Tracks from Cote d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, South Africa, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau. Ba Cissoko with Tiken Jah Fakoly give us the sweet melodic side of reggae with ‘On Veut Se Marier’ while Majek Fashek’s ‘Man Of Sorrow’ has a real feel of Marley. Very good.

Graham Radley

Coba Coba is an Afro-Peruvian expression akin to ‘Go for it!’ and Novalima do that in all the best ways. The band  have at their roots a bedrock of Afro-Peruvian rhythms and melodies which they freely envelop with a mix that incorporates Latin, dub and electronica. Special guests include New Zealand nu-jazz keyboardist Mark de Clive-Lowe, Cuban hip-hop group Obsesión while producer Toni Economides (Nitin Sawhney and Bugz In The Attic) brings it all together with just the right feel of soulful roots meets edgy grooves. Have a listen to tracks like ‘Coba Guarango’ and be prepared to be moved. Top stuff.

Graham Radley

Follow up to ‘3 to get ready’ from Chris Bowden, Neil Bullock and Ben Markland which opens with a fine take on Miles Davis’s ‘Freddie The Freeloader’. Further jazz staples include Antonio Carlos Jobim’s ‘Chega de Saudade and Wayne Shorter’s ‘Isotope as well as a bonus DVD track of Billy Cobham’s ‘Red Baron’Great straight ahead playing and whilst it’s not on the wild side the quality glows through and embraces you.

Graham Radley

This is a vocal and instrumental suite by John McCusker, performed by a brilliant line up of Britain’s finest musicians. Originally commissioned by the PRS Foundation, the Scottish Arts Council and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Under One Sky explores the many different traditions, genres and influences at work across the UK folk scene and incorporates them into 7 pieces of music. McCusker’s hand-picked ensemble includes Graham Coxon , Roddy Woomble, Julie Fowlis,  John Tams and Jim Causley also feature among the singers while the instrumentalists include Iain MacDonald, Andy Cutting Ian Carr and Emma Reid. Evocative music which  shines especially on ‘S Tusa Thilleas’ sung by Julie Fowlis and ‘Long Time Past/Lavender Hill’ with lead from Roddy Womble. Excellent.

Graham Radley

What’s great about Jimi Tenor is that he refuses to be tied down to any particular style of music. For over twenty years he has dabbled in experimental rock, rare funk and African rhythms. It does seem however that he has found a comfort zone exploring variations of Afro-funk. His previous release, “Joystone” was a wonderful blend of West African, jazz and latin rhythms. With “4th Dimension”, Jimi and Kabu Kabu continue where they left off and embark on a spirited journey that will keep your body moving long after the disc has finished. Standout tracks include “Mystery Spot” an energetic afro-beat inspired tune that sets the stage for what’s in store here. “Mogadishu Ave” is another powerful track full of blistering horns and searing guitars. “Floating Orange” is high octane funk mixed with spiritual jazz overtones. This track is intense and worthy of repeated listening. In fact, I assure you will find it difficult to bypass any track on this disc. If you thought “Joystone” was hot then wait until you hear “4th Dimension”. This is simply a fabulous record and another triumph for Jimi Tenor. I urge you not to miss it.

Reg Dancy

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The folks at Far Out recordings have routinely turned out quality Brazilian music and this project is no exception. Strictly Samba features exceptional work from some of Brazil’s most talented artists to have recorded for the label. These musicians are already stars back home but Far Out aims to showcase them to a wider audience. There are several here who have already achieved that status. For starters there is the immensely talented Seu Jorge on the track “Carolina” a laidback mid-tempo samba. Azymuth has represented Brazil as arguably their most successful jazz groups for many years and for good reason. “Depois do Caranaval” is a warm, spacey harmonic gem. The Ipanemas serenade us with their trademark afro-samba sound on the track “Era Bom”. A pleasant surprise amongst this collection is the work of guitarist Arthur Verocai. The tune “Tudo de Bom”, features lively horn arrangements and the guitar skills that have people buzzing about him. Joyce and Elza Soares have been performing for over forty years. Together on “Samba da Silva”, they create a warm and blissful samba that will conjure visions of sunny afternoons on the beach and other tropical delights. This is just an example of the sixteen quality recordings presented here that will provide immediate satisfaction. This is essential listening for Samba enthusiasts.

Reg Dancy

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This digital release is the first in a quarterly series from Coopr8, the latest incarnation of the much-loved Co-Op spirit, and it’s all pretty straight forward really. It’s a collection of premium quality music from some of the most talented and dedicated proponents of the broken beat sound around, including Ayro, Simbad, Bugz, Domu, Karizma, Colonel Red, Restless Soul and Marc Mac. That’s quite a line-up I’m sure you’ll agree, and for anyone who, like me, was beginning to feel rather depressed about the gaping chasm that’s been left in club land by the end of the bi-weekly Co-Op party, this is truly essential listening. I defy you not to be warmed and heartened by the supreme quality of these broken grooves.

Tom Breslin

So, hopefully you’ve read the interview and now you’re prepped, ready and just waiting for the album to drop. Well, you’ll be glad to know that you certainly won’t be disappointed, for Phlash and his mates have produced a tight, powerful collection of ten songs, which individually stand strong on their own, but which also make sense collectively as a coherent whole. Such a balance is an all too rare occurrence in the world of House music, where ‘albums’ often represent anthologies of an artist’s most recent work, rather than focused projects. Not here. Asher manages, despite the impressive number of cooks involved, to perfect the broth and get everyone working towards the same deep and electronic, but also very soulful, sound. Everyone will have their own favourites, depending on personal tastes, but the standout, for me, is the raw and bass-heavy, Shalamar inspired “Do It Up”, a co-production with Benji B that features trade mark cosmic funk vocals from Sa-Ra’s Ommas. Honourable mentions also go to “Minefield”; an atmospheric and industrial instrumental produced with 4 Hero’s Dego, and “Jungle Orchidz”, a tough, Soca driven vocal from the glorious Alma Horton.

Tom Breslin

I get the feeling that folks don’t realize just how influential Leon Ware has been to soul music. His contributions began during the height of Motown where among his credits is co-writer of Michael Jackson’s “I wanna be where you are” and the sensual Marvin Gaye album “I want you”. Still, his singing and songwriting remains relevant today. His latest release, “Moonride” is a collection of his signature compositions of melodic and lyrical love music. Leon has been quite busy recently working with the likes of Jazzanova, Liquid Spirits and countless others. Fortunately he saved plenty of good music for his own release. Leon’s falsetto voice is in peak form on tracks like “Hold Tight”, a tender, dreamy ballad that is a delightful listen. “I never loved so much” is an engaging lush down-tempo soothing track. “A whisper away” is another lush gem that features warm latin grooves that make you think of summer. The fact that this is Leon’s first major label release in two decades is a testament to his craft of creating timeless love music. “Moon ride” will certainly satisfy fans of his music as well as those that enjoy warm intimate music for the soul.

Reg Dancy

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With a name like The Grits, one would expect nothing but raw uncut funk. The group from Brighton delivers with a ten track disc full of funky instrumental soul numbers sure to make your head nod and leave you feeling nostalgic of the days when you heard tunes like this everyday. The disc starts out with the laidback “Ug Ug Aah”, this track boasts catchy guitar rhythms, the delightful sounds of the Hammond b-3 and funky drums that will make you want to move. The group lays some grease on tunes like “Jam Jam” and “Crazy Legs”. On “Funky Soul Brother” this track is supported by a serious bass line that allows the rhythm section plenty of room to create soulful harmonies. Most of the tracks here barely exceed three minutes but they make good use of every note. There’s no showboating here just a good old fashioned jam session that will satisfy any loyal funk enthusiast. This is a very enjoyable record by a talented band worth keeping an eye on.

Reg Dancy

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