Not the happiest record I have ever heard, but Philadelphia’s Moor Mother uses a sumptuous soundscape to air her grievances of past horrors. This is a deep listen, and I’m sure I’ll come back to this a few more times before all is said and done.
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Our friends at Wewantsounds have dug deep for this one, and of course, they have found gold. This album, available from the label as a vinyl-only release, sits in a strange apex of electronic music, soul, pop, jazz and the avant-garde, which is the first genre I would have associated with Steve Beresford. This is an album you can don your smoking jacket for. Swanky, well-produced and an elegant listen. You can purchase the album here.
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You would be forgiven, I’d imagine, if you thought this release came to us from Nigeria, but as it turns out, Oluko Imo comes from Trinidad. I had no idea they had Afrobeat there. Imo is ably supported by both the legendary Fela Kuti and his son, Femi. Quite an impressive release.
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Attilio Zanchi is an Italian bassist who is producing fire with this EP! For Harry Carney (DJ Farrapo Remix) is perfect moody downtempo dance fare with a film noir element about it. Boogie Stop Shuffle (DJ Farrapo Remix) provides truth in advertising, as the beat is funky and danceable. The track that left me the most impressed was For Harry Carney (Digital Pro Mix), remixed into a smoky tunes. Jazzy, funky, downtempo… This hits all the markers for me of a great EP. Kudos to Right Tempo for publishing yet another killer release.
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Today is a travel day, so I leave you with a collaboration between American vibist Khan Jamal, South African bassist Johnny Dyani and Danish guitarist Pierre Dørge.
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Once upon a time, I had a decent working knowledge (at least for an American expat) of Soviet Jazz. It keeps popping back into my life, and I still find it a joy to listen to even 30 years down the road. Thanks to Shasha Svistunov for compiling some real treasures here, including quite a few whose names are new to me! Brief run-down in English Tracklist: 1. Oleg Kutsenko Leningrad Instrumental Ensemble – Oriental Suite (Oleg Kutsenko, 1975) 2. Kavkaz Jazz Trio – Borjomi Park (Vagif Mustafa Zadeh, 1966) 3. Vadim Ludvikovski Ensemble – Rhythm Dance (Arno Babadjanian, 1961)…
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From the release’s Bandcamp site: “A guitarist Paniyolo and a steelpan player Akio Watanabe are releasing a duo album “Yanami (The row of houses)”. Based on the 11 sketches, they have painted a space kept in tranquil atmosphere with a guitar and a steelpan, each sketch has a glimpse of subject what could be found as you spent more time at home. Focused on the familiar daily life environment that we have overlooked, each piece of music is written with margins and lingering sound. This album is released for the first time in four years, since their release of previous…
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Gunesh were from Turkmenistan and had one of the greatest drummers and percussionists to ever beat the skins in Rishad Shafi, who passed on a few years ago. This holds itself admirably compared to western fusion bands. Worth your time!
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From the Wajazz Series Bandcamp page: “Universounds, HMV Record Shop and 180g team up for an exceptional release: from blazing hard bop to free jazz, to introspective saxophone solos and massive big band sounds, renowned Japanese jazz expert Yusuke Ogawa presents an essential 14 track collection of “WaJazz” music taken from the Nippon Columbia vaults. Featuring Jiro Inagaki, Minoru Muraoka, Hiroshi Suzuki, Hozan Yamamoto, Count Buffalo, Takeshi Inomata, and much more!”
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In honor of getting the chance to see the band this evening here in Beijing, I share with you a recent EP by London-based nu-jazz band Alfa Mist. It turns out that they put on a hell of a performance to a packed crowd, mainly of locals. It was one of the best shows I’ve been to in some time now.