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Steve Leach's Balearic beach-funk beast Ocean Potion, recorded with the Crystal Grass Orchestra is an absolutely ace, Ned Doheny-adjacent funky AOR / blue-eyed soul BBQ classic from 1976.

Who is Steve Leach, you ask? None other than Seasick Steve in a previous life! A French-only release on Philips, it's a hugely immediate, pop-funk firecracker. It features a wonderfully lush, full orchestral sound throughout, underpinning Steve's gorgeous voice and an army of brilliant backing vocalists.

The supporting cast is phenomenal and is arguably the salient reason this is such a fantastic record. We're talking legendary players from the French scene (think Arpadys, Voyage, Kongas, CCPP, Giant, Swing Family) such as Don Ray with his arranger-conductor hat on as well as synths, Marc Chantereau on percussion, Slim Pezin on guitar, André Ceccarelli on drums, Christian Padovan on bass and Pierre Halation on flute.

With these snakes behind the scenes, it remains a mystery how Ocean Potion is so relatively unknown. Hopefully, this long overdue reissue rectifies this and puts a stop to people dropping $200 on it.

Triumphant, horn-forward opener "The Light Of The Mind" has that uniquely Ned Doheny fidgety funk feel with a fantastically irresistible chorus and great harmonies. Just magic. The insouciant, swaggering "Hey! Hey! What You Doin To Me" is straight up white-hot feel-good funk with by turns sweeping and stabbing strings and a neck-snapping break. Crucial. Coming off like something off The Beach Boy's Surf's Up or Holland (including a sneaky "reason to live" reference that surely nods to "The Trader") is the brilliantly ominous, driving wall of sound of "Take Strength". Cavernous drums, urgent strings and a staggeringly good vocal performance make this a real highlight amongst an album of highlights. The blissful folk-funk of "The Lady Of The Sea" is a real naked heartbreaker, melancholic vibes and a beautiful flute line complementing each other perfectly. Side A closes out with "All My Life", a groovy island-funk white-reggae-tinged lilter which just about lands the right side of acceptable.

Side B opens with the gorgeous "You're The Only One Girl" before the propulsive Philly soul of "At Least We Got Love" elegantly glides into focus. Pulsing beats and piano working with that irresistible orchestra of grass. Glacial ballad "All Love's Children" has a deep New Orleans soul feel that truly soars whilst the breezy "Get Out In The Sun" owes a debt to "Crocodile Rock". It's pure pop for now people and wouldn't have been out of place on a late 70s Nick Lowe effort. Deep late-period Beach Boys gem "Golden Hues" is another heavy melancholic down lifter that really beguiles before the real reason you're all here. Pastoral closer "I Meditate Each Day" is just beautiful, and likely the reason this reissue is giving you that special feeling. Another gorgeous flute-led, folk-funk groover, it featured in a memorable mix from the Creme2laCreme crew (Raphael Top-Secret, Jerome Qpchan and Antoine Kogut) live on Red Light Radio over a decade ago and has been top of many heads' wants list never since. Just mellow out.

As ever, the audio for Ocean Potion has been carefully remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring it 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 featuring a topless Steve reclining next to his piano on a flatbed truck on the beach (of course?!) has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

Mit seinem neuen Projekt begibt sich Star-Pianist Daniil Trifonov auf eine ganz persönliche musikalische
Reise über die Kontinente Amerikas. Das erste von insgesamt zwei Alben, My American Story – North,
beginnt in den USA. Dort verbrachte Trifonov fast die Hälfte seines Lebens. Das vielfältige Repertoire
des Albums »hat mir den Zugang zu vielen Perspektiven, Stilen, Kulturen, Orten, Menschen, Geschichten
und Ausdrucksformen eröffnet, die mein Amerika-Erlebnis geformt und geprägt haben«, sagt Trifonov.
Die ausgewählten Werke reichen von Jazz und Swing zu Minimal Music und populärer Filmmusik. Zwei
Klavierkonzerte bilden den Rahmen des Album: Gershwin’s beliebtes Konzert in F sowie die Weltpremiere
eines von Mason Bates eigens für Trifonov komponierten Konzerts. Beide werden vom Philadelphia Orchestra unter Yannick Nézet-Séguin begleitet. Zusätzlich enthält das Album Solowerke von John Adams,
Aaron Copland und John Corigliano sowie John Cages legendäres 4’33. Die übrigen Werke ehren den Jazz
am Klavier - Trifonovs eigene Transkription von Art Tatums “I Cover the Waterfront“ und Bill Evans’
Version von “When I Fall in Love“ - sowie die Soundtracks Hollywoods, hier in Auszügen aus Filmmusiken
zu American Beauty und The Firm (Die Firma) vertreten.

Aesthetically, Ed Schrader’s Music Beat hates to tread water. At the same time, the Baltimore-based two-piece of vocalist Ed Schrader and bassist Devlin Rice won’t force their songs to fit a preconceived style. “The next album’s always gotta be different from the last one. We’re different people from record to record. So, writing authentically to ourselves will always bring our work to a place that we haven’t been to yet,” Rice said. Schrader added, “We’re terrified of turning into AC/DC. We never want to be married to one scene or time or sound. We want to be the Boba Fett of bands! Constantly altering the way in which we make records has been pretty key in that process.”
For Orchestra Hits, the band’s latest, that alteration was welcoming longtime musical comrade Dylan Going into the fold as a co-writer and co-producer. A songwriter in his own right, a guitar sideman for ESMB on their last two tours, and a collaborator with Rice in the noise riffage band Mandate, Going had both a unique vision and an intimate familiarity with the ESMB vibe.
“Dylan came to every show we’ve ever played in New York—no matter how weird it was,” Schrader said. “He’d be standing there ready to move an amp or feed us barbecued cactus after the gig and toss on some Golden Girls so we could decompress. It felt like family as soon as we began working, but I honestly had no idea how damn good he was at tossing out these hooks.”
According to Schrader, the songs “just poured out of us” over the course of a highly caffeinated three-day weekend in a tiny room in Devlin’s house while his cat, Sandy Goose, screamed continually. “It was like three kids hiding from the world to get into some lovely mischief,” they said. The lack of external pressure in the process gives Orchestra Hits an almost paradoxical vibe. For all of the album’s layers, that mix live and sequenced instruments, it never loses the raw energy of a small handful of friends in the same room plugging in, cranking up, and playing until they pass out.
Lyrically, the album finds Schrader, now 45, meditating on experiences in their youth to make sense of the present moment. “We are not into the garden,” Schrader wails on the relentless “Roman Candle,” a song about the sad debacle of Woodstock ’99, and a direct response to Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock,” a utopian ode to hippie idealism. A 19-year-old Schrader, having snuck into Woodstock ’99 through a hole in the fence, was there the night members of the crowd used candles intended for a vigil for victims of the Columbine High School massacre to set fires all over the grounds. Even before the fires, Schrader remembered feeling disconnected from the music, the nostalgic cash grab, and the meatheads in the crowd. After watching a press tower collapse, they boarded a random shuttle bus and were dropped off near a Denny’s. “It was a far cry from the Garden of Eden,” Schrader said. “That experience defined what I didn’t want to be a part of, and yet America is more like Woodstock ’99 than ever.”
With percolating synthesizer arpeggios, and climbing bass grooves, “IDKS” is the album’s dance-floor slapper. “’IDKS’ is a funny one,” Schrader said. “We already had a pretty satisfying suite of songs when Dylan was packing up to head back to New York, but he missed the train because of a freak snowstorm. Realizing he’d be stuck in town another day, he says to me, ‘Here’s this other weird thing I have.’ It was ‘IDKS.’ The hooks were so good I felt like Homer Simpson at a free donut convention. I just dove right in, and we cranked that baby out in like 20 minutes.”
Lyrically, “IDKS” is a letter from the true self to public-facing self. “It’s an angry song,” Schrader said. “Because the public-facing self is always looking for an easy escape, but it forces the true self into a cage. I honestly thought my lyrics were corny and was about to change them, but Dylan was digging it just the way it was. So that’s what you hear.”
With the soaring “Daylight Commander,” the band went against all of their musty-basement-bred instincts. “I went full High School Musical with the vocals,” Schrader said. “At first it felt almost embarrassing, but I remember reading somewhere that Bowie recommended always floating a little bit above your comfort zone, and that’s what we did here.” The song is part exercise in absurdity and part pop Trojan horse. “If ever we had a ‘Shiny Happy People’ moment, I guess this is it,” Schrader said.

Als COPE das erste Mal vor knapp 10 Jahren veröffentlicht wurde, erklärte Manchester Orchestra das dies
ihre „ungeschminkte Heavy-Rock-Platte“ sei.
Und damit sollten sie recht behalten, während die Band sich mehr und mehr ihren eigenen Sphärischen
Sound schuf, bleibt COPE das lauteste & härteste Album ihres Schaffens.
Zur Feier dieses 10-jährigen Jubiläums spielte Manchester Orchestra die Platte einmal komplett in dem
kleinen Club in The Earl in Atlanta durch - das Ergebnis findet sich auf diesem Live Album.

In The Woods Records will be releasing on 45rpm DJ vinyl all the Tito Puente and his Orchestra tracks from the compact disc ‘Salsa Salsa‘.

Pressed on a triple 180-gram CLEAR MARBLE vinyl! This album features the Mahavishnu Orchestra, a jazz fusion band led by English guitarist John McLaughlin. Formed in New York City in 1971, the group underwent lineup changes during its active periods from 1971 to 1976 and 1984 to 1987. Known for their complex blend of Indian classical music, jazz, and psychedelic rock, the band received acclaim for dynamic live performances. Many former members have pursued successful careers in jazz and jazz fusion.

Pressed on a triple 180-gram CLEAR vinyl! This album features the Mahavishnu Orchestra, a jazz fusion band led by English guitarist John McLaughlin. Formed in New York City in 1971, the group underwent lineup changes during its active periods from 1971 to 1976 and 1984 to 1987. Known for their complex blend of Indian classical music, jazz, and psychedelic rock, the band received acclaim for dynamic live performances. Many former members have pursued successful careers in jazz and jazz fusion.

To mark its 50th anniversary, Farfalla Records is proud to announce the reissue of the highly sought after German library gem "Wonderland of Sound".

Originally released in 1974, the album was produced by Brillant-Musik's founder Werner Tautz and recorded in Zurich.
Wonderland of Sound is the epitome of the classic 70s library sound. A jazzy bliss orchestrated by the hottest European session players making up the Big Band "Rainbow-Orchestra".

A Splendidly funky and stunning set of compositions and arrangements with ultra-stylish horn section.

Manchester’s multifarious sound organiser Andrew Hargreaves (Tape Loop Orchestra, The Boats, Beppu) channels key touchstones of Glenn Branca’s microtonal minimalism, the paranormal, and DIY amateur broadcasting with some of his most enigmatic, intuitive recordings to date.

‘Drones In The Air’ finds Hargreaves deep in a new phase of vibrational investigation where the sentimentality of prior eras gives way to more abstract conceptual processes. Utilising a bunch of oscillators and the Lyra-8, an “organismic analog synthesiser”, plus pedals, Hargreaves works within just intonation tuning systems - or more precisely “intuitive intonation” - to just-about harness a microtonal flux of clashing, beating frequencies, but the project is more about ceding a certain amount of freedom to the machines and allowing aural alchemy to occur, prompting a spectrum of harmonic colours and rich timbral overtones distinguished from previous tape loop-based works.

Comparative to “Glenn Branca’s micro-tonal workouts if he had worked with oscillators instead of guitars”, the result also variously evoke mysteries of The Conet Project, the oceanic feel of Éliane Radigue compositions, and early ambient works by Terre Thaemlitz in their sound sensitivity and scope. In ‘The Sun is Afraid’ he mesmerises with glistening microtones that develop a coarser traction, interrupted by shortwave radio comms and resolving into phantasmic noise gauze that speaks to his long-standing fascinations with entropic decay and the sounds between sounds. ‘Your Hands Are Shaking’ follows with a stealthier approach to coaxing a hallucinatory drone mass inflated by ether voices and thickening up into a sinister gloam redolent of NWW’s ’Soliloquy for Lilith’.

Following the popularity of Dome City Orchestra’s 'Quiet Village' which we released last year, we started getting requests for the Dome City Orchestra’s 12 Inch release 'Dig It!', which is ridiculously rare and sought after. Built around a super catchy funky keyboard riff and bassline which wouldn’t sound out of place if Prince had recorded it, 'Dig It!' comes in 3 versions, the extended version, the short version and the instrumental version, all of which sound essential for mix enthusiasts. Typically, as with most of our RSD releases, original copies are nowhere to be found – the last copy sold on Discogs was 2021 and, even if you could locate a copy, it would cost you in the region of around £250 these days. We think this record will find a wider audience once people have access to copies as it sounds stunning over a good sound system. Play loud or not at all!

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OVERVIEW: Explore the enchanting worlds of orcs, hobbits and elves with the unique soundtrack to "The Hobbit", performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Immerse yourself in this vinyl, capturing the musical magic that accompanies the epic adventures of Bilbo the Hobbit. Each note resonates like an enchantment, evoking the emotions and images of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantastic world. A musical work of art not to be missed, offering total immersion in the captivating world of The Hobbit. It's an invitation to experience the timeless magic of the music from this cinematic masterpiece

Over the course of five albums, Manchester based trumpeter, composer, arranger and band-leader Matthew Halsall has carved out a niche for himself on the UK music scene as one of it's brightest talents. His languid, soulful music has won friends from Jamie Cullum and Gilles Peterson to Jazz FM and Mojo as well as an ever-growing international following. His new album Into Forever, puts the spotlight on Halsall the composer, arranger and producer. Halsall draws on a diverse range of influences from Alice Coltrane, Dorothy Ashby, Phil Cohran and Leon Thomas to the more contemporary sounds of The Cinematic Orchestra, Max Richter and Nils Frahm to deliver his most complete recording to date. Into Forever features renowned Manchester based soul poet Josephine Oniyama and rising star vocalist Bryony Jarman-Pinto (Werkha) as well as regular collaborators, flautist Lisa Mallett, harpist Rachael Gladwin, koto player Keiko Kitamura, pianist Taz Modi, bassist Gavin Barras and drummer Luke Flowers (The Cinematic Orchestra) and two percussionists Sam Bell and Chris Cruiks. The result is arguably Halsall's finest record, asublime melding of stripped back soulful funk and deep, minimalist, spiritual jazz, that will take you on a journey deep into forever!

We are pleased to introduce our new single coming out on 16th of February featuring ever productive Guiding Star Orchestra eleven-man roots reggae ensemble from Copenhagen, Denmark and young, upcoming, Jamaican roots Artist Azizzi Romeo (son of legendary Max Romeo) on “In Jah Sight” riddim. Coming out on both vinyl and as a high quality digital release.

The song contains conscious lyrics on top of a meditating steppas riddim with beautiful arrangements from GSO horn section and includes an amazing dub version made by the great Roberto Sanchez from A-Lone Ark Music Studio. Two wicked collaborations on both sides of a heavy slab of 7” record!

The song is an uplifting statement about putting trust in your faith. “When thirst cover your mouth, Jah will send the Rain!” A strong message from a young Artist who’s ready to take over the world of conscious roots reggae music. This is the first time Orchestra has done a collaboration with a vocalist and we have many more collaborations planned for the future as well as some brand new solo material coming this year. Stay tuned!

Das vierte Album von Ghost Funk Orchestra. Nach „A New Kind of Love“ (2022) taucht Ghost Funk Orchestra mit „A Trip To The Moon“ noch tiefer in die Welt der Filmmusik, der Exotica und des psychedelischen Surf-Rock ein. Ein vielschichtiges und collagiertes Hörerlebnis mit mehr Elementen, als man in einem einzigen Hördurchgang heraushören kann. Große Kompositionen mit Garagenrock-Attitüde. Die Einflüsse reichen von Eddie Palmieri und Esquivel bis hin zu The Lively Ones, Dusty Springfield und War. Die Tracks werden durch echte, aufgezeichnete Übertragungen der Apollo-Mondmissionen miteinander verbundenFür Fans von Orions Belte, Temples, Allah-Las, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Khruangbin, David Axelrod, Man or Astro-Man?

Das vierte Album von Ghost Funk Orchestra. Nach „A New Kind of Love“ (2022) taucht Ghost Funk Orchestra mit „A Trip To The Moon“ noch tiefer in die Welt der Filmmusik, der Exotica und des psychedelischen Surf-Rock ein. Ein vielschichtiges und collagiertes Hörerlebnis mit mehr Elementen, als man in einem einzigen Hördurchgang heraushören kann. Große Kompositionen mit Garagenrock-Attitüde. Die Einflüsse reichen von Eddie Palmieri und Esquivel bis hin zu The Lively Ones, Dusty Springfield und War. Die Tracks werden durch echte, aufgezeichnete Übertragungen der Apollo-Mondmissionen miteinander verbundenFür Fans von Orions Belte, Temples, Allah-Las, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Khruangbin, David Axelrod, Man or Astro-Man?

Das vierte Album von Ghost Funk Orchestra. Nach „A New Kind of Love“ (2022) taucht Ghost Funk Orchestra mit „A Trip To The Moon“ noch tiefer in die Welt der Filmmusik, der Exotica und des psychedelischen Surf-Rock ein. Ein vielschichtiges und collagiertes Hörerlebnis mit mehr Elementen, als man in einem einzigen Hördurchgang heraushören kann. Große Kompositionen mit Garagenrock-Attitüde. Die Einflüsse reichen von Eddie Palmieri und Esquivel bis hin zu The Lively Ones, Dusty Springfield und War. Die Tracks werden durch echte, aufgezeichnete Übertragungen der Apollo-Mondmissionen miteinander verbundenFür Fans von Orions Belte, Temples, Allah-Las, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Khruangbin, David Axelrod, Man or Astro-Man?

In the midst of the pandemic, Enjoy Jazz Festival has developed a musical project whose members will be recruited new every year and then debut at a concert on UNESCO International Jazz Day, April 30. The members come from the jazz scene of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. "We wanted," festival director Rainer Kern stresses, "not only to revitalize the fragile network of outstanding creative minds, but also to rethink it artistically as a rolling system." Two experienced and renowned band leaders, Alexandra Lehmler and Erwin Ditzner, now curate an annually changing ensemble of outstanding artists of the most diverse provenance. As part of a voluntary commitment, the ensemble is to be organized in a sustainable, diverse, and, in three years at the latest, completely gender-equal
and climate-fair manner. Thus, as a commitment to the goals of the "European/Local Green Deal" (and with reference to the jazz standard "On Green Dolphin Street"), the name Green Dolphin Orchestra was created. Another special feature: The renowned Oriental Music Academy Mannheim (OMM), a long-standing partner of the Enjoy Jazz Festival, receives a white card, so that musicians with a migration background or protagonists from other musical cultures are always part of this "orchestra of many" and constantly expand its sound language.

The project has a free improvisation approach with changing personnel. "We actually even thought of drawing lots for the different formats within the band pool," explains saxophonist Alexandra Lehmler. "We decided against it in the case of the first concert and instead put together curated formations." And drummer Erwin Ditzner adds, "In principle, however, this procedure remains an option." It was important to the two of them to also mix the genres represented by the individual musicians in such a way that free space for something truly new could emerge. "We wanted to challenge ourselves," Lehmler sums it up. The only restriction: a time code was assigned to each sub-project. "Each formation was given a time limit, although it was possible to virtually override this limit by spontaneous
reshuffling," says Ditzner, explaining one central of the few rules. "In concrete terms, this meant that after eight minutes, the improvisation in progress was either ended or new musicians simply joined in the ongoing creative process, while others took themselves out of the game."

Alexandra Lehmler summarizes the artistic impact of the ensemble as follows: "We really cross-fertilize each other. In order to push this process even further, we forced ourselves when putting together the ensemble not to fall back on our 'favorite playing partners', i.e. musicians with whom one feels particularly at home. In other words, we consciously wanted to step out of our comfort zone with this project." The present pieces were recorded live in Heidelberg during the ensemble's premiere concert on the occasion of International Jazz Day on April 30, 2022.

Repress!

Immerse yourself into the universe of orcs, hobbits and elves through the soundtracks of The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings with this limited edition 2LP.

Señor Sapo is a character created based on the Mesoamerican deity Quetzalcoatl:

while capturing Sr. Sapo atop The Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan
in The Valley of Mexico; dawn…

Augie Robles (the photographer) spotted an elementary school class of around 25 children with two teachers suddenly appear scaling the momentous stair case behind our subject!

They shouted;

“Sr. Sapo! Sr. Sapo!”
the name has stuck! they wanted to have their pictures taken with Sr. Sapo? however; they did not want to touch him as they thought his skin might be “viscoso” or “slimy”?

“Q’uq’umatz” (as it is known amongst the K’iche’ Maya) goes back to the Olmec culture and represents the duality of flight to reach the skies; whereas the reptilian (in most cases a snake) represents the ability to mingle amongst other creatures of the Earth;
Among the Aztecs he was related to the gods of wind; of the dawn; of merchants and arts; crafts; knowledge and the planet Venus: as well as their patron god of the priesthood…

THE FUTURE S0UND 0f YESTERDAY is as well a construct of the imagination; a fictitious “orchestra” with many imaginary characters; KENT CHESTERFiElD; LEE NAilZ; PHATTITUDE; EPiPHANY TALEUR; ThE ClARKETTES (they actually exist in the “real” world)…

The titles:
“0de to A Tree”;
is the culmination of a night out in Berlin; “…met a young man in a bar close to the “atelier”; he said he wanted to play something on a piano; we go to the place and he plays this melody over a rhythm though not in rhythm?
…basically edited none of it; then used a series of tone generators and filters to change the sound into all the soundscapes you hear in the final piece; the title was simply a tribute to the trees…” Eric D. Clark

“is it good for Ya’?”;
is a slow pumping House song with a message in the form of a question; “is it good for you?” as in “I could do it; however; should I? you know; look in a mirror and ask the question”…
the Music came about as an experiment at NADEL EiNS Studio in Berlin; Heavy bass at around 116bpm plus Erix’s cheeky vocal stylings weaving in & out of frame (as well key) deliver a unique aural experience!

the final track:
“Elsewhere playback”
is literally the playback of a track Eric did under the guise of KENT CHESTERFIELD for a party series he did in Sacramento CA with AJ Sachs…
it’s really just a tool; the good thing is you can drop -8 (or -16 assuming your tables are tuned) to bring it to a tempo one could easily rap over OR push it up to +8 and have a dry Tech number? Either way it BANGS! Dub Plates & Mastering did a swell job!!

overall a must for any Dance Music aficionado’s collection out on October 10th on SHADDOCK RECORDS !

Led by musical director Scotty Barnhart, the Count Basie Orchestra keeps Basie’s unmistakable style alive and thriving around the world. In the great traction of the Basie Swings albums comes this explosive album of collaborations with some of the greatest living blues and jazz artists, Basie Swings The Blues. In preparation for these sessions, Barnhart took a pilgrimage to the Mississippi Delta to immerse himself in the land where blues began. The resulting album is joyful mix of downhome blues with the deep swing and sophistication that only The Count Basie Orchestra can provide. As Count Basie famously once said, “our blues will make your blues go away.” Produced by Barnhart along with Grammy-winning producer John Burk (Ray Charles Genius Love Company), and Grammy-winning drummer/producer Steve Jordan (The Rolling Stones), the album brings together Buddy Guy, Bobby Rush, Keb’ Mo’, Shemekia Copeland, Robert Cray, Charlie Musselwhite, Betty LaVette, Ledisi, George Benson, and others to bring the blues and swing back together for a set that jumps and jives with an energy not heard since Louis Jordan and T-Bone Walker lit up stages in the ’40s and ’50s.

Zurück zum Weihnachtsfest 2023: Diana Kralls Albumklassiker von 2005 erstmals als goldene Vinyl!
Bei der Aufnahme ihres Weihnachtsalbums voll swingender Evergreens ging die Jazz-Diva mit Enthusiasmus zu Werke. Mal ist sie mit der grandiosen Clayton-Hamilton Bigband zu hören, mal mit kleineren
Ensembles mit u.a. Vibraphonist Stefon Harris, Gitarrist Russell Malone und Pianist Alan Broadbent.
Ausstattung: goldenes Vinyl, 140g

THE KORGIS’ latest album release ‘Orchestrations’ beautifully re-imagines in amazingly inventive and unexpected ways the greatest songs of this inspirational chart-topping band with a fully-orchestrated classical treatment.

Opening with the immortal line “Change your Heart, look around you, change your Heart, it will astound you” from international hit and one of the greatest love songs ever, “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime”, these brand new classical interpretations weave their way through the The Korgis’ rich tapestry of song-writing.

Featuring the1979 Andy Davis-penned debut hit “If I Had You”, The Beatles homage “Something About The Beatles”, enduring fan favourite “All The Love In The World”, original Trevor Horn production and South American hit “Don’t Look Back”, concluding with prophetically-entitled James Warren and Andy Davis collaboration “This World’s For Everyone”, ‘Orchestrations’ is a fitting tribute to over 40 years of class song-writing.

The Cinematic Orchestra kündigen eine limitierte Vinyl-Reissue ihres erstmal 2003 veröffentlichten Klassikers 'Man With A Movie Camera’ an. Im Rahmen der Filmfestspiele zur Europäischen Kulturstadt Porto im Jahr 2001 wurde Jason Swinscoe vom Cinematic Orchestra beauftragt, einen Soundtrack zu einem Stummfilm zu komponieren, der einmalig aufgeführt werden sollte. Bei dem Film handelte es sich um Dziga Vertovs Experimentalwerk „Der Mann mit der Kamera“, einen frühen Dokumentarfilm aus der Ukraine von 1929, den viele, darunter das British Film Institute, fast 100 Jahre nach seiner Entstehung als einen der besten Filme aller Zeiten bezeichnen. Die Aufführung fand im historischen Coliseu do Porto statt und endete mit stehenden Ovationen von 3.500 Menschen. The Cinematic Orchestra hat die Show im Laufe der Jahre auf internationalen Tourneen aufgeführt, unter anderem im Barbican in London, im Winter Garden des World Trade Centers in New York und im Sydney Opera House.

Works for the Ever Present Orchestra Vol. II continues Black Truffle’s documentation of the late work of legendary American experimental composer Alvin Lucier, who sadly passed away in 2021 at the age of 90. Like the first volume of the series, the two works recorded here were written for The Ever Present Orchestra, an ensemble founded in Zürich in 2016 to perform Lucier’s work exclusively. At the core of the music Lucier wrote for the ensemble is the electric guitar, an instrument he began to explore in 2013. Played with e-bows, in these works electric lap steel guitars take on roles akin to the slow sweep pure wave oscillators heard in many of Lucier’s works since the early 1980s. This strikingly elegant pair of compositions would serve as an ideal introduction to Lucier’s late music for a listener as yet unfamiliar with its graceful exploration of beating patterns and other acoustic phenomenon.

The two pieces have quite different characters, exemplifying Lucier’s ability to harvest a remarkable range of musical results from closely related compositional procedures and concerns. In Arrigoni Bridge (2019), Lucier uses a technique familiar from earlier works such as Still Lives (1995), where sine waves traced the shapes of household objects. Here, three lap steel electric guitars (played by Oren Ambarchi, Bernhard Rietbrock, and Jan Thoben) follow the form of the Arrigoni Bridge that connects Middletown and Portland, Connecticut. The bridge’s two enormous steel arcs become slowly sweeping pitches, alongside which alto saxophone (Joan Jordi Oliver Arcos), violin (Rebecca Thies) and cello (Lucy Railton) sustain long tones, creating a variety of audible beating patterns depending on their distance from or proximity to the guitars. With its stately pacing, warm middle register tones, and rich timbral variety in the sustaining instruments, Arrigoni Bridge is a beautiful example of compositional reduction producing immersive results. Flips (2020), on the other hand, is more austere. Scored for two lap steel electric guitars (Rietbock and Thoben), double bass (Ross Wightman) and glockenspiel (Trevor Saint), the two acoustic instruments played with bows, the piece zooms in on the range of a major second (two semitones). The two guitars sweep in opposite directions within the range, crossing every four minutes; the double bass and glockenspiel sustain long tones, producing beats of different speeds determined by their distance from the guitar tones. This limitation of the tonal range means the music is often dissonant and forces the phenomenon of audible beating to the surface, resulting in a paradoxical music composed entirely of long tones yet alive with pulsating rhythm. Exemplifying Lucier’s ability to uncover near-infinite complexity within seemingly simple materials, Works for the Ever Present Orchestra Vol. II is a fitting tribute to one of the major figures of the experimental music tradition and a testament to the continuing power of his work.

Critically acclaimed pianist/composer Aaron Diehl's penchant for the past
influencing the future has come full circle with his fully realised suite of
Mary Lou Williams' Zodiac Suite - the first fully-fledged professional
recording of this incredible music
Solely paying tribute to Mary Lou Williams was not the goal, as Diehl's mission is
to give honour and praise to one of the greatest composers of the 20th century
and the forgotten rich history of Black Classical Music.
Joined by the orchestral collective The Knights and special guests Evan
Christopher (clarinet), Nicole Glover (tenor sax), Brandon Lee (trumpet), and
Mikaela Bennett (soprano), Diehl breathes vibrant new life into a masterwork that
the composer herself was never able to fully realize during her lifetime.
Aaron Diehl approaches the piano with a delicately nuanced expressivity and an
exquisitely attuned touch that have garnered him acclaim at the highest levels.
From his collaborations with such jazz innovators as Wynton Marsalis, Cécile
McLorin Salvant and Benny Golson, to his exploratory work in the classical realm
with Philip Glass or the New York Philharmonic, to his own current- crossing
recordings as a leader, Diehl is singularly committed to a journey of musical
discovery regardless of genre or context

Released in 1998, THE CHRISTMAS ATTIC earned double-platinum certification and continues to captivate audiences with fan favorites like “Music Box Blues,” “Boughs Of Holly,” and “Ghosts Of Christmas Eve.” The album also introduced “Christmas Canon,” which has become one of the band’s most popular songs and a modern holiday classic. THE CHRISTMAS ATTIC tells the heartwarming tale of a little girl’s magical night spent in an attic filled with yuletide memories, accompanied by spellbinding guitar solos and soaring choral vocals set against a rock orchestral backdrop. The record serves as the second installment in TSO’s celebrated Christmas trilogy, which also includes Christmas Eve and Other Stories (1996) and The Lost Christmas Eve (2004).

TSO was conceived by the group’s late founder, composer, and lyricist Paul O’Neill. His ambitious vision was to create a progressive rock band that combined rock opera and classical rock with a dazzling live show that featured lights, lasers, and pyrotechnics. In the 1980s and 1990s, O’Neill produced several albums for the influential heavy metal band Savatage, which is how he connected with longtime collaborators Jon Oliva (vocals), Al Pitrelli (guitar), and Robert Kinkel (keyboards/producer).

With more than 10 million albums sold, TSO has inspired generations of fans to rediscover the multi-dimensional art form of rock opera. Since its touring debut in 1999, the band has emerged as one of the world’s top live acts, performing for over 10 million people across the globe, selling more than $280 million worth of tickets, and donating $11 million to charity.

Released in 1998, THE CHRISTMAS ATTIC earned double-platinum certification and continues to captivate audiences with fan favorites like “Music Box Blues,” “Boughs Of Holly,” and “Ghosts Of Christmas Eve.” The album also introduced “Christmas Canon,” which has become one of the band’s most popular songs and a modern holiday classic. THE CHRISTMAS ATTIC tells the heartwarming tale of a little girl’s magical night spent in an attic filled with yuletide memories, accompanied by spellbinding guitar solos and soaring choral vocals set against a rock orchestral backdrop. The record serves as the second installment in TSO’s celebrated Christmas trilogy, which also includes Christmas Eve and Other Stories (1996) and The Lost Christmas Eve (2004).

TSO was conceived by the group’s late founder, composer, and lyricist Paul O’Neill. His ambitious vision was to create a progressive rock band that combined rock opera and classical rock with a dazzling live show that featured lights, lasers, and pyrotechnics. In the 1980s and 1990s, O’Neill produced several albums for the influential heavy metal band Savatage, which is how he connected with longtime collaborators Jon Oliva (vocals), Al Pitrelli (guitar), and Robert Kinkel (keyboards/producer).

With more than 10 million albums sold, TSO has inspired generations of fans to rediscover the multi-dimensional art form of rock opera. Since its touring debut in 1999, the band has emerged as one of the world’s top live acts, performing for over 10 million people across the globe, selling more than $280 million worth of tickets, and donating $11 million to charity.

Mit einer fesselnden Zusammenstellung neu-geschriebener, klangmalerischer Arrangements für Violine und Orchester von bekannten Film- und Serien-Soundtracks und neuen Kompositionen der Oscar-prämierten Komponistinnen Rachel Portman und Anne Dudley zeigt die Geigerin Esther Abrami auf Cinéma ihre Vielseitigkeit, musikalische Sensibilität und Raffinesse. "Ich bin so stolz auf mein neues Album. Ich wollte eine abwechslungsreiche musikalischer Reise zusammenstellen, die meinen klassischen Hintergrund, mein französisch-jüdisches Erbe, meine Unterstützung für Frauen in der Musik und meine Liebe zu Filmen und Anime widerspiegelt und verschiedene Genres, Kulturen und Generationen verbindet. Ich hoffe, dass sich die Zuhörer*innen in die Musik von Cinéma genauso verlieben wie ich", erklärt Esther Abrami. Cinéma enthält neue Arrangements von Blockbuster-Hits aus Animes, Serien und Kinofilmen wie Naruto und Demon Slayer, The Witcher oder The Hunger Games, genauso wie Musik aus ikonischen französischen Filmen wie die Die fabelhafte Welt der Amelie und Die Kinder des Monsieur Mathieu. Darüber hinaus sind klassische Stücke aus Filmen mit Musik von Pjotr Tschaikowsky, Dmitri Schostakowitsch und Astor Piazzolla sowie zwei Weltpremieren der Oscar-prämierten Komponistinnen Anne Dudley und Rachel Portman enthalten, mit denen Esther Abrami persönlich bekannt ist. Besonders emotional ist die Verbindung der durch ihre Großmutter zur Geige gekommenen Musikerin jedoch zu den Filmen Das Leben ist schön und Das Tagebuch der Anne Frank. Ein ebenfalls sehr emotionales Stück auf Cinéma ist das neue Arrangement vom Thema des Protagonisten "Zeyn" aus dem Oscar-nominierten libanesischen Sozialdrama Capernaum, das Komponist und Film-Produzent Khaled Mouzanar eigens für Esther Abrami geschrieben hat. Für die Erstellung der Arrangements von Cinéma hat Esther Abrami mit einem Team von Arrangeur*Innen zusammengearbeitet. Bis auf das ursprünglich für Klavier geschriebene Stück "Comptine d'un autre été, l'après-midi" aus Die fabelhalte Welt der Amelie, das Esther Abrami mit einer Loop-Station auf der Geige neu aufgebaut hat, und "Libertango" von Astor Piazzolla aus Le Pont du Nord, für das sie nur von dem Gitarristen Marcin begleitet wird, ist jedes Stück auf dem Album mit Orchester produziert. Die Aufnahmen zu Cinéma fanden mit dem City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra unter der Leitung des Dirigenten und Arrangeurs Ben Palmer in den legendären Smecky Studios in Prag statt.

Founded in 1971, Matumbi was among the earliest and best British reggae bands. They did, however, also record under different guises, including The 4th Street Orchestra. In their acclaimed Rough Guide to Reggae, Steve Barrow and Peter Dalton rate this album (and its counterpart Leggo! Ah-Fi-We-Dis) as "the best showcase for Matumbi's talents". This release marks the first LP reissue of this genuine UK roots-monument since 1976.

Original member Dennis 'Blackbeard' Bovell (of LKJ and Dub Band fame) knew the local sound system-scene like the back of his hand and most tracks on Ah Who Seh? Go Deh! were initially cut as exclusive 'specials' for his own Jah Sufferer sound system and for fellow soundmen. Hardly anyone hearing these tunes at reggae parties or would have guessed they didn't originate in Kingston but were recorded in London. And neither did many who bought the records when they were released a few years later. That's hardly surprising, as the material Bovell & Co churned out could easily compete with the toughest output of their Jamaican counterparts. A splendid version of the 1970 Kingstonians smash "Singer Man" is the most familiar tune here. But it's the band's own outstanding, heavyweight roots tunes like "Jah Chase Dem" or "Za-Ion", their versions popping up later in true sound system style for maximum impact, that will have reggae fans prick up their ears.

Ah Who Seh? Go-Deh! is available as a limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies on orange coloured vinyl.

Das vom Komponisten und Perkussionisten Vincent Montana Jr. gegründete SALSOUL ORCHESTRA war eine Big Band mit einer Besonderheit: Sie spielten Disco.

Das Orchester war von 1974 bis in die frühen 1980er Jahre aktiv und diente als Begleitband für mehrere Sänger von Salsoul Records und nahm eigenes an Material auf, darunter elf LPs mit knallhartem Philly Soul, Latin Percussion und Funk. Mit bis zu 50 Mitgliedern prägte das Orchester den Sound einer ganzen Ära.

Extravagante Streicherarrangements, funkige Gitarren und frecher Gesang, gekrönt von einem unbeugsamen Bläsersatz, sorgten für unvergessliche Hits wie "Tangerine" und "Salsoul Hustle". Die atemberaubenden Interpretationen von legendären Weihnachtsliedern wie "Little Drummer Boy" brachten der Band sogar einen Platz in den Charts ein: Ihr drittes Album, Christmas Jollies, wurde 1976 und 1977 zum meistverkauften Weihnachtsalbum. Obwohl Montana die Gruppe 1982 auflöste, hat ihr Vermächtnis bis in die Gegenwart Bestand: Sie prägten die House- und Dance-Musik und wurden von vielen bekannten Künstler:innen gesampelt.

Be With present the first ever reissue of the ultra rare double pack DJ promo of Malcolm McLaren & Bootzilla Orchestra's "Call A Wave". Originally slipping out in 1989 to a select few, there were rumoured to be only ever 300 copies pressed. Indeed, the entire package never got a proper release and now goes for a small fortune.

Say what? Bootsy Collins, Jeff Beck and Malcolm McLaren, all in one band, composing over a Barry White sample? And that's just the original. But you can forget about that for now. Here we have the incredibly sought-after "DFC Dance Mix", mixed by Massimino Lippoli of Morenas / Sueño Latino fame for the legendary DFC Italy. It's a throbbing, vital, dramatic slice of dreamy ambient house. A deep, entrancing track that's both blissful and dancefloor dynamite. It features the iconic, disaffected female vocal chopped up over elegant piano snatches, Beck's ace guitar stylings over rolling, heavy drums and a killer, hypnotic bassline with sparkling harp coming and going. It's exotic, otherworldly and brimming with that very special late 80s/early 90s Mediterranean vibe. Yes, it's Balearic, it's House. Above all else, it's a pure uncut slice of halcyon summer days, pressed on wax.

But on side B we also have the mesmeric "Breakdown Mix", again mixed by DFC Italy. For some, *this* is the mix to have - and who are we to argue? This time, the vocals are treated so they're uttered backwards, contributing to the wonderfully disorienting magic of this particular mix.

And how could we forget the equally iconic "Orbital Mix"? Not by the actual group Orbital, but courtesy of S'Express's Mark Moore & William Orbit, no less. A brilliant, beautiful remix that's perhaps more musical. They make more obvious use of the sample from the original Barry White track ("I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby") that Malcolm was inspired by. Flip over to Side D to find the duo's uber-horizontal "Return To The Deep Ambient Mix", a floaty, beatless gem that'll leave you swooning.

To round out this quite astonishing package, the "New Age Mix", again coming from the DFC Italy camp, elegantly sends us off into the cosmos with minimal percussion and maximum vibes.

Every mix on this DJ double pack is truly killer. Simon Francis remastered the original audio for this release and Cicely Balston's precise cut for Alchemy at AIR Studios ensures this 2x12" well and truly pumps. The immaculate Record Industry pressing will ensure this incredibly sought-after masterpiece finds a home in many more DJ boxes this and every summer. For the artwork, we've recreated the original DJ promo, a plain white gatefold sleeve complete with the iconic burnt orange hype sticker. Hold tight. Roof down, tops off.