BeatCaffeine’s Weekly Record Rundown, 05.17.24
Here is another weekly rundown of just some of BeatCaffeine’s new release recommendations, featuring music from Chris Bang’s Nova Vida project, adventurous saxophonist Isaiah Collier, free jazz pioneer Alan Braufman, cosmic keyboard wiz David Versace, and another “must-own” Ghana-based compilation from London’s Soundway Records.
BEATCAFFEINE’S ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Nova Vida — ‘Ritmo Da Vida’
(BDQ Records)
Doubling down on this one this week — Legendary UK-based DJ and producer Chris Bangs follows-up last year’s superb ‘My Only’ 7″ debut from his latest project Nova Vida with a highly-anticipated full-length release, titled Ritmo Da Vida, on London’s BDQ Records. This brilliant 10-track recording fuses together soulful Brazilian and Latin flavored rhythms with soulful vocals, and jazz dance-inspired grooves. With a warm feel-good feel throughout, there is no doubt that this is the soundtrack of this summer, and arguably the best album of 2024 so far!
MORE BEATCAFFEINE RECOMMENDATIONS
Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few — ‘The Almighty’
(Division 81 Records)
Saxophonist and composer Isaiah Collier follows up last year’s breakthrough direct-to-disc album Parallel Universe on the Night Dreamer label with another incredible full-length for the Chicago-based Division 81 Records, titled The Almighty. This is Collier’s first quartet offering since 2021’s Cosmic Transition, and combines spiritual jazz in the vein of 60s era Pharoah Sanders, John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, etc., with soulful melodies and grooves. This one should definitely find itself at the top of many year-end of “best of” lists.
Various — ‘Ghana Special 2: Electronic Highlife & Afro Sounds In The Diaspora, 1980-93’
(Soundway Records)
One thing that’s certain, is that if Soundway is behind the release, it’s a guarantee that the record quality and curation is going to be at the highest quality. That’s certainly the case for the London label’s latest compilation release, Ghana Special 2. More than 20 years after the release of the heavy funk and Afrobeat-focused Ghana Soundz compilations and their massive 2009 Ghana Special release, Soundway turns their focus to the rare highlife and Afro sounds of the 80s and early 90s, which uniquely incorporates a fusion of experimental electronics, and reggae and soul influences.
Alan Braufman — ‘Infinite Love Infinite Tears’
(The Control Group / Valley of Search)
In 1975, the New York City alto saxophonist Alan Braufman released his adventurous debut and what could now be considered iconic album, Valley of Search on the India Navigation label. Even though Braufman went on to record and tour with everyone from Carla Bley to The Psychedelic Furs, he ended up not releasing another album under his name until 2020’s The Fire Still Burns. The saxophone great builds off the energy and collaboration that was strongly present in the last recording, and releases a superb new offering, titled Infinite Love Infinite Tears. Featuring a heavy-hitting lineup that also includes vibraphonist Patricia Brennan, tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, bassist Ken Filiano, drummer Chad Taylor, and percussionist Michael Wimberly, Braufman has once again led a session that continues to push the boundaries sonically and recapture the spirit of the 70s NYC loft jazz scene.
David Versace — ‘Eye to Eye’
(La Sape Records)
Australian-based keyboardist, composer and producer David Versace returns with another remarkable full-length for Melbourne-based La Sape Records, titled Eye to Eye. This standout 8-track album blends together spacey cosmic piano-driven grooves with funky and dynamic percussion rhythms and soulful trumpet solos and melodies. The satellites are definitely spinning!
