Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators - My Name Is Nicole Willis (Instrumentals)

Nicole Willis, known for her collaborations with The Soul Investigators & Jimi Tenor produces an album including some of the tracks she composed with the former as well as originals specifically for a fresh collaboration with UMO Jazz Orchestra. Jimi Tenor, who is a multi-faceted artist, has penned all arrangements for the big band and their talented rhythm section. Pete Toikkanen who is a mega-talent guitarist from The Soul Investigators, along with the two, composed those original tracks that highlight their alternative influences. Indie god & personal hero of Ms Willis, Ian Svenonius introduces Ms Willis on the first track and wraps up the LP with a final plea.

Tracklist:
1. Introducing (Instrumental)
2. Break Free (Shake a Tailfeather) (Instrumental)
3. Haunted by the Devil (Instrumental)
4. One in a Million (Instrumental)
5. (Everybody) Do the Watusi (Instrumental)
6. No Child Denied (Instrumental)
7. Together We Climb (Instrumental)
8. When We Go Down (Instrumental)
9. Togetherness (Instrumental)
10. Final Call (Instrumental)
11. Still Got a Way to Fall (Instrumental)
12. Still Got a Way to Fall (Vocals, Clap, Bass, Brass)
13. Let's Communicate (Instrumental)
14. Break Free (Shake a Tailfeather) (Instrumental & Backing Vocals)

Joe Armon-Jones - Ceasefire

Joe Armon-Jones returns with Ceasefire, the second in a series of dub releases on his own Aquarii label, following the release of ‘Wrong Side of Town’ featuring Hak Baker earlier this year.

This time Joe teams up with legendary reggae deejay Ranking Joe, as well as saxophonist and fellow Ezra Collective band member James Mollison.

Ceasefire is an uncompromising call for peace at a time of heightened global conflict. Joe Armon-Jones says “This shit never ends, we wrote this song back in 2020 and the fighting never stops, encouraged by people who make money off the blood of innocent people.

We live in an unbelievably cruel world. Palestinians have been living in apartheid for years and are now subject to a genocide being imposed on them by Israel, supported financially by the USA & Britain.

Ranking Joe here is calling for a Ceasefire, not just for the Israeli occupiers but for all those around the globe who would kill another human being, as such an act is despicable and never tolerated.”

Produced and mixed by Joe Armon-Jones with additional vocal mixing by Prince Fatty, mastered by Noah Priddle, and released via Joe Armon-Jones' own imprint Aquarii Records.

Tracklist:
1. Ceasefire (feat. Ranking Joe)
2. Hornsfire (feat. James Mollison)
3. Rhodesfire

Greg Foat - The Glass Frog

Greg Foat is a jazz pianist and synth connoisseur known for a diverse series of collaborative projects, which have previously included Linkwood and Ayo Salawu. With The Glass Frog, Foat, on ambient synth pads, jams with a large ensemble in one lengthy session, organically gliding through modal and spiritual jazz.

Tracklist:
1. Sea of Tranquility
2. The Glass Frog
3. Foals of Epona
4. Novilunium
5. Clusters
6. My Love Has Green Eyes
7. O Sacrum Convivium!

Parlor Greens - In Green We Dream

Perhaps one of the most exciting and anticipated projects in the world of heavy instrumental music is Parlor Greens, a fresh organ trio on Colemine Records! You could say that Parlor Greens are greater than the sum of their parts…however, the individual parts are simply stellar on their own. Tim Carman (GA-20) on drums, Jimmy James (True Loves, formerly Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio) on guitar, and Adam Scone (Scone Cash Players, The Sugarman 3) on organ.

Scone is perhaps the most tasteful living organist on planet Earth (and beyond) and to watch him play is to truly watch a master at work. He bends the organ to his will like a true mastercraftsman. He’s a veteran of the soul revival scene, having played on many Daptone recording sessions since their inception, but also has learned from some of the legends of soul jazz: Melvin Sparks and The Turbanator himself Dr. Lonnie Smith. Jimmy James needs no introduction to many as he’s been seen all over the world performing with instrumental groups The True Loves and the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio. Perhaps the most dangerous right hand in all of soul music, his signature funky approach can be identified by even the most novice of music fans, a feat most musicians could only dream of. Tim Carman. The backbone. The pocket. Having cut his teeth touring the world with blues group GA-20, Carman’s expertise in the world of blues shuffles might make him an unlikely candidate to lay the foundation for the funky Parlor Greens, but this debut LP shows otherwise. Steady, heavy pockets and as funky as they come.

Parlor Greens started off as an idea before it even had a name. Carman had been chatting with Colemine label boss Terry Cole about their shared love for organ combo records of yesterday on labels like Blue Note and Prestige. Cole said he’d love to have an organ trio be the first project at the label’s new studio, Portage Lounge, located in Loveland, Ohio. So when Carman tapped James and Scone for the session, the stage was set. Carman and Cole had started work a day early to dial in the drum sound, so when the rest of this murderer’s row arrived they hit the ground running. It was instant chemistry. Within the first ten minutes of everyone plugging in, a song was written and recorded, “West Memphis”. And over the next three days, these three maestros conducted a beautiful and soulful symphony straight to tape. As natural and fun as three old friends getting together after a long absence, only this was the first time they had written and performed together. True magic.

So this is the result of that session. Eleven cuts. Ten originals. Two sides. All killer, no filler. Straight to the old reliable Tascam 388 tape machine, mixed up nice and dirty for your enjoyment. Parlor Greens are proud to present their debut long player, In Green / We Dream.

Tracklist:
1. Driptorch
2. Sugar Maple
3. In Green We Dream
4. West Memphis
5. Flowers For Sharon
6. Parlor Strut
7. The Ripper
8. Steam Presser
9. The Jelly Roll
10. Irish Goodbye
11. My Sweet Lord

Superposition - II

Finnish quartet Superposition returns with their second album, "II", on We Jazz Records, 19th July. The band will premiere their new album live on the same day at Helsinki's Odysseus Festival, organised by We Jazz. Led by drummer Olavi Louhivuori, Superposition features Linda Fredriksson and Adele Sauros on saxes and Mikael Saastamoinen on bass. Having won the "EMMA" prize for the Finnish jazz album of the year with their debut (We Jazz Records, 2020), Superposition takes leaps forward with their remarkably strong new album, taking the quartet's acoustic free jazz based sound towards a more melodic, flowing direction.

Superposition, a sought-after live combo, is first and foremost a solid group that understands the power of developing their music together. Each of the four members bring in compositions for album number two, and they all write in a way that serves the band's overall sound. Olavi Louhivuori, the band's de facto leader, has composed 4 of the 9 tracks, but there is no hierarchy here and the Superposition sound is certainly a shared one.

Introspective, moody passages ebb and flow naturally with the fire spirit of the band that snaps, crackles and pops with the best of them. Think of acoustic freedom jazz lineage set in motion by the likes of Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman and many more. Already the starting three tracks show you the many shades of the unified band, from the sneaking intensity of the first single "Clouding" via the subdued tension of "Clashes" into the all out gallop of "Huia". There's something both intimate and anthemic in the sound of Superposition. The band's music has a strong narrative, making "II" a true aural "page-turner".

Tracklist:
1. Clouding
2. Clashes
3. Huia
4. Elfvik
5. Superseven
6. KMT
7. Angel Oak
8. To Dream
9. Uuz Nousee

Ebi Soda - Collaborations & Remixes Vol. 1

Fresh from performing six shows at this year's SXSW festival and supporting club pioneer UNKLE (Mo’ Wax) at the Brighton Festival, jazz disruptors Ebi Soda share ‘Collaborations & Remixes Vol. 1’, a new project that brings together a plethora of talent from the wonderful and bizarre world of Ebi, while pushing the boundaries of jazz music with forward-thinking production. The EP is announced with the aspirational and infectious ‘Kim K’ featuring London-born, Turkish-Sri Lankan artist BODUR.

“The EP is more reflective of how we like to work collaboratively. We’d like to branch into the vocal world as a production team with a living sound bank. So we did that by making tunes with some of our nearest and dearest. The remixes come from our love of electronic music, and we are so grateful to have some of our favourite producers flip our tunes like this.” Band leader and trombonist Will Heaton aka VVilhem explains.

The new EP concept sees the band explore their influences outside of jazz and work with singers, MCs and those that sit somewhere in between. Collaborations come in the form of new tracks from the likes of vocalist J Harli on the UKG inspired ‘Please Don’t’ and a UK rap track ‘Runnin’, featuring Dream Mclean and Wallace Rice, members of the adventurous six-piece band 'Monster Florence,' as well as the ever-innovative rapper Dame. While remixes taken from the band’s landmark album ‘Honk If You’re Sad’ are delivered by intergalactic sound dealer Ash Walker on a dub of ‘Yoshi Orange’, producer and one-half of Anushka, Max Wheeler, as well as one of the best DJs in the game, JD. Reid, and the band themselves who flip ‘Tang of the Zest’ into a sublime slice of glitchy electronica.

Born from ten-hour jam sessions in peeling Brighton bedsits, the technical parameters of a bootstrap recording process and the osmotic, multi-genre influence of internet music archives, quintet Ebi Soda have been steady-cultivating a unique sound amidst the exploding UK jazz scene. They proudly embrace a non-traditional approach, seeking to experiment and defy expectations at every turn.

Tracklist:
1. Yoshi Orange (Ash Walker Remix)
2. Giraffe Bread (Max Wheeler Remix)
3. Kim K (feat. BODUR)
4. Runnin' (feat. Dame, Dream Mclean, Wallace rice)
5. Tang Of The Zest (Ebi Soda Remix)
6. Soft Peng (JD. Reid Remix)
7. Please Don't (feat. J Harli)

Brandee Younger - Serenity: A Collection Of Mindful Meditations

Tracklist:
1. Dreamful Love Story
2. Moonlight Reflections
3. Restful Place
4. Uplift Your Voice
5. Super Hero Stars
6. Brown Brown Baby

Jerome Thomas, Pitch 92 - Submerge

Jerome Thomas returns alongside producer Pitch 92 with ‘Submerge’, a deeply human exploration into ethereal Jazz, R&B and 70’s Soul. Lyrically the project explores themes of lust, blackness, security and compassionate love. Sonically, it combines the sophisticated musical arrangements of the past yet with seductive contemporary production in the lower frequencies.

The true heart and soul of Hackney, London, Jerome Thomas is an undeniable powerhouse of talent and dedication. Known for a vocal that soars, seduces and sighs and oceans of deep harmonies that underpin deftly melodic tales of love, sorrow, elation, and frustration. This challenging music is the result of a myriad of loyal producers such as Pitch 92, Talos, FloFilz, Warren Xcellence, Mathsxjoy, Jarreau Vandal, Blue Lab Beats, Joe Armon Jones, Maxwell Owin and Bluestaeb. Jerome through these impressive works has garnered attention from Afropunk, COLORS, Clash, BBC 1Xtra, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 Music, Highsnobiety, Complex, Vogue Italia, MTV & i-D.

Tracklist:
1. Submerge (Intro)
2. Gotta Be More
3. DM's
4. Pop
5. Nowhere
6. Sock It To Me
7. Bad & Boujeé
8. Pull Up
9. Submerge
10. Pull Up (Single Version)
11. Submerge (Single Version)

Glass Beams - Mahal

Glass Beams have announced their highly anticipated EP ‘Mahal’, out on March 22nd on their new label home Ninja Tune. Released alongside the news is the EP’s titular track “Mahal”.

The genesis for the Melbourne-based trio, which formed around founding member Rajan Silva, was through the rekindling of childhood memories relating to his father, who emigrated to Melbourne from India in the late 1970's. Silva recalled watching a DVD on repeat with his father; ‘Concert for George’, a star-studded tribute to late Beatles member George Harrison performed at London's Royal Albert Hall in 2002, featuring legendary Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar with daughter Anoushka, alongside Western icons Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney and ELO’s Jeff Lynne. This intersection of musical styles was reflected in the record collection of Silva's father, where the sounds of iconic Bollywood vocalists Asha Bhosle and the Mangeshkar lineage sat alongside music from blues legends like B.B. King and Muddy Waters. In particular, Silva was drawn to the fusion of Western musical styles and traditional Indian music; a concept pioneered by Indian artists like R.D. Burman, Ananda Shankar, and fraternal duo Kalyanji-Anandji.

This cross-pollination of East and West, of old and new, is a sentiment that the band have sought to capture in their self produced works. Across their output, Glass Beams presents a timeless fusion of cultures and sounds beamed through a prism of live instrumentation and DIY electronica, all wrapped up inside a mesmerizing and mystical visual world of their own making.

Their debut EP ‘Mirage’, released in 2021 catapulted them into the collective consciousness of new followers who came to discover their serpentine, psychedelic-tinged tracks through social media, streaming services and word of mouth, with the vinyl copies selling-out as quickly as it could be pressed via grassroots record store support.

In the wake of the unexpected success of their debut release and an abundance of festival invitations, Glass Beams were amplified around the globe performing hypnotic renditions of the 'Mirage' EP alongside an additional 20 minutes of unreleased music. Early clips of these “unreleased tracks” quickly began circulating online garnering millions of views and a fast-growing and ever-hungry following. As 2023 drew to a close and the dust settled after a whirlwind of touring, Glass Beams retreated to their home studio to record this much anticipated 20 minutes of music. They have named the record 'Mahal'.

Tracklist:
1. Horizon
2. Mahal
3. Orb
4. Snake Oil
5. Black Sand

Common, Pete Rock - The Auditorium Vol. 1

“Pete Rock is one of The Greatest Creators Hip Hop and Music has ever seen. It has been a dream of mine to work with him on an album. And once we got together and I was around him and all his records and his MPC I felt the spirit of what I always loved in hip hop, in soul music, and why I wanted to be a part of the artform. His beats, his production, his scratches, took me to a place where I could just MC freely. It felt like I was home.” - Common

Tracklist:
1. Dreamin'
2. Chi-Town Do It
3. This Man
4. We’re On Our Way
5. Fortunate
6. So Many People (feat. Bilal)
7. Wise Up
8. A GOD (There Is) (feat. Jennifer Hudson)
9. Stellar
10. Lonesome
11. All Kind Of Ideas
12. When The Sun Shines Again (feat. Posdnuos)
13. Everything’s So Grand (feat. PJ)
14. Now And Then
15. Outro

Arthur Baker presents Breaker's Revenge - Original B-Boy and B-Girl Breakdance Classics 1970-84

Compiled by legendary producer Arthur Baker, ‘Breakers Revenge’ is a near-definitive collection of original Funk, Soul, Latin, Disco and Electro classic tracks from 1970-1984.

These tracks, a combination of classics and obscurities, have all since become legendary to Breakdancers everywhere. First played at South Bronx block parties, community halls and park jams in the 1970s and 80s, spun endlessly by the first three major hip-hop DJs - Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa – and found in the record crates of any DJ of note ever since.

Seminal funk and soul tracks such as Dennis Coffey’s ‘Scorpio’, The Jimmy Castor Bunch’s ‘It’s Just Begun’, James Brown’s ‘Get on the Good Foot’, The Mohawks’ ‘Champ’ sit side-by-side here with the ground-breaking classic electro of Afrika Bambaataa’s ‘Planet Rock, and Arthur Baker’s own definitive ‘Breakers Revenge.’

Breakdancing has come a long way from its New York roots to its respected position as an art form today where, for the first time ever, it is to be featured in the Olympics held in Paris this August 2024.

The ‘breakbeat’ remains at the very heart of hip-hop, the mercurial funk, soul and disco tracks, always 100% guaranteed to get B-Boys, B-Girls and Breakdancers moving at any block party, with the percussive breakdown of each track the pinnacle soundtrack to any dance/battle between Breakdancers of any note.

Similarly these tracks have been sampled many 1000s of times over by every hip-hop artist and producer of note. KRS-ONE, Marley Marl, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Public Enemy, Eric B, The Fugees, Outkast, Mos Def, Main Source, Jungle Brothers, LL Cool J, De La Soul and, well, everyone!

Compiler Arthur Baker played a pivotal role in hip-hop history when in 1982 he produced Afrika Bambaataa’s seminal ‘Planet Rock’ (as featured here), introducing electronic instruments into hip-hop for the first time ever and in the process created electro. After ‘Planet Rock’, Arthur Baker went on to remix or produce every major artist of note – from New Order to the Rolling Stones, Al Green to the Pet Shop Boys.

This Soul Jazz Records vinyl release is presented as a deluxe gatefold double vinyl, with two bespoke inner sleeves and download code, the double CD comes in digi-case includes full notes and booklet. Both formats come complete with introduction by Arthur Baker, extensive sleevenotes, including track-by-track breakdown. by hip-hop historian JayQuan, and striking images from photographer Sophie Bramly.

“What I truly loved about early Hip-Hop was that the music thrown down by ‘Bam, Grandmaster Flash, Jazzy Jay and Kool DJ Herc was genre-less, multi-cultural, music from all ends of the world. This is the definitive collection, including all the classics (other than a couple that alas we couldn’t get the rights too), and some real hard to find obscurities.” Arthur Baker 

Tracklist:
1. Dennis Coffey and The Detroit Guitar Band – Scorpio
2. The Jimmy Castor Bunch – It's Just Begun
3. B.T. Express – Energy Level
4. James Brown – Get On The Good Foot
5. Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force – Planet Rock
6. Manu Dibango – Soul Makossa
7. Esther Williams – Last Night Changed It All
8. The Mohawks – The Champ
9. Herman Kelly & Life – Dance To The Drummer’s Beat
10. Spanky Wilson – Sunshine of Your Love
11. James Brown – Give it Up Or Turnit A Loose
12. Candido – Soulwanco
13. Arthur Baker – Breaker's Revenge
14. Manu Dibango – The Panther
15. Abaco Dream – Life and Death in G & A
16. The Jackson 5 – Dancing Machine
17. Mongo Santamaria – Cloud Nine
18. Edwin Starr – I Just Wanna Do My Thing
19. Badder Than Evil – Hot Wheels
20. Johnny Bristol – Lusty Lady

Ambient Jazz Ensemble - Spirit Dance

Whilst remaining cinematic, this set of tracks share more emotive themes, a reference to the human condition. The feeling is one of reflection & reconnection, a post pandemic rediscovery of freedom & joy of life.

Tracklist:
1. I Am the Black Gold of the Sun
2. Magnetic
3. Spirit Dance Parts I and II
4. True North

Prefuse 73 - New Strategies For Modern Crime Volume 2

Pioneering electronic musician, composer and producer: Prefuse 73 aka Guillermo Scott Herren announces his new album, New Strategies for Modern Crime Vol. 1 & 2. His first new album since 2018's Sacrifices, New Strategies for Modern Crime sees Herren delving further into his ground breaking take on experimental hip-hop through orchestrated arrangements via the optic of the media's sensationalism of crime, blended with influences from lost soundtracks, musique concrete, jazz and beat-tape music to create something wholly unique.

Herren's musical journey began in the mid-1990s when he emerged on the underground scene under various aliases, experimenting with different styles and genres. However, it was with the creation of Prefuse 73 when he truly found his unique voice. In 2001, Herren released his groundbreaking debut album, Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives, which immediately garnered attention for its avant-garde sound. The album skillfully combined glitchy electronic beats, intricate samples, and fragmented vocals, establishing Prefuse 73 as a trailblazer in the burgeoning genre of electronic hip-hop.

Prefuse 73 continued to push boundaries with subsequent releases, including One Word Extinguisher and Surrounded by Silence, showcasing his ability to seamlessly fuse disparate elements and create his own distinctive style. Characterized by intricate production and unconventional time signatures, Herren's releases have gone on to influence an entire generation of electronic musicians.

Throughout his career, Prefuse 73 has collaborated with a diverse array of artists, including MF Doom, Ghostface Killah, GZA, El-P, Sam Prekop, Helado Negro, and more. His work reflects a constant evolution, with each album offering a new perspective on the intersection of electronic and hip-hop music.

Prefuse 73's impact on the electronic music scene extends beyond his discography; he has inspired a generation of producers to embrace experimentation and challenge conventional norms. Guillermo Scott Herren's artistic journey continues to evolve, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of contemporary electronic music.

Tracklist:
1. Lion Chorus
2. Vast Wildlife Poison
3. Canine Chorus
4. Fare La Corna
5. Complete Rejection
6. 245 Wagon Talk
7. Weather Systems
8. Il Calibro
9. Python Print
10. New Crime Rising Reflection
11. Canine Chorus (Scene Two)
12. La Parte Centrale
13. Lion Chorus (Scene Two)
14. Vast Wildlife Poison (Scene Two)
15. Canine Farewell
16. 244 Sedan Decay

Youthsayers - Don't Blame the Youth

Wah Wah 45s are very proud and excited to announce the debut album from Youthsayers - an ongoing and enduring South London community project, founded by Robin Hopcraft and Idris Rahman of our very own, legendary Afro-reggae outfit Soothsayers.

Youthsayers was established in 2016 and ever since has consistently provided free of charge opportunities for young people to come together, learn an instrument and perform music under the tutelage of Robin and Idris. This has been made possible, in part, through donations from local businesses and private benefactors, but also live fundraisers and now through commercially released music!

Don’t Blame The Youth is a snapshot of the current Youthsayers band, and recent alumni, who’ve gone on to form other bands in the world of jazz, reggae and beyond, including recent signings to Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood imprint, Oreglo.

Over the course of eight tracks the band deliver their own unique takes on classic and contemporary pieces of music from the world of dub and Afro-jazz, including covers of Theon Cross, Fela Kuti, Cedric IM Brooks, The Fontanelles and of course, Soothsayers themselves.

The album also showcases the Youthsayers students’ own writing abilities, not only on their original composition, Citizens Not Subjects, written alongside Levitation Orchestra’s director and trumpeter Axel Kaner-Lindstrom, but also via a re-working of the Tommy McCook instrumental Tenor On The Call with lyrics re-written by Youthsayers’ clarinet player Giacomo Del Rei and re-named We Keep Playing, the debut single to be taken from the album.

Every single penny of profit from this LP will go directly to the Youthsayers project. If you would like to take part in the programme, or donate to the cause, please go to www.youthsayers.net.

Tracklist:
1. Jjd
2. Eagle Song
3. Ethiopia
4. We Keep Playing
5. Candace of Meroe
6. Citizens Not Subjects
7. Goodnight Rico
8. Afrocat

VA - Stay True Sounds Vol.6

Kid Fonque presents the sixth instalment of his label Stay True Sounds’ compilation series. A showcase of South Africa’s dynamic musical offering, ‘Stay True Sounds Vol.6’ features 15 of the genre’s key players. The opener, a stunning soundscape from producer Tea White sets the tone for the compilation’s curated excellence of sounds across the country’s electronic music spectrum. Label regulars Thabo Tonick, Atmos Blaq, China Charmeleon and beatsbyhand also leave their mark alongside fellow scene favourites. Rife with deep grooves and the country’s latest dominating sound 3 Step, Stay True Sounds continues to be a cornerstone for South Africa’s richly diverse music scene.

Tracklist:
1. Tea White – Genji Orchids
2. Tiyani – Show Me Your Move
3. Jas Artchild & Kotonova – For You
4. Thabo Tonick – Dare To Dream
5. Nastic Groove – Let's Take A Ride
6. Ziyon, China Charmeleon & AndileAndy – Tunnel Vision feat. Ziyon [AndileAndy Scratchy Mix]
7. Atmos Blaq – Kwa Mama [Pando G Remix]
8. Aizo Clutch – Redhook
9. !Sooks – Sentiments
10. SUFFOCATE SA – Mementos Of Spirit
11. WAPO Jije – Children Of The Sun
12. beatsbyhand – SARS
13. Jackson Brainwave – Sacred Land
14. El Payo – Segments
15. Donald Tek – MMINATHOKO

SML - Small Medium Large

SML is the quintet of bassist Anna Butterss, synthesist Jeremiah Chiu, saxophonist Josh Johnson, percussionist Booker Stardrum, and guitarist Gregory Uhlmann.

Their debut album 'Small Medium Large' began as a collection of long form improvisations recorded during two separate two-night stands at beloved Highland Park, Los Angeles venue ETA. Unfortunately, this major development site for the burgeoning new West Coast jazz & improvised music sound closed its doors permanently at the end of 2023.

The venue, perhaps best known outside of LA for Jeff Parker's 2022 album 'Mondays at the Enfield Tennis Academy', was the perfect location for the start of SML, especially given that both bassist Anna Butterss and saxophonist Josh Johnson are part of Parker's quartet that held down a regular gig at ETA since the venue's early days (and hence thoroughly documented, heard on Parker's album). 'Small Medium Large' was engineered and recorded in stereo direct to Nagra by Bryce Gonzales and compiled, arranged, and edited with additional production, recording, and studio composition by SML across their various home studios.

While editing, chopping, and rearranging stereo mixed improvisations is hardly a new idea (for a modern and relevant example we can look to Makaya McCraven's output on IARC) these results are a stunning expansion of the Teo Macero / Miles Davis editing concept explored on classics like 'In a Silent Way', 'On The Corner', and 'Get Up With It'. Stylistically though, these recordings have more in common with the proto-trance repetitions of Harmonia, and with Holgar Czukay's re-assembly technique used in his work with Can. Throw in a supremely intuitive utilization of polyrhythmic floating patterns (a la Susumu Yokota), and the result is a truly innovative take on time-clocked electronic rhythms augmented with live instrumentation that never loses that elusive human sway.

'Small Medium Large' is a sublime assemblage of circulatory grooves and textural anomalies, at different moments recalling the synth-laced improvisations of Herbie Hancock's Sextant, the jagged dance punk of Essential Logic, the rhythmic revelry of Fela Kuti, the low-end elasticity of Parliament/Funkadelic, or the glitchy dub techno of Pole. Taken in totality, the album captures a euphoric creative synchronicity between some of today's most exciting musicians.

Tracklist:
1. Rubber Tree Dance
2. Industry
3. Herbie for Commercials
4. Search Bar Hi Hat
5. Window Sill Song
6. Switchboard Operations
7. Soft Sand
8. Three Over Steel
9. Chasing Brain
10. History of Communication
11. Feed The Birds
12. Greg's Melody
13. Dolphin Language

Jeff Mills - The Eye Witness

Tracklist:
1. In A Traumatized World
2. Menticide
3. Those Who Worked Against Us
4. Mass Hypnosis
5. Hold And Command
6. Wonderous Butterfly
7. Sacred Iridescent Mirror (The Pledge)
8. In A Tramatized World (The Human Toll Mix)
9. Indoctrination
10. Surge Complex
11. Floating (Index)
12. Menticide (Repeat Victimization)
13. No Safe Room

Aloe Blacc - Rock My Soul: Volume II

Tracklist:
1. Seven Nation Army
2. Wonderwall
3. Song 2
4. Everybody Hurts
5. Born of a Broken Man

Àbáse - Awakening

Science informs us that while we’re still in the womb, we’re able to hear our parents’ voices; and after birth, as we develop consciousness and memory, we’ll be soothed by these familiar sounds. As humans trying to make sense of our time on this planet, we may wishfully imagine a similarly comforting course to the proverbial “next” phase of existence: one that requires no intellectual inquiry, only an intuitive awareness of our present condition tethered to our innate ability to listen.

Szabolcs Bognár has been listening. Recent years have found the producer/multi-instrumentalist behind Àbáse especially mindful of the life cycle in all its biological and spiritual definitions as his personal and musical paths have dovetailed in profound ways: the realization of Àbáse from a spark of imagination to actuality, his immersion in the Candomble faith, a move from Szabi’s native Hungary to Berlin, marriage, new parenthood, and the inevitable interrogation of mortality that takes place when a loved one has transitioned.

The highs, lows and everything in between have pushed him towards a kind of creative rebirth. Where Àbáse’s previous album, Laroyê, was initiated by five months spent recording in Brazil in decidedly DIY-style, it was ultimately completed via hundreds of hours of painstaking post-production performed on Szabi’s laptop. Though pleased with the results, he was burnt out and needed a fresh approach. “I wanted to play, capture the moment, and do as little editing as possible,” he recalls. During the circuitous arc of the pandemic’s pauses and restarts he devotedly revisited a familiar touchstone in the classic Coltrane quartet’s ’60s recordings, drawing inspiration from their smoldering monastic intensity. His desire to embark on a more purely live, analog recording process, however, was cinched when he found not just an empathetic partner but a catalyst for his passion in accomplished engineer Erik Breuer, founder of Berlin’s freshly constructed Brewery Studios and a key figure within Analogue Foundation, the international coalition dedicated to the virtues of high quality sound experiences.

Recorded in four days in Brewery’s homey live room with an ensemble of close collaborators, Awakening coalesces Àbáse’s varied musical influences and reference points (classic Lagos Afrobeat, traditional Hungarian folk, Yoruba rhythms, house and techno, hip-hop et al) with the exquisite modal improvisation spurred by Szabi’s introspection. Mostly composed of first and second takes with minimal overdubs, the level of intimacy achieved herein extends beyond the depth of overall vibes (though they’re well in abundance). It can also be felt on the margins of an Afro-infused offering to the unseen forces of destiny such as “Menidaso (My Hope)” - when a sweeping coda (and invocation in Twi from percussionist/vocalist Eric Owusu) recedes, leaving just the low hum of an amp. Or in sonic accents like the laughter of Szabi’s young daughter Flóra that accompanies “Shining” - an homage to J Dilla that borrows its title and sense of tricky rhythm from the late production genius’s oeuvre.

Most prevalent is the theme of the continuum, musically and conceptually. Recurrent phrases permeate a lovely reading of a traditional Hungarian folk song of longing, “Gyászba Borult Isten Csillagvára” (“God’s Star Castle Has Fallen To Grief”). Specifically, Ernő Hock’s double bass line over and around which Ziggy Zeitgeist’s drums (and spontaneous, guttural “aaahhs”), Ori Jacobson’s tenor, and Szabi’s piano joust with equal measures intensity and sensitivity. Its companion composition is “Home” - an original also inspired by traditional Hungarian music, but treated as a gorgeous waltz for jazz sextet that conjures the emotional gravitas inherent in contemplating one’s roots.

Beauty and tension are in perfect balance on “Bloom (Flóra)” - christened after the aforementioned laughing interlocutor. Szabi’s piano establishes a repeating descending four-note melodic phrase set against sustained strings, creating an aural cocoon within which Ziggy and Eric’s percussion, Fanni Zahár’s flute, Ori’s tenor saxophone, and András Koroknay’s gurgling Mini Moog complement the main theme at varying intervals. Though Awakening features no title track per se, this one well captures the album’s spirit, with apt descriptors equally applicable to a life’s journey: wondrous, mysterious, melancholy, and over before you realize.

Àbáse’s is of course neither the first recording (nor entity) of improvisational-based music to embrace the name Awakening (beloved antecedents from Ahmad Jamal to Black Jazz Records amongst those having set the precedent). Yet the title’s revival also feels apropos given the cyclical themes emphasized and explored, serving as an acknowledgment of the path undertaken by those that came before.

Cosmically speaking, Szabi and Àbáse come closest to channeling the energy of their influences on “Sun Is Away,” an improvised piece sprung from unlikely beginnings: a confounding, late hour session in which everyone was exhausted and ready to call it a night (with at least one member of the group in danger of dozing off behind the mic stand). “But for some reason we didn't,” Szabi remembers. “Then our double bass player, Ernő threw these words at me: ‘Sun Ra.’ It became our point of reference. I just laughed, and off we went.”

The piece commences as a brusque conversation between piano, bass and percussion that gradually invites participation from the rest of the group as it builds in momentum and intent over its nine minutes. As fate would have it after laying down the initial take, Szabi had the opportunity to play the track and explain its origin for Knoel Scott and Cecil Brooks of the Sun Ra Arkestra. Expressing enthusiasm, the elders lent their voices to the celestial chorus voicing the title refrain at the tune’s climax, completing the recording and providing Awakening with its centerpiece. “A truly full circle moment,” says Szabi, “The most pure and honest music on the album.” Also perhaps a sign - that as we proceed through this world listening for the way forward, that which awaits us may also be listening back.

Tracklist:
1. Greeting Mother Sea (Intro)
2. Shining (feat. Ori Jacobson)
3. Menidaso (My Hope) (feat. Fanni Zahar, King Owusu, Ori Jacobson)
4. Destruction Everywhere (feat. Fanni Zahar, Ori Jacobson)
5. Orbit Sirius (Sunmo Mi Ee)
6. Bloom (Flora)
7. Gyászba Borult Isten Csillagvára (God's Star Castle Has Fallen to Grief)
8. Home
9. Vérmező
10. Sun Is Away
11. Shango (Chant to the God of Thunder)
12. Greeting Mother Sea (Outro)

FloFilz - handful

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Berlin-based beatmaker FloFilz is gearing up to unveil his latest musical journey "handful" via Cologne beat label casual low grind this summer.

His new release serves as a culmination of 10 tracks crafted over a two-year period, showcasing FloFilz's skill as an artist. Collaborating with both longtime friends (Hubert Daviz, Wun Two) and new musical companions (Rob Araujo, HNNY, Gabiga), the record reflects his diverse influences and experiences, including a stay at a songwriting camp in France in late summer '23. The impressive roster of internationally renowned producers and the additional feature by talented Los Angeles-based singer KALLITECHNIS, adding a dynamic dimension to the project.

Describing the project FloFilz shared, "It’s kind of a breather, a way to remind myself of the journey so far and what’s to come. A handing to old and new listeners, a waypoint and a thank you."

Tracklist:
1. Early Birds (feat. HNNY)
2. Catta Pilosa (feat. Gabiga)
3. Wisdom
4. Cloverleaf (feat. Hubert Daviz)
5. Ovinhos (feat. Wun Two)
6. Vulkán
7. Nightly Passage (feat. Rob Araujo)
8. Magic (feat. KALLITECHNIS)
9. Nap Lines (Outro)
10. Magic (Instrumental)

Mestizo Beat - Jaraguá

Jaraguá (haa-raa-WAH) noun - a tall forage grass known for its resistance to adverse environments.

From a melting pot of influences and cultures, Mestizo Beat takes the lead, offering the next wave of instrumental West Coast Latin Funk to come out of Southern California. Their sophomore LP, "Jaraguá," highlights the group's dedication and resistance to keep pushing many boundaries while paying respect to the generation that came before them. Blending the sounds of early 70s Funk & Soul, Latin-Jazz, and Afrobeat, Mestizo Beat takes musicianship and production to their highest level, offering a complete package of masterfully crafted recordings and original compositions into a brand new, hot off the press, 12" LP.

Entirely self-produced and written by Aquiles 'Lito' Magaña and Agustin 'Gus' Magaña (The Magaña Brothers) along with core group members Jose Castro, Pedro Flores & chief horn arranger Jesse Audelo. The band has also enlisted a diverse array of additional skilled players to enhance the sonic elements required of each track. Contributions from other band members Doug Organ, Fabio De Souza and Max O'Leary as well as collaborations with horn player Jason Cressey and featured vocalist Jamie Allensworth, have transformed this LP into the embodiment of Mestizo Beat's vision. A true collective of musicians, all united by the common goal of delivering high-quality funk music.

From the cinematic opening of the title track 'Jaraguá' and the Blaxploitation-inspired single 'She's A Rose' to the groove-centric cuts like 'The Jaguar' and 'Black Bag,' Mestizo Beat's musical exploration knows no bounds. Venturing further with soulful burners like 'The Jaguar' and 'Two Eleven,' the group unleashes their full potential on 'II The Deepcyde,' featuring the renowned guest vocalist Jamie Allensworth. The album is rounded off with the Nigerian disco-funk inspired 'Lotsapoppa' and a foray into the Cumbia genre with 'Cumbia de Jaraguá,' all offering a diverse and exhilarating musical journey. Recorded and produced at the band's hillside Topanga, CA studio, SPC 166, each song showcases the unique talents of the ensemble. Remaining true to their sound and recording techniques, 'Jaraguá' was tracked to 1/4" tape and mixed by Sergio Rios at Killion Sound.

Tracklist:
1. Jaraguá
2. On My Way
3. She's A Rose
4. Lotsapoppa
5. The Jaguar
6. Black Bag
7. Slugs' (Interlude)
8. Two Eleven
9. II The Deepcyde
10. Cumbia De Jaraguá

Craig Charles - The Craig Charles Trunk of Funk, Vol. 3

In Craig Charles' own words ‘The Craig Charles Trunk Of Funk Volume 3' features "19 of the finest slices of super slinky soul, boot shaking blues and boogie, dazzling discofied ditties and fine funky rump shakers!”

As a lifelong soul boy, Craig Charles has been adding to his trunk of funk since his youth in Liverpool, going to see local heroes The Real Thing live, and wearing out his shoe leather dancing in the city’s many underground clubs.

As a poet, actor, radio & television star (including comedy sci fi 'Red Dwarf' and soap opera 'Coronation Street') he’s been famous since his teenage years, and for over 22 years he has been evangelising for the good groove via his world renowned BBC 6 Music weekend and day time shows, DJing at clubs and festivals around the globe – his reputation as a one of the highest profile ambassadors for all things soulful & funky is indisputable.

Craig's latest collection, his tenth in total, like all the previous releases has been curated in partnership with his long time compilation collaborator Greg Boraman of IMPRESS!VE Collective Music & Arts and blends up-tempo club classics, with fresh music from the cream of the crop from the contemporary soul and funk scene with a smattering of old school classics. The end result is akin to having Craig personally DJing in your own home – blending contemporary and classic soul, disco, deep funk and beat heavy rhythm and blues.

Beautifully presented in a double LP gatefold sleeve & CD, The Craig Charles Trunk Of Funk Volume 3 is a treat for the hundreds of thousands of listeners of his BBC Radio radio shows, regulars at his club nights and also for DJ’s who need 19 floor focused musical treats in one handy package.

Tracklist:
1. The Third Degree - Mercy (Smoove Remix)
2. Say She She - In The Morning
3. Beggar & Co - Somebody Help Me Out (Boogie Back Radio Mix)
4. Sai Galaxy - Rendezvous
5. Dave Lee - Starlight (Radio Edit)
6. Kylie Auldist - LYB (Love You Better) (The Waz Exclusive Trunk Of Funk Remix)
7. Lexsoul Dancemachine - I Don't Mind (Mr. Lex Trunk of Funk Remix)
8. Sunlightsquare - I Thought It Was You (Live)
9. The New Mastersounds - Watchu Want (Exclusive Trunk of Funk Vocal Version)
10. The Harlem Gospel Travelers - God's In Control
11. SISTER COOKIE - Ain't No Good (But It's Good Enough For Me)
12. Sugaray Rayford - Gonna Lift You Up
13. Kaz Hawkins - Shake (2022 Remaster)
14. The Nextmen - Big Time
15. La Rochelle Band - Prophet
16. The Niceguys - Power (A.Skillz Remix)
17. Sly Johnson - Trust Me
18. Cotonete - Day in Day Out
19. Roy Ayers - Tarzan

Lafayette Afro-Rock Band - Malik

Recorded in Paris and New York under the production guidance of Pierre Jaubert ("Berjot"), the Lafayette Afro-Rock Band were a jazz-based super session group that created a heavy, dense, no compromise ghetto funk that has since been sampled by everyone from Public Enemy to Wreckz 'N' Effect.

After the first release of the Lafayette Afro-Rock Band, Soul Makossa, everyone was quick to recognize such an abundance of talent in one group. The response was immediate to the new rhythm in their music, which was to delve into the contemporary disco scene with Malik.

At this point, we could go on and on, but for those who already know the band, you will be fully aware of what we mean. For those who are listening for the first time, the Lafayette Afro-Rock Bands bandwagon is becoming larger and is ready to take people on their heaviest musical trip!

Tracklist:
A1 Djungi
A2 Raff
A3 Conga
A4 Avi-Vo
B1 Malik
B2 Darkest Light
B3 Baba Hya

Black Diamond - Furniture of the Mind Rearranging

Chicago's Black Diamond debuts on We Jazz Records with their new album Furniture Of the Mind Rearranging on 5th July. Co-led by Artie Black and Hunter Diamond (composers, saxophones, and other woodwinds), Black Diamond appears in both quartet and duo formations. The first three album sides present the quartet, complete with long standing band members Matt Ulery (double bass) and Neil Hemphill (drums), under the heading Furniture Of the Mind. The remaining two tracks on side D fall under the title The Mind Rearranging, with Black and Diamond presenting a meditative duo encounter of two tenor saxophones.

Furniture Of the Mind Rearranging is an assemblage of new compositions and improvisations that develop the band's established sound and exemplify the way in which this band folds into the Chicago creative music community. The quartet traverses their familiar aesthetic ranges between driving off-kilter groove, plaintive minimalism, and intimate chamber music, with the ever-present spirit of small-group jazz and a hovering influence of Chicago’s improvised music culture. And while this collection represents three previous albums and more than a decade of close kinship and artistic evolution between co-leaders Black and Diamond, neither are too precious about any one element on the album. This is very simply the latest work in what continues to be an expanding body work founded on a guiding principle: cultivation without expectation.

Starting right from album opener "Carrying the Stick", Black Diamond shares new music that's immediately engaging. Lean instrumentation with plenty of space, potent groove-based experimentalism and a sense of meditative introspection live effortlessly side by side in the band's work. This is music left of the timeline, topical through belonging on a much broader continuum rather than anything specifically "current" and short-lived. While marinated in the foundational concepts of creative music and Chicago's rich musical tradition, Black Diamond is not afraid to search new paths in their music.

“Zoetic,” related to vitality and the nature of living things, was composed by Diamond for the occasion of an interdisciplinary exposition (of the same name) hosted at Elastic Arts Foundation in Chicago. At this event, the band celebrated the release of new music, visual artist Marine Tempels opened a show of new paintings in the visual gallery, and the entire venue was decorated by a local botanic artist. The composition was inspired by previous live improvised duos between Black and Diamond, including a particularly exploratory performance at the 2018 Chicago Jazz Festival. The two-tenor intro uses a cyclical round to integrate the rest of the band, and then unfolds into a plaintive but bolstered melody.

“Say to Yourself” epitomizes Black Diamond’s flexibility, moving with a sense of inevitability between danceable grooves and abstracted improvisation. On this track the band develops material collaboratively, speaking a shared language born out of a decade of growth as an ensemble. The main theme of the piece emphasizes the distinctive blend of Black and Diamond’s tenors, unfolded through rhythmic layering and permutation often evident in Black’s compositional voice.

The two long form duo improvisations “Mycelium” and “Motor Neurons” that make up The Mind Rearranging teem with visual prompts and miniature tone-poems. In this instance, the music takes a leap forward as a stark two-saxophone dialogue reminiscent of the austere and nuanced duo recordings of BAG (Black Artists Group) saxophonists Oliver Lake and Julius Hemphill’s Buster Bee or the title track of AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) saxophonists Joseph Jarman and Anthony Braxton’s Together Alone.

The four sides with two formations flow together in a natural way, forming an idiosyncratic musical entity that is sure to grow with each new spin on the turntable.

Tracklist:
1. Carrying the Stick
2. Dovetail
3. Seen
4. Zoetic
5. Jayber Crow
6. Mantis
7. Say to Yourself
8. Under the Garden
9. Furniture of the Mind
10. Lost Motion
11. Catlett
12. Mycelium
13. Motor Neurons