Jazz / Soul

Promises is a collaboration between British electronic music producer Sam “Floating Points” Shepherd and American jazz legend Pharoah Sanders (with an assist from the London Symphony Orchestra), and it sits in that nebulous dimension.The album, a sweeping, solitary composition of nine movements, combines Shepherd’s arrangements and artistic vision with the spiritual yearnings of Sanders’s tenor saxophone; the result is an otherworldly, dreamlike experience.The strings section of the London Symphony Orchestra, fully making their arrival in Movement 6, heighten both the album’s drama and splendor. The result is a rewarding study in contrasts: an oddly cohesive conversation between the worlds of spiritual jazz, electronic music, and classical music.

Being the humble guys that they are, Surprise Chef aren't going to admit they have something very special going down. However, there must be some magic in their studio, or maybe in the fact they all share a house and have formed close bonds, or perhaps from absorbing the DIY ethos of running their own record label that has culminated in such a unique and enchanting sound.'Daylight Savings' is the follow-up to the group's debut album 'All News Is Good News’. That album earned the band a much-deserved following across the world and triumphantly marked their arrival onto the international stage. Their new album was recorded in Spring 2019, almost exactly a year after they recorded ‘All News Is Good News’. It was the weekend that daylight savings time started in Australia, and the studio was filled with the smell of the towering Jasmine bush on the exterior back wall of the house. The record is subsequently filled with the optimism that comes with the impending warmer months and longer days in Australia.Recorded in their own home studio in Melbourne, the production approach for 'Daylight Savings' is a big step up from their debut. Engineer, Henry Jenkins, created enormous-sounding space within this record, using a great deal of creative analogue recording techniques and working in an expansive recording environment. The results are a sound that emulates the massiveness of the late-60s Capitol Records.‘Daylight Savings' was written collaboratively by the whole band and features the core Surprise Chef rhythm section. It expands upon where their debut left off with a leaning more towards 70's jazzfunk than soul and a stronger focus on the rhythm section. There’s the epic drama, ebbs and flows of a vintage David Axelrod or Alain Goraguer cinematic production, plus the influence of El Michels Affair and Melbourne bands Karate Boogaloo and The Putbacks, yet it still sounds uniquely Surprise Chef. You get a sense of that rare attribute of being both a contemporary band and a band you expect it won't be too long before other producers start sampling them.

✺ Second edition of Korean AOR/City Pop compilation.✺ Newly illustrated artwork by Kwon Seo-young (tototatatu).✺ 4-panel insert with extensive liner notes.✺ Pressed on hot pink vinyl.One word that might aptly describe Japan’s society and culture during the 1980s would be ‘bubble economy(バブル 景気)’, which is to say that it was characterized by abnormally inflated asset prices. Japan, which had emerged as a global economic powerhouse through rapid growth during the 70s, saw an era of unprecedented economic prosperity as it entered the 80s. As the Yen appreciated, the Japanese government opted to focus on stimulating domestic growth. Policies for driving domestic demand, such as low interest rates and relaxation of loan requirements, saw mass capital flows to the stock market and real estate. Japanese people experienced an unprecedented level of economic stability and leisure. The interest rate on savings accounts at banks hovered in the 8% range. Companies looking to hire new recruits paid hundreds of dollars to interviewees, and it was not uncommon for a salaryman in his 20s to make upwards of half a million dollars per year. It was a blissful time for everyone involved – businesses, the state, and the people. Or so it seemed. By the early 90s, this short-lived bubble suddenly collapsed as interest rates spiked and loans were put on hold.Around this time, the very notion of city life, with its promise of prosperity amid economic stability, had a sense of allure to it. More and more people wanted to partake in a culture that was more sophisticated and refined. Likewise, a growing consumer base was purchasing automobiles and car audios. It was amid this atmosphere that new forms of music drawing on western soft rock, AOR, and adult contemporary, and incorporating elements of smooth jazz, contemporary R&B, and funk, rose to prominence. The urban-tinged music created by artists such as Hosono Haruomi(細野晴臣, formerly of Japanese rock pioneers Happy End(はっぴいえんど)), Tatsuro Yamashita(山下達郎), and Mariya Takeuchi(竹内まりや) came to be known as ‘city pop’. The city pop boom, which was buoyed on by the optimism pervading Japanese society during the 80s, faded away along with the collapse of the economic bubble. City pop still went on to influence the ‘Shibuya-kei’ style, which developed during the 90s around Tokyo’s Shibuya district, drawing from French pop, baroque pop, bossa nova, lounge, and house music.The recent resurgence in the popularity of city pop, to the point where it appears to have carved out a central position in hipster culture, is a rather intriguing phenomenon. To begin with, the term ‘city pop’ itself was more of a marketing slogan, pointing to ‘music with urban sensibilities’ targeted toward consumers aspiring to urban life, rather than a descriptor of some particular music style or genre. Neither was the term widely used during the actual historical peak of the style’s popularity(that is, the 80s). On the contrary, it appears to have been rediscovered and redefined amid the ‘new-tro’ vogue of the late 2000s, driven by the nostalgia of those who grew up during the 80s. The important elements of ‘city pop’ have more to do with the sensational and affective descriptors associated with the term itself – such as sophistication, relaxedness, comfort, freshness, dynamism, elegance, radiance, sweetness, as well as the splendor and romanticism associated with the city. The underlying appeal of retro stems from the desire to experience and enjoy things from before one’s own time. This is not unconnected to the popularity of ‘cool kitschy’ subculture trends like vaporwave or future funk. So, there’s nothing surprising about today’s youths digging through well or lesser-known gayo records from the early/mid 90s featuring AOR, jazz fusion, or funky styles. Likewise, the artists that are mentioned under the keywords of ‘Korean City Pop’ – names like the Yoon Soo-il Band or the City Boys, Lee Jae-min, Bom Yeoreum Gaeul Kyeoul(Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter), Kim Hyun-chul, Yoon Sang, Jang Pil-soon, Bitgwa Sogeum(Light & Salt), Yang Soo-kyung, Nami, Lee Eun-ha, and Hye-eunyi – are not unfamiliar.This trend shouldn’t be regarded simply in terms of the so-called ‘golden age thinking’ in the face of a bleaker present-day reality. While there are plausible sociological interpretations attributing the popularity of retro to economic downturns or as an affective reaction to a precarious present and an uncertain future, there is a more complex background that should be considered. Unlike the generations before them, the current ‘core’ age group of Korean society who grew up during the 80s and 90s had ample exposure to diverse cultures, in which they partook and immersed themselves in a natural manner. The music from this time period has become ingrained as part of this generation’s cherished memories – so they actively revisit this bygone era. On the other hand, for the youths of the 2010s, this past that they never experienced is not only unfamiliar – it isn’t particularly interesting, either. For this novelty-driven generation, the past simply represents outdated and lame relics that have rightly faded away into obscurity. But lo and behold – they are in for a surprise! They soon learn that the killer tune from the latest Marvel movie they saw is actually several decades old. Or that the main melody from their favorite new track is actually a sample from an 80s tune. Or take popular TV shows set in the 80s, like – they are full of music from that era. A realization soon dawns on them: that the past lies blended in with the present, often within grasping distance. Some younger viewers of the series go so far as to feel a certain nostalgia for a time that they never even experienced. For this generation, retro represents not a trip down memory lane, but an adventure where they go off in search of new, interesting, and hip stuff. Thus, it becomes the case that the ""old is the new new"". Meanwhile, for the generation who grew up during the 80s and 90s, retro can become a means of rediscovering things that they might have passed by without noticing – elements of sophistication or sensibilities that were ahead of their time. Some works from this time need some retouching, or ‘restoration’, to be appreciated again, while others can be partially recycled. In most cases, however, these past works hold up quite well on their own, as they are. Cycles in art and culture never cease to ebb and flow. The sounds that laid the groundwork for the birth and growth of hip hop were in fact hidden sounds from an even earlier past. The popularity of rare grooves gave rise to new styles, while urban contemporary and AOR were in heavy rotation on FM radio. And now, three decades down the line from then, it just so happens that the trends of the present trace their roots back to the 80s and 90s. Serious/intense rock, innovative experimental/avant-garde sounds, or artsy music have become out of touch with the current sensibilities of our time.Though its popularity might have been short-lived at the time, the music of the 80s and 90s featured soft saxophone parts, lively rhythms, meticulously-crafted harmonies, and beautiful melodies. These make for a fusion sound that is particularly well-suited for the tastes of today. It is worth appreciating that the 90s, by which time the waves of American AOR and Japan’s city pop had already faded away, was a golden age for Korean gayo. So, it’s quite rewarding and enjoyable to rediscover and listen to tracks that are well worth another spin after all those years.Amid this process of rediscovery, one of the recurring names is ‘Dong-A Records’ – an artist-driven label that has left a distinctive mark on Korean pop music. It rose to become the ‘Mecca of Korea’s underground music’ thanks to its unique beginnings, sense of orientation, and production/promotion methods that set it apart from the usual record labels and entertainment agencies. Consider some of the mainstays of the label’s roster – there’s a long list of illustrious artists including Deulgukhwa, Shi-in-gwa Chonjang(Poet and Chief), Cho Dong-jin, the Shinchon Blues, Han Young-ae, Kim Hyun-sik, Pureun Haneul(Blue Sky), Kim Hyun-chul, Bom Yeoreum Gaeul Kyeoul, Bitgwa Sogeum, Jang Pil-soon, Park Hak-gi, and Lee Sora. Although Bom Yeoreum Gaeul Kyeoul did score a latter-day hit in 2002 with ‘Bravo, My Life!’, the true heyday of Dong-A Records was a short-lived period that lasted from the mid-80s to the early-90s(A list of ‘100 Masterpiece Albums of Korean Pop Music’ selected by critics in 2018 included twelve Dong-A releases from this time – the most entries for any one label). Regardless of whether some of the works achieved commercial and/or popular success, all albums were produced to very high musical standards. Building on the individuality and talent of the artists on their roster, each of the works produced at Dong-A employed capable session musicians and were recorded meticulously. And among this body of work, there have been a number of tunes that did not fade away with the passing of the years, but have stood the test of time and retained their brilliance. Such are the tunes that have been carefully collected into this compilation album. The 10 tracks were selected by the multi-talented Tiger Disco, who has made his name amid the retro resurgence as a DJ specializing in funk/disco gayo from the 80s.The title of this compilation, ‘Our Town’, and the by-title, ‘Jazz Fusion, Funky Pop & Bossa Gayo Tracks from Dong-A Records’ plainly outline the character of the album. Perhaps a more ‘current’ description of the album would be to call it a ‘Dong-A Records City Pop Collection’. The tracks cover the historical heyday of the label – from 1989 to 1993 – an era by which time Korea’s gayo scene had matured to the point of making significant strides forward in terms of both quality and quantity. Amid a previously pop-dominated music market, gayo music had carved out a newfound and varied sense of status, putting out records that were enthusiastically purchased by young listeners. Upcoming Korean musicians who’d absorbed the vibrant and plentiful influences and sensibilities of 80s pop, rock, and jazz were starting to reach new levels of sophistication in their music, thus setting them apart from the gayo acts that had come before them without thinking to confine or limit themselves to notions of ‘Korean-ness’. In any case, their music was uncommon in Korea at the time. The sensibilities of these songs, which in many aspects were ahead of their time, sometimes served as a refreshing inspiration for listeners while escaping popular notice at other times. And now, after nearly a generation has passed, the tunes of this compilation have not lost their appeal. Throwbacks to some, and the object of exciting discovery to others, the tunes selected here remain cool and hip.– they are full of music from that era. A realization soon dawns on them: that the past lies blended in with the present, often within grasping distance. Some younger viewers of the series go so far as to feel a certain nostalgia for a time that they never even experienced. For this generation, retro represents not a trip down memory lane, but an adventure where they go off in search of new, interesting, and hip stuff. Thus, it becomes the case that the ""old is the new new"". Meanwhile, for the generation who grew up during the 80s and 90s, retro can become a means of rediscovering things that they might have passed by without noticing – elements of sophistication or sensibilities that were ahead of their time. Some works from this time need some retouching, or ‘restoration’, to be appreciated again, while others can be partially recycled. In most cases, however, these past works hold up quite well on their own, as they are. Cycles in art and culture never cease to ebb and flow. The sounds that laid the groundwork for the birth and growth of hip hop were in fact hidden sounds from an even earlier past. The popularity of rare grooves gave rise to new styles, while urban contemporary and AOR were in heavy rotation on FM radio. And now, three decades down the line from then, it just so happens that the trends of the present trace their roots back to the 80s and 90s. Serious/intense rock, innovative experimental/avant-garde sounds, or artsy music have become out of touch with the current sensibilities of our time.Though its popularity might have been short-lived at the time, the music of the 80s and 90s featured soft saxophone parts, lively rhythms, meticulously-crafted harmonies, and beautiful melodies. These make for a fusion sound that is particularly well-suited for the tastes of today. It is worth appreciating that the 90s, by which time the waves of American AOR and Japan’s city pop had already faded away, was a golden age for Korean gayo. So, it’s quite rewarding and enjoyable to rediscover and listen to tracks that are well worth another spin after all those years.Amid this process of rediscovery, one of the recurring names is ‘Dong-A Records’ – an artist-driven label that has left a distinctive mark on Korean pop music. It rose to become the ‘Mecca of Korea’s underground music’ thanks to its unique beginnings, sense of orientation, and production/promotion methods that set it apart from the usual record labels and entertainment agencies. Consider some of the mainstays of the label’s roster – there’s a long list of illustrious artists including Deulgukhwa, Shi-in-gwa Chonjang(Poet and Chief), Cho Dong-jin, the Shinchon Blues, Han Young-ae, Kim Hyun-sik, Pureun Haneul(Blue Sky), Kim Hyun-chul, Bom Yeoreum Gaeul Kyeoul, Bitgwa Sogeum, Jang Pil-soon, Park Hak-gi, and Lee Sora. Although Bom Yeoreum Gaeul Kyeoul did score a latter-day hit in 2002 with ‘Bravo, My Life!’, the true heyday of Dong-A Records was a short-lived period that lasted from the mid-80s to the early-90s(A list of ‘100 Masterpiece Albums of Korean Pop Music’ selected by critics in 2018 included twelve Dong-A releases from this time – the most entries for any one label). Regardless of whether some of the works achieved commercial and/or popular success, all albums were produced to very high musical standards. Building on the individuality and talent of the artists on their roster, each of the works produced at Dong-A employed capable session musicians and were recorded meticulously. And among this body of work, there have been a number of tunes that did not fade away with the passing of the years, but have stood the test of time and retained their brilliance. Such are the tunes that have been carefully collected into this compilation album. The 10 tracks were selected by the multi-talented Tiger Disco, who has made his name amid the retro resurgence as a DJ specializing in funk/disco gayo from the 80s.The title of this compilation, ‘Our Town’, and the by-title, ‘Jazz Fusion, Funky Pop & Bossa Gayo Tracks from Dong-A Records’ plainly outline the character of the album. Perhaps a more ‘current’ description of the album would be to call it a ‘Dong-A Records City Pop Collection’. The tracks cover the historical heyday of the label – from 1989 to 1993 – an era by which time Korea’s gayo scene had matured to the point of making significant strides forward in terms of both quality and quantity. Amid a previously pop-dominated music market, gayo music had carved out a newfound and varied sense of status, putting out records that were enthusiastically purchased by young listeners. Upcoming Korean musicians who’d absorbed the vibrant and plentiful influences and sensibilities of 80s pop, rock, and jazz were starting to reach new levels of sophistication in their music, thus setting them apart from the gayo acts that had come before them without thinking to confine or limit themselves to notions of ‘Korean-ness’. In any case, their music was uncommon in Korea at the time. The sensibilities of these songs, which in many aspects were ahead of their time, sometimes served as a refreshing inspiration for listeners while escaping popular notice at other times. And now, after nearly a generation has passed, the tunes of this compilation have not lost their appeal. Throwbacks to some, and the object of exciting discovery to others, the tunes selected here remain cool and hip.

This rare take on the Bobby Caldwell classic will bring latin warmth to any dancefloor. Por Amor was the title track from the first ITTY release in 2021, after many requests for a repress it’s finally out again – now on a 7” with a new Comb dub version on the flip!Feedback: 'This is a really great re-edit of a track you will recognise' - Gilles PetersonDJ Support: Admin, Charlie Bones, Frederika, Gilles Peterson, Make A Dance, Rustam Ospanoff, Sam Don, Semi-Skimmed Edits.

Following the highly acclaimed first volume in the series, Japanese jazz expert Yusuke Ogawa continues the WaJazz exploration with another essential collection of music that contains something uniquely Japanese — focusing this time on the King Records catalog. Featuring timeless music by Isao Suzuki, Toshiaki Yokota, Akira Miyazawa, Takeru Muraoka, Yasuaki Shimizu, Masahiko Togashi, George Otsuka, and more!● Gatefold 180g heavy double vinyl LP, reverse board print. Comes with extensive track-by-track liner notes by Yusuke Ogawa.● All tracks licensed by King Record Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.● Mastering and lacquer cut by Jukka Sarapää at Timmion Cutting Lab, Helsinki, Finland.● Signature artwork by Nker

✺ Verve By Request Series✺ Manufactured at Third Man Pressing in Detroit MI✺ 180G Audiophile Quality VinylThe Awakening is an album by American jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal featuring performances recorded in 1970 for the Impulse! label.The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4 stars stating "By 1970, pianist Ahmad Jamal's style had changed a bit since the 1950s, becoming denser and more adventurous while still retaining his musical identity... Intriguing performances showing that Ahmad Jamal was continuing to evolve".Retrospectively, the album has had an influence in Hip hop music culture and production, with artists such as Nas and Common sampling tracks from the album for their work.

Following the success of the 'Tokyo Glow' compilation, Wewantsounds once again teams up with Japanese Tokyo-based DJ Notoya to dig the rich Electric Bird catalogue and come with a versatile selection of sunny Jazz-Funk gems recorded between 1978 and 1987 for the label. A tasty selection featuring Yasuaki Shimizu, Toshiyuki Honda and Mikio Masuda, together with a few American musicians such as Ronnie Foster and Bobby Lyle. Most tracks make their vinyl debut outside of Japan and the album has been designed by Optigram/Manuel Sepulveda and is annotated by DJ Notoya. Audio newly remastered in Tokyo by King Records. Japanese Funk expert DJ Notoya is back with a superb selection of Nippon Jazz-Funk picked from the cult label Electric Bird. A sub-label from the venerable Japanese label King Records, Electric Bird was set up in 1977 to cater for the booming Nippon Jazz Funk audience that King - as the Japanese licensee for such US jazz labels at Blue Note or CTI - had grown for years. ​Taking advantage of their experience and the many contacts King had garnered through their American partners, Electric Bird, headed by in-house producer Shigeyuki Kawashima, decided to apply the same formula to their new label. As Notoya writes in the liner notes "The US labels' blend of “crossover jazz” - led by such big selling artists like Bob James and Earl Klugh - began to gain a huge following domestically and internationally, King felt the need to get into the arena themselves and start producing fusion jazz recorded by Japanese artists."Kawashima began signing a new wave of jazz musicians from Japan, putting them in state-of-the-art Tokyo or New York studios and backing them with the best American and Japanese players in order to shape the slick, sun-drenched jazz funk sound that would be Electric Bird's signature sound. With "Funk Tide," DJ Notoya aimed at showcasing the diversity of the label's output, from the funky opener "In The Sky" by Trumpeter Shunzo Ohno (who plays keyboards here) to the sunshine mid-tempo groove of sax player Toshiyuki Honda's "Living in a City" featuring Paulinho Da Costa on perc via Mikio Masuda's Fender Rhodes-infected "Let's Get Together."​Electric Bird also signed a young sax player, Yasuaki Shimizu found here with the soulful "Summer Time" from his album "Far East Express" recorded at Electric Lady Studio in New York in July 1979. For good measure, the label also signed a few well-known American musicians including Ronnie Foster whose "Night Life" has a distinctive 80s funk feel and David Matthews with the Crusaders-esque "Special Delivery" featuring David Sanborn. ​One of "Funk Tide's" highlights is certainly Katsutoshi Morizono's "Space Traveller" from 1978, a remake of James Vincent's eponymous cult classic recorded two years before with some of Earth Wind And Fire's musicians and which has since become a favourite on the groove scene. Faithful to Vincent's beautiful laid-back, breezy original, Morizono's rendition add its own spice to it, and ending Notoya's skilled selection of the cutting-edge Electric Bird label on a perfect note.Funk Tide - Tokyo Jazz-Funk From Electric Bird 1978-87 de Various

Classic jazz-funk fusion from the late, great Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki. « Juice » est devenu un album très apprécié des amateurs de crate diggers et de jazz-funk, ses morceaux étant fréquemment samplés et réinventés en hip-hop. Le jam funk fumé, beat-down et spirituel « Bamboo Child » a été retourné par Diamond D, Puff Daddy et Kool G Rap. L’album est sorti en 1976 sur RCA Records et présente le batteur des musiciens Jimmy Young, le guitariste rythmique Hugh McCracken et le bassiste Stu Woods parmi d’autres sommités. Un album solide tout au long qui incorpore une forte dose de synthés déclenchés aux côtés du son disco émergent de l’époque. Des morceaux tels que l’ouverture « Raisins », avec son intro au rythme de la batterie et sa ligne de basse bouillonnante, rivalisent avec The Headhunters à leur meilleure époque. Un superbe album d’une légende underground.

✺ Classic Japanese Jazz LP widely available outside of Japan for the first time✺ Original artwork with OBI and 2-page insert✺ New Liner note by Paul Bowler✺ Newly remastered by Nippon Columbia using the ORT mastering TechnologyWewantsounds is delighted to reissue Fumio Itabashi's sought-after album "Watarase" hailed as one of the great Japanese jazz albums and featuring Itabashi on piano playing an inspired mix of standards and originals. Recorded in 1981 for Denon and released the following year, the album has since reached cult status among jazz connoisseurs, thanks to Itabashi's inventive piano playing and to its cult title track, a superb soulful and spiritual composition. Newly remastered by Nippon Columbia using their ORT mastering technology, the album reissue features original artwork including a 2 page insert with a new introduction by Paul bowler

Tokyo Dreaming is a superb selection picked from the highly collectible Nippon Columbia label and its Better Days sub-label. Wewantsounds have teamed up with journalist and Japanese music expert Nick Luscombe. The selection mixes electro, synth-pop, funk, and ambient and includes many sought-after rarities and hidden gems which have never been released outside of Japan and the set has been newly remastered by Nippon Columbia. Nippon Columbia, one of Japan's oldest music labels is also one of its most collectible thanks to its sub-label Better Days which, in the late '70s, became a hotbed for Tokyo's new generation of pop artists eager to experiment with ambient, electro, and funk. Armed with a string of new Japanese-made synthesizers and drum machines that would soon take the world by storm, they made cutting-edge music, which has since become highly sought-after by a new generation of Japanese music lovers.Nick Luscombe, who has long been a leading advocate of Japanese music from this era, has handpicked a selection of some of the sharpest music released on these labels at the time. Tokyo Dreaming starts with The End of Asia by Ryuichi Sakamoto from his 1978 ground-breaking debut Thousand Knives Of.... The track became a staple of Sakamoto and Yellow Magic Orchestra's live shows and was even re-recorded by the group for their 1980 album X Multiplies. The track is followed by Mariah's cult Armenian folk flavoured synth pop classic Shinzo No Tobira (1983). Chika Asamoto's Self Control (1988) and Jun Fukamachi's Treasure Hunter (1985) are perfect songs in the synth-pop canon, while Yumi Murata's rendition of Akiko Yano's Watashi No Bus and Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama's Rainy Driver both from 1981, move closer towards the slicker, funkier sound of city pop.Tokyo Dreaming superbly showcases the breadth of '80s Japanese music and the way electro pop was a playing ground for musicians to experiment with many styles, as showcased by Akira Sakata's dub-infused Room from 1980, Kazumi Watanabe's discoid Tokyo Joe (1980) and Juicy Fruits' techno pop song Jenie Gets Angry. The selection flows effortlessly between many shades of synth and ends with two cult classics in the form of Yasuaki Shimizu's Semi Tori No Hi and Shigeo Sekito's ambient-jazz masterpiece The Word II from his highly sought-after album Kareinaru Electone (The Word) Vol.2 (1975). Tokyo Dreaming showcases the groundbreaking sounds of a city turned giant sonic lab which was restlessly inventing the music of the future. Album designed by famed London-based designer Optigram. Also features Yumi Seino, Kyoko Furuya, Kazue Itoh, Haruo Chikada and Vibra-Tones, and Colored Music.

Swiss jazz bliss!We Release Jazz is very, very, VERY happy to present its sixth release (following Ryo Fukui’s Scenery and Mellow Dream, Le Cercle Rouge’s soundtrack by Eric Demarsan, Stuff Combe 5 + Percussion, and Marc Moulin’s Placebo Live 1971) coming straight from its beloved hometown of Geneva. Boillat Thérace Quintet’s self-titled album is available for the first time since its original limited private pressing in 1974 and comes as a vinyl LP as well as a digipack CD* (with 3 never-heard bonus songs).Full of prolific and inspired local clusters and boosted by the recently launched Montreux Jazz Festival, the Swiss jazz scene was vibrant and inventive in the 1970s, notably in the region surrounding Lake Geneva. This is precisely where jazz activist and brilliant pianist Jean-François Boillat and wind instrument master Raymond Thérace formed their quintet whose dazzling debut album was recorded in 1974.An absolute Lemanic gem of the soul-jazz/modal kind, the self-titled album includes superb covers of Freddie Hubbard’s “Straight Life”, Keith Jarrett’s “In Your Quiet Place”, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s “Sweet Fire”, plus groovy original compositions from the Boillat-Thérace crew. Helvetian fun facts: the velvety “1224” is dedicated to Geneva's public transport line Tram 12, and one exquisitely funky track on the album is named after the famed yet elusive (and locally legendary) Swiss Marmite: “Cenovis”!This is reissued in conjunction with Boillat Thérace Quintet’s My Greatest Love featuring Benny Bailey (1975), also available via We Release Jazz.

Slowaxx is the solo project and live band created by Riccardo Chiarucci, a music producer, arranger and composer based in Tuscany (Italy). His first album ‘‘Shapes Interfusion’’ features a unique blend of jazz, electronic music and hip-hop, recorded with a collective of musicians and the rapper Young A.M.A.The creative process of the album involves a mix of home-studio production and live recorded sessions. Starting from ideas and demos from Riccardo, all tracks are the result of collaborative jams with musicians bringing their own styles and perception to the table. These sessions created a dialogue of personal vibrations, blending together to emerge as a collective sound.Opening the album, the track « Emoyeni » (a Zulu word for wind, soul and spirit) is a handful of thoughts fluttering in the air, expressed through a Rhodes jam played by Luca Sguera and conversing with sharp electronic drums. The following title « Y.B.A » is an electronic jazz session featuring rapper Young A.M.A. The provocative and ego-driven lyrics add a layer of complexity to this atmospheric production beside beautiful improvisations on the second part. Both tracks start as relaxed flights but step up to drive more excitement throughout the journey.Another highlight of the album is the track « Femmes », a tribute to women and an appeal against gender inequality. It features a speech from Emma Watson, drawing a line on a carpet of lounge, soul sounds and 90s sampled drums. A touching, soft electronic jazz ballad offering the perfect opening for B side.Tracks « Pantere Rosee » and « Stazione Funk » complete both sides with their own aesthetics. The first offers a pure Rhodes, bass and synth jam built on programmed acoustic drums. It’s a cartoon-esque, never-ending chase into very colourful sounds. The latter goes in the opposite way with a deconstructed sampled 90s drums, acid sounds and grooves. It is the most experimental track of the album, bringing a harsh balance to an overall chill and warm sound.Young A.M.A. returns on the ending track « No Secret » to openly express his approach and views on hip-hop while the instrumental part is built as an astral travel with multi layered keyboards echoing to a heavy bassline played by Jury Maccianti.« Shapes Interfusion » delivers a unique and thought-provoking listening experience. Not only it invites listeners on a sonic journey at the crossroads of music styles, but it is also the result of a unique creative process. By mixing live recorded sessions of improvised jams, written music and pre-recorded home-production, Riccardo Chiarucci confronted his ideas to the personalities, knowledge and feelings of seven musicians, one rapper, and their creative shapes, fused into one musical experience: Shapes Interfusion

Eight years after the critically acclaimed Alien Cartoon, Senegalese producer IBAAKU returns with a new project an alchemy of jazz, electronic sounds and Casamance music in the tradition of Touré Kunda and Xalam in their day.The album is also accompanied by a short filma manifesto of resilience in the face of the sound poet's personal history but also a questioning of the way in which technologies technologies and cultures come together to reinitialize our imaginary.Identity: The meeting point of electronics, jazz and the musical tradition of Casamance.The realization of this new project is associated with a research approach to traditional Casamance rhythms, vocals and instruments.A reference to Spiritual Jazz is present, through stories and approaches ; while the skeleton of IBAAKU's tracks remains experimental,with strong influences from the emerging african club scene.JOOLA JAZZ de IBAAKU

An instrumental album in which Tranzam presents new interpretations of classical music masterpieces.

Japan's leading big band, Sharps & Flats, created a unique work featuring 22-year-old up-and-coming pianist, Takehiko Honda. The sound of an electric piano rolling comfortably over the powerful big band sound is absolutely incredible! In addition this record features covers of some of the the latest rock hits at the time, such as Jethro Tull's 'Bule', BS&T's 'Spinning Wheel', and The Beatles' 'Come Together'.

Drummer who led the jazz scene in Japan with accurate stick work and musicality and an eye on the times, Takeshi Inomata's first album with Sound Limited formed at the end of the 60's. Starting with the theme song 'Mustache', which is beloved as one of the most iconic songs, it is a masterpiece full of dynamism and enthusiasm throughout.

This is a superb Hawaiian fusion album released in 1979 by trombonist Ira Nepus. He graduated from the University of Hawaii and worked as a trombonist there. This album was produced by Kirk Thompson, known for his work with bands such as Kalapana and Lemuria, using the same techniques as Lemuria, and has a funky sound with a mix of soul, jazz and AOR. The dancelike 'Trombone Feeling', with it's wonderful background chorus, and the mellow fusion 'Trickey Mickey' are Hawaiian masterpieces that recall the atmosphere of those days! The debut album by this beloved musician, who was the first director of the marching band at Tokyo Disneyland and has frequently visited Japan with the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, is now available again on vinyl record for the first time in 43 years!

Wilfred Trevor Woodley aka Woods (1934 - 2010) is certainly one of the best kept secrets in Caribbean jazz. A pianist composer from Point Fortin, Trinidad & Tobago, Woods was a fascinating man who lived an incredible life traveling to more than 70 countries. Even though he composed hundreds of songs he had never released an official album.Woods was a man who lived a fearless life. Even when faced with life's adversities he dealt with them with such courage and calmness that all who knew him could only remember him with admiration and respect. In july 1990 he was involved in an accident where a truck crushed one os his legs. facing the doctors, he replied with aplomb: "As long as I can play the pinao, everything is fine".This EP is the first project of a series to pay a tribute to his legend and to keep his music alive.

2023 reissue, 140g vinyl, remastered from the original Vertigo Master Tapes for this edition by Simon Francis, original sleeve replicated in fine detail.The distinctive rolling grooves, growling basslines and blasting horns of Snakehips Etcetera combined to present Nucleus's most energetic record. First released on Vertigo in 1975, original copies of Snakehips Etcetera are now very tricky to score. Like all the Nucleus records, it’s aged ridiculously well and this Be With re-issue, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. He was a true pioneer and saw the potential in fusing the worlds of jazz with rock, just as Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime did in the US. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Regarding music as a continuous process, Nucleus refused to “recognise rigid boundaries” and worked on delivering what they saw as a “total musical experience”. We can get behind that.Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. This constant evolution and revolution was all part of the continuous musical exploration and discovery that took jazz to new levels. And the music has kept relevant. To steal a line from a review of our re-issue of Roots, when it comes to anything Nucleus “it’s basically already hip-hop”With all restraint out the window, 1975's pimped-up Snakehips Etcetera is the outrageous - in both cover art and sound - follow-up to the brooding Under The Sun. It's perhaps not one for the jazz purists! It finds Nucleus pared down to a core group of six, with Carr, Bob Bertles (sax), Ken Shaw (guitar), Geoff Castle (keys), Roger Sutton (bass) and Roger Sellers (drums) comprising the collective. Snakehips Etcetera reflects a period where the compositions start to become a little more direct and less-cerebral in comparison to some of Nucleus' previous releases. And why would we begrudge them some fun? This one rocks, swings and funks with no little soul. And more than a little jazzy sleaze. Clearly, they were having a good time.The album has a real live, jamming feel to it, no surprise given the extent to which they were touring at the time. The band is tight and grooving throughout, none more so than on Bob Bertles's effervescent opener, "Rat’s Bag". So darn funky it stings, it's an infectious gem full of punchy clean lines over a killer bassline from Sutton. The thick, driving jazz-rock of "Alive And Kicking" is exactly that. It has a very improvisational feel, but an inspired one at that and features a wailing guitar solo from Ken Shaw that simply slays. The funky "Rachel’s Tune" is amazing, bringing you back to Canterbury days with its fuzzed-out organ solos to close out Side A.Opening up Side B, the cool psychedelic title track unfolds slowly and sensually over its ten-plus minutes. A stoned soul stew of sorts, each member of the crew gets their chance to shine over Sellers's steady drums. The melodic funk fusion of "Pussyfoot" pairs Carr with Bertles on ace solo flute for a bright, springy melody. This one really gleams over shuffling drums. Changing the pace to close out this memorable set, the particularly cool "Heyday" is a reflective, sober tune which reinforces the sumptuous Nucleus palette, the acoustic guitar and bass high in the mix to make the neck snap, the horns elegantly blasting to help you swoon.This Be With edition of Snakehips Etcetera has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis’ mastering working together with Cicely Balston's cut at AIR Studios to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings. The striking, lascivious sleeve has been restored in all its seductive/ridiculous beauty.

"Go Ahead" by Tatsuro Yamashita is a true gem of Japanese pop music, and now it's available on black vinyl for the ultimate listening experience.Originally released in 1987, "Go Ahead" is a showcase of Yamashita's versatility as a musician, with a blend of genres including pop, funk, and even rock. The album includes hits like "Big Wave," "Windy Lady," and "Daydream," which have become staples of Yamashita's repertoire.This limited edition black vinyl release features a high-quality remaster of the original album, complete with a full-color inner sleeve and exclusive liner notes. The sleek design captures the essence of Yamashita's music, with its catchy melodies and guitar riffs.Experience the magic of Tatsuro Yamashita's "Go Ahead" like never before with this essential LP release. Order now and add this masterpiece to your collection of Japanese pop music.✺ Originally released in 1978✺ Limited edition✺ Pressed on 180g black vinyl

Life is Worth Living, officially a second LP from El Niño Andrés, comes 9 years after its debut LP "Más Dinero Más Problemas", but sound wise it's still walking on the borderline between house, jazz and soul. El Niño's usual combination of Rhodes and Moog improvisations on top of house and jazz-funk drum-lines is present on all album tracks, with live sax additions on "Come Closer" and "Mercy Mercy". Album is an uptempo affair, but as usual with Jackie Brown releases, not your straightforward 4x4 routine - poly-rhythms and percussion drive "Wasting Your Life" and "Soul", while "The Approach of Midnight" sounds like it could have been placed straight into a Tenet soundtrack LP.

Regrowth' by Sampology is an album that his last two EPs 'Natural Selections' & 'Mt Glorious' have built towards. Despite his love for sampling - with the exception of the Mariana Ingold sample on the opening song on 'Regrowth (Peace Lily)' - all of the samples you hear on the album are recorded from scratch either in his home studio or on his travels over the past four years. Regrowth has string quartets, woodwind, full 20-piece choirs, vibraphones, double bass, various pianos and synths.Vinyl package includes a die cut 3mm spine outer sleeve revealing a beautiful foliage wrapped inner sleeve which includes full liner notes

A new album by legendary Estonian pianist Tõnu Naissoo, accompanied by his new group Tõnu Naissoo Electric Trio !Accompanied by his synthesizers and two of the best Estonian jazz musicians, bassist Mihkel Mälgand and drummer Ahto Abner, Tõnu Naissoo began recording his album “Different Directions” in the autumn of 2019 at the legendary Linnahall studio that he had booked for that purpose several years in advance. The new tracks he composed for the album flow from jazz-rock to smooth jazz, lingering briefly on the frequency of free jazz.The popular Estonian jazz pianist Tõnu Naissoo was born in Tallinn, Estonia in 1951. His father Uno Naissoo was a renowned composer and an organizer of jazz festivals, who encouraged Tõnu to take an interest in jazz and improvisation. By the age of 15 he had already begun participating in local jazz orchestra. He performed first time with his trio and presented his jazz music compositions at the international Tallinn Jazz Festival of 1967 in Tallinn. The next year he was given an opportunity to record his own album. Since then he has dedicated himself to jazz music and recorded around 30 albums that have been released in Estonia, Japan and Russia. Most of his earliest recordings have been reissued in recent years.“Different Directions” feels like Tõnu Naissoo’s ’missing piece’ album from the 1980s. It will be a worthy addition to Tõnu Naissoo’s and Frotee’s discography.

✺ Originally released in 1976✺ A must-have for Japanese mono-folk song fans✺ Exclusive RSD Japan ReleaseKiyoshi Yamaya, an important person from Japanese mono to folk songs, has a new memory of the release of the 7-inch “Japanese Traditional Melodies Selected and Edited by MURO” that was selected and edited by MURO in 2018.The long-awaited straight reissue of “Ryukyu” released in 1976, which is popular not only in Japan but also overseas, and the original version is difficult to obtain!A must-have for Japanese mono-folk song fans.

Not just a super-rare set of dreamy soul jazz but also a neat piece of independent label history: JSR were a Jersey-based imprint with an open source attitude to their business, allowing ambitious young musicians their first break contract-free (albeit with limited pressings) In 1980 Coleman took them up on the offer, played most of the instruments himself and even designed the artwork: Taking Care Of Business is quite a literal title. It's literally brilliant, too; just check the Shuggy style vocal leans on "Due Consideration" or the swooning Roy Ayers style vibraphone magic of "Sweet Bird" and you'll see exactly what we mean. Stunning.

"A New Dimension In Cultural Awareness" were the words of Tribe Records' co-founder and trombonist Phil Ranelin as the label emerged in a vibrant Detroit in 1972. Together with other co-founder and saxophonist Wendell Harrison, the duo delivered the first of what would become a treasure trove of spiritual jazz releases with 1973's Message From the Tribe. P-vine has lifted its first track"What We Need" for the a-side with the b-side "The Wok" taken from Harrison's 1981 album Organic Dream.

YUMA HARA, a rare talent who combines the DNA of Quincy Jones, Roy Ayers, and others in the "jazz x soul x funk" style with the fresh sense of a 20-something and outstanding performance skills, is now releasing his second album in analog format! This is a masterpiece of true multi-talents who not only composes, arranges, produces, but also plays most of the instruments by himself!

✺ Japanese RSD 2021 Exclusive ✺ Classic ’60s and ’70s Jazz drummingAkira Ishikawa, a drummer who led new jazz bands from the late 1960s to the 1970s.This work, which he released under the name of “Akira Ishikawa and Count Buffaloes”, incorporates various elements such as rock, funk, and afro brings experimental elements to jazz, and also serves as a backing for pop and popular songs, entertainment. A compilation album created with the motif of Okinawa by Ishikawa, who is a rare person who also has various elements.Kayo Ishu (child) and Time Five’s chorus add glamor to Japanese MFSB-like performances that incorporate disco beats.