HONEYPIE News

A much needed reissue of another obscure Afro-Jazz piece of vinyl. This is legendary percussionist and activist Olatunji's classic album originally released in 1961 and featuring Jazz heavyweights such as Yusef Lateef - Clark Terry, George Duvivier, and master percussionists like Ray Barreto and Montego Joe among others. "Zungo" sounds as some sort of an ongoing orgy in Afro percussion grooves with Olatunji at the head of a large and varied group including horns, guitar, bass, multiple percussion and drums, plus a 13 piece choir.

Split on two LPs, this is Monk's complete concert at the Montreal Jazz Festival in August 1965. At the head of his last great quartet featuring Charlie Rouse on tenor sax, Larry Gales on bass and Ben Riley on drums, Thelonious "Sphere" Monk was in top form delivering a strong set of angular tunes including originals such as "Straight No Chaser," Evidence", Epistrophy, "Blue Monk" and a rare interpretation of a classic standard like "April in Paris".

Jack Nitzsche, a close collaborator of master producer Phil Spector, was an American musician, arranger and film music composer who worked extensively as keyboard player with high caliber rock stars like the Rolling Stones and Neil Young, among others. "The Lonely Surfer" originally released on Reprise records in 1963 was the first album under his own name. An all instrumental mix of Surf aesthetic and
eclectic orchestral arrangements featuring great West Coast based studio musicians such as guitarist Tommy Tedesco, drummer Hal Blaine and pianist Leon Russell. A golden summer classic full of surfing
sounds and vibes that can be easily summed up in one word: Timeless.

Needless to remark the importance of Max Roach in the evolution of modern Jazz drumming. Let's just say that back In the mid Forties the young Roach has performed in most of Charlie Parker's recordings
including the legendary Savoy sessions, a crucial step in the history of Jazz recording. Recorded in NY between 1957 and 1958 and originally released on Emarcy label this is Roach's first official tribute to
Charlie Parker. This is also Roach's first pianoless group, a formula which will become a trademark in his later career. Here Roach displays a strong line up featuring Kenny Dorham on trumpet, George Coleman or Hank Mobley on tenor sax, and Nelson Boyd or George Marrow on bass. The tracklist includes six highly inventive versions of Parker's classic Bop tunes such as "Yardbird Suite", Confirmation", "Ko-Ko", "Billie's Bounce", "Apres-vous", and "Parker's Mood". What else?

Recorded in 1959 at the height of the Latin Jazz Era, This is Mongo Santamaria's second album for Fantasy Records. A deep and fascinating investigation of Afro-Cuban roots run by the great percussionist and a
quite large group featuring Paul Horn on flute, Emil Richards on vibraphone, Al McKibbons on bass and of course lots of multicolored percussion and vocals split by a bunch of masters players including
Armando Peraza and Willie Bobo.The album opens with the redolent melody of "Afro-Blue" one of his most beautiful compositions which later became a classic Jazz standards with historical renditions by
the likes of John Coltrane, Abbey Lincoln and Oscar Brown Jr.

Hugh Masekela, live at The Record Plant on 24th February 1974. This legendary South African-born trumpeter became a major star when he appeared at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, and he had a smash hit with Grazing In The Grass the following year. This superb set was originally broadcast on KSAN-FM, and captures him at his infectious best.

Here's another piece of music history. The Temptations, one of the greatest and influential vocal groups in the history of "Soul" are well represented here through a selection of their early singles. The group's immaculate vocal harmonies stand as a unique sound monument in American music culture and this disc shows us the origins of such a myth.

A great collection of Wonder's early 60s work. When as a Tamla's young prodigy named Little Stevie, still under the influence of Ray Charles, he began hitting the charts, proving his genius with songs like "Contract on Love", "Fingertips - Pt 2" and "Work Out Stevie, Work Out"

This fine collection catches the future "Father of Soul" heading into his early R&B period. 18 examples of pioneering "Soul" experiments as part of an historical musical transformation based on hits such as "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand" and "Kissa Me Baby".

Split in two volumes, here is the sum of James Brown's early five year period 1956 - 1960, when JB (and his Famous Flames) was obsessively searching for his own sound. Selected from a bunch of 19 two-sided singles, and including super hits such as "Please, Please, Please", "Try Me" and "I'll go crazy", this collection represents James Brown's fundamental groundwork for the coming Soul Music revolution.

A crucial live at Carnegie Hall by the renowned trumpet player, subtitled The Legendary Performances of May 19, 1961. This live performance features Davis with his regular quintet and also accompanied by Gil Evans and his 21-piece orchestra. The orchestra is heard on several selections drawn from Miles Ahead as well as a complete reading of the adagio movement from Concierto de Aranjuez as recorded on Sketches of Spain. The concert begins with the orchestra playing the Gil Evans introduction to "So What", which is performed by the quintet, and then segues directly into the only recording of an Evans arrangement of "Spring is Here".

Mwandishi: one of the most influential combos in the history of electric Jazz. This is Herbie Hancock's creature caught live at the Juan-les-Pins Jazz Festival in France on July 21st, 1971. H. Hancock - piano and Fender Rhodes, Bennie Maupin - saxes, bass cl. and flute, Eddie Henderson - trumpet, Julian Priester - trombone, Buster Williams - bass and Billy Hart - drums. A highly progressive form of modern Jazz based on the mix of different elements. Some sort of Afro-Electric-Funk sound journey where waves of multiple pulsating sounds develop in a continuous alternation between tension and release. A marvelous band for which live performances often show more than studio recordings.

Most listeners only became aware of Billy Preston as a solo artist after he signed to Apple Records in the late 1960s. But he'd been recording for a long time prior to that, dating back to when he was a teenager. This instrumental album for Sam Cooke's SAR label (issued on its sister Derby imprint) was cut in March 1963, when Preston was still going to high school in Los Angeles. The very fact that it's wholly instrumental indicates that it's pretty early in Preston's evolution, and though he does play some piano, it's really on the more uptempo, organ-dominated tunes where he hits the best groove. In truth, these aren't any great shakes even when it comes to soul organ instrumentals, but they have a nice swinging bounce that places them a cut above period background music, though they fall a good ways short of being spellbinding. The slower numbers (including covers of hits by Sam Cooke and Ray Charles) verge on easy listening; in contrast, the more urgent cuts are cookin', with bop, jazz, and gospel influences spicing up the soul/R&B recipe. (allmusic)

Minit Records was an American independent record label, originally based in New Orleans and founded by Joe Banashak in 1959. Hereby all the singles released by singer Aaron Neville between 1960 and 1963, one of the key figure of the local scene and founding member of the Neville Brothers. The first of his singles that was given airplay outside of New Orleans was "Over You", opening track of this amazing and mandatory compilation.

Talking about the foundation of Jamaican music, the Alpha Boys School in Kingston can be considered as one of the places where it all began! Back in the day, under the direction of Sister Mary Ignatius, the school was the place where young boys from the poor neighborhoods in Kingston could embrace an instrument (mostly brass and drums). Then history tells us that some of these kids became among the most influential musicians in the history of Jamaican Jazz, Ska, and Reggae. Joe Harriott, Dizzy Reece, Tommy McCook, Don Drummond, Cedric Brooks, Rico Rodriguez, Johnny Osbourne, Leroy Smart and Yellowman are just some of the fruits of such a great community art project. Now this compilation contains some rare gems produced between 1959 and 1962 by Jamaican Jazz heavyweights such as Tommy Mc Cook, Don Drummond, Ernest Rangling, Lennie Hiibert, Cecil Lloyd and others. This is highly swinging music inspired by the Black American tradition with a unique and inevitable Caribbean flavour. Don't miss it!!!

Another great collection, this time focused on Marvin Gaye's early Tamla productions. A breathtaking sequence of soulful hits released as singles between 1961 and 1963. The "Prince of Motown's lush vocals shines through on every single track of this unmissable album. This is pure Sweet Soul Music at its best.

A fantastic collection focusing on Aretha Franklin hits from the period 1960-62. That's when she started to gain fame as a unique and powerful singer who later became world-known as the Queen of Soul. A great selection of songs full of all the essential ingredients that will inform the development of Soul, Gospel and R&B. The perfect introduction to the spirit and art of the unforgettable Lady Soul.