Blue-in-Green:RADIO is a contemporary soul/funk/jazz/Latin internet radio station broadcasting an array of incredible shows from presenters and DJs from across the world.
Finding a new home on France's Krimi Records, David Hanke - the German DJ and producer famed for his extensive work, including that of over one hundred remixes, under the moniker of Renegades of Jazz - now forges ahead with the next step of his musical evolution... Dem Juju Poets.
The new signing is a huge coup for DJ Krimi's French record label, Krimi Records (the off-shoot label from his online radio station, Krimi Radio); the relatively young label with a rapidly-growing catalogue already boasts releases from Andy Cooper, Doc TMK and Mister-Frenchwax and previous work with Renegades of Jazz on his remix of Emskee & Doc TMK's 'Sound of the SP' earlier in 2016.
The brand new 45 and digital release presents Dem Juju Poets' take on dancefloor-driven afro-funk through the singles 'Voodoo Jazz' and 'Watusi Fever', the latter of which features the musician and producer Hugo Kant on flute.
The release is a real treat for Renegades of Jazz fans, and fans of David Hanke in general, and this teaser with Krimi Records will certainly whet the appetite of many for further releases from Dem Juju Poets.
As 2016 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...
‘blackSUMMERS'night’ by Maxwell [Columbia Records]
The gap was longer than anyone would have liked but when Maxwell comes back THIS strong, the frustration subsides that much quicker. Maxwell’s second album in his long-gestating BLACKSUMMER’SNIGHT trilogy is an excellent entry and it’s sadly just barely missing out on a top 5 entry. Musical contributions come from Derrick Hodge and Robert Glasper, as well as a welcome reunion with Stuart Matthewman on the songs ‘Lost’ and ‘Listen Hear’. Other standouts include ‘All The Ways Love Can Feel’, ‘Lake By The Ocean’ and ‘Of All Kind’.
‘Natural’ by Stefania Dipierro [Far Out Records]
Another album I desperately wanted to include in the Top 5 but unfortunately it’s just missed out(!) Nicola Conte albums in the summertime should just be the natural order of things – to not vibe out to a Conte album in the sunshine is to severely miss out. his production talents are put to expert use in 2016 as he presents the debut album from Stefania Dipierro and thus extends his relationship with Far Out Recordings (the home of his Viagem series). The musical union is perfect and Stefania flourishes on ‘Natural’. Standouts include the title track and the excellent Betty Carter cover, ‘Open The Door’.
‘Lost Myself’ by Shola Adisa-Farrar & The Florian Pellissier Quintet [Hot Casa Records]
A project that’s been two years in the making, the music on ‘Lost Myself’ is punctuated by an understated elegance born really of the chemistry between Shola and Pellissier’s Quintet. Shola is hugely adept at conveying her warmth, charm and personable nature through her writing and particularly through her vocals, leaving Florian Pellissier & Co the task of providing an exquisite musical backdrop. While the majority of the album features original compositions, it seems only fitting that this “exploration into jazz” feature sprinkles of outside inspiration: an impressive bossa-esque re-imagining of Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’ is included, along with an interpretation of Herbie Hancock’s ‘I Have A Dream’, but the most exciting cover comes courtesy of a seminal Jay Dee (Dilla) production for his one-time hip-hop group, Slum Village… ‘Fall in Love’.
‘Cosmic Unity’ by Family Atlantica [Soundway Records]
The second album from Family Atlantica is delivered by Soundway Records and is a masterful amalgamation of world music incorporating Ethiopian jazz-funk, Venezuelan music, African rhythms... London born Jack Yglesias acts as the band’s leader, producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist and makes the scope of music presented here just sound effortless. ‘La Humanidad’ steals the show here amongst an album with a lot to boast, but also check out the group’s first self-titled album which was released back in 2013.
‘Nite-Funk’ by Nite-Funk [Glydezone Recordings]
We don’t normally include EPs in our round-ups but we couldn’t resist in this case. Nite-Funk pairs the excellent vocals of Nite Jewel with the excellent production of Dam Funk resulting in this 4-track gem which is hopefully a teaser for a full-length album to come. The charm of this one rests in their blissful basking of 80s Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis levels of soulful soundscapes.
‘Changes’ by Charles Bradley [Dunham Records]
The screaming eagle of soul. If you've listened to a Charles Bradley album before then you know that's an apt description of his prowess. The third album release from the marquis act at Daptone's Dunham Records sees Bradley embrace that moniker like never before.
The album's title track sees a brilliant reworking of Black Sabbath's 'Changes', but further highlights come courtesy of 'Nobody But You'and 'Things We Do For Love' and the album's gem 'Slow Love'. It's a very family affair throughout: although the Menahan Street Band provide the music throughout, they do step aside on two tracks to provide shine for The Budos Band ('Ain't It A Sin' and 'Changes') while Saun & Starr provide additional vocals on songs as do the Gospel Queens.
‘Hello Baby’ by Lack of Afro [LOA Records]
‘Hello Baby’ marks the fifth album for Adam Gibbons under the Lack of Afro moniker and boasts an eclectic mix of Lack of Afro’s trademark fiery northern soul stompers and disco-funk boogies all expertly balanced out by Gibbons’ production skill and brought to life by a diverse mix of vocalists including Joss Stone, Juliette Ashby, long-time friend and collaborator rapper Herbal T, and fellow LOA Records artists Emma Noble and Elliott Cole. Standouts throughout the album include 'I Got The Rhythm', 'Take You Home', 'Fires Glow' and 'All My Love' but it's an album with very little to falter.
We're in the frantic midst of preparing our Albums of the Year articles so I'm proud to unveil the first, of our usual three, in the form of our online mixtape featuring our picks for 30 of the best songs we heard this year. Sure to enhance anyone's collection so hope you check it out...
'No Words' by The Bahama Soul Club
From the album Havana '58; Buyu Records
'Supernatural' [Extended Mix] by KING
From the album We Are KING; King Creative LLC
'Brother, I'm Hungry' by Snarky Puppy featuring Nigel Hall & NOLA International
From the album Family Dinner, Volume Two; GroundUP Music
'Midtown' by The Suffers
From the album The Suffers
'Baby Can We Start Again' by Nick Pride & The Pimptones featuring Beth Maccari
From the album 'Go Deep'; Legere Recordings
'High Heels' [Lack of Afro Remix] by Hidden Jazz Quartet featuring Omar
From the album Raw and Cooked; Agogo Records
'Let The Music Play' by Collective Peace
From the album Introducing Collective Peace
'Natural' by Stefania Dipierro
From the album Natural; Far Out Recordings
'La Humanidad' by Family Atlantica
From the album Cosmic Unity; Soundway Records
'Fall In Love' by Shola Adisa-Farrar & Florian Pellissier Quintet
From the album Lost Myself; Hot Casa Records
'Silence is the Way' by Robert Glasper featuring Laura Mvula
From the album Everything's Beautiful; Blue Note Records
'Take You Home' by Lack of Afro featuring Joss Stone
From the album Hello Baby; LOA Records
'No Turning Back' by E featuring Ishtar & The Mighty Mocambos
'Think of You' by Terrace Martin featuring Rose Gold & Kamasi Washington
From the album Velvet Portraits
'Waiting to Happen' by Bee Bakare
'Radio One' by Airelle Besson
From the album Radio One; Indigo
'All The Ways Love Can Feel' by Maxwell
From the album blackSUMMER'Snight; RCA Records
'Make 'Em Pass' by My Trippin' Mojo
From the album Edda's Garden; Resistant Mindz
'Cold Little Heart' by Michael Kiwanuka
From the album Love & Hate; Polydor Records
'Blood On Me' by Sampha
'Let Me Be Me' by Nite-Funk
From the EP Nite-Funk
'Stay Clear' by Black Violin featuring Kandace Springs & Robert Glasper
From the albumSteroetypes; Decca Records
'Open The Door' by Stefania Dipierro
From the album Natural; Far Out Records
'Fades' by ZuluZuluu
From the album What's The Price?
'Changes' by Charles Bradley
From the album Changes; Dunham Records
'A Fifth of Beethoven' [The Reflex Revision] by Henri-Pierre Noel
From The Reflex Revisions EP; Wah Wah 45s
'Giver' by The Suffers
From the album The Suffers
'Blue Chords' by Shola Adisa-Farrar & Florian Pellissier Quintet
From the album Lost Myself; Hot Casa Records
'All My Love' by Lack of Afro featuring Juliette Ashby
From the album Hello Baby; LOA Records
'Somebody Home' by Snarky Puppy featuring David Crosby
From the album Family Affair Volume 2; GroundUP Music
Welcome to Episode 13 of our 'GetToKnow: the producer' series showcasing the work of some of our favourite producers and musicians. This month we're revisiting the excellent production and drumming wizardry of Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson - we were brimming with leftovers for Episode #5 that we had to collect them all up, along with a few new discoveries, and present them for you good people here.
Below is the tracklist for the show and feel free to check out our other episodes:
'Old Songs' - Betty Wright & The Roots
'Lay Away' - Nigel Hall
'Too Much Love For Me' [Extended Mix] - Al Green
'The Charade' - D'Angelo
'Loving You' - Larry Gold featuring Carol Riddick
'Montara' [The Roots Remix] - Bobby Hutcherson
'What Kind of Cool' [Questlove Remix] - Cody ChesnuTT
'I Really Like You Girl' [Yezzirs Redux] / 'That Girl' [Yezzirs Redux] - Pharrell Williams
'Last Breath' [Questlove Remix] - Donn T
'So Have I For You' - Nikka Costa
'Goodbye Isaac' - Questlove
The brand new release from the German-based Bahama Soul Club marks the impressive milestone of being their fourth full-length studio album. Fans clearly can’t get enough of the band’s infectious bossa nova-infused rhythms established over their past releases, ‘Rhythms Is What Makes Jazz Jazz’ (2008), Bossa Nova Just Smells Funky’ (2010), ‘The Cuban Tapes’ (2013)… and now ‘Havana ‘58’ which continues in the legacy of incredible Latin Jazz stylings.
Prolific tourers and a band that’s accustomed to occupying spots on the German Club Charts and Jazz Charts, the Bahama Soul Club take their musical passion that little bit further by rooting their sound within more a more Afro-Cuban soundscape. ‘Havana ‘58’ is very much a concept record: a celebration of the “hedonistic world of Rum, Rumba and Roulette” and a theme captured exquisitely through the video for the album’s first single, ‘No Words’, which features Brenda Boykin on vocals. The video ingeniously uses footage from the 1964 film ‘I Am Cuba’, whose narrator in the film utters the line: "I am Cuba, the Cuba of the casinos, but also of the people" – which again acts as a wonderful introduction to the themes encapsulated within ‘Havana ‘58’.
The Bahama Soul Club are always able to boast a strong line-up of collaborators to their albums, having previously worked with Pat Appleton, Spanky Wilson, John Turrell and Danay Suarez. This time round sees the band continue in this tradition, now able to tout the talents of the aforementioned Brenda Boykin (who appears on two of the album’s tracks), Cuban vocal group Sexto Sentido, as well as Olvido Ruiz and Arema Arega.
The Bahama Soul Club grow stronger with every release and this is a great one to jump into, not just for fans of the Bahama Soul Club, but also for fans looking to embrace and immerse themselves within the Cuban experience.
Back in August 2013, I was very sad to post the news that Sharon Jones had been diagnosed with cancer – a move that forced Daptone Records to halt the imminent release of the band’s sixth album, but more importantly, it was something that had friends, family and fans praying for Jones’s speedy recovery and a return to fighting fit health.
Incredibly, it only took less than six months before Daptone Records felt confident in rescheduling the release of ‘Give The People What They Want’, and it was a further five months before Sharon Jones, who Binky Griptite of The Dap-Kings (during their gig at The Roundhouse 16th May 2014) introduced as “the woman who kicked cancer’s ass”, was once again able to grace a Camden stage.
On that night, she HAD kicked cancer's ass. Seeing Sharon Jones walk out led to an incredibly moving and genuinely joyous performance and, other than her hair which was starting to grow back then, there was no indication of the hellacious year 2013 would have been for her – if there was, then she left it backstage because as she swaggered out to met her fever-pitch audience, she sang better than she ever has and she performed better than she – or anyone else on The Roundhouse stage – ever has too!
That was in May 2014 though. On 18th November 2016, cancer had caught up to her and at 60 years of age, she passed away.
Born in 1956 in Augusta, Georgia, Jones only made her breakthrough into the music business in her 40s and since aligning with Daptone Records, released her debut album with The Dap-Kings in 2002. Five studio albums and a compilation followed establishing the band as leaders in the soul and funk revival.
Seeing Sharon Jones live is practically a religious experience. The most obvious comparisons to their stage show hark back to a James Brown or Tina Turner from decades previous which I understand can come off as a lazy comparison to make, and it also potentially discredits the charisma and personality which is quintessentially Sharon Jones and quintessentially Daptone. While it can be said that had this group been making music together 40 years ago international superstardom would await and their name would roll off the tongues of anyone praising the greats like the aforementioned Brown and Turner, I actually think they’re served perfectly to provide a performance style and aesthetic to a generation that’s never experienced it and, quite frankly, are pretty hungry for it.
We'll miss the immeasurable talent of Sharon Jones and her incredibly infectious persona that, if you had the chance to see her live, you'll remember always.
Following the runaway success of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ album in 2006 there was a huge number of artists and bands who embraced the “retro soul” aesthetic: Raphael Saadiq and Mayer Hawthorne scored big with their respective projects (‘The Way I See It’ and ‘A Strange Arrangement’) but there was also the rise of bands like Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (the architects of the revival), Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators, Dojo Cuts, amongst many others.
What many of these bands have cottoned on to is that continuing in this tradition of soul music isn’t about replicating styles from the 1960s and 1970s with the benefit of digital touch-ups – as Daptone Records’s Gabriel Roth once put it to Sound On Sound: “sometimes mistakes are what make a track sound great. Music should not be perfect or correct. When we play and when we record, we're looking to find what makes us feel good.”
And now adding to this legacy of authentic and “feel good” soul music, we head to Leipzig, Germany, and the sounds of My Trippin’ Mojo. Formed in 2014, this relatively young band have already delivered an exceptional debut album that is on par to seeing them positioned with the aforementioned names and torch-bearers for contemporary soul music. Inspired by the achievements of the current crop of soul sensations like Sharon Jones, Lee Fields and Charles Bradley, ‘Edda’s Garden’ draws its passion from late-60s and early-70s funk and soul with an incredible vocal talent in Sabrina Bormann that breathes the full range of tenderness and fire into the band’s brilliant soundscapes.
So many of the songs boast super rich sweet mid-tempo grooves like ‘Unconditional Love’, ‘Think Twice’ and the first single ‘Make ‘Em Pass’ while songs like the instrumental ‘Nice Girls With Cool Cars’ and ‘Desire’ features the band practically oozing their funk-filled swagga all over the record. This isn’t just a good record, it’s a great record and in a year with a lot to choose from this is definitely an album you should own.
We were thrilled to catch up with My Trippin' Mojo bass player, Johannes Riedel, to discuss the new album, the significance of the album's 'Edda's Garden' title and the influences that brought them to the dance.
IMRAN MIRZA: How did the members of the band come together to form 'My Trippin Mojo'?
JOHANNES RIEDEL: Marcus [Unger, saxophone and rhodes], Christoph [Mengel, guitar], Manuel [Loschner, trumpet] and I played some years together in the freestyle combo Mengoolious Funk. As I started to build up my studio, we started focusing on writing songs and spent a year searching for a voice. Luckily we met Sabrina [Bornmann, vocalist], so we kept on fine-tuning the songs and the sound became what it is now.
Which artists would you cite as having the biggest influence on the band's overall sound?
We are all big fans of Charles Bradley and, personally, I am addicted to the old, raw tape sound. That's how I came to Daptone [Records] and especially Gabriel Roth’s idea of doing recordings in that kind of way. One day I found that article how to do a rough 45“ record written by Roth and his phrase "shitty is pretty" became a mantra for me. So I would say beside all vinyl records, and very inspirational artists out there this might be one of the biggest influences on our sound.
Is there any significance behind the album's title?
Yeah there is. We spent two marvelous weeks at Edda’s garden house – she is the grandma of our saxophonist Marcus. It’s a very nice spot, surrounded by nothing but woods and almost nobody around. That’s where we collected the songs and worked on them in a very focused atmosphere. It was also a good set-up to tighten the band and to get on point. It was the best workspace we could imagine.
How would you say the creative process of writing, producing and recording new music usually works for the band?
There are certain ways how this works in our band. Most of the songs come from Marcus or myself and we produce a sketch of it. Then Sabrina chooses from those sketches and adds the melody and lyrics, so we can put things together, arrange and rearrange. However sometimes we might just have a session and some ideas start to become a real song and we are almost done. Most of the time this happens in the studio, where we can record the sketches and work them out till the song finds its final form. Since we are done with practicing we play the songs on tape two or three times and choose the best take for Sabrina. Sometimes there might be more over-dubs of some additional instruments like percussion, strings or for a big pack of horns.
How was the video for 'Make em Pass' to shoot and what made you decide on that song for the lead single?
Actually we had chosen ‘Unconditional love’ as the lead single but changed our mind as ‘Make 'Em Pass’ is the tightest song on the album, we think. So we needed something to catch the vibe of the song and didn’t want to make a story of it but something with a deep impression. Our man on the cam, Rene, knew this location in our hometown and it perfectly fit into our vision.
Who would be a dream artist for you to collaborate with in the studio or on stage?
Actually this could be any dope artist presenting good music to the world. In the studio, I would really love to spend a day with Shawn Lee or the Rufolo Brothers but also Gabriel Roth would be a big deal! I guess a dream on stage would be someone like Lee Fields, Marta Ren or Charles Bradley.
'Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check' by Setenta
Let's start off with one that will grab you right off the bat... this worlds apart contrast pits Busta Rhymes and his debut single with the imagination of The Latin Soul Band from Paris. You may have to pinch yourself while listening to this - infinite points for creativity on this one...
'Smells Like Teen Spirit' by Robert Glasper Experiment
Taken from the first album that fell under the 'Robert Glasper Experiment' moniker ('Black Radio'), this track sees the group's saxophonist and vocoderist, Casey Benjamin, take centre-stage with a little help from the equally always awesome Lalah Hathaway on backing vocals. This track is one of the gems in an already 5-star album...
'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' by Gizmo
The brilliant and bold talents of bassist/vocalist/producer Gizmo are on full display here with his complete re-imagining of Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' which you can pick up from his EP 'The Middle'...
'C.R.E.A.M.' by El Michels Affair
Truth & Soul's El Michels Affair deliver an excellent presentation of this Wu Tang classic on their album dedicated to the seminal release by the Wu Tang Clan ('Enter The 36 Chambers')...
'Lose Yourself' by Kellylee Evans
Another take on a hip-hop classic, this time by soul/jazz vocalist, Kellylee Evans, as she tackles Eminem's '8 Mile' theme, 'Lose Yourself'. Wholeheartedly recommend Evans' album 'I Remember When' which sees her also tackling John Legend's 'Ordinary People'...
If you consider yourself a fan of musical creativity and gravitate to artists offering you that little something distinctive and unique, then hopefully the recent efforts of David Nesselhauf won't be wasted on you.
As far as musical creativity goes, it's fair to say that Nesselhauf's new album, 'Afrokraut', ranks up amongst the most distinctive thing we've heard in quite some time.
Before we get to the album itself, if the phrase 'krautrock' is new to you then some background would probably help in this situation... Krautrock is a term used to describe a short-lived genre of music that thrived in Germany in the late-1960s: the music drew from a variety of genres including psychedlic rock, avant-garde electronic music, funk, jazz and world music styles, and was popularised by bands like Faust and Tangerine Dream. So fast-forward to a little over some forty years and David Nesselhauf's inspiring efforts to revisit and build on an experimental fusion of African music and German rock.
The producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist delivers thirteen tracks through Legere Recordings that push the boundaries of what you thought contemporary funk could deliver: Kinga Lizz and Kabul Atassi appear on the album stealer 'Open Up!' but highlights slso come in many of the songs including the album's first single, 'Come Along Bintang Bolong' featuring Amadou Bah on vocals.
It's exciting that 'Afrokraut' could birth like-minded projects from Nesselhauf or even other artists that are inspired by the music here. Either way, there's a truly exciting project to be heard here and worthy of your time.
Mark de Clive-Lowe brings his unique style of jazz, nu-soul and house to the glorious catalogue of Blue Note Records with an improvised live remix mixtape reinterpreting classics by Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Donald Byrd and Duke Ellington.
Along for the ride are rappers Bambu, John Robinson and Illa J as well as frequent collaborator Nia Andrews and bass legend Pino Palladino.
This awesome project is even available as a free download so click the below link and bask in its glory: http://MdCL.tv/bluenote
'Koko and Lee Roe' - Gene Harris
'Pot Belly' - Lou Donaldson (f/t Bambu)
'Tidal Wave' - Ronnie Laws
'Blacks and Blues' - Bobbi Humphrey
'Oliloqui Valley' - Herbie Hancock (f/t Pino Palladino)
'Flow' - Terence Blanchard
'It’s Your Thing' - Lou Donaldson (f/t John Robinson)
'A Night In Tunisia' - Sonny Rollins
'Black' - Joe Henderson (f/t Illa J)
'Blue Train' - John Coltrane
'Autumn Leaves' - Cannonball Adderley
'Basheer’s Dream' - Kenny Dorham
'Mode for Joe' - Joe Henderson (f/t John Robinson)
'Slop Jar Blues' - Donald Byrd
'Mystic Brew' - Ronnie Foster (f/t Nia Andrews)
'Oblighetto' - Brother Jack McDuff
'Short Story' - Joe Henderson (f/t Nomad Pendergrass)
'Free For All' - Art Blakey
'Caravan' - Duke Ellington
'Zoltan' - Larry Young (f/t Nomad Pendergrass)
'Three Way Split' - Hank Mobley
'Carribean Fire Dance' - Joe Henderson
'Jack Rabbit' - Herbie Hancock
'Waiting So Long' by Nick Pride & The Pimptones featuring Jess Roberts
The album this song comes from ('Midnight Feast of Jazz') had a lot of songs to pick from but 'Waiting So Long' probably worked as the best introduction to the Sheffield-based funk and soul outfit. Nick Pride told us a little about working with vocalist, Jess Roberts:
Jess Roberts is from the North East too but moved to London and is doing really well now. She asked The Pimptones to be her backing band on some recordings recently so I said how’s about if you sing a Pimps’ track in return. This was the track which really got us noticed, Jess is great to work with and she did an incredible job on that song.
'Work it out' by Hannah Williams & The Tastemakers
'A Hill of Feathers' is nothing short of a gem of an album and picking just one song seems something of a disservice to the project. Filled with soul-drenched and string-filled ballads, Hannah Williams brings an aching authenticity to a beautiful backdrop painted by The Tastemakers.
'Give Me One More Chance' [Lack of Afro Remix] by The Diplomats of Solid Sound
Lack of Afro remixes are typically beautiful things but he may very well have outdid himself on this one. This mix was something of an exclusive to the Record Kicks compilation 'Mo Record Kicks Act 2', curated by Smoove from Jalapeno Records' Smoove & Turrell.
'Snap Back' by The Baker Brothers
The Baker Brothers are truly an iconic funk and soul outfit for the UK to be proud of. This pick from the band's seventh album ('Time to Testify') comes courtesy of bass player, producer and band vocalist, Chris Pedley:
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.
'Rags to Riches' by The Liberators
The 10-track debut album from Australian afrobeat and funk band, The Liberators, boasted this number as their lead single. Percussionist and guitarist for the band, Nathan Aust, took some time to tell us a little about the making of the video:
The idea came from Bari sax play Andrew and his then house mates, the guys at Don't Look Back Pictures. I'm guessing it was conceived during a late-night poker session. I had no involvement in the shooting of the clip as my wife was having our second child at the time but I heard it was fun but hard work. We had a lot of support from the actors. I did the intro music in my kitchen.
We nearly covered a song from this album in last week's 'What I'm listening to... (October)' article but thought we could squeeze an extra word or two about it to form a full-fledged review instead.
While fans wait patiently for the new album from Soulive (of which Krasno makes up one-third of), guitarist Eric Krasno found time to unveil his second solo album within a 12 months that saw him deliver 'Crush' as a member of funk band Lettuce, produce his long-time friend and label-mate Nigel Hall's 'Ladies & Gentlemen...' album, and further develop his record label, Feel Music.
...That's definitely a mouthful. How he's been able to be a part of so much music over a short span of time is reflective of his passion. As fans, we can only bask in the results.
Krasno - and in fact Soulive - started as very much as a jazz band: signed to Blue Note Records, their albums 'Doin' Something' (2001) and 'Next' (2002) were contemporary jazz wonders that were progressive and hip-hop inspired. 'Break Out' in 2005 however shifted the band's sound to a more funk and soul aesthetic, and, now, with 'Blood From A Stone', Krasno has shifted that little bit further embracing an edgier side of blues and psychedlic rock, much like he did with The London Souls album 'Here Come the Girls'.
The biggest surprise though is that "guitarist" Eric Krasno, for this project, perhaps is better referred to as "guitarist and vocalist" seeing as he tackles lead vocals on all tracks for the very first time. The story goes that the songs were initially intended to feature other vocalists but who better to sing your own songs than yourself?! So he did. And it's good. The aforemention Nigel Hall appears on a handful of tracks playing a mix of piano, organ and backing vocals, Alecia Chakour (who we did cover in last week's 'What I'm listening to... (October)' article) appears on 'Wicked This Way' and Soulive's Alan Evans and Neal Evans appear on a song each near the album's closing.
Speaking of Alan Evans, on a slightly separate note, I not too long ago picked up 'Merkaba' (2013), officially by the Alan Evans Trio and thought this project would also be worth a mention. Evans sees himself hooking up with guitarist Danny Mayer and organist Beau Sasser, and as the album’s writer and producer (and drummer), he takes us on a cosmic and space-age, jazz-tinged and funk-filled trip. Like Krasno, Evans so rarely showcases his own vocals which is a shame as the standouts on ‘Merkaba’ are when he does take centre-stage: ‘Givin’ To You’, ‘Life Is Harder To Live’ and ‘Who Dare Knock’. (For other songs featuring Alan Evans on vocals, check out ‘Kim’ from Soulive’s ‘No Place Like Soul’ album (2007) and ‘Tonight’ from their 2009 album, ‘Up Here’.)
The continual expansion of the Soulive dynasty continues so I would urge readers to get your hands on some of the aforementioned projects referenced throughout this review. Both 'Blood From A Stone' and 'Merkaba' are available to purchase now.
'Like You Me' by Alecia Chakour
I’ve been seeing this name surface a lot recently – Chakour’s appeared as a guest vocalist on Nigel Hall’s album last year (‘Ladies and Gentlemen...’), Lettuce’s album ‘Crush’ and Eric Krasno’s recently released ‘Blood From a Stone’. So, she’s a new vocalist? Not at all, Chakour’s been around for years as her 2010 digital release ‘Loomi’ indicates.
'Let Me Be Me' by Nite-Funk
Here’s an excellent number from the four-track EP ‘Nite-Funk’ by Nite-Funk: the group is comprised of Nite Jewel on vocals and Dam-Funk on production. The charm of this one lies in the 1980s-inspired backdrop – reminiscent of those soundscapes infamously laid out by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam.
‘Seamonster’ by The Steve McQueens
A quirky and eclectic soul band from Singapore called The Steve McQueens. Let every part of that sentence sink in for a moment. Now listen to the title track from their debut album and tell me you’re not now hooked...
Splash Blue Music – home to The Steve McQueens and Joao Caetano – is proud to present brand new music from the UK four-piece, Resolution 88.
The band’s take on jazz–funk comes with a nice dab of broken beat thrown into the mix and the new single takes even further inspiration incorporating Brazilian rhythms as well. ‘Raios Do Sol’ is the perfect teaser for Resolution 88’s second album, ‘Afterglow’ (due to be released 9th September), but if that’s not enough to whet your appetite, let’s see if we can entice you further…
The single and album is mastered by Bob Power, who, if you know your contemporary soul, then you know of his work with India.Arie, Erykah Badu, Macy Gray and D’Angelo’s seminal ‘Brown Sugar’ album, plus Dan ‘JD73’ Goldman (famous for his work with Morcheeba and The Haggis Horns) tackles mixing duties for the project.
And if you needed more of an incentive to check this out then you should know that ‘Raios Do Sol’ is available as a free download on Bandcamp so check it out...
'Raios Do Sol' is available to download now and 'Afterglow' is available 9th September from Bandcamp: http://resolution88.bandcamp.com/
Welcome to Episode 12 of our 'GetToKnow' series showcasing the work of some of our favourite producers and musicians, and this month, we visit the artist who was more than likely the inspiration to every artist we've ever showcased in this series... Stevie Wonder.
Our all-encompassing show features songs written by Stevie Wonder for other artists, other artists featuring Stevie Wonder, other artists covering Stevie Wonder, and other artists remixing Stevie Wonder. It's as all-encompassing as it gets!
Below is the tracklist for the show and we hope you enjoy the show:
'Visions' (The Randy Watson Experience Remix) - Stevie Wonder
'Expressions of Love' - Raul Midon f/t Stevie Wonder
'Girl Blue' - Mario Biondi
'Bring Your Sweet Stuff Home to Me' - The Pointer Sisters
'All I Do Is Think About You' - Tammi Terrell
'Never Give You Up' - Raphael Saadiq f/t Stevie Wonder & CJ Hilton
'Get Lucky' (2014 Grammies Live) - Daft Punk f/t Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers
'I Can't Help It' - Gretchen Parlato/Soul Cycle/Esperanza Spalding
'So What The Fuss' (Mario Winans Remix) - Stevie Wonder f/t Q-Tip
'Never In Your Sun' - Khari Cabral Simmons f/t India.Arie
'Perfect Angel' - Minnie Riperton
'Cold Chill' (Prince Remix) - Stevie Wonder
‘Poetry’ by The RH Factor featuring Q-Tip & Erykah Badu
‘Hard Groove’, 2003, Verve Records
Having immersed himself within the soul and funk of D’angelo’s
‘Voodoo’ (and subsequent tour) and songs for Badu’s ‘Mama’s Gun’, Hargrove
appeared inspired enough to create his own funk-soul outfit, The RH Factor, and
release ‘Hard Groove’ in 2003. An
incredible guest list graced the project including Anthony Hamilton, D’angelo,
Shelby J, James Poyser, Pino Palladino, Renee Neufville and many others, but it’s
‘Poetry’, which pairs Hargrove with Badu and Q-Tip that may very well be the show-stealer
of the lot.
‘Come Close’ [Jay Dee Remix] by Common featuring Erykah Badu,
Q-Tip & Pharrell Williams
2003, MCA Records
‘Come Close’, produced by The Neptunes and featuring Mary J
Blige, was the lead single to Common’s ‘Electric Circus’ album. Already that song boasts an impressive line-up
of artists but it pales in comparison to the dream-team assembled for the remix…
‘Maiysha (So Long)’ by Robert Glasper featuring Erykah Badu
'Everything’s Beautiful’ by Robert Glasper, 2016, Blue Note
Records
Brand spanking new – with an accompanying video to boot – Badu
continues the trend as a friend and frequent collaborator for Robert Glasper by
appearing in another of his star-studded album line-ups. The album ‘Everything’s Beautiful’ was
Glasper’s ode to Miles Davis’s music and the two rekindle their chemistry with ‘Maiysha
(So Long)’, a song that Davis would probably have summed up as… “Cool!”
‘Q.U.E.E.N.’ by Janelle Monae featuring Erykah Badu
‘The Electric Lady’, 2013, Bad Boy Records
This song is probably a collaboration people would have
craved but not necessarily thought they’d actually get: it very much seems a
case of two worlds colliding as Erykah Badu takes a trip to Metropolis for another
of Monae’s outings as Cindi Mayweather… and the results are otherworldly!
‘Plenty’ by Guru featuring Erykah Badu
‘Jazzmatazz vol.3: Streetsoul’, 2000, EMI Records
While many criticized Guru’s third ‘Jazzmatazz’ outing for
its distinctive lack of jazz in comparison to the two efforts that preceded it,
‘Streetsoul’ was Guru’s astute attempt to stay ahead of the curve of neo-soul’s
success by featuring many of its luminaries including Badu, Angie Stone, Amel
Larrieux and Bilal. ‘Plenty’ is another
case of the Badu contribution stealing the show as she and Guru go
back-&-forth for a charming and innovative duet.
Already boasting an incredible line-up of funk and soul artists including Setenta and DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson, the "afro soul & tropical funk label", Hot Casa Records, can now boast the brilliant debut album by jazz vocalist, Shola Adisa-Farrar.
US-raised with Jamaican heritage and now residing in Paris, Shola studied at The American Conservatory Theatre and Black Repertory Theatre of Berkeley before achieving her Bachelors Arts degree in Music from New York’s Fordham University. Currently residing in Paris, the passion for her craft has taken her to stages in America, France, Mauritius and Jamaica and now to the release of her debut album which sees her paired with the Parisian Florian Pellissier Quintet, helmed by pianist Florian Pellissier.
As a collective, the Quintet have three albums already to their name since 2012 (‘Le Diable Et Son Train’, ‘Biches Blues’ and ‘Cap De Bonne Esperance’) and now their style of hard-bop and spiritual jazz is taken to exciting new territory with this incredible new release for 2016.
A project that’s been two years in the making, the music on ‘Lost Myself’ is punctuated by an understated elegance born really of the chemistry between Shola and Pellissier’s Quintet. Shola is hugely adept at conveying her warmth, charm and personable nature through her writing and particularly through her vocals, leaving Florian Pellissier & Co the task of providing an exquisite musical backdrop. While the majority of the album features original compositions, it seems only fitting that this “exploration into jazz” feature sprinkles of outside inspiration: an impressive bossa-esque re-imagining of Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’ is included, along with an interpretation of Herbie Hancock’s ‘I Have A Dream’, but the most exciting cover comes courtesy of a seminal Jay Dee (Dilla) production for his one-time hip-hop group, Slum Village… ‘Fall in Love’.
It really is our great pleasure to have secured time with Shola Adisa-Farrar as she sits on the cusp of ever-increasing success.
Congratulations on 'Lost Myself': you must be thrilled with the response to the album so early in its release?
I am! It was nerve racking at the time of the release. My biggest fear was that no one would say anything, but once the first review came in, raving about it, I felt relief. I receive messages almost daily as people from around the World discover the music. I am happy and excited about the future of this album.
Who were some of your musical inspirations growing up?
Patti Labelle! Her version of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ was on repeat and I would sing as loud as I could trying to belt out those notes. Mariah Carey was huge for me; I owned video tapes about her life, her music, her voice. What I liked was that I always had to practice to be what I felt was anywhere close to what Mariah was during the ‘Vision of Love’ era. She gave me something to reach for; to aspire to – that vocal control, those dramatic pauses and high notes. Anita Baker... According to my mom, ‘Your Bring Me Joy’ was the first song I ever sang publicly at the age of three at a concert in UC Berkeley. There were so many others: Toni Braxton, even Shirley Temple as she was able to act and sing and I watched her collections of films every summer when I visited my aunt in Southern California. Then around the time that I was in middle school I learned about Josephine Baker and Lena Horne. I loved Josephine's journey to Paris and how she reinvented herself, being not only a performer but a champion for human rights. Lena Horne was a singer and actress – absolutely beautiful and graceful – and she was a pioneer being the first black woman performer to break many racial barriers.
How did you connect with the Florian Pellissier Quintet?
I had a year-long residency performing at a Parisian music venue, Le Resevoir for their Sunday Jazz brunches. Hot Casa Records DJ Duo who organizes the talent for the brunches heard me and eventually decided that they wanted to do a project with me. At this point they introduced me to Florian Pellissier sensing that we would musically complement each other. Out of this connection, in July 2013, our musical collaboration began.
How would you describe the creative process between the two of you?
When Florian and I started working together we began by pure improvisation in his studio and exploring the sound we created together. We would block out a couple of hours at a time to just jam/freestyle together to see if we came up with anything interesting that could later be developed. For the majority of the original music, that’s how it was created. We had a very easy-going approach to creating music: let it flow and if it doesn't, move on.
What was the inspiration behind the covers selected for the album?
Florian is hugely influenced by Herbie Hancock so he brought the idea to me to write lyrics to this famous melody, ‘I Have A Dream’, as it hadn't been done before and he felt that I could connect with the intention of the song.
‘Feeling Good’ is a song that has long been a part of my repertoire and one that I’ve always enjoyed singing.
‘Sorrow Tears and Blood’ as well as ‘Fall in Love’ were both suggestions by the producer, Julien Lebrun [DJ and Hot Casa Records Founder].
Both of these songs he presented to us for different reasons: one linked some of my personal history and convictions (recent trips to Africa and my political activism) and ‘Fall in Love’ fit into the vibe of the album, while using the composition of a beloved Producer/Rapper and continuing to mix genres, as we have done in this album with Afrobeat, Reggae and with this track Hip Hop.
How does the music from the album transfer to a live stage?
There are six musicians on the album, seven including the guitarist on ‘Blue Chords’. We just had our first show since the album release and we were six on stage: piano and Rhodes, bass, drums, sax and trumpet who both also play the flute, and myself. You can get the full album sound with this formation, but we are also working on a smaller formation to increase international touring opportunities.
Who would be a dream collaborator for you to record or perform with?
This question is quite difficult because I have very eclectic musical tastes and there are many people whose sound I love. But right now I would love to work with Kamasi Washington, I absolutely love the full layered sound of his music and his West Coast flavor. Robert Glasper, ?uestLove… always admired them and enjoyed their musical collaborations. Vocalist Buika, Lianne la Havas... Major Lazer to get a cool Reggae or ReggaeDancehall track. Little Dragon, love their sound – the mix of Yukimi's soulful voice with the electronic instrumentation and effects is perfect!
'Lost Myself' is available to purchase from Hot Casa Records now, and for more info on Shola Adisa-Farrar, please visit:http://www.sholajoy.com/
Aside from their already talent-heavy
roster, encapsulated by artists like Bev Lee Harling, the Gene Dudley Group and
The Milk, London-based record label Wah Wah 45s can now proudly champion the
bygone treasures of Haitian jazz-funk pianist Henri-Pierre Noel.
Initially granted a
limited release of ‘Piano’ in 1979 and ‘One More Step’ in 1980, Wah Wah’s 2012
reissues have done more than just unearth those gems for prospective new fans…
they’ve gone that step further and breathed new life into some of his
compositions which is where French DJ and producer, The Reflex, comes in…
Tackling four tracks
from Noel’s catalogue, The Reflex (famed for his own Reflex Revisions series)
possesses the ability to take these songs in numerous different directions but
respectfully, Henri-Pierre Noel’s skill on the ivories is still very much the
focal point within these reworkings.
While Noel’s originals already leant heavily towards incorporating
sounds from jazz and funk along with heavy doses of Latin flavours, The Reflex
adds just the right amount of disco into the mix to make these worthy
floor-fillers.
While these four “Revisions” serve to enhance anyone’s 2016
music collection, I would still urge listeners to explore the back catalogue of
Henri-Pierre Noel, thankfully now fully available from Wah Wah 45s and embrace
the jazz-funk that even after nearly 40 years later, sounds as fresh and
dynamic as it would have done upon its release.
Henri-Pierre Noel : The Reflex Revisions
01: Funky Spider Dance (The Reflex Revision) (07:01)
02: A Fifth of Beethoven (The Reflex Revision) (07:29)
03: Back Home... Sweet Home (The Reflex Revision) (07:29)
04: Diskette (The Reflex Revision)
Nick Pride & The Pimptones formally introduced
themselves through their debut album on Record Kicks in 2011, ‘Midnight Feast
of Jazz’. In itself the album was an
inspiring concept record: a soul band’s interpretation of jazz music – and it’s
a concept that served the group well.
‘Rejuiced Phat Shake’ subsequently followed in 2014 which was the
group’s first collaboration with Légère Recordings, and saw them flourish
within their natural aesthetic as a soul and funk band whose music was brought
to life by an array of excellent vocalists.
The Newcastle-based collective have now seized the
opportunity of a third record as a chance for further reinvention... so in an extension of their excellent
collaboration on ‘Rejuiced Phat Shake’ (‘Why Does My Man Got To Be So Tough’),
the powerful vocal force of Beth Macari boasts the distinction of being the
first vocalist to be paired with The Pimptones for a complete album.
And hopefully it’s the first of many!
Whether you’re watching the video for the album’s lead
single, ‘Gotta Leave The Lady Alone’, or hearing her purely exquisite vocal on
‘Go Deep’s opening number, ‘What The Heart Wants’, you can only hope to have a
lot more from Beth in the future, as well as this match-made-in-heaven musical
union.
It was alluded to earlier but Nick Pride & The Pimptones
never make the same album twice. They
don’t need to. They’re a band brimming
with creativity and confidence so while we take the time to bask in ‘Go Deep’
as a solid representation of their proficiency and skill, we can’t help but ask
the question… “What will they do next time?”
IMRAN MIRZA: 'Nick Pride & The Pimptones' are amassing such a body of work now: do you still feel the pressure of releasing new material?
NICK PRIDE: I really do want to release as much material as
possible, I'm a little bit addicted to it! I remember when I was first getting
into music and discovering new bands. I would hear a song that I loved by a
band I hadn't heard of, so I would search out which album it come from, then
listen to absolutely anything else I could find by that band. It's exciting
when a band has loads of weird and wonderful things for you to discover, so
that's what I want the Pimptones to be like. ‘Go Deep’ is our third studio LP,
but it's really our fourth album as we recorded another CD called ‘It's The
Pimptones’ back in 2009 before we had a record deal. Then on top of that there
is an album of remixes called ‘Remixed Feast of Jazz’ from 2012, plus last year
we released an album of bootlegs and mash ups and also a 40 minute live radio
session which are both on our Bandcamp page. So there is plenty of Pimptones
music for people to discover.
How did you hook up with Beth Macari, and what prompted the
decision to collaborate on a whole album?
Beth was one of many, many singers who guested on our
previous album ‘Rejuiced Phat Shake’. We worked for a while with lots of
different vocalists but with Beth it really clicked and suddenly felt like a
band! So it was just a natural development for us to keep working together.
Before now, the idea of not settling on a permanent singer was that I was very
keen to clearly establish the identity of the band based on the sound of the
whole band and the tunes we played. I wanted people to buy into where we were
coming from rather than just focusing in on one aspect of it, usually the lead
vocals. Now that we've done that, I felt like we were ready to settle down with
a regular singer.
Can you talk a little about what went into the making of 'Go
Deep'?
Each record we make is usually the opposite of the previous
one. So ‘Rejuiced Phat Shake’ covered a lot of genres and had loads of guest
musicians and singers. With ‘Go Deep’ I wanted to focus in on writing strong
soul songs and keep it all in house. I wanted a strictly retro deep funk vibe.
I actually wrote the material on this record much faster than I normally do. We
recorded it really quickly too, most of it was live. I think that that sense of
urgency gives the recording a lot of energy.
What made you decide on 'Go Deep' as the album's title?
I decided on the album title before I'd even written most of
the songs. It's a nod to Deep Funk which
was the sound I was going for, but it's also a broader point about not being
superficial. As a songwriter, I wanted to think a little more deeply than I
usually do. I liked the name so much
that I even managed to get it into one of the lyrics: "Do these feelings
go deep?" in the song ‘Don't Break Her Heart’.
But with me there is always a play on words hidden
somewhere, I love that type of humour. So ‘Go deep’ is a bit of an American
Football reference. It's a bad joke but it makes me happy!
Was the creative process of writing and producing different
with Beth on board?
Actually the process was pretty much the same as it's always
been, I like to write songs on my own and have them mostly complete before I
play them to anyone, so I was bringing finished songs to Beth to learn which is
how I usually work. But it was fantastic working with a regular singer and
writing a whole album specifically for that one person. It meant that I could
write to her strengths and we could work together on getting the details right.
Beth delivers some real knock out performances on this album, I think that's
the confidence which comes from knowing the tunes inside out and playing
regularly with the band. You don't really get that when someone is just sitting
in temporarily. For me, that was the big difference.
There's an excellent video for 'Gotta Leave The Lady Alone':
what made you decide on that as the lead single?
I actually had no strong opinions about what should be the
lead single, which is very unusual for a control freak like me! But it was an instant and unanimous decision
by the label and I think they were dead right. The reaction to the song has
been terrific! The video was a very happy accident. I was having trouble
thinking of ideas for a video when the opportunity to film a live session came
up at just the right time. Maybe we were taking a bit of a risk by actually
performing the song live on what would be the official video, but I was much
happier just playing instead of trying to make a video with a story line. I'm a
terrible actor!
You deliver new concepts with each new album: any thoughts
yet as to what a follow-up to 'Go Deep' would sound like?
We certainly do try to do that. Yes, as soon as any album is
finished and sent off to the label then I'm already thinking about the next
one. I already have very clear ideas about how I'd like to record it. With ‘Go
Deep’ I set myself a very strict deadline to write and arrange all the
material. I really enjoyed that pressure and I'd like to repeat that approach,
but on the other hand, I'm also thinking about going the opposite way and
really taking my time. So who knows?! I actually have a lot of material written
for a side project which I've been keen to do for a long time but life and
other albums keep getting in the way! Maybe this would be the ideal time to
focus on that.
What have been some of the highlights for the band so far?
We've been so lucky to get the opportunity to travel to some
wonderful places to play our music, that's something I'll always appreciate.
All thanks to some amazing support from some crazy lovers of music scattered
far and wide. We did some incredible gigs in Spain last summer including a
festival amid beautiful mountains, but then also found ourselves back in the UK
recording in an underground nuclear bunker. I loved them both. We're always releasing new
material and making new contacts, our live show is getting better and better
but I feel like our best work is still ahead of us, which is pretty exciting!
‘Go Deep’ on Légère Recordings is available to buy now.
'Contagious' by The Isley Brothers Eternal, 2001, DreamWorks Records
Probably most notable about this song is how a story was able to stretch over the course of four songs and seven years, 'Contagious' features the two main protagonists in this story, R Kelly and Ron "Mr Biggs" Isley, marking their third outing with a spat over Chante Moore. The tension reaches critical levels as, in true soap opera fashion, the two lovers are caught in the act.
'S##t D##N M##### F####R' by D'angelo Brown Sugar, 1995, EMI Records
Undoubtedly the darkest song taken from the bible of what was neo-soul music. The genius of this somber jazz number lies in its simplicity.
'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' by Gladys Knight & The Pips 1967, Motown Records
Most associated with Marvin Gaye, we thought it would be fun to include Gladys Knight's version, which came out a year before Gaye's. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, the song was initially recorded by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, as well as The Isley Brothers - both versions of which were not passed for release.
'Smooth Operator' by Sade Diamond Life, 1984, Epic Records
Sade's first top ten hit in the US, this is probably the song that depicts the ultimate playboy fantasy - a man who flies across the world leaving a broken heart at every stop.
'Just Be Good To Me' by The SOS Band On The Rise, 1983, Tabu Records
Another song that's had its fair share of covers, this time by Mariah Carey, Beats International and Shayne Ward, the list couldn't be complete without this definitive 80s classic.
