Record Shopping Etiquette
The do’s, the don’ts, and best practices when it comes to shopping for vinyl.
London-based cosmic jazz group The Sultan’s Swing make strong return with ‘Matter Of Urgency’
Following the breakthrough success of last year’s album Ignite, the London-based cosmic jazz ensemble The Sultan’s Swing return with a masterful new follow-up recording in Matter Of Urgency on Lazy Robot Records.
Koji Ono teams up with members of Atmosfear on great new Brit-funk 12″ single
Thanks to Gilles Peterson and Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick’s highly acclaimed STR4TA project, the late 70s-early 80s UK-based DIY new wave jazz-funk sound, known as Brit-funk is beginning to see a nice resurgence. A number of other artists and projects also seem to be resurfacing as of late, including French multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer Koji Ono, who recently released a brilliant new twelve-inch single on the Paris-based label Chuwanaga. Receiving some assistance from two key players of the pioneering band Atmosfear, this new single features legendary bassist and founding member Lester Batchelor (aka “LB”), and the group’s current drummer Roy Mistry.
Legendary saxophonist Gary Bartz releases new album on brilliant ‘Jazz Is Dead’ series
For the latest release in the absolutely brilliant Jazz Is Dead series, Los Angeles based producers/multi-instrumentalists Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad have joined forces with legendary saxophonist and composer Gary Bartz on an incredible new full-length album.
NYC’s The Far East release 7inch featuring their superb cover of Evelyn King’s boogie classic ‘I’m In Love’
Following the release of their brilliant debut album New York Is For Lovers at the tail end of 2020, the new school Lover’s Rock ensemble, has just released a limited-edition seven-inch single on Brooklyn-based label Names You Can Trust, featuring their superb rendition of Evelyn “Champagne” King’s 1981 boogie classic “I’m In Love”.
Ken Rhodes’ rare 1974 jazz-funk recording ‘Profiles’ receives limited reissue
Composer and pianist Ken Rhodes’ highly obscure 1974 jazz-funk recording Profiles has recently seen a limited-edition reissue by the French independent label Sconsolato. Originally released by the small German jazz label AMAYANA, this album represents the well-travelled musician’s most notable work as a bandleader.
Los Angeles pianist Matthew “Honeybee” Little releases superb debut album ‘Liner Notes’
Every year, there are a number of remarkable releases that weren’t originally on most people’s radar, and that is certainly the case with Los Angeles-based composer and pianist Matthew “Honeybee” Little’s superb debut album Liner Notes on San Diego’s Common Good Records. Over the last several years, Little has been making his mark among the LA jazz scene, playing with like-minded exploratory artists like Josef Leimberg, Shafiq Husayn, Jason McGuiness, and others.
Legendary saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, Floating Points & the London Symphony Orchestra release stunning live album ‘Promises’
In what might be the most-anticipated album of the year, New York label Luaka Bop has released an absolute stunning new collaborative album, titled Promises, featuring legendary saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, groundbreaking electronic producer Sam Shepard, also know as Floating Points, and one of the greatest symphonies in the world, in The London Symphony Orchestra.
Matsuli Music reissue two essential mid-70s Afro-rock albums by South African group Harari
Matsuli Music has been the leading label over the past decade for quality South African jazz and rare groove reissue recordings. The UK label continues to build on their strong reputation with the recent reissue release of two essential mid-seventies Afro-rock albums from the highly influential South African band Harari, who also went by previously as both The Beaters and Rhodesia (named after the Rhodesian township).
Two classic 1980 jazz dance cuts from Nanette Natal released as 7inch single
Over the last several year’s Dynamite Cuts, run by Malachi Trout, has been issuing an impressive string of seven-inch singles highlighting essential jazz, funk, and rare groove. Most recently, the London-based label has put out a brilliant new 45rpm release featuring two classic jazz dance gems “It’s Over” and “Love Signs” from Nanette Natal’s 1980 private press full-length My Song of Something.
Soul Jazz Records releases great new compilation of soulful Rocksteady from 60s & 70s
For well over twenty years, there hasn’t been a more definitive collection of releases highlighting the legendary reggae label Studio One than what London’s Soul Jazz Records has managed to curate through expansive compilation releases, exclusive singles, and never-before-heard gems. Their latest release Rocksteady Got Soul is an absolutely brilliant collection of uplifting rocksteady and soulful reggae from the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Mr Bongo reissues highly-obscure 1972 South African soul-jazz 7inch by The Toreadors
UK’s Mr Bongo label continues their impressive string of releases with a recent reissue of the highly-obscure 1972 seven-inch double-side single from South African session group The Toreadors, featuring two incredible funky soul jazz gems, “Thembi” and “Gwinyitshe”.
Eagerly awaited album ‘Angela’ by São Paulo jazz-funk trio Caixa Cubo gets vinyl release
Following a digital release of last September, the seventh album from highly talented São Paulo jazz-funk trio Caixa Cubo, titled Angela, sees an eagerly-awaited vinyl release through the London-based label Heavenly Recordings.
Renowned bassist Pino Palladino & multi-instrumentalist Blake Mills release innovative new album ‘Notes With Attachments’
Renowned bassist Pino Palladino, who helped create the rhythm-section sound on D’Angelo’s neo-soul classic albums Voodoo and Black Messiah, as well as performing over the years with Erykah Badu, Nine Inch Nails, Paul Simon, Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock and numerous others, teams up with prolific multi-instrumentalist and producer Blake Mills to release an amazing and highly innovative new album, titled Notes With Attachments.
