Dedications to the Greats - Umi Say's

With the summer months slowly edging our way in the Northern hemp'sphere at least. Something that dropped in January from the UK's NuNorthernSoul label. 2 stunningly re-crafted 90's hip-hop classics, Mos Def's 'Umi Says' and The Pharcyde's 'Runnin', both molded with folk flavours by self taught multi instrumentalist BJ Smith of Smith and Mudd fame. As the doffing of the cap to the originals suggests they are two faithful covers but ones that offer a new interpretation, adding a twist to the rich history of each track, perfect summer chill fodder. Classics in waiting!




Most of the vinyl is sold out now but you can still pick up the CD & on Digital via beatport/bandcamp/iTunes

Jamaican Fruit of African Roots

An interesting story we came across recently about a long lost Jamaican Jazz Diva, Sheila Rickards. The Background to the story is narrated by Chris Flanagan,who traveled the world searching for the lady..

"Jamaican Fruit of African Roots is the lost vocal cut to one of King Tubby's most dramatic and devastating dubs from the 1970s. It was never released in Jamaica, but housed on an obscure compilation released only in Toronto in tiny quantities in the mid 70s.
This release is the culmination of a 10 year obsession to try and find out more about the song's enigmatic singer Sheila Rickards. It all started in a musty Canadian thrift store with the discovery of an incredible 10 cent record credited to one "Shella Record".
The singer's voice was unlike anything I had ever heard in Reggae before and sparked an international quest to find the lost siren. Beginning in Toronto where the record was pressed by local label Monica's in the mid 70s, I quizzed producers, collectors and Reggae artists, all of whom were as mystified as I was.
I traveled to Jamaica and tracked down legendary producer Bunny Striker Lee who recorded the song in 1975 with a full line up of Aggrovators, some of the most prolific and talented musicians who ever worked on the island. -
Bunny revealed that Shella Record was in fact Sheila Rickards, a Greenwich Farm Jazz singer from the Mento era who began performing as a child with artists like Lennie Hibbert and Carlos Malcolm.
He had not seen her since she vanished in 1975 after they worked on this song at Harry Js and later voiced the track at King Tubby's infamous Drumillie Ave studio. -
Despite tracking down many of the musicians who played on the song, Jamaican Jazz artists from the era and even Sheila's family, Sheila's whereabouts remained a mystery.
Hearing rumours of her relocation to Los Angeles or New York, I travelled the States desperate to find out what happened to this remarkable diva. Every clue led to a red herring which led to a dead end.
Now working with a private detective with a sideline in ghost hunting I hope to have more answers soon"

Worth dropping the pennies for this as sales from this release will help fund a documentary currently in progress-"Shella Record, A Reggae Mystery" about the search for the remarkable lost diva....grab it!

Cosmic Compositions Avant Garde Series

Now on their second Vol. of  Avant Garde Cosmic Compositions, this 26 track compilation bridges the similarities between the Avant-Garde/Free Jazz movement of the 50's & 60's & the beat movement of today and is a dedication to American jazz pianist, organist, harpist and composer Alice Coltrane. Next up in the series is Sun Ra...Link for Vol.1 below.

''She was central to the Indocentric/Spiritual jazz of the early '70s and arguably the first instance of a female instrumentalist assuming a defining role in a jazz subgenre. She spent the majority of her life seeking spiritually in both music and her private life & shared her husband's [Jazz Legend John Coltrane] instincts in taking great artistic risks to pursue a spiritual quest.'' - Jazz Times

fee d/l..



Cosmic Compositions Avant Garde Series Vol​.​1 - Pharoah Sanders

YBJC Minimix

Took a break for a while over in Siam and now back to something just released on AllCityRecordLabel A Collab between Parisian producer Onra and friend - fellow producer, composer and arranger - Buddy Sativa Combining as the Yatha Bhuta Jazz Combo Check out this Minimix of the LP, with a free D/L on the down arrow.....Quality stuff!

Available from beatport/iTunes

Don Blackman R.I.P.

 

September 1, 1953 - April 11, 2013 

'Here's To You Mr Robinson'

A quality little Smoky Robinson sampled house chugger to put a spring into your step. Track 1 from the recently released  EP on Brooklyn's finest, Razor N Tape, by The Groovers who are DJ/Producers, Finn Campbell-Notman founder of Imperial Dub Recordings and Steve Ferrand co-founder of youronlyfriend recordings, both with deep underground roots who met up in Barcelona to continue their shared adventures in proper deep house, you know, the stuff that makes you dance!!




Available on juno/bandcamp

King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

The classic '76 released Augustus Pablo skanker given propa extended treatment by the edit/re-mixer boy wonder Leftside Wobble. Free D/L on the down arrow....grabbbbbb it!!!

Phat Planet live in Paris

Something from the musical archives Leftfield's Phat Planet LIVE in Paris circa May 2000 with Cheshire Cat on tha Mic...Awesome!!!

Taste of Honey (From the City)

 

Romare is back with another EP "Love Songs: Part One" after his much acclaimed "Meditations On Afrocentrism" from last year..On this track he's taking it in a more early '90's clubland style creating impressive rhythmic ripples by layering a variety of vocal samples atop a dusty break. Available next month 25th via Black Acre. Love this guys work, Highly Recommended!

1.Your Love (You Give Me Fever) 
2.Jimi & Faye (Part One) 
3.Taste of Honey (From The City) 
4.Hey Now (When I give You All My Lovin’) 
ACRE040

Donald Byrd R.I.P.

Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II -  December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013

Great sadness this week learning of the passing of one of my musical inspirations last Monday at the age of 80. From my early teens he became the soundtrack to so many episodes in my life. See my Artist Review from 2008. For now we'll just leave you with the track  'The Emperor'  from the 1972 LP 'Ethiopian Knights'. 

Bless you Mr Byrd and thank you for the music sir!