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David Tattersall, the Wave Pictures guitarist and frontman releases a solo album of interpretations of John Fahey tunes, recorded live in the studio. "I have been a fan of John Fahey's music since I was very young; it has always been with me and I can't remember a time when I wasn't affected by it. It is weird music, and very good. Of course, Fahey is an important cult figure in the history of music: as the first man to find a language for steel string guitar that can stand proudly alongside the established tradition of nylon string classical guitar; as one of many men who rediscovered obscure old blues musicians and recorded them for a new generation in the 1960s; as one uniquely able to reconcile 20th century avant-garde music with folk tradition; as an early indie-label DIY pioneer. For me personally, Fahey went beyond technique, and to some extent beyond historical or intellectual justifications for his work. He explored his emotions through his instrument of choice, and in so doing made the case for the guitar as the ultimate conduit for emotional expression. While there are many imitators who try to play ''like Fahey'', I avoided using his fingerpicking style or sense of rhythm, and tried instead to use his music to explore my own emotions, my own dreams and memories. I was more interested in the lyrical and expressive aspects of Fahey's music than in the techniques of it. I tried to find myself within his compositions and without composing anything I feel that I have managed to make a David Tattersall record that says as much about me as any of the many albums that I have written. John Fahey's beautiful discography shows that the guitar can carry as much mystery and soul as the human voice, and simply put, I wanted in on a little of this action. This is my second all-instrumental solo acoustic album, and where this differs from my first attempt, Little Martha, is that here I improvised freely. I used Fahey's originals only as guides. I'm not sure what I was looking for, perhaps something beyond explanation, but I tried to be as free as possible, and I am delighted by the spontaneous results. Hopefully, they will make the listener feel happy and dreamy, just like the effect that Fahey's many albums have on me. One of the most important things that Fahey ever said was his advice to guitarists to try to feel the emotions that each chord they play on a guitar brings forth. He is telling guitarists to not only play the guitar, but to let the guitar play them. I did my best to follow this advice. I think Fahey was a genius of the kind that creates a whole genre single-handedly. There could be thousands, millions, of reinterpretations of his compositions. In fact, there probably already are. And long may this continue. All tracks were recorded live with no tampering

2023 Reissue

Berlin based HipHop producer S. Fidelity presents his sophomore and full packaged concept album “Fidelity Radio Club” via Jakarta Records.

Four years after his Jakarta Records debut “A Safe Place to Be Naked” S. Fidelity has matured as a producer and as an artist: working and recording in London, Los Angeles, Paris and Johannesburg while building up his Manolo Purple Studios in Berlin with longtime collaborator, labelmate and soul brother Bluestaeb.

In 2021 S. Fidelity finally returns to the main program with his brand new solo album “Fidelity Radio Club” shaped in form of a genre crossing radio show exploring HipHop, R&B, Jazz, House and Funk in all their depths, creating the multi-layered album he always dreamt to do as he orchestrates a stoking line-up of equally talented friends and fellows like Bluestaeb, Melodiesinfonie, Suff Daddy, K, Le Maestro, Àbáse and many more while still delivering that very personal note every classic producer album needs and comes with. Or as the artist himself would put it: “17 different artists, producers and instrumentalists from all over the world helped me to bring this vision to life.”

According to that the albums 1st single features Singer NDO from Florida, giving life to the hard hitting R&B gem “Mixed Signals” where warm neo soul harmonies meet with classic R&B vibes of early 2000. The song made it to Spotify’s Butter Playlist right away and was picked for Deezer’s “Date Night” Playlist and Apple Music’s New Music Daily as well and received shout outs and further Playlist-placements by music blogs like Stereofox or MOW Mag.

The 2nd single comes as a double single featuring pianist, producer and main protagonist of Berlin’s prog-jazz scene Àbáse on “Me At The Zoo” (reminding its listeners of London’s new wave of jazz around Kamaal Williams or Yussef Dayes) on one side and the energetic, funk influenced disco tune “Something Good” on the other side.

The 3rd and final single “Love International Inc.” then comes with a bumpy up tempo drum beat, which develops into an energetic and jazzy lo-fi house/deep house loop, featuring none other than Zürich’s finest Melodiesinfonie as well as Paris-based Bluestaeb, marking this supergroup’s 2nd appearance and giving a glimpse of what’s yet to come.

Each of the album’s single cuts comes with a visual treatment by HipHop’s favorite photographer Robert Winter and his team (The Ottos), matching sound and artwork accordingly while the record’s amazing and unique artwork comes from the Swiss based creative studio HOMI. The record itself contains a sticker sheet with customized S. Fidelity and “Fidelity Radio Club” stickers as well.

The whole album campaign is further accompanied by the Fidelity Radio Show hosted by S. Fidelity himself, sitting down with his featured guests talking about the music they love and they draw inspiration from – broadcasted via S. Fidelity’s own youtube channel releasing its episodes in between the album’s single drops.

Repress!

Synergy in motion, London five-piece Ezra Collective are proving themselves as a harmonious tour de force. Their sound nods respectfully to a classic jazz footprint, celebrating the originators whilst simultaneously carving a path solely their own.

Ezra Collective marry the delicate technicalities of jazz musicianship with afrobeat and hip hop, tied together by a sound that's unmistakably London. Their live show is one of dynamic union; the strength of their partnership shines in performances that are commanding yet sensitive, soulful and pertinently groove-laced.

Following a joyous and stunningly cohesive show in May 2016, Boiler Room rightly labelled the group as 'pioneering the new-wave of U.K. jazz'. As the genre enjoys a new lease of life that is gaining momentum across the country, Ezra Collective are adding their own fresh and imaginative face to a style that continues to be 'as entertaining as it is educational' (Trench).

In a year that saw them sell out legendary London venue Ronnie Scott's not once but twice, 2017 also bought with it the release of their genre-bending second EP, Juan Pablo: The Philosopher.

After Ezra Collective took the EP on a successful tour across the U.K and Europe and completely sold out of the vinyl, Juan Pablo: The Philosopher went on to win the accolade of Best Jazz Album at Gilles Peterson's esteemed Worldwide Awards Jan 2018

Sourced from the Original Master Tapes and Presented in Audiophile Sound for the First Time: Mobile Fidelity’s Numbered-Edition 180g SuperVinyl LP Plays with Riveting Detail
Three decades before he released The Philosophy of Modern Song — an insightful book devoted to 66 tunes that both impacted his career and the music world at large — Bob Dylan issued Good As I Been to You. The under-heralded 1992 album, Dylan’s first solo acoustic album in nearly 30 years and first all-covers effort in nearly 20 years, can be seen as a prophetic prelude to what has become the Nobel Laureate’s celebrated late-career arc. It’s also an absorbing continuation of the custom Dylan has embraced since he first picked up a guitar.


Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at RTI, and housed in a Stoughton jacket, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition 180g SuperVinyl LP of Good As I Been to You reveals the immediacy, detail, and stripped-down nature of recording sessions that took place in Dylan’s garage studio in California. Simple, raw, and unplugged, the record presents Dylan in peak form — and showcases a diversity of vocal phrasing, soulful chording, harmonica accents, and close-up ambience that on this reissue emerge like never before. As the first-ever audiophile edition of this almost-lost classic, this LP also benefits from SuperVinyl’s extraordinary properties: a nearly inaudible noise floor, superb groove definition, and dead-quiet surfaces among them.

Recorded and mixed by Micajah Ryan, and supervised by Debbie Gold, Good As I Been to You took shape at Dylan’s home shortly after the singer-songwriter completed sessions in Chicago with a full band. Unaccompanied, he again gravitated to existing works — in this case, traditional folk music — and, with Gold serving as a trusted advisor, performed the songs in multiple keys and tempos until he arrived at what he desired. That careful, determined albeit loose, organic approach emanates from this reissue, on which each note, movement, and space come across more directly, fully, and immediately than on the original formats. It helps draw a through-line to Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964) as well as the similarly themed follow-up, World Gone Wrong (1993) and immersive old-world storytelling of Tempest (2012) and Rough and Rowdy Ways (2020).

Well before Dylan made those renowned 21st century LPs, however, he needed to find a way out of a funk that — save for his 1989 collaboration with Daniel Lanois, Oh Mercy — followed him for years. As author Clinton Heylin reported Dylan admitting in 1997: “My influences have not changed — and any time they have done, the music goes off to a wrong place. That’s why I recorded two LPs of old songs, so I could personally get back to the music that’s true for me.”

Truth: Few, if any, concepts better encapsulate Good As I Been to You. It resonates with the same originality, honesty, resolve, and age- and time-defying relevance as the seminal Anthology of American Folk Music that fired Dylan’s imagination as a kid in small-town Minnesota and, later, per Greil Marcus’ That Old Weird America book, informed Dylan and the Band’s Basement Tapes sessions. This record also contains the type of music Dylan was playing during his acoustic sets at his period Never Ending Tour shows; within a year of the record’s release, Dylan would play half the album’s songs live.

As for those songs: Rife with strange mystery, common circumstance, and epic adventure, the stories appeal to our base instincts. Their themes — jealousy, temptation, sacrifice, love, revenge, identity, opportunity — operate on a fundamentally human level immune to trends, generations, or eras. They’re ancient and modern, serious and comical, open and disguised, simple and multi-layered. They talk of vengeance and justice (“Frankie & Albert”; “Jim Jones”), romance and tenderness (“Tomorrow Night,” “Froggie Went a Courtin’”), the troubled and trouble-free (“Hard Times,” “Sittin’ on Top of the World”). They lend voice to lovers scorned and freed (“Blackjack Davey”), the used and users (“Diamond Joe”), the powerful and powerless (“Arthur McBride,” “Canadee-I-O”), the followed and followers (“Little Maggie”). And akin to much of Dylan’s finest output, things are not always what they appear to be.

Spanning country, folk, sea shanty, bluegrass, and blues motifs, Good As I Been to You re-confirms Dylan’s position as an elite interpreter and sculptor — not of just structure but emotion. Dylan delivers the tunes as if he’s known them forever. He plays with a subtle sense of mischievousness and retains a largely upbeat demeanour; his eyes seemingly twinkle as he sings and picks. His guitar serves as the guidepost for shuffles, boogies, ballads, and mess-arounds while his innate feel for each specific arrangement and melody helps inform pacing, tone, attack.

Like a great author, he understands the importance of adhering to concision, luring an audience, holding their attention, and maximizing the impact of details, actions, and unexpected turns. Though already coarse and ragged, his voice feels ideal for the subject matter and his phrasing — from the clever ways he stretches syllables to underline meanings on the surprise twists of “Canadee-I-O” to the sheer delight he gets from singing “rowdy-dow-dow” on the protest song “Arthur McBride” — outstanding.

2008 listete der "Rolling Stone" die 1933 als Eunice Kathleen Waymon geborene Künstlerin Nina Simone auf Rang 29 der 100 besten Sänger aller Zeiten. Im Dezember 2017 wurde Simone, die ihren Künstlernamen nach der Schauspielerin Simone Signoret wählte, mit der Aufnahme in die Rock and Roll Hall of Fame geehrt. Rock"n"Roll ist insofern etwas irreführend, da die Sängerin, Pianistin und Songschreiberin im Blues und Jazz zuhause war, beziehungsweise in Black Classical Music, wie sie ihren Stil selbst nannte. Von ihren Fans wurde sie hingegen als "Hohepriesterin des Soul" bezeichnet. In den Sechzigerjahren engagierte sich Simone stark in der US-amerikanischen Bürgerrechtsbewegung. Mit Liedern wie "Mississippi Goddam" und "To Be Young, Gifted, And Black" (Text: Weldon Irvine) wurde sie eine der musikalischen Leitfiguren dieser Bewegung. Wagram ehrt diese großartige Sängerin mit einer 3-LP-Box inkl Poster.

Hilton Felton's Family & Friends is a rare groove classic that now gets reissued for the first time ever courtesy of P-Vine. The master keyboardist has a cult following thanks to his magically mellow and sophisticated playing style. He was prolific, too, recording several great albums but none as definitive as this one, which is a sought after and pricey gem if you want an original. It has many highlights such as the fantastic jazz-funk cover of the Delfonic's classic 'La, La Means I Love You', groove-laden soul in 'The Power Of Love (It's In My Heart)' and the lively arrangement of 'Family Reunion.'

FIVE CLASSIC ARETHA ALBUMS PRESENTING AN EARLY-’70S PORTRAIT OF THE QUEEN!

Also Includes A SIXTH BONUS LP of Session Alternates, Outtakes & Demos!

Original Albums Remastered From the Analog Master Tapes by Grammy® Award-Winning Engineer, Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering Produced by Grammy® Award-Winner Cheryl Pawelski with Liner Notes from Billboard’s Gail Mitchell & British Ambassador of Soul, David Nathan Includes the hit Young, Gifted, & Black, released in 1972, which hit #2 on Billboard’s R&B albums survey and #11 on the Billboard Top 200 as well as being certified GOLD.

Aretha won the 1972 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance the album ranked at number 388 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Also includes This Girl’s In Love With You which features the first commercial release of “Let It Be,” and came out 2 months ahead of The Beatles. Both this album and Spirit In The Dark feature the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section and an appearance by Duane Allman. Along with production on both from Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd & Arif Mardin.

Leo Zero finally gets some of his much sort after edits onto the black wax, with some classic cut-ups that have all been road tested for max dance-floor detonation.

On this first EP a set of classic soul / disco groovers that have been meticulously remastered and extended for the modern floor.

One for the dancers and romancers, ‘Love Affair’ hits you square in the heart - a big spin at the Faith parties. Next up, a classic mid-tempo Soul weekender cut gets a nice chunky re-version.

The flip kicks off with some new live drums and chunkiness added to a huge underground gem, then we head off into more bulletproof dance-floor disco territory with a souped up version that’s been given maximum wallop to compete with house cuts when played out.

Late Night Tales reissues the classic and hard-to-find
‘Late Night Tales: Jamiroquai’, compiled by none other
than Jay Kay himself. The 10th edition of what is now
a classic series of compilations was originally released
20 years ago, and hasn’t been available on vinyl for
over 15 years. A blissful collection of soul, disco, jazz,
rare groove, and funk, this collection is an electrifying
journey through the aural influences of one of the UK’s
most seminal jazz bands.
Jay Kay showcases a wealth and breadth of inspiration
that wouldn’t be amiss on the late-night dancefloors
of the Loft (or Giant Steps, for that matter). From The
Pointer Sisters’ uplifting and soulful ‘Happiness’ and
jazz funk legend Johnny ‘Smith’ Hammond’s ‘Fantasy’
to the anthemic ‘Stay Free’ by Ashford & Simpson and
mellifluous ‘Music Of The Earth' by Patrice Rushen,
these two discs form a rite of passage into the creative
mind of a true musical legend.

After a stellar release on Saoirse's label trUst—which caught the attention of DJs like Ben UFO, rRoxymore and dBridge—Ryan Aitchison aka Mella Dee is back on the dials for another outing of quality tech ‘aus fodder.

Rug Cutters Vol. 1 kicks off a slew of upcoming dancefloor weapons from the Warehouse Music boss. Visually underlined by his own original artworks, the EP shows off Mella Dee’s signature flair for whipping up raw, no-nonsense ingredients into irresistibly infectious grooves.

Vol. 1 starts strong with ‘Cutting Snakes (Keep on Moving)’, a track that screams instant classic with its shuffling beat and fat, sassy synthline. A2 track ‘Bumps (You Say)’ dives deep into those bassbin vibrations—it’s big, rude, and dead set on shaking up even the swampiest of dancefloors. Together, these cuts are not messing around.

On the flip, ‘Cutters (They Don't Get It)’ plays with the more futuristic, percussive end of the techno continuum. Drum breaks slither over each other, while a minimal vocal and bass hook locks everything down. Finally, ‘Pay No Mind (Who Am I)’ pulls the EP back to euphoria. This one will have the club cruising to its cocktail of flirty chord stabs and soulful house vocals—you’ll never want to go home.

Luckily, it won’t be long before we get one more tune from Ryan Aitchison—with plenty on the horizon, ‘Rug Cutters Vol. 1’ is also a taste of what’s to come. Stay tuned!

Ross Mc Millan Aka Carlos Nilmmns Started His Career Over 10 Years Ago With Skylax Records. From His 1st Ep "Red" It Is a Statement. a Subtle Mix of House, Techno All Embellished With Striking Cinematographic Landscapes. There Followed a Multitude of Releases on Skylax (Blue Ep) but Also Ornaments, 4lux or Even Circus Company. He Has Just Recently Released 2 Fabulous Remixes for the Soul of the Makossa Man Project (Warehouse Classic 5 & 6). and It Is Logically in View of the Incredible Level He Has Reached in the Development of His Remixes That We Offered Him to Make a New Ep. There Is in This New 12 Inch His Very Personal Touch to the Deep and Sensual but Also Latin House Influences That Surely Would Not Have Denied the Maw but Also the Great David Mancuso (The Loft) Who if He Were Still Alive, We Think Would Have Loved This Ep (Rip). Indeed, Ross Also Manages to Integrate Into His Songs Cinematic Landscapes Worthy of Lalo Schifrin of the 1970s While Maintaining a Club Aspect. Latin Tapes Is One of the Most Beautiful House Bangers We've Heard in a Long Time, a Real Ode to Party and Life. No Love Lost Is Eyeing Moodymann, Mcde and the Brilliant and Forgotten Trus'me. Hootenanny Looks Nothing More or Less Than Isaac Hayes From His Blaxploitation Period. Everything Else Is on the Same Level: City of Love, Sunset Over Antoni De Portmany (Balearic Nights) & Life in the Loire. the Real Question Would Be to Know How He Manages to Obtain This Sound So Classy, ​​the Impression That He Is Accompanied Throughout the Ep by the Philadelphia International Rhythm Section (Gamble & Huff) an Orchestra of Seasoned Musicians. Probably One of the Finest House Records (Or Even Just Music) to Be Released This Year by a Talent as Singular as It Is Elusive. This 12 Inch Is a Masterpiece of Elegance and Refinement....

Detroit music legend, Marcus Malone and Dan Smith of The Noisettes reveal their awesome new collaborative long player, ‘Interstate 75’, on Ramrock Red Records, loaded with 60’s style Rhythm and Blues, old school Soul and back to the future Funk. Across the album there’s 10 incredible songs loaded with finger snapping beats, hip swaying grooves, infectious brass and raw, soul-drenched vocals, all written and performed with the highest level of musicianship. From the empowering opening track, ‘Ain’t No Telling’ to the groovilicious album title ‘Interstate 75’, and the irresistibly funky ‘Other Side Of The River’, this stunning set of work joins the musical dots between 60’s Stax, Motown and Cadet, along with early 70’s Funk of Sly and The Family Stone and Eugene McDaniels, creating an instantaneous authentic classic vibe.

“I’ve got a future Blues classic on my hands with an indefinable time scale – it could’ve been recorded in the mid 70’s and feels like an instant crate diggers delight!” – Jo Wallace (Ramrock Records)

After a decade-and-a-half of sustaining classic hip-hop and soul traditions and expanding them into the next generation, MMG has built a reputation as one of the last dependable bastions of quality. Its latest label compilation, Omakase, plays into the idea commonly found in the finest sushi restaurants: trust the chef. This time around Mello creates original songs across Hiphop, Jazz, RnB, and Soul featuring new songs from Kamaal Williams, Pale Jay, Chris Keys, Raheem DeVaughn, Marlowe, Apollo Brown, Fly Anakin, Denmark Vessey, Danny Brown, Stalley and more.

2023 Repress!
Since 2009’s critically acclaimed Machine Dreams they have not sat still, touring the globe and making some high profile friends along the way.
No one in their right mind would have expected the future of soul music to come from Gothenburg, Sweden. But there it is in the dreamy, rhythmical, shifting, moody rainbow creature that is Little Dragon. It is easy to see why some of the world’s top musical luminaries are falling over themselves to work with them. Stylishly seductive in their own right, their 2007 selftitled debut was filled with classy songwriting and cool production, with the stunning track ‘Twice’ getting played on Grey’s Anatomy and countless adverts since it’s release. Machine Dreams showed a bouncier side, as they flexed their dancing nous and came up with an album that would turn Prince’s head.
Damon Albarn invited them to collaborate on two tracks for last year’s Gorillaz record Plastic Beach, which became album highlights for the critics with Pitchfork describing the songs ‘Empire Ants’ and ‘To Binge’ as “two of the most arresting things here; they’re airy, elusive and amazingly beautiful”.
Little Dragon started 2011 with a headlining tour of the U.S. and a performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in March, thanks to a recommendation from super-fan Questlove of The Roots. In May, the band appeared on the track ‘Just Don’t’ from Raphael Saadiq’s Stone Rollin’, a record some are already calling the album of the year. Then Big Boi and DJ Shadow called to invite the group to work on new music.

We Release Jazz is sooooo happy to announce the release of a very limited edition double LP for Boillat Thérace Quintet’s 1974 Montreux Jazz Festival performance, with 3 bonus studio tracks! This gem from the Geneva, Switzerland band follows the acclaimed WRJ reissue of their self-titled album (1974) and My Greatest Love (1975), their full-length with Benny Bailey. The 300-copies-only white sleeved DLP comes with the classic obi and features fully remastered audiophile-ready recordings.

Captured live at Montreux Jazz Festival, July 3rd 1974, this rare audio treat features Boillat Thérace Quintet fan-favorites including their infamous homages to Swiss Marmite ("Cenovis"), and Geneva's public transport line Tram 12 ("1224"), as well as remarkable renditions of timeless jazz numbers by Freddie Hubbard ("Straight Life" and "Backlash") and Chick Corea ("Spain").

Additionally, the double LP offers 3 bonus songs taken from the ensemble’s sessions for their self-titled debut: superb takes on Herbie Hancock’s "Dolphin Dance", Wayne Shorter’s "Adam’s Apple", and Claude Engel’s "5th of July, Dulong Street".

All in all it’s a beautiful soul-jazz/modal fest full of flair and heart, one that perfectly encapsulates the vibrant and inventive Swiss jazz scene of the 1970s. A must have for fans and collectors.

This new album from We Release Jazz follows the label’s celebrated releases of the Ryo Fukui catalogue (Scenery, Mellow Dream, A Letter from Slowboat, Ryo Fukui in New York, My Favorite Tune), Hiroshi Suzuki’s seminal Cat album, and Le Cercle Rouge soundtrack by Eric Demarsan among other jazz wonders.

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Vol 2 of Late Night Tuff Guy's Soul Cut series. Adding his magic touch to 3 soulful classic's.
Stocking filler alert!!

Stix Records, a sub-label of Favorite Recordings, presents the 2nd release from its new Mellow Reggae Series project. Launched earlier this year by Mato & Ethel Lindsey with a stunning cover of the famous “What You Won’t Do For Love” by Bobby Caldwell, the series continues with the same duo, now taking over “Baby Come Back”, the underground AOR/Blue-Eyed-Soul classic from Player.

This time again and likewise could be told about Bobby’s most famous song, “Baby Come Back” can be considered as a “One-Hit Wonder”, reaching #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1977, while very few people might be able to name who performed it. Like he always does, Mato delivers an outstanding version, delighting us with his matchless skills for dub production. Already perfectly matching on Bobby Caldwell’s rendition, Ethel Lindsey ensure again the perfect vocals over Mato’s production. Currently preparing her 1st album to be released on Favorite Recordings, Ethel has a long music and singing experience, unless an almost blank discography. From her very young age, she’s developed a deep passion for AOR and Blue-Eyed-Soul style.

Starting his reggae production career in 2006, Thomas Blanchot (aka Mato) has released music through various projects on EDR Records, Big Singles or Makasound... In the meantime, he developed a real trademark: taking over classic French, Hip-Hop, OST, Classical or Pop songs, into roots reggae-dub new versions. His 15 years collaboration with Stix Records and label honcho Pascal Rioux gave life to many masterpieces and the story seems far from the end…

Purple Color Vinyl

We are really proud to introduce a new release on Mawimbi Records: "Mawimbi, Vol. 2”. Its title is a nod to “Mawimbi, Vol. 1”, which was the inaugural release of our record label back in 2015. A new compilation, at last, after a decade of music activism and a handful of EPs and albums which have helped unearth some of today’s talents from the new global music scene (Onipa, Loya, Afriquoi, Raz & Afla). It stays true to the driving principles of our artistic direction: support upcoming artists, e ncourage the breaking down of musical frontiers, help make happen new encounters between electronic music and so-called “afro” music. While these encounters can now be witnessed anywhere in pop music’s current zeitgeist, from Beyoncé to South African’s vibrant amapiano scene, we think there’s still plenty to explore.

“Mawimbi, Vol. 2” truly feels like the culmination of a long path for our record label. Because it includes artists who have been actively contributing to the Mawimbi adventure over the years, and also because it’s another convincing testimony of the fruitfulness of this musical intuition we have so heartily been defending for the last decade. Indeed, the 8 tracks of “Mawimbi, Vol. 2” resist all the usual labels. They sound like they stem more from human encounters and artistic dialogues launched in the moment than attempts to be associated with any music scene in particular. Each of the 8 pieces of this compilation presents in a unique way the search for this cross-pollinating sound.

The compilation opens with a really engaging rework of James Stewart’s classic track “Cotonou” by Lyon-based tropical music enthusiasts Voilaaa, who took Peter Solo’s voodoo soul lines on a trip across the Black Atlantic beginning with a horn-heavy cuban cha-cha-cha before falling into a savory triple time dance. As tireless sonic adventurers, Amsterdam-based duo Umoja have brought back a handful of hits from their numerous trips to Kenya meeting with local benga musicians. “Avana Va” is one of their compelling tunes, featuring Kenyan musician and producer Sidney Simila. This urge to collaborate with musicians from across the African continent is also to be found in Village Cuts’ ever expanding discography. On “Sentima”, they showcase their trademark London funky sound, introducing us to the talents of Congolese guitarist and singer Kissangwa.

Afriquoi’s 2020 hit “Ndeko Solo” is presented in a brand new shape, sprinkled with some French Touch flavours. “Djansa”, by Toulouse-based producers Mr. Boom, rides a distinct South African-inspired groove, while inviting us to a nighttime dance by the Balearic sea. On “Silent Runner”, French producer and musician Ozferti moulds his own musical galaxy where East African scales meet cutting edge global club beats. With “Nabi Kumi”, Anglo-Ghanaian duo Raz & Afla delivers their deepest piece, once again inducing a state of trance with a triple-time beat and an hypnotic kora loop. Closing the compilation, “It's Holy” is a unique collaboration between Tom Excell (Onipa, Nubiyan Twist, David Walters) and Dizraeli, one of the most interesting voices in British rap, which by making connections between broken beat, jazz and african music, illustrates the precious mixture of musical aesthetics that make up the current UK musical landscape.

Benny Sings, the prolific Amsterdam songwriter behind timeless hits like Pyjamas, Loving Is Easy and Big Brown Eyes, invites you to a musical journey back in time with the 20th Anniversary Edition of his debut album, "Champagne People." This album, written and produced by Benny himself in 2002-2003, marks the genesis of his illustrious career, earning him fans worldwide, including revered names like Gilles Peterson and Questlove. "Champagne People" is a genre-defying classic, seamlessly weaving elements of hip-hop, soul, jazz, and Benny's signature blue-eyed soul. This deluxe edition not only pays homage to the past but also adds a touch of the present with two previously unreleased bonus tracks on vinyl and three additional remixes on the digital album. To make this re-release even more special, the album's artwork has been beautifully redesigned by the renowned artist Bráulio Amado (Ben Howard, Rex Orange County,...). The story behind the album is as enchanting as its music. Benny Sings’ story began with an interrail trip to Morocco, during a time where he felt lost in life. He carried around a tape filled with demos including the blueprints of classics “Twist You Around” and “Champagne People”. The demos captivated fellow travelers during a camping stop in Spain, sparking his music career. Returning with a beard symbolizing newfound strength, Benny embarked on a transformative journey, leading to the creation of his iconic debut album, “Champagne People”. Today, we celebrate 20 years of his musical legacy.

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Little Dragon return with a spectacular second album offering in August, a pulsating electro pop epic that Prince would be proud of (only fronted by a beautiful Swedish lady with a sultry voice). A bold and surprising side/two step onwards from their self titled debut, released two years ago to great acclaim especially among specialist circles. Machine Dreams, with its nagging hooks and gloriously infectious tunes, should finally see the band break out into the mainstream.

Recorded in their home city of Gothenburg, Machine Dreams is a gigantic leap on from previous material but still maintains a distinct sound that can only be Little Dragon. Be it Yukimi s warmly inviting vocals, Erik s dextrous drumming, the vast array of synths and bleeps created by Hakan or Frederik s bubbling bass lines, together they don t sound like anything else around right now. The move towards a more electronic sound was a conscious one, as Yukimi explains; The title Machine Dreams seems obvious. These days, humans seem more and more like machines, and as technology evolves, machines feel more human and it becomes fuzzy and beautiful and science fiction-ish. We feel dependent on our machines to create and live, and their sounds reflect us .

Album opener A New breaks us in gently with a single whirring note on the synthesiser, an almost alien sound that gradually morphs into a slow, thumping bassline. Yukimi s vocals flow alongside Hakan s assortment of sound effects interspersed with militaristic drums breaks. A magical opener that sets the scene and seems to sink into itself, taking us with it, until the pace is swiftly ratcheted skywards with Looking Glass , the massive snare, crisp driving beat and experimental synths revealing the band s current penchant for the 80 s. This influence continues apace into stand out track My Step . Utilising a solid drumbeat that nestles next to jagged and playful synthlines, the track breaks down into motorik propulsion with a scuzzy techno bassline that Yukimi works with ease.

Upcoming single Feather finds Yukimi s voice at its most detached and blaze, seemingly nonchalant yet magnificently seductive. Backed by Hakan s keyboard atmospherics, the song creates a soundscape reminiscent of Tears For Fears more reflective moods. Gradually layering more vocals, synths, echoes and reverb, it builds to a quietly psychedelic, dreamy cosmic swirl. Runabout brings forth a mini Airto style percussive breakdown at the tail end of yet another Little Dragon pop gem. Swimming bursts forth into vision with stabbing keys and reflective bass alongside yet another wonderful vocal performance from Yukimi who sings of young love and now so many years have past, my memories as clear as glass . The song is over as quickly as it started, flowing into the next miniature masterpiece in the form of Blinking Pigs

The album closes with the stunning track Fortune , which has already caught the attention of none other than DJ Shadow. It s no wonder really, as the textured melodies blend with the drifting percussion, creating a blissful sonic mood. With a smattering of drums and bass and the magic of Yukimi s voice and Hakan s electronic dynamics floating on top, it s the perfect track to end this fascinating journey through Little Dragon s brave new world.

With disparate influences from Depeche Mode to Prince, LCD Soundsystem to James Holden, Dancehall to R&B, Jazz and Soul, Little Dragon take their place among artists who straddle many genres, yet somehow create their own and in doing so create sounds that make time stop (Yukimi). Futuristic yet somehow retro, Machine Dreams sees Little Dragon achieve something timeless; that elusive pop classic.

2023 REPRESS - Rare Brazilian Bossa Nova - Latin album - Comes with insert/liner notes & packaged in a gatefold jacket - 180g TANGERINE COLORED vinyl limited to 500 copies w/obi strip // Marcos Valle needs little introduction, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1943, Mr. Valle is an award-winning/chart-hitting Brazilian singer, songwriter and record producer. He was raised on a staple diet of classical, Brazilian popular music and North American jazz. Marcos Valle grew up to be one of the most influential & innovating musicians of the Bossa nova period and is regarded as one of the greatest Brazilian artists of all time. He has recorded albums for North American labels such as EMI, Warner Brothers & Verve_cementing his career with a series of tight musical workouts moving seamlessly between funk, samba, soundtracks, soul, jazz, dance and rock. Valle contributed to some of the most important recordings by artists including Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Sergio Mendes, Leon Ware, Chicago and Airto Moreira. Mr. Valle's work has been sampled/remixed by major artists from the likes of Jay-Z, Kanye West & Madlib.One of Valle's favorite bands to frequently collaborate with was no doubt Azymuth, who took their name from a Valle song!Azymuth (Bertrami-Malheiros-Conti) started their individual careers in the 1960s in the emergent Bossa nova and jazz scene of Rio, living in the same bohemian block in Copacabana and playing in small bars as session musicians under various other names.It was the early 1970s when Azymuth really began to cause a stir and Marcos Valle invited them to record on a soundtrack LP he was doing. The unique Azymuth sound was now born: a mix of electronic music, samba, funk and jazz that they defined as MPB-jazz (MPB stands for Musica Popular Brasileira). Over the decades Azymuth released extremely successful albums (selling millions of copies) on labels such as Polydor, Som Livre and Atlantic. Hitting the charts on multiple occasions, Azymuth played at the Monterrey and Montreux jazz festivals and at venues around the globe.The band has worked with legendary musicians from Joe Henderson to Stevie Wonder and they've also been remixed/sampled by artists such as Flying Lotus, will.i.am, MF DOOM and Peanut Butter Wolf. Their unique brand of fusion-music has influenced three generations of musicians, DJs, and producers. Music journalists across the spectrum from mainstream to underground, celebrated these raw yet wildly imaginative and musically accomplished tracks that were a revelation of jazz, funk and disco, with some even stating that the roots of EDM were on display in their early recordings.On the album we are presenting you (Brazil by Music - Fly Cruzeiro) the listener is getting yet another fantastic early Valle/Azymuth collaboration. Released in 1972, this rare album was pressed and gifted to customers of the `Cruzeiro' airline company. This promotional record came as no surprise because the connection between Cruzeiro Airlines and Valle was very tight (Valle's father was the manager and his brother was a co-pilot there).Next to the Valle/Azymuth material present, other songs include some of the all-time best Brazilian standards originally written by renowned artists such as Jorge Ben & Antonio Carlos Jobim. Take a flight with us through this fantastic album and into some of the best Jazz, Funk & Bossa Nova the Brazilian musical landscape has to offer.Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the first ever vinyl reissue of `Fly Cruzeiro' since its release in 1972 (only 500 copies were pressed upon its original release in 1972).

BERTUS DISTRIBUTION INTRODUCES NORTH SEA JAZZ CONCERT SERIES

Bertus Distribution, in collaboration with NTR, AVROTROS and MOJO, presents a new vinyl series consisting of live recordings of legendary artists through the decades made at the renowned North Sea Jazz Festival.

The North Sea Jazz Concert Series will include officially licensed releases that will be released as standard on 180-gram white vinyl in a sleeve of heavy paper printed on reversed board. The records will be captured in mainly black-and-white artwork by Hans Pol in his signature style of the festival with inspiration from the covers of classic older jazz releases from the Blue Note label, for example. The liner notes are written by journalist and jazz expert Jeroen de Valk.

For the first release in this series, the honour is given to one of the most famous jazz singers ever, Ella Fitzgerald. On Friday 13 July 1979, she gave a raucous and peerless performance at the festival then still held in The Hague. The "First Lady Of Song" worked her way with verve through standards like 'There Will Never Be Another You', 'Satin Doll', ''Round Midnight' and 'Mr Paganini'. Her accompanists that night were Paul Smith on piano, Keter Betts on bass and Mickey Roker on drums; a trio line-up with the power of a big band.

Future releases will include NSJ recordings by such notables as Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich, Ray Charles, Dexter Gordon and Jan Akkerman. It will be a long-running series with the aim of releasing the most extraordinary NSJ performances on vinyl.

The first edition of the North Sea Jazz Festival took place in 1976 at The Hague’s Nederlands Congresgebouw with some 9,000 visitors. In the first year, jazz legends such as Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz performed alongside a host of artists from the Dutch avant-garde.

The festival, officially NN North Sea Jazz since 2018, has now developed into a major international event that is also known beyond the Dutch borders as an event where jazz from the past, present and future merges with other genres such as blues, soul, funk, hiphop, pop and more. Over the years, it has grown to fifteen venues, around thirteen hundred musicians and an annual audience of between eight-five and ninety thousand. Since 2006, the festival has been held in new wider venue, namely Rotterdam Ahoy.

The Galaxy Sound Co's latest 7" kicks off with a remastered edit of 'Passion Play' by The Sugarhill Gang. It's a tune that was originally on their self-titled 1980 album and comes with background vocals from the superb funk and soul band Positive Force. Somehow the tune didn't make the charts at the time though it has been heavily referenced and sampled since, including by the likes of Kerri Chandler. The B-side is 'Who Is She (And What Is She to You)', a soul-jazz cover of a Bill Withers classic taken from Madelaine's only album, Who Is She, in 1978. It has a serious Chicago pedigree and great arrangements from Johnny Pate.

Repress!

Released on Riverside records in 1962, "Letter from Home" was the debut album of Jazz vocalist Eddie Jefferson. Often credited as the founder of vocalese, Jefferson wrote memorable lyrics to classic jazz standards including "Parker's Mood.", "Lady Be Good," "So What," "Freedom Jazz Dance,"... Eddie Jefferson is backed here by a bunch of Jazz heavyweights, all at the top of their game. Among them: tenor sax masters Johnny Griffin and James Moody, trumpeter Clark Terry, pianists, Winton Kelly, and Joe Zawinul, bassist Sam Jones, and two hyper swinging drummers, Louis Hayes and Osie Johnson. This is an often underrated vocal Jazz album, a hidden gem ready to be unearthed. Don't miss it !!!

The live reunion of Bob Dylan and The Band during 1973-74 yielded one of the decade's most celebrated, dynamic, and astonishing tours. Captured on Before the Flood, the results portray the two artists' shared chemistry as well as Dylan's instinctive ability to challenge audiences, his group, and himself via inventive rearrangements of classics that simultaneously ward off nostalgia and renew with meaning. Said by noted critic Robert Christgau to be "at its best, the craziest and strongest rock and roll ever recorded," Before the Flood crackles with intensity, relevance, and unhinged performances.

Arriving at a crucial time for both Dylan and The Band, Before the Flood is the furthest thing possible from a nostalgia trip. It's where Dylan begins his now-trademark feat of turning songs upside-down, taking risks, challenging expectations, and leaving audiences riveted to the edge of their seats in anticipation of what might come next. He sings with unabated passion, the moods spanning bitterness to jubilation. And his willingness to play fast and loose with the music gives way to compelling shifts, under-the-surface textures, complementary intricacies, and a sense of newness and discovery on par with that of an adventurer embracing total freedom.

Before the Flood buries any notion of limits, safeguards, or borders. It is an open map, each song a route begging for exploration without need or concern for exactness or an appointed leader. Collaborative in every sense, it's a portrait of six inimitable musicians feeding off one another, trusting in their past history as they hurdle towards uncharted territory, using soulfulness as a compass and opportunity as their vehicle.

Wholly different than the live episodes heard on Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert, Before the Flood is equally seminal and, from the perspective of witnessing an artist dare not only his audience but himself to break through to a new plane, even better. Utterly astounding.

Laolu makes his Crosstown Rebels debut with ‘Now I See’, combining with Off The Meds frontman Kamohelo Khoaripe across the two-track release. Having emerged via his versatile and dynamic DJ sets for the likes of Circoloco, with releases via labels such as Keinemusik, Innervisions and Anjunadeep, Swiss DJ/producer Laolu has stamped his mark while racking up support from Dixon and Black Coffee. Arriving in fine form, he closes out November with a classy label debut on Damian Lazarus’ renowned Crosstown Rebels as he serves up his latest two-track release ‘Now I See’ - a vibrant and personal release shaped and finalised after a decade following the birth of his daughter.

Spirited and resonant, combining soulful female vocals with organic percussion and sweeping melodies throughout, ‘Now I See’ is a warm and sonorous production set for heartfelt dancefloor moments, while ‘Monday To Sunday’ featuring the impactful vocals of Kamohelo takes a darker path as swirling bass patterns, menacing synths and warped tones merge around the commanding flute for a powerful late night cut.

-Limited to only 150 copies on black vinyl.
-The last recordings of former Roots member Malik B before he passed away.
-Clever 1 of the popular hardcore rap duo 'Da Buze Bruvaz' is a full member of the group.
-Maylay Sparks FKA Rahsheed founded this group.
-Produced by K Sluggah who has done production for Conway, Westside Gunn, Tha God Fahim etc.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MALIK B (NOVEMBER 14TH, 1972 – JULY 29TH, 2020)
Frozen Mugs started out back in 2020 as a soon-to-be classic hip-hop collaboration between "Maylay Sparks", Swedish producer “K Sluggah” and “Clever 1” (one half of “Da Buze Bruvaz”). You will experience an uncanny chemistry between these 2 high caliber emcees who are providing you with the traditional sharp, tenacious, aggressive & grimey wordplay over K Sluggah's cinematic, soulful, and psychedelic beats giving the listeners a vivid picture of what goes on in these dangerous times. The hard delivery and complex word patterns are descriptive gestures of loose women, action in the streets, cocktails & cold beer guzzling. Sonically this album is honed to be a masterpiece, with owner of the newly formed label “Blacbird Recs”, and revered studio engineer Joe “The Butcher” Nicolo (Ruffhouse Recs. CEO) behind the mixing board. This is hip-hop with an attitude, authentic, and with no compromises!
In the midst of recording this project, we experienced a severe tragedy as we lost the incomparable Malik B formerly from the Roots. The last days before his passing he recorded the verses for the album and he was supposed to record a few more as there were talks of him becoming a full fledged "Frozen Mugs" member. Sadly the talks of doing an album with Malik B on HHE never came to fruition. This project is dedicated to one of the most legendary emcees Philly ever bred and he will always be remembered as a lyrical giant. R.I.P.
All versions come with hype stickers and an insert that will include a bio on Frozen Mugs and a dedication to Malik B on the reverse side.

The Brazilian Singer Ed Mottais one of the greats in Jazz / Funk, not onlyin the South American Music-Scene, but world-wide.He has been one of the leading artists at the forefront in Brazil with a hugefollowing in his Home-Country and around the world With his new album "Behind The Tea Chronicles" he embarks on a new musical journey, crossing genres from Jazz to Funk, over to Soul. Having worked with many renowned musicians over the course of his career (Greg Phillinganes, Chucho Valdez, Roy Ayers and many more) he established his own style of creating music with a message. On this latest album Ed Motta is singing in English, telling stories that resonatewhich a broad audience. Recording the rhythm in Brazil, backing vocals in LA -featuring the legendary Paulette McWilliams and Phillip Ingram - strings in Prague and horns in Detroit, he worked with the best musicians he could find to find an astonishing sound, that will be recognised by the audiophile audience as top of the class. Being recorded with the highest standard, Ed Motta made sure to raise the bar once more.

The architects of soul are back with “Big Time Lover”, a 12-track vinyl LP album with highlights from this year’s “Soul On The Real Side #15” CD collection Tracks here are the building blocks of modern soul with a play list of mid-tempo Northern and Crossover Soul – classics and rarities.
It's brought to you from the West Midlands – the stomping ground of Real Side Records founder member Mr Tee.
The LP is packed with modern soul gems all culled from the incredible Captipl Reords soul legacy. They need little introduction to the UK rare soul scene, but here is a snapshot of a few highlights.
Our show opens care of the million-selling group Cornelious Brothers & Sister Rose from Dania Beach, Florida. They shot to fame in 1971 with their hit “Treat Her Like A Lady” and the follow-up “Too Late To Turn Back Now”, both certified gold discs. Here we feature the title track of their 1973 album Big Time Lover.
Trk. 2, “The Game Is Over”, is by the short lived California girl group Brown Sugar featuring the one-hit-wonder Phyllis Nelson. The legendary Tavares Brothers perform trk. 3 while George Soule leads the way on trk. 4 with his #35 R&B hit “Get Involved”. Bettye Swann from Shreveport, Louisiana, delivers a heartrending performance on “My Heart Is Closed...” (trk. 5), her debut recording for Capitol in 1968.
The album closes with the fabulous C. M. Lord “Oh Mama
(Your Daughter’s A Woman Tonight)”

"Join us as we welcome back New York Underground Funk Band with “Funk & Soul”, “Wanna Be Free”, and a previoulsy unreleased EP-bonus track ""By The Time I Get To Phoenix"" from the early 1970s — all a more psychedelic take on their funk sound.

Funk & Soul states, “I’ve got funk and soul...don’t have to worry about a doggone thing” — and we’d have to agree. imagine Sly and the Family Stone getting Jimi Hendrix for a session, then asking him to drop a fuzzed-out guitar solo. You might then end up with “Funk & Soul” — the heaviest, fuzz-driven Sly track you’ve never heard. Though it’s also NYUFB from start to finish.

Now, you’re in the right frame of mind for “Wanna Be Free” — the deep funk B-side that trades out the spirit of Jimi Hendrix for the spirit of Jim Morrison. With all the respect that is due to these greats, NYUFB crafts their own psychedelic sound in this raucous cut that features thunderous drums and alluring interplay between organ and guitar. This was certainly designed to free your mind, and we believe the group succeeds.

The B Side holds a very special treat— dig New York Underground Funk Band’s version of “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” the Jimmy Webb-penned classic that gets a heavy soul treatment on PP12007. While covered many times, this hyper-syncopated interpretation is a standout with its long rap intro, call-and-response style singing and shimmering vocal harmonies.

These three tracks comprise one of our most exciting releases yet, as that promising band from the New York or New Jersey area further displays their remarkable range. These songs simply cannot remain buried. They’ve finally found their way to you on PP12007, and we hope you’ll get a hold of it while you can."

"""Show You"" on Side A is ready to explode at Soul Nights around the world. A frenetic driving beat, strong horn charts, great soaring lead vocals, and sweet harmony backing vocals make this an instant classic in the canon of Northern Soul. And better yet, it is a fresh tune! Get yours and be the focus of the trainspotters after all the quantity is gone, bought up and filed into dj's collections.

""I Love Ya"" on the B-Side is a soaring 60s Sweet Soul ballad perfect for cruising on Sunday afternoon in summer. Harmony, check... vibes, check.... lyrics about loving your woman, check... all the boxes have been checked by this side. It is the quintessential compliment to the uptempo flip. The pairing is perfect.

An extra special thank you to Scott Aidlen and West Los Soul for contributing the songs featured on this release. Respect!"

Repress!

Two huge Bobby Womack classics, the heart-on-a-sleeve 'How Could You Break My Heart' and the sweet soul love song, 'Give It Up' get a much deserved, official remastered reissue.

Produced and composed alongside Patrick Moten, who worked with the likes of Loleatta Holloway, Anita Baker and Rosie Gaines, 'How Could You Break My Heart' was a massive record on the modern soul scene and still a favourite across the board with the biggest selectors and DJs on the circuit.

The blend of warm woozy keys and magical piano touches, over energetic strings, powerful horns and tight percussion, are near impossible not to get swept up by and provide the perfect backing for Womack to bare all. Arguably one of the greatest soul singers to have ever done it, endless amounts of passion and raw emotion emanate from his rugged tones as he swallows the bitter pill of heartache and rejection.

On the B side the bittersweet 'Give It Up' where soaring strings and sumptuous chord progressions, marry with the full range of Womack's vocals and those expert backing harmonies. A luscious sax solo and funk bass give a sultry feel that mixes with the tenderness on show, providing a powerful metaphor for the swirling emotions that come part and parcel with this ever-relatable tale of reaching out for love.

Get ready for psych funk and a cover from far left field. PP12005 has all the makings of an instant classic.

Enter the dark opium den — a release reminiscent of those pioneers of funk, early Parliament and Funkadelic. These found tracks by Bruce Marshall and Bill Thomas were likely recorded around the time of “Osmium” and “Maggot Brain” — in fact, the artists featured here may have been directly influenced by the movement as it was happening, making these discoveries remarkable entries into the history of psych funk.

Where to begin with Bruce Marshall’s Gimme My Wife on the A side? Try to imagine a psychedelic football game, with driving wah wah funk as the halftime show. The frenetic instrumentation is guided by an infectious guitar hook, coupled with a loose chorus of voices and whistle blows. They all come together at the end to chant what sounds like “parrrr-tay,” a foreshadowing of that refrain the Beastie Boys would popularize.

For our EP-exclusive track on the A side, we present to you a haunting cover of the Ides of March song, Vehicle. Bruce Marshall’s version is much more sparse — a psychedelic dirge that’s almost unrecognizable compared to the original. Dark, simmering and sensual, it explodes into a soul-splitting vocal wail as the track reaches its end.

Things get a little more solemn on side B with an instant classic by Bill Thomas, Ease My Mind Pt. 1. A surprising dirge of fuzzy guitar leads into a chorus that sings, like a mantra, “I have seen much trouble...ease my mind.” Things morph into tight horns backed by some prominent organ — in fact, this is one of the tightest horn sections on any of our releases to date.

For the exclusive EP B-side, Bill Thomas and band pick up right where they left off with Ease My Mind Pt. 2 — an extended instrumental of “Ease My Mind Pt. 1.” It kicks off with a drum solo, then throws you into some horn-driven funk, with guitars holding down the background. Sax and organ take turns on the lead in this hot and delicious track that’s ready for your enjoyment.

Funk is alive and well on our fifth release — adding a new dimension to the amazing body of psych funk that’s already out there. Who knows what could have happened had these cuts reached ears during the 70s — but the time for the Marshall-Thomas ship to land is now. Put this on to get your next party going, and it’ll do most of the work for you.

Seminal rare groove funk and deep soul album originally released in 1973 on GRC Records now released 50 years later on Soul Jazz Records in this fully remastered edition of this CLASSIC album. The album "Ripple" contains the all-time classic "I Don"t know What It Is, But It Sure Is Funky", one of the most memorable funk tunes of all time and sampled many times over. Ripple"s unique blend of funk, soul, rock, proto-disco and more stood them alongside groups like Funkadelic, Brass Construction, Mandrill, Pleasure, Kool and the Gang and The Blackbyrds, who were all blending these styles while remaining firmly focussed on the dancefloor. Like the group Funkadelic, Ripple hailed from Michigan and in 1976 opened for the group on their Parliament/Funkadelic Mothership Connection tour. This classic album has been out of print for nearly 30 years on vinyl and is now fully remastered and presented here in its original artwork.

The Roger Webb Sound's Moonshade is one of the coolest records ever. Originally appearing via the legendary De Wolfe library in 1971, it's a sumptuous jazz-soul-funk instrumental set. Full of melodic, melancholic yet sun-drenched songs, rich with colour and contrast, it was composed by self-taught jazz pianist Roger Webb and features vocal performances by Barbara Moore. That's right; *the* powerhouse library music duo! It makes Moonshade the perfect precursor and accompaniment to Barbara Moore's eternal classic Vocal Shades And Tones. It will come as no surprise that original copies, if you can ever find them, will set you back north of 200 notes.

Moonshade is a phenomenal showcase of Brit maestro Webb's own roots in jazz. Those roots are served up here with a plethora of fast-stepping rhythms that truly give flight to the vocals of Barbara Moore, as they soar in wonderful ways. Moore sings wordlessly throughout, allowing her voice to act like another instrument in concert with the horns and keyboards elevating the fine arrangements. This is a deeply beautiful record.

The album opens with the ornate Baroque pop splendour of the sun-dappled melancholia of "Sunshine". Strings, piano and wordless female vocals combine to create this brief beauty of unimaginable grace. The cool "Gentle Eyes" features haunting and beautiful vocals, smooth jazz piano and horns and a general easy vibe without being easy listening, if you know what we mean. You do. Just listen. The pounding "Heavy Lace" is one for the beat-heads, funky open drums (!) with muted organ, bassy piano chords and ace horns. Sampled by Quakers for their great debut album on Stones Throw. The nostalgic "Yesterday" is wistful and beautifully melodic instrumental soul music with gorgeous acoustic guitar and flutes. It's followed by the light, lilting "Petal Soft" which features more Baroque styles, overflowing with flutes and harps. The bright, bouncing "Coaster" is an easy-going piano-led, guitar-driven swinger whilst "Grey Sigh" is another classic. A real highlight, with more fantastic propulsive drums and percussion and plaintive wordless vocals courtesy of Barbara. Speaking of which, the soft, sweet Rhodes jazz of the lilting "Sweet Thing" is another staggering showcase of the brilliance of Barbara. Just astounding.

Head straight past the honky-tonk-by-numbers piano jaunt "Cough Drop" and luxuriate in the soft, delicate beauty of the album's melodic, cyclical title track, "Moon Shade". Fragile flutes and acoustic guitar float across judicious bass notes before giving way to slightly ominous piano and, again, those beguiling wordless vocals. And then round again to the flute refrain of the intro. This time with the vocals to see us out. Majestic drama jazz at its finest. The cello-and-flute adorned "Sapphire" is a fluid orchestral beauty whilst "Interweave" rides with more urgency in its string and bass stabs. When the warm keys enter, it's a bonafide mellifluous wonder. The softer "Musette" begins in beautifully gentle fashion before pivoting for a driving yet elegant piano middle section. It reverts back to the mellow intro, for its outro. Understood? The melodic organ and prominent rhythm section running through "Reminiscence" makes for a delightfully understated folk-funk instrumental whilst the cool, rolling piano feels of "7.30 For 8.00" seem to perfectly suit the phrase "dinner jazz". It's no bad thing, c'mon. This classy, memorable set is rounded out by the half-minute mince of the Barbara-blessed "Sparky". It's just over too soon!

The audio for Moonshade has been brilliantly remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

Vocal Shades And Tones is a miraculous leftfield library classic from the genius mind of celebrated UK composer/singer/vocal arranger Barbara Moore. It's a heavenly groove-based blend of jazz, Latin, soft-psych, folk-funk and gospel soul. Recorded for the legendary Music De Wolfe in 1972, it's an audacious start-to-finish listen, as dizzying as it is dazzling. It's a perfect snapshot of a musical era, supported by Moore's glorious vocal arrangements. Widely regarded among collectors, DJs, and lounge/easy-listening acolytes as an absolute essential it is viewed as the holy grail by many production music heads, rarely appearing for sale and disappearing in a flash when it does. Indeed, originals now go for over £300 and it's easy to see why. Just one of the reasons why this fresh Be With reissue, part of a wider De Wolfe reissue campaign, is so utterly crucial.

Racing out the gate, the driving "Hot Heels" is a bright, sophisticated scat groove which sounds Brazilian, richly produced as if coming by the hand of Arthur Verocai. Yes, *that* good. It's followed by "It's Gospel" which is, er, a wonderfully slow and deeply soulful gospel treasure. The appropriately monikered "Steam Heat" is a darker, breathy gem, one for salacious crates and one of the record's most infamous tracks. "Fly Away" is pastoral West Coast soft rock, very much in conversation with John Cameron and Keith Mansfield's epochal KPM recording, Voices In Harmony. "His Name Was" is a stop-you-dead-in-your-tracks Beach Boys accapella church-organ stunner, whilst "Swing Over" is another carefree, richly produced sun-dappled smasher. The gentle Bossa and sunshine soul of the aptly-titled "Touch Of Warmth" closes out a virtually perfect A-Side.

The B-Side opens with the easy grace and dramatic build of "Voice Force Nine". The jaunty "Very Fine Fellow" may be the only track to slightly grate so we advise heading to the slower, moody "Shades-Tones", eminently more compelling with sparkling, hypnotic piano throughout, underpinning the gorgeous wordless vocals. Just beautiful. It was sampled by Redman for his Method Man-featuring "Do What Ya Feel" on the great Muddy Waters. We're back in Brazilian territory with the cool, uptempo "I'm Feather" before swooning to the warm, relaxed "Drifting", another total highlight which was famously sampled by Koushik on his legendary remix of Madvillain's "America's Most Blunted (Doom's Verse)". The penultimate track, "Take Off" is a bright, organ lounge groove before this remarkable set is rounded out by the beaty "Fly Paradise". It's so so good, it sounds like Rotary Connection fronted by The Mamas & the Papas. As noted in a recent Guardian article on Moore's life, "there is a plushness and electricity in the tight vocal harmonies that spring out, sung with the precision of cathedral choristers decades before Auto-Tune." Amen.

In the 1960s, Barbara Moore was a member of Top of the Pops’ resident vocal-harmony group, The Ladybirds and sang backing vocals for Dusty Springfield’s TV show. Her own outfit, the Barbara Moore Singers, were regulars on TOTP, singing with Jimi Hendrix when he performed "Hey Joe" live in Lime Grove Studios. An important detail for Moore was the shepherd’s pie she bought Hendrix when she found him alone, looking emaciated, near the BBC canteen. By 1970, she was working as a session singer for De Wolfe and, by 1972, was composing her own tracks for De Wolfe and working within their tight creative strictures. Each short track had to evoke an obvious mood and theme, with no significant key or tempo changes. Her response, this very album, managed to stay between the lines while cohering as an overarching artistic masterpiece.

The audio for Vocal Shades And Tones has been carefully remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

Featuring exclusive performances by Donnie Emerson and Noah Jupe, score selections by Leopold Ross, plus vintage classics from Donnie & Joe Emerson -Includes the original version of the cult-classic hit, "Baby" -LP release housed in a gatefold jacket -Mastered by John Baldwin at Infrasonic Sound -Directed by Bill Pohlad, Dreamin' Wild, stars Casey Affleck, Zooey Deschanel, Beau Bridges, Noah Jupe, Walton Goggins, and Chris Messina // Acclaimed label Light in the Attic proudly partners with River Road, Zurich Avenue, and Roadside Attractions to release Dreamin' Wild Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The film follows the real-life story of brothers Donnie & Joe Emerson, whose teenage dreams of rock stardom suddenly came true 30 years later. The soundtrack blends vintage recordings by Donnie & Joe (including the cult favorite "Baby") with exclusive new performances by Donnie Emerson, Nancy Sophia Emerson, and actor Noah Jupe, plus original score selections by composer Leopold Ross (Black Mirror, A Million Little Pieces). Jupe, who portrays a young Donnie Emerson, re-recorded several of the duo's classic songs for the film, including their debut single, "Thoughts in My Mind." The wistful ballad, which was written and recorded while the brothers were still in high school, was originally released in 1977 on their own Enterprise & Co. label. The soundtrack also includes "When A Dream Is Beautiful," a new song by husband-and-wife duo Donnie Emerson and Nancy Sophia Emerson, and recorded in Nashville by the film's music producer and multi-GRAMMYr winner Dave Cobb. Also available are Donnie & Joe's 1979 album, Dreamin' Wild, as well as the acclaimed 2014 collection Still Dreamin' Wild: The Lost Recordings 1979-81, which culls highlights from the brothers' prolific collection of songs. Additionally, fans can find exclusive Donnie & Joe merch at DonnieAndJoe . Adapted from a profile by journalist Steven Kurutz and written, directed, and produced by Oscarr and Emmyr-nominee Bill Pohlad (whose extensive credits include Brokeback Mountain, 12 Years a Slave, and the Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy), Dreamin' Wild stars Academy Awardr winner Casey Affleck, Emmyr-nominee Zooey Deschanel, Emmyr-nominee Walton Goggins, Chris Messina, Noah Jupe, Jack Dylan Grazer, plus Emmyr and Grammy Awardr-winner Beau Bridges. A true story of love and redemption, Dreamin' Wild centers around Donnie Emerson (Affleck/Jupe), a middle-aged singer-songwriter who learns that a record label is interested in reissuing the album that he and his brother recorded as teens in rural Washington State. Suddenly, the Emerson brothers find themselves thrust into the spotlight, as their 30-year-old album is hailed as a lost masterpiece. While the album's rediscovery brings hopes of second chances, it also unearths long-buried emotions as Donnie, his wife Nancy (Deschanel), brother Joe (Goggins/Grazer), and father Don Sr. (Bridges) come to terms with the past and their newly found fame. Named for the brothers' 1979 debut album, Dreamin' Wild is a River Road - Innisfree Production, produced by Academy Awardr-winner Jim Burke, Academyr and Emmyr-nominee Pohlad, Kim Roth, Viviana Vezzani, and Karl Spoerri. Casey Affleck served as executive producer, alongside Emmyr-nominee Christa Workman, Dan Clifton, Steven Snyder, and Tobias Gutzwiller. More about Donnie & Joe Emerson: Brothers Donnie and Joe Emerson grew up on a 1600-acre farm in Fruitland, WA with dreams of musical stardom. Far removed from the punk and disco scenes of the late '70s, the boys' inspiration primarily came from a tractor radio, which they listened to for hours on end while working the fields. In between farm duties and high school, the brothers spent their remaining time on music, with Donnie serving as the primary songwriter, vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist, and Joe holding down the beat on drums. Donnie & Joe's parents encouraged their sons' talents - so much so that they leveraged the family farm in order to build a state-of-the-art recording studio, where the brothers self-produced their debut album, Dreamin' Wild. Released in 1979 on their own Enterprise & Co. label, the album offered a lo-fi blend of FM rock, pop, soul, and funk - evoking such contemporaries as Marvin Gaye, Hall & Oates, and the Brothers Johnson in songs like "Good Time," "Dream Full of Dreams," and "Baby." Despite the Emersons' passions, however, Dreamin' Wild wasn't the bestseller that they envisioned. In fact, it tanked, nearly bankrupting the family in the process. Donnie and Joe's dreams did actually come true though. It just took three decades and a heavy dose of kismet. Around 2008, record collector, actor, and Out of the Bubbling Desk blogger Jack Fleischer discovered a copy of the LP at a Spokane antique shop. Initially intrigued by the jacket image (which features the boys in flashy, Elvis-style jumpsuits), Fleischer was blown away by what he heard. Before long, word began to spread about the Emerson brothers, while their soulful ballad "Baby" became a viral hit, eliciting multiple cover versions (most popularly by Ariel Pink & Dâm-Funk). Since its digital release, the track has been streamed over 30 million times on Spotify. In 2012, Light in the Attic brought Dreamin' Wild to the masses, giving the Emerson brothers a second chance at stardom and an outpouring of long-overdue accolades, including features in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Guardian, a shout-out from Jimmy Fallon, and praise from the likes of Pitchfork, which called the 1979 album "A godlike symphony to teen-hood." The Emersons' inspiring story caught the ears of writer, director, and producer Bill Pohlad, who recently told PEOPLE, "Being able to go deep to explore this amazing family was the real reason that I was drawn to this material. Dreamin' Wild ultimately became a story about family, faith and forgiveness for me."

Atack’s founder member and lead guitarist Keith Atack has a long pedigree in the rock music scene. He grew up during the sixties and was influenced from an early age by bands like The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Yardbirds and then on to Jimmy Page and Ritchie Blackmore. He has also toured with many pop acts like Bonnie Tyler, Rick Astley and many others. He has a rock / funk / soul style as well as a jazz and blues influence. He is joined by band members that also have strong roots in the rock scene such as Bob Richards on drums who has rubbed shoulders with members of bands like Iron Maiden, Survivor, Asia and Shy. Bassist Chris Childs is well respected and is the bass player with UK stalwarts “Thunder/ Lonerider/Tyketto”, he is an ideal addition to the line-up along with seasoned vocalist Lee Small (Shy/Phenomena/Lionheart and many more). Finishing off the quintet is Nick Foley whose keyboard prowess is ever present throughout the album. The sound of the Hammond for which he is known gives the whole album a feel of Deep Purple and Rainbow with a true classic British Rock sound. “Nine Lives” is an exciting addition to the escape music roster and available in limited edition vinyl and CD formats, something very much to look forward to.

"Galt MacDermot (1928-2018) was an award-winning Canadian-American composer, pianist, writer of classical music and theatrical pieces. MacDermot also composed music for several film soundtracks (like the 1970 blaxploitation film `Cotton Comes To Harlem') and released several exceptional jazz and funk albums on his own label Kilmarnock Records. He is best known for his work on the Grammy winning 1967 musical Hair (which also produced several number-one singles like "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In") and Two Gentlemen of Verona (1971) for which he won a Tony Award. In 2009 Galt MacDermot was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and in 2010 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1979, MacDermot formed the New Pulse Jazz Band, which performed and recorded his original music. Galt MacDermot's music is extremely popular with collectors of jazz and funk. Working with jazz and soul musicians such as Bernard Purdie and Idris Muhammad, MacDermot created pieces that used African rhythms (he made the study of African music his speciality). In recent decades, his work has become popular with hip-hop musicians including Busta Rhymes, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Gang Starr, Action Bronson, Public Enemy, MF Doom, Madlib, J Dilla, Obie Trice, Naughty By Nature, Run DMC and Digable Planets_the list is endless. The album "Ghetto Suite" was written in 1970 and released in 1972 and is considered one of the most ground-breaking records ever issued on Galt MacDermot's Killmarnock label and consists out of a selection of songs and poems by Harlem/Bronx school children, set to Galt's music, and sung by vocalist Angela Ortega. Given That Galt's handling the music, you can bet that there's plenty of nicely executed funky touches - supported by rolling bass-work, snapping drums, and organ virtuosity. But the real charm of these groovy tunes comes from the lyrics, which have a simple and to the point way of dealing with issues of racism, poverty and other issues of the time. The story telling is surprisingly gripping even after all these years. The whole album creates an extremely personal direct sensitivity to the environment of Ghetto kids_telling us with defiantly honest intensity what it was like to be young and black, the drugs and the deaths, the topic of incarceration_or simply the fact of being battered by the frustration of Ghetto existence. Ghetto Suite is way more than an entertainment record, it has been used by teachers and counsellors to inspire and motivate the muted voices of the black inner cities_ documenting both their anguish and their triumphs. Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the FIRST EVER vinyl reissue of this exceptional conceptual album (originally released in 1972 and a highly sought-after pricey collectable ever since) This unique record now comes as a deluxe 180g vinyl edition (strictly limited to 1000 copies) with obi strip and features the original artwork and extensive sleeve notes.

Fully remastered edition of the classic rarities collection from The Obsessed, plus new tracks and new liner notes! A historic document of the stoner/doom godfather's original and best-known band. This new version is Black.Blues Swirl Vinyl! 2020 is the 40th anniversary of the formation of The Obsessed, one of the preeminent bands in the worldwide stoner/doom scene. Led by Scott "Wino" Weinrich, a heavy music lifer admired and acclaimed by the likes of Dave Grohl, Pepper Keenan, Henry Rollins and Phil Anselmo, The Obsessed has been releasing milestone albums for decades on labels like Hellhound, Columbia and Relapse, with Wino himself playing and performing with members of Sleep, Neurosis, Foo Fighters, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and more. Since their earliest days, The Obsessed accumulated dozens of demos, b-sides, covers and alternate recordings, many of which were issued in various limited releases and an early-2000s collection called Incarnate. Long out of print, Blues Funeral Recordings' new ultimate edition of The Obsessed 'Incarnate' is completely remastered, features the addition of 4 new tracks, and is packaged with all new artwork, photos, and extensive new liner notes with Wino himself telling stories behind each long-lost gem. Fully remastered, new tracks, new artwork, new photos, new liner notes! Press Quotes: 'The career of Wino is a rich and fabled one, and his tentacles of influence weave throughout the arenas of rock, punk and metal.' _Alternative Press 'Wino, what a fucking guitar player, and one of my favorite singers, nothing to prove, just soul-felt vocals.' _Phil Anselmo (Down, Pantera) 'Wino's music has always been so serious, that's the only thing he knows, and he's gonna do it whether or not he makes a million dollars or ten bucks... he means it.' _Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity) 2020 is the 40th anniversary of the formation of The Obsessed, one of the preeminent bands in the stoner/doom scene worldwide for nearly 40 years. Led by Scott ""Wino"" Weinrich, a heavy music lifer admired and acclaimed by the likes of Dave Grohl, Pepper Keenan, Henry Rollins and Phil Anselmo, The Obsessed has been releasing milestone albums for decades on labels like Hellhound, Columbia and Relapse, as well as Wino himself playing and performing in bands with members of Sleep, Neurosis, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and more. Since The Obsessed's earliest days, the band accumulated dozens of b-sides, covers, alternate takes and demos, many of which were issued on a variety of compilations and an early-2000s collection called Incarnate. Long out of print, Blues Funeral Recordings' new ultimate edition of The Obsessed 'Incarnate' is completely remastered, features the addition of new tracks, and is packaged with all new artwork, photos, and all-new extensive liner notes written by Wino himself to tell the stories behind each long-lost gem.