Key Elements: Key Elements [Sonar Kollektiv]
DJ/Producer Marian Tone has been a fixture on the Berlin scene and his DJ sets feature his love for hip-hop, electronica and broken beat. Key Elements, his long awaited project on Sonar Kollektiv fuses these genres seamlessly with a touch of jazz to elevate this recording. Tone is joined by Drummer Waldi and Keyboardist and bassist Jim Dunloop. The opening track “Mike Needs Sugat” is laced with sweet colorful chordal soundscapes. “Orchestra Mode” is bursting with crystallizing keyboard like chords and bombastic drums. “Sua Onda” swings while shifting tempos, textures. and broken beat rhythms against a backdrop of gorgeous rhodes melodies. Toneis hits the mark with an impressive debut that’s harmonic and melodic. I’m already looking forward to what he does next.
The Colours That Rise: Grey Doubt [Rhythm Section International]
Producer Simeon Jones and Nathanael Williams form the duo known as The Colours That Rise. Their latest release “Grey Doubt” is lo-fi celestial electronica built on funk, broken beat grooves and spacey synths. This is the follow up to their impressive EP “2020”. “Hype Lane” is laid back galactic funk with a wobbly 70s wah wah groove. “The Juice” is a touch of afro house highlighted by the vocals of Andrew Ashong. The aptly titled “Atmosphere” erupts with warm and mellow chords merged with the sultry vocals of Yazmin Lacey. The compositions here are intertwined with dialogue alleging that black people are living on Mars. The point being that you must be mindful of the conspiracy theories that are floating in the universe. It’s tastefully done and blends seamlessly with the spacey compositions on tap here. I recommend you take a trip through this galaxy of gorgeous grooves and enjoy the ride.
Gary Bartz & Maisha: Night Dreamer Direct To Disc Sessions [Night Dreamer Records]
Night Dreamer records has made quite a splash with their direct to disc sessions. Their last release was the sublime duet between Brazilian vocalists Seu Jorge and Roge. The latest entry is the collaboration of legendary alto saxophonist Gary Bartz and the UK spiritual jazz group Maisha. Led by drummer Jake Long, Maisha has been amongst a lengthy list of promient musicians leading the new wave on the UK jazz renaissance. The band and Bartz first met during the We Out Here festival in 2019 hosted by Gilles Peterson. Another encounter was the London Jazz Festival that celebrated the 50th anniversary of Bartz’s spiritual jazz album “Another Earth”. A chremistry was quickly formed which brings us to this direct to disc one take recording. “Let’s Dance” is filled with afro caribbean rhythms serving as a canvas for Bartz’s warm and adventurous horn melodies. “Uhuru Sasa” is 70s inspired soul jazz with a burning laid back groove. The only quibble is that there’s only five tracks here but these are five exceptional tracks nonetheless. It’s our fortune that the forces of nature brought this pairing together. Simply a brillant record that hopefully entices them to return for an encore.
1st June 2020
Bergsonist feat. Tonina – Womankind’s Beauty [Hypercolour]
Quaid – Mirage [Apron Records]
Niklas Wandt – Erdtöne [Kryptox]
Aleksi Heinola Quintet – Drift (Live at Lonna 3.7.19) [We Jazz Records]
Asher Gamedze – Siyabulela [On The Corner Records]
Jan Simonsen Quintet – Martin [Jazzaggression Records]
Vibration Black Finger – The Glory [Jazzman Records]
Lady Blackbird – Blackbird [Foundation Music]
George Duke – Foosh [MPS Records]
Leron Thomas – Corporate [Lewis Recordings]
Darrow Fletcher – (What Are We Gonna Do About) This Mess [Kent Select]
Footshooter feat. Izzy Risk – Slipped Back [Dance Regular]
Agent K – Ladies [Laws Of Motion]
Kutiman – Copasavana [Siyal Music]
Erik Tagg – Marja’s Tune [P-Vine]
Logic System – Be Yourself [Wewantsounds]
Samuel Jonathan Johnson – Sweet Love [Be With Records]
Marquis Hawkes – Voyage [Unknown To The Unknown]
Mr Beatnick – Invisible Escalator [Mythstery Records]
Black Classical – Medassi [On The Corner Records]
Arnaud D feat. Rescue Poetix – Chasing Dreams [Atjazz Record Company]
Girls Of The Internet – By My Side [Drab Queen]
25th May 2020
Chip Wickham – Interstellar [Love Monk]
Lamont Johnson – Philosophers Store [Masterscores]
Gary Bartz & Maisha – The Stank [Night Dreamer]
Limoncello – Musica Aqui [Far Out Recordings]
Erik Tagg – Got To Be Lovin’ You [P-Vine]
Larry Rose Band – Who Conned The Lady [BBE Music]
Phyllis Hyman – You Know How To Love Me [Arista Records]
Bandé-Gamboa – Festa Na Praia [Heavenly Sweetness]
Fairuz – Aloula (Version 1) [Wewantsounds]
Deborah Jordan – Horizon [Futuristica Music]
Pugs Atomz & Inkswel feat. Planetself – Invite The Light [Sonar Kollektiv]
OXP feat. Grand Puba & Pudgee – In The 90’s [NBN Records]
DJ Juco feat. Mr Pug & DJ Katslaw – Lotus Sonido [Refreshment Records]
Inkswel feat. Tableek – Spread Love [Inner Tribe Records]
Sahin Gultekin – Vur Zilleri (Fattish Rework) [Topkapı Plak]
Eko – Ndolo Embe Mulema [Africa Seven]
Awkward Corners – Straight Ahead [Shapes Of Rhythm]
Afterlife – Wanderlust [Subatomic] Into the Heat EP
Atjazz, At One & Emilie Chick – Lxve [Atjazz Record Company]
Jullian Gomes feat. Zaki Ibrahim – Stay [Atjazz Record Company]
The Milk – Feels So Good (Scrimshire Bruk Up The Family Remix) [Wah Wah 45s]
M-Scape – Feel Good [Last Forever Records]
Geoffroy – Broken Bone (67100 Dub Ina Bruk Remix) [Dope Tones Records]
1Luv – Black Daylight [SunTzu Sound]
18th May 2020
LaTique – R.J.C.T.S (Rare Touch) [Atjazz Record Company]
Mr Beatnick – Noah’s Mood [Mythstery Records]
Natalie Slade – Love Light (Holloway Remix) [Eglo Records]
Captain Over – Jupiterrr [XVI Records]
Gaye Su Akyol – Akil Olmayinca (Jonny Rock’s Tropical Soundfactory Remix) [Vesvese Records]
Kutiman Orchestra – Saluf (Live at the Ogen) [Siyal Music]
Etuk Ubong – African Struggle [Night Dreamer Records]
Voilaaa – Tenor Jam for Manu [Favorite Recordings]
Rabii Harnoune & V.B.Kühl – Yomali [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
Brain Rays Quiet – Hemlock [Seagrave]
Mahakala – Blue [Mahakala]
BHLB feat. Nicolai – What Would You Do [Streetology Studios]
DJ Mitsu The Beats – Time and Tide [Jazzy Sport]
Mecca:83 – Fulton Street
Sauce81 – Dreamy Planet [Ultra Vybe Records]
Gaijin Blues – Bahamut (The Town Provider) (Emanative Remix) [Shapes Of Rhythm]
Bone Idols & Aphletik feat. TY – Keep On [Above The Clouds Recordings]
TY – We Don’t Care [Big Dada Recordings]
TY – Heart Is Breaking [BBE Music]
TY feat. Roots Manuva – Oh U Want More? (Refix) [Big Dada Recordings]
TY – Groovement (Pt. 1) [Big Dada Recordings]
Natalie Williams feat. TY And Eska – The Way We Like It [East Side Records]
TY feat. Eska – Sophisticated & Coarse [Talkin’ Loud]
Nextmen feat. TY – Turn It Up a Little [Scenario Records]
TY – Somehow Somewhere Someway (Kaidi Tatham Remix) [Jazz Re:freshed]
TY – Wait A Minute [Big Dada Recordings]
11th May 2020
Gold – Now I Know [Athens Of The North]
Beloyd – Get Into To Your Life [Jazzman Records]
Lenny White – Enchanted Pool Suite (Part II) [Nemperor Records]
Chip Wickham – The Cosmos [Love Monk]
Manu Dibango – Ma Marie [Disques Espérance]
Moja – The Mysterious Mr E [GR Records]
Sebastien Tellier – La Ritournelle [Lucky Number]
Tony Allen & The Afro Messengers – Love Is A Natural Thing [Afro Strut]
Tony Allen – Black Voices [Comet]
Waaju – Listening Glasses [Olindo Records]
Gal Costa – Que Pena (Ela Já Não Gosta De Mim) [Philips]
Seu Jorge & Roge – Meu Brasil [Night Dreamer Records]
Key Elements – Sua Onda [Sonar Kollektiv]
Sweatson Klank & Rite Along – Nino [Friends Of Friends]
Domu Presents Pete Simpson – Won’t Give Up [Papa Records]
Sam O.B. – Opaque Pace [Bastard Jazz Recordings]
Manuel Fischer – Doomsday Preppers [Ozelot Ltd.]
David Bailey feat. Shezar x Jaybay – Get Your Body Down To The Floor (Crackazat Remix) [Makin’ Moves]
Quaid – Latent Heat [Apron Records]
Simbad feat. Ammo Moses – Time Off [Atjazz Record Company]
TY feat. Mpho – Brixton Baby [Jazz Re:Freshed]
4th May 2020
Roy Ayers – Reaching The Highest Pleasure [BBE Music]
OK:KO – Syrtti (Live At Ateneum 20.3.19) [We Jazz Records]
Bohannon – Save Their Souls [Dakar]
Bohannon – Come Dance With Me [Mercury]
Bohannon – Andrea [Mercury]
O’Bryan – Doin’ Alright [Capitol Records]
DJ Simon S feat. Oz – Beautiful [Futuristica Music]
Jay.Soul – Matterhorn Moods [It Won’t Stop]
Myele Manzanza – Shook Ones Part Three For Her
Fayth Hope – Pole Dance
Photek – T-Raenon [Op-ART]
Peshay – Supernova [Peshay Music]
The Colours That Rise feat. Andrew Ashong – The Juice [Rhythm Section International]
Mumpers – Sirus [Drab Queen]
Guedra Guedra – Juke Lockstep [On The Corner Records]
Gülcan Opel – Yat Kolumun Üstüne (Fattish rework) [Topkapı Plak]
T-Roy & Able feat. Colonel Red & Cecilia Stali – I Like It (80s Throwback Mix) [Broadcite]
Quaid – Mystery feat. Sheperd [Apron Records]
Luis Radio – Reaching Out [BBE Music]
Audiomontage – Barracuda [Freerange Records]
musclecars feat. Brandon Markell Holmes – Don’t Go [Toucan Sounds]
Norm Talley – Change (Mike Huckaby Remix) [Third Ear Recordings]
Jordan Peak – S.O.O.N. (Mike Huckaby Remix) [Rogue Society]
JK Group: The Young Ones [La Sape]
Saxophonist Josh King stretches out on his own with the release of “The Young Ones”. King taps into a more jazzier sound combined with Dilla inspired beats and house rhythms in contrast to the soulful hip-hop oriented sound of the Melbourne based group 30/70 of which he’s an active member. “Seeds” is an infectious up-tempo banger with crackling percussion courtesy of drummer Ziggy Zeitgeist. It’s essential jazz funk with elements of house that’s irrestiblea. “Nutta One” is another up-tempo heater filled with spacey soundscapes. King’s tone on the horn is big and broad as evidence on the slow burning “Jazz Muggie”. On “23” the band dives deep into a samba groove and stretches out. Zeitgeist’s powerful rhythms provide the canvas for King’s horn and Lewis Moody’s gorgeous piano melodies. King makes a potent impression with his debut and demonstrates the ability to lay down a groove in a myriad of styles. It’s an impressive album that you shouldn’t miss.
On-ly: Broth [La Sape]
The Melbourne based label La Sape has been very busy this year. Among their projects are the JK Group, Horatio Luna and Godtet among others. Another impressive project has emerged courtesy of pianist and instrumentalist Joshua Smeltink aka On-ly. On-ly’s latest lp “Broth” is an exploration of psychedelic fusion and hypnotic grooves. On-ly’s approach to his compositions are a bit unorthodox but pleasing nonetheless. “Cante Hondo” is a trippy stew of moogs and synths. “Get It” is a twelve minute journey of atmospheric jazz funk loaded with synths and percussion. “Double Edge” is mellow spaced out funk. Overall “Broth” is a tasty treat of avant garde jazz funk along the lines of Miles Davis “Bitches Brew” with a touch of Weather Report that’s definitely worth checking out.