Record Shopping Etiquette
The do’s, the don’ts, and best practices when it comes to shopping for vinyl.
Matasuna Records reissues two Latin funk classics from Nico Gomez And His Afro Percussion Inc’s 1971 ‘Ritual’
The Berlin-based label Matasuna Records has recently put out a pair of 7inch releases featuring two essential Latin funk gems from Nico Gomez And His Afro Percussion Inc’s “holy grail” classic Ritual.
Demos from Ohio-based soul-funk collective 24-Carat Black released on new record ‘III’
Numero Group has unearthed and recently released what looks to be the final demo material ever recorded from the now legendary seventies-era soul group 24-Carat Black, simply titled III.
Jazzman Records celebrates saxophonist Muriel Grossmann’s early recordings on great new compilation
Even though Austrian saxophonist and composer Muriel Grossmann has released a dozen albums over the past thirteen years, it seems that she is just beginning to receive the global-acclaim that she ultimately deserves. As a follow-up to two brilliant releases over the past couple of years for the Estonia-based RR GEMS label, in Golden Rule (2018) and Reverence (2019), UK’s Jazzman Records has released a great new compilation highlighting some of Grossmann’s earlier recordings.
London’s 2000Black label releases mysterious cosmic jazz dance recording ‘Project X’
Based out of London and run by highly-acclaimed producer Dego (Pavel Kostiuk, 4hero), the 200Black label collective ( named after a 1975 Roy Ayers’ recording) have recently released a brilliant jazz-influenced dancefloor recording from a mysterious group that goes by Project X.
Helsinki-based sextet Soft Power releases powerful new album ‘Brink of Extinction’ on RR GEMS
In a time where the topic of mass extinction feels unfortunately very real, the Helsinki-based sextet Soft Power releases an incredibly powerful new album, titled Brink of Extinction, that sonically speaks to the importance and beauty of biodiversity on this planet.
Flautist and saxophonist Chip Wickham releases cosmic spiritual jazz album ‘Blue To Red’
The UK-born, Madrid-based flautist and saxophonist Chip Wickham follows-up two stellar releases in 2017’s La Sombra, and 2018’s Shamal Wind, with his most adventurous and cosmically-charged album to date in Blue To Red.
Tommaso Cappellato’s Astral Travel releases Sun Ra-inspired cosmic jazz recording
Italian drummer, composer, and producer Tommaso Cappellato, who has recently relocated to Los Angeles, has released a Sun Ra-inspired experimental cosmic jazz recording with his Astral Travel group, titled If You Say You Are From This Planet, Why Do You Treat It Like You Do?.
Ghanaian Roots Reggae from Y-Bayani, Baby Naa and The Band of Enlightenment, Reason and Love
Following a string of three incredible 7inch singles, beginning in 2016, Max Weissenfeldt’s Berlin-based Philophon label has finally released the highly-anticipated full-length album from Ghanaian singers and songwriters Y-Bayani & Baby Naa, backed by the label’s “sessions ensemble” The Band of Enlightenment, Reason and Love.
Melbourne’s JK Group releases incredible cosmic jazz debut ‘The Young Ones’
Led by by Melbourne saxophonist Josh Kelly, who also is a member of the future soul-jazz collective 30/70, the JK Group has recently released their incredible debut album, titled The Young Ones on La Sape Records.
London’s Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes team up on brilliant new Blue Note album ‘What Kinda Music’
Two of London’s most forward-thinking artists in multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and producer Tom Misch and drummer Yussef Dayes team up for a brilliant new electronic-soul-meets-jazz-funk album, titled What Kinda Music on Blue Note Records imprint Beyond The Groove.
New Zealand’s Rain&Shine label reissue The Positive Force & Ade Olatunji’s 1977 spiritual jazz gem ‘Oracy’
Since being established in 2017, New Zealand’s Rain&Shine have been reissuing many incredible rare modern soul, disco, jazz, and gospel recordings. This month, the label continues it’s string of great releases by making available again, The Positive Force & Ade Olatunji’s 1977 almost-impossible-to-find spiritual jazz masterpiece Oracy.
Steve Reid: 5 Essential Recordings as a Bandleader
The late Steve Reid is one of the greatest, and possibly most over-looked drummers of our time. First making a name for himself at the early age of 19, playing on Martha and The Vandellas’ 1964 Motown classic “Dancing In The Street,” Reid went on to play with a wide array of legendary artists from soul to jazz and Afrobeat, including Fats Domino, James Brown, Chaka Khan, Dexter Gordon, Sun Ra, Miles Davis, Randy Weston, Fela Kuti, and many others.
Jazzman Records dives into the vaults of SteepleChase on latest Spiritual Jazz compilation
Jazzman Records has just released volume eleven (!!!) of it’s critically-acclaimed Spiritual Jazz series, this time diving deep into the vaults of the Copenhagen-based and highly under-the-radar imprint SteepleChase Records. Similar to the past two label-focused releases in the series, this double vinyl compilation features some of the most essential recordings from the European label.
