Planting a flag in the evolution of the
beat scene's sound over the last two decades, Elusive has embarked on an
emboldened voyage, marked by feature contributions from some of LA's
finest musicians. Trumpet, harp, saxophone, bass guitar, and many other
instruments extend the musicianship and scope of his latest works,
defining a bridge between electronic, hip-hop, and jazz in a very
personalized and technical form. Garnishing recent love from BBC,
KCRW, The FADER, L.A. Record, XLR8R, self-titled, WWFM, NestHQ, The
Wire, and Amoeba Records, Elusive has become a force to be reckoned with
and continues his prolific path of album releases with over a dozen
albums, EPs, and singles launched in the last four years alone. Elusive
has called Alpha Pup Records and Dome of Doom home for many years now,
producing his best work to date under the LA based labels. As a frequent
contributor Low End Theory's decade plus run of weekly showcases,
Elusive walks in the same footsteps as Ras G, Samiyam, TOKimonsta,
Dibiase, Jonwayne, Mono/Poly, Daedelus and so many more.
Tracklist: 1. Light Years (feat. Josh Howard) 2. New Visions (feat. Bubby Lewis, Ian Roller) 3. Silhouette Sketches (feat. Bubby Lewis, Diego Hedez) 4. Unknown Connections (feat. Bubby Lewis) 5. Peripheral Hearing (feat. Josh Koslow, Josh Howard) 6. Audible Transmission (feat. Josh Howard, Ian Roller) 7. Exoplanet (feat. Bubby Lewis, Ian Roller) 8. Mental Illustration (feat. Matt Little, Bubby Lewis, Ian Roller) 9. Aloof (feat. Josh Howard, Diego Hedez) 10. Lush Lyfe (feat. Bubby Lewis)
Sugar is an American drama television
series created by Mark Protosevich, directed by Fernando Meirelles and
starring Colin Farrell who also serves as executive producer. It
premiered on Apple TV+ on April 5, 2024.
Adrian Younge and Ali
Shaheed Muhammad both have impressive resumes as purveyors of modern
soul, jazz, and hip-hop. Younge, a bassist, keyboardist, composer, and
producer, has scored films such Black Dynamite and collaborated with
artists ranging from Philly soul legends the Delfonics to Wu-Tang Clan’s
Ghostface Killah. Meanwhile, Muhammad was a member of A Tribe Called
Quest and has worked on various projects outside that group. Together,
Younge and Muhammad formed the Midnight Hour, a versatile band that
brought a modern edge to retro soul and jazz sounds.
Tracklist: 1. Searching & Swimming 2. Questions 3. I Won't Come Back Without Her 4. Ticket To The Movies 5. Chef Extraordinaire 6. Aspirin 7. Doctor Visit 8. Door Kicked In 9. House Attack 10. Fight And Run 11. Stallings 12. Closing In 13. Hello Stranger 14. Lament 15. Whiskey Shakes 16. Tell Me 17. Needle To The Neck 18. Goodbye
"Bending the old with the new this package of remixes is crossing the
borders seamlessly. My fave is the Emanative / Jessica Lauren remix
here. Will support for sure. As the whole brilliant compilation anyway!
Thanks!" - Michael Rütten (Soul Searching)
"I have been playing the Patchworks mix of this for a few years now and
these excellent remixes have taken the track in new directions including
Hiro's original version which I didn't know and Frankson's remix which
are my particular favourites." - Kev Beadle (Mind Fluid) / Totally Wired
Radio
"Capturing Mark Murphy's sophisticated voice beautifully, the mix keeps
'Seasons in My Mind' fresh and relevant for today. I love the laid-back
feel, and it has the Right Tempo feel about it - Boogaloo with Soul." -
DJ Perry Louis (JazzCotech)
After 27 years and more than 100 releases on its various sub-labels,
Right Tempo returns to being a label itself. RT PRO is the new Right
Tempo line “for professional use”, addressed to a discerning audience
and released Digitally and on 12” Single housed in a curated packaging.
This first, seminal instalment is a follow-up to the internationally acclaimed "The Congregation - Jazz Alliance
International" compiled by Jazzcat for Mono Jazz label. It features
never previously released remixes of the slammin’ "Seasons in My Mind"
track by Japanese producer Hiro Awanohara aka Yellowtail featuring
legendary beat generation jazz singer Mark Murphy. The track, originally
recorded in 2011 - Murphy was 77 at the time! - was kept in Hiro’s
drawer for 13 years and brought to public attention by Right Tempo
during its 30th anniversary celebrations.
In addition to the Original version, the release includes Remixes by
Further Out Recordings’ head Richard E (who exceptionally refreshed his
version to the respect of his 2013 original work) featuring
flutist/saxophonist Jake Telford, and by Ross Wakefield aka Frankson -
one half of the British electronic duo Part Time Heroes - plus a brand
new rework by London-based, all-round musician and producer Emanative,
who invited his longtime friend and collaborator, keyboardist Jessica
Lauren, to join him for this special project.
RT 001 PRO is available Digitally and on 140g black vinyl in a Standard
Edition, which comes in a personalized printed inner sleeve and plain
outer cover adorned with spine and awareness stickers, as well as in a
Bandcamp exclusive, 100-numbered copies Limited Edition, boasting a
high-quality, personalized die-cut cover, printed inner sleeve, spine
and awareness stickers and an exclusive postcard individually
personalized by Right Tempo’s boss for each single buyer. Moreover, the
full digital release and the purchase of a physical copy on our Bandcamp
come with exclusive Bonus Tracks, namely an Original Alternate take, an
Extended version of Richard E’s Remix featuring Jake Telford and a Dub
version of Emanative’s rework featuring Jessica Lauren.
RT 001 PRO marks the beginning of a new season for us and aims to set a
landmark within the broader process of restructuring and resurgence
we’ve been undergoing in the past few years. It’s a new day, it’s the
dawn of the Right Tempo PRO Series.
“‘Seasons In My Mind’ sweeps in like a cool Autumnal breeze and Mark
Murphy rides the waves of the horns and the gentle pulse of percussion
to reveal a jazz master, a poet, at work. He takes a well-earned break
over a sensuous guitar solo and returns to scat his way to a sensuous
climax. Beautiful.” [Extract from liner notes by Paul Bradshaw (Straight
no Chaser / ancienttofuture.com)]
With early support by Patrick Forge (NTS), Toshio Matsuura (U.F.O.), Dom
Servini (Wah Wah 45s), Harv-inder Singh (Point Blank FM), David
Patterson (JFSR), Raffaele Costantino (Rai Radio 2), Alex Paletta (Radio
Capital), Alan McKinnon (TWR), Vito Santamato (RKO), Sly Jazid (Radio
Delta 1) & more.
Tracklist: 1. Seasons In My Mind 2. Seasons In My Mind (Richard E Remix) 3. Seasons In My Mind (Frankson Remix) 4. Seasons In My Mind (Emanative Rework)
“Rationalizing
our place amongst the Stars is a referendum. A mandate in the scale of a
space-time continuum, which is a task that might seem infinitely
cavernous to most, but a lifelong mandate to others. As nature’s
allowance of time just isn’t favorable to an average human lifespan of a
100 years, this task must be inherited and handed down in the method of
an acoustical trust. Rhythm considered as a safe depository. Neo
Tantric Parts is about high premium thought processes about simplicity
and oneness. Diagnostic in the way it blends time, rhythm and harmony
together as a proposal to consider placement in this moment of time”. –
Millsart Tracklist: 1. Tear Drop Nebula (Reworked Mix) 2. The Phonetic World 3. Neptunian Landing 4. Unidentified
“It sounds like Isaac Hayes and Steely Dan got together and had a baby” Lauren Laverne
“I felt compelled to switch on main character mode and stroll the streets of Brooklyn” NPR Music
‘Liberation’ is the third solo LP from composer, arranger, producer, and
multi-instrumentalist Sly5thAve. Layered with orchestral arrangements,
jazz improvisation and Hip-Hop production, ‘Liberation’ is an
accomplished record of courage, musical conviction, and growth. Trusting
his inner voice and personal taste, Sly5thAve found himself liberated
from fear by the ease with which the original orchestrations of
‘Liberation’ manifested themselves: “This record exploded out of me. I
couldn’t write it fast enough.
I ran from it for so long but when I finally sat down to face it, to
face myself and embrace who I am, I learned something about my limits
and what I was capable of. I realised that I couldn’t find the missing
element from my sound in other people or other artists. They couldn’t
make it whole; they couldn’t make me whole.”
Known for his sophisticated compositions, Sylvester Uzoma Onyejiaka II
AKA Sly5thAve’s first experiences with large scale arranging were with
the Club Casa Chamber Orchestra and recording
instrumental covers of popular modern songs. Notably, his orchestral
tribute to Dr. Dre, ‘The Invisible Man,’ garnered widespread praise and
attention, even earning the admiration of Dr. Dre himself. Through these
recordings Sly5thAve felt he had found a way to make people connect
with orchestral music; “I’ve long felt orchestras around the world are
inaccessible to most people – whether it be the programming or the cost,
or the location”.
The LP is Sly5thAve’s first full album of original orchestral
arrangements and features the musicianship of Sly5thAve’s collaborators
and Ghost Note bandmates - headed by Snarky Puppy's multi-Grammy–winning
percussion duo Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth, alongside
previous collaborator Roberto Verástegui. Sly5thAve’s passion for
collaboration is expressed on singles from ‘Liberation’, as he
revitalises the beloved Destiny’s Child classic “No, No, No Pt. 2” with
help from Jonathan Mones; through the MonoNeon bassline of “Monoxide”
featuring MacKenzie on vocals and guitar from Peter Knudsen; and on
closing track“Big Brother feat. Daniel Wytanis”, a track that features
and pays tribute to both Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth,
alongside Ghost Note member and mixing engineer Ben Burget.
Title track “Liberation” epitomises the whole machine of the album’s
recording process; “The orchestra is in full swing, there’s a bit of my
personality in there with lead sax, Roberto [Verástegui] and the soli at
the end are arranged within an inch of their life, and Peter [Knudsen]
takes one of the baddest guitar solos I’ve ever heard”, Sly5thAve
enthuses. Taking inspiration from Blaxploitation soundtracks of the
1970s and the music of Curtis Mayfield, Willie Hutch, Herbie Hancock,
Gordon Parks, and J. J. Johnson, “Liberation” is – as the name suggests -
a true expression of fearless musical freedom.
The vinyl version of the album features Instrumental versions "No, No,
No Pt. 2 feat. Jonathan Mones", "Actin’ Whyte" and "Monoxide feat.
MonoNeon & Peter Knudsen" that are not available elsewhere.
Tracklist: 1. Water Suite (Thirst) 2. Water Suite (Drown) 3. Water Suite (Sanctuary) 4. Water Suite (Renewal) 5. Liberation 6. No, No, No, Pt. 2 7. Actin' Whyte 8. Exodus 9. Proverbs 10. Monoxide 11. Big Brother
Entry #11: Madlib sampled composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist
Kevin Henkel on his Bandana album with Freddie Gibbs, leading to this
collection of decelerated rare grooves.
Tracklist: 1. Fools Gold 2. Goldenseal 3. In The Dark 4. Slow Down 5. No Surprises 6. Area codes 7. Faith 8. Follow The Numbers 9. Grazin’ 10. Ruse 11. String Ups
Prefuse 73 aka Guillermo Scott Herren
announces his new album, New Strategies for Modern Crime Vol. 1, out
22nd March 2024 and shares the lead single, “A Lord Without Jewels". His
first new album since 2018’s Sacrifices, New Strategies for Modern
Crime Vol. 1 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 concrète, jazz and beat-tape music to create
something wholly unique.
1. Forever Chase (Scene One) 2. A Lord Without Jewels 3. Clean Up Scene Apprentice 4. The End Of Air 5. She Needs No Introduction 6. Onboard, Overboard 7. Fare La Coma (Full Scene) 8. Full Recollection 9. Lullabyes and Awakenings 10. Empath Lords 11. Desperate Demise 12. Wrong Suspect
BBE Music welcomes pianist Aki Takase to the J Jazz Masterclass reissue series, with her 1982 live album ‘Song for Hope’.
A musician of poise and precision who has been a noted composer,
performer and recording artist for over 40 years, Takase’s ‘Song for
Hope’ continues BBE Music’s exploration of Japanese modern jazz from a
golden period spanning the late 1960s to the mid-1980s.
The ‘Song for Hope’ album is taken from a recording of Takase’s debut
European performance taped in November 1981 at the Berlin Jazz Festival
and was originally issued in 1982 by Enja Records, a key European jazz
label founded in Munich 1971 by Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber. On
Enja, Takase found herself labelmates with some of the world’s leading
jazz pianists like Mal Waldron, Dollar Brand and Randy Weston, and she
followed in the footsteps of other leading Japanese artists on the label
such as Terumasa Hino and Yosuke Yamashita.
The hypnotic title track was included on J Jazz vol. 3, and it features J
Jazz stalwart Takeo Moriyama on drums, joined by Nobuyoshi Ino on bass.
Moriyama’s career has been well documented on J Jazz vol. 1, and his
sublime ‘East Plants’ album was reissued as part of the J Jazz
Masterclass Series. Bassist Ino has been an
active member of the Japanese jazz scene since the mid-1970s and has
performed and recorded with many leading artists and groups including
Fumio Itabashi, Masahiko Togashi, Hiromasa Suzuki, Masaru Imada and
Masayuki Takayanagi.
Aki Takase was born in Osaka in 1948 and began playing piano aged 3.
Raised in Tokyo, she studied classical music at the Toho Gakuen Academy,
and her musical interests developed from a starting point in classical,
before going on to encompass contemporary music and jazz. Among the
first jazz compositions she explored were works by Charles Mingus and
Ornette Coleman and, in 1972, she moved to New York, working with, among
others, Lester Bowie, John Zorn and Dave Liebman.
She recorded her debut album for Seven Seas/King Records in 1978 and
appeared on some key J Jazz album such as Yoshio Ikeda’s ‘Sketches of my
Life’ and Seiichi Nakamura’s ‘Wolf’s Theme’. Takase has lived in Berlin
since 1987 and is married to German pianist and composer Alexander von
Schlippenbach, with whom she records and performs, sometimes as part of
the Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra. She has also performed and
recorded extensively with many other leading figures in contemporary
jazz and improvised music including David Murray, Fred Frith, Evan
Parker, and Maria João.
The J Jazz Masterclass Series is curated by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden for BBE Music.
Tracklist: 1. Monologue 2. Song for Hope 3. Minerva's Owl 4. Mountain Forest 5. Mountain Forest (Edit)
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