Freddie Hubbard’s live session at Studio 104 Maison de la Radio (ORTF)—recorded in 1973 in front of an enlivened Parisian audience—sees its first ever vinyl issue on We Want Sounds, a double LP set featuring stretched out versions of some of Hub’s finest compositions. Enlisted are pianist George Cables on Fender Rhodes, Michael Carvin on drums, Junior Cook on tenor saxophone and flute and Kent Brinkley on upright, all of which do a superb job of marshalling the sound along while keeping up with the fluidity and the genius of Hubbard’s playing power. The live concert, viewable on YouTube, is...
Tidal Waves, in cooperation with Numero Group, have reissued Black Jazz recording artist and talismanic guitarist Calvin Keys’ 1984 album Full Court Press. It is a heavyweight 180g pressing contained within a thick carboard sleeve encased in an obi strip and a resealable plastic sleeve. The small details are always appreciated: top marks for presentation. Keys is a legend among Jazz and Fusion fans as one of the finest exponents of modern Jazz guitar alongside the likes of George Benson and O'Donnell Levy, an outstanding player who racked up appearances with Ray Charles, Ahmad Jamal, Pharoah Sanders and Joe...
Brian Jackson was Gil Scott Heron’s musical partner for a decade from 1971 to 1980, playing keyboards, writing and co-writing many of their classic tracks from that time. Brian makes his first album in many years ‘This is Brian Jackson’. It features six new tracks with a message, co-produced with percussionist Daniel Collas, plus two unreleased tracks from 1979. ‘All Talk’ is a percussive keyboard and flute led vocal track that grooves along nicely. ‘Force of Will’ has an intricate groove that features some nice guitar playing by Binky Brice. ‘C’est Cette Comete’ is a lovely mid tempo semi instrumental...
Jazzman Records have put their hand to another rare and seldomly recognised 1970’s tax scam recording by a short-lived group called Reality, reissuing their sole offering “Disco Party”. The album is an upbeat affair with a unique homemade sound and rustic, ramshackle aesthetic, befitting of the albums status as a tax scam release. The album was released, unbeknownst to the group until decades later, on the tax-scam label TSG, affiliated to Don King Productions. The album was initially bought by R&B kingpin Lloyd Price, who during this period was more into the business side of the music industry than the...
Mongo Santamaria’s 1976 Latin-Fusion classic Sofrito finally sees its first ever reissue on Craft recordings, a full analogue master courtesy of Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio. Certainly a favourite among fans of Latin-Jazz and Fusion, it contains the kind of Afro-Cuban authenticity and heavy percussive flare that Mongo was known for, while also developing on contemporaneous American styles of music, such as Jazz-Fusion, Jazz-Funk and Disco. The original publicity from 1976 describes it as a “soulful, kaleidoscopic Latin jazz session (…) at a time when most Afro-Caribbean giants were flirting a little too closely with disco and easy listening, the...
James Larter, West-London based multi instrumentalist and percussionist has steadily built up of a reputation for himself as a deft, highly-skilled operator, his abilities on a variety of different percussion instruments ranging from vibraphone to hand percussion have been steadily pricking up ears in the right places. Having studied in London and New York, he’s made an impression as a dexterous and in-demand percussionist, playing with the likes of Sampha and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Polarity treads the gamut between a wide range of worldly influences, touching Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and pan-African modes of playing, injected with low slung and funky...
Louie Vega returns with a 4LP set ‘Expansions in the NYC’ with 16 tracks of feel good Soulful House. Featuring regular collaborators Josh MIlan, Be Be Winans, Lisa Fischer, Cindy Mizelle, Tony Momrelle and Audrey Wheeler amongst the vocalists, plus house giants Moodyman, Kerri Chandler and Joaquin Joe Claussell amongst others.There are many original tracks plus covers of classics like Heatwave’s ‘Story Of A Story’ and Greg Henderson ‘Dreamin’ . As always this set is likely to be limited so only one per person. Listen to and buy LP HERE
Just Arrived, great new cover version of the Isley Brothers 'Here We Go Again' limited edition 45 on Expansion Records. “Here We Go Again” is a favourite amongst ardent soul buffs who recognise the Isley Brothers song, faithfully updated for a 21st Century audience. Output/Input was formed during lockdown by Melvin Lee Davis a Californian native and a skilled master bassist, composer, producer, and educator who is in high demand and is also Music Director for the “Queen of Funk” Chaka Khan.
Firstly thank you for all the orders that you have placed for RSD stock. We have been swamped with nearly a month's worth of orders in a few days. We are working through them and the vast majority of UK orders will be shipped by today and overseas orders by Monday. We have managed to obtain restocks on some titles , although many are in very limited quantities. Here is an updated list of the titles that we still have in stock for you to order at the moment, there are still many of the great Soul and Jazz titles available and...
Dinner Party is the super-group of Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, and Kamasi Washington, a collection of some of Hip-Hop’s finest current producers and contributors. With 14 Grammy Nominations between the group, Dinner Party utilizes the strengths of each musician seamlessly, blending their styles to create something soulful for these trying times. At just over 20 minutes, the album leaves the listener with just enough to satisfy them but yearn for more. Love You So Bad is exemplary of the melding of Hip-Hop and Jazz themes by the groups constituent players, sitting on a vocal call and response refrain—underlaid...
