Review: Ihsan Al-Munzer - Belly Dance (BBE Music)

BBE's Middle Eastern Heavens series of re-issues of the albums made by legendary Lebanese composer Ihsan Al-Munzer is now on it's third release and it's the best yet.

Don't be put off by any non-PC thoughts of the 'Belly Dance' as this the next step along the pop-synth disco cross-over from Bollywood to Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre.

Taking the 1970s ground of Batov Records' 'Middle Eastern Grooves' (see review HERE) and includes some notable big tunes, like 'Fog El Makhel.

Don't forget to catch up with 'Sonatina For Maria' and 'Belly Dance Disco' as this is guaranteed to get you movin' - revealed midriff or not [try not to think of tattooed topless Geordies on the terraces].

Artist: Ihsan Al-Munzer

Title: Belly Dance 

Release date: 6th October, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE527 Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Souleance - Beautiful (Heavenly Sweetness/First Word)

Souleance, the pairing of DJ Soulist and Fulgeance have themselves paired up with record labels First Word and Heavenly Sweetness for their latest album, 'Beautiful'.

And it's quite obvious that this long standing collaboration of soul/hip-hop/jazz-funk and all things beats, have produced a 14 track album that is truely 'Beautiful'.

They can adjust to any style and they excel with the Latin beats like 'Wiggle', 'Felliz' and 'Mamãe Não Quer' (featuring Joao Selva) along with other contributions from 'trending' Kit Sebastian on 'Out Of Touch' and 'Lightweight' featuring Jenny Penkin (a track that's strong enough to be a single I'd say); perhaps next time label mate Léon 'Stress Killer' Phal will make an appearance (see review HERE).

And then their instrumentals are so strong like the space-synth-gospel house-funker 'Rapsodie' (like I said, they can 'adjust their style' and cram a lot into just one track!) and the best of the lot, party on down to that Booker T and the MGs inspired, 'La Fête'.

London's Jazz Cafe is hosting a 15th Birthday party for Heavenly Sweetness next week (11th October) showcasing Guts and David Walters live (see review HERE) and a DJ set from Souleance - it's the beautiful place to be.

This Souleance's fourth album in a little over 10 years and it's a beautifully executed that's also beautiful on the ear.

Artist: Souleance

Title: Beautiful

Release Date : 6th October, 2023

Catalog Number : -

Label : Heavenly Sweetness/First Word

Review: Various - With Love: Volume 2 - Compiled by miche (Mr Bongo)

Down in deepest Dorset, well Bournemouth anyway, we like to thing that superstar DJ miche is our very own; but it's not been that way for a while as he puts together another 'original' compilation that's done 'With Love' and has taken him all over the globe.

Miche has definitely found a niche in soul, funk, jazz, Latin, disco deep diggin' fraternity following in the footsteps of Peterson/Charles/Scruff/Luke Una and particularly his mentor,  Mr. Glücklich himself, Rainer Trüby (see review HERE).

There's definitely a 70s Disco going on with soulful vocals and a huge horn appreciation as it's like a 'What followed Northern Soul' as all these tracks are super rare.  

And all are great but highlights include the two Billy Boomer tracks, 'Take To The Sky' by Mixed Generaton Enterprize, the 'Solar Radio' styled 'You And Me' (Mark Meadows) and a big 'As' by The Family Tree [stonking cover of the Stevie Wonder classic]: The Family Tree being a side project of Julius Brockington (see more on him HERE).

You might wan't to 'Save The Best 'Til Last' (Alice Cohen & Fun City) or the digs he's found in Brazil; and from Chile, what a closer, 'Te A Mare Mas Asi' (sung in english) by Rogers Mitchell.

Refering to my 'We Out Here' 2023 festival programme, 'Staff Picks' section, Miche played B2B with Rainer on the Grove Stage for nearly 3 hours so here's a chance to see what you missed 'With Love'; well 50% of it anyway.

'With Love' Volume 1 came out this time last year and worth checking it out if you've not done so already. 

Artist : Various Artists

Title : With Love: Volume 2 - Compiled by miche

Release Date : 06th October, 2023

Catalog Number : MRBCDLP280

Label : Mr Bongo

Format : 2XLP (Pink Limited) 2xLP (Black) / CD / Digital

Review: Atjazz & Shea Soul - Home (Reel People Music)

As all fans of Atjazz know, there's never going to be a moment when a new release from him or Atjazz Record Company isn't going to be of the highest quality; so why should his latest collaboration with Shea Soul be any different?

No reason at all, equally as mesmorizing as the recent release on Atjazz's label by Mr OFFBeat (see review HERE) but here on Reel People Music it's got that throbbing soul sound that's perfectly captured by Shea Soul; I'll even forgive the "Na, Naa, Nana, Naa, Naaahs".

As origin, radio edit and instrumental versions it'll get you on the dancefloor in a end of summer last hurrah before you get safely home.

PS. Don't forget the label only just released this killer by Mothers Favorite Child and the legendary Robin S called 'Tonight' as remixed by Opolopo - see review HERE)

Artist: Atjazz & Shea Soul 

Title: Home

Release date: 29th September, 2023

Label : Reel People Music
 

Catalog Number : RPM113 Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Dora Morelenbaum - Vento De Beirada EP (Mr Bongo)

Dora Morelenbaum doesn't sound like a tradition Brasilian name, but trust me, everyone who hears her says she's the new Joyce; and we agree.

So we first encountered Dora on the compilation 'Hidden Waters: Strange and Sublime Sounds of Rio de Janeiro' (see review HERE) and as one of Bala Desejo (yes, they of the best new Latin/Brazilian album in years, 'Sim, Sim, Sim' - see reveiw HERE).

So it's fantastic, and not very surprising, that her solo works are as about as opposite to  Ana Frango Elétrico (aka 'Ana Electric Chicken') as you can get (see review HERE of her 'Electric Fish EP').

Indeed, the mood is somewhat somber, reflective, sereen but with the voice of an angel (perhaps that should be redeemer?) on 'Avermelhar' and 'Dó a Dó' with the addition of big Hollywood strings (apparently arranged by her Dad); got a touch of Carlos Niño going on about this.

'Japão' falls between these two tracks and it the one destined to get radio airplay as it is influenced by her parents' association with Ryuichi Sakamoto (who sadly passed away earlier this year) in a Brasil meets Japan style whilst the clarinet on 'Vento De Beirada' takes the track to the next level of lovely.

This four track version of the EP is available on 12" and I think they won't hanging around for long and you don't want to end up red faced do you? 

Artist: Dora Morelenbaum

Title: Vento De Beirada EP 

Release date: 29th September, 2023

Label : Mr Bongo

Catalog Number : MRB12058

Format :  Digital / Bandcamp

Reveiw: Joseph Malik - Adjust Like Dat (Ramrock Red Records)

Craig Charles' favourite track of the new album, 'Adjust Like Dat' has just got a single release on Ramrock Red Records as vocal and instrumental versions.

Can we possibly say how good the album is, 'Proxima Ebony' (see review HERE) but if Mr Charles plays any track on BBC 6 Music's flagship 'Funk & Soul' show 3 (count 'em) weeks in a row, you know it's a tune.  And even more gratifing that's it's Joseph's tribute to his Dad, Francis Ukachukwu Malik (hence the tradition Nigerian dress in Igbo tribal colours.

And for those with a ear for this kinda of thing, you might reckonise Darren Morris' backing track is a cover of Norman 'The Harris Machine' Harris' 'In Good Faith' that got a wider audience when the 1980 track turned up on Harmless' compilation, 'Jazzy Vibes - Soulful Jazz Licks From The 70s'. 

Getting back to Mr. Malik's track, did someone say Jo Wallace is on back vocals?  And what's Joseph's Bill Wither's story anyway?

Artist: Joseph Malik 

Title: Adjust Like Dat 

Release date: 29th September, 2023

Label: Ramrock Red

Cat. No: RRR053

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Two Things Of Gold - Two Things Of Gold (A.MA Records)

Two Things Of Gold are a mother and son duo o Francesca Sortino and Diego Lombardo and it's more than a big pot from Rome.

In a departure from the straight jazz that A.MA Records are known for (like Enrico Bracco, Antonio Trinchero, Enrico Le Noci, Pippo D'Ambrosio, Opus Trio, Davide Peluso Quartet  (not withstanding the remixes by Chicago's Elbert Phillips), Two Things Of Gold (let's say TTOG) are on the jazz end of beats n' Baleraics which maintains through this 14 track album.

You get a little bit of rap ('FIne', 'Where Flamingos Fly', 'You Go To My Head') but it's the whole vibe of "summer gentleness" that the band perfectly achieve; being Francesca (Vocals), Diego (beat and clarinet) with Roberto Rossi (horns), Alessandro Maiorino (bass), Alberto Parmegiani (guitar), Mauro Beggio (drums) and at times featuring Franco Piana (flugelhorn), Francesco Lento (trumpet), Sofia Ara (flute), Fabio Tullio (saxophone) and Pierpaolo Bisogno (vibraphone; 'Con Alma' and 'Wind Blows' are great!).

Francesco steals the show a couple of times, notably 'Nothing Gold Can Stay' and 'Malachi',  but the single 'Rooms To Go' (and the next one, 'Wind Blows'?) are natural highlights (as is the afro-jazz centric 'Noru') and together with the 'band' tracks, like 'Nowadays', 'Con Alma', 'Lover' and 'Much Love To Earthward' work the best; perhaps that should be 'jazz-beat band' as, dare I say, Two Things Of Gold are a little Futuristica Music at times (wonder what Peter Franks would say about that?), a little bit early Cinematic Orchestra and equally, that other great Italian label that has produced such fantastic, nu-jazz, soul, funk, jazz, downtemp, Afro, Latin and more, Schema Records. 

That said, the remix potential for a Reel People style 'Soulful Deep & Dope Ibiza' compilation is massive, (are you ready Elbert?) but for now, lets enjoy Two Things Of Gold as it is - trust me, it sounds better on every listen.

And it's been a really strong week for this kinda of laid-back soul-jazz beats; the more 'world' album by Eric Hilton with Natalia Clavier, 'Corazón Kintsugi' also being released (see review HERE) so there's only one thing to do, get both!

Artist: Two Things Of Gold 

Title: Two Things Of Gold 

Release date: 29th September, 2023

Label : A.MA Reforged / A.MA Records

Catalog Number : CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Artist: Two Things Of Gold

Title: Two Things Of Gold

Release date: 29th September, 2023

Label : A.MA Reforged / A.MA Records

Catalog Number : CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: KAYYAK - Mönchhof Amour (feat. Xenia Lasareva) (rumpelmusig)

Fans of the disco new wave that found favour in New York with Talking Heads a few decades ago will hear echos in this killer track from KAYYAK called, 'Mönchhof Amour'.

As a Swiss label, rumpelmusig (no capital 'R') got a winner with the last KAYYAK single 'Let Love Find Itself' (as featured on last month's Colour & Pitch Session) and split with the equally wild 'Dancing In The Dark' by Kalabrese who happens to be head honcho, "producer, DJ, club owner and village romantic" at the label.

Whilst that track had more Europe in it ('Disco to Disco' perhaps, Xenia Lasareva adds additional vocal to 'Mönchhof Amour' asking us about going to Italy.  

Well if it's the country or Little Italy, we'll be taking it to the dancefloor (the extended 8 minute version as opposed to the radio edit) and the next big hit.

BMusic | Rumpelmusig (bandcamp.com)

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - August 2023

Artist: KAYYAK feat. Xenia Lasareva

Title: Mönchhof Amour   

Release date: 29th September, 2023

Label : rumpelmusig

Catalog Number : RUMP011 Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Eric Hilton with Natalia Clavier - Corazón Kintsugi (Montserrat House)

Eric Hilton has been on the boarders of house for nearly 30 years as half of the seminal Theivery Corporation and together with singer Natalia Clavier, the new release on the Montserrat House label, 'Corazón Kintsugi' shows how to use all that experience to craft something special.

Those house boarders have long been on the trip-hoppy jazz side, like the tone set by the title track 'Corazón Kintsugi' featuring the dreamy vocals of Argentinian singer-songwriter Natalia Clabier (who you may recall on the "Theives" album 'Saudade', one of 12 albums that they made over the years).

If you need a more of a Latin jazz-funk dancefloor vibe, 'Nene', 'Tres Sesenta' and 'Cada Vez' are the ones with a groovy bassline that nealy steals Natalia's performance. 

Hilton (as Theivery Corp.) was so influencial (as masters of the trip/dub/downtempo/future jazz genre and check their many remixes including our favourites Rockers HiFi) and with tracks like 'Amor Astral' and 'Divagar' he's lost none of the cross-over elegance (and he plays nearly all the instruments on the album) plus Clavier's Spanish/Portuguese vocals perfectly fit the Latin-world trip vibe.

Fans of Antiques Roadshow to Flog It! will know that Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold/silver/platinum dusted lacquer.  And being Japanese, it almost goes without saying that there's a philosophy at the heart of the process, the breakage and repair beng the history of the object rather than something you should attermpt to hide.  And Corazón is Spanish for heart - did you see what they did there?

Clearly, there's nowt broken or in need of repair on these nine tracks: lets dub out with 'Luna'.

Artist: Eric Hilton with Natalia Clavier 

Title: Corazón Kintsugi

Release date: 29th September, 2023

Label : Montserrat House
 

Catalog Number : MH026 Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Darius Jones - fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred) (Northern Spy / We Jazz Record)

Is any free jazz suite an easy listen?  Let's hope the answer to that one is a 'NO' in a traditional sense of "easy" but I found this four track LP an easy listen in that it was mezmorizing (as the cover), intriging, and fun (check out the 'score' video below).

With a group consisting of Darius Jones (alto saxophone, composer), Gerald Cleaver (drums), James Meger (bass), Jesse Zubot (violin), Josh Zubot (violin) and Peggy Lee (cello) the 'unusual' set-up of 'jazz' trio and strings certainly adds a certain Nonclassical vibe to proceedings.

Certainly would be an interesting mix if there was a Darius Jones approach to avant garde gods Ayler/Coleman and the like, even last weeks' 'The Betrayal' by ENEMY (see review HERE).

And for any doubters, Free-Jazz is not cheap jazz, the musicians here are excellent; indeed to quote the press release, it's an "earthy blend of compositional and sacred music where sound becomes visual, emotional, and visceral"!

Artist: Darius Jones
Title: fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred) 
Release date: 29th September, 2023
Label : We Jazz Records
Catalog Number : WJLP054 / CD / Digital / Bandcamp