Record Shopping Etiquette
The do’s, the don’ts, and best practices when it comes to shopping for vinyl.
BeatCaffeine’s Favorite Albums of 2021
2021 … or what at times just felt like the hangover to 2020. For parts, it seemed like a better year than the one prior, however let’s be real, that certainly wasn’t a hard bar to climb by any stretch. Over the last 12 months it’s become clear that the pandemic still remains a strong influence on all of our daily lives. It also continues to have a significant effect on music in general, what was produced, how it gets created, and often how it’s distributed. A whirlwind of complex emotions, cautious gatherings, high levels of uncertainty, as well as constantly backed-up vinyl pressing plants and more … 2021 was definitely a very challenging year for many, including musicians, record labels, and just about everyone in the music ecosystem.
Matsuli Music celebrates legendary 70s Soweto nightclub with brilliant new compilation
For over a decade, Matsuli Music, have unearthed and reissued some of the most essential South African recordings ever made. With their latest release, the UK-based label has turned their attention to the incredible story and sounds behind Soweto’s first nightclub, known as the Pelican Club in an incredible new compilation.
French jazz-funk quartet Aldorande releases highly-anticipate sophomore album ‘Deux’
French jazz-funk quartet Aldorande follow up both their 2019 breakthrough debut album and superb 2020 double-sided 12inch single Summer Body / Breakfast in Space with an incredible new album, titled Deux on Favorite Recordings.
Azymuth bassist Alex Malheiros releases brilliant new jazz-funk album ‘Tempos Futuros’
Bassist of the legendary Brazilian fusion trio Azymuth, Alex Malheiros, who has also contributed his pioneering space-funk sound on records by Jorge Ben, Milton Nascimento, Roberto Carlos, Marcos Valle, Mark Murphy, and others, has recently released a brilliant new album on Far Out Recordings, appropriately titled Tempos Futuros.
Outernational Sounds reissues two obscure 1974 South African sessions by The Mallory Hall Band
London-based Outernational Sounds has recently reissued, for the first time outside of South Africa, two superb 1974 Johannesburg sessions Song Of Soweto and The Last Special from an all-star U.S. touring band led by both guitarist Charles Mallory and trombonist Al Hall Jr., known simply as the The Mallory Hall Band.
Soundway’s latest compilation explores forgotten 80s & 90s Balearic Spanish Synth-Pop, Boogie and House
Over the past two decades, Soundway has been at the forefront in unearthing obscure and lost gems from all corners of the world. Through each record they put out, the London-based label is often able to fully tap into the most essential and defining music of a specific region or sub-genre. For their latest compilation, titled Ritmo Fantasía, that is certainly the case, as Venezuelan producer, DJ and record collector Trujillo (aka Andres Astorga) takes listeners on a journey through forgotten 1980s and 1990s era Balearic Spanish synth-pop, boogie and house music.
Jazz beat scientist Makaya McCraven reworks Blue Note classics on superb new album
Formerly Chicago, and now Hawaii-based composer, producer, drummer, and all-around “jazz beat scientist” Makaya McCraven continues to be one the most forward-thinking artists of our present time. On his latest album, titled Deciphering The Message, he dives into the historic vaults of Blue Note Records and completely reworks some of the label’s classic material.
Kev Beadle’s Mind Fluid Music reissues 1975 vocal jazz dance gems by Jan Tober & Ron Satterfield
Highly-influential UK-based DJ, compilation curator, producer, and radio presenter Kev Beadle has just reissued a selection of essential tracks from Jan Tober and Ron Satterfield’s extremely obscure 1975 vocal jazz masterpiece As Long As There’s Music.
Irreversible Entanglements continues to push the boundaries on superb third album ‘Open The Gates’
Since the release of their breakthrough self-titled debut in 2017, the adventurous Philadelphia/NY/DC-based quintet has established themselves as one of the most thought-provoking and forward-thinking jazz collectives. The group returns with an incredible new album on International Anthem, titled Open The Gates, that much like their other recordings, cries out for universal social change.
Adventurous London ensemble Ill Considered return with superb new lineup on latest LP ‘Luminal Space’
Over the last few years, Ill Considered has been one of the most active and musically adventurous ensembles to have emerged out of the London jazz scene. For their first fully produced studio album on the New Soil label, and their 11th full-length to date (9 self-released from 2017-2019), titled Luminal Space, the group continues to take their sound to new heights in what is arguably their best record to date.
Acid Jazz reissues rare 1988 spiritual Latin jazz LP ‘Harlem’ from percussionist Emmanuel Abdul-Rahim
Acid Jazz has released an official reissue of Emmanuel Abdul-Rahim’s highly obscure 1988 Latin jazz dance full-length Harlem featuring The Times at Hand Orchestra. Known for his 1972 classic album Total Submission for Cobblestone/Muse, this later recording, which is equally brilliant, is often overlooked.
London bassist Daniel Casimir releases expansive debut ‘Boxed In’ on Jazz re:freshed
London-based composer and bassist Daniel Casimir, who has been making a strong name for himself over the past few years performing alongside some of the most notable artists among the scene like Joe Armon-Jones, Nubya Garcia, Oscar Jerome, Ashley Henry, Binker Golding and others, has just released his debut album as a bandleader, titled Boxed In on the Jazz re:freshed label.
Gilles Peterson & Soul Jazz Records’ Stuart Baker release vol.2 of their incredible ‘Cuba: Music and Revolution’ compilation series
Earlier in the year, Gilles Peterson and Stuart Baker teamed up to release an incredible 23-track compilation exploring the fusion of jazz, funk, Brazilian, Tropicalia, and disco with Latin and Salsa that emerged in Cuba in the 1970s and 1980s, titled Cuba: Music And Revolution — Culture Clash In Havana Cuba: Experiments In Latin Music 1975-85. With much more music to dive into from this era, London’s Soul Jazz Records has just released volume 2 of this essential series.
