Tag: Jazz Funk
Los Angeles based producers/multi-instrumentalists Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (of Tribe Called Quest), who are the masterminds behind The Midnight Hour, have recently released an incredible new compilation, titled Jazz Is Dead, featuring new recordings from jazz legends Roy Ayers, Gary Bartz, Doug Carn, João Donato, Brian Jackson, Azymuth, and Marcos Valle.
The Paris-based Trad Vibe Records, who reissued Cortex’s 1975 rare masterpiece Troupeau Bleu back in 2010, has released a brand new single featuring the group’s 1979 jazz-funk medley “Mary & Jeff + Devils Dance,” along with the brilliant Fender Rhodes led version of the track.
London-based multi-instrumentalist, DJ, and producer Emma-Jean Thackray follows up her 2018 breakthrough Ley Lines EP on The Vinyl Factory imprint with a brilliant new cosmic jazz recording, titled Rain Dance, released on her brand new label Movementt.
Led by drummer Malcolm Catto and bassist Jake Ferguson, the London-based cosmic-jazz-meets-psychedelic-funk ensemble The Heliocentrics have been at the forefront of some of the most forward-thinking records over the past two decades, collaborating with legendary artists like Mulatu Astatke, Lloyd Miller, Orlando Julius, Melvin Van Peebles and many others. The group has just released a great new album on groundbreaking producer Madlib’s label, Madlib Invazion.
Paris-based label Favorite Recordings has recently released a great new disco-influenced jazz-funk single “Recalling You” from Finland-based saxophonist and producer Andre Solomko.
Composer, multi-instrumentalist and Tortoise guitarist Jeff Parker follows up his first New Breed recording, released back in 2016 and named best album of the year by London’s Observer, with a great new album on Chicago’s International Anthem, titled Suite for Max Brown.
One of the records that completely missed my radar when it was released back in the summer of 2019 was Los Angeles producer Jason McGuiness brilliant cosmic jazz album Empyrean Tones.
The London-based quartet Ruby Rushton, led by flautist Ed Cawthorne aka Tenderlonious and featuring trumpeter Nick Walters, keyboardist Aidan Shepherd, and drummer Tim Carnegie kick off 2020 with a great new limited-edition 7inch single on 22a.
In what has turned into quite a productive year for Greg Foat, the London-based pianist follows up a number of incredible releases for Edinburgh’s Athens of The North label, including the one of the year’s best albums in The Mage, and released another brilliant full-length to close out the year, titled The Dreaming Jewels.
One of the best releases in 2018 was Makaya McCraven’s widely collaborative Where We Come From (CHICAGOxLONDON Mixtape), a recording that brought together some of the most forward-thinking musicians and beat makers from both Chicago and London. One of the many standout tracks from that session was London-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray’s “Too Shy”. Total Refreshment Records and International Anthem have teamed up again to release an extended version on a new twelve-inch single.
This December, London-based independent label Clap City Records will be reissuing the 7inch version of the highly-obscure 1975 jazz-funk classic ‘Farewell To The Welfare’ by Wendell Harrison and the legendary Detroit Tribe collective.
The London-based trio Still Moving featuring saxophonist Nat Philipps, drummer Pike Ogilvy, and keyboardist Sam Bates have just released a brilliant debut self-titled EP on Lanquidity Records.
Respected vinyl collector, selector, and Mr Bongo family member Gary Johnson has started a new label Pressure Makes Diamonds, focusing on making obscure and pricey recordings available to the masses. This UK-based record label’s first reissue release is the impossible-to-find 1980 jazz-funk twelve-inch single Paradise Island from Florida’s Azwon.
