Review: Brian Auger & Julie Tippetts – Encore (Esoteric Recordings)

If there was ever a couple to sum up London 60s cool it was Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll with 'Wheels On Fire' and all that; but there's far more to them as we find out with the re-issue of 'Encore'.

Originally released in 1978, it's a testament to the album (and indeed all of their respetive releases) that generally it's very rare to see in the second-hand market so it's a real bonus that Esoteric Records (part of Cherry Red) have re-master and re-issued this album after many years of being unavailable.

And it was very much an 'Encore' as Julie had left Auger's band in the late sixties, married jazz giant Keith Tippetts and grown her hair (so 70s) whilst Auger had got heavier (proggy) with his band Oblivion Express.

This re-union produced 7 tracks which are a mix of original versions and covers.  No Dylan as we've moved on in the 70s with two tracks from the then little known to the general public, Al Jarreau's 'Spirit' and 'Lock All The Gates' ('Moonlighting' didn't arrive until the mid-80s for Al), Jack Bruce/Pete Brown 'Rope Ladder To The Moon'), the Traffic hit, 'No Time To Live' and The Staple Singers' 'Freedom Highway'.

This album has a real crossover as the use of the soul/R&B backing vocals are very powerful and makes for more of a soul-rock sound, similar to Vinegar Joe (70s rock band fronted by Elkie Brooks and Robert Palmer) particularly on 'Freedom Highway' and 'Future Pilot' (how annoying that Brian's Hammond fades out on this one and  'Rope Ladder To The Moon').

Brian's an expert on all keyboards of course, and at this day and age (being recorded in '77) he's got the B3, piano, synths/moog all to play; Julie is just fantastic and one of a handful of vocalists who could take on 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' as made famous by Nina Simone.

Whilst the album is probably more soul-rock-blues based, 'Git Up' gets more jazz-funky, the final track, 'Lock All the Gates' gets Brian on piano and it's that bit more dramatic and the strangely Steely Dan jazz-pop of 'Nothing Will Be As It Was' (as track co-written by Milton Nascimento of all people) with Brian on lead vocals.

The cover is great as you can sense that they're deep in collaboration and it's certainly an album that stands the test of time. My slight gripe is that the tracks could have been longer; but looking back, perhaps the lack of prog/jazz noodling is the albums' strength as it's hard to stop listening to it; "Encore" you might say.

Being a generous soul, Brian is donating his royalties from the album to 'Operation Smile' who are a charity dedicated to improving the health and lives of children with cleft conditions. 

Artist: Brian Auger & Julie Tippetts

Release: Encore

Release Date: 26th May, 2023

Label: Esoteric Recordings

Catalog Number: ECLEC2832

Format: Vinyl / CD / Digital

Review: Gal Costa - India (50th Anniversary Edition) (Mr Bongo)

Gal Maria da Graça Penna Burgos Costa passed away at the end of last year so didn't have the chance to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of her classic album 'India'.

If you've got a first pressing, you might say, "The album is stunning and ambitious work of art that showcases the Brazilian singer's powerful vocals and her ability to seamlessly blend traditional Brazilian music with elements of psychedelic rock and pop.  The album's title track is a standout.  With its haunting melody and trippy instrumentation, while "Volta" is a moving ballad that highlights Costa's emotional range. The album also features collaborations with renowned musicians such as Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, further solidifying Costa's status as a musical icon".

And I don't think you, or for that matter Mr Bongo (who first re-issued the album in 2017), can say fairer than that but if you name drop arranger Arthur Verocai and Gilberto Gil on guitar.  Or, as my unreconstructed "pal" says, "I always like the cover"!  But then, as the "Tropicália" set that was as then, a political statement in Brazil and it got the cover banned (unsurprisingly for the time/location - or surprisingly, who knows?)

NOTE - This product is VINYL PURCHASE ONLY. Digital downloads and streaming of the product are not available.

Artist: Gal Costa

Title: India  (50th Anniversary Edition) 

Release date : 7th July, 2023

Label : Mr Bongo

Catalog Number : MRBLP282

Format: LP / Order only Bandcamp

Review: Muzari & Gugupash – Ingwe (Foliage Records)

As we're all aware, there's no cover-up at Foliage and their latest release is a perfect raw and deep Afro-House track by South African pair, Muzari & Gugupash.

'Ingwe' comes as an vocal version, instrumental and a vocal mix edit.  

In truth, apart from a quiet section in the instrumental, it's a seems that it's quite different from the vocal version as Gugupash's performance has a gospel quality that's mesmerizing (and love that double-up echo).

Muzari (aka Doctor Tibane) is responsible for the instrumental and when it hits with its shuffle wobble, you know this is a big release.

If you're not up to date with the label, check out Technoir's 'Techtube' as remixed by Turbojazz & Sean McCabe (see review HERE) that came out last month, not as earthy as 'Ingwe' but it's getting more props as the summer takes off and would you dare to play these tracks back2back?

Artist: Muzari & Gugupash 

Title:  Ingwe

Release date: 7th July, 2023 

Label: Foliage Records

Cat. No: FN095

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Moriah Plaza - Moriah Plaza (Batov Records)

 When you hear the first track by Moriah Plaza, you'll think that this is nuts, fantasticly warped bossa nova, but nuts. A one off!  But no! There's a whole album of the Moriah Plaza sound on Batov Records!

Batov Records are not known for the Brazilian affliations but Tel Avivians(?) Tamir Chen and Moosh Lahav are currently based in Berlin and where they've already been involved with some leftfield dance pop jazz. 

Now teamed up with poet/singer Cecilia Erismann and multi talented Flavia Annechini (both from Brasil).
So bring in soume elevator muzak/lounge ('Lagoon de Merim' is so kitsch that it's post kitsch in the ultra lounge.

Annechini founded the Tropical Disco Club and I hope they Moriah Plaza are the house band as this project is equally inspired for the Tamir's mother who was the hotel piano bar resident at the Sheraton Moriah (see cover photo) a building/location that looks as lifeless as water in the Dead Sea that it overlooks.

'Samba Mooch' has got a touch of 'One Note Samba' (Samba de Uma Nota So) about it and you can almost hear the Rat Pack trying to join in for another appearance in thier best tuxedos.

Big with the BBC 6 Music big boys already an it's bound to get picked up by all the Latin-jazz dance guys so don't hang around and get this ordered today.

Artist: Moriah Plaza

Title: Moriah Plaza

Release date: 7th July, 2023

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR071

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: 'Yebo! Rare Mzansi Party Beats from Apartheid's Dying Years' compiled by John Armstrong (BBE Music)

If you think of South African music was limited to native's like Johnny Clegg and well known activists Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela plus a couple of US imports, Paul Simon (with Ladysmith Black Mambazo) and Sixto 'Sugarman' Rodriguez; the 'Yebo!' compilation shows that we've got lots of catching up to do.

Focusing on "Rare Mzansi Party Beats from Apartheid's Dying Years", John Armstong's compilation of 80s "pops" are much more than you'd expect as the chart US soul, disco, boogie, jazz and funk are all going on plus thier own "Now That's What I Call Mansi" style where you can can get synth pop, jazz and Michael Jackson licks all going on at the same time; similar to REWARM's reissue of Small's 'Don't Leave Me In The Rain (see review HERE).

The reason we're told is that there was a need to appeal to the wide multi-ethnic, multilingual audience that covers such a massive area so that the generic term ended up at "Bubblegum" [not the US sixities version or the Belgium rare soul version] with the downtempo Mzani.

Whilst the cover might not look as cool as some 80s dancehall, there's some great tracks here that we've never heard before like the sing-a-long, 'I Was Born In Africa' by Richie S, the mod-soul of 'Crocodile's Rock' by Black Moses & The Soul Brothers and the too-slow-to-Manzi, 'Nwananga Washanesera' by Joe Masunga (apparently Joe's clothing was designed by Sue Ellen Wylie!)

The equivalent of Pete Waterman on many of these tracks is Peter 'Hitman" Moticoe and he's clearly a name to look out for along with Tools & Figs, 'Blackout' is a great Afro-synth-mix 

At the other extreme, Joy White's contribution sounds like some strange 80s TV soap theme music and then there's Paul Ndlovu who became a household name after his 1985 hit, 'Khombora Mina' that's more than a touch reggae.  The opening track is also one of his, 'Takane' that's more in the 80s disco groove as is the 'Phil Fearon & Galaxy' period, 'Jonny Boy' (12" Dancemix 1986) by The Angels.

Armstrong has been compiling Afro, Brasil, South African funk and Cuban music for many years and I can see Mzansi Party Beats has is more than likely to have at least a Volume 2 as not only is the music a find, the vinyl is on a triple LP gatefold set along with CD and digital formats.

In the meantime, lets search eBay for some 80s Sue Ellen Wylie design wear.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: 'Yebo! Rare Mzansi Party Beats from Apartheid's Dying Years' compiled by John Armstrong

Release date: 30th June, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE421 LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Stefano De Santis - Sick With Rhyme ‘North Street West’ Remix EP (Ramrock Red Records)

It's been a touch over 6 months since we had the release of Stefano De Santis' 'Unreachable Galaxy EP' (see review HERE), but there's no sign of the Ramrock production line slowing down as The North Street West trio get back in the space ship to reach out to those galaxies.

You'll recall that Stefano De Santis is an Italian musician/composer/producer and produced his "modern jazz-funk" on an array of keyboards from Fender  Rhodes, piano, clavinet, Prophet 5, Moog, Solina String Ensemble, Juno 6! Form the remix, Ashley Beedle jumps on the drum programming stool, Darren Morris adds some new keyboard jazzness and with Jo Wallace arrangements with get two new versions.

The remixes of 'Sick With Rhyme', with vocal and dub versions, do bring the BRUK sound up-to-date as its Bugz In Attic phazers are locked on to CDr/Co-Op, the Herbie style keys are in-tune with the broken dancefloor and there's 'Lyric L' telling you that, "ya gotta move to ya booty la la to this".

Going to be hearing this from DJs Gilles Peterson, Colin Curtis, Kev Beadle etc along with Ramrock's very own Ashley Beedle of course.

Artist: Stefano De Santis

Title: Sick with Rhyme ‘North Street West’ Remix EP

Release date: 3rd July, 2023

Label: Ramrock Red Records 

Cat. No: RRR044

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Maxine Scott - New To This EP (Ramrock Blue)

More new releases from the Ramrock stable finds a more mature Maxine Scott being 'New To This'.

As the last release, with Alf.E, 'Guard Down (see review HERE) was a step up from the previous single, also with Alf.E, 'SXC' (see review HERE), even with some child like giggles, this is shows further evidence that Ms. Scott is one to follow. 
With the instrumental, the beats are matched with some strings and dreamy harp to the slightly saucey lyrics.

If you're new to the work of Maxine, you may have heard her 'Erykah U Bad' track last year that was popular on BBC 6 Music and then there was 'Ya Energy' which was more hip-hop than the tracks already mentioned.  And we're still promised a No'West remix of the new track, working with the Black Science Orchestra (so looking forward to the return of BSO) and a house EP with Andrew Sant!

Artist: Maxine Scott 

Title: New To This EP 

Release date: 30th June, 2023

Label: Ramrock Blue Records

Cat. No: RRB021

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Simon Mavin - Good Hair Day / Only You & Me (Bastard Jazz Recordings)

Can you have a good hair day in a musical spaceship?  You can if you're Simon Mavin as he launches his latest EP on Bastard Jazz.

If you're a fan of the first wave of current Aussie/Melbourne jazz-funk-hip-hop-soul-bruksters, Hiatus Kaiyote, you'll note Simon is the keyboard whiz, co-produer & co-writer in the band.

He definitely had a 'Good Hair Day' when he produced this track and fellow Meburnian(?), Harvey Sutherland, upped the pace and added more synths on the remix (and a reminder to dig out Sutherland's last album 'Boy' that featured that funkster, "Commander" DāM-FunK).

And talking of out there funk mission, 'Only You & Me' is very jazz-funk-Roger(and out there) with another great remix, this time by Aussie duo, Close Counters that ups the broken beat.

The label is increasingly our 'Leftfield of the Year' at this rate as this EP closely follows BusCrates album, 'Control Centre' (see review HERE) and this EP is ideal get ready to party tunes.

Artist: Simon Mavin 

Title: Good Hair Day / Only You & Me EP

Release date: 30th June, 2023

Label : Bastard Jazz Recordings

Catalog Number :  Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: LILAMORS - When I Am Dead, My Dearest (Latenite Lounging)

You'll recall that the group known as LILAMORS is the trio of German pianist Thilo Seevers, sound artist Jaka Arh and Slovenian vocalist Ana Čop.

We got a bit excited about the first single 'Slow Traveller' as "an experimental, Norma Winstone, ECM vs. Jazzland Bugge Wesseltoft, Silje Nergaard as minimal Balearic electronica: which is definitely, "Out there!" 

And the follow up 'Home' is a "counterbalance, [of] neo-classical piano minimalist" (see review HERE with a link to the Colour & Pitch Session that starts with 'Home').

The forthcoming album, 'When I Am Dead, My Dearest' (out 30th June), hints at a mix of the extremes with OST leanings

Indeed, any album that starts with an 'Alice Through The Looking Glass' style poem called 'Outro' tells us that these guys like to push boundaries,  We are told it's, "Music as a glitch in the time-space continuum". 

I'm couldn't say what that means.  I suspect 'Slow Traveller' might be the best example as tracks like 'And Now You're Gone' (a track in 3 parts) is as close to Winstone/Tippett wordless improvisation/jazz vocal whilst 'Dream Land' could be anything from Broadway to Judy 'Send In The Clowns' Collins.

And the title track reminds me of Annabel (Lee) in their Ninja Tune period before they started doing cover versions (see HERE) mixed with Robert Wyatt's 'Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard' period (for 'She Dried Her Tears' and 'But Still She Cries').

You get the idea that you're not going to be able to put these guys in a convenient box and I hope they stay this enigmatic and avoid slipping into a Ludovico Einaudi "comfort zone" as good as he is.

Artist: LILAMORS

Title: When I Am Dead, My Dearest 

Release date: 30th June, 2023 

Label: Latenite Lounging

Cat. No: LNL012ADG

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Various Artists - Deep House Lovers (Be Adult Music)

Fans of Be Adult Music will be happy that there's a new compilation coming out on the label; but let's hope they're grown up enough for a slightly deeper house than they are used to!

And 'getting  deeper' for these goes can stretch from a 'tribute' to 'Boogie Nights' (as reimagined as Latin disco-dub funk by Carlos Sanchez) to a Balearic beach zephyr. 'Feel The Breeze' (Moo Vee) to a bouncey remix of Sumsuch's 'Find Home' by Alex Kentucky & Ivan Garci as the day draws to a close (Sunset Mix) - fans of the Colour & Pitch head honcho will recall this is the one featuring Matty Eeles who's vocal is remincent of the jazzy end of Antony Hegarty; also check out 'Don't Go' and the latest on Colour & Pitch (Sen-Sei & Jason Merle's 'Traduire' - see review HERE).

You also get an organ express train awakening, 'Rude' (Matt Gilespie & Amir Groove) that will stay in everyones DJ bag forever, Mark Mac (different spelling) with a classic opener, 'Across The Globe'.

As a somewhat different tangent is Juan Domecq's 'Haunted Me' with it's synth ghost whispers and Aurel den Bossa & Ias Ferndale's, 'Calla Gracionetta' which has a Balearic 80s vocal vibe about it.

So, as you can tell, something for everyone and it's not just for lovers of deep house as it's always good to be a grown up.

STOP PRESS: Oh! What's that I hear, something from the other side of the office?  Sumsuch says, " 'Find Home' has really become a gift that keeps on giving. When I released the track in 2015 on my own Colour and Pitch label, it became something of a low-key hit around the beach bars and terraces on Ibiza and across the Balearics. Alex Kentucky in particular (one of the nicest DJs and humans you'll ever find) championed the tune, and asked if it would be OK to re-release it on his Be Adult imprint with a remix by Vincenzo, a favourite producer of mine. That rework became the stuff of legend, and I'm so happy to see Alex and Ivan provide yet another version of the song, perfectly timed for another lazy summer." Well, there won't be any fights in the playground with those thoughts.

Artist: Various Artists 

Title: Deep House Lovers

Release date: 29th June 2023

Label; Be Adult Music

Catalog Number: BAM316