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Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald's paths had crossed many times during the Thirties, Forties, and early Fifties, but no recorded trace of the two legendary musicians collaborating existed until 1957, when they would come together to produce a series of sessions which include the music on this LP.

It may seem incredible that not a single previous air shot of Ella with Ellington survives, but Duke had a tight band and didn't frequently play with musicians outside of his orchestra. Ella, on the other hand, after coming to fame with the Chick Webb orchestra in the late Thirties, was taken under the wing of Norman Granz's, from which point on she rarely recorded with anyone other than artists contracted to Granz, which included many of the greatest jazzmen of all time.
Because of Ellington's contractual commitments and incredible busy schedule, the sessions where fraught with problems and intermittent delays. Thankfully though, under Granz's supervision and stoicism, the Ella- Duke project was completed.

Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald's paths had surely crossed many times during the Thirties, Forties, and early Fifties. However, no recorded trace of the two legendary musicians collaborating existed until 1957, when they participated on a series of big band sessions for Norman Granz. The sessions were somewhat chaotic and intermittent though, primarily because of Ellington's busy schedule and lack of time to prepare arrangements. As a result, the big band sessions were
padded out it with various all-star sextettes, as represented on the LP.

Raw Poetic produzierte sein neues Album 'Laminated Skies' mit seinem Buddy und häufigen Kollaborateur Damu The Fudgemunk und Gastmusikern wie Pat 'P' Fritz (git) und Luke Stewart (bass). Musikalisch schöpft das mehrdimensionale Werk aus den Genres, die Hip-Hop ausmachen, und Einflüssen aus allen Facetten des Spiritual Jazz. 'Laminated Skies' ist Raw Poetics sechstes Soloalbum und das erste offizielle auf einem Label. Qualität ist ein stetiges Synonym des Künstlers, der auf einen reichhaltigen Lebenslauf mit den Eltern in der Black Panther-Bewegung, mit seinem Onkel Jazzlegende Archie Shepp, als Lead-MC des Duos Panacea (Rawkus) und mit Kollabos mit K-Def, Blu und Kev Brown zurückschauen kann. Das gemeinsam mit Damu produzierte 'Ocean Bridges' (2020) mit dem Saxophonisten Archie Shepp wird als eines der besten Alben des Jahres gefeiert.

Raw Poetic produzierte sein neues Album 'Laminated Skies' mit seinem Buddy und häufigen Kollaborateur Damu The Fudgemunk und Gastmusikern wie Pat 'P' Fritz (git) und Luke Stewart (bass). Musikalisch schöpft das mehrdimensionale Werk aus den Genres, die Hip-Hop ausmachen, und Einflüssen aus allen Facetten des Spiritual Jazz. 'Laminated Skies' ist Raw Poetics sechstes Soloalbum und das erste offizielle auf einem Label. Qualität ist ein stetiges Synonym des Künstlers, der auf einen reichhaltigen Lebenslauf mit den Eltern in der Black Panther-Bewegung, mit seinem Onkel Jazzlegende Archie Shepp, als Lead-MC des Duos Panacea (Rawkus) und mit Kollabos mit K-Def, Blu und Kev Brown zurückschauen kann. Das gemeinsam mit Damu produzierte 'Ocean Bridges' (2020) mit dem Saxophonisten Archie Shepp wird als eines der besten Alben des Jahres gefeiert.

Re-issue of 1968 album by British jazz guitarist (born January 2, 1933 in Doncaster, England). He played with Norman Burns, "Ray Ellington's Quartet", Benny Goodman (in tour in England, 1971), "Don Lusher's Big Band", and as a session man in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Judd uses varying permutations of the following instruments on various tracks. Twelve string guitar, electric Fender guitar, electric Gibson guitar (L4) with a Charlie Christian bar pick-up, and a Maton acoustic guitar.

Last Night From Glasgow is proud to be re-releasing theaudience's first and only album, theaudience

First released in 1998, theaudience features Sophie Ellis- Bextor's debut as a vocalist before her successful solo career, and were founded by Billy Reeves; formerly of indie group Congregation. Hotly tipped by the music press, the band released four fine singles--the latter two reaching the Top 40--before bringing out their self titled debut album in the summer of 1998.The record will feature the original LP split over 3 sides with the side 4 including the bonus tracks :"Mr. Doasyouwouldbedoneby" (original version)"I Know Enough (I Don't Get Enough)" (original version)"A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed" (Blah St acoustic version)"You Get What You Deserve" (piano version)"Keep in Touch" (piano version)"I Can See Clearly"

Working closely with two time Grammy winner Victor Rice (Easy Star All- Stars, Bixiga 70, Ticklah), JonQuan fashions brand new tunes that evoke the majesty of the golden age of reggae.

The digital version is 20 tracks with instrumentals and vocal versions while the vinyl version features all 10 of the vocal versions on black vinyl.

The singles released from this album have caught the ear of the tastemakers of the reggae world, including David Rodigan, who has spun multiple songs on his weekly BBC show

Kate Bollinger's songs tend to linger well beyond their run times, filling the negative space of ordinary days with charming melodies and smart phrasings. She writes them at home in Richmond, Virginia, letting her subconscious lead, an open-ended process she likens to dreaming. From a chord progression appears a line, maybe a syllable will start to stick, enough to pursue, but she says sometimes the words don't feel likeher own, more like shapes that form in the mind's sky. Bollinger's musical universe is relaxed, tender, and unassuming; within lives a timeless sensibility, a songwriter's knack for noticing the little things and their counterpoints. Darkness and light, pain and pleasure, reality and escape. Her new EP, Look at it in the Light, her first project on Ghostly International, is collaborative; she shoots music videos with her friends and colors each of her folk-pop songs with musicians in her community. The title Look at it in the Light is a reference to the aspects of Bollinger's life that she knows need examining. For one, there's her persistent resistance to change _ she chooses to ignore it on the title track ("I try not to notice / I deny my fate"), as wiry strums sync with crisp drums. She surrenders to comfort on "Who Am I But Someone," a light and softly psychedelic number. "Yards / Gardens" finds Bollinger in full swing, skipping verses of uncertainty above a bright and nimble bassline and kick. Guitar riffs unravel across the bridge, trailing her lines like ellipses. The string-backed "Lady in the Darkest Hour" is the set's most luxuriant statement, recorded during a session at Matthew E. White's Spacebomb Studios with in-house arranger Trey Pollard (Natalie Prass, Helado Negro). Here her lines ring bittersweet yet reassuring, uplifted by swells of golden-hued instrumentation. From the hushed abstractions of "I Found Out" to the biting suspicions of closer "Connecting Dots," Kate Bollinger uses every inch of this dazzling EP to find her footing amidst the ever-present sways of life.

Kate Bollinger's songs tend to linger well beyond their run times, filling the negative space of ordinary days with charming melodies and smart phrasings. She writes them at home in Richmond, Virginia, letting her subconscious lead, an open-ended process she likens to dreaming. From a chord progression appears a line, maybe a syllable will start to stick, enough to pursue, but she says sometimes the words don't feel likeher own, more like shapes that form in the mind's sky. Bollinger's musical universe is relaxed, tender, and unassuming; within lives a timeless sensibility, a songwriter's knack for noticing the little things and their counterpoints. Darkness and light, pain and pleasure, reality and escape. Her new EP, Look at it in the Light, her first project on Ghostly International, is collaborative; she shoots music videos with her friends and colors each of her folk-pop songs with musicians in her community. The title Look at it in the Light is a reference to the aspects of Bollinger's life that she knows need examining. For one, there's her persistent resistance to change _ she chooses to ignore it on the title track ("I try not to notice / I deny my fate"), as wiry strums sync with crisp drums. She surrenders to comfort on "Who Am I But Someone," a light and softly psychedelic number. "Yards / Gardens" finds Bollinger in full swing, skipping verses of uncertainty above a bright and nimble bassline and kick. Guitar riffs unravel across the bridge, trailing her lines like ellipses. The string-backed "Lady in the Darkest Hour" is the set's most luxuriant statement, recorded during a session at Matthew E. White's Spacebomb Studios with in-house arranger Trey Pollard (Natalie Prass, Helado Negro). Here her lines ring bittersweet yet reassuring, uplifted by swells of golden-hued instrumentation. From the hushed abstractions of "I Found Out" to the biting suspicions of closer "Connecting Dots," Kate Bollinger uses every inch of this dazzling EP to find her footing amidst the ever-present sways of life.

Alan-Parsons-Fans dürfen sich 2021 gleich über zwei besondere Reissues freuen: Der britische Musiker, Tontechniker und Produzent legt seine Alben »On Air« und »The Time Machine« noch einmal auf, und zwar auf CD und LP. Die beiden Vinyl-Versionen kommen auf Translucent Blue Vinyl bzw. Transparant Vinyl, sind nummeriert und auf jeweils 1500 Exemplare limitiert.

»The Time Machine« erschien 1999 und ist das dritte Soloalbum von Alan Parsons. Es handelt von Zeitreisen und von der Erinnerung an die Vergangenheit.

Der Gesang auf dem Konzeptalbum stammt unter anderem von Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet), Colin Blunstone, Maire Brennan (Clannad), Beverly Craven und Neil Lockwood (ELO).

»The Time Machine« klingt wie eine Kombination aus dem Alan Parsons Project der 1970er-Jahre mit einer Prise Pink Floyd und ist ein Klangerlebnis, das Fans von Parsons, New Age und Electronica begeistern wird.

Das Album beginnt mit dem Instrumental »The Time Machine (Part 1)«, geschrieben von Cockney-Rebel-Schlagzeuger/Komponist Stuart Elliott (später Al Stewart und Kate Bush u. a.), das der Art und Weise ähnelt, wie das Project sein Album zu eröffnen pflegte. Es gibt den sanften Song »Out Of The Blue«, mit Leadgesang von Tony Hadley von Spandau Ballet. »Ignorance Is Bliss« ist einer der schönsten Songs mit dem Gesang des ehemaligen Zombies-Leadsängers Colin Blunstone.

Trojan have pulled together some of reggae's finest moments here, and importantly they come from some of the genre's most vital female talents, who can often be overlooked in favour of their more visible male counterparts. Across four sides of vinyl the likes of Millie Small, Althea & Donna, Marcia Griffiths, Phyllis Dillon, and Susan Cadogan all deservingly feature and personal sleeve notes from musician Rhoda Dakar also add real value. Big hits, unknown rarities and some brilliantly wonky numbers like Sandra Robinson's "Sensi For Sale" make this an instant NEED!

"We're a bunch of outsiders who refused to be kept out," says High Pulp drummer Bobby Granfelt. "We've never had an academic approach to jazz-most of us grew up playing in DIY bands-so it was the rawness and the energy and the absolute freedom of the music that called to us in the first place." Indeed, there's something defiant, something utterly liberating about High Pulp's remarkable ANTI- Records debut, Pursuit of Ends. Drawing on punk rock, shoegaze, hip-hop, and electronic music, the band's brand of experimental jazz is both vintage and futuristic all at once, hinting at times to everything from Miles Davis and Duke Ellington to Aphex Twin and My Bloody Valentine. The songs here balance meticulous composition with visceral spontaneity, and the performances are nothing short of virtuosic, fueled by raw, ecstatic horn runs ducking and weaving their way around thick bass lines and dizzying percussion. While the Seattle-based collective is centered around a crew of six core members, they also make judicious use of a broad network of collaborators on the album, wrangling special guests like sax star Jaleel Shaw (Roy Haynes, Mingus Big Band), harpist Brandee Younger (Ravi Coltrane, The Roots), GRAMMY-nominated trumpet?er Theo Coker, and keyboardist Jacob Mann (Rufus Wainwright, Louis Cole) to help stretch the boundaries of their already-expansive sonic universe. The result is a lush, cinematic collection that's as unpredictable as it is engrossing, an urgent, exhilarating instrumental album that manages to speak to the moment without uttering a single word.

Danish singer-songwriter Soren Munk releases his debut solo album Purr Show on 15 April 2022 via Navarino Records.Soren also travels the world as a cameraman for Channel 4 News, and the album was written and recorded in between trips to cover some of the major global events of recent times, from the war in Mali to the Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan

Soren also co- wrote the much- loved theme tune to the hit animated TV series Charlie and Lola – which is currently trending on TikTok with millions of views.Despite the nature of his news work, the songwriting on Purr Show has a more private focus, dealing in intimate but ambiguous moments of love and loss.

Melodic and intense, the album has elements of Dream Pop, Slowcore and classic songwriting, while the blend of electric guitars, analogue synths and vocals draws on the work of artists that combine restraint and power, such as Neil Young, Low, Big Star and Elliot Smith. Soren worked with Andy Ramsay from Stereolab to record the album, and Jimmie Robertson (Depeche Mode, Arctic Monkeys) during the mixing Soren explains, “I wanted to create slow pop songs. Romantic and melodic but with an edge of strangeness that makes them harder to pin down. That's the music I respond to – things that are assertive but fragile at the same time. Where every element counts.”Soren drew together a strong lineup of musicians and collaborators, including guitarists Garo Nahoulakian (Emiliana Torrini, Gaz Coombes, Piney Gir) and Nick 'Growler' Fowler (Gaz Coombes, Luke Haines); a Danish rhythm section of drummer Nikolaj Bjerre (Lamb) and bassist Andreas Jensen (Dub Pistols); and
pianist Tom Dyson (co-writer of the Charlie and Lola theme). Soren's vocals are often combined on the songs with the soft alto of backing singer Emma Faulkner, creating a sense of something confidential, like snatches of pillow talk.

Nile Marr is the son of former Smiths guitarist and current solo artist
Johnny Marr and his wife Angela
He was named for one of his father's musical heroes, Chic's Nile Rodgers. Marr
started out as a solo artist, then as a duo with American singer- songwriter
Meredith Sheldon, and then in the trio Man Made, alongside drummer Scott
Griffiths and bassist Callum Rogers, with future tour manager for Blossoms, Dan
Woolfie, as their sound engineer. They released their debut album TV Broke My
Brain in 2016, although its constituent songs were written over a period of eight
years. Marr released a debut solo album in 2020, titled Are You Happy Now? 'Part
Time Girl' was released as its first single in 2019. 'Are You Happy Now?' followed
in June 2020. An EP, Still Hearts, was released on 24 April, 2020. 'Still Hearts' was
its first single. Aside from the title track, there are two other tracks: 'Hush' and
'The Pusher'. Marr added acoustic guitar and backing vocals on 7 Worlds Collide's
2009 album The Sun Came Out. He has also appeared on two of his father's
albums: on 2013"s The Messenger he plays as a soloist, while on 2014"s Playland
he adds backing vocals. Marr has toured extensively with German film score
composer and record producer Hans Zimmer. His influences include John
Martyn, Fugazi and Elliott Smith.

Gondwana Records sign LA bassist and composer Seth Ford-Young's Phi-Psonics project and announce a remastered deluxe-edition of The Cradle featuring bonus material

Phi-Psonics is a meditative, immersive instrumental group from Los Angeles, led by bassist Seth Ford-Young and featuring Sylvain Carton on woodwinds, Mitchell Yoshida on electric piano, and Josh Collazo on drums. Their deeply soulfulmusic draws on jazz and classical influences together with Ford-Young's own musical experiences, relationships, and his introduction to spirituality, yoga and philosophy at a young age, to create something uniquely its own. Phi-Psonics' name and ultimate aim is to find 'Phi' – the golden mean – in art, nature and self. Ford-Young explains:

"It's a bit of a cliché, but music saved my life many times and instilled in me a belief in the great power of healing through art. It is my hope and intention that this music provides healing to someone somewhere."

Originally from Washington DC area, Ford-Young moved to California in the early 90s and fell in love with the deep sounds of the upright bass and the music of Charles Mingus, John and Alice Coltrane, and Duke Ellington along with Bach, Chopin, Pärt, and Satie. He immersed himself deeply in music and keen to learn combinedintense personal study with collaborations, tours, and recordings with artists such as Tom Waits, Beats Antique, and John Vanderslice. In 2010 he moved from the San-Francisco Bay area to the Los Angeles hills and continued his explorations. But great music is rarely just about music and Ford-Young's meditative, soulful music draws on more than just the twin wellsprings of jazz and classical music:

"My mother was a yoga teacher from the early 70's until recently and taught me yoga and meditation at an early age, my stepfather is an Aikido instructor and student of the teachings of Gurdjieff. Those were all early areas of study that I came back to many times throughout my life. Phi-Psonics has been a project that unapologetically synthesizes some of these ideas into our music".

It's this mixture of influences, musical and extramusical, that gives the music of Phi-Psonics it's immersive quality and quiet power. Revealingly the music that would becomeThe Cradle, wasn't written specifically for an album, originally Ford-Young was just writing down what was coming through. As time went by and the album began to take shape, the world situation seemed to be getting darker and his compositions aim to offer hope as a response to the negative influences that abound today. Remarkably for such a beautiful sounding record, it was recorded at the composer's home, rather than in a studio, but the relaxed nature of this process gives the music an airy lightness that propels the music to some magical spaces.

Originally self-released on vinyl in a limited run just as the world went into lockdown, The Cradle reached Matthew Halsall (founder of Gondwana Records) when he aws looking for music for his Worldwide FM show and he was blown away, hearing a kindred spirit at work. Halsall explains:

"Phi-Psonics make beautiful, humble and honest music, it's not showy, but it has a deep vibe that will elevate your mind and soul if you let it. When we heard The Cradle we reached out and are really super delighted to welcome Seth and his band to our label". Whereas for Ford Young: "Connecting with Matthew and the Gondwana records family has been a light in the darkness of the last years - to have my music make connections even as we are more isolated."

Ford-Young is currently putting the finishing touches to the second Phi-Psonics record, but aware that only a select few had heard The Cradle, let alone had the chance to buy a copy, and entranced by its deceptive simplicity and elevating energy, Halsall suggested that Gondwana present the album as a remastered 'deluxe edition' with an extended running time featuring extra tracks and new artwork from Daniel Halsall.

The Cradle starts with First Step, perfectly setting the tone for the whole album, it is a beautiful, soulful slice of musical calm gently propelled by Ford-Young's resonant bass and elevated by sublime flute and Wurlitzer electric piano solos. The seductive title track The Cradle was written way back in 2011 during a time of great personal change that led the composer to a feeling of newness and nurture. The magical, winsome Desert Ride is inspired by many rides through the grandly cinematic Mojave Desert. You can experience how incredibly full of life it's harsh landscape is if you slow down to its tempo. The gentle, sublime Mama is a tribute to mothers of all kinds, beautiful and heroic. Drum Talk was largely improvised, Ford-Young and the band agreed on a topic and recorded their conversation. Choosing their notes based on how Josh's drums were tuned. Like Glass is named for the special properties of Glass. Like some music, glass is delicate, yet has structure. The first of the two bonus tracks Still Dancing was written during the early days of 2020 in response to the challenges we all were facing then. It's a reminder that the figurative dance continues and that real dancing is essential. And the second, The Searcher, also written as a response to 2020, is a gently hypnotic song about the introspection and growth that can spring from a difficult situation.

This then is The Cradle, a quiet self-contained masterpiece, life-affirming and elevating in equal measure and the first offering from a wonderful new voice in spiritual jazz and the latest members of the global Gondwana Records family.

'Other Dimensions Lp', Terrence Dixon's latest work and the new adventure in 30D's ExoPlanets sublabel, comes for the very first time released in full length format, split in two sides, showing Terrence's two faces. As everyone knows, words can not describe the music of this Detroit visionary, but we'll try. Futuristic, avant-garde-esque, mesmerizing, trippy and minimalistic / reduced techno funk as expected in A side, but highly emotional and evocative, as only he can do. On the flip side, Terrence redefines and takes to another level the concept of dark, experimental, abstract, atmospheric, alienated and dystopian music, a true musical trip (perhaps a nightmare???) to dive into. An extremely personal and intimate album.

In the vast musical archive that is Roman Flügel’s discography, Ro70 holds a special place. Written, performed and produced between January and July 1995, it is his debut album as a full-fledged solo artist. Enquired and inspired by a certain David Moufang from Heidelberg, who used to share a classroom with Jörn Elling Wuttke at the SAE Institute and revealed himself to be an Acid Jesus fan and also of the Roman IV 12“ project, it seemed like a good fit for his (and Jonas Grossmann’s) Source Records label.
In the days before file sharing that meant going back and forth with various DATs in his mom’s Volkswagen Polo Fox for actual listening sessions between Darmstadt and Heidelberg. The time was as special and idiosyncratic one as was the sound of Source Records and of course Ro 70 itself. While the rave-olution was ready to eat its kids with the commercial outlook of former underground phenomena looked bright and the scene’s prophecy seemed grim, enterprises like Source and artist like Roman Flügel were defying any competition out of those corners with their own means.
Listening back to the ten tracks of Ro 70, it proves them, their taste and artistic vision right. Probably still being put into the ambient, downtempo, electronica or chill out sections of most record shops, this music could have been made, relished and cherished anytime between 1995 and now. Made in Roman’s home studio in his parent’s house or in the Klangfabrik studio in Egelsbach, this was made for before or after the rave – or for people who din’t want to have to do anything with it at all. His signature is all over it. Well balanced soundscapes with an almost uncanny presence and clarity. Bittersweet symphonies that doesn’t seem to be in an inferior position to modern classical or electronic studies.
It is also a very personal testament to a time in the artists’s life that was ready to get caught in the maelstrom of the oscillating techno city called Frankfurt am Main and its halcyon days between the Delirium record shop, Sven Väth’s marathon sets, the early days of the label triumvirate Playhouse, Klang & Ongaku. In a musical journal without lyrics, those memories will have to stay pantomimic and private. All for the better, that we can at least still listen to them.

Mit „Sweet Unknown“ veröffentlicht die US-Amerikanische Gruppe Ceramic Animal ihr viertes Studioalbum am 04. März 2022. Die aus Doylestown/Pennsylvania stammenden Brüder und Freunde lassen sich nicht auf Genre beschränken: Von Glam, über Post-Punk und Psych Rock, bis zu 70er Pop & Folk sind alle Einflüsse dabei.

Ceramic Animal besteht aus den drei Brüdern Chris Regan (Gesang, Gitarre), Erik Regan (Schlagzeug), Elliott Regan (Gesang, Keyboard) und deren Kindheitsfreunden Anthony Marchione (Gitarre), sowie Dallas Hosey (Gesang, Bass).

Nachdem sie ihre ersten drei Studioalben komplett selbst finanziert, produziert und veröffentlicht haben, schreiten sie nun auf neuen Wegen und kollaborieren mit dem Grammy-ausgezeichneten The Black Keys Frontmann Dan Auerbach als Songwriter und Produzent. Zudem veröffentlichen sie das Album bei dem von Dan Auerbach gegründeten Label Easy Eye Sound. Der Titeltrack ist eine von Roy Orbison inspirierte Meditation über die andere Seite. ”Lyrisch und klanglich verkörpert ’Sweet Unknown’ ein Eintauchen in eine ungewisse, aber wunderschöne Dunkelheit”, sagt Schlagzeuger Erik Regan.

Das gesamte Album taucht in eine Welt ein, in der intime Liebende sich allmählich verlieren und einander
gegenüber kalt werden und in der flackernde Erinnerungen an bessere Zeiten den einzigen Trost bieten.

The Brkn Record is a new project led and produced by Jake Ferguson, the co-founder and bass player for the UK's foundational deep jazz outfit the Heliocentrics. With fellow Heliocentrics co-founder and legendary drummer Malcolm Catto, Ferguson has been a regular collaborator with globally recognised artists including Archie Shepp, Mulatu Astatke, Melvin Van Peebles, Orlando Julius and many others. The Architecture of Oppression Part 1 represents Ferguson's debut as a bandleader and orchestrator, and manifests as a committed and soulful response to ongoing and systemic anti-black racism, social oppression and state violence both at home in London and across the globe. Combining poetry, testimony and song with rich and cinematic backdrops, Ferguson has produced a sui generis sound that conjures flavours of Arthur Verocai, Ennio Morricone, classic library productions, Madlib-style deep-jazz beat science, and psychedelic soul. With bandmate Malcolm Catto on drums, Ferguson draws on their long years of collaborative experience in the Heliocentrics to build an album of striking texture and depth.

The Brkn Record is a new project led and produced by Jake Ferguson, the co-founder and bass player for the UK's foundational deep jazz outfit the Heliocentrics. With fellow Heliocentrics co-founder and legendary drummer Malcolm Catto, Ferguson has been a regular collaborator with globally recognised artists including Archie Shepp, Mulatu Astatke, Melvin Van Peebles, Orlando Julius and many others. The Architecture of Oppression Part 1 represents Ferguson's debut as a bandleader and orchestrator, and manifests as a committed and soulful response to ongoing and systemic anti-black racism, social oppression and state violence both at home in London and across the globe. Combining poetry, testimony and song with rich and cinematic backdrops, Ferguson has produced a sui generis sound that conjures flavours of Arthur Verocai, Ennio Morricone, classic library productions, Madlib-style deep-jazz beat science, and psychedelic soul. With bandmate Malcolm Catto on drums, Ferguson draws on their long years of collaborative experience in the Heliocentrics to build an album of striking texture and depth.

A harrowing classic, Billie Holiday's personal favorite among her '50s albums captures the singer 17 months before her death, her once honeyed voice, scarred and weakened from punishing life, its ravages highlighted by the 1958 session's crisp sonics and the contrasting "satin" of Ray Ellis' sleek string arrangements. Yet it is that very contrast that explains the power of these performances: In revisiting its torchy standards, Holiday reduces them to their core of pain and longing, transforming "I'm a Fool to Want You," "You Don't Know What Love Is," and "You've Changed" into naked declarations as mesmerizing and unsettling as a horrific accident. Any postrocker that presumes pop standards and string sections automatically translate to "easy listening" hasn't listened to this. This 1997 version adds unreleased takes and a beautiful 20-bit digital transfer to extract every shivering pang of Holiday's music. --Sam Sutherland

Rock Steady Cool is another fine collection of Rocksteady hits. The ‘Cool’ subtitle could not be more relevant to an album, as around 1966, an extreme heatwave hit the Jamaican island. This would not stop the all night dances from going ahead but the jerky Ska Rhythms proved too strenuous of an activity to partake in, so a new slower beat to suit this extreme weather had to be found and the ever resourceful music entrepreneurs came up with the slower paced beat and Rocksteady was born.

This two-year Rocksteady period ran until 1968 and would see some of the power escape from the big three producers, Clement ‘Coxone’ Dodd, Prince Buster and Duke Reid. It was time to make room for a new wave of up-and-coming producers that also had something to offer the people. Such names as Joel Gibson (Joe Gibbs), Sonia Pottinger, Derrick Harriott and most prolific of them all, Mr Bunny Lee would step forward and add some new musical touches to the island.

Rocksteady was an inspirational and somewhat overlooked sound that provided us with some outstanding music. So, sit back and enjoy some Rocksteady straight from the dances of Jamaica.

Hope You enjoy the set….

Gondwana Records sign LA bassist and composer Seth Ford-Young's Phi-Psonics project and announce a remastered deluxe-edition of The Cradle featuring bonus material

Phi-Psonics is a meditative, immersive instrumental group from Los Angeles, led by bassist Seth Ford-Young and featuring Sylvain Carton on woodwinds, Mitchell Yoshida on electric piano, and Josh Collazo on drums. Their deeply soulfulmusic draws on jazz and classical influences together with Ford-Young's own musical experiences, relationships, and his introduction to spirituality, yoga and philosophy at a young age, to create something uniquely its own. Phi-Psonics' name and ultimate aim is to find 'Phi' – the golden mean – in art, nature and self. Ford-Young explains:

"It's a bit of a cliché, but music saved my life many times and instilled in me a belief in the great power of healing through art. It is my hope and intention that this music provides healing to someone somewhere."

Originally from Washington DC area, Ford-Young moved to California in the early 90s and fell in love with the deep sounds of the upright bass and the music of Charles Mingus, John and Alice Coltrane, and Duke Ellington along with Bach, Chopin, Pärt, and Satie. He immersed himself deeply in music and keen to learn combinedintense personal study with collaborations, tours, and recordings with artists such as Tom Waits, Beats Antique, and John Vanderslice. In 2010 he moved from the San-Francisco Bay area to the Los Angeles hills and continued his explorations. But great music is rarely just about music and Ford-Young's meditative, soulful music draws on more than just the twin wellsprings of jazz and classical music:

"My mother was a yoga teacher from the early 70's until recently and taught me yoga and meditation at an early age, my stepfather is an Aikido instructor and student of the teachings of Gurdjieff. Those were all early areas of study that I came back to many times throughout my life. Phi-Psonics has been a project that unapologetically synthesizes some of these ideas into our music".

It's this mixture of influences, musical and extramusical, that gives the music of Phi-Psonics it's immersive quality and quiet power. Revealingly the music that would becomeThe Cradle, wasn't written specifically for an album, originally Ford-Young was just writing down what was coming through. As time went by and the album began to take shape, the world situation seemed to be getting darker and his compositions aim to offer hope as a response to the negative influences that abound today. Remarkably for such a beautiful sounding record, it was recorded at the composer's home, rather than in a studio, but the relaxed nature of this process gives the music an airy lightness that propels the music to some magical spaces.

Originally self-released on vinyl in a limited run just as the world went into lockdown, The Cradle reached Matthew Halsall (founder of Gondwana Records) when he aws looking for music for his Worldwide FM show and he was blown away, hearing a kindred spirit at work. Halsall explains:

"Phi-Psonics make beautiful, humble and honest music, it's not showy, but it has a deep vibe that will elevate your mind and soul if you let it. When we heard The Cradle we reached out and are really super delighted to welcome Seth and his band to our label". Whereas for Ford Young: "Connecting with Matthew and the Gondwana records family has been a light in the darkness of the last years - to have my music make connections even as we are more isolated."

Ford-Young is currently putting the finishing touches to the second Phi-Psonics record, but aware that only a select few had heard The Cradle, let alone had the chance to buy a copy, and entranced by its deceptive simplicity and elevating energy, Halsall suggested that Gondwana present the album as a remastered 'deluxe edition' with an extended running time featuring extra tracks and new artwork from Daniel Halsall.

The Cradle starts with First Step, perfectly setting the tone for the whole album, it is a beautiful, soulful slice of musical calm gently propelled by Ford-Young's resonant bass and elevated by sublime flute and Wurlitzer electric piano solos. The seductive title track The Cradle was written way back in 2011 during a time of great personal change that led the composer to a feeling of newness and nurture. The magical, winsome Desert Ride is inspired by many rides through the grandly cinematic Mojave Desert. You can experience how incredibly full of life it's harsh landscape is if you slow down to its tempo. The gentle, sublime Mama is a tribute to mothers of all kinds, beautiful and heroic. Drum Talk was largely improvised, Ford-Young and the band agreed on a topic and recorded their conversation. Choosing their notes based on how Josh's drums were tuned. Like Glass is named for the special properties of Glass. Like some music, glass is delicate, yet has structure. The first of the two bonus tracks Still Dancing was written during the early days of 2020 in response to the challenges we all were facing then. It's a reminder that the figurative dance continues and that real dancing is essential. And the second, The Searcher, also written as a response to 2020, is a gently hypnotic song about the introspection and growth that can spring from a difficult situation.

This then is The Cradle, a quiet self-contained masterpiece, life-affirming and elevating in equal measure and the first offering from a wonderful new voice in spiritual jazz and the latest members of the global Gondwana Records family.

'Legacy: A Tribute to Leslie West' will be released on CD, Silver vinyl and digitally.When Leslie West passed away in December of 2020, he left behind a towering legacy of epic recordings that few rock guitarists can match

But there was more to West than great songs (although, to be sure, he created a ton of them); there was his brilliant, idiosyncratic sound, a gargantuan earthmover that razed arenas and stadiums across the globe. More than just paralyzing tone, though, he also had a touch nobody could beat. Stinging, swooning and sensual melodies leapt from his fingertips – with a deft flick of his wrist, he sounded like a Delta bluesman had picked up a violin. These elements and more helped to make West one of the most significant, influential and
irreplaceable guitarists of the rock era.Originally, the album was intended to be a retrospective celebration of West's music on which the guitarist himself would perform some of his best-loved cuts with notable guests, along with a collection of new tracks. Two weeks before recording was set to commence, however, the guitarist passed away. While grieving the loss of her husband, Jenni was comforted by the constant stream of phone calls from famous musicians who
expressed their condolences, and without fail, each one said the same thing: "If you do any kind of tribute to Leslie, please let me know."An astonishing array of West's admirers – who also happened to be friends and peers – came together to celebrate the trailblazing musician on the aptly titled 'Legacy: A Tribute to Leslie
West'. Executive produced by Jenni West, Bob Ringe and John Lappen, the album features dizzying, heartfelt performances by Slash, Zakk Wylde, Dee Snider, Bachman & Bachman, Martin Barre, Joe Lynn Turner, Charlie Starr, Elliot Easton, Robbie Krieger, Mike Portnoy, Eddie Ojeda, George Lynch, Marty Friedman, Steve Morse and Yngwie Malmsteen, among others. Each track on its own is a corker,
but taken together the 12 cuts on 'Legacy: A Tribute to Leslie West' are a stunning and heartfelt testament to the true impact the guitarist had on musicians of all stripes, and as such, it's essential listening for both longtime fans and newbies.
Print coverage in Guitar Techniques, Rock Candy, Record Collector

Song Education brings together some of the pivotal songs from these series, showcasing great music from the Sixties until the Nineties resurrecting through trending series like La Casa De Papel, American Horror Story, Sex Education and Breaking Bad. And what’s a better way to rediscover old gems than by listening to them on a classic vinyl record

Ruth B is releasing her sophomore album "Moments In Between" via Downtown Records. With the breakout success of her debut single “Lost Boy,” Ruth B. emerged as an immediately captivating artist who drifts between moody realism and a dreamworld of her own making. An occasional poet who created her own storybooks as a child, the Canadian- Ethiopian singer/songwriter/pianist infuses all her songs with a raw emotional honesty, even as she lets her imagination wander into fantastically charmed terrain. On her sophomore album Moments In Between, Ruth pushes that dynamic to a new level of boldness and sophistication, embracing her most beautifully strange impulses while delivering her most impactful work to date. As the daughter of immigrants from Ethiopia, Ruth grew up on music from her parents’ native country and later discovered the artists who would become formative influences on her songwriting, such as Stevie Wonder and Lauryn Hill. After taking up piano at the age of eight and singing her entire life, Ruth began writing songs in her late teens and soon came up with “Lost Boy.” Initially posted on Vine in 2015, the Peter Pan-inspired piano ballad quickly went viral, with listeners undeniably drawn to Ruth’s heart-on-sleeve storytelling. By the end of 2015, she’d released her gold-certified debut EP The Intro, which led to such triumphs as winning Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2017 Juno Awards. Made with producers like Joel Little (Lorde, Taylor Swift) and Mike Elizondo (Fiona Apple, Regina Spektor), her gold-certified full-length debut Safe Haven arrived in 2017 and earned her three Juno nominations, including Album of the Year and Artist of the Year. Executive-produced by Patrick Wimberly (Solange, Blood Orange, Ellie Goulding), Moments In Between finds Ruth also working with producers like Ido Zmishlany (Demi Lovato, Shawn Mendes), Justin Raisen (Angel Olsen, Santigold), Doug Schadt (Maggie Rogers, Ashe), and D’Mile (a five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his work with Khalid and Ty Dolla $ign). In a departure from the minimalist alt-pop of Safe Haven, the album unfolds in a more elaborate and kaleidoscopic sound, yet never overshadows the understated power of Ruth’s vocals or the pure vulnerability of her songwriting. “For me writing songs has always been therapeutic, and I hope that hearing my songs helps other people in the same way,” she says. “Whether they’re feeling lonely or heartbroken or happy, I want them to know that someone else understands what they’re going through.”

This essential 1962 album showcases the modern jazz saxophone innovator performing alongside the colossus of jazz piano and composition. Only Coltrane could be this 'fiercely tender,' and there's no better forum for his sensitive side than the music of Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, who contributes the album's true gem, 'My Little Brown Book.' Ellington is wise enough to appreciate the nature of the session and is quite content to feed chords in service of the young master--proving the old master's open mind and good taste— most obviously on their now-classic 'In a Sentimental Mood'.

Raw Poetic produzierte sein neues Album 'Laminated Skies' mit seinem Buddy und häufigen Kollaborateur Damu The Fudgemunk und Gastmusikern wie Pat 'P' Fritz (git) und Luke Stewart (bass). Musikalisch schöpft das mehrdimensionale Werk aus den Genres, die Hip-Hop ausmachen, und Einflüssen aus allen Facetten des Spiritual Jazz. 'Laminated Skies' ist Raw Poetics sechstes Soloalbum und das erste offizielle auf einem Label. Qualität ist ein stetiges Synonym des Künstlers, der auf einen reichhaltigen Lebenslauf mit den Eltern in der Black Panther-Bewegung, mit seinem Onkel Jazzlegende Archie Shepp, als Lead-MC des Duos Panacea (Rawkus) und mit Kollabos mit K-Def, Blu und Kev Brown zurückschauen kann. Das gemeinsam mit Damu produzierte 'Ocean Bridges' (2020) mit dem Saxophonisten Archie Shepp wird als eines der besten Alben des Jahres gefeiert.

Die unaufhaltsame ukrainische Metalcore-Band SPACE OF VARIATIONS erklimmt mit dem kommenden
Full-Length-Album IMAGO, das am 18. März 2022 erscheint, die nächste Stufe des modernen Metal.
Nach ihrem 2019er Napalm Records-Debüt, der XXXXX EP, übertrifft die Band nun alle Erwartungen
und betritt unbestreitbar mit ihrem zweiten Studioalbum Neuland. IMAGOs facettenreiche Darbietung
ist eine Mischung aus intensiven Hardcore-Riffs und durchschlagenden Breakdowns mit vielseitiger Elektronik, brutalem Gesang und bisweilen tranceartigen Synthesizern. Dabei arbeiten sie mit Elementen von
Djent, Hip-Hop und sogar Hyperpop. Die süchtig machende, emotionale Atmosphäre des Albums spiegelt
ihre Live-Performance wider. Nachdem sie zuvor mit den Modern-Metal-Giganten JINJER auf Tournee
waren, zertrümmerte das Quartett unermüdlich die europäischen Bühnen und fesselte jeden Zuhörer mit
futuristischen Styles, die an Bring Me The Horizon, Architects, Norma Jean und LANDMVRKS erinnern.

A holy grail of French classic new wave! Thierry Müller, who initiated the French RUTH project, is not at his first try when the album POLAROID/ROMAN/PHOTO including the eponymous title track is released in 1985, but already a known name in underground experimental/electronic music with ARCANE, ILITCH (albums "Periodmindtrouble", "10 Suicides") as well as the more punky RUTH M.ELLIYERI (cult track "Mescalito"). Together with Philippe Doray, quite a big name of French experimental music at the times, Müller started RUTH. As early as 1982, a first instrumental version of the track Polaroïd/Roman/Photo is out under the name of the project RUTH. "I wanted to write a piece to make the girls dance and make fun of the boys. I plugged a small handmade clock on my Farfisa organ as a sequencer. I had a small Roland synth-guitar, I put the organ in it and that's how it started." Next came Frédérique Lapierre, who contributed original vocals on the track in 1984 as well as wrote lyrics and sung two more album tracks. Thierry asks some friends to write texts for the album and then recording tracks with Phillipe as well as Frédérique. But when the sessions are over, both musicians are not too happy with the results of the Polaroïd/Roman/Photo version: according to them, it lacks "flamboyance". They decide then to record a new female voice with a professional singer (Frédérique Cambon), sound engineer Patrick Chevalot offers to mix the track "so that it blows out". The whole album was finally released in 1985 with Paris Album, a small independant label, barely selling 50 copies in 1985, despite its eponymous title as a potential success. A first limited CD version was issued in 2001 via Fractal, but In 2004, DJs Marc Colin and Ivan Smagghe discover the track Polaroïd/Roman/Photo and decide to exhume it from oblvion. They released it on a compilation called So Young but so cold (Tigersushi) and then with Born Bad records on the BIPPP compilation in 2008. Thanks to them, the track (remixed and released via Aufnahme & Wiedergabe) and the album (reissued in 2008 (CD) via Infrastition and 2010 (LP) via Angular) started a new life, now back in print via BORN BAD RECORDS! + 12 pages booklet (Iiner notes UK + french) + Download code RIYL: Cold, Minimal & New Wave, Dark Dance, Elektro

"This is the kind of songwriting I've always been drawn to," says Jeremy Ivey. "The perpetual motion, the intricate melodies, the sprawling arrangements. This album is the real me." Juxtaposing raw, unflinching personal reckonings with jaunty, buoyant melodies and rich, kaleidoscopic production, Invisible Pictures, Ivey's third album for ANTI- Records, is indeed a revelation. Though the songs are rooted in a 21st century swirl of chaos and uncertainty, the record is, at its core, an undeniably feel-good collection, one that refuses to surrender to the existential ache it so artfully captures. Instead, Ivey embraces the sheer, unmitigated joy of creative freedom and sonic exploration here, drawing on everything from flamenco and classical music to vintage indie rock and British Invasion tunes to craft a passionate, transcendent album more reminiscent of John Lennon or Elliott Smith than anything coming out of Nashville these days. "I try to put a little bit of hope into everything I do," Ivey reflects. "No matter how heavy, no matter how dark things may get, there's always a little bit of light shining through."

re-release Find the Greatest Movie Scores selected by CINEZIK in an new Wagram Vinyl Collection!

New limited pressing on 180g Electric Blue Vinyl. L.A. Witch’s self-titled debut album unfurled like hazy memories of late-night revelries in the city center creeping back in on a hungover Sunday morning. Guitarist/vocalist Sade Sanchez purred and crooned over jangling guitar chords, painting pictures of urban exploits, old American haunts, and private escapades with a master’s austerity. Bassist Irita Pai and drummer Ellie English polished the patina of the band’s vintage sound, adding a full-bodied thump and intoxicating swing to the album’s dusty ballads, ominous invitations, and sultry rock songs. The album had an air of effortlessness like these songs were written into the fabric of the Western landscape by some past generation and conjured into our modern world by three powerful conduits. The band readily admits that L.A. Witch was a casual affair and that the songs came together over the course of several years. That natural flow hit a snag when the band’s popularity grew and they began touring regularly, so a new strategy became necessary for their sophomore album, the swaggering and beguiling Play With Fire

Bristol-based singer, songwriter and bandleader, who has powered her
way to the-forefront of the British blues and roots scene in recent years,
unveils her eagerly-awaited third album 'Shining in the Half Light'
Crammed with vibrant originals brought to life with her A-list touring band, it's yet
another significant step forward in a career already feted with awards and
acclaim.'Shining in the Half Light' is Bailey's first full length album recorded in the
UK & feature's Joe Wilkins on Guitar, Jonny Henderson on Ivories, Matthew Waer
on Bass duties and Matthew Jones on drums. It was recorded in deepest Devon
in December 2020 at Middle Farm Studios and produced by Dan Weller, best
known for his long working relationship with Enter Shikari. Elles wanted this
record to feature 'gospel style vocals' so in steps Izo Fitzroy, an incredible artist in
her own right, who arranged the stunning background vocals on 'Shining In The
Half Light', and performed them alongside Jade Elliot and Andrusilla Mosley.
An exciting team of co-writers feature with three credits for Ashton Tucker & Will
Edmunds, who both wrote with Elles for 'Road I Call Home', plus she teamed up
with longtime guitarist Joe Wilkins to write the slow-flowing, philosophical 'Riding
Out The Storm'. Other kindred spirits include guitar maestro Martin Harley, for the
gentle and romantic 'Different Kind Of Love' and Matt Owens, co-founder of the
hugely successful indie- folk outfit Noah and the Whale, on the aforementioned
'Sunshine City'. The album comes to a striking conclusion with its title track, cowritten with Nashville's Craig Lackey, written over Zoom in May 2020.
Front cover features in Blues in Britain (Jan) and MNPR (May) Features in Record
Collector, Rock and Reel, Blues Matters, HRH Magazine, Fireworks Mag,
Powerplay, and Maverick
Reviews in Record Collector, Maverick, Powerplay,Fireworks,Blues Matters,HRH
Mag
Online press in Music News, Maximum Volume, Rush On Rock, All About The
Rock, Vents, Bluesdoodles, Rock and Blues Muse,Blues Rock Review, Blazing
Minds, Decibal Report, Maverick Country
Radio- BBC Radio 2 Cerys Matthews and Johnnie Walker, Planet Rock A playlist.

Tougher Than Tough – Trojan Rude Boy Sounds is an exclusive release from Music On Vinyl’s Trojan compilation series, which celebrates the best works from the legendary reggae label Trojan Records. It was compiled by Laurence Cane-Honeysett, who also wrote the linernotes. Some of the artists featured on this compilation include Stranger Cole, The Pioneers and Alton Ellis. 2000 individually numbered copies on orange vinyl. The package also includes exclusive Trojan Records and Music On Vinyl coaster.