Cerca:connors

Masks is New York duo comprised of Max Ravitz aka Patricia (L.I.E.S, Opal Tapes, Ghostly) and Alexis Georgopoulos aka Arp (RVNG Intl, Mexican Summer, DFA, Smalltown Supersound). The aptly titled EP2 is (yes, you guessed it!) their second release, preceded by their Opal Tapes debut Food Plus Drug (II) — which gained support from Legowelt, Mount Kimbie and Boomkat — and a compilation appearance on esteemed Beats In Space 15 year anniversary 3xLP.

On paper, it might strike one as a strange duo. Ravitz’s work leans heavily on house and techno, but his recent work has been focused towards emotive melodies of IDM. And Georgopoulos has been busy creating minimalistic classical music for RVNG and most recently made waves with his critically-acclaimed album Zebra, which combined elements of 4th World and cosmic jazz.

All the tracks making up EP2 were made as live performances. No overdubs. Nothing "in the box". Just classic hardware and a strong vibe.

Opener "In This Room" is the sound of a NY summer sunset, pivoting on a hypnotic rotation of orange-hued chords. "Emotional Response" displays a different side of the group. Combining a 909 with a piano tug, it could provide that perfect soundtrack to a cathartic cry on the dancefloor.

On the flip side, "In Another Room" is dreamy techno par excellence, before sliding into an acid chugg for the ages. Bookworms smears the sun of "In This Room" into a 4am whirl, all purple lights and mountains of fog.

The cover artwork features the artwork of Sanou Oumar, a recent emigrant from Burkina Faso, West Africa. He graduated from the University of Ouagadougou in 2007 and moved to the United States to seek asylum in 2015. He currently lives in the Bronx and works in Harlem, New York. In 2018, Oumar had his first two-person exhibition (with Matt Paweski) at Gordon Robichaux in New York, and in 2019 (with Elisabeth Kley) at South Willard in Los Angeles, curated by Matt Connors.

“Be There In The Morning” is such an amazing song Renee Geyer co-wrote she recorded it twice! While the 1976 original is smooth and classy, it’s the more upbeat funky 1977 version of the song she sang that’s the definitive and re-released here. It was first reissued by Expansion on 2003’s “Soul Togetherness” compilation, and the 1979 version of the song recorded by Norman Connors was reissued as a 7” by Expansion in 2016. For this 7” the track has been re-mastered to it’s ultimate best and coupled, for the first time on 7”, with a superb version of “It Only Happens (When I Look At You), a song best known by Aretha Franklin and also known by Jackie Wilson. The version is a duet with fellow Australian Doug Williams of The Rockmelons.

Amazing and unique private soul/jazz-funk fusion LP, 'New York To L.A.: Coasting' is the first release (1980) on Andrew Scott Potter and David Eric Tillman's PO/ET label. Sublime from the beginning to the end, it has become, just like their second and final release '...Space...Rapture...', a sought-after collector's item.

Andrew and Eric both come from Chicago. They met in the early 70's, shortly after Eric's discharge from the U.S. Air Force. They played together on the local jazz scene for several years (among others, with Maulawi). During that period, Andrew also toured with Minnie Riperton and Eric toured with The Dells, Linda Clifford and others. In the late 70's Eric left Chicago for Los Angeles, when he began touring with The Temptations. Since moving to California Eric has played and/or recorded with a variety of artists, including, Willie Bobo, Justo Almario, Alex Acuna, Norman Connors, Billy Paul, GAP Band, Linda Hopkins, Billy Higgins, O.C. Smith, and many others.

Essential repress of stunning 1977 Disco-soul rarity, written, produced and arranged by the incredible team of Norman Connors, Reggie Lucas and James Mtume. Vitamin E, a a short-lived group that yielded only 2 singles and one long player during their time certainly knew who to work with in the studio. 'Kiss Away' is an absolute belter, raw and raunchy Funk riffing gives way to some ultra smooth, grown-up stepping Soul awash with some stellar string arrangements. This one is definitely for the dancers, it simply glides along with the utmost class and sophistication, an incredibly uplifting and funky cut that features here in it's 1977 special disco version guise as per the original Buddah Records release. On the flip is a cool cover of Neil Sedaka's 1974 hit 'Laughter In The Rain' - a sweet version, no doubt, but the real winner is the stellar A-side. Reissued, remastered and re-presented for 2018 by Above Board distribution - 100% legit and licensed.

The Norman Connors produced Aquarian Dream first appeared in 1976 with their debut album on Buddah, featuring the extremely popular 'Phoenix' along with the club dancer 'East 6th Street'.

Both tracks were only released previously on 12" in the UK and quickly became a huge collector's item with the release averaging £50 on Discogs some 38 years later.

Fully remastered on limited edition 180 gram heavyweight vinyl,
officially reissued for the first time since its original release.

Eleanore Mills is a classic Soul singer with a sweet and sophicated voice, who recorded her debut album 'This is Eleanore Mills' for the Sylvia Robinson's All Platinum subsidiary Astroscope in 1974. The album has a broad range of Soul and early Disco/Soul cuts. It did not sell in vast numbers on its initial release but has become heavily in demand in the last 20 years and appeals to a broad spectrum of Soul and Disco collectors and DJ's.. Original copies are highly collectable and in mint condition now sell for around £300- £400. Eleanore went on to record with Norman Connors on his 'This Is Your Life' album in 1977 (recently issued on CD by Soul Brother) and then developed into singing Soulful house having a huge record with 'Mr Right' in the late 80's.