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180 Proof Records & BBE Music continue to bring new life to the Strata catalogue, this time with the short-lived label's swan song: Larry Nozero’s 1975 passion project, Time. The final album to be released on Strata Inc., Time is a dream- like mix of mood, an album full of range, tempo, and feeling; from the impulsive and airy rendition of the jazz standard “All The Things You Are” to the brooding melancholia of “Tony,” Nozero’s Time is destined to become known among aficionados as a classic of 1970s jazz. Like time itself, each song is open to individual interpretation - something Nozero himself confessed to on the album’s original liner notes, saying “It got so deep that we decided to call the group and our album after that concept of TIME, because it seemed to mean something to just about everyone.” A native of Detroit, Nozero spent time in Charles Moore’s Detroit Contemporary 5 (part of Strata Inc.) before being drafted into the military. While enlisted, Nozero capitalised on his time by honing his craft in the Army Band. By the time he returned to Detroit, Nozero had little trouble landing high-profile gigs. No stranger to success, Nozero’s previous credits and collaborators include Henry Mancini, Sergio Mendes, and playing Soprano sax on Marvin Gaye’s iconic 1971 album, What’s Going On. Working with his cousin and collaborator Dennis Tini, Time is unlike many albums of the era in that it truly feels like a work fuelled by freewheeling expressionism. The pieces are funky, soulful, strange and soothing all at once. Tini’s stand-out contribution to the album is “Tune for L.N.”, a funk-fuelled piece of rhythm-centric jazz. A distinguishing feature of the album is the use of wordless vocals. The scat work on part two of “Chronicle Of The Murdered House” adds a distinct counterpoint to Nozero’s reed work, while the high pitch bebop of “Baubles, Bangles and Beads” closes out the album with a carefree and buoyant groove. Time has been remastered by the Grammy nominated studio The Carvery, along with the artwork, which has been restored and includes never seen before photos.

In association with DJ Amir and 180 Proof Records, BBE Music presents ‘Strata Records – The Sound of Detroit – Volume 1’, a new compilation taking in just a few highlights from the short-lived but hugely influential jazz imprint.

As part of its continuing exploration of Detroit’s Strata label with DJ Amir’s 180 Proof Records, BBE Music reissues the 1974 rare jazz classic ‘Inside Ourselves’ by Sphere. Recorded live on June 28th, 1970 at the Detroit Institute of Arts, ‘Inside Ourselves’ features John Dana on bass, Jimmy Peluso on Drums, Keith Vreeland on, Electric Piano, Eddie Nuccilli on Trumpet and Flügelhorn, plus bandleader Larry Nozero on tenor and soprano Saxophone. The album comprises seven captivating original compositions, written by Vreeland, Nuccilli and Nozero himself. Perhaps Larry Nozero’s single most-recognisable contribution to popular music is the soprano sax solo on Marvin Gaye’s seminal, 'What’s Going On', the title track and tone-setter for one of soul music’s most successful, not to mention conceptual, recordings. Like so many talented reedmen before him, Nozero received instruction from Detroit’s Teal School of Music, creating common ground with Yusef Lateef, Joe Henderson, and Benny Maupin. Although Nozero flirted with the Strata groundlings briefly in 1964 as a member of Charles Moore’s Detroit Contemporary 5, he was soon drafted into the military. A mixed blessing, Nozero took full advantage of the opportunities within the Army Band, which led to several high-profile jobs upon his return to Detroit. Despite lengthy engagements with Henry Mancini, Sergio Mendes, and studio work with everyone from Holland-Dozier-Holland to Berry Gordy, Nozero still relished musical freedom of expression, which made him right at home on the Strata roster. While little is known about Sphere as a standalone group aside from its contributors and producer Bud Spangler, ‘Inside Ourselves’ represents the level of quality jazz expected from the Strata imprint.

Keyboardist Eddie Russ hailed from Pittsburg and played with many of the greats including Sarah Vaughn, Benny Golson, Stan Getz and Dizzy Gillespie. Eddie is somewhat of an enigma, but he has always been held in high regard in the UK, and he finally was able to perform here in London at the Jazz café in the early 90's a few years before his untimely demise.

His debut album 'Fresh Out' was recorded for the Jazz Masters label and includes the jazz dance classic 'The Lope Song', he also contributed heavily to Sonny Stitt's 'Tornado' album on that label. His band The Mixed Bag also made an album for the Detroit Tribe label. In 1976 he signed to John Richbourg's Sound Stage 7 label and made two great jazz funk albums which were released on the Nashville's Monument label and like his debut were produced by Bob Crawford.

From this first album 'See The Light' the title track is a great take on the Earth Wind And Fire song, 'Poko Nose' is a great funky groove oriented track, but it is the magical 'Zaius' that has become an all time jazz funk classic, a track that has maintained its popularity over the past 40 years.

The Monument albums include some great musicians including Marcus Belgrave and Larry Nozero, and on the Take A Look At Yourself' album Motown's Eddie Willis, a very young Kenny Garrett and the funk group Quazar.