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Crown Ruler Records returns with a slab of unreleased disco-funk from Miami musician, Aaron Broomfield. HEAVY tune, in two mixes.. TIP.
“Boomerang” was first recorded in 1979, when the Broomfield Corporate Jam leader was attempting to plot a solo career. It was the first cut Aaron Broomfield recorded under his own name – Initially, at the family band’s home studio, Kilimanjaro, and later at professional studios in L.A and Miami – but it was never released.
“I always wanted to be able to share ‘Boomerang’ with my fans some day – I didn’t release it back then because I thought the time wasn’t right,” Broomfield explains. “It was so different to what was considered commercial then and felt ahead of its time.”
Before deciding against releasing it, Broomfield had two test pressings made. It was the accidental discovery of the one remaining record by digger Arun Brown (the other perished when Broomfield’s Kilimanjaro studio was damaged by a fire in 1996) that set in motion the chain of events that finally led to its release.
The jacket boasts a written essay by Broomfield himself, telling the remarkable story behind the song. The wax features the two versions of Boomerang, of which both were meticulously restored and re-mastered by celebrated Australian sound engineer, Dan Elleson.
Head to side A for the “test press” version, a cosmic, starry-eyed chunk of elastic Miami disco-funk where the Broomfield family’s killer instrumentation – all rubbery bass, deep space synths and crunchy Clavinet motifs – arcs around the sound space like a boomerang in flight. The vocal arrangement, in which Aaron Broomfield’s conscious lyrics come through loud and clear, brings it home. On the flipside, you’ll hear how dynamic the band was through the “Demo Version” - a relaxed, loose and spacey groover that sounds as ahead of its time in 2018 as it would have when it was recorded in 1979.

This special 12" features two tracks that will not be on the vinyl version of the forthcoming AC Soul Symphony, Disco opus "Metamorphosis" featuring a 20 piece orchestra alongside a whole host top live players. That makes it an even more vital pick up because both are pure disco fire. 'I Want To See You Dance' has the title's classic refrain repeated over big Salsoul style string licks, funky basslines and soloing piano. 'The Talented Mr Adams' is a tribute to the legendary disco producer Patrick Adams and is a super sweet swooner with golden live strings and brass backing up a loose-limbed rhythm and vamping pianos that get you in the mood for love. These two tracks act as a fine teaser for what's to come on the much-anticipated album from a contemporary version of acts like Mfsb and Love Unlimited Orchestra.

When Ajax Tow travels in his Pop Western landscapes, you can be sure there’s always a perfect 70’s road trip soundtrack. Italians cowboys meeting the legendary Miriam Makeba in Rennes suburbs... For his 3rd album The Soul Vegetable Orchestra, Ajax Tow is bringing us on a ten tracks sonic adventure, where many inspirations and references collide. The succession of tracks inspires many feels and moods from sipping a good old bourbon, dance in the kitchen, or gallops though the plains of Napoli. We can found the influence of Danger Mouse paying hommage to the late Ennio Morricone (Roma, 2011), a cinematic side of Shawn Lee and Misha Panfilov, from music library à la JeanClaude Vannier to the Band Voilaa, a little glimpse of pimped Ninja tune, a reworked organic Mo’Wax vibe, all mixed up and spiced up with a Tricky style. This album is also the result of a collaboration with Dan Voisin (Modul-Club, Eighty…) at the production and drums with Rennes city scene musicians who gives a hand on this album: Romain Baousson (Coupe Colonel, Bikini Machine…) on drums, Sax Machine and Racecar (Saxtoys Records) on horns and vocals, Dj Marrrtin (Funky Bijou, Lord Paramour) on beatmaking, Medline (My Bags) on Flûte. As a special guest, the late and legendary Miriam Makeba appears on “Magic Miriam”. “Feel it” is definitely setting a west coast on the LP with a Jurassic 5 inspiration, accompanied by a spicy rhythm, MC Racecar (Sax Machine) flows and lyrics brings even more energy to the track. On “Movie” and “Silence”. Ajax Tow give us a nice taste of his favorite psychedelic blends, romantic and intimate at the same time, where we found back Fuzz guitar with 60’s Eric Clapton style (Cream era) and Pink Floyd synths Flavors. The cinematic style and first notes of “So What” reminds Air first EP and the beautiful bass of “Melody Nelson”. For the dessert, “Smallville” is a kind of wedding cake with 70’s loops sprinkling that brings us to Phillipe Sarde’s La Grande Bouffe soundtrack, but with a more contemporary feeling.

Master of the strings, Al Di Meola, who turn his back on over-ambitious manual dexterity as in "Elegant Gypsy" to concentrate more on musical substance, demonstrates his intensive work with the material in the follow-up album "Casino". For example in "Egyptian Danza", an amalgamation of melodies which circle around one another and evoke with light electronics the contrasting worlds of the Orient, Occident and New World. A far sharper sound is conjured up in "Chasin‘ The Voodoo", which escalates to an extremely tightly-knit continuous fire, infused with the maestro‘s familiar guitar sound. Di Meola - with himself alone - combines the idea of multiple rhythms and parts: In the "Fantasia Suite For Two Guitars", four miniatures with percussive zapateado and whirling flamenco, he accompanies himself thanks to multi-tracking. All great stuff, but the best comes last: in the lengthy title number "Casino" all powers come together to create a magnificent performance with varying tempos, layered patterns, deceptive metrical changes and, of course, guitar playing of the highest order.

This Speakers Corner LP was remastered using pure analogue components only, from the master tapes through to the cutting head. More information under www.pure-analogue.com.
All royalties and mechanical rights have been paid.

Recording: May - September 1977 at Electric Lady Studios, New York, by Dave Palmer
Production: Al Di Meola

180g vinyl

- "Look What You've Done to Me" sampled by Arrested Development for "Warm Sentiments"

- "Simply Beautiful" sampled by Mike Zoot for "Fat Chance",
Nefarius for "Ill Rhyme" and
Talib Kweli for "Good to You"

- "Love and Happiness" sampled by Above the Law for "G-Rupies Best Friend",
Al Tariq for "Think Not",
Busta Rhymes for "Turn it Up",
Cannibal Ox for "Painkillers",
Deacon for "Soul Saviour",
Encore for "Love and Hate",
Ganjah K for "Love Got My Mind Trippin'",
Mobb Deep for "3 from NYC",
Prodigy for "Freestyle",
Redman for "On Fire",
Special Ed for "The Bush" and
Tony, Toni, Tone for "Thinking of You"

- "I'm Glad You're Mine" (Drums) sampled by 113 for "Face A La Police",
A-Track for "Enter Ralph Wigum",
Abstract Rude for "Musically Inclined",
East Flatbush Project for "Tried by 12",
Eric B & Rakim for "Mahogany",
Freestyle Fellowship for "We Will Not Tolerate",
High & Mighty for "Open Mic Night Remix",
India Arie for "Video",
Jodeci for "S-More",
K-Otix for "Take My Life",
Lauryn Hill for "Sweetest Thing (Mahogany Mix)",
Mary J. Blige for "Time",
Massive Attack for "Five Men Army",
MC Lyte for "Paper Thin",
Morcheeba for "Trigger Hippie",
Mormon Ghetto Projectz for "Blaring Broadcast + Rap Professionals",
Notorious B.I.G. for "Dead Wrong" & "Story to Tell",
Obie Trice for "I'm a Hustler" and
RZA for "My Lovin is Digi"

Yes, *that* Al Hirt record. Featuring the godlike "Harlem Hendoo", looped unforgettably by De La Soul for the legendary Buhloone Mind State cut, "Ego Trippin' (Part Two)"!

Al Hirt's infamous Soul In The Horn is inextricably tangled up in crate-digger lore. Originally released in 1967, the album has been in heavy, heavy demand for over 30 years, entirely down to the majestic soul-jazz fire of "Harlem Hendoo". And it's a song so good, so vital, so timeless, that it will always tower above everything else in its proximity. This one track alone is worth the price of admission - even if the cost of entry were $100 or even $1000.

However, it would be an error to dismiss this record as merely a one tracker, loaded as it is with dope samples for adventurous beat makers. Certainly the funkiest Al Hirt record, it definitely lives up to the "soul" in the title. Thanks to composer Paul Griffin and arranger Teacho Wiltshire, Hirt got uncharacteristically free and groovy throughout. It comes on more like an obscure KPM library funk record than the easy listening Al was notorious for.

A Louisiana trumpeter and band leader who made Allen Toussaint’s “Java” famous, Al Hirt was also known for TV themes, Dixieland, Swing and being a minority owner of the New Orleans Saints. Unlike every other Al Hirt record - and despite most "diggers" claiming otherwise - this here gem is genuinely hard to come across "in the wild". Normally, you can't give Al Hirt records away, except this particular one, which raises pulses in the crate digging community to life-threatening levels. For every owner claiming to have found their copy for a dollar, there's scores more claiming to have *never* unearthed one in the field. So, paradoxically, you can consider this the most tricky-to-pull "thrift store record", ever. This is why we're finally making it available for everyone, not just those with endless hours to spend scouring the global goodwills!

Soul In The Horn represented an expressive detour into authentic soul-jazz for Al Hirt. Throughout, we're struck by a fierce, fiery energy that's otherwise absent from his typically easy listening work. Without question, the slinky, magical "Harlem Hendoo" is the standout, here. It's also the reason why the record is so scarce and commands awe among crate diggers, sounding like something from an obscure and deeply revered spiritual jazz record. As is often the case, the true genius of the song is tricky to do justice to; it's like a minor miracle of songwriting and performance that simply swooned down from the heavens on the back of horns, bells and harpsichord. It's one of the sweetest musical compositions ever recorded inside a studio - it's only failing is that it's just too short. Sampled brilliantly by De La Soul, it has also been used by The Roots for "Stay Cool" and Nightmares On Wax for "Damn".

The rest of the record makes for a mighty fine listen. From the opening cover of Booker T. & The MG's "Honey Pot", to the propulsive, ultra-funky "Mess Around", it's nothing but a good time. Given its title, the elegant stepper "Calypsoul" sounds exactly as you'd hope whilst the melancholic, wistful "Long Gone" hurts so good. Truly, this is just dying to be looped up, Al's muted playing capturing a soulful longing only horns can often achieve. The bluesy, slo-mo swing of "Sweetlips" oscillates between cool disaffection and swelling pride whilst the graceful, low-key funky "Girl" closes out the A-Side in the fine style. Ushering in the B-Side, the brief but brilliant strut of "Love Ya' Baby" shines brightly before the skipping funky-jazz of true highlight "Sunday-Goin' To Meetin' Time" demands both your attention and your dancing shoes. The mellifluous piano-funk of bass and horn-drenched "Snap Back" serves as the sumptuous prelude to "Harlem Hendoo"'s main character energy before the irrepressible, upbeat R&B of "Ludwig" closes out this quite remarkable album. An album deserving of a place in every serious record collection.

The audio for Soul In The Horn 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 sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue. This is after-hours music. Let it speak for itself. Listen. Listen to the soul in Al Hirt's horn.

In 1975, the New York City alto saxophonist Alan Braufman released his debut album, Valley of Search, on the India Navigation label. Braufman went on to record and tour with everyone from Carla Bley to The Psychedelic Furs, and didn't release another album under his name until 2020's The Fire Still Burns, which received rave reviews from The WIRE, Downbeat, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and NPR. 2024's Infinite Love Infinite Tears is a surprisingly catchy program of free jazz, richly detailed and forthright, embodying a range of emotions and circumstances that convey individuality, collectivity and hope. There is much history and love in this band, and in Alan Braufman's art overall. Fifty-odd years after debuting on record, his sound-world is as vital and inviting as ever.

This recently unearthed recording captures saxophonistAlan Braufman with his five-piece band in an early 1975 live radio session soon after recording his debut album Valley of Search for the India Navigation label. This was the first meeting of William Parker and Cooper-Moore, whose musical partnership has flourished ever since. The 94-minute performance is spread over 5 sides on 3 LPs / 2CDs. Newly mastered with liner notes by the host, Susan Mannheimer. Braufman has earned worldwide acclaim after the 2018 reissue ofValley of Search, and 2020's new album, The Fire Still Burns.

45 years after his debut album Valley of Search (1975/India Navigation), jazz saxophonist Alan Braufman returns. The Fire Still Burns has that gritty, forthright sensibility we hope to hear in sonic collaborations borne out of beauty and struggle, but there’s a populist ease that comes with age and reflection. Put simply it’s natural music – complementary, individual, and full of the sweet, hot taste of celebration.

There are few Australian originals in jazz, though vibraphonist AlanLee surely ranks alongside the best. Australian jazz is and always will be an interpretation of the American art form, but throughout his long career Leehas ploughed his furrow undaunted, 'What I want is the fire! Whether it's John Coltrane's Blues Minor from Africa Brass or Backwater Blues by Leadbelly, I want the emotion, the gut wrenching pain, the cry from within!

Can we say this is a legendary album? Yes we can! Italo group ALEPH’s epic 1988 album “black Out“ finally get’s, after 33 years, the re-issue it deserves by Dutch High Fashion Music! But not “just” a re-issue. This one only contains the extended or 12” versions of the original Aleph album tracks, including the famous Dutch remixes of Fire On The Moon and Fly To Me by Dutch Peter Vriends (previous released on Italoheat and Streetheat). To optimize quality and to enjoy the re-mastering, done from the original master tapes, to the fullest, this one comes as a double 2LP album, 3 tracks per side, to guarantee maximum output and level. All tracks have been remastered by Dutch wizard Arjan Rietvink, which makes this album a not be be missed item for all Italo Disco lovers!

Artist and musician Alex Puddu, whom many already know for his “Danish Pornography” series and solo records, has written and produced the second album for his soulful band The Moonfires. A second coming that showcases strong R&B classic melodies and tight grooves that bring the listener up to a level of great funk bands like New Birth, Ohio Players, Mandrill, and Black Heat. The amazing album cover, showing King Kong spreading panic in the city, has been made by Italian comic-book and science fiction artist Giuseppe Festino, the same that, back in 70’s, illustrated the paperback covers of the popular sci-fi Urania series.
The opening Stones-inspired title-track “Gotta Keep it Rollin” kicks off the groove, building up with steady organ and a killer blues guitar riff, accompanying a street-story-telling by lead singer Duane Hobson. The second track is “Kill Me with the Rain”, a funky tune with powerful afro winds section, rock-funk guitar, and a great vocal leading all the way through the strong melody. “Woman” is a truly sexy-funk tune with Afro-vibes all throughout and catchy lyrics. The album’s first single, and probably the strongest tune on the album, is “Thunder Road”, a feel-good, up-tempo R&B song with catchy hook line and a sleazy organ playing along the tight rhythm section. The A-side closes with “Weekend Pleasure”, a powerful instrumental piece that lives up to the groove, and builds up to a cool break with a great bass solo.
The B-side starts strong with a cover of The Four Tops from the score “Are You Man Enough” – a great version of one the band’s top tunes! The following song is another album favorite, “Soul on Fire”: a well-produced tune played tight, and a perfect score for a street gang, warriors-type movie, as if it was written in 1979. The album continues on with two up-tempo tracks, “Funky City” and “Voodoo People” – definitely something for the dance floor! Crazy organ, funky riffs, massive percussion and congas taking the album to another level. The last song is a perfect ending, another great composition by Puddu: “King of The Night” – a strong West Coast ballad with prominent piano, played smooth all through, accentuated with a great vocal performance and a classic saxophone solo on the end.
“Gotta Keep It Rollin” is Alex Puddu at his groovest!!!

‘Står op med solen’ (Rising with the sun) is the second album by Amalie Dahl’s Dafnie. With this album, the band continues the exploration of their collective sound. We hear influences from both old school free jazz, and contemporary Scandinavian jazz like Fire! Orchestra and Christian Wallumrød Ensemble, as well as clear connection to the Trondheim milieu, where the group was founded in 2020.

The energetic and expressive band explores their more subtle side with this record. ‘Står op med solen’ is an album longing for humans to be one with nature. The music comments on the world’s ultra-capitalistic power structures of today. The band navigates like one organism through parts of organic free jazz, strict structures and composed cells.

They start out where their first record ended, in the familiar free jazz sound with riffs and melodies, and take us safely on their onward journey. Amalie Dahl’s Dafnie brings together five well-known names from the Norwegian jazz scene, also known from other projects like Kongle Trio, Bliss Quintet, I like to sleep, Veslemøy Narvesen, Galumphing Duo, Treen and Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, among others.

Rare Afrobeat album from 1979
Recorded at Decca Studios (Nigeria)
First ever vinyl reissue
Featuring Zamrock collaborators Josi & Andre (Wells Fargo, Osibisa, Tony Allen)

Having shown talent for playing guitar at a young age, Josi Ndlovu (Zimbabwe) started his first rock band “The Movers” (who were very popular within the local scene) in 1968. By the early 70’s Josi was already an acclaimed guitarist and a member of the revolutionary rock bands “Wells Fargo” and “Eye of Liberty” who were critical opponents of the racist Rhodesian government.

Prosecuted and harassed by the police for being a supporter of the independence movement, Josi Ndlovu had to move to Lusaka (Zambia) in 1975...it was here that he met his musical soulmate (Osibisa collaborator and bassist extraordinaire) André Abrahamse from South Africa. They started playing together in several local acts together with drummer Peter Lungu (from “Born Free” and later in the legendary Zamrock band “Witch”).

In 1977, Josi & André decided to go to Lagos (Nigeria) where they found many fellow Zimbabwean and South African students in exile. It was a total culture shock and really rough on the both of them…but they got lucky and were able to stay with some friends they had worked with in London (Themba Matebese and Uwandile Piliso of T-Fire fame). It was also here that they were approached by the Nigerian label “Boom Records” who booked them to record at the Decca Studios in Lagos (home to many other renowned recording artists such as Fela Kuti, Manu Dibango and Ofege). The result of these recording sessions was “Amandla” (the Ndebele word for ‘Power’).

The now legendary “Amandla” studio project is one of the most interesting collaborations between dissident, exiled musicians during the apartheid era…a very engaging album which talks about the liberation movement in Zimbabwe (which was under British colonial rule), ‘people-power’ as a concept and the walk towards freedom by any means necessary. Banned from radio and distribution (because of its political content) in their native countries, the record however did very well in Nigeria.

With the ‘Amandla’ album under their belts, André & Josi continued their traveling adventures to Botswana, Cape Town, and many other cities/countries…touring, recording and playing with influential artists from the likes of Rikki Ililonga, Tony Allen and Anna Mwale. André to this day keeps on composing and producing music for TV, film and various other audio projects. Josi Ndlovu passed away on September 7th, 2000…he will forever be in our hearts.

On “Amandla” the listener will find many genres blended together very successfully…a lot of smooth chordal Afro-soul, Blues soloing, Afro-disco-reggae with a dominant funk feeling surrounding it and a LOT of rock influences! Their groovy tunes went down smoothly on the dance floor and one can clearly hear the Fela Kuti-influenced beats pouring out of (Lagos scene regular) Buttley Moore’s fantastic drum-work. Other influences are also very diverse…from acts and styles that include Zamrock, Earth Wind and Fire, Isaac Hayes, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, local folk music etc. All of this makes the album a total must have for any collector and fan of the afro-beat-funk genre.

Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the FIRST ever vinyl reissue of this fantastic Afrobeat album (originally released in 1979 on Boom Records Nigeria). This rare record (original copies tend to go for large amounts on the secondary market) is now finally back available as a limited 180g vinyl edition complete with the original artwork.

The Italian Ictus imprint was founded in 1976 by percussionist and composer, Andrea Centazzo, and his wife Carla Lugli. Running for just under a decade, until relaunching during the mid-2000s, the label produced a couple of dozen highly celebrated releases, the majority of which loosely fall under the banner of free jazz. Ictus’ second batch of releases from the label’s historic archives logically begins with Andrea Centazzo’s “U.S.A. Concerts”, originally issued in 1978 and out of print on vinyl for the majority of the time since.

“U.S.A. Concerts” draws on the same rough period when Centazzo was working in the United States at “Environment for Sextet”, which was reissued in the previous batch, and features many of the same players - Polly Bradfield on violin, Eugene Chadbourne on guitar, Tom Cora on cello, and Toshinori Kondo on trumpet, and John Zorn on saxophone - in different configurations. In fact, the first, second, and seventh tracks - “Sextet Improvisation”, “Duet Improvisation # 1”, “Duet Improvisation # 4” - were all recorded on the same day at the same location - Wkcr Radio in New York on November 7, 1978 - as the aforementioned album.

Beginning with the brilliant textural and tonal explorations of the full ensemble encountered in “Sextet Improvisation”, the album quickly moves toward quieter and more restrained investigations of roughly similar ground, moving through a series of duo improvisations between the percussionist and Eugene Chadbourne, Tom Cora, and the under-celebrated saxophonist, Jack Wright, whose howling horn is transformed to otherworldly effect by the reverberance of the space within which he works.

From here Centazzo embraces the trio form with an improvisation with two more under-celebrated figures from the American scene - Davey Williams playing guitar and banjo, and LaDonna Smith on violin, viola, and voice - capturing a performance in Jackson, Mississippi on November 19, 1978, during which the three fire responsive statements that hang like barbs in the spacious air, before conceding the LP with a brilliant suite of duos with Toshinori Kondo, Williams, and Smith.

Offering incredible insight into Centazzo’s unique sensibility, as well as into the work of a new generation of stunning improvisers as they emerged at the tail end of the 70s, before going on to help define the 80s free jazz sound, “U.S.A. Concerts” is a crucial artefact of free music at the juncture; fire on the boundaries of outright noise. An endlessly surprising journey between shifting between airy open passages that feature striking combinations of players, it’s sure to knock the socks off more than a few well-seasoned fans.

Around the year 1970, almost everything appeared to have been said about the style of music over the past two decades, which was a mix of samba and cool jazz. Adventurous musicians such as Luis Bonfa, Baden Powell, Charly Byrd, João and Astrud Gilberto, and the saxophonist Stan Getz lent fire and sentiment to the “new trend”. First and foremost among them was Carlos Antonio Jobim, whose catchy tunes such as the ticking, shuffling song "Desafinado" and the genial "One Note Samba" were heard all over the globe.
That the man from Ipanema still had a lot to say is proved by the present album, which presents Jobim’s creativity at the height of his maturity. Right from the very first number, where Urbie Green on the trombone 'sings' "Tereza My Love" so purely in the top register, it is clear that the late bossa with its typical rhythm is structurally far more refined than the early hot dance numbers. The melodies are woven through, as it were, with shining gold and silver threads of rhythm, and clusters of sound are light and airy. However, here and there, the musicians let their hair down, such as in the Latin classic "Brazil".
With that magician of sound Deodato as arranger and conductor, and Rudy van Gelder as recording engineer, this LP is certainly a Bossa masterpiece. There’s no more to be said!