'Inner Journey' by As Valet

'Inner Journey' is the new album from the incredibly versatile producer, As Valet, finding its home on the French label, A Night on Canopy.

Marking his third solo project, Cris "As Valet" Davidas delves even further into the themes explored by his previous outings - 'Primitive' (2010) and that album's follow-up 'A.K.W.A.' (2016) - with 'Inner Journey' serving as something of a spiritual reconnection to Davidas's roots in the Caribbean island of La Martinique.  As in most great stories, the spoils aren't always found in the destination but in the journey itself.  And the deeply personal journey being recounted over the course of this album's fifteen tracks is in fact an absolute joy.

Although excelling in his own lane, many will remember As Valet as one part of the innovative Parisian future soul quartet Electric Conversation from the UK's visionary future soul label, Futuristica Music.  A tightly-knit unit that paired As Valet with group members Oz, LaNote and Gus La Temp, the collective released two fantastic projects in 'Communication' in 2007 and 'Electric Conversation' in 2013 which unveiled an exciting soul-infused blend of electronica.  Not only delivering two standout projects for Futuristica's awesome catalogue of music, the unique musical aesthetic proved an exciting springboard for As Valet to develop his own sound throughout the years that passed.

According to As Valet's own words detailed on his Bandcamp page, the Paris-based artist describes his approach to composition and himself as an "abstract-instrumental-space-hip hop beat producer".  It's a bold description but one that encapsulates Davidas's talents and ambition perfectly as exemplified throughout the music on 'Inner Journey'.  At times melancholy, at times introspective, and at times heartwarming... the exuberant production is bolstered through a great mish-mash of styles and a clever use of samples making songs like 'All On You', 'Aquarius' and 'Mains Noires' blissful highlights.  Currently riding high from the release of the stunning 'See in the Dark', the unrivalled talents of vocalist Deborah Jordan guests on the album, breathing incredible life into 'Mystic Beauty', and there's another welcome featured guest, this time in the form of Electric Conversation vocalist, LaNote, who appears on the album's closing numbers, 'With You' and 'Fresh Air'.

A very quick special mention is warranted for the exciting left-field releases of hip-hop label, A Night on Canopy.  With some genuinely exciting releases by Dre Trav - look out 'Omnipresent' two-track release - along with the the sixteen-minute, improvisation of 'Innervisions (Holy Smoke)' by Michael Vigneron and Feather Phaser.

For now though, the spotlight shines brightly on As Valet and his 'Inner Journey' album, and thankfully it's a journey we're all invited on.

'Sons of Ethiopia' by Admas

'Sons of Ethiopia' is the newly reissued album by Admas which finds its new home on the New York-based Frederiksberg Records.

Founded by Danish video journalist, Andreas Vingaard, the label has managed to unearth some incredible projects originally striving to celebrate unsung Scandinavian jazz, like the label's inaugural project - saxophonist Carsten Meinert Kvartet's 'To You'.  Backed by musicians including bassist Henrik Hove, pianist Ole Matthiessen and drummer Ole Streenberg, the album was recorded between 1968-69 and was created in reverence to the iconic John Coltrane before being released independently to little fanfare.  Kvartet's touching tribute is gifted to the world once again following a meeting with Vingaard who received Kavartet's blessing to house the project more than 45 years after its initial release.

A series of stunning projects have since followed ranging from the raw and grimy funk of the Scandinavian collective, Queen Eve & The Kings (reissued from a previous 2004 recording session), to the exquisite Bermudian disco and boogie sounds of Paradise ('Sizzlin Hot', originally recorded in 1981) and not forgetting the album by US multi-instrumentalist, Carlo Vinci Jr ('Piper of Dreams', originally released in 1979).

A passion for Scandinavian jazz may have served as the initial springboard for the label but Frederiksberg Records have become purveyors of thrilling projects across multiple genres on a global scale.  Which takes us to their fantastic new project, 'Sons of Ethiopia'.

Comprised of band members Tewodros ‘Teddy’ Aklilu, Henock Temesgen and Abegasu Shiota, the album was recorded in Washington, DC, in 1984 by young, exiled musicians who fled Ethiopia during the Derg regime before ultimately taking up home in the US.  'Sons of Ethiopia' is indicative of a mindset at that time - with Admas members initially attached to Gasha, a band rooted in a more traditional Ethiopian aesthetic, Admas became the opportunity to stretch those constrictions incorporating more Western influences into their compositions resulting in music that was potentially years ahead of its time.  The seven-track album basks in this melting pot of styles and influences like the jazz of 'Tez Alegn Yetintu', the synth-heavy sounds of 'Bahta's Highlife', the bold Latin rhythms of 'Samba Shegitu' - music that sounds as inspired today as it was at its inception.

While iconic Ethiopian musicians like Mahmoud Ahmed, Hailu Mergia, Tilahoun Gessesse and Mulatu Astatke are understandably cited as legends whose work is still heralded today, Admas wholeheartedly deserve to have their innovative and groundbreaking contributions recognised as the progressive flag wavers of Ethiopian culture that they were.  'Sons of Ethiopia' is a fantastic demonstration of all the possibilities the music now had at its disposal - music born of fear and loss but filled with boundless hope for its future.

'Resilience' by Jesse Fischer

What a difference a year makes!

July 2019 saw Jesse Fischer release his excellent four-track EP entitled 'Cross Currents', pairing him with musical luminaries Nate Smith and Marcus Strickland.  The EP, at its core, was a quintessential protest project with tracks seeking to serve as a response to a US government that sought to weaponise the fear of immigration.

Well, it's a year later and incredibly America, along with the rest of the world, now finds itself in a significantly darker place.  As we all strive to come to terms with the past five months of a quarantined lifestyle, the US has also found itself reeling from the events surrounding George Floyd's death.  And even though 'Resilience' was recorded before the worldwide pandemic, its music serves as a passionate and relevant voice in times where these voices are needed.

For the Brooklyn-based musician, producer and engineer, Fischer has become adept at crafting deeply personal pieces of music rooted within a jazz-funk aesthetic that still allows him the freedom to explore other musical genres.  Equally skilled within the realms of more housier and dance styles, Fischer's projects are only ever limited by his own imagination.

Backed by an incredible band comprising of long-time collaborators including Godwin Louis on sax, Billy Buss on trumpet, David Cutler on bass and Jordan Peters on guitar, amongst others, the album is spearheaded by the incredible title track pairing Fischer with the incomparable trumpeter, Christian Scott, in their first official collaboration.  The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed Fischer's name on Scott's 'Diaspora' album from 2017 which saw Fischer provide engineering duties for the Sarah Elizabeth Charles collaboration, 'The Walk', so to finally have the two perform on a track is a real joy.

Christian Scott actually marks one of a handful of wish list collaborations for Fischer that 'Resilience' was able to help realise; the revered talents of harmonicist Grégoire Maret features on 'The Wanderer', and another name being the achingly beautiful voice of Becca Stevens who appears on 'Push/Pull' - a track that Fischer masterfully tailors to fit the style synonymous with Stevens' own recordings resulting in hopefully the first of more pairings between the two. 

As a term, "resilience" is very much about how we cope with setbacks in our lives and how we're able to overcome obstacles to achieve what we need to.  And as an album, 'Resilience' strives to encapsulate that positive energy - the music is at times joyous and playful but still takes time to lament on themes introduced through 'Cross Currents'.  We were thrilled last year to have been able to secure time with Jesse Fischer for Episode #24 of the Blue-in-Green:PODCAST and we're even prouder to have spent time with Jesse again for Episode #58 to discuss the new album and pandemic parenting. 

Blue-in-Green Sessions · Blue-in-Green:PODCAST_#58_Jesse Fischer