There are some good albums this week with Kahil El Zabar (of the ethnic Heritage Orchestra) and David Murray 'Spirit Groove' leading the way, and good sets from Connie Han and Boney James. We have a few more copies of the illusive DW3 cd but these may be the last batch so please order early to avoid disappointment (all backorders have been shipped). Z records 'Under the Influence' series featuring underground disco and boogie tracks reaches volume 8 compiled by Woody Bianchi, and underground band 24 Carat Black have their third and previously unreleased album issued on Numero LP. We...
Today we shift the focus from albums to box sets. These sets represent superb value as well as being great collections of some of the biggest tracks in their respect genres. We've reduced the prices on three of them until July 1st and we have just one copy of the Holland, Dozier, Holland box. Be quick! MODERN SOUL A soul essential! the next 7 x 7″ box set culled from the vaults of Sony Music and containing 14 super-rare Modern Soul tracks from the Columbia, Epic, Arista and RCA logos including Bobby Womack, Patti Austin, Mandrill, Aretha Franklin, Ujima, Randy...
Chip Wickham’s third album sees the flautist in Spiritual Jazz territory. The first two (‘La Sombra’ and ‘Shamal Wind’) are must buys and ‘Blue To Red’ is no less impressive . The music is accessible, inventive and memorable. Wickham’s playing is superb and beguiling. The album opens with a mystical experience in ‘Blue to Red’ that incorporates influences from around the globe and there is something of Alice Coltrane’s harp led spiritual excursions to the feel. The album slips into a bass led groove on the sublime ‘Route One’ - the rhythm bringing to mind classic Blue Note as well...
Formed in 2016, Chicago’s The Devonns (Pronounced The De Vaughans) are a four piece band that are hugely influenced by The Impressions, Leroy Hutson and Leon Ware as well as contemporaries such as Raphael Saadiq and Jamie Lidell. The beautiful, laid back ‘I Think I’m Falling In Love’ is a highlight with it’s lazy tempo offset by soaring strings and economical horns, Lidell’s ‘Green Light’ is covered and sent through a late 60s filter while the swampy blues of ‘Ain’t That A Man For You’ shows another side. ‘I Know’ is a lovely slab of deep-with-a-beat while ‘Blood Red Blues’...
Quite simply James finest album, a double vinyl recorded just after the death of his son in 1973, every track is worthy of its place. The hypnotic funk anthem title track with its driving bass line and funky guitar riffs has been sampled many times as is regarded as a classic. The punchy shuffling 10 min epic ‘Stone To The Bone’, the social consciousness of the 12 min ‘Mind Power’ another funk anthem. The horn backed super funky semi instrumentals ‘Shoot Your Shot’ and ‘Time Is Running Out Fast’ are essentially JB’s tracks. The ballads ‘Doin The Best I Can’...
Playlist Download here Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised Curtis Mayfield - We People Who Are Darker Than Blue Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Donny Hathaway - Someday We'll All Be Free Sam Dees - Child Of The Streets Barbara Mason - Trigger Happy People Barrett Strong - Man Up In The Sky Earl White Jr - Very Special Girl Sidney Joe Qualls - I Don't Do This Randy Brown - I'm Always In The Mood Percy & Them - Trying To Find A New Love The Devonns - More Speedometer...
We are delighted to present the incredible Gary Bartz who has teamed up with Uk band Maisha to record a wonderful New Spiritual Jazz album. I was privileged to see these guys play together at the London Jazz festival last autumn around the time when they recorded this album and they really captured the spirit of Bartz early to mid 70's work with Ntu Troop, whilst keeping it fresh, dont miss out on this ! Smooth & Turrell have made a very good Soul/Disco album and The Devonns have a good retro sounding Chicago soul album. Natalie Slade keeps the...
This classic album from 1974 is the only album that singer songwriter Sam Dees recorded in the 70’s. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, in December 1945 to a large family, Sam formed his first group - The Bossanovians - before he was aged 10. Something of a musical prodigy, he was writing poetry and songs at an age when most of his friends were out playing. Often described as a prolific songwriter and occasional performer, Sam has written nearly four-hundred songs but in a career stretching over 50 years incredibly he's released only three albums! The Social commentary tracks ‘Child of...
Gil Scott Heron’s brilliant 1971 Flying Dutchman album ‘Pieces Of A Man’ was his debut studio album coming a year after the live ‘Small Talk On 125th And Lennox’ and marked a shift from the spoken word format of that record into more song based work. Gil’s observations of life and the melodies he creates are thought provoking and breathtaking, and are matched by incredible musicianship, delivered by an unbeatable line-up. When you have legendary bassist Ron Carter, drummer Bernard Purdie, Burt Jones on guitar and Hubert Laws on Flute (as well as long-time collaborator Brian Jackson on keys) you...
