Review: Various Artists - You Need This: If Music Is 20 compiled by Jean-Claude (BBE Music)

Twenty years ago you'd probably find Jean-Cluade Thompson in this shop in Soho, If Music..., thinking about what to put on his compilation 'You Need This'

As well known then as 50% of The Amalgamation Of Soundz, who'd have thought a couple of decades on that they'd be a double LP (180g heavy vinyl at 45rpm) and digital release of a retrospecitive celebrating why we need 'You Need This'.

As the ninth in the series, regular fans will not be surprised that the 9 selections are a varied and eclectic mix.

There's some old favourites like Emanative (with Liz Elensky) and Tenderlonious (22a) ironically each with exclusive tracks for this compilation plus Emanative's mate, Tamar Osborn (from this Rocketnumbernine release,  coincidently 20 years ago, in 2013) and Sarathy Korwar; 'Speed Of Light' being one of the highlights of the album.

So you might be thinking this all sounds very progressive Cafe Oto, JC is known as someone who can dig out a vinyl - and boy! has he found one with the jazzy Christine Schaller's 'Fidji' from 1980 [what a tune that is for all WeOutHere type festivals] and you won't be surprised that a track called 'Turkish Showbiz' could have appeared on Batov's 'Middle Eastern Grooves' compilation.

It really is a odd that including tracks by French sax player Sylvain Kassap, Greetje Bijma Kwintet (really cool world track, 'big Kalimba' fit in with something so simply beautiful as Ola Szmidt's minimal 'We Are Not Invisible'.

As you can tell, we this that 'You Need This' and all the others in the series.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: You Need This: If Music Is 20 compiled by Jean-Claude 

Release date: 25th August, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE711 Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp