Cerca:east 4

Just as his basslines never stay within the limits of the obvious, so Joe Sanders" life as a bassist, composer, band-leader and educator has never followed the single, most discernible pathway. A Midwest native, he"s studied and played jazz on the opposite coasts of California and New York: a master of the acoustic bass, he"s equally at home producing in the digital realm; embedded deep in the living tradition of American jazz; and living, teaching and creating in Europe. All these separate strands come together on his third headline release, "Parallels". The album presents a set of live recordings from a dream line-up that matches the leader"s full-bodied acoustic bass presence with Seamus Blake, Logan Richardson and Gregory Hutchinson in performances that capture all the daring and drive of the East coast scene. Alongside them is a set of studio self-productions with guests Jure Pukl and Taylor Eigisti that capture the laid-back dreamy adventurousness of the West Coast.

Gitkin returns with Golden Age, a showcase of the latest evolution of his lyrical guitar-driven sound. Exploring the endless expanses of cumbia, North African/Middle Eastern music, the guitarist has increasingly brought his own personality to these traditions, creating a lively interplay between distant modes and rhythms and his own New Orleans-steeped sound.

After two highly acclaimed EPs and a number of collaborations, singer, songwriter and melodist Enchantée Julia opens a new chapter in her career with ONZE, a debut album with a carefully matured groove on which she blazes a trail in France, between neo-soul intentions and R&B inflections. Or the art of grooving a French language that's not always all-terrain, of marrying a certain lyricism inherited from chanson with the rhythmic and melodic codes of contemporary soul with Anglo-Saxon roots.

Such is the promise kept by Enchantée Julia on this album, recorded between south-east France and the Noble studio in Paris - where sound engineer Clément Caritg (Luidji, Lala &ce, Lossapardo...) helped meticulously shape the sonic identity of the 11 tracks, 8 of which are produced (or co-produced) by the young and highly visible multi-instrumentalist LaBlue. With her pure, celestial voice, set against sophisticated arrangements, she recounts her most intimate emotional torments in an unvarnished yet poetic way.

Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, and arriving as a specially expanded edition to mark the occasion, the Murder Was The Case soundtrack remains an iconic work in hip-hop history. Originally accompanying the short film directed by Dr. Dre and Fab Five Freddy, this album embodies the essence of West Coast gangsta rap of the 90s. Featuring tracks from legends of the game like Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, and more, it captures the gritty realities of street life with raw lyricism and infectious beats. From the haunting title track to the catchy grooves of 'Natural Born Killaz,' each song immerses you in the vivid world of the film and the era's burgeoning rap scene.

2024 Repress

at mule musiq, we've focused on shining light on the many aspects of what electronic music can be, putting out house, techno and ambient releases on our main label, while releasing alternative-leaning dance music through our endless flight imprint. but with the launch of our new label, studio mule, we are stepping away from electronic club music for a bit. the label will not be tied to a specific genre, as we will instead focus on releasing any kind of music that we feel is a little bit different and interesting, but somehow make sense in this day and age. for our first batch of releases, we will be focusing on japanese music.
to be honest, i have been watching the recent rise of global interest in japanese music with a skeptical eye, not sure of how to feel about all these labels overseas licensing great albums that were birthed in our country. but then, i was told by somebody i greatly respect that i should do something similar with mule, and put our own spin on it, which sounded like a good idea to me. after a period of procrastination, i finally got around to doing it. we are starting things off with a compilation of japanese disco, boogie and soul music that we selected from a modern dance music perspective — the kind of songs that we feel would intrigue music fans across the world.
at first, i started seeking authentic-sounding disco that sound like it could have been recorded in the states, but after struggling to get licensing rights for many of those tracks, i started to wonder if that was really the direction we should be going in. when we start new labels or projects, we often come up with the title or artwork first, before deciding on the actual music. we came up with the title midnight in tokyo first, which dictated that we needed to find music that would be a perfect soundtrack to listen to at night in tokyo. we ended up compiling a selection of tracks that you could both listen to at home, and play in clubs at certain time slots. the compilation also ended up sounding a lot more pop than we initially imagined...
during the selection process, we did not care whether the tracks have been reissued already or not, and how rare the original copies of the records were. our sole purpose was to gather a handful of songs from across labels, major or otherwise, that we felt could be listened to for many years to come — even after this whole japanese music trend dies down. although we put together this release mainly for listeners outside of japan, the compilation can also be a chance for japanese music lovers to rediscover the greatness of domestic music, as we did during the process.
the compilation starts off with the afro disco classic 'mi mi africa' by harmonica player nobuo yagi, which was also included in the compilation mastercuts.
'silver top' is a jazzy fusion disco taken from composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist nobuyuki shimizu's first album, which he released when he was 19. the track features singer epo, whom he worked with many times over the years as an arranger.
'samba night' is by vocalist keisuke yamamoto and his band piper, from their masterpiece second album summer breeze. a delightful city pop number that should appeal to tatsuro yamashita fans.
'akogareno sundown' is a japanese soul classic, sang by singer haruko kuwana (the sister of well-known musi-cian masahiro kuwana). recorded in hawaii and produced by mackey feary band, known for the soulful classic 'a million stars.'
'koiwa saiko (i'm in love)' is a mellow and groovy track by singer aru takamura, the great-grandchild of sculptor kouun takamura, whose son kotaro takamura is a famed poet and sculptor. can be thought of as japan's answer to cheryl lynn's 'got to be real.'
'what the magic is to try' is a cult electropop track by honma express, a project helmed by producer kanji honma. hailed as japan's trevor horn, he is also known as the producer of legendary techno pop band tpo.
'colored music' is a song by colored music, a duo of pianist ichiko hashimoto and her partner atsuo fujimoto, who have gone on tour with ymo. taken from colored music's sole album, the japanese rare groove treasure is a mesh of new wave, synth pop and jazz influences.
the dubby electronic new wave disco 'electric city' is a b side of pop idol group shohjo-tai's debut 12' single, but the girls aren't actually singing on it, making the instrumental one of japan's greatest '80s dance tracks.
'love is the competition' is a breezy disco jam by okinawa-born bilingual artist hitomi tohyama. featured on her album next door, the song's melody seems like an interpolation of the whispers' 'it's a love thing.'
taken from mariah project's diva yumi murata's first album, 'krishna' is a funky and soulful rockin' disco cut.reminiscent of chaka khan's 'i know you, i live you,' 'live hard, live free' is a song by jazz vocalist eri ohno who is known for her work with dj krush and singing on the soundtrack to anime rupin the third.
'rocket 88' is a melancholic disco number by singer minnie. though the track was released through sapporo's independent label paradise records, the superb production quality suggests otherwise.
closing out the 13-track compilation is japanese disco staple 'tokyo melody,' sang by half african and half swedish american singer shoody and backed by tetsuji hayashi's disco band the eastern gang.

Eighties jazzfunk with electronic edge - TIP!

Rare 1985 session from guitarist Eddie Fisher, the East St. Louis native whose best known for the jazz/funk albums “The Next One Hundred Years” and “The Third Cup”. Fisher, who died in 2007, never really achieved major stardom, but has become a cult figure over the last years, thanks in large part to DJs and crate diggers who discovered his music and spread the word.

Perhaps the most obscure item in his catalog, “The Promise” was issued only on vinyl in 1985 on Fisher's own Nentu label and has been out of print for years . Boogie Jazz Funk at its best.

Yemen Blues was founded in 2010 by the singer, multi-instrumentalist and extraordinary showman Ravid Kahalani. Their music is inspired by the culture of Yemen which is at the crossroads of the Arab world, East Africa and Jewish traditions. A culture that reconciles the learned and the popular and mystical experience. Connect these age-old and essential trances with the most contemporary energies of Blues, Funk and Rock; let it be played by extraordinary musicians.
High energy and profundity; freshness and mastery are all combined in the world of Yemen Blues. Shabazi - A Tribute to the Poet is a special project imagined by the group, setting the most beautiful texts of the greatest Yemeni poet of the 17th century Shalem Shabazi to 21st century music. The mix was done by Tamir Muskat (Balkan Beat Box and Gogol Bordello).

Music from Skalpel's iconic debut for Ninja Tune, reinterpreted by top Polish producers! 

Poland's ambassadors of jazz-inspired electronics invited outstanding local producers of downtempo, dance music, hip-hop, and jazz to remix this album. The result is "Recut," the best remix album in the history of Polish phonography. A record every bit as worthy as the historic original. It’s an extraordinary tale of the past and present of Polish electronic music.


This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Skalpel’s debut album, which was released by the famous British label Ninja Tune in 2004. The Polish duo, Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudło, gained international acclaim by venturing into the then lesser-known territory of Eastern European jazz, updating it with electronic tools.
Pitchfork praised the album enthusiastically: „On these tracks, Skalpel smudge the line between organic and electronic effortlessly, like a landscape artist working with charcoal, creating deep nuances of light and shadow that give the work its overall depth. (…)Its rhythmic dexterity and melodic sweep are hard to deny” -
The prestigious The Wire added: "Jazz, breaks, scat shuffles and funky riffs? of the highest standard. This release deserves to see them revered far beyond Poland"

Today, looking back over two decades, this album can be confidently considered a milestone in Polish electronica and a timeless classic of downtempo, nu-jazz, and trip-hop. Thanks to this record, the band also gained worldwide recognition, and their subsequent consistently high-quality albums like "Highlight" and "Origins" continue to attract significant interest.
Skalpel’s debut with Ninja Tune undoubtedly changed the face of Polish music, redefined the perception of the Polish jazz canon, and paved the way for younger creators. "Many of them, on 'Recut,' pay tribute to the enduring legacy of Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudło.
Artists like Magiera, Emade, 1988, Kixnare, Steez, Latarnik, Envee, Pejzaż, Etnobotanika, and others are now recognized names and respected figures in the Polish music scene. Though each of the artists invited by the Wrocław duo has developed their own original style, they find common roots in the duo’s music, on the border between jazz groove, hip-hop ease, downtempo moodiness, or ambient.
The excellent interpretations showcase the incredible potential revealed by Skalpel’s debut material, which continues to inspire new discoveries. This is a record that does not age, still captivates, and continues to inspire and provoke new interpretations.


Let’s RECUT this!!

Founded in 1961 by George Kooymans and Rinus Gerritsen, Dutch rock band Golden Earring (or Golden Earrings, until 1969) started off as a beat band, experimented as a psychedelic quartet and finally became a heavy rock group in the early 70s. Their ninth album ‘Moontan’ (1973) hit the international album charts and is the band's most successful album in the United States, while the single ‘Radar Love’ reached #10 on the Cash Box Top 100 and #13 in Billboard in the United States and became a bonafide international classic rock song. Their current line-up has been constant since 1970. They have had over 40 hits and released about 30 albums, many achieving either gold or platinum status in their home country, The Netherlands.

In 1984 the band released the album N.E.W.S. (North, East, West, South). It features the song ‘When The Lady Smiles’ which became an international hit in 1984, reaching #3 in Canada and becoming the band's fifth #1 hit in The Netherlands.

Music On Vinyl celebrates the 40th anniversary of this landmark album with fully restored and remastered audio from the original master tapes.

How wild did things get in 1967? So wild that a label (Audio Fidelity) not particularly known for its hipness put out a record with an insert to send away for “psychedelic ornaments” so you, too, could throw an acid party! And the back cover offered “instructions” referencing everybody from Emmett Grogan of the Diggers to Albert Hofmann, the discoverer of LSD. But perhaps the most amazing thing about this album was that, despite its almost comical (though well- informed) attempt to cash in on the psychedelic craze, How to Blow Your Mind and Have a Freak-Out Party wound up being a charming and even entrancing psych-pop gem of a record, albeit one with its requisite share of Eastern-influenced mumbo-jumbo. For its first-ever American vinyl reissue, we’re pressing up just 500 copies in “orange sunshine” vinyl, complete with the insert (you can try sending it in, but don’t get your hopes up). Groovy, man!

Originally released in 2002 Mason Jennings' 3rd album saw him emerging as an accomplished folk/pop troubadour. The first time available on vinyl, the LP comes with new reimagined artwork by Antonio Jesus Moreno/El Ciento. "In the spirit of Ray Davies, Rufus Wainwright, and John Hiatt, Jennings' witty vocal inflections speak volumes, underpinning his meditative lyrics with sex appeal and wisdom borne of experience." -All Music

Reissue des sechsten Toxpackers, original aus 2011, endlich wieder auf Vinyl! 2011 veröffentlichten TOXPACK zum 10 jährigen Bandjubiläum ihr Album "Bastarde von Morgen" und danach war nichts mehr wie zuvor für die Berliner: Das Album war Start- und Sprungbrett für den rasanten Erfolg der Band, die seitdem in den vordersten Rängen der Charts mit ihren Veröffentlichungen vertreten sind. Und Fans sind sich einig: "Bastarde von Morgen" ist ein Meilenstein gewesen und ihr wohl bestes Album! Ihr packender Trademark-Sound aus Punk, Hardcore, Rock`n`Roll und einem Hauch Metal, von der Band gerne als East Berlin Street Core (E.B.S.C.) umschrieben, entwickelte sich von Album zu Album weiter und hat ihnen eine zahlreiche und stetig wachsende Fangemeinde beschert. 13 mitreißende Songs, die sofort ins Ohr gehen - und in Refrains gipfeln, die durch die Bank stadiontauglich sind. Textlich schleichen sich Tiefgang und Reife in den als beherzt zupackend bekannten Themenkreis der Band ein. Die bewährte Tradition, befreundete Musiker als Gastsänger ins Studio zu holen, wird mit Roi Pearce von The Last Resort (Heute So, Morgen So) und Paul Shearer von Sheer Terror (E.B.S.C.) fortgesetzt. "Bastarde Von Morgen" wurde von Studiolegende Harris Johns (im House Of Music / Stuttgart und Musiclab / Berlin) produziert, aufgenommen gemischt und gemastert. Unterm Strich steht ein Monolith von einem Album, das von der Punk- über die Streetcore-Fraktion bis hin zu Metal- und Hardcore-Fans und den Freunden harten deutschsprachigen Rocks alle prompt dort abholt, wo sie gerade stehen. Und das ganz ohne einen einzigen Funken Beliebigkeit. Ein sicherer Streetpunk-Klassiker! Seit vielen Jahren auf Vinyl vergriffen veröffentlicht ihr damaliges Label "Sunny Bastards" jetzt eine Collector's Edition Neuauflage auf 180gr. Vinyl in zwei Farben jeweils limitiert auf nur 250 Stück!

Reissue des sechsten Toxpackers, original aus 2011, endlich wieder auf Vinyl! 2011 veröffentlichten TOXPACK zum 10 jährigen Bandjubiläum ihr Album "Bastarde von Morgen" und danach war nichts mehr wie zuvor für die Berliner: Das Album war Start- und Sprungbrett für den rasanten Erfolg der Band, die seitdem in den vordersten Rängen der Charts mit ihren Veröffentlichungen vertreten sind. Und Fans sind sich einig: "Bastarde von Morgen" ist ein Meilenstein gewesen und ihr wohl bestes Album! Ihr packender Trademark-Sound aus Punk, Hardcore, Rock`n`Roll und einem Hauch Metal, von der Band gerne als East Berlin Street Core (E.B.S.C.) umschrieben, entwickelte sich von Album zu Album weiter und hat ihnen eine zahlreiche und stetig wachsende Fangemeinde beschert. 13 mitreißende Songs, die sofort ins Ohr gehen - und in Refrains gipfeln, die durch die Bank stadiontauglich sind. Textlich schleichen sich Tiefgang und Reife in den als beherzt zupackend bekannten Themenkreis der Band ein. Die bewährte Tradition, befreundete Musiker als Gastsänger ins Studio zu holen, wird mit Roi Pearce von The Last Resort (Heute So, Morgen So) und Paul Shearer von Sheer Terror (E.B.S.C.) fortgesetzt. "Bastarde Von Morgen" wurde von Studiolegende Harris Johns (im House Of Music / Stuttgart und Musiclab / Berlin) produziert, aufgenommen gemischt und gemastert. Unterm Strich steht ein Monolith von einem Album, das von der Punk- über die Streetcore-Fraktion bis hin zu Metal- und Hardcore-Fans und den Freunden harten deutschsprachigen Rocks alle prompt dort abholt, wo sie gerade stehen. Und das ganz ohne einen einzigen Funken Beliebigkeit. Ein sicherer Streetpunk-Klassiker! Seit vielen Jahren auf Vinyl vergriffen veröffentlicht ihr damaliges Label "Sunny Bastards" jetzt eine Collector's Edition Neuauflage auf 180gr. Vinyl in zwei Farben jeweils limitiert auf nur 250 Stück!

Recorded at the Studio Acousti, Paris, September 23, 1965.

Original LP issue: International Polydor Production – 46.871.

This self-titled album is a testimony of the short lived-band led by New-York drummer Ron Jefferson during his stay in Paris in the mid-60s. After a first album under his name on Pacific Jazz in 1962, the founding member of The Jazz Modes and the Les McCann trio made the trip overseas.

Here, he made his living by playing with the popular pianists Errol Parker or Hazel Scott but his main drive was this trio that he formed with two other US expats, bassist Roland Haynes (the same musician who recorded an album on Black Jazz as a pianist, as confirmed by Kirk Lightsey) and guitarist Buz Saviano. After a highly successful show at ‘Palais de Chaillot’ in 1965, they were invited for a series of concerts in Dakar Sénégal. On their return, Polydor International proposed them this session. You can hear the deep impact their stay in the Motherland had on their music on the stand-out track ‘Africa the Beautiful’. On pair with the best of Yusef Lateef’s afro-eastern explorations from the time, it showcases Ron on flute and Senegalese percussion. The album release nonetheless was a commercial failure that prompted the band’s separation and Ron’s return to New-York where he performed until his passing in 2007.

Only a few copies of this record ever made it to the shops at the time and very few have had the chance to listen to it before this legit reissue remastered from the original MONO master tapes.

– Antoine Rajon –

Ron Jefferson (Drums & Flute)
Buz Saviano (Guitar)
Roland Haynes (Bass)
Jackie Robinson (Vocal on The Speaker)

While fighting through label limbo and placing his budding film career on freeze, Antwan “Big Boi” Patton spent a couple years readying the artillery for his solo close-up. Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty is both a testament to the maturation of Big Boi and a tribute to his late father; underneath, it’s a speakeasy at breakneck speed, sittin’ on 32s. Where many other formidable MCs would be eaten alive, Big Boi shapeshifts across every mood and landscape with his trademark tenacity. He’s an effortless showboat who can portray sleaze with ease, but he’s a true class act who’s got nothing left to prove, yet will never let it show. Flanked by his known co-conspirators and many more, Big Boi blesses the senses the way only an East Point playboy can; it’s an intergenerational time warp, and another funky ride in HD. The final product is a natural progression of his Organized Noize lineage, sent across dimensions to return with an assemblage of time-tested potent Black grooves, then pressure-cooked in the kitchen of thefinest booty club in Georgia.

The two separate double vinyl sets are now available that correlate to the triple CD released earlier this year. TMTCH stumbled into existence onstage at the Alternative Country Festival, Electric Ballroom, Camden on Easter Sunday in 1984; after a long afternoon busking and drinking in a Hammersmith subway. They knew three chords and a hundred songs all of which sounded a bit the same, a frenzied skiffle that was exciting to jump around and drink snakebite to. If they thought about longevity at all, a lifespan of 40 days seemed most likely. It's forty years later and they are still running. Since those early days, and without much of a game plan other than always stepping onward, TMTCH have released around 20 albums plus many side projects, bootlegs, curios and an unknown number of T shirts. They've toured constantly, whether in dingy pub backrooms or Grand Ballrooms and Festival Stages. From Cairo to Reykjavik and all points in between, the TMTCH roadshow has shambled and thrilled through the decades, always passionate, always literate, occasionally dishevelled. Forty years of recording has spawned a vast back catalogue, well represented here by songs from each album, style and era; a tapestry of human stories and vibrant characters. So there are the fast sprints like early folk hoedown 'Ironmasters', the frantic shanty 'Raising Hell' and the amphetamine punk blues of 'Going Back to Coventry'. Then there are the waltzing folk ballads, from their impassioned version of the anti war standard 'Green Fields Of France' to the bitter regret of 'The Bells' and the righteous testimony of 'Our Day'. Elsewhere there are anthems galore; 'The Crest' a swirling gaelic chant, 'Rosettes', a fast marching assault of drums, fiddles and mandolins; historical epics such as 'Ghosts Of Cable Street', 'Shirt of Blue' and 'The Colours'; romantic ballads like the wistful 'Parted From You' and 'Island in The Rain'. All the eras are here; from the wiry lo fi of the first album, through the eighties into full blown MTV ready multi trackers with vast charging drums; the initial simplicity of their recipe deepening and darkening. And then on through the nineties, noughties and tens; always the double pronged vocals drifting between harmony and unison, always the celtic, folk and country tones vying for attention, the emotive fiddle, the top end mandolin above the thundering rhythm section. On through bouffant hair, spiky hair, dyed hair, thin hair and hats; on through Grunge, Baggy, Madchester, Rave, Britpop. On through the Miner's Strike, Poll Tax, New Labour, Iraq and Brexit. On through marriage, children, loss and revival. Forty years at the working end of rock and roll is a feat achieved by very few bands. It requires tremendous chemistry, a deep catalogue; both panoramic and miniature, a vital and irrepressible energy, all of which is on resplendent display in this sprawling 3 disc compilation. But most of all it requires an intense resilience, something that TMTCH possess in spades. Forty years on the run; was ever a band so aptly named?

Bill Laurance and Michael League, longtime friends and collaborators, have released their second duo album “Keeping Company,” which contrasts with the larger scale of Snarky Puppy. The album showcases an intimate musical partnership, with Laurance focusing on acoustic piano and League on fretless bass and oud, creating a rich, sparse sound that blends Western and Middle Eastern influences. Building on their successful debut, “Where You Wish You Were,” they emphasize deeper exploration and personality while prioritizing live recordings to capture organic spontaneity. Laurance’s use of a lightly prepared piano adds texture, while League's self-taught approach to the oud introduces exotic timbres and expressive nuances. Their partnership thrives on experimentation, with Laurance’s clear, compact melodies complementing League's unique ornaments. “Keeping Company” serves as a snapshot of their evolving friendship and artistic dialogue, highlighting spontaneity and shared humor in their music.

Freestyle Records drop another UK boogie 12" rarity from Eddie Capone's Treatment, this time the previously white label-only "Only You Know What I Like" from 1985. Limited to 300 copies worldwide.

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A mainstay of the UK's reggae, soul, funk & rock circuits since the early 1970s, Eddie Capone has played with a diverse and revered collection of acts; Chairmen of the Board, The Foundations, Black Velvet, The Elgins, Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come, Arthur Lee's Love, Billy Preston and Edwin Starr to name but a few. Eddie was also part of short-lived group Casablanca, with David Costa & Barry Clarke of early 70's folk-rockers Trees, signed to Elton John's Rocket Record Company.

Eddie founded the Treatment band in the early 1980s bringing in a revolving cast of singers and players, and created the Treatment Records imprint out of his own Black Rock studio in South East London in 1982. Releasing a string of singles - with efforts from Eddie Capone's Treatment, a side-project with singer Beryl Marsden as Salt & Pepper, and a single from Norwegian group Wave - Treatment Records then followed this up in 1985 with the 12" release of "I Won't Give You Up" with Diane Jones brought in on vocal duties. This received solid support amongst DJs and radio at the time, and was quickly followed with this solid slice of white label-only UK boogie-funk that has since become a favoured deep cut on the selectors circuit.

Treatment Records continued through the 1980s through to early 1990s releasing Eddie's music, both as a solo artist and as part of collaborative side-projects, and Eddie has continued to write, perform and produce music from his home studio right through to the present day. As a committed community figure & activist in South East London, Eddie has since 2014 re-started Treatment Records under the name of 3G Treatment - bringing together three generations of people from the local area to ensure young artists & musicians have access to the expertise and experience of their elders for support and encourage successful careers in the industry.