Category: DIGGIN’ IN
Over the last few years, not only has Paul Murphy reissued a number of rare jazz dance and fusion gems through his label Jazz Room Records, he has put out a number of essential and rare Latin dancefloor recordings, including Tata Vasquez’s Ecstasy, Robin Jones led Denga and El Maja. This Spring, the UK label will reissue the 1981 album Con El Ritmo Del Tambó by the Nuyorican supergroup Orquesta Mayombe.
UK’s Far Out Recordings has recently issued the highly-anticipated previously unreleased 1975 recording, titled Starting Point, from the Brazilian fusion trio known as Grupo Um. Based out of São Paulo, the group features brothers Lelo Nazario (piano/keys) and Zé Eduardo Nazario (drums/percussion), alongside bassist Zeca Assumpção, whom made their mark performing in Hermeto Pascoal’s Grupo (included on Pascoal’s Viajando Com O Som: The Lost ’76 Vice-Versa Studio Session).
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of arguably the greatest Afrobeat album ever recorded, in Fela Kuti and The Africa 70’s Shakara, Brooklyn’s Partisan Records has put out a special edition reissue of the two-track classic that includes an additional 7inch record featuring new renditions of both “Lady” and “Shakara (Oloje)” by one of the leading lights among the London jazz scene, Ezra Collective.
The legendary London-based Decca Records continues their superb British Jazz Explosion Series, with two massive additions in trumpeter Harry Beckett‘s 1970 heavy-hitting classic Flare-Up and the groundbreaking large ensemble masterpiece Tales Of The Algonquin led by John Surman and John Warren.
As with new releases, 2022 was a remarkable year for reissues and previously unreleased recordings. It feels like with every great new release or artists that breaks through on the scene, there are still so many records from the past to still discover, or make more readily available again. I also feel that with each year that goes by, the quality of reissues get’s better and better. The care and work that goes into many of these releases is astonishing.
Paul Murphy’s Jazz Room Records “puts a bow” on what has been a remarkable year of releases, with a recent reissue of flautist Eric Ghost’s highly-obscure 1975 psychedelic jazz masterpiece Secret Sauce.
Following the release of two incredible previously unreleased live sessions by jazz greats Pharoah Sanders and Archie Shepp, the French label Transversales Disques has now issued the third of their brilliant Lost ORTF Recordings series featuring a 1971 Paris recording featuring legendary pianist Ahmad Jamal and his trio.
The excellent French label Comet, run by founder Eric Trosset, has recently reissued the extremely hard-to-find 1975 jazz-funk masterpiece from drummer Noel McGhie, under the album title Noel McGhie & Space Spies.
Continuing the streak of putting out must-own releases, Paul Murphy and his label Jazz Room Records are reissuing Carlos Franzetti’s hard-to-find jazz dance classic album Graffiti, which was originally released on Guinness Records (not related to the drink) in 1977.
Back in 2017 for Record Store Day, Mr Bongo put out an official reissue of Arthur Verocai’s 1972 “holy grail” masterpiece. Since then, the UK-based label has reissued the album a number of times. Now celebrating it’s 50th Anniversary, Mr Bongo has put together an expansive special edition package commemorating it’s initial release.
