Benny Reid - The Infamous Live

Reimagining Mobb Deep's iconic 1995 opus ‘The Infamous’, NYC-based saxophonist and composer Benny Reid's ambitious new project is a collection of acoustic, sample-free renditions, built from the ground up, performed entirely by the multi-instrumentalist auteur.

The forthcoming ‘The Infamous Live’ comes on the heels of Reid’s Billboard-charting take of Eric B & Rakim’s ‘Follow The Leader’. From this, Mobb Deep's Havoc discovered his work and authorized him to reconstruct the timeless Mobb Deep album, giving Reid input and working with him in the studio to complete the project. His limited 7" of "Shook Ones Pt. II" previewing the project, sold out quickly upon release in December 2022.

Reid is a forward-thinking jazz musician with a bent toward mixing expansive post-bop improvisation with atmospheric contemporary jazz styles. He released his first two albums on the prestigious Concord label and has been working with Fat Beats to create interesting, progressive tributes to the hip-hop albums that defined his youth.

Tracklist:
1. The Start Of Your Ending (41st Side)
2. Survival Of The Fittest
3. Eye For An Eye (Your Beef is Mines)
4. Give Up The Goods (Just Step)
5. Temperature's Rising
6. Up North Trip
7. Trife Life
8. Q.U. - Hectic
9. Right Back At You
10. Cradle To The Grave
11. Drink Away The Pain (Situations)
12. Shook Ones, Pt. II
13. Party's Over
14. Shook Ones, Pt. II (PYRMDS Remix)
15. Shook Ones, Pt. II (Extended Jazz Remix)



*Bonus (Mobb Deep's 'The Infamous' Reimagined by Benny Reid - In The Studio with Havoc)

The Ready-Mades - Tumbling Walls

After declaring l’”Autogestion Sentimentale”, their first record, The Ready-Mades announce “Tumbling Walls”, their brand new album out on Badasonic Records.

The french soul/beat quintet was born in Paris in 2015 and recorded two vinyl singles in a row (the 4 songs soberly titled “EP” and the double A-side “Ouagadougou Blues / Fire”, both of them released in 2016 and now sold out). The Ready-Mades released their first album, “Autogestion Sentimentale”, in 2018 on Soundflat Records.

Recorded on analog tape at the Retromixer studio in Châlons-en-Champagne, France, “Tumbling Walls” blows on the incandescent embers of 60's beat and soul, ignites minds and sets bodies ablaze, brings awareness and a contemporary outlook.

Its twelve tracks are built around feverish melodies, vintage sound and irresistible groove, and talk about sorority, ecology, love, revolt, fatherhood, mistrust of the political class and of the start-up nation.

Tracklist:
1. Diagnostique Ambitieux
2. Shout It Out
3. Homo Economicus
4. Cold Heart of Stone
5. Tendresse Infinie
6. On the Loose
7. Diagonale du Vide
8. In Our Hands
9. Beyond Borders
10. Ciao Pantin
11. Living as Usual
12. Vertige de L’ ÉMeute

Benny Reid - Shook Ones, Pt. II + Remixes

Multi-talented jazz composer Benny Reid once again realigns with Fat Beats Records for an EP release of three instrumental jazz renditions of, “Shook Ones Pt. II.” The release finds itself three years removed from Benny’s #1 Billboard charting album, Follow The Leader, a re-imagining of Eric B & Rakim’s classic work. Due to its success and the subsequent collaboration with Rakim, the continued alliance with the indie hip-hop powerhouse was a no-brainer.

The only way to reimagine a classic such as “Shook Ones” is to do so with the utmost care and integrity. Fortunately, Reid found himself immersed in the absolute majesty of the source material, some of which was directly performed by his idols (Herbie Hancock), as well as teachers (Barry Harris). The brilliance of the original record created a dichotomy of sorts. The material is so desirable to replay, but how to do so in order to warrant a rebirth? The answer lay in stretching the boundaries of his acoustic instruments and jazz background. Seven days later, Reid emerged from his solitary examination of Mobb Deep with his breathtaking rendition of “Shook Ones”; a six-minute journey consisting of lush sonic landscapes, imaginative twists and turns, and fantastic grooves, all while transforming Havoc and Prodigy’s original lyrics to the instrumental melody.

Havoc became aware of Reid’s work and an immediate partnership was formed. He authorized Reid to re-record an entire instrumental cover album of Mobb Deep’s The Infamous - the first of its kind - in an entirely live acoustic, sample-free interpolation completely arranged and performed by Reid himself. The result is appropriately titled, Benny Reid Presents: The Infamous LIVE.

With the full-length offering set to drop the top of 2023, Benny is eager for the digital release of, Shook Ones, Pt. II + Remixes, which comes equipped with two non-album remixes; PYRMDS Remix and an Extended Jazz Remix. The digital release will be paired with a limited 7-inch pressing that includes all three tracks, both of which are set to drop December 16th, with pre-orders set for November 18th via Fat Beats Records.

Tracklist:
1. Shook Ones, Pt. II
2. Shook Ones, Pt. II (PYRMDS Remix)
3. Shook Ones, Pt. II (Exclusive Jazz Remix)