into a freaky electro-funk conflagration. The experimental electronic abstractions that kick off “Cyclical Solution” evoke another musical maverick—William S. Fischer, specifically his 1970 masterpiece, Circles. About halfway in, the bass and drums enter, along with synthetic strings, launching the track into space-funk territory. “That's the thing about Afrocop,” Brass says. “It feels like sometimes the music's in a weird territory because the music's always going. Sometimes you go into a weird space and you have to trust each other to get through it.” The stunning “Rare Belief” arose during Afrocop’s early days and proves that they existed on an exalted plane right from jump. It features some of Brass' most beautiful and crystalline playing, as his gorgeous, soulful piano intro leads into an indomitably hopeful funk strut. “We were cutting our teeth at Stepping Stone, a little bar in Ballard at the time, just to play and get better,” Brass remembers. “Carlos had just joined the band. Everything just clicked in that session, and you can hear it in that track. We're not trying to play a lot of notes. We were just trying to find a groove that locked. It comes out in different ways. It was so long ago, it was almost forgotten.” Afrocop had a long, circuitous gestation. Tulloss suffered the deaths of his brother and both parents during the pandemic’s early phase and Sells dealt with some health issues, started his own band, Select Level, and joined another, Mt Fog. In 2023, Brass became co-host of KEXP’s Jazz Theater show. Everyone in Afrocop has multiple projects brewing at any given moment, a testament to their abundance of creativity. All of these life changes, plus a voracious desire to perform live, delayed progress on this record. But the wait has been worth it—and then some. “[Afrocop’s] a vehicle of creation for us three,” Brass summarizes. “If you're not getting that angst out and you're building that up through your regular days on Earth, you need an [outlet for expression and catharsis]. All of us have so many ideas. We're going to keep improvising and getting better.” Bet.

Original pioneers of rare groove, Push, make a welcome return with an existing and exciting album. Originally released in 2004, now 20 years later it’s still alive and kicking. “Push People” is a cross pollenation of classic underground rare groove and contemporary feel good funk n' soul in the shape of heartfelt songs and incredible instrumental pieces. Push emerged from the underground London club scene in 1987, where they were at the heart of a community that thrived on JB inspired Funk, Blaxploitation soundtracks and raw soul-jazz. Push toured Europe and Japan and were regulars onstage at Gilles Peterson's legendary Dingwalls’ Talking Loud & Saying Something sessions. They have worked with the likes of Style Council's Paul Weller and Mick Talbot and have long provided the soulful foundation for the regular European tours of US divas like Candi Staton and Marlena Shaw. The triumvirate of key band members Crispin Taylor (drums), Ernie McKone (bass) and Mark Vandergucht (guitar) also doubled up as the rhythm section for the innovative Galliano – a conscious and wayward band that sold in excess of 800, 000 albums. Push are one of the mainstays of the Eighties Rare Groove and Acid Jazz scene alongside Brand New Heavies, Young Disciples and Soul II Soul. Push is on a mission, bringing a breath of fresh air and a wealth of musical experience into a very popular scene for people that "Feel the Funk!"

Push are back with this 7” release of their highly acclaimed classic ‘cut ME Loose’. Originally released in 1994, this JBs inspired groove monster is still a rare groove defining piece of funk art. The flipside Superstar is their first new recording in 10 years! It is an upbeat Roy Ayers-Pleasure-esque anthem that will become a staple in DJ’s selections worldwide. Boogie Back is back for good!!

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the world’s No.1 disco – the high temple of Northern Soul – the legendary Wigan Casino, Lancashire.

Set against a backdrop of rampant inflation, the 3-day working week and national power cuts, Northern Soul emerged as an escape, a secret society, a haven for like-minded teenagers. Every Saturday night, for eight years, the faithful made the pilgrimage to the desolate mill town of Wigan to a broken down, pre-war dancehall on Station Road. It was a sanctuary, a special place of togetherness, elitism, and the catalyst for the music scenes longest enduring sub-culture… Northern Soul.

Our exclusive playlist highlights key records from the thousands played at the famed all-nighters by its original, founding, deejays, Russ Winstanley, Kev Roberts and Richard Searling.

Nashville soul brother Jimmy Church joined John Richbourg’s Sound Stage 7 label in 1966 under the guidance of his manager “Hoss” Allen who had just opened with his TV soul showcase ‘The !!! Beat’. Church regularly appeared on the show as part of the house band. At Sound Stage 7 he released only two singles but left a, largely unheard and forgotten, legacy of studio recordings including our chosen cuts, finally making their much deserved vinyl debut.

Featuring two fabulous Northern Soul sides available for the first time on 7-inch vinyl, exclusively from Charly Records. Recorded circa 1966 in Chicago for George and Ernie Leaner’s m-pac! label.

Featuring two stunning crossover classics from the 1978 ‘Time Wounds All Heels’ penned and performed by Los Angeles soul singer Gene Townsel’.

“Mr. Big Shot” by Gene ‘Duke-of-Earl’ Chandler was recorded in Chicago in the golden year of soul music, 1966. It was Chandler’s final 45 for Constellation Records completing an incredible run of outstanding releases that have powered the Northern Soul scene ever since including “Nothing Can Stop Me”, “Bet You Never Thought”, “(Gonna Be) Good Times” and “I Can Take Care Of Myself”. But, it’s “Mr. Big Shot” that has consistently filled the dance floors and is now possibly the “biggest” oldie of all-time.

Dee Clark is best known for his American #2 power-ballad hit “Raindrops” in 1961 for the Vee-Jay label. However, it is his 1964 non-hit “That’s My Girl” that caught the attention of the UK DJ’s and went on to become one of the key records during the Nineties resurgence of the Northern Soul scene.

Deniece Williams' refreshingly cool cover is reissued in Japan in a delusional jacket!

Side A is a refreshing cover of the mellow soul classic “Free” by Deniece Williams, and side B is a bold cover of the soul classic “Wishing On A star” by Rose Royse. The B-side is also a bold cover of the soul classic Rose Royse's “Wishing On A star.” The beat is fast and furious, and the melody is mysterious. Both sides of this single can be used.

Three years have passed since the previous album "Candy Dream", and the sixth album "Will"

Shuya Okino, who leads Kyoto Jazz Massive and Kyoto Jazz Sextet, and is not only a DJ / composer / song selector but also a lyricist who is active in a variety of fields such as writing and sound branding, demonstrated his multi-faceted skills as a lyricist.

The emperor of Japanese funk, Osaka = monorail, which has already been made into 7 inches and has been well received, JB funk "The Jet Leg" featuring Ryo Nakata of the monorail, Nancy Wilson's singing and Mellow dancer "I'm In Love" cover song known for Mr./Ms. singing in Eryka Badu's "Honey" Seoul / The album containing all 9 Q.A.S.B. sounds, which develops a wide range from funk tunes to city pop, has finally been completed after 5 years of production!

Limited vinyl pressing of 222 numbered copies.

Music of Bs/bf has echoes of early Brian Eno and Low era David Bowie. It has manipulated and textured vocals and low grain dub from early digital delay processors. Material draws influences from the 1970s Berlin school to minimalist masters like Éliane Radigue, yet it all sounds thrillingly new. Starkly beautiful instrumental pieces are layered with bassy depths and glittering peaks, with networks of mazy, centre-less electronic pathways.

Bs/bf is a fantasy forest and an alternate reality in the form of a dance performance. It is made of dancing, hypnotic music and the color blue.

Bs/bf is an environment where lights, sounds and dances with no clear place outside of the performance, blend into a mutually unraveling logic.

The initial inspiration for the work has been a photo book BLÅ Skog/blue Forest (self-published, 2009) by artist Morten Andersen. The book offers a rich imaginary environment, completely different and indifferent to the city surrounding the reader.

As a performance Bs/bf is alike, both the book and the dance performance function as portals to something different and changing.

Bs/bf is a continuation of the collaboration between Kautto, Timo Kaukolampi, Jenni Pystynen and Anna Torkkel, which began with Station to Station to Station (2019), also released on Svart Records.

Czechoslovakian big band legend Gustav Brom has graced dancefloors with his music for a long time, you've probably heard his work and not realised it. Panorama returns with "Calling Up The Rain", from his 1976 album "Gustav Brom plays for you Pop Jazz and Swing" Gustav infused big band jazz and a latin groove into this dancefloor weapon, Organ solos, Trumpet solos and a screeching guitar solo. What's not to love?

Presented as a reissue by the newly launched London-based record label, Panorama Records, "Calling Up The Rain" reaffirms the label's discerning direction and "Don't Judge A Record By It's Cover" attitude. Championed by Gilles Peterson, Patrick Forge and a few other legends in the game, Panorama Records aims to reintroduce this big band hit to new audiences, establishing itself as a tastemaker in the business of reissuing global grooves. It comes with a sticker on the front with quotes from tastemakers Patrick Forge, Rainer Trueby and Zag Erlat (My Analog Journal).

With this release, record collectors can anticipate a discovery of Gustav's anthem, for the first time on a 45 and a first time official reissue, a full blown party starter, as Panorama Records presents "Calling Up The Rain" as a timeless reissue. The label shook mountains with it's first release of Gitte and Inger, with huge DJ support from Gilles Peterson, Ross Allen and other great tastemakers. Pan002 is here, Buy or cry!

This album was inspired by the music coming out of Jamaica in the mid 1970s, in particular the use of drum machines by Lee Perry and Aston Family Man Barrett (and Sly Stone in the USA) but also the instrumentals and dubs by Keith Hudson and Im & Count Ossie etc. Searching out, buying and listening to those records had a deep and profound effect on me and became a big influence on me as a musician, which continues to this day.
All instruments, recording and mixing by Nat Birchall

Fresh from his two full length releases on Broc Records (L’Obsession & Ritmi Moderni) the Italian born, Paris dwelling, composer and multi instrumentalist Louis Fontaine brings WST a

double wammy in the form of Enigma Part 1 & 2.

Inspired by Italian horror/mystery movies, progressive rock and Krautrock of the late 70s. The main theme is arranged in two different ways, like classic film soundtracks and library music. Side A is fast and dramatic with a motorik gait and side B is slower, more moody affair with a

nod to the classic library track ‘Night Moves’.

All tracks written, produced and performed by Louis Fontaine (Drums, percussions, bass, piano, Solina string machine, Arp Odyssey, Mellotron, Chroma Polaris Synthesizer)

Soopastole is back with anaother pair of amazing jazz-funk-reworks!

Limited to 1000 copies worldwide, only available with GUTS and HHV.

In 2022, Guts brought together his musical family for his ‘Estrellas’ album. An ambitious project that brought together musicians from: Franc, Cuba and various African countries. For a journey that was as rich artistically as it was humanly. The list of superlatives was almost endless, "Formidable", "incredible", "unforgettable" and "magical" all thrown into the pot, during these magical moments in the Dakar studio. From the seventeen tracks heard on the original album, three have been entrusted to the expert and inventive hands of four producers, who have come up with new interpretations bringing Africa and the Caribbean together for a modern dancefloor.

‘Por Que Ou Ka Fe Sa’ (Poirier Remix)

From his studio in Montreal, Canadian Poirier has opted for a strong groove and relentless bass drum to keep out intruders, putting vocalists David Walters and Brenda Navarrete in a rhythmic cocoon. Accompanied in a slightly moody bassline that adds some driving muscle to the track. The hooky guitar line eventually gives way to the saxophone that emerges from the mix to parade around the front line. The original electric piano is replaced by a synth pad that loops and spins driving the track to its conclusion.

‘Por Que Ou Ka Fe Sa’ (David Walters Remix)

Before recording this track, David Walters and Brenda Navarette didn't even know each other. So in the magic of the moment that brought them together is a genuine and sincere artistic bond. It is no longer Guts but David who is at the musical helm, and before they too can savour the connection between the two artists, the dancers will have to pass through an overheated corridor where a Caribbean rhythm resonates with percussion. Digital and woodwind swirl and clash until the vocal encounter with the artists. It's a moment of respite that's as suspended as it is life-saving, because the exit is also via the famous corridor.

‘San Lazaro’ (Bosq Remix)

On Bosq’s mix, he’s opted to maintain things focused on the dancefloor, keeping the percussion persistent for the unleashed bodies of the dancers to smile. It's once again the walking bass line rises to the forefront of the groove, softening the shocks of the relentless kick drum. Roberto Valdes's timeless piano has disappeared, while guitars float and add to the atmosphere. The track is no longer awash in cigar smoke. Under Akemis's powerful vocals the low ceiling has disappeared, and the open roof is more a brass-lit spectacle. That doesn't make things any less overheated though, this one is sweaty until the end.

‘Medewui’ (Captain Planet Remix)

Captain Planet brings the dancer’s attention to the Afrobeat flavored jam that rocked the original, highlighting the Pat Kalla & Assane Mboup duet. Despite the track remaining mid tempo, laying back is no longer the order of the day as this mix really develops. The drums are more present jolting along with the organ in the first half. Once all the storytellers have taken their microphones, the rhythmic beats are doubled and the track is carried towards a frenzy of Afro-Latin dancing. Fired up by the brass and percussion, it’s this almost switch up that takes hold of the second part of the tune, with some righteous authority and relentless piano and trumpet.

In January 2023, Tom Skinner and his ensemble performed material from his recently released album Voices of Bishara at London club "mu"- a venue founded by the curators at Brilliant Corners and named after the seminal Don Cherry live album. The set was augmented by a rendition of Tony Williams" "Red" and three pieces by Abdul Wadud, whose 1977 self-released solo cello album, By Myself, was a primary inspiration for Voices of Bishara.

An American soul vocal group that would goon to shape the sound of pop music muchfarther beyond their imaginations, ThePonderosa Twins Plus One featured twosets of identical teenage twins, Alfred andAlvin Pelham, and Keith and Kirk Gardner,along with Ricky Spicer. The group releaseda couple of singles and a lone album forCleveland's Saru label in 1971, breakingup and disbanding as adolescence waned. Arecent sample darling of both Kanye West andTyler The Creator, "Bound" has revealed thePonderosa Twins Plus One as the real Midwestkid soul deal. Numero is proud to presentthe first official American repressing of theoriginal 1971 release, with fresh remastersfrom the original analog tapes, two previouslyunissued bonus tracks, and a replica tip onsleeve, making this an album you're bound tofall in love with.

Introducing "The Mesmerizers," a mysterious trio of maestros whose debut 7" record transports you to a bygone era of exotic enchantment. Unearthed from the depths of a forgotten studio and given new life, these captivating compositions beckon you into a timeless realm where the boundaries of sound and imagination blur.Within the sultry grooves of this vinyl treasure, The Mesmerizers weave a spellbinding tapestry of exotica, echoing the seductive rhythms and lush melodies reminiscent of a golden age that refuses to be tethered to any specific moment.

The last recordings made at the basement Regent Drive studio in Middletown, OH finally making it to a dirty 45! The Tee See Connection is comprised of members of The Jive Turkeys (Rob Houk - drums, Matt Amburgy - keys, Terry Cole - bass).The A-side, "Skyline Chili Churner" is an organ burner with funky bass and blown out breakbeat style drums while the B-side is straight up boom bap with Matt Amburgy cookin' hard on the keys. Drums and all parts ripe for sampling!

The last recordings made at the basement Regent Drive studio in Middletown, OH finally making it to a dirty 45! The Tee See Connection is comprised of members of The Jive Turkeys (Rob Houk - drums, Matt Amburgy - keys, Terry Cole - bass).The A-side, "Skyline Chili Churner" is an organ burner with funky bass and blown out breakbeat style drums while the B-side is straight up boom bap with Matt Amburgy cookin' hard on the keys. Drums and all parts ripe for sampling!

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Strut label, we are delighted to unveil a special edition of a landmark album within the realm of African music - Mulatu Astatke"s "Mulatu Of Ethiopia".Recorded in New York in 1972, this pivotal album marks a juncture in Astatke"s musical journey when he adeptly fused various styles to craft the distinctive genre known as Ethio-jazz.For this special edition, the release features the original stereo mix of the full album, as well as a special "mono-mix" of each track retrieved from the original 2" tapes, pressed on opaque white vinyl 2LP.

Named "one of Europe"s most versatile and curious players" by Downbeat Magazine, Polish trumpeter TomaszDabrowski returns with the sophomore album from his internationally acclaimed septet. Following their eponymous 2022 debut, the ensemble proudly presents "Better",set to release on March29th on AprilRecords. With an atypicallineup featuring the cream of the crop of the Polish and Scandinavian contemporary improvisation scenes,"Better" capturesthe edge and energy of a live performance extended and elevated by the use of electronic instruments and textures.Drawing the listener in with its refined sense of space and pace, the record sees the septet navigate their way through Dabroski"s open compositional ideas, passing melodicstructuresaround the ensemble and evolving through etherealambientsoundscapes, scorching solos and adventurous cacophonies of collective improvisation. Drawing on a year"s worth of experience performing extensively together as an ensemble, the level of intensive listening, interactivity and trust within the group enables each instrumentalist to fearlessly contribute their voice."Every track has a unique twist. "Upright" plays with form. "Bonzer", the use ofinstrumentation. "Hale & Hearty" explores textures."A testament to the ensemble"s commitment to artisticgrowth and creativeevolution, "Better"reminds us to consider what we all can and should strive for. It"s an inspiring message that manifests in the music and radiates through every aspect of life. "We should all strive to do better. To be better versions of ourselves and observe how it resonates within and in those around us," Dabrowski says.

Live albums are often a "hit or miss" affair but "Live Oblivion 1 & 2" buck that trend. Recorded across 2 nights in 1974 at the Hollywood venue The Whisky A Go Go. Now released to mark the 50th Anniversary of their recording and release it"s the first ever vinyl reissue since the original releases in the 1970"s.

Live albums are often a "hit or miss" affair but "Live Oblivion 1 & 2" buck that trend. Recorded across 2 nights in 1974 at the Hollywood venue The Whisky A Go Go. Now released to mark the 50th Anniversary of their recording and release it"s the first ever vinyl reissue since the original releases in the 1970"s.

Mampön are back! unleashing their Afrobeat enchantment on a new 45 release.

Crafted for the dancefloor, "Si Algún Dia Has De Caer" combines party beats with Spanish lyrics. Hectór Rodriguez, the band's guitarist and lead singer, creates a deep connection between celebration and introspection on an enchanting vocal-rhodes introduction before the rhythm takes you for a dance.

On the B-side, Mampön maintains the Afrobeat tradition as more than just dance music—it's a protest, a resistance. "Papeles Rotos" portrays people as slaves with rights on wet, torn paper, urging listeners to forge their path regardless of the cost.

Mampön emerges as a true soft power, destined for every dance floor, spreading Afrobeat magic.

Freestyle Records drop a killer UK soul/early street soul reissue LP from 1988, in the form of Rick Clarke's hard to come by 'Time Keeps Moving On' album.

10-piece UK afro-fusion outfit TC & The Groove Family are proud to share their new EP ‘We Have Each Other’. Releasing on Friday 7th June via Bridge The Gap, the project sees the band refine the sound debuted on their 2022 album ‘First Home’. Returning to work once again with producer Tom Excell (Nubiyan Twist, ONIPA), the project explores a darker sonic palette, channelling a deep appreciation of UK bass and electronic music alongside afro-jazz sounds and hip-hop sensibilities.

"A legendary concert by one of the great unrecorded bands in free jazz history is here at last. Webo, the third installment in the Black Editions Archive series of previously unreleased recordings from Milford Graves' private tape library, roars into the station June 21, 2024. For the first time, Charles Gayle, Milford Graves, & William Parker—three lions of the Black American jazz avantgarde—are finally heard together on record, presented here across three audiophile-quality LPs for two brutalizingly joyous hours of real ju-ju & musical mastery. The trio of Charles Gayle, Milford Graves, & William Parker gave only seven public performances between 1985 and 2013, and released no recordings. Their June 1991 two-night stand at the short-lived Lower East Side venue Webo, long referenced as a signal event in New York free jazz's 1990s resurgence, has been a topic of discussion among close followers of the music for decades. In the uncompromising grassroots spirit of the 1970s New York Musicians Organization and loft jazz movements from which they had emerged, the band produced and promoted the Webo concerts themselves. Photography and audio recording were not allowed at the concerts, and this official recording, commissioned by the artists, was never released—until now. So vivid was the lore surrounding Webo that it topped the list of recordings sought by Black Editions Archive from Graves' private collection. The tapes maximally substantiate eyewitness accounts describing extra-sensory levels of communication within the band, and the extraordinary clarity and impact of their performance. From William Parker's liner notes: 'Imagine a village or choir of drummers, horn players and strings. You can hear the bass and drums churning with a call and response, a melodic-rhythmic propulsion. In reality there is only one drummer, one bass, and one saxophone.' Age 52 at the time of these concerts, Charles Gayle had only recently made his first recordings. To all but the most immediate insiders he was still more myth than reality. Milford Graves, two months out from his 50th birthday, was about halfway into his body of recorded work and had sanctioned just one appearance on a commercially released recording in the last 14 years (Pieces of Time by an all-drummer quartet with Kenny Clarke, Andrew Cyrille, and Famoudou Don Moye). William Parker, the young man of the group at age 39, was a mere fifty entries into his discography, now 500+ entries and counting. All three musicians were at least a quarter century into passionately developing a personal and collective music rooted in the cultural values and radical aesthetics of the 1960s and '70s Black American avant-garde. 30+ years after the Webo concerts, Black Editions Archive is honored to make these historical recordings available to the public. The three LPs are presented in a heavy black, pigment-stamped box with mounted cover painting along with liner notes by William Parker, commentary from Alan Licht (witness to night one of the Webo concerts), a reproduction of the original concert flyer, and a set of 6"x9" printed photos from the 2021 Webo reunion outside MoMA PS1, Queens, NY. Cover Painting by Jeff Schlanger/musicWitness, made June 8, 1991, at Webo during the band's performance. Vinyl pressed at RTI, lacquers cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio."—Michael Ehlers, 2024

We wrote Accept When between 2022 and 2023, after a long, beautiful period improvising together intimately in the safety of a friend’s practice space. Our friendship, the quality of attention that colored the light of that and all our other practice spaces, became the basis for our activity and growth as songwriters and our relationship as improvisers. Friendship, how we relate to each other, is our nucleus: the central and essential part of our movement; the positively charged central core of our atom. A nucleus is supposed to be an especially essential form in eukaryotic cells. Their nuclei are surrounded by a membrane, which in that world permits them to be said to have 'true nuclei.' Even their smallest parts, their organelles (incidentally also the name of Caroline’s keyboard heard throughout the record), are held by that membrane. The deepening of our musical friendship, the affordance of space we give to the possibility of synchronicity, the reminders we write of the preciousness of our existence—all of this we put into these songs for you, to help us all accept these miracles and metaphors, in our lifeboats."

an excerpt from Edward George's 10,000+word liner-note 8 page booklet that comes with the double LP: Delay, 1961 (the Story SO Far) "They are, Seymour said, in movement, and in keeping with their claim, their music is, like a Brownian bridge, an A&J Tranean train, a Byrdian plane, or a Blountian space-time myth-machine, a way of playing themselves into the historio-graphical hands, or better yet, the loving arms, or perhaps, to be precise, the metaphysical embrace, of ‘a new creative space’, and playing is a way, the only way, when you think about it, of getting and staying in movement, the only way of staying ahead of themselves. Staying ahead of themselves was always important, and tricky too: they were on the (musical) trail of someone who preceded them, was ahead of himself, or at least ahead of his own epoch, the late 1950s, and theirs, the late 20th and early 21st century, in which he was, before they found him (or he found them, the way music finds you — and finds you out) present as no more than a discographical evanescence. And to complicate things further, the way they talked about what they were doing as they proceeded along that trail, you’d think they were archaeologists (and not anthropologists), or geologists (and not ethnographers), as well as exemplars of whatever discipline it is through which the capacity for inhabiting and transforming the body, the corpus, of another takes place: ‘We excavate and reinhabit documents and fragments of plans and compositions that he left behind to make music that though it originated in the 20th century will speak to the 21st’. They said that, on the back, or the strength, of their first album, and it was enough to make you wonder where in the world it was that they started from, what their point(s) of departure might have been."

Silvia Bolognesi - Upright Bass, Voice, Poetry, Percussion Dudú Kouate - Percussion, Voice, Ngoni, Kalimba Griffin Rodriguez - Electronics, Voice Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered by Griffin Rodriguez Recorded December 14-16, 2021 at Shape Shoppe Paradiso - Siena, Italy

For the first time on vinyl, MELINGO’s 2000 album Ufa! takes listeners on a captivating journey through the gritty streets of Buenos Aires. The album captures the essence of the urban landscape and the stories of an array of characters, including Jack The Ripper, Count Dracula, dealers, hustlers, trans love, and much more. Ufa! delves much deeper than its predecessor, Tangos Bajos, as it solidifies Melingo's collaboration with tango lyricists Luís Alposta and Enrique Cadícamo across ten tracks. Melingo's partnership with the iconic tango poet Enrique Cadícamo becomes profoundly significant when he sets to music Cadícamo's poem 'Siga Cochero,' written at the age of 19 in 1929. This particular composition gains newfound relevance and preservation thanks to Melingo's intimate collaboration with Don Enrique. The album also features renditions of beloved songs such as the Uruguayan Alfredo ZITARROSA's 'El Violin De Becho,' a chamamé, 'Las Flores Del Paraguay,' and the enchanting lullaby 'Sin Luna,' all exquisitely mastered by Myles BOISEN."

The label say: This release marks the first complete album reissue on Canopy. Originally released in Nigeria in 1987, “Oppressor” was executive produced by Myke Moul himself and distributed domestically by EMI Nigeria & Tropic Records.

“Oppressor”, the album, finds the sweet spot between synth reggae, boogie, and euphoric Balearic island vibes.

Written by Myke Moul and arranged in collaboration with reggae star Majek Fashek in Nigeria, it was later re-crafted and recorded in France with a host of French musicians. Most notably the contribution of multi instrumentalist Pierre de St Front added engaging synthesiser parts and electronic drums.

Unfortunately the pressing of the album suffered from inherent technical flaws which adversely affected the sound quality and therefore even those lucky enough to find a copy, will not be able to enjoy it without considerable sonic defects. Therefore this remastered reissue will prove welcome to both collectors and new discoverers.

The titular track “Oppressor” stands out as a mid-tempo synth-reggae-boogie jam espousing the turbulent political times in Nigeria that were present in the late 80s. Elsewhere “Shadows in the Rain” is an instrumental cut displaying a jazz-funk sensibility which was unusual for a Nigerian artist at that time, and reflects Myke’s influences outside his home country. “Heading for the Top” is a boogie dance floor gem that shows the popularity of this genre at the time, as evidenced in many Nigerian releases and still sounds just as vital today. “Rescue us. O! Lord” shows Myke’s great song writing and Pierre’s fine musical skills working in tandem to create a reggae boogie tune, displaying the reggae & ska tendencies that were present in pop music in this era, from artists such as Grace Jones, Sly & Robbie or The Police.

All in all, the album demonstrates something fresh & exciting for Nigerian album reissues, touching down in a reggae fusion direction, with some fuller sounding production aesthetics, making the dynamics full and crisp on sound systems while also well suited to home listening.