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Matthew Halsall first met the La-based, spiritual jazz vocal legend, Dwight Trible(Kamasi Washington, Pharoah Sanders and Horace Tapscott) at the Joy of Jazz Festival in South Africa back in 2015, when a chance encounter backstage led to Trible sitting in with The Gondwana Orchestra for an impromptu reading of the classic Pharoah Sanders and Leon Thomas anthem 'The Creator Has A Master Plan'. In 2017 they released the deep, soulful Inspirationsalbum together (GOND017) but inspired by their first meeting Matt arranged some classic Pharoah tunes for Dwight to revisit. This then is The Gondwana Orchestra featuring Dwight Trible, Colors: a 4 track vinyl and digital only EP featuring brilliant new versions of Colors,The Creator Has a Master Plan, Love is Everywhereand You've Got to Have Freedomand featuring the Gondwana Orchestra with pianist Taz Modi, bassist Gavin Barras, drummer Jon Scott, harpist Rachel Gladwin and Matt himself on trumpet.

Packed in a distinctive bright orange Gondwana Records sleeve this is the second in a collectors series of spiritual jazz limited-edition EPs set for release in 2018 as part of Gondwana Records' 10th anniversary.

'The Revelations' arrives back on record store shelves in this remastered
version - a must-have for all Library Music lovers and record collectors.

Originally released in 1972, Lord Of Lords was Alice Coltrane's final album for Impulse! and the last installment in her awe-inspiring trilogy that also included Universal Consciousness and World Galaxy. While all three records featured strings alongside a jazz ensemble, Lords Of Lords stood apart from its predecessors due to the sheer size of the orchestra (12 violins, 6 violas and 7 cellos, arranged and conducted by Coltrane herself) and its refined, blissful performances - shining a vital light on the devotional path that she would follow for the rest of her career.

On the first two pieces, "Andromeda's Suffering" and "Sri Rama Ohnedaruth" (titled after the spiritual name for her late husband), Alice's dazzling piano and harp blend perfectly with the blanket of strings, while the haunting rhythm section of Charlie Haden and Ben Riley and a magnificent, droning electric organ emerge immaculately on the title track and closer "Going Home." Coltrane's musical vision is bold in its imagination and cosmic in scope, yet remains intensely personal and immediate. Lord Of Lords points inward as much as to the beyond, recalling her classical roots and recasting Eastern modes to radically invert the American avant-garde and spiritual jazz traditions.

This first-time vinyl reissue has been carefully remastered from the original master tapes.

A Reissue Of The Rare Jazz, Funk & Fusion Library Lp "four Corners" By Second Direction. A Project Of The Saxophonist And Flutist Fritz Münzer, Produced In 1976 At Tonstudio Bauer In Ludwigsburg. The New Release Includes Six Additional Recordings From The Band's Second Unreleased Album From 1978, Entitled "steps Ahead", Recently Pulled From The Archives Of Producer And "joy Unlimited" Founder Klaus R. Nagel. A Long Play-cd And 2lp-set, Including The Great Jazz Funk Tracks "steamer", Steps Ahead", "keep Going" Plus The Brazilian Tinged Jazz Dancers´"four Corners" And "flying Carpet Ride". All Music Transferred And Carefully Restored From The Original Master Tapes.

West Germany In The 70's Of The Last Century. Composer And Arranger Fritz Münzer (1934-2007) Is One Of The Country's Best Jazz Saxophonists And Flutists. After A Career In The 50's And 60's As A Hip Musician On The German Hard Bop And Westcoast Scene, The Man From Mannheim First Refuses To Establish His Own Band, But Then Forms "second Direction". With This Formation He Records "four Corners", A So Called Library Lp For The Small Publishing Label "trend Records". The Album Was Produced In 1976 By "joy Unlimited" Founder And Guitarist Klaus R. Nagel With Top Notch Musicians At Tonstudio Bauer In Ludwigsburg. Münzer Is Now Active Behind The Scenes, Writing Music And Is Heard On Countless Recordings For Different Music Publishers.

Amongst Connoisseurs "four Corners" Is Considered One Of The Really Outstanding Jazz Funk Fusion Albums From Germany. Münzer Is Joined By Gerhard Spirka On Electric Bass, Val Hargreaves On Drums, Karl-heinz Merkel On Fender Rhodes And Occasionally Jörg Gebhardt On Congas. However, The Finished Lp Did Not Appear In Shops. It Was Exclusively Available To Broadcasters And Foreign Sub-publishers By Nagel's Publisher "badenia-vineta", For Use On Radio And Television. Therefore, Background Information And Visual Material Regarding Second Direction Is Missing. There Is No Band Story, Band Photos Or Anything, With The Exception Of An Unusual Artistic Designed Front Cover By Karl Hans Merkel. His Artwork Shows Four Stylized Profile Views Of The Musicians.

For A Long Time, The Album Remained A Secret. Then, In The Mid-90s, It Is Suddenly Discovered In Alternative German Music Clubs And Discotheques. During The "acid Jazz" Revival In The United Kingdom, The Dancers At Mojo, Unique And Atomic Café Not Only Move To Electronic Music, But Also To Jazz And Funk Again. Now The "rare Grooves" Of Second Direction Are On The Playlists. Dj Rainer Trüby Curates His Internationally Successful "glücklich" Compilations With European, Brazilian & Fusion Jazz Of The 70's And 80's. In 1996 On The Second Volume, He Presents Second Direction's "flying Carpet Ride". And So Begins The Hunt For The Extremely Rare Lp. "high Class Fusion And Brazilian Beats Made In Germany" On A Level With Bands Such As Weather Report Or Azimuth! The Track Is Frequently Played At Trüby's "rootdown" Parties And You Just Had To Have It! In Addition To The High Musical Quality, It Is Above All The Rarity And Obscurity Of The Record That Makes It Interesting For Djs And Collectors Alike Around The World Today.

Back In 1978. Fritz Münzer Wants To Deliver A Second Lp For Badenia-vineta With His Band Second Direction. Under The Working Title "steps Ahead", It Is Produced At Studio 2000 In Pforzheim, With A New Formation Of High Profile Musicians. This Time Münzer Plays With Toni Rabold On Trumpet, Pit Löw On Keyboards, Chuck Tscheschner On Electric Bass And Peter Lübke On Drums And Percussion. This Band Also Impresses With First Class, Danceable, Fusion Jazz. However, To The Surprise Of Everyone, The New Recordings Are Not Taken Into Account And The Tapes Soon Disappear In Nagel's Archives. A Second Vinyl Lp Is Not Manufactured And Münzer's Project, Second Direction, Becomes History After Only Two Years. With The Present Sonorama Reissue These Lost "steps Ahead" Sessions Are Released For The First Time In 2018, As Well As "four Corners" Produced By Klaus R. Nagel And Directly Transferred From The Master Tapes.

In The 1960's, Nagel Studies Early Music At The Mannheim University Of Music And The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis In Basel. He Then Works As A Freelance Composer, Arranger And Musician For Film, Radio And Television. Soon After, He Founded The Progressive And Internationally Successful Jazz Rock Group "joy Unlimited" With The Singer Joy Fleming. The Pairing Starts An Intensive Concert Career In Germany And Abroad. He Is Also Able To Bring Two Of His Complex Jazz Rock Ballets To The Stage. Nagel Is Still Active Today As A Bustling Music Publisher. During The 60's, Fritz Münzer Plays With Legends Such As Manfred Schoof, Joe Haider And Hartwig Bartz. In The 1980s He Becomes A Kind Of Father Figure To Young Jazz Musicians In The Rhine-neckar Area, Enjoying A Reputation For Playing The "blackest Sounds" On The Local Scene. From 1987, Münzer Teaches At The University Of Mannheim And Starts The So Called "college Jazz Ensemble".

For Decades, His Changing Formations Have Been Like A Regional School Of Jazz. Much In The Spirit Of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Later On He Co-founded The Independent Label "jazz 'n' Arts" With Olaf Schönborn And Thomas Siffling. In Addition To "four Corners" Other Hidden Münzer Projects For Various Music Libraries Are Highly Recommended, Most Of Them In Collaboration With Jazz Pianist Wolfgang Lauth. In The 70's And 80's He Records Some Interesting Jazz And Funk Library Lps, Under Pseudonyms Such As "the House Band" Or "sound Factory Inc.". Under The Name "jazz Unit" A Vocal Jazz Album Was Released In 1982 With His Wife, Singer Peggy Drake. This Forms Part Of The Next Treasure Trove Of Fabulous Work By Mannheim's Jazzman Fritz Münzer ...

(ekkehart Fleischhammer/ Sonorama 2018)


Final Mastering In 2018: Roskow Kretschmann At Audiomoto Berlin, Original Design Of Frontcover: Karl Heinz Merkel,
Additional Illustrations By Sandra Leidecker, Reproduction And Artwork By Patrick Haase,
Reissue "four Corners & Steps Ahead" Produced By Ekkehart Fleischhammer For Sonorama Records.
Thanks To Klaus R. Nagel And The Great Musicians Of Second Direction.

The 2000black collective return to bring their very own brand of boogie,funk & jazz.
Production from Kaidi Tatham, Mr Mensah & dego evolves into the driving theme 'Sunday Avuncular'
the dance vibes of 'Bauxite,Gypsum & Limestone' and the steady pacing 'Mononymous Persons'.

Always forward thinking whilst tipping a hat to that past 2000black keeps on keeping on.

In 1963, John Coltrane recorded a studio album that has Remained unknown and unheard until now. The album was recorded at Van Gelder Studios, the 'Abbey Road' of Jazz, with Coltrane's Classic Quartet and at the height of his career. The music on this album represents one of the most influential groups in music history performing in a musical style it had perfected and reaching in new, exploratory directions that would affect the trajectory of jazz from then on. In short, this is the holy grail of jazz.

Over the last several years, the Zappa Family Trust and UMC have lovingly been restoring Frank Zappa's iconic catalog together by reissuing his classic albums on CD and pressing long-out-of-print records back on vinyl. Next up in the ongoing vinyl initiative, coming on the heels of the reissue of his enigmatic Burnt Weeny Sandwich, is Zappa's 1970 stylistically diverse and subversive album, Chunga's Revenge, which will receive a 180-gram audiophile repressing on black vinyl on July 20. Supervised by the ZFT, the record, which has been unavailable on vinyl for more than three decades, will be press pressed at Pallas In Germany and feature reproductions of the original artwork. Chunga's Revenge, although released under Frank Zappa's own name, introduced a new Mothers lineup that included former Turtles members Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, aka Flo and Eddie, as well as keyboardist George Duke, drummer Aynsley Dunbar and multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood. The album is one of Zappa's most eclectic efforts, encompassing the improvisational title track, the raucous guitar jam "Transylvania Boogie," the bluesy "Road Ladies" and the jazzy "Twenty Small Cigars," along with more conventional rock numbers like "Tell Me You Love Me," "Would You Go All the Way" and "Sharleena."

DILLA Inspired Beat Diggers series 45
Dedicated to Late Great Jay Dilla.
Samples series.45s
Crate Diggers. Vinyl only 45


" VERY LIMITED Release " by Jimi Entley & Placebo

A brand new original soundtrack from Nicolas Godin (one half of the French iconic duo AIR) which he composed for the 2nd season of 'Au Service De La France' (in English 'A Very Secret Service'), a TV series produced by ARTE following the adventures of different spies during the 60s and which will be released on Netflix in July. Nicolas Godin: 'It was about paying homage to the soundtracks of TV series from the 60s, especially the ones narrating the adventures of spies like 'Mission: Impossible'. How could I refuse This was a good occasion and a great pleasure for me to dive back into a specific kind of soundtracks that is not really recorded anymore. This kind of music was often composed and recorded with jazz musicians who had also a strong knowledge of classical music. For this project, I reached out to French musicians with such background. They had, like me, the same love for legendary original soundtracks. After a time of preparation and free improvisations, the majority of the music was recorded in a single day. I hope you'll like the result, it's been composed and recorded from the bottom of my heart and from the enchanted world of childhood.'

Nucleus first attracted attention by winning first prize at the Montreux International Festival in 1970 for their improvised and integrated music which was an amalgam of jazz and rock. Elastic Rock was their most successful, actually climbing to N°. 46 in the Album Charts. Its cover was the first of many Roger Dean designed for the Vertigo label and it's content was well received by jazz critics. Ever restless Carr decided to opt for a change in direction after this and spilt up what was arguably the best Nucleus line-up of their time. Highly Recommended.













[L] Speaking For Myself, Personally, In My Own Opinion, I Think...

Nucleus first attracted attention by winning first prize at the Montreux International Festival in 1970 for their improvised and integrated music which was an amalgam of jazz and rock. They were originally formed in 1969 by trumpeter Ian Carr. He was joined by ex-Battered Ornaments guitarist Chris Spedding and Karl Jenkins and John Marshall (who both went on to Soft Machine) on the first three albums. Elastic Rock was their most successful, actually climbing to No 46 in the Album Charts. Their third album, Solar Plexus, was spacier than the two which preceded it and is particularly recommended. In 1972 Jenkins and Marshall both departed to join Soft Machine.

Nucleus are still considered to be one of Britain's top jazz-rock bands.

Listening to the music of Al Doum & Faryds is always like staying in the pristine nature of an exotic desert island, in the sacred harmony of a New Organic Society; imaging all brothers and sisters singing and dancing in the unity of the brotherhood. This is the message of love and joy that seems to pervade the fourth album of the Milanese band.
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Compared to previous works, the substantial characteristics of the sound remain a powerful rhythmic basis and the prestigious skill in the poly-rhythmic dynamics; everything is however moved towards accents of more markedly jazzy ancestry. Basically the Faryds absorb and re-elaborate with remarkable insights disparate elements and influences of certain Electric Jazz or Rock- Jazz-Blues of the '70 (Miles David, Dr.John, Graham Bond, Jeremy Steig) and Spiritual Jazz (Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders, Don Cherry, Brother Ah), marrying them with the forceful instances of certain Afro-Free (Pyramids, Alkebu-Lan) and the more Freak-Jam plots typical of Space Rock. The sense of complete unity is also rooted in the balanced synergy and chorality of the instruments, which enjoy a perfect osmotic reciprocity and complementarity. A very important role is played by the entry of Fender Rhodes that chromatically emphasizes the parts as counterpoints and hypnotics ostinatos chased by the dense timbral mixtures of alto-sax and flute (Light Up) and roaring wah-wah guitars with flowing acid trajectories. The Holy Magic of the Faryds can lead to states of hypnotic trance in the inner abyss of infinite echoes (Drums Odyssey), open spaces of whirling freepsychedelia
with unbridled and hyper-vibrating dilatations (Satieva), give moments of intense ritual concentration with accurate inserts of choral-religious invocation (Unity Is Brotherhood and Weed And Love) or more solemn orchestral sections with precious brass arrangements (Solchi). A pure joy scented with warm oriental radiance is reached with a touching final Raga-Folk (the titletrack) for sitar, acoustic guitar, percussions and rattles, chant and clapping hands. It's the ideal evocation of music for the heart, mind and body in a journey of total pranic breath. Spirit Rejoin is the celebration of a new collective soul, a great cathartic ritual and an endless party with birds, plants and all the animals in the circle of devotion.

Der Sound Dieser Band Erinnert Jeden Im Ersten Moment An Etwas. Vor Allem An Etwas Anderes. Da Ist Druck In Jeder Note, In Jedem Schlag Und Von Den Fußen Bis Zu Den Haaren Bewegt Sich Etwas, Vibriert Etwas. Was Ist Das Was Ist Es Was Die Buhnen Von Norden Bis Suden Von West Nach Ost Zum Schwingen Bringt. Das Ist Noch Nicht Gehortes Und Bekanntes. Professionell Und Wild Geht Die Buhnenshow Ohne Alluren Und Vor Allem Gefuhlsecht Dahin. Man Will Mehr Davon, Weil Es Einen Aus Den Latschen Schießt. - fucking Quality- Und Dieser Bums! - geschmack, Aussehen Und Nahrwerte Dieses Hochwertigen Soundproduktes Unterliegen Den Naturgegebenen Schwankungen.

Botticelli Baby Machen Handgemachte Swingmusik Mit Punkattitüde. Die Sieben Charakterköpfe Entwickelten Einen Stil Fernab Des Mainstream Mit Einer Energie, Die Bis Jetzt Noch Jeden Gepackt Hat.

Von Vielen Einflüssen Gespeist Ergibt Sich Eine Melange Aus Dem Zigeunerjazz Django Reinhardts, Dem Hot Jazz Der Frühen 30er Jahre, Dem Bums Der Balkanmelodien Und Der Dramatik Des Blues.

Botticelli Baby Klingt Dennoch Nicht Nach Einer Neuauflage Alter Zeiten, Staubig Oder Nach Einer Öligen Jazzband.

Botticelli Baby Reißt Die Hütten Ab Nach Manier Des 21. Jahrhunderts. Sie Liefern Eine Rotzige Und Professionelle Show Oder Wie Es Londoner Mitstreiter Des Musikbusiness Einmal Treffend Formulierten it's Fucking Quality'.

Botticelli Baby Sind Fester Bestandteil Der Musik- Und Partyszene In Nordrhein- Westfalen Und Spielen Regelmäßig Konzerte In Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt Und Den Niederlanden.

Spiritual afro jazz funk with west indies and latin influences by Georges-Edouard Nouel, this jazz pianist from Martinique is better known for his collaboration with Noel McGhie, Steve Potts or Roland Brival but his only album is just a masterpiece, essential to any lovers of deep jazz records.. (Pls note: the audiosnippets are taken from different sources, soon updated!)

Reissue of the sought after birth act of the Afro- / Jazz-Parisian scene that fascinated so many musicians and music fans throughout the 70s and 80s. Comes in a heavyweight tip-on sleeve.

Marsh Dondurma had been kickin' it in around the world for a good 13 years now and they are HOT. Starting from a street show between the spice stands of the Jerusalem market, the band has grown to have its own luscious, unmistakable sound. In a sizzling pan, Marsh Dondurma stirs together middle eastern melodies with New Orleans trombones, Yemenite beats with Balkan riffs, Klezmer wails with booty-shaking funk.

"When they lock on to a groove, the outcome is irresistible" All about jazz

OPEN NEW VINYL EP

Capturing the essence of this 16 member brass bands' unique sound, OPEN is Marsh Dondurma's first international vinyl. Built on rich grooves and rooted deeply in musical traditions, each track on this new EP has a story to tell, seamlessly changing grooves and moods, starting off in one place and safely taking you to a surprising, satisfying destination.

And where else could you hear a brass band and a Qanun play together

(2017 REPRESS/REMASTERED) One of the more delicate recordings of Sun Ra's 28-strong Arkestra, 'Sleeping Beauty' drifts in on a cloud of cosmic dust, sounding unlike anything before or after. With drummer Luqman Ali keeping the narcotic funk, but with dreamy solos from other key Arkestra players like John Gilmore, Michael Ray, and Marshall Allen, no Sun Ra collection is complete without this LP. Inspired space-age lullaby music. Tip!

N8noface Was The Vocalist For Underground Synth-punk Legends Crimekillz. He Is The Younger Brother Of Tucson-bred Modern Boogie Rocket Man Zackey Force Funk, Both Now Residing In Long Beach, Ca.in 2017, Hit+run Released N8's Visceral Debut Album Stories Of Those, As Well As Demos And Demons Vol. 1, A Ten-track Collection Of Home Demos Recorded Between 2015-2016. On Dia De Los Muertos 2017, Noface Also Unleashed The First Single From His Forthcoming New Album True Story, The Haunting Double A-side Lathe Cut idgaf / Say Goodbye.'
True Story, The 14-track Lp Due This August, Reads Like A Collection Of Compelling Mini-narratives, Brief Yet Honest Tales Of Personal Struggles, Anti-establishment Rants, Dead End Loves, And Real-life Tragedies. N8's Minimal Wave Sound Is Not About Nostalgic Lo-fi Nor Home-recorder Formulas, But His Own Instinctive Style That Defies Categorization And Comparisons. The Result Is A Distinct Sound Of Rapid-fire Hardcore Punk Moshing With Awkward Pop Music. Standout Tracks On The Dense 18-minute Album Include not Like You', bad Day', men Who Dress Well' And glasgow Smile'.

The debut album The Cool Voice of Rita Reys by the Dutch jazz singer Rita Reys. She recorded the album with the famous backup band Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers. Her cool voice is set down against a background which reflects her personality. You can feel her experience in the pop music by listening closely to her voice. Her sense of phrasing is wonderful and the jazz sounds are filled with musicianship

'Europe's first lady of jazz' as she was once called in the

1960s was one of the most famous jazz singers from her time. During her career she recorded hundreds of jazz songs and collaborated with some of the best known jazz artists of her generation.

Aus drei verschiedenen Sessions von 1945-47 stammend, präsentiert 'Dexter Rides Again' 1A Bebop,
den Gordon für das Label Savoy produziert hat. Das Album beginnt mit 'Dexter's Riff', einer brodelnden Bebop Nummer mit einem denkwürdigen Hauptmotiv, unisono von Leo Parker und Dexter Gordon dargeboten. 'Settin' the Pace Parts 1 & 2' ist das längste Stück auf dem Album, das den beiden Saxophonisten viel Raum zur Entfaltung bietet. 'So Easy' ist ein langsamer bluesiger Track, der die 1947er Session beendet. Auf der gesamten LP wird er von einem Top-Kollektiv angetrieben, das den großartigen, selten gehörten Trompeter Leonard Hawkins sowie Baritonsaxophonist Leo Parker, die Pianisten Tadd Dameron und Bud Powell sowie die Schlagzeuger Max Roach und Art Blakey einschließt. 180 GRAMM VINYL

Originally recorded and privately pressed in 1973 on Jazz-Men records, featuring Leon Ndugu Chancler (Drums), James MTUME (Congas) and Larry Nash (Piano), Bobby Rodriguez leads this
stellar line up to perform the seminal 16 minute Latin variation of Freddie Hubbard's 'Little Sunflower'.
This extremely rare and sought after record is re-released for the first time on 180g Virgin Vinyl and presented in heavy weight 'tip-on' sleeves. Pressed and produced in the UK, using the mastering genius of Frank Merritt (Carvery Studios) and cut on the original Neumann Lathe used by Motown Records. Covered in heavy weight 'tip-on' sleeves and presented in screen printed paper counter bags with foil seals. Strictly limited to 1,000 hand numbered pieces, this special collector's edition will be available
through the Jazz Detective Records website and from select records stores worldwide for a limited time

John Coltrane's 1965 magnum opus A Love Supreme is one of the most revered and influential recordings in the history of jazz, widely regarded as the iconic saxophonist's masterpiece. It might seem audacious at the very least to undertake a new recording of such a foundational album, but twin brothers Jared and Jonathan Mattson are nothing if not sonic risk-takers. With their new release Mattson 2Play A Love Supreme, the duo reimagines Coltrane's avant-garde epic through a 21st-century lens, creating a new interpretation that remains faithful to the questing spirit of the original while pushing the music into bold new territory which itself is fully in keeping with the composer's forward-looking vision. The album Translates the Coltrane Quartet's acoustic jazz
explorations into a modern language swathed in a haze of analog
synths, ecstatic guitars, transcendent grooves and enveloping
atmospherics.

The duo undertook an intensive study of the original composition, Coltrane's notes, and every available recording by the Coltrane
Quartet as well as later versions by the likes of John McLaughlin,
Branford Marsalis and Alice Coltrane. They used that vocabulary
to create their own take, which they honed through invaluable live performances before audiences largely unfamiliar with the original.
It was so incredible to see the way that a rock fans connected with the music, Jonathan recalls.There was yelling and crying, people getting really stoked and devouring every note we were playing. Seeing people's minds getting blown by Coltrane's music, was an inspiration for us. Those visceral reactions attest to the ontinuing impact of Coltrane's bold vision. This album channels that vision with both reverence and inventiveness, creating a vibrant and electrifying new interpretation that will resonate with new generations of open-minded listeners.

Re-mastering by: Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London



One of the most righteous albums ever issued by the always-righteous Tribe Records label of Detroit - a really collective effort, one that features ensemble vocals and spiritual jazz - all pulled together by pianist Harold McKinney! The album showcases a group named Voices Of The Creative Profile - formed by McKinney to accompany his Creative Profile instrumental group - and the overall style is a great blend of spiritual soul jazz that gives equal time to the voices and instruments in the set. Gwen McKinney heads up the vocal ensemble, and other players on the set include Wendell Harrison on flute, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Billy Turner on percussion, and Ed Pickins on bass. Also features some cool moog from Darryl Dybka (Dusty Groove, Inc.)





Harold McKinney was one of Detroit's jazz legends as both an artist and as a cultural figure. His Voices and Rhythms of the Creative Profile was issued on the city's cooperative independent Tribe label -- which also boasted outings from Marcus Belgrave, Doug Hammond, Mixed Bag, Wendell Harrison, and Phil Ranelin -- in 1974. McKinney's approach to jazz in the 1970s may have been funky and electric, but it was also idiosyncratic and vocal. Harold and Gwen McKinney handle the lead vocals, while a backing chorus of seven helps out on other pieces. This is an adventurous set, and along with his deep, funky electric piano grooves is a killer alternately swinging and soulful horn section fueled by Harrison and Belgrave, drummer Ron Jackson, percussionists Charles Miles and Billy Turner, as well as bassist Ed Pickins and Daryl Dybka on Moog! The highlights of the set are the stunning "Out of These Blues" with McKinney's Rhodes underscoring beautiful head and solo work by the horns, the stomping bop meets science fiction of "Corner Stone," and fine covers of Eddie Harris' "Freedom Jazz Dance" and Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance" (with a set of lyrics by McKinney). Voices and Rhythms of the Creative Profile walks many tightropes: between hard bop and soul-jazz, between vanguard jazz and fusion, and between swinging blues and raw adventure. It's true that the vocals can be a bit excessive at times, especially on the opener, "Ode to Africa," but they are more than compensated for by the phenomenal playing of the ensemble. Ultimately, this is a solid recording that embodies the entire spirit of the Detroit jazz scene at the time. Thom Jurek/AMG

Re-mastering by: Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London

Genius work from the Detroit underground of the 70s - one of the greatest records ever on the now-famous Tribe Records label, and a masterpiece of soul, jazz, and righteous spirit! The session's headed by tenor player Wendell Harrison - and it's got an all-star Motor City lineup that includes Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Jeamel Lee on vocals, Charles Eubanks on electric piano, and Charles Moore on flugel horn. The tracks have a spacious spiritual approach that recalls some of the later Archie Shepp on Impulse - a blend of soul jazz with slight touches of electric instrumentation, some vocals, and a very progressive spirit overall - stepping proud in the new freedoms of the 70s, yet still swinging and very groovy.