Review: James Alexander Bright - Tigers Roar (Flying Mojito Bros Refrito) (!K7 Music)

There's lots of great music about at the moment, but this is right up there if you're into the leftfield jazz-funk synth pop nu-disco Baleraic house of multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist James Alexander Bright.

He first came to light with an album on Athens Of The North with half of Groove Armada, Tom Findlay (not the half that wants to re-green farming up the road from me).  And the James' released his own solo album, 'Headroom' (playing all the instruments of course) on !K7 a couple of years ago.

I saw him live towards the end of last year (as part of a WARM/RE:WARM all dayer - having DJ'd myself a couple of hours before James turned up, does that count as a warm up set?) and he warned us then that there was some 'out there stuff' he was going to play.

Of course, some people's 'out there' is another person's brilliant.  And getting back to the latest release on !K7, you may have heard the original version of 'Tigers Roar with it's jazzy bass wobble with nu-soul voice of angst, possibly with the Tiger King doc fresh in his mind.

As good as that is, how can't that be bettered?  I know! Lets get his super fans, The Flying Mojito Bros. who are known for their Refritos, and get them a country rock slide guitar and take 'em out on a camel train into the Mojave Desert with some yacht rock and a touch of dub; the cover is illustration was quicly done by Ben and Jack as the sun was setting after they recorded the vocal and instrumental versions.

This is as hot as Chi-Chi's Mexican Mudslide at Hank Wangford's clinic - Gram Parson's would have approved.

P.S. Update, in truth, James did the artwork! - see @fuzzyandmagic

Artist: James Alexander Bright

Title: Tigers Roar (Flying Mojito Bros Refrito) 

Release date: 8th February, 2023

Label: !K7 Music 

Cat. No: 

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Glass Slipper - Am I Alone EP (Colour and Pitch)

Glass Slipper back again on Colour & Pitch, this month we've got the release of their  'Am I Alone' in various versions.

After listening to this track, everyone will flock to the dancefloor with some synthy jabs and the powerful vocals of Lisa Cork-Twiss (ex-Real McCoy) with a tale of sleepness nights, this is a perfect follow up 'Love Is Feeling'. 

Glass Slipper's 'Love Is A Feeling' came out on Colour & Pitch at the beginning of last year and the Hectic/Sumsuch Extension Edit was earmarked for airing on this month's TWR Cover Show with Jo Wallace.  But as TWR unexpectedly when 'off air' the remake of the Eloise Laws' original [she of the mighty Laws 'jazz' family from Texas] will have to wait as the Glass Slipper duo of Lisa Cork-Twis and Brad Eller [also Texas, Austin to be precise] have produced their own classic.

The 'Am I Alone' question theme works well in all versions; 'Dark','Light', 'Dark Dub' and 'Light Radio Edit' [Ed: where's the Sumsuch mix?] and this is main room bizz, the light mix is almost gospel house (in my 'house' at least - she's got such a great voice). 

Whilst I'm sure that Lisa and Brad weren't going for a "CAMRA convention" vibe with the combination of Dark, Light, Dark Dub and Light Radio mixes; drink yourself silly with this one as you won't be alone for long.

Glass Slipper · Am I Alone

Artist: Glass Slipper

Title: Am I Alone EP

Am I Alone (Dark Mix)
Am I Alone (Light Mix)
Am I Alone (Dark Dub Mix)
Am I Alone (Light Mix Radio Edit)

Release date: 10^th February, 2023

Label Colour and Pitch

Catalog Number CAP086

Review: Nostalgia 77 – The Loneliest Flower In The Village (Jazzman Records)

It was only a couple of weeks ago I was reminiscing with Glyn "Bigga" Bush about the original remix of 'This River" back in 2005.

Ben Lamdin's remix of Bigga's 'IOTK' that was on that 12" all those years ago so what Ben (aka Nostalgia 77) was up to these days? 

Little did we know that 'up to' would shortly come to light with a whole new album called 'The Loneliest Flower In The Village' out on Jazzman Records.

It seems like this album has been in the making for the past 20 years since teaming up again with fellow jazz nut, composer and arranger Riaan Vosloo as they get deep and spiritual with cover versions of  South African legent Abudallah Ibrahim's 'Ismael' (brilliant), 'Love In Outer Space' (even more brillianter) by Sun Ra and the title track written by another South African, Johnny Dyani.

They're all pretty long tracks so if you get the CD/Download, there's 3 extra tracks compared to the vinyl - but don't you just need that incredible artwork in all its 12" glory - is there a hint of the Dave Brubeck's Quartet's 'Time Out' classic cover?

The opener is by yet another South African jazzer, Chris McGregor 'Dakar' - you may recall that Jazzman re-issued the 1963 album by Chris McGregor & The Castle Lager Big Band's album 'Jazz / The African Sound' in 2005 and it's well worth digging out.

'The Sun Is Big' (written by the band's James Allsop and 4 tracks by Riaan (b); with James Allsop (ts), Gareth Lockrane (flute), Alex Bonney (tr), Ross Stanley (piano, organ) and Tim Giles (d).  Vosloo's 'The Hooper' is 8 minutes of pure South African inspired blues walk spiritual jazz - it's like Leon Thomas could join in at any time.  

The title track has been a favourite with the band since their 'Allsopp Stanley, Vosloo' Giles' Impossible Ark' days and looking  back to my interview with Ben in 2005, he told me, "some things seem to work time and time again, stuff like Leon Thomas, John and Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra just keeps on inspiring" [see full FlyGlobalMusic interview HERE and the non-feedback about the BU student/Jazz Chronicles' staple, 'Seven Nation Army' cover].

Many jazz heads are saying that this is the standout release of 2023.  Whilst it's early days, they are wrong!

PS. January saw the Jazz Cafe host Emanative & The Mutual Appreciation Society join us to commemorate the life and music of Sun Ra for the 50th Anniversary of 'Space Is The Place' so if there's any sun festival organisers out there, Emanative & Nostalgia 77 on the bill would be a great line-up; just saying.

PPS. (Original Biggabush interview HERE)

Artist: Nostalgia 77
Title: The Loneliest Flower In The Village 
Release date: 23 January, 2023
Label : Jazzman Records
Catalog Number : JMAN 133 LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: South Beach Recycling - Obsessive Compulsive Disco (Atjazz Record Company)

Here at YATM we're very south coast based, I'm close to a recycling centre and some might say we're more than a little OCD but we've gone totally Miami Beach over this from the Atjazz Record Company.

Apparently this project started with some rough demo's being sent to Martin (Mr. Atjazz) Ivesonfor possible inclusion on a compilation project but so impressed was he, that he (Atjazz that is) has transformed these 10 tracks into the first 'Album Of The Year' nomination [Ed. that's 2023 even though there was a 23.12.22 release date].

If you like your house music to be full of snippetts of what sounds like long lost sounds (the recycling) that's been influenced by the master of this area, Theo Parrish (in his Ugly Edits days), this is the album for you.

Not overly disco (dispite the catchy title) or jazz or soul or house, but a total blend.  It's funny that I thought that the track of the year so far, 'Jonny's Hustle' that got the big sweeping strings, jazzy keys and a manic rock guitar riff, would be the most overlooked track.  Well, I believe that it's quite the opposite as I'm not the only one that thinks this is main room magic -it's a bit like a housey Daedelus when he was at his peak.

But this is more that a one track album, as '&JUST&NIGE&MARK&G' is more of a squelchy synth disco wobble along with 'One Synth Wonder' with a organ ping-pong battle and 'Sunset 313' gets a little uptempo Balearic Sun Palace beach wear.  

The truth is it's fantastic throughout with all tracks over 6 minutes and some over 9 and thankfully Atjazz heard/saw this as an album even though he's got to be one of the busiest men in Derby; watch out for a new remix of MF Robots' 'The Love It Takes' (Atjazz Galaxy Aart Dub) on BBE coming soon following the outstanding one released last September!

Not surprisingly, the plans for a remixed version of the album are well advanced (Ed. missed out again!) but really hope that there's a physical vinyl product at some stage as the dusty diggers of the future need to get their hands on this and think that early 2023 was a the best year ever for South Beach Recycling as that they saved the planet with the obessive compulsive disco craze - open up your wallets and 'Open Up Your Heart'!

Artist: South Beach Recycling 

Title: Obsessive Compulsive Disco

Release date: 23rd December, 2022

Label: Atjazz Record Company

Catalog Number: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Forest - Forest (BBE Music)

There's no stoppin' those diggers at BBE as this time they've gone for a private press from Western Massachusetts (so not to be confused with the English psychedelic-folk / acid-folk band from the 60s).

This is far more of a 70s strange mix of soft rock versions of Doobie Bros., Greatful Dead, Steely Dan, Lynard Skynyrd meets The Small Faces in a folk club.

It's more than an enchanted Forest as they were obviously very talented and were looking for a big record contact.  As that never came, the band split up and went onto work alongside Faith Hill and Reba McIntyre (Jim Kimball), Danny Gatton, The Gatlin Brothers, Nile Rodgers and Chic, The Fab Faux and Bruce Springsteen (Bill Holloman) and Wes Talbot founded The FRESH Music Library.

I'd have got my A&R pen and contract out for 'Crazy Days' alone or the autobiographic 'Chasing Dreams' and 'I Need Love' but perhaps they wonder what would have happened if the 6 bonus tracks BBE have included on this release were on the original pressing?  Would the blue eyed funk of 'Lady Luck' have tipped the scales? "Superstition" as someone might have said in the 70s whilst the fact this band had two drummers, Gary Stevens and Bob "Rox" Girouard should have got them the gig.

And after listening to this album you'll be screaming 'Love Ya'  Forest!

Very much BBE in their Larry Rose Band and soon the come, Will & James Ragar envelope.  

P.S. Just heard 'Crazy Days' has made the final line-up for the follow up to Paul Hillery's compilation, 'We Are The Children Of The Sun' with 'Once Again, We Are The Children Of The Sun' out April 2022 and March 2023 respectively.

Artist: Forest 

Title: Forest

Release date: 3rd February, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE724 LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: EMAMKAY - When The Sun Rises (STY TRU BTS)

Kid Fonque has always moved to a different beat whether it's house, hip-hop, bossa, bass, bruk and loads more.  A stalwart of  South African electronic music and club culture over the last 20 years he's also boss of STY TRU BTS Records as he knows quite a lot of spotting new talent.  And that is exactly what he's found emcee/producer EMAMKAY from Pretoria. 

'When The Sun Rises' channels his inner D' Angelo with some Dilla/Flying Lotus; could it be a coincidence that Biggabush was playing tracks from 'ArtDontSleep Presents... From L.A. With Love' only last week?  

The killer here is that this is a 'jazz' band, the Sounds Like U Quintet: Jeffery Mahachi (d), Michael Nkuna (trumpet) with Bokang Ramatlapeng on vocals and EMAMKAY (MC/piano/keyboards), very futuristica.  

The forthcoming album 'Love Is Energy' is due at the end of March and if the other tracks are as cool as this....

Artist: EMAMKAY

Title: When The Sun Rises

Release date: 3rd February, 2023

Label : STY TRU BTS

Catalog Number : STB20 / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Valtteri Laurell Nonet - Tigers Are Better Looking (We Jazz Records)

Nonets are not that common in jazz, neither are albums inspired by the writing of British-Caribbean author Jean Rhys (1890–1979) so 'Tigers Are Better Looking' is already pretty unique in both regards.

And whilst Finnish composer/guitarist Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen's vision of "melancholic, intimate chamber jazz" might not sound like it's something to get the heart beats racing, this 'tiger' definitely has some bite to it.

The clarinet (Antti Sarpila) takes the lead on the title track, and features throughout with trumpeter Jukka Eskola, saxophonist Jussi Kannaste, drummer Jaska Lukkarinen.

But what makes this so cool is that it swings in a modern way, not like Woody Herman's 'pop' swing, this is more like 60's upbeat jazz noire in London Town/Helsinki with big band influences Charles Mingus, Miles Davis (Water Babies), Gerry Mulligan and Bill Evans. That said, perhaps you could add in a retro look at Matthew Herbert Big Band's 'Goodbye Swingtime' project (blimey, that was 20 years ago) or even the short lived Gwilym Simcock Nonet (that was an expensive round of drinks!)

Valtteri is the leader of the 17-piece jazz orchestra Ricky-Tick Big Band and a member of the jazz sextet Dalindèo who were at the forefront of the Finnish jazz of the start of the 5-Corners scene (also, nearly 20 years ago) for those that remember the rush of Finnish Ricky-Tick Records.  I distinctly remember picking up Five Corners Quintet's Trading Eights 10" from our local record shop (that then became a sex toy store some years later) where soulful dancefloor jazz revivalist started to take note - it was around this time that JazzCotech started their Shiftless Shuffle sessions in London (this year they've been celebrating their 20th Anniversary) with, umongst many, DJs Paul Murpy (Jazz Room), Colin Parnell and founder Perry Louis (see review of thier 2004 Xmas Special gig HERE); but I digress.

Anything We Jazz produce is class but even for them, this new look at jazz swing in a Nonet band is special; they'd be great to see live too!

And if you happen to be in Helsinki this summer don't forget the Odysseus Festival on 21-23 July that will include many of your We Jazz favourite acts including the Valtteri Laurell Nonet!

Artist: Valtteri Laurell Nonet

Title: Tigers Are Better Looking 

Release date: 3^th February, 2023

Label : We Jazz Records

Catalog Number : WJLP44 / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

This is ain't no badman skank..this ain't no disco, this ain't no fooling around - as Mr Byrne might have said.

But what it is, hot on the heals of Oliver Knights' remix of Eldeanyo's 'Colombia' (review HERE), is the latest coming out on Adesso Music.

Ragga Twins sample and bouncey house rave sees the extended version appearing in a main room near you very soon.

In fact, Junior Jack's label is on a roll as this one follows The Deepshakerz Remix of 'Hustle Tribes' by Dave Mayer & Deeplomatik (review HERE).

Too heavy for my Valentine's Day radio mix but expect to hear it on every other occasion.

Artist: Eldeanyo

Release: Badman

Release Date: 3rd February, 2023

Label Adesso Music

Catalog Number: WP1391 /AM25

 

Review: Gerardo Frisina - Joyful Sound (Schema Records)

Those with good memories will recall that I said in 2021, "If you've not caught up with last year yet, you'll at least want Gerardo Frisina's "Album Of The Year",  'Moving Ahead'.  Well 2 years on you'll be wanting to move ahead to his latest double, 'Joyful Sound'.

For those that don't know, Gerardo Frisina, is an Italian musician and producer who is most known for his near on 20 year relationship with Schema records, usually focusing on Latin jazz; with the exception of the incredible 12" on Afro Art, 'Alborado/ Congart' ‎(2005).  

So any album by him is highly anticipated, but boy, does 'Joyful Sound' do exactly that!  

Fourteen incredible foward thinking jazz that spans many genres/influences with movement (dance) at it's heart.  

Whether it be the Afro/world tracks, the dub electronica, Afro-Cuban or jazzdance, Afro-Indo/dub-jazz-house (on the fantastic 'Almost Free' anyway) the musicians on here are on it - it being a joyful sound; Enzo Frassi (double bass), Fabrizio Bernasconi (piano, Rhodes), Gendrickson Mena (trumpet, piano), Alfonso Deidda (sax, flute) and Ernesto Lopez (drums, percussion), with the addition of Piero Perelli on drums and Giovanni Guerretti on piano, Hammond and Rhodes..  

Trust me, this is so good you can't isolate one track, it's just gets better on every listen and will be filling the airwaves and clubs (when open) for some time to come as clearly "Album Of The Year" is nailed on!  

What with A.MA Records(A.Ma Edizioni), this looks like another brilliant year for the export of Italian jazz, Congrats Gerardo, congrats Schema!

Artist: Gerardo Frisina

Title: Joyful Sound

Release date: 3rd February, 2023

Label : Schema Records

Catalog Number : SC515 LP / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Dele Sosimi & The Estuary 21 - Ride Out The Storm / Mo Ṣe B’ọ́lá Tán (Wah Wah 45s)

Trust Wah Wah 45s to try the unthinkable - and get it spot on!

The legend of Afrobeat, Dele Sosimi has got together with Sam Duckworth so as to produce the Afro-Essex estuary sound as “The Estuary 21” (the younger version of Sam was more generally know as indie kid, 'Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly' you may recall) . 

This is no Barking Riverside project as both tracks on the single, 'Ride Out The Storm' and 'Mo Ṣe B’ọ́lá Tán' are both cool examples of modern pop meets soul.

Full release, 'The Confluence' on 7th April, 2023

Artist: Dele Sosimi & The Estuary 21

Release: Ride Out The Storm / Mo Ṣe B’ọ́lá Tán

Release Date: 3rd February, 2023

Label: Wah Wah 45s

Catalog Number: WAHDIG158 / BANDCAMP