[engl] In times of deep uncertainty and radical changes it feels even more appropriate to focus on the essential things. “I have these three symbols which I always sign our records with after live shows,” Ralf Droesemyer, who is Mo’ Horizons together with Mark “Foh’ Wetzler, explains: “it is a musical note, the image of the sun and the shape of a heart” – in other words: “music sun love”. Now, in the twentieth year of their existence, there cannot be a better title for the new album by Mo’ Horizons. 2019 is all about diversity, unity and sustainability. “Our world is very much divided. Climate change, environmental issues and human rights are on top of the agenda and it seems to be common sense that they are the most important issues in the years to come, but still nationalism and backwards thinking seems to be as trendy as never before. It is very paradox,” Droesemyer says. “Mo’ Horizons are not a political band at all. But on ‘music sun love’ we incorporated so many musical styles and worked with so many musicians from all around world. It is quite amazing,” he laughs. “It all came naturally, that is how it should be: People should embrace the culture of their neighbours, rather than building walls and re-install borders.” Let it be Latin, Soul Reggae, Cumbia, Samba or music from the Balkans, Mo’ Horizons are cultural travellers and feel at home where music is alive. Over the years the duo toured the world. For “music sun love” they re-reconnected with a lot of the musicians they met on their ongoing journey. The albums kicks off with „Wagabunga Dance“, a collaboration with Stoyan Royanov from Bulgaria. The multi instrumental talent is a member of the Mo’ Horizons Soundsystem. “Rhythm Is A Dancer“ was recorded in Columbia with local musicians and you may have guessed it by now, it is Mo’ Horizons’ interpretation of the Eurodance classic by Snap, adding even more rhythm, fire and emotion to turn it into a Cumbia burner. Mo’ Horizons move on with „Mo Space“ and „Hang Loose“, recorded together with hangdrum virtuoso Patrik from the Czech Republic, who the Horizons gang met after one of their shows in Andalusia and he joined the travel party. The first single „You Gotta Know It“ is one these Mo’ Horizons sure shots, an irresistably driving rhythm with a catchy chorus sung by Noam Bar from Israel, a worldwide traveller in the spirit of music who landed in Hannover after living in Tel Aviv and Madrid. Which brings in Mr. Morski from Bulgaria, another global mover. „Little Mouse“ is his kind of theme tune, recorded with a lot of charme and even more fun. „La Vida Es Solo Hoy“ adds Ivan Camelo from Columbia to the impressive line-up. He played with Mo’ Horizons for the first time in 2017 rocking the Gran Baba, the Horizons’ favourite Chiringuito hang-out in Spain, with his unique vocal stylings. „Ella Dice“ takes “music sun love” back home, re-uniting the team with Nené Vasquez from Venezuela who adds a vibrant live feeling to the track. The list of international guests is endless. „Gypsy Ghetto Feel“ gets a groovy boost by percussionist Elvis Aljus aka Gypsy Brown who is an integral member of Australian funk favourites The Bamboos’ rhythm section and often joins Mo’ Horizons when they tour down under. Noam Bar returns for the vocal part, adding a cross cultural soul feeling to this Israeli-Australian groove venture. „Inner Melody“ closes “music sun love” in style. It is an unreleased Mo’ Horizons remix of the Reggae original by Greek DJ colleague Palov turned into a very Sixties sounding club track. “When we listened to ‘music sun love’ as a whole for the first time, we were quite surprised,” Droesemeyer recalls. “We’ve been around for such a long time and did not know if the fire is still burning.” It is indeed! “Actually, with ‘music sun love’ we feel totally re-freshed.” Indeed: Mo’ Horizons are back in the game.

[engl] Mulatu was written by Mulatu, as he says, for himself. This arrangement features Mulatu on his signature instrument the vibraphone and flugelhornist Ian Dixon. Inspired lyrics from Elf Transporter pay respect to the traditional owners of Black Jesus Experience’s hometown. Ambassa Lemdi is an arrangement combining an original song taught to Enushu by her Grandmother with a traditional Ethiopian song. It tells of a mother singing for her daughter’s wedding, welcoming the groom and the joy of uniting their families. Kulun Mankwaleshi is our arrangement of a traditional Ethiopian wedding song in the uniquely Ethiopian anchi-hoye scale. Both polyrhythmic and polymetric sophistication provide the hypnotic foundation for this beautiful melody. Friends and family join the party on backing vocals climaxing with Peter Harper’s mesmeric saxophone solo. Living On Stolen Land is dedicated to the First Nations people of Australia and acknowledges the pain and injustice of their not being recognized as the traditional owners of Australia. This track features guitarist Zac Lister and very special guest Vida Sunshyne. Its moody 6/8 vamp in D is a gateway to channeling the spirits of the land. To Know Without Knowing is a suite in two contrasting movements, both using the same Ethiopian tezita minor scale over an unrelated pedal tone in the bass. It is conceived from, and is a vehicle to, a place beyond thought. Lijay originated from a simple reggae inspired jam. Lij means child in Amharic. Enushu sings of her child being the realization of her dream, and her future. Monk replies with a child’s ode to his mother. Blue Light was written for our dear friend Jeannie, for her journey from this life to the next. Originally written in traditional ballad form, this arrangement morphs to speak of the past, present and future. Mascaram Setaba is an Ethio classic that showcases Mulatu’s study of the familial links between Ethiopian and Latin music. Mascaram Setaba means ‘when September comes’. September being the New Year in Ethiopia this is a celebration of rebirth and new growth. This new arrangement puts the spotlight on legendary jazz pianist Bob Sedergreen. A Chance To Give is a 16 bar blues inspired by the joy of giving, originally conceived while street performing. It features Mulatu on vibes, Peter Harper on sax, MC Elf Transporter, and Robbie Belchamber on guitar.

[engl] The act of discovering one’s own musical heritage has never sounded more inviting, more transportative, than through the skilled hands and mellifluous voice of prize-winning recording artist, instrumentalist, composer and arranger Natalie Greffel. Through her close interrogation of identity, this rising Berlin-based talent succeeds in investigating the edges, re-sketching new borders and embracing the many facets of herself, both personally and musically. The disrupted histories of the African diaspora, the ravages of imperialism and the expressionism of a common tongue are all etched into the narrative of Natalie’s stunning debut solo album "Para Todos". The album evokes warmth and unexpected intimacy, newness and familiarity, as it gently deconstructs the paradigm of Brazlian music, reforming it not as a commodity to be sold, but as a recollection of dream-state memories. Natalie was born in post-colonial Mozambique and raised in Denmark from infancy. After moving to Berlin in 2010 to attend a music conservatory, and while engaged in various projects that exercised her stylistic flexibility, Natalie felt an increasing disillusionment with European Jazz; she instead felt drawn to the Afro-Brazlian music her mother played during childhood, which in turn began to reveal a cultural connectivity between Mozambique and Brazil. A successful application to an Erasmus programme allowed Natalie to investigate her growing interest further, and she traveled to Brazil in 2016. Over a period of six months she immersed herself in music - accepting invitations to Samba recording sessions, connecting with carnival troupes in Rio de Janeiro, exploring the spiritual songs of the Candomblé religion from less trafficked corners of the country - with the intention to learn and listen. "Para Todos" emerged in the wake of this life-changing experience, which encompassed witnessing the fervour of political impeachment, Anti-Olympics protests and the suppression of womens’ political voices; she also learned of neglected institutions like Museu do Negro (The Black Museum) and the country’s sole archive of the Atlantic Slave Trade, Instituto de Pesquisa e Memoria Pretos Novos (Institute for the Memorial and Research of the New Blacks). "Para Todos" is in essence a journal of learning and growing, a tribute to forgotten stories and untold tales, an act of remembering, and an exercise in connecting fragmented personal histories. Following her winning performance in a Creole music competition in Berlin, Natalie was introduced to the pianist of Brazilian star Ed Motta; he encouraged her to record a demo. Inspired a new by the harmonic structures of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hermeto Pascoal, Noel Rosa, Nelson Cavaquinho, Milton Nascimento, Elza Soares, Elis Regina, Gilberto Gil and Chico Buarque - architects of Brazilian music - Natalie began to interpret these blueprints in her own unique lexicon. “Não Sabia Nem Começar” is infused with the signature accents of Samba and bustling Ambient rhythms of a Rio de Janeiro streetscape, and contrasts against the sparse bass, hi-hats and piano arrangement of “Toquei,” all elements which eventually fall away to leave the gentle everyday sounds of an introspective life. Elsewhere Natalie details interpersonal frustration with an irresistible fusion groove on “Blame,” and turns her attention to the Chico Buarque standard “A Ostra E O Vento,” a beloved tale a girl who falls in love with the wind. To rerecord her compositions Natalie recruited a new ensemble. She called on musicians who possessed the sensitivity needed for a personal project of this nature and, after only two rehearsals, she allowed each musician the space and time to play freely, to best capture the energy she transmitted. "Para Todos" is not an authentic Brazilian music album, in any sense. Rather it is a personal retelling of shared and imagined histories, and newly-formed kinships, to honour the traditions of the past and carve out a new sense of belonging.

[engl] Soul funk powerhouse Nick Pride & The Pimptones return with their second album on Légère Recordings. “Go Deep” mixes their trademark jazzy sophistication with a gritty retro sound. Following on from the instrumental heavy "Midnight Feast of Jazz" (Record Kicks, 2011) and the diverse "Rejuiced Phat Shake" (Légère Recordings, 2014), "Go Deep" is a more focussed and consistent affair. As always with The Pimptones there's a heavy dose of funk, but this album's personality comes from ten strongly written slices of deep soul music, beautifully delivered by singer Beth Macari. "I wanted to get back to basics", says writer and arranger Nick Pride. "My aim was to be as direct as possible from the original inspiration of each song right through to the recording process. I wanted to keep that energy and that magic. We've had some great collaborations in the past but this time I kept everything in-house to capture the excitement of the band playing together. You really get that vibe when you hear these recordings." The result is an album of depth and substance from a band continuing to evolve. The Pimptones’ sound has always been a profound combination of funky grooves, beefy breaks and blue eyed soul. Slick arrangements and harmonic sophistication delivered with a heavyweight punch crosses over from jazz to keep the dance floor moving. A Pimptones live show kicks off with tight, punchy instrumentals, making way to sweetly crafted soul songs as they are joined on stage by one of many fantastic guest vocalists. However in 2016 the band has flipped the script by taking on sultry soul siren Beth Macari as their full time vocalist. Having first made a guest appearance with the group on “Rejuiced Phat Shake”, Beth’s supercharged R&B vocal style is the perfect match for the Pimptones’ deep funk sound. Formed back in 2007, the group first caught the eye of funk fans around the world with their single "Deeper Pimp" on Wack Records. The track was the first of the group’s “Live-Band Bootlegs”, an acapella fused with original live backing, a unique approach to the mash-up genre, and a show stopping live feature. In 2010 The Pimptones broke through with the single “Waitin’ So Long”, a song which was used extensively on Italian mainstream rom-com “Lezioni di Cioccolato 2”, and accompanying album “Midnight Feast of Jazz”. This global success was quickly followed up by the digital release of “Remixed Feast of Jazz”, including collaborations with TM Juke, Diesler, Smoove and Renegades of Jazz. The focus of The Pimptones’ sound shifted from instrumental jazz to the soul sound of 2014’s “Rejuiced Phat Shake” album which featured many guest vocalists and musicians, finely crafted melodies, dance-floor beats and killer hooks.

[engl] Berlin-based quintet Onom Agemo & the Disco Jumpers follow up their 7? single „2 Feet / Kibili „ with an album of poly-rhythmic afro grooves, sax and psyched-out synths. The group has developed a unique groove and style of playing, constructing a collection of eight songs, that throws together tight and funky influences from Morocco and Ethiopia with crunchy analogue synths, spacey organs and effects, and fluid sax and flute lines for a sound that’s all their own. This LP is a collection of compositions by travelling sax man Johannes Schleiermacher, inspired by his journeys through the world. The band even travelled to Morocco for playing and recording with a quartet of percussionists/ singers in the Issawa tradition, a Sufi Trance Brotherhood in central Morocco. Onom Agemo and the Disco Jumpers have been playing together for years, and it shows. Taking Schleiermacher’s compositions, the group rehearse the songs and play them live to finalize the arrangement before recording the tracks to different 4-track tape machines, mostly at drummer Bernd Oezsevim’s rehearsal space. Take the track „Cool Runnings“ for example: locked in the groove, the intertwined sax and synth melody moves up and down the Anichihoye scale. Not to be confused with the comedy of the same title, the track is named after a bar in Berlin-Friedrichshain, where friends of the band put on their night Tropical Timewarp. This interlocking of groove and melody is a signature element, and also inspired the title of the album. Cranes and Carpets alludes to changing patterns, and how the parts of a wider whole can work together in synchronicity. Combine an almost telepathic group intuition with the fact that Schleiermacher also engineered and produced the record, and the pieces start to add up to why the Disco Jumpers sound like they do. It’s an authentic mix of North African rhythms and modes, live jazz musicianship and analogue synths that’s reminiscent of electronic African pioneers like William Onyeabor and Manu Dibango as much as modern ensembles like The Heliocentrics. While the album sounds like it could have been discovered on a dusty old tape down a Marrakesh marketplace, it has a modern twist in the neat craftsmanship and tight arrangements that ensures a blend of styles that couldn’t be anyone else.

[engl] Ever since Onom Agemo & The Disco Jumpers broke the dreaded curse of the difficult second album by releasing “Liquid Love”, a cocktail so spicy and delectable that it could warm the cockles of the grumpiest man alive’s heart, even in the most Arctic conditions, everybody wondered how the Onom crew could top that one. But now you have an opportunity to whip out your “Magic Polaroid” as proof that this wasn’t an impossible Project. Never before has the band so successfully captured their full-on live sound as they do here, thanks to three days of recording frenzy at Daniel Nentwig and Sebastian Maschat’s Butterama studio, a haven of analog hardware hidden in a remote part of Berlin’s Neuko?lln district. The exploding kaleidoscope of styles that make up this album, perfectly reflected by the stunning cover artwork from Nick Henderson and photography by Christoph Rothmeier, means that they can no longer be confined to their early description as an “Afro-Funk Quintet” or merely described as a lively tribute to the artists which have influenced them: their sound is 100 per cent pure uncut Onom Agemo, even though every track feels like a new beginning. The presence of a charismatic in-house vocalist who brought her own lyrics along has also boosted their confidence considerably and provided a further knock-out punch to their onstage performances. And no one will be disappointed as soon as the first bars of “The Trumpets Of Denmark” stomp on stage like a boisterous fanfare, with Johannes Schleiermacher’s impressive wall of sound production making the musicians sound like a much bigger band than what their line-up suggests (with Maria Schneider from Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra adding some extra percussive clout) and just the right amount of dizzying cross-rhythms to steer it away from potential bombast. When Onom Agemo’s powerhouse vocalist Natalie Greffel starts chanting what at first sounds like a string of Onomatopoeia, it soon becomes clear that she’s laying down her manifesto for a nostalgic Space-Age yet to come, with a few key words serving as Mantra (Focus, patience, tears and creation): an invitation to drive off the Information Superhighway and its endless litany of polite noises, to redirect our gaze inside ourselves and learn to understand and sometimes question how others perceive us. Conceived by bassist Kalle Enkelmann in Morocco on a diet of mandarins and bananas, “Bonne Trance” enthralls with its lush keyboard arrangement and flute interjections, enhanced by the insistent punctuation of qarqabas, those indispensable accessories of Gnawa folklore that recall the sound of castanets, transporting the listener into a virtual hinterland halfway between Essaouira and Andalusia. Not recommended for trance- phobics, but possibly the ideal panacea for dancing away your fears. Whenever the word „fusion“ crops up in conversation regarding music, perhaps because of its culinary connotations, one tends to be immediately reminded of lukewarm leftovers and excessively fussy presentation. But this notion is quickly dispelled by copping an ear to “Welcome Eko” (which wasn’t named, as one might think, as a tribute to the ancient name of the city of Lagos, but in honour of the Italian manufacturers of middle-range electric instruments that flourished in the mid 60’s and have acquired a cult aura ever since). On this sterling example of trance-fusion in excelsis, our five crack instrumentalists have distilled a particularly potent brand of Ethio-Gamelan laced with guitarist Kalle Zeier’s razor-sharp riffs. In this age of immediate gratification and digital wizardry, there is something almost quaint but quite moving about the antiquated magic of an instant camera, where the Moment is captured for posterity, with unpredictable fluctuations of picture quality and no possibility of further embellishment (no face-saving Photoshop action allowed here). “Magic Polaroid”, the song, celebrates the recollection of such ephemeral pleasures made possible by this simple, compact device. Johannes Schleiermacher’s unbelievably complex, almost Steve Reich-like arrangement echoes the mysterious chemical reactions that take place during the transfer of that fleeting image on film while Bernd Oezsevim’s driving rhythms propel the song like the pair of rollers that will eventually eject that magic snapshot out of the camera. Changing pace and shooting back into space, we meet the “Broken Satellites”, the closest the band comes to jazz of a somewhat spiritual nature, albeit with a strongly psychedelic-flavoured intro. Modern society encourages us to fill our bodies and minds with way too much junk, but we tend to forget all the junk that humankind has left behind in space. Natalie Greffel’s inspired performance, ably supported by exuberant sax lines and cascading keyboard runs, hints that as the decommissioned satellites were heading down to crash back on earth, they probably crossed paths with the Voyager Spacecraft, which had been hijacked by extra- terrestrial music fans who, after poring over every detail of that famous Golden Record that came as a surprise package with its contents, had stumbled on a couple of hidden bonus tracks by Abbey Lincoln and Jeanne Lee which fired their imagination. Finally we arrive at the final stretch of our grand tour, a short stopover on a virtual Co?te d’Azur going by the name of “Super Cannes”. The garden party at the Villa has already started, the guests are lounging around the heart-shaped pool but someone has spiked the punch bowl and some torrid activities are about to commence. The soundtrack is provided by that master of improbable juxtapositions, Jo?rg Hochapfel, who expertly segues the jaunty opening melody with a waltz-tempo groove before bursting into a funkalicious synth solo full of suggestive grunts and squeals. Or maybe that was just the sound of a few unfortunate earthlings being abducted from their jacuzzi by aliens who’d jumped onboard a falling satellite. C’est chaud!

[engl] A vinyl album containing the Pazants’ best recordings, including tracks from a live album recorded at the Museum Of Modern Art in 1970 and an excellent previously unissued version of ‘Hi Heel Sneakers’. Ed and Al Pazant have played in front of Presidents, worked with Kool and the Gang, Country Joe and the Fish and Lionel Hampton, but have never really received the credit they deserve. Multi-reed player Edward Pazant and his younger brother Alvin, a trumpeter, came from Beaufort,South Carolina. Influenced by Louis Jordan, Earl Bostic and Charlie Parker, they grew up playing their instruments wherever they could. In 1958 Ed joined Lionel Hampton’s Big Band, an arrangement that lasted on and off for 14 years. Al was also a Hampton band member for a year, before settling in New York, where he formed a small group that played Monday nights at Smalls Paradise in Harlem. Ed joined him whenever he could and they evolved into the Pazant Brothers. They built a strong reputation and appeared as the horn section on several Pucho and the Latin Soul Brothers records. In 1967 the Pazants hooked up with composer/arranger Ed Bland, who offered them the chance to become the house band at Gerald Purcell’s GWP label. Over three years they backed a number of acts and released two hard-hitting funk singles via an arrangement with RCA, plus one on GWP itself and another under the name the Chili Peppers, after the instrumental of a 45 they recorded with singer Betty Barney was picked up by DJs. They had further tracks issued on GWP promotional samplers and Bland recorded them at a special concert held at the Museum Of Modern Art in Manhattan in 1970. The two tracks from that that LP contained here feature vocals by Betty Barney. After GWP closed they continued recording for Vigor, Vanguard and other labels, as well as featuring on numerous sessions. The work on this LP is the high point of their recording career.

[engl] “Every Day (Every Night)“, the new single by PM Warson, was recorded just in time direct to tape in February. It was finished in a very different world, in a small London studio several months later. Anchored by a heavy Hammond motif, and taken to the heights with a girl group-backed chorus, it's a song for soul searching in 2020. “Every Day (Every Night)” is available as a limited edition 7inch vinyl single with PM Warson’s version of Ashford-Simpson-Armstead's classic “I Don't Need No Doctor” exclusive to the vinyl on its flipside.

[engl] PM Warson grew up in an English town, in a post 9/11 world, drifting into financial crisis, against the staple suburban musical landscape of heavy rock, the ghost of the New Wave, and the fading star of the Indie Boom of the Noughties. He found his own fit in the form of Rhythm & Blues from half-a-century before, drawn in by records in the family collection, engaging at a visceral level, abstract from any subcultural connotations. While an outlier stylistically, he found camaraderie and direction among musically inclined peers, saving up two summers straight for a Rickenbacker guitar, getting the taste for playing live with an archetypal teenage power trio. After a move to London to study, he was without a band for a while. The Rickenbacker was sold for an archtop, and he delved deeper into his musical vocabulary - delta blues, Americana, early jazz and Rock'n'Roll. Meanwhile, via the capital's blues clubs and soul nights, he discovered a new setting for the music that had enticed him the first place, existing, not in a vacuum, but alive and in the moment. A chance audition thrust him into full-time work as a touring musician. He found himself, blissfully under-qualified, serving an apprenticeship alongside conservatoire-trained jazz musicians and session pros. Meanwhile, the inevitable downtime in new cities on the road allowed for significant crate-digging between coffee spots and sound checks, while feeding off the knowledge of the players around him. Becoming more and more interested in production, ever-drawn to the Golden Era of record-making, he befriended the proprietors of Soup Studio, then an all-analogue facility based on Cable Street. He started moonlighting on production projects and learning the inner workings of a studio environment. A network was building, and when it was time to break out on his own, everything was in place. Shedding the construct of a 'band' or a 'singer-songwriter', and perhaps the monoculture of contemporary music-making, he started cutting sides with a band of friends and acquaintances found along the way. Without any wider ambition, it was as much about the process as the outcome, evoking the R'n'B records of the '50s and '60s in practice rather than emulation. His first effort, the ramshackle "You Gotta Tell Me" became a de facto single, and after being urged to press a few copies to vinyl by a friend, it began to cause a few ripples on the local DJ scene. Meanwhile, a wild, off-the-cuff cover of 'Hit The Road Jack' caught the attention of a London music agency, giving his lineup an outlet for playing out. This included house-band sets at London establishments such as the Blues Kitchen, Old Street Records and notably at the opening of the Mary Quant Fashion Exhibition at the V&A Museum.

[engl] Limited to 300 copies only! When it comes to a fusion of jazz and rock music, most of us connoisseurs look over to England. Canterbury is not only a place, it is a term to define a whole scene and sound in the field of jazzrock. And this scene spawned some magical names, bands and musicians, being carved into the soul of every woman and man who were engaged in jazz and progressive rock music in the 70s. Now we can only wonder how the call of Canterbury reached Yugoslavia, a then totalitarian eastern bloc state. But as music seems to have wings and does not accept any borders, the inspirations arrived and therefore a great scene of bands was born. Among them Slovenians PREDMESTJE, who were formed in 1975 and disbanded in 1982. “Brez naslova”, originally released in 1977, is the first in a line of four albums and features quite prototypical jazzrock and fusion pieces with a smooth approach, good grooves, really outstanding playing and a magical atmosphere. This type of forward thinking fusion of jazz and rock music shows a tight connection to the style created earlier and around the same time by English acts such as NATIONAL HEALTH, GILGAMESH, SOFT MACHINE or NUCLEUS and even incorporates a few symphonic elements for the good measure. If it was not for the scarce vocal parts that were sung in the band’s native tongue, you could think Mike Ratledge, Elton Dean, Pip Pyle and Hugh Hopper aka SOFT MACHINE were playing here at times. A haunting piece of sophisticated jazz rock that deserves to live on in the hearts of the music lovers.

[engl] “One of the finest albums I’ve heard in a while. Tight, Fela-esque horns, big clubby drums with chunky guitars holding it all together, this record is constantly engaging and is at times reminiscent of Quantic at his best. Can’t say fairer than that!” Adam Gibbons/Lack Of Afro Were David Hanke to pass on from this mortal coil tomorrow, Nevertheless might prove his perfect epitaph. It’s a refreshingly honest and somewhat autobiographical long-player that harks back to his early twenty first century musical influences but actually has its route much earlier in this self-styled Renegade Of Jazz’s life. The album’s appellation refers back to Hanke’s first live concert experience when in 1984, at the age of six, he went to see a Blues-rock band called Nevertheless whose guitarist was none other than his own father. With music clearly already running through Hanke’s D.N.A. this was the moment that, perhaps subconsciously, triggered his life long love affair with soulful sonic creativity. Nevertheless sparks into action with the irresistibly uplifting Lemon Squeezers, a suitably life affirming opener complete with exhilarating guitars and as the man tells us, “(the) basic characteristic, the beat!” and it’s a rock solid beat at that. With some Renegades Of Jazz trademark horns added for extra spice, and of course everything programmed by Mr Hanke himself, this is the perfect introduction to this man’s scintillating style. Nautical nugget, Big Fish, continues the brass obsession. It has a more sonorous, almost big band feel, even though we all know this is being delivered solely by one pair of hands and that singular, special musical brain. Hanke adds some nifty piano work for extra cheekiness, which is a theme that’s continued on Another Day (Going In Too Deep) where Hammond style keys and perfectly chosen vocal samples do battle with more foot friendly beats, before we go in deep with Afro flavoured licks and horn riffs. The title track starts life as something of a moment of calm with a more introspective feel, but not for long as we make way for more trademark beats and vocal loops, and more of those irresistible horns! It’s the prelude for a watershed moment on the album as Hanke then introduces his first guest in the shape of Bristolian rapper Donnie Numeric (one half of Delegates of Rhyme) on the scorching Hot Wired. It’s the perfect illustration of our producer’s love for the Hip-Hop art form, and Donnie’s smooth lyrical flow combines with those Renegades Of Jazz brass and guitar riffs to make more demands on you to move your feet. And while barely taking a breath, the heat continues with infectious, super hot funk jam Light Me Up, featuring Clair Fallows of The Impellers fame. It’s a modern take on a classic sound and having already stamped his Hip-Hop card, Hanke is keen to point to the Funk and Soul influences that have shaped his musical journey. It’s not long before we return to the Hip-Hop again though, and a track that not only harks back to some of the more relaxed, smooth sounds that were prevalent in French rap in the late 90s, but one that also showcases Hanke’s A&R skills. En Route features the vocal talents of French MC Urda, a voice that we are sure to hear more of in the coming years. The biographical feel of Nevertheless continues to be indulged on the very summery and confident, but somehow wistful, Then And Now, before things get serious with album highlight Don’t Break My Love, featuring the vocal prowess of Afrika Fuentes and lyrical writing talents of UK producer Diesler. It’s a fractured, disco flavoured club burner that’s sure to cause some dance floor havoc in 2019. Hands And Hands combines a more relaxed latin feel with some choice spoken word and chanting from Manchester based rapper, and regular member of The Mouse Outfit, Bedos Mavanubu; and Set Me Free continues to chill things out with its laid back, blues flavour enhanced by the husky vocals of folky singer- songwriter, also from Manchester, Jon Kenzie. David Hanke’s life story comes to its natural conclusion with the appropriately entitled This Journey, which could have very easily been an alternative moniker for this very personal LP. Once again David raids the current crop of exciting UK talent with up-and-coming London based vocalist Kemi Ade providing lush tones accompanied by muted horns, sparse percussion and spine-tingling, spacey keys.

[engl] With the release of their first two albums and live shows supporting Snarky Puppy, Roy Ayers, Marcus Miller, Larry Mizell & the Blackbyrds, Butcher Brown, Yellowjackets and more, Resolution 88 have already established themselves as one of the UK’s leading exponents of funk jazz. Their music is synonymous with the silky, buttery sound of the Fender Rhodes. They’re also a bona fide band, a refreshing change in a musical world increasingly occupied by online collaborations and viral videos. They’re best mates who love to hang out, play together and make their own music - that sincerity is evident in their songs and their chemistry on stage. ‘Revolutions’ represents a lot of firsts - the first time Resolution 88 have recorded to multi-track tape, the first time that they’ve included a real string and brass section, the first time they’ve included special guests on record and the first time they’ve pressed an album on vinyl. Imagine a combination of an undiscovered Herbie Hancock album from the mid’ 70’s, rare-groove samples from the golden era of hip hop (ATCQ, Pharcyde etc) and the new London sound of bands like Yussef Kamaal. Every track on ‘Revolutions’ represents an aspect of music on vinyl. On ‘Pitching Up’ you hear the DJ pitch the record up from 33rpm to 45rpm. ‘Out Of Sync’ simulates a clumsy attempt at beat matching. The hypnotic, circling sax line that opens the title track ‘Revolutions’ (echoed by the strings at the end) evokes the mesmerizing sensation of watching the record label artwork whirling as it spins on the platter. ‘Runout Groove’ fades in and out; the drumbeat mimics the distinctive, perpetual rhythm tapped out by the stylus as it reaches the runout groove. On the second side, ‘Sample Hunter’ unexpectedly deviates from the main section into Rhodes-drenched interludes; the type of moment that producers searched high and low for back when hip hop was great. Marcus Tenney’s (Butcher Brown) lyrics on ‘Dig Deep’ are all about the thrill of digging for records and ‘Matrix’ is inspired by the hidden messages sometimes left in the matrix markings on record pressings. On ‘Tracking Force’, you can hear the beat twist and morph as the stylus skates over the record. Finally, ‘Warped Memories’ closes out the album with a wistful, melancholy melody. Sit back with a glass of Japanese whisky and a Cuban cigar (or whatever your chosen poison is), stick the album on and enjoy it from start to finish - although if you’re listening to it on vinyl, you’ll need to get up to turn it over to the B-side.

[engl] After 6 years from the acclaimed album “albore”, Rhabdomantic Orchestra is back with a new full length born from the meeting with the Colombian singer Maria Mallol Moya. “Almagre” is a sort of novel in music inspired by surrealism aesthetics and south american magical realism. Set in an imaginary mediterranean, crossroads of encounters and clashes between cultures, red as the blood that keeps staining its waters, almagre is a visceral, reactionary, spiritual yet political album that marks a change of direction from the sense of purification of the previous work towards a continuous tension to the sublime. After the allusion to the white of albore, now is the time for “almagre” an arabic-hispanic word used to name the red color obtained from iron oxide. The album was composed and arranged by Manuel Volpe with the intention to create a musical Babel made up of continuous contrasts of languages and suggestions with a strong narrative approach to orchestration. Each episode develops itself in linearity through the superimposition of cyclical figures where the instruments act as characters in continuous exchange with Maria’s eclectic vocal shades. “What I would like to explore with the Rhabdomantic Orchestra is the evocative and narrative power of the arrangements to achieve a sort of magical realism where the imaginative power of music can speak for it self.”

[engl] RSN, producer, DJ and musician from Athens - Greece, delivers his 5rth album named “Motion” which is his 2nd one on Agogo Records. In this 9 track - album (2 instrumental songs and 7 with vocals) Rsn uses all of his music influences. From Hip Hop to Electronica and from blues to trip hop.

[engl] The soul singer and songwriter based in England known as Myles Sanko released his debut “Born in Black & White” to broad critical and fan acclaim in 2013. Featuring seven original funk and soul tracks written and performed by Myles himself, this EP was perceived and played in the style of soul greats such as Bill Withers, Otis Redding, Al Green and James Brown, all of whom Myles openly names and proudly as his main musical influences. A stop-to-finish work of deep grooves and jazzy musical knowledge, Now “Born in Black & White” is followed up by Myles Sanko’s first full-length album “Forever Dreaming”. Dubbed as the lovechild of soul music, Myles Sanko began his music career by singing and rapping alongside disc jockeys in nightclubs. He has fronted popular bands such as Bijoumiyo, plus working with funk kings Speedometer who were touring with James Brown's 35 years soul sister Ms Martha High. “My intention,” writes Myles, “is to produce music with a feel good vibe and lyrical content that makes my listeners think.” In order to select an appropriate collection of compositions for professional recording in the studio, Myles uploaded live videos of himself giving acoustic performances to the internet. He then invited his bevy of fans throughout Europe to give their opinions regarding which tracks would best fit his debut EP release. This interactive spirit, which has guided Myles's solo career to date, reveals much about his humanist spirit, genial character, and artistic integrity. “I want my music to be a place to feel alive,” says Myles Sanko. “True motivation is the reaction I get from my audience when I perform, and I intend on making music that I love listening to. It’s the only way to stay authentic and to not lose yourself in all the other musical influences out there.” With his eight piece band Rick Hudson (drums), Neil Cowlan (guitar), Tiago Coimbra (bass), Tom O'Grady (piano/Rhodes), Neil Penny (trumpet), Matt Mckay (saxophone/flute), Tom White (trombone) and Ric Elsworth (percussion) Myles Sanko 10 versatile compositions Myles wrote with his longtime songwriting partner Thierry Los from France. Styles are ranging from the melodic soul-jazz oft he title track „Forever Dreaming“ through the spiritual acid jazz of „Take A Look At Me Now“ to the energetic soul dancer „Shooting Star“.

[engl] Essentially, the history of British soul music is a long story about the search for identity. With his third album „Just Being Me“, Ghana born singer, songwriter, producer, designer, musician and cinematographer Myles Sanko adds an essential chapter to this eventful journey. Featuring eleven new compositions, „Just Being Me“ explores the inner self and transcends stylistic borders. With its rich instrumentation and colourful arrangement it speaks out as loud as a proper soul album should. „For me, music is the key to communication between people. When I write, play and sing music, I do not plan it to be labelled ‘soul’ or ‘jazz’ – it just comes naturally as it is,“ Myles Sanko explains. With his true, emotional and straightforward style, he is able to connect past, present and future. “Of course I am inspired by the classic sounds of the Sixties and Seventies coming out of Detroit, Memphis or Philadelphia. But I grew up in the middle of the English countryside. We had no ghetto or deal with social unrest in the streets. Nevertheless, when you grow up coming from a mixed racial background into a conservative society, you need to develop a strategy of survival.” One key element of this strategy was to take business in his very own hands. Myles Sanko recorded his debut mini album „Born In Black & White“ in 2013. Without any distribution or marketing it sold so well that Myles instantly knew he was on to something good. “My fans crowd funded the recording of my second album ‘Forever Dreaming’. That was amazing, even Gregory Porter invited me to join him as support. The band I toured with became my family.” With „Just Being Me“ Myles Sanko is coming home now. „This album is about love, hope and politics, and has a piece of me in every part,“ read the liner notes and you can’t deny the truth in these words. Starting with „Freedom“, a Donny Hathaway style instrumental prologue, the album flows seamlessly into the title track. “Promises” is what soul is about: Don’t believe the hype, have a look what’s behind empty promises. “This Ain’t Living” is accompanied by some of the most delicate orchestral soul-jazz this side of Matthew Halsall or Cinematic Orchestra. “The Sunshine” is where it’s at, a quiet celebration of the love for the sun. „Land Of Paradise“ carries a message of hope and confidence in the lyrics, led by a hypnotizing brass section, think Gil Scott-Heron or the Last Poets walking through the streets of Manchester or London: „I Belong To You“ looks back on classic, era-spanning soul ballad artistry, think Bill Withers teaming up with Maxwell and you are quite near. „Forget Me Not“ stays firmly in up-to-date R&B idioms. „Missing You“ brings down „Just Being Me“ in an Bobby Womack style, acoustic soul, while „Empty Road“ is an emotive ending to a wonderful story. “Just Being Me’ is a departure from what I did before and a beginning of a new journey. It is about myself as a human being, as it is about sharing between each other,” concludes Myles Sanko. “What is it that you can do as a songwriter or musician? You have the ultimate tool that you can share with others, as recorded music or on the stage. As an artist you can make the most of this rare gift ”

[engl] After the release of their playful debut album “Worldstyle” the Budapest duo returns now with their 2nd album “Brotherhood”. The songs often summons blues elements but they are also influenced by dub, funk and un petit de hip-hop. the lyrics are mainly about the social and personal problems of our times, interpreted by talented guest vocalists from all over the world. The guest performance of KRSA puts the point on the letter “i” in “Brotherhood” and in the other reggae-inspired song “Pass It On”. Being one of the dominant figures of the Hungarian ska movement he is an important guest on the album. As the main driving force behind the 90’s very popular and recently revived British band Freak Power Ashely Slater needs no introduction. He has worked with Dub Pistols, Dublex Inc., or Fort Knox Five and his talents and professional performances are turbocharges three completely different songs. “Revolution!“ has previously released in 2016 as a 7” single and features dazzling electro blues and Ashley’s food for thought lyrics. In “Life Is Love” he proves that his talent has no barriers whether he sings lonely doo-woptempo or the dub-ska of “People Kill People” which is a unique cover of Éric Serra’s seminal 80’s cult classic “Guns & People”. Denise M’Baye known as the MC/singer of Mo’Horizons is featured in two downtempo tracks. “Wings” is a laidback song about love while and “All My Life Is In This Bag” smuggles back a little bit of the mood of “Worldstyle”. Fedora is the best-known female MC/singer of the Hungarian bass music life. She made her own solo album in 2017. With “Come Away With Me” she proves that she’s not only an bass music MC, but a great singer with deep emotions. Another guest from Hungary is the lead singer of the downtempo-funk band Mystical Plants. Bryant Goodman contributes to the album in two different tracks with his gravelly voice. “Bad Man’s Ballad is bittersweet song about the average politician of our age while “Keep Going On” on the other hand is full of playfulness and delivers a short but positive message. At last but not least we have the Ghanaian After the release of their playful debut album "Worldstyle" the Budapest duo returns now with their 2nd album "Brotherhood". The songs often summons blues elements but they are also influenced by dub, funk and un petit de hip-hop. the lyrics are mainly about the social and personal problems of our times, interpreted by talented guest vocalists from all over the world. The guest performance of KRSA puts the point on the letter “i” in “Brotherhood” and in the other reggae-inspired song “Pass It On”. Being one of the dominant figures of the Hungarian ska movement he is an important guest on the album. As the main driving force behind the 90’s very popular and recently revived British band Freak Power Ashely Slater needs no introduction. He has worked with Dub Pistols, Dublex Inc., or Fort Knox Five and his talents and professional performances are turbocharges three completely different songs. “Revolution!“ has previously released in 2016 as a 7” single and features dazzling electro blues and Ashley’s food for thought lyrics. In “Life Is Love” he proves that his talent has no barriers whether he sings lonely doo-woptempo or the dub-ska of “People Kill People” which is a unique cover of Éric Serra’s seminal 80’s cult classic “Guns & People”. Denise M'Baye known as the MC/singer of Mo'Horizons is featured in two downtempo tracks. “Wings” is a laidback song about love while and “All My Life Is In This Bag” smuggles back a little bit of the mood of “Worldstyle”. Fedora is the best-known female MC/singer of the Hungarian bass music life. She made her own solo album in 2017. With “Come Away With Me” she proves that she’s not only an bass music MC, but a great singer with deep emotions. Another guest from Hungary is the lead singer of the downtempo-funk band Mystical Plants. Bryant Goodman contributes to the album in two different tracks with his gravelly voice. “Bad Man’s Ballad is bittersweet song about the average politician of our age while “Keep Going On” on the other hand is full of playfulness and delivers a short but positive message. At last but not least we have the Ghanaian M3NSA on the board from Fokn Bois and RedRed. His lyrics in “It Works” is very motivating for everyone and spreads the message of not giving up even if the world is seemingly against you. Savages Y Suefo’s new album “Brotherhood” is a lot different from their previous one in many ways but it remained just as eclectic as its predecessor “Worldstyle” and still proves Savages Y Suefo’s wide interest and openness in music that is needed today... and not just in music.

[engl] The American award-winning poetic voice Sekou Andrews has spent the past fifteen years or more inspiring audiences across the globe as one of the most successful, full-time spoken word artists. In 2019 he collaborated with the alternative European/American neo-classical orchestra The String Theory on six tracks recorded between Los Angeles and Berlin. The result is a genre-bending album of spoken word and orchestral music which received a Grammy 2020 nomination for best spoken word. Sekou Andrews truly knows how to rock and has helped millions of people finding their voice.

[engl] “Rides Again” is Shawn Lee’s first vocal and songwriter album since “Harmonium”, released in Japan only in 2005, and is a very personal journey into the world of soul-inspired country music. “Rides Again” has been in the making for a few years, Shawn Lee explains: “Yes, this record has had quite a long gestation period. The opening song ‘Wichita’ was written and recorded way back in 2007!” With every passing year Lee vowed to write and record more songs with a ‘Country’ feeling in view of finishing a complete album, but always got too busy with other projects. 2019 arrived and the American born and London based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and filmmaker decided that the time was now. Recorded and arranged very quickly in stolen hours from other recording and touring commitments. The songs came together intuitively and organically. “This is a very reflective and personal album. I am looking back to my childhood in Wichita/Kansas and thinking about where I’m at the present moment and the idea of an unwritten future. I could have only made this album at this point of my life”, Shawn Lee says. Musically Country & Soul music share common vocabulary and “Rides Again” illustrates this in its own personal way. “I was inspired by people like Tony Joe White, JJ Cale, Glen Campbell, Rob Galbraith and Hoover to name but a few. I grew up with Country music all around me and it only makes sense that some of that fused in my musical DNA.” Recorded in London at Shawn Lee’s studio by long time engineer Pierre Duplan, it features Shawn playing all most all of the instrumentals with haunting pedal steel by Joe Harvey-Whyte, Carwyn Ellis (The Pretenders, Edwyn Collins) on keyboards in two songs plus Andy Ross on saxophone and Everton Nelson on violin on one song. “I’m really proud of this record and damn glad I finally finished it!” Definitely: Shawn Lee is ‘still on the line’.

[engl] Stop everything you're about to do and take a hit of Diazpora‘s new Album „Ping Pong Powerplay“ now. Vast amounts of dopamine will be released as the needle hits the groove. Problems will disappear, heartache will crumble and legs going to move. With its ten modern songs built upon solid funk tradition, this album helps you get on the good foot! All songs were recorded in Diazpora‘s „Monopalast“ rehearsal studio in Hamburg, straight after the writing process, keeping it fresh, edgy and simple. The songs range from dancefloor tracks Diazpora is so known for, to heartfelt ballads, using Ping Pong as an olympic metaphor for life. Still in the game after countless years, Diazpora once more show nothing but love to their audience and THE FUNK with this latest release. Ping Pong Powerplay!

[engl] Souled Out is a five-piece band from Thessaloniki that formed in 2013 with the purpose of exploring the sounds of soul/r’n’b music. The group consists of Alexandra Sieti (vocals), Tasos Korkovelos (keyboards), Paris Papadopoulos (guitar), Tasos Venetikidis (bass), Kostas Anagnostou (drums). Members of the band have collaborated with known Greek musicians, such as Dionisis Savopoulos, Koza Mostra, Monica Christodoulou, Largo. The key feat of the band is its powerful live shows, where one can dance to the rhythms of old and new funk, soul, disco and r’n’b hit songs. The band has given hundreds of live shows so far, most prominent of which are at the 56th International Film Festival of Thessaloniki, In-Edit Festival, Bikes and Blues Festival of Kavala, Thessaloniki Beer Festival, Thessaloniki Street Food Festival, River Party Festival and many more. Now the band is fully active in the music scene of Thessaloniki and Athens, making regular appearances as a house band in various clubs and bars (Malt’n’Jazz, Gazarte, Faust Bar, Tiki Bar, etc). A very special moment in the group’s career is their trip to the Maldives where they performed live shows during New Year’s Eve festivities in 2019. The band released their first single "Let Me In Your Heart" in December 2020, followed by two more singles, "Madness" in May 2021 and "Love School" in February 2022, which paved the way for their full length album release "Sunny Side Up" in March 2022.

[engl] The Souljazz Orchestra return with a brand new studio album for our troubled times, 'Chaos Theories', released on Strut. Always known for their uncompromising social and political messages, the Canadian collective hit harder than ever on 9 new tracks, outing the hypocrisy of modern day politics, police brutality and the everyday struggle of the working man. Led by chief songwriter and arranger Pierre Chrètien, the band continue to evolve their sound, drawing on a broad palette from their trademark Latin, Afro and Caribbean styles to some of the UK's political sounds of the early '80s, the era of The Clash, The Police, 2-Tone and frontline reggae.