VA - BBE Staff Selections 2023

2023 has certainly kept us on our toes at BBE Music, with no shortage of exciting happenings. Releasing more than 100 projects this year, we're thrilled to highlight our team's favorite musical selections.

With each beat and rhythm, we've sequenced beloved tunes from yesteryears to bring back to life timeless classics. Historic reissues on BBE - available both digitally and physically - highlight these masterpieces that have now been remastered. All thanks to the Grammy- nominated The Carvery Studio, tracks such as cannons from Perception / Today Records, gems from Strata Records, highlife from Asona Records, J Jazz series expansions, and so much more all unveiled a new, captivating sonic experience.

Many of these reissued originals were previously only available at exorbitant prices online. Thanks to The Carvery Studio for their meticulous remastering process, we've made them more affordable and accessible. This includes tracks such as Soul Liberation, Remi Kabaka's Son of Africa, J&F Quintet's masterpieces, Forest, Sphere’s Inside Ourselves and more.

This compilation snapshot captures the essence of all the music BBE brings to life: real music for real people. A wonderful initiation for any budding audiophile or simply a music lover starting their journey with BBE.

This year, we also marked hip hop's golden jubilee with the release of Illa J's album. The exclusive track, 'Relapse (Instrumental)', featured on this album, is a critics' choice that rightfully continues the powerful Yancey music legacy.

But our voyage into musical celebrations didn’t stop there. We paid tribute to the long, illustrious careers of Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, the reigning king and queen of Brazilian jazz.

So here's to all who cherish jazz, folk, afro beat, hip hop, funk, soul or Americana. This compilation celebrates the diversity of music, a testament to authenticity and our dedication to making real music for real people. 
 
CD1
1. ILLA J & Amp Fiddler - Get Down
2. Tony Kofi & Alina Bzhezhinska - Altera Vita (For Pharoah Sanders)
3. Dizzy Gillespie - Summertime
4. Hideyasu Terakawa Quartet & Hiroshi Fujii - Simone
5. Kirk Degiorgio - Beersheba
6. Jazzanova - Beyond the Dream
7. Astrud Gilberto - Take It Easy My Brother Charlie
8. Forest - Fly Away
9. Rahaan & The Ones - We Are The Ones
10. Johnny Pate - Brother on the Run (Opening)
11. Remi Kabaka - Kabaka
12. Boddhi Satva & Coréon Dú - I Don't Want Your Love
13. Brian Jackson - Mami Wata
14. Sam Yeboah - Maame
15. Black Ivory - Spinning Around
16. The Soulmates - People We Got to Do Better
17. Nana Budjei - Asamando
18. Kris Tidjan - Lords of War
19. Black Ivory - Don't Turn Around
20. Julius Brockington - Forty-Nine Reasons
21. Larry Young - Sunshine Fly Away
22. Ihsan Al-Munzer - Yassmin

CD2
1. Tyrone Washington - Submission
2. Julius Brockington - Do Your Thing
3. ILLA J - Relapse
4. Soul Liberation - Touch Me Again
5. Benny Johnson - Visions Of Paradise
6. Kantata - It's High Time Now
7. Eric Agyemang & Kokroko Band - Nananom
8. A.K. YeboahK.K's No. 2 Band - Nde Yen Da
9. Mr Cee - Nye Wonko
10. Thomas Frempong - Mada Meho So
11. Sam Yeboah - Konkonsani
12. Boddhi Satva & Dino d'Santiago - Moda Boddhi
13. MF Robots - The Love It Takes
14. Jazzanova - Saturday Night Special
15. Roy Ayers & Sylvia Cox - Liquid Love
16. Dizzy Gillespie - Olinga
17. Isao Suzuki & Masahiko Togashi & Hideo Ichikawa & Akira Shiomoto - Make Trip
18. Tatsuya Nakamura - Wow
19. Iman Houssein - House of Light
20. Jazzanova & Sean Haefeli - Creative Musicians
21. Boddhi Satva & Raheem DeVaughn - Finesse Me
22. Will & James Ragar - Oregon

Call Sender - Lost To The Storm

“Dark cosmic psy-fi funk with crunchy drums and spacey sounds. Something you would like to find on 70‘s DeWolfe or Conroy library. Right up my alley!” JJ Whitefield (Poets of Rhythm / Karl Hector / Whitefield Brothers)

“Some delicious moody funk scapes that tick all my boxes” Shawn Lee

“A brilliantly played & recorded album in the vein of the Library Music that no doubt inspired it!” DJ Format

Call Sender is the collaborative brainchild of Suffolk (UK) based multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and engineer Paul Elliott and Bay-area (US) resident multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer and drummer Michael Reed. Birthed from drumming clips uploaded online during the pandemic, Michael and Paul fostered their creative partnership through the medium of Skype, resulting in a timeless jazz-funk LP ‘Lost To The Storm’, despite living on separate continents and yet to meet in person.

Taken from the namesake of a vintage intercom, Call Sender’s debut album ‘Lost To The Storm’ has an old-school vintage foundation with a modern perspective. The album is cinematic and timeless yet fresh, drawing comparisons to Big Crown Records, Surprise Chef and the new wave of jazz-funk artists.

Influenced by iconic acts such as Klaus Weiss, Miles Davis, and Nino Nardini, as well as obscure library tracks, experimental music, European film soundtracks and a hip and funky sonic aesthetic, Call Sender’s music is nostalgic without being pastiche, has a sense of travelling at its core, having been recorded in different parts of the globe, while never hesitating on the direction of the music.

“It was never overtly discussed but I believe we wanted to continue that tradition and have funky stuff that had a cinematic vibe to it”, says Michael. Paul adds: “I kinda thought as we were making ‘Lost To The Storm’ that it could be the soundtrack to a weird and obscure film - instrumental, funky at times, some drama.”

The artwork by award-winning photographer George Karbus, one of the world’s leading outdoor photographers, perfectly encapsulates the imagery of ‘Lost To The Storm’. All titles of the album tracks are named after places near where Michael and Paul live, half from The Bay Area, USA and the other half from Suffolk, UK. ‘Lost To The Storm’ takes its name from the lost town of Dunwich on the Suffolk Coast. “A town literally lost to a storm – Britain’s version of Atlantis!” Paul jokes.

Tracklist:
1. Mad Mark
2. Nova
3. Midnight at Baker
4. Old Survivor
5. Tidefall
6. The Black Dog
7. The Red House
8. Lost To The Storm
9. Wilderness
10. Sizewell
11. Panorama
12. Palm Forest

VA - Can You Feel It? Vol.4: Modern Soul, Disco & Boogie 1976-85

Tramp Records' Can You Feel It series, which here reaches its fourth instalment, has always been one of the more reliable sources of obscure, hard-to-find modern soul and boogie, with many tracks plucked from the vaults of tiny labels or private press releases. Naturally the selections this time round are spot on and will be unfamiliar to all but a handful of dedicated diggers. Highlights include (but are in no way limited to) the flash-fried, solo-heavy psych-funk of Vantage Point's 'All Night', the disco rush of Keith lowery's 'Super Dude', the low-slung, War-esque brilliance of 'You Shake 'Em Things' by Synod, the horn-heavy jauntiness of Street Life 80's 'Steps On A Cloud', and the killer boogie-funk badness of Ditto Memo's 'Upside Down'.

Tracklist:
1. Matter of Taste - Step by Step
2. Vantage Point - All Night
3. Kim McCrae - I'm Feeling It Too
4. Frankie Staton - Bi-Centennial (feat. Speckled Rainbow)
5. Kathy Lowery - Super Dude
6. Royal Touch - What Am I Gonna Do Baby
7. Synod - You Shake Them Things
8. Pat Carpenter - Love You Use to Be so Easy
9. Swankk - If It Takes All Night
10. Ocean Orchestra - Skinflint
11. Street Life '80 - Steps on a Cloud
12. Jackie Berns - I Still Love You
13. Tory Wynter - Real True Voices
14. Chatham - I'll Be Good to You
15. Dalton Reed - Giving on into Love
16. Panama Gold - Gettin' Lucky

JJ Whitefield - Puzzled

Broc Recordz is proud to announce the album "Puzzled" by the legendary JJ Whitefield, you'll immerse yourself in the enigmatic universe of this master of funk and psychedelism.

Across 13 tracks,with The Cover Made by Jason Jagel (creator of the artwork of Doomsday, MM Food ) you will discover all facets of this musician hailing from Munich, ranging from raw funk to krautrock.

JJ Whitefield is an iconic figure in the music scene, having played an essential role in diverse projects such as the mastermind behind Poets Of Rhythm, Karl Hector, the Whitefield Brothers and in the recent careers of Ebo Taylor, Embryo and Witch“ and "Puzzled" is the perfect opportunity to delve into his unique musical world.

Tracklist:
1. Dawn Of Delphi
2. Raised With Fire
3. Flute Punch
4. Hyperion
5. Comin' At Ya
6. 3Mal3
7. Bin Dippers
8. No-Mo-Woa
9. Mukōgawa
10. Holy Daze
11. Wellness
12. Amok Koma
13. Ad Acta

The Offline - La couleur de la mer

Following his debut EP ‘En clair-obscur’ and a series of singles earlier this year cementing his place as a rising voice in the world of cinematic soul & funk, Hamburg’s finest cinematic soul artist ‘The Offline’ announces his debut album 'La couleur de la mer'.

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Tim Liztenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and Brian Bennet, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the sea's edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline’s extensive record collection and crate-digger status.

“Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, and I always wanted to make an album in the film score direction. I wrote about 30 demos, kicked half of it and stuck to the ones that felt right in the dramaturgical structure of the ‘movie'. Interestingly the main theme was set really early on while writing the album, which made the writing process much easier.”

Aptly named, ‘Thème de la couleur de la mer’ opens proceedings, establishing the core motifs of the record. Haunting flutes and xylophones lead the way into Khruangbin-esque guitar lines, which sit against a hip-hop canvas that returns on boom-bap head boppers like ‘Quelque chose reste’. Retro soul revival takes precedence on deep cuts like ‘Un bout de chemin’, with wah-gated guitars interacting with emotive cello lines and symphonic string & horn sections.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack. 

Tracklist:
1. Thème de la couleur de la mer
2. L'eau
3. Jeanne et Alain
4. Quelque chose reste
5. Le motard
6. L'eau (Reprise)
7. La mission commence
8. Cap Camarat
9. Un bout de chemin
10. No. 33
11. Sous-marin
12. La couleur de la mer
13. Enfin, la paix

Papa Yankson - Party Time

Kalita are proud to present the first ever reissue of Papa Yankson’s highly sought-after 1989 disco-infused highlife masterpiece 'Party Time'! Showcasing the late Ghanaian superstar at his very best, ‘Party Time’ encapsulates the blending of deep, rhythmic West African highlife with synthesizers and electronic styles that had exploded during the decade. Now, thirty-five years after initial release, and with original copies having reached grail status on the second-hand collector’s scene, Kalita brings this phenomenal record back to life, with extensive liner notes and never-before-seen photos detailing Papa Yankson’s musical career.

A recipient of the Grand Medal of Ghana for his contribution to Ghanaian music, Papa Yankson was a key member of C.K. Mann’s Carousel Seven outfit during the 1970s, releasing joint albums together on the infamous Essiebons label to great success.

However, it was at the end of the following decade that Papa released ‘Party Time’, highlighting his forward-thinking musical style with its numerous hypnotic and driving up-tempo disco-soaked highlife cuts. Originally released in a small run on the short-lived Marriot Promotion label, the album features the standouts ‘Wonma Yenko Po’ and ‘Mumumde’, each showcasing deep highlife melodies, heavy drum patterns and phenomenal horn performances from the ingenious Sammy Lartey Jr on saxophone and Nana Asare on trumpet to boot.

With original copies selling for eye-watering amounts on the rare occasion that they come up for sale, the time is ripe for Kalita to celebrate this true Ghanaian 80’s grail, accompanied by liner notes and never-before-seen contemporary photos of Papa Yankson. 

Tracklist:
1. Wonma Yenko Po
2. Mumumde
3. Yaa Yaa Nkoba
4. Dofo Bi Afre
5. Odo Ye Wu
6. Me Bo Me Zanku Daa

Gabriel Rowland - MILS006: Gente Soul

The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series was created by Madlib and Egon over the course of the Pandemic, and was a chance to give their creative friends the ability to stretch out and indulge in whatever type of music they wanted for release on the label.

The music had to be great and able to be presented as a stand alone album – like the best “Music Library” releases of the past, on labels like Italy’s Sermi, Germany’s Bruton, France’s MP2000 and the UK’s DeWolfe. And, like those albums, it had to work as easy, one-stop clearance for background cues in film and television production and, as producers have been indulging since the 1990s, for sampling.

The series contains 12 releases by DJ Muggs, Karriem Riggins, J-Zone, the Heliocentrics’ Malcolm Catto and Jake Ferguson, JJ Whitefield of Karl Hector/Whitefield Brothers/Poets of Rhythm, Motif Alumni and Music Research Library, Mario Luciano of Polyphonic Music Library, Henkel, Gabriel Rowland of Los Yesterdays, Dan Hastie and Terin Ector of Orgone, Dan Ubick and Joe Harrison

The albums will be released on the Madlib Invazion Bandcamp on the first Friday of each month over the course of one year. Listen, ponder, repeat.

Tracklist:
1. Liberation
2. Skerd
3. Panorama
4. T.O.F.
5. The Wrong Hustle
6. Why Can't It Be Like
7. Baby Kute Purple
8. So F'd Up Inside
9. Spy Carnalito
10. Vitamin Psych
11. Rub Buster
12. Romantico
13. Let's Keep It Easy
14. Don't Speak
15. Mad Quakes
16. Cry Folder Cry

ATA Records - ATA Records: The Library Archive Vol​​​.​​​3

The funky, atmospheric, evocative and sometimes downright weird output of companies such as DeWolfe, Cavendish, Burton and the ubiquitous KPM have always been a guiding inspiration for ATA Records, as evidenced in the spooky soundtrack vision of The Sorcerers, the big band brass of The Yorkshire Film & Television Orchestra and even in the soul-jazz of The Lewis Express & Outer Worlds Jazz Ensemble.

It only seemed natural for the team at ATA Records to scratch their own Library itch and so "The Library Archive Vol. 1" was born in 2019. Recorded over a series of sessions in the Aladdin’s Cave of vintage recording equipment that is ATA studios, it featured many of the ATA stable of performers.

Released in 2021, "The Library Archive Vol. 2" still had the golden age of European Library music squarely in it's sights, but this time the focus was drawn more to the off-kilter soul organ sound of Italian quartet I Marc 4.

These two volumes garnered praise from Library aficionado Shawn Lee ("Holy F*$K this sounds great! ATA really smash the classic British Library sound. 10 out of 10") and the Don of British Library Music himself, Alan Hawkshaw.

And so to "The Library Archive Vol. 3": taking heavy inspiration from Jungle Obsession 9 by Roger Roger, and The Feed-back, as well as Blaxploitation era composers such as Willie Hutch and Melvin Van Peebles, and the masterful and ingenious Roy Budd, "The Library Archive Vol. 3" draws deeply from the well of library greatness.

Each track has been lovingly crafted with a keen ear for authenticity and the same eye for detail shown on 'The Library Archive’ Vol. 1 & 2, recorded on the same instruments and equipment and with the same techniques as the music that inspired it, with a focus throughout on stripped-back rhythm sections topped by flute, vibes and vintage synths.

With three volumes now out and another currently in R&D, The Library Archive will stand as a testament to the love the ATA producers and artists have for the original composers and performers.

Tracklist:
1. Ten on the Door
2. Hips & Lips
3. Hardcastle, Pt. 1
4. Countdown to Catastrophe
5. Fear on Phobos)
6. Loisaida Man
7. Pineapple Diode Daiquiri
8. Penthouse in Pernambuco
9. The Infernal Clock
10. The Street Is Family
11. Satan Stalks Among Us
12. It's Alive!

Muito Kaballa - Like A River

Acting as the introduction to the musical world and lyrical narratives of the upcoming record 'Like A River, the track leans into the river theme, providing an all-encompassing, flowing journey. Tim von Malotki's percussive bass clarinet lines cut through the meandering wash of Benjamin Schneider's rootsy, highlife-inspired guitars and atmospheric piano flourishes, courtesy of Jan Janzen. Vocalist Nora Beisel floats across the arrangement, backed by emotive horn harmonies whilst reflecting on the change of path at the end of a relationship; a new orientation and course set.

"Musically we tried to really engage with the river metaphor. We worked with all these 'water' sounds and effects that kind of produce this ocean vibe. As the song evolves, it also follows along this idea of a river that grows stronger and more dangerous as the current grows."

An album focused on transitional moments in life, and separation from ingrained social ideals.

'Like A River' is anchored around the three movements of 'Like A River I-III' which act as the record's source, middle and end point. Set to be accompanied by a film to which these movements are the score, it's an achievement of songwriting & collective arrangement, incorporating wide-ranging influences that span afrofunk, gnawa & contemporary jazz. Whereas their previous albums have mostly linked to afrobeat, and addressed topics like social equality, racial politics and climate change, 'Like A River' is a concept album that takes a more intimate, personal approach.

The album deals with transitioning and separations, taking on ideas like: “at age 30 you should definitely have children, a house and a car, or ideas on how to live relationships and love.” Separating from these ideas or overcoming them can be challenging. The outcome can be ambivalent as the separation of an idea also leaves you somewhat without orientation. It might still be necessary to go off the ‘straight’ road and follow a different path just like a river.

Tracks such as 'Like A River II' dip into swirling psychedelia centred around an explorative 12/8 groove, whilst 'Carry Me' takes a subtle shift away from the 70s analogue sounds favoured by the band, combining full bodied synth soundscapes with euphoric horn arrangements. Not content with just its core members, the group also employ the skills of Belgo-Congolese vocalist Reinel Bakole for 'Let Go' and 'All This While', further expanding their pool of influence into the world of future soul.

Led by tenor saxophonist and composer Niklas Mündemann, Muito Kaballa are a collective based in Cologne. Originally started as a one-man loop station street show, the project has grown to be known for its eclectic and mesmerising live show. The band have released three albums; 2019's 'Everything Is Broke', 2021's 'Mamari' and 2022's 'Little Child', building a steady fanbase and drawing critical acclaim from domestic press outlets.

Tracklist:
1. Like A River
2. All This While (feat. Reinel Bakole)
3. Luna
4. Like A River Part II
5. Let Go (feat. Reinel Bakole)
6. Carry Me
7. Once I've Learned
8. Like A River Part III

Dan Ubick - Magnetic Fields

The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series was created by Madlib and Egon over the course of the Pandemic, and was a chance to give their creative friends the ability to stretch out and indulge in whatever type of music they wanted for release on the label.

The music had to be great and able to be presented as a stand alone album – like the best “Music Library” releases of the past, on labels like Italy’s Sermi, Germany’s Bruton, France’s MP2000 and the UK’s DeWolfe. And, like those albums, it had to work as easy, one-stop clearance for background cues in film and television production and, as producers have been indulging since the 1990s, for sampling.

The series contains 12 releases by DJ Muggs, Karriem Riggins, J-Zone, the Heliocentrics’ Malcolm Catto and Jake Ferguson, JJ Whitefield of Karl Hector/Whitefield Brothers/Poets of Rhythm, Motif Alumni and Music Research Library, Mario Luciano of Polyphonic Music Library, Henkel, Gabriel Rowland of Los Yesterdays, Dan Hastie and Terin Ector of Orgone, Dan Ubick and Joe Harrison

The albums will be released on the Madlib Invazion Bandcamp on the first Friday of each month over the course of one year. Listen, ponder, repeat.

Tracklist:
1. The Leaves Are Turning
2. La Seine À Minuit
3. Gris Gris
4. Sayonara
5. Hearts Of Darkness
6. Fine Like Wine
7. Painted Skulls
8. The Grotto
9. Blackbirds
10. Spanish Moss
11. Black Coffee
12. Fly Swatter
13. Dawn Patrol
14. Muitas Caipirinhas
15. The Return
16. El EscorpIón
17. Flooding
18. The Villa
19. Mojo Hand
20. Antenna Up
21. Flip Of A Switch
22. Snakes In The Walls
23. World On Wheels
24. Magnetic Fields
25. Mati Self Portrait
26. Aïr Zaïre
27. Paranoid Void
28. The Silver Queen

VA - Groove Diggin': Groove Music Gems from Vinyl Diggers

Tracklist:
1. John Fitch and Associates - Romantic Attitude
2. Charles Johnson - Good Good Lovin'
3. Cortex - Pauvre star
4. Carlo Maria Cordio, Franco Vinciguerra - Quips and Cranks
5. Calvin Davis - Train Ride to Nowhere
6. Ultra Funk - Sting Your Jaws, Pt. 1
7. Maxayn - Gimme Shelter
8. Barbara Mason - You Better Stop It
9. The Heads Of Family - Ninety-Nine and One Half
10. Mr. Perculator - I Got a Thing for You Baby
11. Almon Memela - The Things We Do in Soweto
12. Pražský big band Milana Svobody - Počkej Na Mne

Jules Brennan - Egretia

Hot on the heels of his Wamono vinyl LP, Jules bursts back with this impressionistic collection of oriental, surrealistic jazzy grooves inspired by the progression from deep winter into a lush green spring then through the stifling rainy season, culminating in the frenzied heat of Kyoto’s Gion Festival. One constant through all this is the egrets and herons which hang and glide along the Kamogawa river, representing both day and night ('the ghostly whites that fly by night') - elegance, purity and longevity, yet also greed; being gregarious, the visceral. Balance is the key. A wide palette of moods and grooves, both cerebral and danceable. Explore theses strata melded as a musical realm-a colourful dimension known named here as 'Egretia'.

Tracklist:
1. Eekstro (theme in green)
2. Archipelago
3. Myoushin Planets
4. Zoomalala (Biosphere Mix)
5. Eeko
6. Jarmangarden
7. Back to Canaan
8. Hana Voodoo (Extended Version)

Phez - Supermonk

Phez are a 5 piece instrumental outfit drawing on shades of jazz-funk & cinematic soul, toeing the line between structured arrangements & improvised passages.

Tracklist:
1. Supermonk
2. Contemplation
3. Corduroy
4. Carl
5. Ceramic Panther
6. Inpheztigation

STR4TA - STR4TASFEAR Remixes

Gilles Peterson hand picks a number of producers close to his heart to rework tracks from STR4TA’s sophomore LP STR4TASFEAR. The compilation features brand new reworks from the likes of up-and-coming London producer Wallace, who has been setting the city alight recently with a string of releases and appearances with the formidable Rhythm Section, and old heads like STR4TA’s very own Bluey. Also included are some previously released remixes from Demus and Ruf Dug to make the package complete.

While STR4TA is fundamentally a live music project it has always had one foot firmly in the club. The history of Brit-Funk and Rare Groove has always evolved in tandem with the way electronic dance music has developed in the UK. It is woven into the DNA of the band - through Gilles Peterson’s early work with Acid Jazz and Talkin’ Loud and Bluey’s forays into club culture with Incognito. These remixes display that DNA front and centre, turning STR4TA’s songs into bass heavy club cuts while retaining that quintessential Brit-Funk flavour.

Tracklist:
1. Lazy Days (Wallace Remix)
2. To Be As One (Venom Remix)
3. Lazy Days (Bluey Remix)
4. City Sounds (Demus Dub)
5. Why Must You Fly (Demus Dub)
6. Turn Me Around (Demus Dub)
7. To Be As One (Classical Re Edit)
8. Lazy Days (Ruf Dug Rework)

Eparapo - Take To The Streets

Wah Wah 45s are proud to present the full debut album from Afrobeat supergroup Eparapo. Having come together during the unprecedented events of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, and despite being a project born from the privations of lockdown, their music is ultimately an expression of hope, resilience & resurgence.

The word “eparapo” means “join forces” in Yoruba, the language of Afrobeat. It’s also the title of a track by the late, great Tony Allen - drummer for Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti and lifelong friend and mentor of our very own “Afrobeat Ambassador”, Dele Sosimi. Not only did Tony help to invent Afrobeat, he always looked for ways to push the boundaries, never content with recreating what had gone before but constantly expanding and developing the genre. This project hopes to pay homage to his legacy, and that of Fela Kuti himself. Its aim is to innovate, fuse and diversify while still retaining the essence of the music.

The force behind Eparapo is bassist, composer & producer Suman Joshi. He has been a member of Dele Sosimi’s Afrobeat Orchestra for nearly a decade and has performed on stage with the likes of Tony Allen, Seun Kuti, Ginger Baker & Laura Mvula. He is also bassist with UK jazz ensemble Collocutor and fusion project Cubafrobeat.

“The Eparapo project was conceived during a time of lockdowns & government scandals. The music that makes up this album was written and recorded against a backdrop of societal upheaval, culture wars and rising wealth inequality. With little scrutiny or resistance from the mainstream media, our human and democratic rights were being eroded and our institutions debased. Even our right to protest is now under threat. This is a call to action, an expression of frustration & anger at what our nation has become. It’s saying that enough is enough, it’s time to join forces and make our voices heard. It’s time to take to the streets.” Suman Joshi

The title track is an epic eleven minute musical representation of this frustration and anger, where the musicians really let loose and allow their voices to be heard. As the only instrumental track on the album it acts as a call to action that is central to this body of work. Featured vocalists on the album are Fela Kuti disciple and Wah Wah 45s artist Dele Sosimi, who appears on the singles Black Lives Matter, From London To Lagos and Who Invented Back & White? as well as a more recent recording, Follow The Money; and London based, Ghanaian born master percussionist and vocalist Afla Sackey, who takes lead vocals on the mournful yet somehow hopeful Beautiful City.

The rest of the group comprises of highly rated UK jazz vocalist Sahra Gure; saxophonist, composer, producer and bandleader of the renowned forward thinking jazz outfit Collocutor, Tamar Osborn; keyboard player, producer and front man for Lokkhi Terra and Cubafrobeat, Kishon Khan; one of the UK’s finest and most in demand trumpeters, Graeme Flowers, who has played with Quincy Jones, Gregory Porter and many more; trombonist for Bellowhead and mainstay of Dele’s Afrobeat Orchestra, Justin Thurgur; and finally drummer for Steamdown and Sons of Kemet, as well as the man behind the Nache project, Eddie Wakili Hick.

Tracklist:
1. Follow the Money (feat. Dele Sosimi)
2. Who Invented Black and White? (feat. Dele Sosimi)
3. My Beautiful City (feat. Afla Sackey)
4. From London to Lagos (feat. Dele Sosimi)
5. Take to the Streets
6. Black Lives Matter (feat. Dele Sosimi)

J-Zone - Intoxicated Skull

The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series was created by Madlib and Egon over the course of the Pandemic, and was a chance to give their creative friends the ability to stretch out and indulge in whatever type of music they wanted for release on the label.

The music had to be great and able to be presented as a stand alone album – like the best “Music Library” releases of the past, on labels like Italy’s Sermi, Germany’s Bruton, France’s MP2000 and the UK’s DeWolfe. And, like those albums, it had to work as easy, one-stop clearance for background cues in film and television production and, as producers have been indulging since the 1990s, for sampling.

The series contains 12 releases by DJ Muggs, Karriem Riggins, J-Zone, the Heliocentrics’ Malcolm Catto and Jake Ferguson, JJ Whitefield of Karl Hector/Whitefield Brothers/Poets of Rhythm, Motif Alumni and Music Research Library, Mario Luciano of Polyphonic Music Library, Henkel, Gabriel Rowland of Los Yesterdays, Dan Hastie and Terin Ector of Orgone, Dan Ubick and Joe Harrison

The albums will be released on the Madlib Invazion Bandcamp on the first Friday of each month over the course of one year. Listen, ponder, repeat.

Tracklist:
1. Shiva Strut
2. Shirley Got Bigger
3. Orange Forever
4. Nasty Popcorn Ceiling
5. Side Eye
6. Calgon
7. Truck Stop
8. Gangsta Boogie
9. Mr. Mean
10. Seebourg
11. Nitro
12. Du Jazz March
13. Intoxicated Skull
14. Lil' Mallet
15. Oyster Sammich
16. The Bastard Tambourine

Terrace Martin - Curly

Grammy-nominated artist and producer Terrace Martin has unveiled his newest project, Curly, the second in his series of jazz albums to be released in 2023 through the Sounds of Crenshaw/BMG partnership.

Serving as both curator and producer, the music is a continuation of legacy of both Martin and jazz music. Curly holds an especially pointed significance, Martin explained, “This is a body of work that represents the spirit of my father. Curly represents courage, heart, and adventure.”

Across the album are references to Martin’s illustrious career. ‘How Much A Dollar Cost’ shares a name with the distinctive track of Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, where Martin served as a collaborator. In its new context, the track retains its meditative qualities while a more free-flowing narrative.

Much of the music evokes this period of Martin’s craft. The single ‘Valdez Off Crenshaw’, which features contributions from Kamasi Washington, Cory Henry, and Robert Sput Searight, boasts instrumentation that is uniquely imaginative, with the feel of a summer breeze. As curator, Martin enlists a group of familiar collaborators as well as new talent to craft Curly’s sound: Washington, Henry, and Searight make pronounced appearances along with Larry Goldings and Nir Felder. While the songs are extensive in performance, they never overstay their welcome, forming an album that can be lived in for hours on end.

Martin previously released the first offering in his ongoing series of jazz releases, Fine Tune.

Tracklist:
1. 24th & Lake (feat. Cory Henry & Robert 'Sput' Searight)
2. Bromali (feat. Robert 'Sput' Searight, Larry Goldings & Nir Felder)
3. Final Thought (feat. Kamasi Washington, Robert 'Sput' Searight & Larry Goldings)
4. How Much A Dollar Cost (feat. Robert 'Sput' Searight, Larry Goldings & Nir Felder)
5. Sweeter (feat. Cory Henry) [Extended Version]
6. Valdez Off Crenshaw (feat. Kamasi Washington, Cory Henry & Robert 'Sput' Searight)
7. Untitled 5 (feat. Robert 'Sput' Searight, Larry Goldings & Nir Felder)
8. Blue Monday (feat. Robert 'Sput' Searight, Larry Goldings & Nir Felder)
9. The Voice of King Nipsey (feat. Kamasi Washington, Robert 'Sput' Searight, Larry Goldings & Nir Felder)

VA - Mr Bongo Record Club, Vol. 6 (Deluxe)

Curating and ordering the tracks for a Mr Bongo Record Club is always special. You’re reminded of the feelings you had when sitting at home with a cassette player on pause trying to compile the perfect mixtape to impress the latest object of your affection, or that friend with whom you share a musical kinship and spark off each other’s latest discoveries. Hearing old tracks for the first time or diving into the most upfront selections keeps the fires burning and passions alight.

Here, for volume six, we present recent finds and treasured classics from Brazil, Sweden, the USA, South Africa, Portugal, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Canada. We have included selections by the Brazilian rising star Dora Morelenbaum as well as from heritage-Brazilian musicians and vocalists Haréton Salvanini, Copa 7, and Mirna. There’s also the wonderful Brazilian-not-Brazilian take of 'Ye Me Le' by Hazel Scott And The Braza Brasil, plus sublime gospel from the New York Community Choir. We’ve picked disco and soul rarities by General Lee and Ash Soul, Inc., and for the first time on vinyl, an incredible psych-pop song by the illustrious Matthew Tavares. There are cuts from some of our favourite contemporary Swedish musicians, Sven Wunder and Dina Ögon too. This compilation is packed full of gems that are plucked from differing times and spaces, but somehow all gel together beautifully. We hope you love them too.

Tracklist:
1. Dora Morelenbaum – Japao
2. The New York Community Choir – I'll Keep My Light In My Window
3. General Lee – Pleasure
4. The Drive – Africa Bossa
5. Chiemi Eri – Okosa-Bushi
6. Manny Corchado & His Orchestra – Pow Wow
7. Sven Wunder – Easy Going
8. Dina Ögon – Bakom Glaset
9. Vee Gees – Talkin
10. Mave & Dave – Do You Really Want My Love
11. Hazel Scott & The Braza Brasil – Ye Me Le
12. Inês Soares – Um Amor Para Toda A Vida
13. Hareton Salvanini – Estrada
14. Copa 7 – Copa Sete No Samba
15. Mirna – A Volta
16. Dina Ögon – Tombola 94
17. I Do You Love
18. Ash Soul, Inc. – I Do Love You
19. Ponderosa Twins Plus One – Bound
20. Matty – Blood
21. Shira Small – Eternal Life

The Budos Band - Frontier's Edge

Frontier's Edge is the new EP by the fiery, energetic, genre-defying group The Budos Band. Their first release after departing their two-decade-long home of Daptone Records and joining Diamond West Records - founded by the Budos' own Thomas Brenneck and Jared Tankel - Frontier's Edge finds the group hungry, passionate and primed to charge into their next epoch.

Tracklist:
1. Frontier's Edge
2. Devil Doesn't Dance
3. KRITN
4. Crescent Blade
5. Passage To Ashinol
6. Curled Steel

High Pulp - Days In The Desert

"High Pulp THE BAND takes a break from the slapdash road life to explore a more delicate world of flavor and profile. After months of experimentation, High Pulp presents a hot sauce of unprecedented flavor. Whispers in the industry abound, as the band has kept the sauce top secret, working under the cover of night at an undisclosed location. The result is a sauce that runs the gamut from smokey nabisco reed to sweet honey jam overtones. Yes, it is true that High Pulp infuses the sauce with the same mind-bending psychedelic properties as the sweet sweet music they present on stage... but don't worry - the hallucinations will not impede you from your daily functions."

Tracklist:
1. Slaw
2. Dirtmouth
3. Solanin
4. Never In My Short Sweet Life
5. Robert Pollard
6. Unified Dakotas
7. Fast Asleep
8. (If You Don't Leave) The City Will Kill You
9. Fatigue
10. Bad Infinity