Tag: Jazz Dance
Eothen “Egon” Alapatt’s superb Now-Again Records has recently reissued the Southern University Jazz Ensemble’s very rare 1973 spiritual jazz “Holy Grail” record, titled Goes to Africa With Love. Originally given away as souvenirs at Southern University, this represents the first-ever commercial release of this album.
Since founding the Bari-based bohemian cultural movement and club night Fez at the dawn of the 90s, Italian producer, composer, guitarist, DJ, and bandleader Nicola Conte has been at the forefront of both today’s modern jazz dance and cosmic spiritual music scenes with 30 albums/EPs, 10 compilations and over 200 remixes to his name. He returns with a superb new album, titled Umoja on the London-based label Far Out Recordings.
Japanese percussionist Takashi Nakazato, who has performed with notable groups like Jazztronik, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Jaribu Afrobeat Arkestra, and others, returns with his third release for Steve Conry’s Manchester-based Ten Lovers Music label, titled Secret Society EP.
Following a string of sought-after 12inch releases and re-dits on labels like Barefoot Beats, Cocada Music, Kampana and others, Pará-based producer Bernardo Pinheiro has recently released an incredible new rendition of Marcos Valle and Azymuth’s classic jazz dance gem “Virabrequim”, from the 1973 soundtrack “O Fabuloso Fittipaldi”.
One of Australia’s most creative and upcoming versatile drummers and bandleaders Alexander Flood has recently released his third, and arguably his best recording to date in Oscillate off the German-based label Jakarta Records.
Following a string of essential releases in 2022, legendary UK jazz and Northern soul DJ Colin Curtis continues to add to his impressive “Presents” series by putting out EPs from two acts that are at the forefront of the current UK jazz dance scene in Roderick Stewart and Ben Sinkie-led Juju ensemble, and producer and percussionist Glenn Worthington, aka GeeW.
From the late 70s and 80’s, legendary UK-based Paul Murphy became a innovative pioneer DJ among the jazz dance scene, performing at now-historic venues like Horshoe, Wag, and Electric Ballroom. He was arguably the first to put on jazz-focused club nights in London and surrounding areas. Influential DJ/radio broadcaster Gilles Peterson once stated, “Paul Murphy found almost every jazz dancefloor classic.” Building on the foundation of both his superb label Jazz Room Records, and the outstanding first compilation he compiled for BBE in 2019, he returns with the much-anticipated follow-up, The Jazz Room Vol.2.
Highly active Los Angeles-based Italian-rooted drummer and composer Tommaso Cappellato, who also runs the impressive Domanda Music label, has teamed up with Italian break dance collective Pavimento Fertile for a dance-oriented cosmic soul recording, titled Dancing Around Fire.
Legendary UK-based jazz dance DJ Paul Murphy and his fantastic label Jazz Room Records continue their onslaught of impressive releases with a welcomed reissue of Japanese pianist Takehiro Honda’s rare 1973 soul-jazz album What’s Going On.
This past Sunday, March 19, 2023, I ran the Oakland Half Marathon, as a part of the week-long Oakland Running Festival. The weather was a little rainy and windy this year, but overall it’s a really great annual event that I highly recommend checking out and participating in.
