Merry Christmas!

Just before we sign off for the year, we wanted to extend our gratitude to anyone that's ever visited our site and hopefully been put on to something new.

We've had an exceptional year and are unbelievably proud to say we can boast exclusives with Julia Biel, The Mighty Sceptres, Quarter Street, The New Mastersounds, The Haggis Horns and countless others.  So much is already in the pipeline for 2016 with a new article on Lack of Afro's LOA Records and a Prince feature that will give you 99 reasons to be a fan :)

We'd like to wish you all an excellent Christmas along with a healthy, happy and prosperous year ahead!  And what better way to do that than with a few choice Christmas cuts...

'Winter Wonderland' by Jesse Fischer f/t Solomon Dorsey

'Funky Christmas' by Maceo Parker

'Santa Baby' by Rene Marie

'12 Days of Christmas' by Olympic Cyclone Band

2015: Top 5 soul albums

#5

‘Day Dreamer’ by Jesse Fischer [Ropeadope Records]

Opting to almost completely abandon the ‘Soul Cycle’ moniker now, keyboardist and producer, Jesse Fischer unveils his new album which draws heavily on inspiration from 1970s jazz and funk.
There’s something about what Jesse Fischer does that just makes everything he do seem so easy –whether he’s producing, engineering or playing on projects for other artists, like Brenda Nicole Moorer or Rat Habitat, creating his own albums, composing remixes or maintaining his relentless touring schedule, he’s just always working and appears blissfully happy to be doing so.
For a fan… what more could we want?
‘Day Dreamer’ isn’t just a credible extension of his own discography but it’s one that stands perilously tall amongst his releases thus far.  Trumpeter, Takuya Kuroda, appears sadly on just one song, ‘Suite For The Blue Planet’, as does Snarky Puppy’s violinist Zach Brock on ‘Sangjee’ and steel-pannist, Leon Foster Thomas on the opener, ‘Nomads’.  But it’s vocalist Sarah Elizabeth Charles that could be set to see her own star rise following three great centre-stage contributions, the standout of which being a cover of Minnie Riperton’s ‘Loving You’.
The music on ‘Day Dreamer’ is charming, charismatic and very accessible – all a credit to Fischer’s talents and dedication.  Therefore, it sailed easily into one of the top slots for the year.

#4

‘Kiss Kiss Double Jab’ by The Rongetz Foundation [Heavenly Sweetness Records]

Headed up by French trumpeter, Stephane Ronget, The Rongetz Foundation have unveiled their fourth album release and are solidifying themselves as one of this site’s standout names in contemporary jazz music.
Never one to attempt to recreate the magic of his album’s predecessor, Ronget always aims to cast new spells on each of his releases so while his previous albums have always been a steady mix of vocal and instrumental tracks, this go round we’re introduced to pretty much an all vocal release.  Previous vocal collaborators have included Saunders Sermons, Gregory Porter and Renee Neufville but on ‘Kiss Kiss Double Jab’, we’re in the fine company of actress and vocalist Lilli Cooper who appears on a hefty number of tracks and only surrenders vocal duties on two songs in favour of the talents of spoken word artist Sonia Sanchez.
The Rongetz Foundation have always maintained their ethos of their brand of jazz music being a collaborative affair basking in the joys of a fusion of genres and styles and, once again, it’s something that’s been realized on this brilliantly-titled release. ‘Murilley’, ‘Hip Hop Muse’ and ‘Cab Samba’ among others point to a notably vibrant New York perspective throughout and the inclusion of Gart Bartz on saxophone rounds things off perfectly.
As always, being a staunch advocate for album hardcopies, it’s a must to make note of the brilliant artwork on this release courtesy of Antoinette Fleur who does a marvelous job with the front and back covers.

#3

‘Ladies and Gentlemen… Nigel Hall’ by Nigel Hall [Feel Music]

‘Ladies and Gentlemen… Nigel Hall’: the title almost hints at being an introduction from a brand new artist but Nigel Hall is as seasoned a talent as you could find.  Hall’s debut album, ‘The Face of Things to Come’, was released in 2006 but in the super long wait between releases, there has been plenty of music to tide fans over in the interim, including collaborations with longtime friends (and frequent collaborators) Soulive and Lettuce as well as a run with The Nth Power, which spawned the brilliant debut EP, ‘Basic Minimum Skills Test’, in 2013.  (We’re going to have to prep a separate post about Nigel Hall to fully commemorate our adoration for his talents so look out for one in the New Year.)
It’s predictable to say the new album was worth the wait – seeing that it swooped in to secure #3 on this list – but what makes it all the more special is that it’s everything it should have been.  It’s sweet, sweet soul music captured through Motown-esque numbers like ‘Gimme a Sign’ and ‘I Just Want to Love You’, the jazz-funk brilliance of ‘Try, Try, Try’ and the lush closing number, ‘Call on Me’.
Having been firmly cemented within the Soulive and Lettuce stable of musicians, they’ve all been brought along for the ride with a mish-mash of members appearing on each song, and guitarist, Eric Krasno, brought in as producer for the whole album (a perfect selection in its own right!).  ‘Lay Away’ for instance (a cover of The Isley Brothers song) features a dream team lineup including Krasno on guitar, Questlove on drums, Ivan Neville on Hammond organ and Dave Guy (The Dap-Kings) on trumpet.
Fingers crossed the next release doesn’t take as long to see the light of day but even if it does – we have the timeless release we’ve waited nine years for.

#2

‘In All Things’ by Columbia Nights [Record Breakin Music]

Following the release of their EP in 2012, ‘Dawn/Dusk’, Columbia Nights have gifted 2015 with their full-length debut album, ‘In All Things’.
The album’s title – In All Things – works as such an apt description of the music itself: it’s part electronic, it’s part jazz, it’s part soul… an incredible blending of these styles and genres that creates something wholly original and unique, defying any traditional conventions.  Probably the most distinct assessment anyone could make is how comfortable the whole album sounds – like making this music was the easiest thing for them to have done.  Despite it perhaps drawing from so many other influences, it flows exquisitely within a lane all of its own.
The production group, which comprises of members Jason Edwards, Hayling Price and John E Daise, see their vision realized with the help of vocalists Diggs Duke (an excellent choice!), Vaughn Octavia, Sarai Abdul-Malik, Aaron Abernathy, B.Jamelle and Siaira Shawn – some of these names may be familiar to you while others will be familiar in time to come.
If you’re taken by what you hear on the album, check out the EP ‘Dawn/Dusk’ plus the group’s SoundCloud page for a bunch of cover treats to download.

#1

‘Love Letters and Other Missiles’ by Julia Biel [Rockit Records]

Truth be known, Julia Biel’s ‘Love Letters and Other Missiles’ has occupied the No.1 slot on this list since its release in March and it would have taken something fairly colossal to have dethroned it.
Julia's immeasurable talent has been bubbling away for many years now and the release of this, her sophomore album, is the perfect by-product of a distinct and unique musical vision.
Having won the Perrier Vocalist of the Year Award in 2000, the singer, songwriter, producer and musician, Julia Biel, debuted in 2005 with her album, ‘Not Alone’ (co-written with Jonny Philips), and subsequently went on to see Julia nominated for the ‘Rising Star’ award in the BBC Jazz Awards in 2006.  The long gap in between solo albums was filled with musical collaborations with Everything But The Girl’s Ben Watts, Stimming and as a long-standing vocalist with the reggae/afrobeat collective, Soothsayers.
‘Love Letters and Other Missiles’ serves as an incredible musical opus and testament to Biel’s abilities.  The music is dreamy, mesmerising and at times even haunting – perfectly demonstrated by the extraordinary ‘We Watch The Stars’ – but there are also more assertive and versatile musical stylings to be found here as in ‘Playing You’ which with its sharp, stabbing, soulful horns and guitar licks, displays all the swagger of a gritty funk record.
While the music expertly sways and dances amongst different genres, with acknowledgements openly made to artists like Radiohead and Portishead, Biel’s voice in many ways roots the sound within jazz and it’s very much her unmistakable vocal which really shines throughout the whole album.  Much like legendary jazz vocalists, Nina Simone and Billie Holiday, it’s Julia’s voice that makes that biggest connection with the listener and will build her an army of life-long devoted fans as a result.
November saw the release of the ‘Licence to be Cruel’ EP which sees songs from the album re-imagined into whole new electronic soundscapes by producers Son Lux, Triptyc, Wu-Lu, Yes King and Other Worlds so be sure to check that one out on BandCamp as well.
It was our sincere pleasure to have caught up with Julia earlier this year to talk music and the new release so be sure to give that a read here if you’ve yet to do so.

m1xtap5 (30 awesome songs for 2015)

As we're in the midst of celebrating all the incredible music that came out this year [Ed: our coveted top 5 albums of the year will be unveiled next week(!)], here's an epic compilation of 30 songs that were released in 2015 that can only enhance the music collections of any soul/jazz/funk/R&B fans...

'Shy as a Butterfly' [Kenny Dope Remix] – The Mighty Sceptres
Taken from the online version of 'All Hail The Mighty Sceptres!'; Ubiquity Records

'Enough is Enough' – The New Mastersounds f/t Charly Lowry
From the album 'Made for Pleasure'; Legere Recordings



'Protect Ya Neck' – Lauriana Mae
From the 'City of Diamonds' EP



'Cure' – Judith Hill
From the album 'Back in Time'; NPG Records



'Pretty Lady' – Raheem DeVaughn f/t Trombone Shorty
From the album 'Love Sex Passion'; eOne Records

'What a Little Moonlight Can Do' – Jose James
From the album 'Yesterday I Had the Blues'; Blue Note Records

'Hot Stuff' – The Mighty Mocambos f/t Afrika Bambaataa, Charlie Funk & DeeJay Snoop
From the album 'Showdown'; Legere Recordings

'We Watch the Stars' – Julia Biel
From the album 'Love Letters and Other Missiles'; Rokit Records



'Send a Message' [Yam Who Remix] – Amp Fiddler
From the 'Bassmentality 3' EP

'Pedestal' – Van Hunt
From the album 'The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets.'; Godless Hotspot Records

'Loving You' – Jesse Fischer f/t Sarah Elizabeth Charles
From the album 'Day Dreamer'; Ropeadope Records



'One in a Million' – Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators
From the album 'Happiness in Every Style'; Timmion Records

'Murilley' – The Rongetz Foundation f/t Lilli Cooper
From the album 'Kiss Kiss Double Jab'; Heavenly Sweetness

'Glide' – Columbia Nights f/t Vaughn Octavia
From the album 'In All Things'; Record Breakin Music

'Just Can't Win' [Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band Remix] – Lee Fields
Truth & Soul Records

'Zoom' – The Sun Soul Orchestra f/t TJ Gibson
From the album 'What Matters Most'

'Darling' – Sherryl Bako
Standalone single



'Sunshine' – Eclectic Blue
Standalone single

'Lay Away' – Nigel Hall
From the album 'Ladies and Gentlemen… Nigel Hall'; Feel Music Group

'Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me' – Sean Khan f/t Omar
From the album 'Muriel'; Far Out Recordings

'Where Do We Go From Here' – The Mighty Mocambos f/t Lee Fields
Standalone single; Legere Recordings

'Hot Damn' [JD23 Remix] – The Haggis Horns f/t John McCallum
From the 'Return of the Haggis' EP; Haggis Records

'Better Days' – The Meltdown
From the 'Better Days' EP; HopeStreet Recordings

'Fuerteventura' – QCBA 
From the album 'Beauty in Quiet Places'; Ubuntu Music

'Sweet Power Your Embrace' – Diplomats of Soul f/t Incognito & Vanessa Haynes
Standalone single

'Kiss Kiss Double Jab' – The Rongetz Foundation f/t Lilli Collins
From the album 'Kiss Kiss Double Jab'; Heavenly Sweetness

'Jammin in the Bassment' – Judith Hill
From the album 'Back in Time'; NPG Records



'Coming Home' – Columbia Nights f/t Aaron Abernathy
From the album 'In All Things'; Record Breakin Music

'Miss Your Sex' – Raheem DeVaughn
From the album 'Love Sex Passion'; eOne Records

'Where Are You Now – Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators
From the album 'Happiness in Every Style'; Timmion Records

2015 albums: honourable mentions

As 2015 draws rapidly to a close, the compilation of our top 5 albums of the year has been hotly contested with last-minute changes still being made.  While the final list is being prepared, and is due to be unveiled around ten days from now, here's a list of the albums that just narrowly missed out on a slot in the top 5 but are still so worthy of your time if you've yet to hear them...

‘All Hail The Mighty Sceptres’ by The Mighty Sceptres [Ubiquity Records]

The group, consisting of long-term musical collaborators – Angeline Morrison and Nick Radford – is a real dream come true for fans who have followed the duos previous musical excursions together and the album continues to build upon the incredible chemistry and quality of music we’ve now come to expect from them, be it through their individual efforts or together.
We’re treated to a refreshing blend of sweet soul music that, as they describe themselves, “showcase[es] their love of 50s and 60s rhythm ’n’ blues, doo-wop, jazz and soul”.
Helping The Mighty Sceptres realize their vision is Chris Pedley of UK funk and soul veterans, The Baker Brothers, on production, and even further assistance behind the boards is brought in courtesy of Benedic Lamdin (aka Nostalgia 77) who takes up the album’s mixing duties.  It’s an undeniable dream team of inspiring talent best showcased amongst tunes like ‘Nothing Seems to Work’, ‘Gentle Refrain’, ‘Land of Green Ginger’ and the album’s standout track, ‘Shy as a Butterfly’.
Click here to read our exclusive interview with The Mighty Sceptres from April 2015.

‘Muriel’ by Sean Khan [Far Out Recordings]

With a D’Angelo-esque late submission for the year (‘Black Messiah’ in December 2014), saxophonist Sean Khan just scrapes in an honourable mention to our list with his second solo album, ‘Muriel’ (named after his mother).  Khan’s credentials extend as far back as the ‘90s with soul/jazz band, SK Radicals and going on to being referenced as a catalyst for the broken beat genre.
‘Muriel’ though acts very much as Khan’s homage to jazz music as he pays tribute to the classic sound and its pioneers (including John Coltrane), while still sounding contemporary and incorporating strong Latin jazz influences throughout.
The album is backed by an exciting guest list of vocalists including Omar who features on ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me’, Diana Martinez sets the album off to a perfect start with ‘Things to Say’, and Far Out Recordings label mate, Sabrina Malheiros, appears on ‘Sister Soul’ – singing in English no less(?).  Amongst many of the album’s standout tracks, the three movements to ‘What Has Jazz Become?’ really stand tall as an inspirational effort and worth the time of any jazz music fan.
The album features three bonus remixes at its close, courtesy of Henry Wu, Ben Hauke and the fantastic 4 Hero, but keep your eyes peeled for Nicola Conte’s remix of ‘There Is Something New’ which came out on an earlier EP and is sadly not to be found on this release.

‘Happiness in Every Style’ by Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators [Timmion Records]

Now here’s a group that are no strangers to our year-end round-ups: the Brooklyn-born vocalist, Nicole Willis, and her excellent Finnish accompaniment, The Soul Investigators, secured the Number 1 slot in 2013 for their sophomore album release, ‘Tortured Soul’, that came eight years after their debut.  Thankfully, the collective hasn’t made us wait anywhere near that long for their follow-up so it’s with great joy that we’re able to include ‘Happiness in Every Style’ on this list.
While the group’s debut album, ‘Keep Reachin Up’ (released in 2005) won fans over with its infectiously sing-along and anthemic numbers, ‘Tortured Soul’ saw them revise their game plan drastically with a project that was decidedly darker and at times blusier than its predecessor to remarkable effect.  ‘Happiness in Every Style’ seems to sit comfortably between both styles, drawing upon elements from each and as strong a release as this is, there’s nothing “anthemic” here like their previous efforts ‘Feeling Free’, ‘My Four Leaf Clover’, ‘Holdin On’, ‘You Got Me Moonwalking’ or ‘It’s All Because of You’.  Maybe that’s down to the unfortunate absence of producer Didier Selin – who helmed both previous projects as well as The Soul Investigators collaboration with Myron & E (‘Broadway’).
Still, there is lots to be excited about it here with standouts including ‘One in a Million’, ‘Where Are You Now’, ‘Angel’ and ‘Thief in the Night’, plus the bonus inclusion of the group’s previous single ‘Hot Sauce’.  Note this down as yet another feather in the cap for Timmion Records and the label’s marquis act!

‘Back in Time’ by Judith Hill [NPG Records]

Recorded over the course of less than three weeks, and produced by the Purple Majesty himself, the album was initially distributed via a free download through Hill’s WeTransfer account in March which remained active for a few days and has since been closed.  In October however, the album was issued to iTunes and Tidal although the hope is that an official CD release will follow shortly as well.
Judith Hill already boasts a mind-blowing résumé – which includes having sang backing vocals on albums by Dave Stewart, Elton John, Josh Groban and Evelyn “Champagne” King, amongst many others – but fast-forward a few years and Prince, after having heard of her desire to work with him, calls her up and the rest is, as they say, history.
In the midst of Prince’s own resurgence last year with ‘Art Official Age’ and ‘Plectrumelectrum’, continual touring with ThirdEyeGirl, the release of ‘HitNRun’ this year as well, it’s a continual testament to his prolific nature that this release can still generate its own excitement.  ‘Back in Time’ is good.  I mean, reeeaaaally good.  It’s Prince’s funkiest music for quite some time and is the type of funk usually reserved for his famed aftershows.  It’s soulful, it’s gritty, it’s horn-heavy… and songs like ‘Turn Up’, ‘Beautiful Life’, ‘Cure’ and ‘Jammin in the Bassment’ propel the album to being a clear standout of the year.  We eagerly await the ever-growing expansion of Judith Hill’s catalogue.

'Love Sex Passion' by Raheem DeVaughn [eOne]

Raheem DeVaughn, regardless of who he works with, can always boast that signature sound – his is an inimitable voice and when married with production that’s heavily inspired by old school aesthetics, it makes for a very unique and contemporary blend of R&B and soul.  That ‘unique blend’ is presented here over seventeen tracks that clocks in at 76 minutes, demonstrating that there’s clearly still an enthusiasm for his music and plenty for people to connect with here.
The long-running production chemistry with Kenny Dope isn’t on display this time round (note their previous gems ‘Hopeless Romantic’, ‘Guess Who Loves You More’ and ‘My Wife’) but former collaborator, Chucky Thompson, does show up on two tracks for production as well as awesome funk & soul trombonist, Trombone Shorty, who earns himself a guest spot on ‘Pretty Lady’.  The album marks a notably more mature sound which some of his previous songs probably weren’t aiming to capture, like ‘B.o.B. (Battery Operated Boyfriend)’ and ‘Microphone’ – ah yes, ‘Microphone’, the song that compares a stage to his body, and the microphone to his… well, let’s just say I’m way too prudish to finish that line off.
Highlights this time round include the aforementioned ‘Pretty Lady’, ‘Miss Your Sex’ and ‘Nothing Without You’ but the album really boasts few duds.  ‘Love Sex Passion’ is a strong contribution to 2015 and the album also works as a good introduction to Raheem DeVaughn for anyone who isn’t too familiar with past songs or releases.  If you do fall into the latter category, this could be the album to change that.

‘Beauty in Quiet Places’ by QCBA [Ubuntu Music]

‘Beauty in Quiet Places’ marks the second album from Quentin Collins and Brandon Allen’s passion project, QCBA, released this year through Ubuntu Music.
Headed up by “the hardest hitting trumpet/sax frontline in the business”, trumpeter, Quentin Collins, and saxophonist, Brandon Allen, round out their quartet with friends and long-term collaborators Ross Stanley on Hammond organ and Enzo Zirilli on drums.  The quartet boastfully showcase their unique blend of soulful jazz, with elegant tinges of Brazilian stylings, all respectfully nodding to the Greats, while still injecting enough of their own talents and charisma throughout to make an end-product that is quintessentially QCBA.
The recording of the album seems to serve as a testament to the style and energy fans can expect from the band's live shows, which would be quite the journey: from the Samba-esque 'Fuerteventura', the exquisite ballad of 'Oscar's Lullaby' or the up-tempo swing of 'Modal Tranesition', which pays homage to iconic saxophonists, Joe Henderson and John Coltrane.
Click here to read our exclusive interview with Quentin Collins from September 2015.

‘The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets.’ by Van Hunt [Godless Hotspot]

‘The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets’ marks the fourth official studio album release from singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Van Hunt, and sees him return with potentially his funk-iest set yet.
While ‘The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets’ does see him return to somewhat familiar territory, this isn’t an album that anyone could describe as being easily digestible and there is probably nothing here that is going to be a crossover sensation like the incredible ‘Dust’ was in 2004.  The album is filled with Van Hunt’s inimitable funk stylings, evident on songs like ‘Puddin’ and ‘Pedestal’, along with orchestral-enriched ballads like ‘If I Wanna Dance With You’, which make for a very enjoyable listen.
There’s high hopes for Van Hunt and Godless Hotspot and we look forward to the next stage in Van Hunt’s musical journey.

'Licence to be Cruel' [Remix EP] by Julia Biel

Capping off what's been a big year for Julia Biel - following the release of her exquisite album 'Love Letters and Other Missiles' - now sees the release of the remix EP 'Licence to be Cruel'.

Taking the already versatile music from the album into wondrous new directions are producers Son Lux, Triptyc, Wu-lu, Yes King and Other Worlds; see below for the EP's full tracklist:

1. Licence To Be Cruel [Son Lux Remix]
2. You Do My Head In [Triptyc Remix]
3. We Watch The Stars [Wu-lu Remix]
4. We Watch The Stars [Yes King Remix] (f/t Soothsayers Horns)
5. Paradise [Other Worlds Remix]

The EP sees official release Friday 20th November, plus limited edition CDs are also on offer so be sure to grab those quickly as well.  The video for the Triptyc remix of 'You Do My Head In' is below for your listening pleasure and check out our super-exclusive interview with Julia from earlier this year.

'Licence to be Cruel' can be purchased from: https://juliabiel.bandcamp.com/

What I'm listening to... (November 2015)

'Where Do We Go From Here' by The Mighty Mocambos featuring Lee Fields
Despite having already released their album 'Showdown' earlier this year, The Mighty Mocambos have just released a new 45 with an exclusive non-album track featuring one of the absolute finest soul artists today, Lee Fields.  The collaboration works potentially as an extension of the group's alter ego project, the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, having remixed Lee Fields' 'Just Can't Win' single earlier this year so here's hoping for more from the two factions in time to come...

'Hello' by Joe
The grand return by Adele was marked by 'Hello' - the first single from her upcoming album.  In what's turned out to be an incredibly well-timed and strategic move, Joe opted to record his own version of the song and has made buckets of good vibrations from having done so.  His version is frankly, pretty amazing so check it out for yourself...

'Hotline Bling' by Erykah Badu
We've unintentionally ended up with two covers on this month's edition of WiLt but here's Erykah Badu's version of Drake's 'Hotline Bling'.  If you can make your way through the slew of GIFs, memes and alternate edits related to this video (Napolean Dynamite being my personal favourite) then you might just enjoy this very cool version potentially about to find a home on Badu's upcoming mixtape 'U Can't Use My Phone'...

"Welcome to.. Me"

This is the second of our interview round-ups with artists we’ve showcased on this site previously.  As with the ‘Our Heroes Heroes’ article, we’ve taken some of the best answers from some of our fav artists when we asked them the following question:

If you were introducing your music to a prospective new fan, which song from your catalogue would you recommend they listen to that best sums up the group?

Jesse Fischer

"I would have to say ‘Digital Savanna’.  Every album has one song that everyone requests, and that’s the song off ‘Retro Future’.  It also happens to be the simplest and the most catchy song off the album, and came to me fully formed, so I would say it’s the least filtered and most successful recording to date. There’s also a great live video that I’m really proud of on YouTube."

[re:jazz]

"I would probably suggest a song on which we tried to give a new perspective, but still being 100% typically [re:jazz].  So if I had only one try and wouldn't know the person to play it to I would chose our version of ‘Inner City Life’ featuring Jhelisa Anderson, from our second album ‘Point of View’."

Nicole Willis

"Maybe the first song might be ‘Feeling Free’.  It's a dance song so it’s great to start off dancing."

The Baker Brothers 

"I would recommend they listen to ‘Snap Back’ from ‘Time to Testify’ (our latest album) as this song has all the main ingredients of The Baker Brothers: killer horns, riffs and rhythms."

Emma Donovan

"Probably ‘Over Under Away’, it sums up the album for me and I love the arrangement and the way the band makes their grand entrances.  I love that moment in the song, it means a lot to me, doing that bit live I properly have to hold myself together."

The Mighty Sceptres

"Ah now, that's a tricky question as there's a good bit of variety on the album!  Angeline would probably say ‘Sting Like a Bee’ or ‘You're Nothing But a Pack of Cards’, whereas Nick might choose the single, ‘Siren Call’, as it covers most bases – the Jamaican influence combined with the rhythm ’n’ blues element and some swinging soul."

Myron & E

"If I played a song from ‘Broadway’ for someone that has never [heard] anything by us, it would probably be ‘If I Gave You My Love’."

Sy Smith

"Oooh, that's a tough question... perhaps I would play ‘Bruise’ from ‘The Syberspace Social’, because that song really speaks to the heart of who I am... and if someone is to become a fan, I'd want them to know what they're getting into."

The Soul Immigrants

"Blimey, another good question!  I think 'Golden Summer Rays'.  It’s our anthem – full of positive energy.  I wanted to write something really catchy but also say something lyrically.  It's dark times we live in so let the music lift your spirits, gather every man, woman and child and open your heart sunwards, let some light in.  It’s hard to write socially conscious tunes that you can whistle too so I would definitely play this to them with a glowing sense of pride inside!"

Kat Webb

"Hmmm… That's a tough one.  I would have to say either ‘Waver’, ‘Good to Me’ or ‘Can't Stop Thinkin Bout You’.  They include the full band feel that I always strive for, they are really popular among my current listeners, and they show off the deep soul and jazz roots of my background.  I hope everyone enjoys them and picks a favourite!"

"Tony Minvielle Presents Into Something', Vol 1" [Album review]

From one of the UK’s very own foremost purveyors and connoisseurs of fine jazz and soul music, comes ‘Into Something, Volume One’, presented by Tony Minvielle.

Tony’s credentials as a DJ, broadcaster and writer stretch way back to having contributed to Straight No Chaser magazine from 1989 and having had DJ residencies at Café Del Mar in Ibiza, Jazz Café and Southport.  His is exactly the kind of résumé that should be adorning the covers of compilations like this and has wisely been snapped up by The Sound Of Everything UK Records for this release which delivers a veritable treasure trove of contemporary jazz gems.

The always bankable Gretchen Parlato guests with Lauren Desberg on a standout track, ‘You Got To My Head’; Khari Cabral Simmons follows up his 2012 Dome Records album ‘Clementine Sun’ with a track from his EP with Cecilia Stalin (‘The Story Of Love’), ‘Norwegian Wood’; and, from the album ‘Veludo’, Guida De Palma & Jazzinho have their remarkable collaboration with Leon Ware included here, ‘A Seed In You’ [I urge you to buy the ‘Veludo’ album in particular friends].

As if the tracks could soar any higher than the aforementioned numbers, it’s great to get on the ground floor with artists like Collective Peace and Liz Elensky, who don’t yet have much else to purchase other than the two tracks available here: Collective Peace’s Robert Glasper Experiment-esque ‘Let The Music Play’ is frankly superb while Liz Elensky’s 60s/70s-inspired ‘Distractions’ has you craving for a full album’s worth of music.  Fingers crossed that full-length releases follow on shortly for each.

Below is the tracklist for the compilation – not a bad note amongst the lot – and we eagerly await Volume Two.

1. 'Distance Can Be Sweet' - Personal Life
2. 'Distractions' - Liz Elensky
3. 'Sea Snake' - Carl Hudson
4. 'Let the Music Play' - Collective Peace
5. 'Miss Purty' - Cory Henry
6. 'You Go to My Head' (feat. Gretchen Parlato) - Lauren Desberg
7. 'Two Sides' - Pat Van Dyke
8. 'Norwegian Wood' - Cecilia Stalin & Khari Cabral Simmons
9. 'Music Power' - Tommaso Cappellato & Astral Travel
10. 'A Seed in You' (feat. Leon Ware) - Guida De Palma & Jazzinho
11. 'Todos Os Santo' (feat. Nana Vasconcelos) - Mauricio Maestro
12. 'Electric Ladyland' (feat. Chris Turner) - Jesse Fischer

Guida De Palma & Jazzinho f/t Leon Ware, 'A Seed In You' 

Lauren Desberg f/t Gretchen Parlato, 'You Go to My Head' 

"The Professional Mastersounds": The New Mastersounds [Interview]

Nine studio albums, two live albums, one remix album, three compilation albums and twenty-six 7-inch singles: it’s a lot for a band to boast for just over 15 years and, in truth, is a résumé as impressive as anyone, anywhere, has been able to amass in that time.  But for the funk & soul quartet known as The New Mastersounds – it’s a fairly standard measure for a veracious band with a tireless work ethic.  At press time, the touring schedule for The New Mastersounds sees them closing out 2015 with nearly 20 gigs left to complete all around the US, including North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee and Alabama, all in a bid to promote their brand new album, ‘Made For Pleasure’.

And what an album it is!

‘Made For Pleasure’ sees Eddie Roberts (guitar), Simon Allen (drums), Joe Tatton (keyboards) and Pete Shand (bass; fresh off his work with The Haggis Horns for their album ‘What Comes To Mind’) emerge from a sweltering New Orleans studio to present their latest offering released though Legere Recordings with a little help from guests, percussionist and vibraphonist, Mike Dillon, and The West Coast Horns.

Charly Lowry proves a real asset to this release appearing on three tracks as a guest vocalist and bringing a distinctive and classic, sweet-sounding vocal to the tracks ‘Joy’, ‘Enough Is Enough’ and ‘Just Gotta Run’ – the latter of which a clear contender for the standout song in an album with a lot of highlights to choose from.
‘Made For Pleasure’ also sees The New Mastersounds comfortably dabble into jazz-esque territory on this release – perhaps inspired by the New Orleans backdrop the album was recorded under – providing some of the album’s most memorable moments.  There’s excellent guitar work on ‘Sitting On My Knees’ and the blissfully sublime ‘Tranquilo’ which is a perfect balance of lush horns and dreamy keyboards.

It’s The Blue-in-Green Blog’s great pleasure to have secured time with The New Mastersounds’ (NMS) drummer, Simon Allen, to discuss everything surrounding ‘Made For Pleasure’…


IMRAN MIRZA: With the vast amount of material the group has managed to release over the years: do you still feel the pressure of releasing new music?
SIMON ALLEN: The pressure is self-imposed.  We always want new material to add to the live set to keep things interesting, and we usually manage to find time to get into the studio for a week every 18 months or so.  The first couple of days in there can be a bit tense because we know we need to end up with an album’s worth of material by the end of the week, and on this occasion we started with nothing.  We had all the gear set up, a great sound in the control room and we all just looked at each other and said “Now what?”

Can you tell us about what went into the making of ‘Made For Pleasure’?
We were in New Orleans for a New Year’s Eve show and had found an amazing studio with all the right vintage gear – drums, keyboards amps - that we need for our sound.  Eddie was living there at the time so we crashed in his apartment.  We ate a lot of Vietnamese pho that week as there was a splendid restaurant in the neighbourhood.  The tune ‘Pho Baby’ is a reference to Joe’s distended belly at the end of the week.  That’s what went into the making of the album: pho, plenty of wine, and a couple of fat cigars.

How does the new release hold up to previous efforts?
Surprisingly well, given how the week started - there’s definitely evidence of the band’s evolution, we love the dynamic sound and the range of styles, and the production.

How did you go about picking the collaborators for this album?
Horns: Eddie had been working with them for a couple of years with his side-project, The West Coast Sounds.  They had then performed with NMS at some of the larger American gigs.
We really wanted to capture their energy on a record.  Mike (Olmos) and Joe (Cohen) had been together as a unit nearly as long as we have, so they have developed an intuitive way of working – they can improvise lines and harmonize them "on the fly”.  One of them taps out a rhythm on the other’s shoulder and then they both start playing flawlessly at the same time.  It’s very impressive on a live gig, and we knew that their fluent creativity could easily be harnessed in the studio.
Charly Lowry: Eddie met her two years ago when performing with an all-star band in Asheville, North Carolina (her home state and had wanted to co-write with her since then.  Like the horns, she has also performed on stage with us in the USA, but up until MFP we have had to choose cover versions for her to sing (Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield, Alice Clark etc..).  That’s always fun, but now we have three original songs we can play with her too!
Mike Dillon: We’ve been rubbing shoulders with this guy on the US live scene for nearly a decade and have enjoyed many sit-ins from him (the most recent one being in New Orleans last JazzFest when he joined us for an entire set).  He’s so much fun to work and play with and has an impressive command of a whole range of different percussion instruments.  He was on Jamcruise (Caribbean cruise-ship floating music festival that we will play again in January) during our recording week but he jumped straight off the boat in Miami, onto a plane, then drove straight into the studio on the last day to overdub parts on three of the tunes.

The new album covers Iggy Azalea's 'Fancy' and the last album covered 'Treasure' by Bruno Mars: what makes you decide on a song to recreate?
‘Treasure’ (on the 2014 album ‘Therapy’) was the result of a poll of our Facebook fans.  We were in the studio (near Denver) and wanted to do a pop cover but none of us had listened to any pop music for a long time so we asked the fans.  The response was immediate, several different people suggested ‘Treasure’ and when we pulled it up on YouTube Eddie realised straight away that the melody would work really well on guitar, George Benson-style.  We had our version arranged and recorded within an hour.
This time, Eddie asked his daughter, Minnie, to suggest a pop tune and she sent him a link to Kasabian performing a live acoustic version of ‘Fancy’ by Iggy Azalea.  None of us had heard either version before but we could tell straightaway that a reggae approach would work.  Initially our version was going to be instrumental like ‘Treasure’, and we had horns with us to lift the melody, but a few months later when Eddie was in the process of mixing the album, he walked into a bar in Denver and saw this rasta MC called Spellbinder toasting over a DJ.  He introduced himself and invited the guy to come and put some vocals onto our track.  Spellbinder changed the line from “I’m so fancy” to “I’m so irie”, and he sounds great!

You're famed for having performed all over the world: how do audiences differ and where's been a particular highlight?
Fifteen thousand people in front of the White Stage at Fuji Rock Festival was pretty memorable because a significant number of them were singing along to our songs from an album that had been out for less than a year.  It was raining and they all had pretty coloured hats on.  American audiences party the hardest.  The Spanish are the best dancers – how’s that?

If you could hook up with any vocalist for a full album, who would it be?
Aretha Franklin.  Next Question.

Which one song from The New Mastersounds discography would you play to a prospective new fan?
Hmm. Too difficult. I would play all the opening tunes of all the albums: ‘Nervous’, ‘This Ain’t Work’, ‘Zambezi’, ‘102%’, ‘Hole in The Bag’, ‘San Frantico’, ‘Take What You Need’, ‘You Mess Me Up’, ‘Old Man Noises’, ‘Made For Pleasure’.

What’s been a career highlight for The New Mastersounds?
Playing a late-night show with Ziggy from The Meters in New Orleans (two drum kits) – amongst other tunes we performed ‘1 Thing’ by Amerie, the pop hit from 2005 that is based on a killer Meters sample [‘Oh, Calcutta!’].  That was super fun, and I had to pinch myself to check it was really happening.

For more information on The New Mastersounds, please visit:
http://www.newmastersounds.com/

Presenting... "Songs in the Key of: Blues!"

I've been toying with the theme of this mix for some time: trying to capture a really bluesy-soul ambiance that basks in the joy of love as well as the heartache of it. It's really been inspired by Lee Fields' song, 'Magnolia', which is exceptional and included here as well.

Full track-list below so please feel free to check it out:

'Over Under Away' - Emma Donovan & The PutBacks
'The Drive' - Curtis Harding
(Interlude I: "Stranger Than Fiction")
'Forever Dreaming' - Myles Sanko
(Interlude II: Nick Pride & The Pimptones)
'When I See You' - Olu Dara & The Natchezippi Band f/t Donald Harrison Jr
'Be Alright' - Eric Krasno f/t Nigel Hall
'Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter' - Nikka Costa
(Interlude III: 'Beauty' (IMS Mashed Mix 4): Daniel Lanois & J Dilla)
(Interlude IV: 'We're In', Jake Long)
'Worry Walks Beside Me' - Michael Kiwanuka
(Interlude V: "Moon")
'Magnolia' - Lee Fields & The Expressions
'Stranded For Life' - Mudbone
(Interlude VI: "Troy")
'It's All Because Of You' - Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators
(Interlude VII: 'Hermeto', Jake Long)
'Your Love Is No Love' - Booker T f/t Vintage Trouble
'Victim Of Love' - Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band

What I'm listening to... (October 2015)

‘Suite For The Blue Planet’ by Jesse Fischer featuring Takuya Kuroda
Producer, engineer, composer and producer, Jesse Fischer – now almost having completely abandoned the Soul Cycle moniker – returns with the crowd-funded album release ‘Day Dreamer’, released through Ropeadope Records.  It’s a genuinely excellent jazz & soul album, one I can already see doing very well in our end of year rankings not long away, with features from classy vocalist Sarah Elizabeth Charles (including a complete reimagining of Minnie Riperton’s ‘Loving You’ amongst her three lead vocal contributions), and trumpeter Takuya Kuroda, whose efforts we’ve praised numerous times on this site.  It’s the latter’s contribution we’ll showcase in this slot though as the song comes with a studio-themed video of the band performing it…

‘Doralice’ by Noemi Nuti
Continuing our love affair with Ubuntu Music, here’s an excellent song from the labels’ flagship artist, Noemi Nuti, and her debut release, ‘Nice To Meet You’.  In our exclusive feature with QCBA, we touched slightly on the jazz and Brazilian vocalist’s music – the quality of which speaks for itself…

‘BPATTER’ by DJ Premier & The BADDER
This one caught everybody off-guard when it was released with the accompanying video early-September.  Confirming work of an official new project from legendary and beloved hip-hop producer, and one-half of Gang Starr, DJ Premier – not a whole lot else is known at this time.  You’ll note the jazzy/afrobeat nature of the song, and the familiar trumpetting sounds of Takuya Kuroda, marking his second appearance on this month’s list.

"Return of The Haggis": The Haggis Horns [Interview]

Since the release of the three-track EP by The Haggis Horns, which was unveiled in July of this year, anticipation was high for the third studio album release by the UK’s “7 piece live funk extravaganza”.

The EP – featuring the tracks, ‘I Can’t Stop The Feeling’, ‘Return Of The Haggis’ and an exclusive Haggis/JD73 remix to ‘Hot Damn!’ – reaffirmed the band’s breakbeat, funk & soul aesthetic that they have established over their previous album releases, ‘Hot Damn!’ (2007) and ‘Keep On Movin’ (2010).  These releases, along with their reputation as tireless and exuberant live performers, have already solidified their status as one of the UK’s premier acts within the genre that we cherish so dearly.

Should there have been any doubt about this as a fact, then the third album by The Haggis Horns, ‘What Comes To Mind’, comfortably silences any disbelievers.

The album boasts an impressive showcase to – not just the skills of The Haggis Horns – but also a great line-up of UK funk and soul talent including Smoove & Turrell vocalist, John Turrell, who guests on ‘It Ain’t What You Got’, vocalist Lucinda Slim whose appearance on ‘I Can’t Stop The Feeling’ from the ‘Return of The Haggis EP’ also finds a home here, and long-time friend and collaborator of the band, John McCallum, who appears on two songs including ‘Outta My Head’ and very possibly the album’s show-stealing number, ‘Give Me Something Better’.  Pete Shand, bass player for The New Mastersounds, also appears throughout as does UK percussionist, Mark ‘Snowboy’ Cotgrove.

The Haggis Horns have unveiled potentially their career-defining release thus far: buckets of funk, soul and boogie displayed over a standout release of the year.  The Blue-in-Green Blog was thrilled to catch up with The Haggis Horns guitarist, Ben Barker, to discuss the new release, the new label and what went into the making of ‘What Comes To Mind’…

The Haggis Horns' are amassing such a body of work now: do you still feel the pressure of releasing new material?
No, we don't feel pressure apart from the fact that we have high standards.  We wouldn't release anything that we aren't happy with and we set our own schedule.  It might be different if we a had a big label breathing down our necks but we are our own bosses and our own fiercest critics so that all helps to keep us motivated to make better sounding records as we learn our craft more.

What prompted the group to start Haggis Records?
It just seemed to make sense for this third album.  We felt we'd established ourselves enough with our first two albums that the time was right. It's taken a lot of work but it's definitely given us a better understanding of the whole process of releasing a record from start to finish.  Ultimately one of the main motivations has been to try and earn a bit more money from releasing music which would in turn enable us to be able to make more music more regularly and to pay for other things that are needed for the band.  Making money from releasing records is an ever increasing challenge for any artist these days but we felt that this would give us a slightly better chance of achieving that goal.  We will definitely be looking at releasing other artists and other projects through the label in the future so watch this space!

How was the process of putting this project together?
This project actually took us a long time for a variety of reasons.  The first being that we decided to invest money in creating our own studio so the setting up of the studio after we had done the initial writing took time.  Then there was the question of trying to get a sound that we were happy with.  After that it came down to schedules of the people who have recorded with us, we were hoping to have a guest on the album we had written a track for and after waiting almost a year to try and find a time when our schedules were free at the same time we had to decide not to put the track out on this album and hope that we will get it finished for the next album.  Also people have had families and other things in their life which means that it is sometimes harder to all get together to work because of other commitments.

How would you say the creative process in writing, producing and recording new music usually work for you?
We (Malcolm, Ben and Atholl) get together in the studio and just come up with ideas - we have a chemistry that enables us to get rough ideas together quickly and we usually know straight away if they are worth pursuing.  In the past we used to come up with whole tracks individually and take them to a rehearsal but now the entire process is much more of a collaborative combined effort which goes to and fro and feels very organic.

How did you go about picking the collaborators for this album?
We are very lucky that we have some amazingly talented friends who we work with so it’s really a case of just getting your mates on your albums!

How would you describe the relationship between The Haggis Horns and John McCallum seeing the amount of times you have collaborated together?
John and us started working together 20 years ago (Malc and me have worked together for over 25 years now!), we were playing in bands with Dan Goldman (JD73) at college and, again, we are just incredibly lucky that one of our best mates has this unbelievable voice and can write really catchy melodies that fit with our vibe and ideas without feeling contrived.  He is so talented and creative it just comes together really quickly.

If you could hook up with any other vocalist for a full album, who would it be?
There are a lot of talented people out there, someone did a mash up of a track of ours (‘The Jerk’) and the Kendrick Lamar track, ‘King Kunta’, and that worked so well it would be great to work with such a great rapper as we love our hip hop.  I'm a big Lianne La Havas fan so I'd love to work with her!

What one song from 'What Comes To Mind' would you play to win over a prospective new fan?
I think the track 'Give Me Something Better' appeals to a real wide range of people, hip-hop heads, funk and soul fans but with a real pop sensibility to it so possibly that one but I'm equally happy with every track to be honest!

For more information on The Haggis Horns, click below for the band's website, Facebook and Twitter profiles:
www.thehaggishorns.com 
www.facebook.com/thehaggishorns 
www.twitter.com/thehaggishorns 
www.haggisrecords.com

‘The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets.’ by Van Hunt [Review]

‘The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets’ marks the fourth official studio album release from singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Van Hunt, and sees him return with potentially his funk-iest set yet. 

Following on from his new label association with Godless Hotspot, which spawned the 2011 album ‘What Were You Hoping For?’ – the album that divided fans who weren’t all taken by the strong presence of rock and more eclectic and eccentric sounds throughout, and which subsequently followed on from the album that was never in fact released: ‘Popular’ which in turn was inexplicably abandoned by Blue Note Records in 2008.  (The album, ‘Popular’, has since been leaked and is “out there” so do what you feel is necessary friends.)

Fans can now rest easy though and take comfort in the fact that Hunt has returned with an album filled with more typical Van Hunt flair synonymous with his earlier releases – the self-titled debut and the follow-up ‘On The Jungle Floor’.  While ‘The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets’ does see him return to somewhat familiar territory, this isn’t an album that anyone could describe as being easily digestible and there is probably nothing here that is going to be a crossover sensation like the incredible ‘Dust’ was in 2004.  The album is filled with Van Hunt’s inimitable funk stylings, evident on songs like ‘Puddin’ and ‘Pedestal’, along with orchestral-enriched ballads like ‘If I Wanna Dance With You’, which make for a very enjoyable listen, but there is the notion that – as talented as Van Hunt is and as clear as his musical vision is to him – perhaps working with an outside producer, like a Jack Splash, a James Poyser or an Amp Fiddler, might be a tactical and effective way to best put his ideas across?

There’s high hopes for Van Hunt and Godless Hotspot and we look forward to the next stage in Van Hunt’s musical journey.

"Beauty In All The Right Places": QCBA [Interview]

‘Beauty In Quiet Places’ marks the second album from Quentin Collins and Brandon Allen’s passion project, QCBA, released this year through Ubuntu Music.

Headed up by “the hardest hitting trumpet/sax frontline in the business”, trumpeter, Quentin Collins, and saxophonist, Brandon Allen, round out their quartet with friends and long-term collaborators Ross Stanley on Hammond organ and Enzo Zirilli on drums.  The quartet boastfully showcase their unique blend of soulful jazz, with elegant tinges of Brazilian stylings, all respectfully nodding to the Greats, while still injecting enough of their own talents and charisma throughout to make an end-product that is quintessentially QCBA.

The recording of the album seems to serve as a testament to the style and energy fans can expect from the band's live shows, which would be quite the journey: from the Samba-esque 'Fuerteventura', the exquisite ballad of 'Oscar's Lullaby' or the uptempo swing of 'Modal Tranesition', which pays homage to iconic saxophonists, Joe Henderson and John Coltrane.

The album is short on outside guests but the concept of collaboration is certainly not new to Collins and Allen: both having chalked up performances with Omar, Paloma Faith, Dennis Rollins and perhaps most famously, The Kyle Eastwood Band.  For album hardcopy fans, you'll be treated to a special message amidst the inlay card from the aforementioned, Kyle Eastwood, which serves as an excellent note of encouragement and endorsement.

Ubuntu Music is as much the story here as the new album release...  Founded by Martin Hummel and Collins (the word itself is an ancient African word meaning “I am because we are”), Ubuntu’s ethos is about “bringing quality, accessible jazz and related music genres to increasingly wider audiences”.  And they’re doing that.  Really well.  ‘Beauty In Quiet Places’ is actually preceded this year by the release of Brazilian vocalist Noemi Nuti, and her beauteous album, ‘Nice To Meet You’.  With the new QCBA release, Ubuntu are fulfilling their promise and listeners will eagerly await much, much more from this exciting new label.

In the meanwhile, however, there is the fantastic new release awaiting your attention and we're thrilled to have secured time with Quentin Collins to discuss 'Beauty In Quiet Places', Ubuntu Music and what's next for QCBA...

IMRAN MIRZA: Who have been some of the biggest influences in shaping the QCBA sound?
QUENTIN COLLINS: We are all fans of the 1960s Blue Note/Atlantic/Impulse sound of artists like Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, John Coltrane.  The Larry Young album 'Unity' is the same lineup and was a formative influence when deciding the instrumentation of QCBA.

How did the two of you meet and progress to forming the group?
Brandon and I met approx 15 years ago when he first arrived on the London scene from Perth in Australia.  We have always had a musical and personal affinity.  After spending a few years playing together in various lineups as sidemen we decided to form our own group and do things "our way" musically speaking.  We took a couple of years to find the right guys for the project, drummers always being the hardest to find.  We had known Ross Stanley for a while and once we met Enzo around 2008 we knew we had the lineup we wanted.  The organ band really started around that time whilst both Brandon and I had residencies in a great venue, now defunct, in SOHO called "The Black Gardenia".  The ceiling was too small for a double bass so Ross started bringing his organ instead.  The rest is history!

How does the music from 'Beauty In Quiet Places' differ from its predecessor, 'What's It Gonna Be?' 
I would say the music on 'Beauty...' is an extension of what we wrote/performed on the previous record but reflects our greater musical maturity now.  There is a greater exploration of different moods and grooves on the new record.

Can you talk a little about what went into making 'Beauty In Quiet Places'?
We wrote the material and took it on the road, then recorded it pretty much exactly as we had been performing it live, so you get a real sense of what a QCBA gig sounds like when you hear the album.  There are no guests on this record, we wanted listeners to get a sense of what the quartet can do by itself.

How does the process of writing and producing new music work for you?
I tend to get an idea come to me from out of nowhere, sit at the piano - which was my first instrument and a place where I still spend a lot of time - to extend the idea and work out the finer details of the harmony etc.  When I force ideas out they don't tend to be so good, so it's important to try and remember the ones that come to you!

Congratulations on the release of Noemi Nuti's album earlier this year: how did Noemi initially align with the label?
Thank you very much!  Noemi was someone I met through Andrew McCormack, who co-wrote some of her material, and we quickly became good friends and musical associates.  I think Andrew may have been the one to suggest me as producer for her record.  Ubuntu Music was an idea I had with Martin Hummel from Ubuntu Management as a vehicle to release Noemi's music in the best way that we could, after we had been let down by a couple of labels.  It's worked out very well, Noemi is a focused and talented artist and I believe she has a big future ahead of her.

Who would be a dream collaborator for you to record or perform live with? 
There are many current artists I'd love to collaborate with.  I think amongst many others on the list would be Joe Lovano, Dianne Reeves, Esperanza Spalding, Herbie Hancock and Pat Metheny, James Taylor and Sting.  I see no reason why at least a couple of these shouldn't become a reality, here's hoping anyway!

Have you given any thoughts as to what a follow-up album from QCBA would sound like? 
We have a long history of collaborating with artists like Omar, Paloma Faith and Liane Carroll.  I'd love to make a record with just some of the musicians we have been lucky enough to work with, the music reflecting a mixture between our sound and theirs. Some new collaborations too.  This really excites me as the next project for QCBA.  I think sonically we aim to become a little more concise harmonically.

For more from QCBA, Noemi Nuti and Ubuntu Music, please visit http://www.weareubuntumusic.com/