Review: DB Cohen - Scratchcards & Wine (Ramrock Red Records)

Lately, there's been repeated remarks about 'cover artwork' and here's another, this is not a cassette but Ramrock Red Records' latest on vinyl by DB Cohen.

So you think you know Ramrock Red with their heavy influences from the US (like Twelve Caesars modern classic, 'Ride The American Wave' - see review HERE) and now, this album is actually a re-issue of a 2013 lost gem.

Ok, there's a strong Dylan influence at times with the 'Hurricane'/'Just Like A Woman' period harmonica, organ and lyrically cleverness but equally, the music seems to owe just as much to the UK with The Kinks, 2-Tone (more Dexy's soul and Specials dips into reggae), a touch of 70s Stones, throw in some Blur, the peak-swing of the Libertines and angst of Essex Bragg; quite a gig! 

In fact, Essex 'everpresent' Snowboy is on here (he of the 'New York Afternoon' LP and more recently seen on Dele Sosimi & Estuary 21 - see review HERE) as he produced the album and it's not surprising the influence spread as the London scene he gathered here have played with many head-liner acts like Faithless, Gorillaz, Adele, JTQ, Steve Hooker, Roger Daltry et al (oh! and Adele). In fact, I'm sure people were thinking the DB was all ready to be on all the top festival billings/chart success.  

But now's the time to give this album the love it deserves.  The past 10 years have done nothing to lessen the relevance of the songs.  Kicking off with a song about being a teacher, 'Shit Jobs' (of course, you don't have to be in Education industry to have one of those) and if you've got, 'Tim Smart on 'bone from the Specials' at your service doing his best "Rico", what more do you need?, 

Cohen's troubadour lifestyle has helping him with the subject matter of the songs with 'The Dealer' (remember: sometimes words have more than one meaning), 'Bus 142' (is that Fulham?) and the title track, 'Scratchcards'.

Unllike scratchcards, this collection has matured with age [like wine] and is sure to be 'Album Of The Week' on all good radio stations - putting my money on BBC 6 Music, Radio Essex and Colne FM for first a trifector/patent winner!  Bigger odds that a sratchcard.

A new album is planned for next year 'On Targe' (sounds a bit mod?) and I hope Snowboy can get involved as he did such a brilliant job here; roll on 2024.

Artist: DB Cohen 

Title: Scratchcards & Wine

Release date: 24th November, 2023

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRRLP012 

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Shirley Turner / The KBCS feat. Nora Becker - I Wish You A World Of Happiness (Sonar Kollektiv)

Even old hacks occasionally wake up at the sound of something special and drop their electronic shcedules and dance - and that's what 'I Wish You A World Of Happiness' will do to you whether it's the originnal Shirley Turner or this cover by Berlin's The KBCS (instrumental) or vocal featuring the fantastic Nora Becker.

Just love the original version as you really do expect a 'Wigan style' round of appaulse at the end of it as it's just one of those tracks that raises spirits along with the lyrics where we believe that everybody is wishing everyone elese a world of happiness to live in; timely you might say.

So whilst current Northern Soul hotspots Manchester, Bristol and Deptford (it's true!) will be spinning their talc power to this one, can you believe the deep soul of the cover version?  Of a quality of a Daptone but too slow for Northern Soul with a great vocal with 'sharper' modern day production; the instrumental version could have funked up to a Curtis Mayfield given half a chance.

If you see the vinyl, get two copies as you will get greedy; if not three (well it is coming up to Xmas prezzie time) and I wish you a world of happiness now.

Title: Shirley Turner / The KBCS feat. Nora Becker 
Title: I Wish You A World Of Happiness
Release date: 24th November, 2023
Label : Sonar Kolletiv

Catalog Number : SK454 7" / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Joy Denalane - WILLPOWER (Four Music)

Who would believe that Joy Denalane has released her best album to date?  I guess that's the strength of 'WILLPOWER'.

One of the reasons I have been taken a-back by 'WILLPOWER' is that Joy's previous best album was as a featured vocalist with [re:jazz] back in 2003 with the classic jazzdance-dub hybrid, 'Torch Of Freedom'. On the back of that, I always would keep an eye opend for her name and then, out of the blue, she released 'Born & Raised' on the Four Music sub-label that she ran with husband Max Herre.

So all these years on her voice is just as soulful and she's written an album that's deeply personal and emotional; that's often the cue to run to the hills but don't.  Teaming up with now ex-husband Max Herre (as recently seen on top form with jazz group Web Web and Carlos Niño making a guest appearance - see review HERE) and mates with everyone, Roberto Di Gioia (see review HERE), these are a dozen tracks that covers the loss of her father and her children leaving home; i.e. growing up.

Luckily, it sounds reflective and up all at the same time, like 'Happy' (in two versions, one featuring Ghostface Killah - yes, he of Wu-Tang) and one not that captures the gospel feel.  If 'Happy' has passed you by as a single, don't let is pass you on this album with the ten b-sides (so to speak).

'Can't We Cry' and 'Revolutions' sounds a bit cheesy on first listen but will definitinly grows on you and sets you up for 'True (Soweto)', 'Good Times Better' and the title track, 'WILLPOWER'. 

Goes without saying tht this seems a very grown up album but I'd like to think that the love and touching lyrics here will reach an all-age fanbase.  Lets hope that Joy brings so much Joy into lots of people's hearts with this release.

Artist: Joe Denalane 

Title: WILLPOWER

Release date: 24th November, 2023

Label: Four Music

Cat. No: Limited Edition vinyl - 19658842501 CD 19658842502

Format: LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Sandra-Mae Lux - Where Is Christmas Now (Independent)

Are you already feeling tired of the Christmas Channel and re-runs of 'White Christmas'?  Try this new release by Sandra-Mae Lux as she asks, 'Where Is Christmas Now'?

What with everything that's going on in the world right now (from macro to micro), I don't suppose any of us really know where is Christmas now but it's worth the time to pause, think and that in this ballad 'n' piano jazz that's nostalgic to it's roots - Vince Guaraldi, The Carpenters and Canadian, Michael Bublé.

Ms. Lux is very accomplished and has already appeared at the Ottawa Jazz Festival and performed with legends Robert Glasper, Herbie Hancock and opened for Dave Brubeck(!) so we'll be looking out for her sophomore album coming out next year.

I don't suppose Oliver Heldon, David Guetta or Tiesto will be playing this out but they don't love Christmas like we do.

Artist: Sandra-Mae Lux 

Title: Where Is Christmas Now?

Release date: 24th November, 2023

Label : Independent

Catalog Number :  

Review: All Is Well - A Break In Time (Compost Records)

Well, you might have thought you knew everything about Fred Everything you needed to know only to find out that he's 'All Is Well' too and 'A Break In Time' is just the musical album refresher we all need.

I was somewhat surprised to find out that, Fred Everyting (aka Frédéric Blais, DJ,producer and remixer for over 25 years from Quebec, Canada and best mates with Martin 'Atjazz' Iverson and many more on the cool side of deep house) was also known as just 'Everything' in his early career and was a big fan of all things ambient.  And it proved that lockdown was 'A Break In Time' that he used to re-address this area to affirm, 'All Is Well'.

Luckily, this album of ten tracks have found a home at Compost Records and it draws inspiration from all electronic and non-electronic ground breakers, Reich, Terry Riley, Eno (both of them), Tangerine Dream/Krautrock, System 7 and many more, even Carl Craig.

Thankfully, we're not drawn into 20 minute chill-out drones but beautiful pre-Balearic 'intros' as the titles allude to; 'Day One', 'Day Two', 'Tranquillity' and 'Risqué.  'Forever And A Year' is most Reich like but any of this tracks could get picked up for Film/TV/Advert as they are captivating.  The dreamy 'Towards' and 'Phillippe' are another two and it's easy to see why German electronic stars like Dixon and Âme are fans; getting back to Berlin-Canadian links, time for a Wagon Repair revival?

'Cosmic Winter' is the most 'upbeat of the set whilst 'At Well' starts a bit too 'Big Brother' for my liking but that's a small gripe as mostly it's warm and lush. 

Apparently Fred has also been working under the moniker Incognito and teaming up with an old Beats In Space favorite, Lauer and Atjazz as a trio so lets hope we don't have to have another 'lockdown' period for the All Is Well follow up album.

P.S. And check out Will Sumsuch's interview on 5 Magazine HERE.

Artist: All Is Well

Title: A Break In Time

Release date: 24th November, 2023

Label : Compost Records

Catalog Number :  CPT 624 LP / Digital / Bandcamp [The album is also available in Dolby Atmos, as well as vinyl and digital formats]

Review: The Stance Brothers - Duktus (We Jazz Records)

Whether you know drummer / producer Teppo Mäkynen as Teddy Rock or as his other solo alias The Stance Brothers, you don't want to mis out on his brand new album, 'Duktus'.

It's great that Finland's We Jazz Records is the home to his first new album in over 10 years as The Stance Brothers after teasing us with a long series of 7" singles and appearances on compilations like Jazz Don, Paul Murphy's 'The Jazz Room (see review HERE).

Tracks like 'Sao Paulo' and 'Deeper Tones' put him in that super cool nu-jazz hip-hop Madlib vs. Mizell Brother of the north. 

If you're missing the early Dublab/Thundercat/CDr vibes, this is a huge album that's ready for you to get.

Love 'Further East' which reminds a little of Daedelus' forays and the dub beats of 'Futuristic Earth'.

This is a great percussion/dance forward collection al a mixtape with equal room for head noddin' and jazz beard strokin'.

Full props to We Jazz Records as this is such a difference album to their most recents,  Kenneth Jimenez' 'Sonnet To Silence' (see reveiw HERE) or Mike Reed's 'The Separatist Party' (see review HERE) - or is it?

Artist: The Stance Brothers

Title: Durkus

Release date: 24th November, 2023

Label : We Jazz Records

Catalog Number : WJLP57

Format: LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Léa Mondo - Heights Of Love (Wah Wah 45s)

What! Wah Wah 45s find the new Sade?  Naaaw, this is far more promising than that!

A single recorded live in North London that's soul, jazz and bossa nova driven will find love at the heights and lows of love.

Léa, originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, then Manchester and now London based is backed by the band of Jasmine Burton (bass), Alex Karakurt (drums), Mousa Dembele (percussions), Allexa Neva (sax & flute), Max Rodriguez (rhythm guitar) and Léa on vocals, guitar, lyrics, arrangements and co-producing the track with producer Louis Auneau. 

There's a full 12" jazzdance mix in here (when Dom Servini has the time to find it) but there's lots more to come from Ms Mondo is guaranteed.

P.S. Crazy to release this on a Black Friday and so soon after Espen Horne's brilliant album, 'The Anatomy Of Serene Eloquence' (see review HERE); just saying?

Artist: Léa Mondo 

Release: Heights Of Love

Release Date: 24th November, 2023

Label: Wah Wah 45s

Catalog Number: Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: TTeo - Lovexpress77 (Sonar Kollektiv)

Is this a re-issue from 1977? Is it a disco sample project? Is it something now? Well, it's all three and "the story of my Dad" says TTeo on the track 'Love Circus' from the brand new album, 'Lovexpress77'.

We know how good the single from a few months ago, '42H' (see review HERE), but TTeo's strange timewarp concept starts in 1970 when Fernando Antonio Capreoli, his Dad, left southern Italy to make his fortune; which took the first steps with being a drummer in the disco-funk-rock band 'Lovexpress' which led to tours of Scandanavia (1974-1979) as the the band was a mix of Italians and Scandinavians.

But this is no 'beyond the grave' story as his Dad found some tape recordings of these gigs and the quality was excellent so TTeo (aka Mattei Caoreli) was so inspired by this find, by sampling and reworking the original 'Lovexpress' he's produced a 12 track album for Sonar Kollektiv.

So with the back story to 'Lovexpress77' being almost as mad as Larry Levan's Joubert Singers’ “Stand On The Word" Remix, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by the gospel-funk-house dance quality of 'Follow Me'; and then you've got that salsa boogie of 'Troppo Sexy' and the disco thrust of the title track - 3 great reasons to get the album in itself.

It's hard to believe that the band wasn't a huge group nearly 50 years ago if they were making tracks like 'Figli Delle Stelle' and 'Mi Fa Sofrire' as versions in English would have likely have made UK charts; actually, they'd probably been too good for that; thankfully the nu-disco/70s  revival means we're able to dance to this music today: 'Mi Fa Sofrire' is just great lounge-pop-boogie.

'Sometimes' features the vocals of Dalila Cabalera and is more in a off-Latin-house groove (bit of a grower as Slim Shady might say) and then again, there's an undercurrent throughout the album of DJ Shadow's 'Endtroducing......; that comes to the fore with the jazzy beats on 'Pantera'  and the closing track, 'A Bronx Tale' sounds like something Pink Floyd could have closed one of their albums with.

Of course, the cyncs with cynical eye might be thinking this is just a rouse to "get the band back together"/Sugarman bio-pic a la Sixto Rodriquez (RIP 8th August 2023) but that's because it's what cynics would think.  I'm more that convinced this is a young musician that was inspired by his Dad's musical past and wanted to celebrate it by using it as the inspiration to produce the best he could; and it's a ticket you'll want to get to jump onboard the Lovexpress77; next stop, the turntable? DJ booth?

Title: TTeo

Title: Lovexpress77

Release date: 24th November, 2023

Label : Sonar Kolletiv

Catalog Number : SK477D Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: David Hopperman – Mire (incl. Aytiwan, Diamond Dealer Remixes)(Deep In Your Soul)

When you're deep in the 'Mire', David Hopperman reached out to Deep In Your Soul to save him, from the leopard?

Well, perhaps not the leopard in the photo of the cover artwork but 'Mire', in original version with Aytiwan and Diamond Dealer remixes is something high on the list of "like it" - I hope that's the vocal?

If you're after Afro-house with Italo-Latin jazzdance influences, the original version is the one for you.

The Aytiwan is more of a stripped version with added synth swirl-bang and the 8 minute Diamond Dealer synthy bounce makes this an EP you can't ignore. 

Following on from the 'Kalaga EP' by PA NGU featuring Lhue Ntuza (another one with an Aytiwan remix, see review HERE) you can pick any version of 'Mire' to keep the dancefloor moving this fall.

Artist: David Hopperman

Title: Mire (incl. Aytiwan, Diamond Dealer Remixes) 

Release date: 24th November, 2023

Label : Deep In Your Soul

Catalog Number : DIYS014 Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Irena Pavlović - The Soulful Heritage (A.MA Records)

From Serbia via Italy, pianist/composer/arranger Irina Pavlovic debut's her album 'The Soulful Heritage' [and don't be put off by the cover]. 

The soul heritage she bases this album of soul-jazz a la 60s French new wave/jazz quartet post-bop swing; don't be misled by the soft focus of the album cover.

Led by Irina (piano), the nine tracks mostly revolve around her and Ivan Radivojevic (trumpet,flugelhorn) Rastko Obradovic (tenor saxophone), Milan Nikolic (bass) and Dusan Novakov (drums)/Luka Jovicic (drums on track 1 and 5).

The title track features U.S. vocalist Dean Bowman (with some Dwight Trible style exercises; big fans of Dwight - see review HERE) and also the 'bone work of Corey Wilcox (and again, Cory turns up couple more tracks to feature) for a spell-binding 6 minutes that's equally at home with the swingin' Latin-bop of 'Arriba, Arriba' (love this one).

We said with the recent A.MA release by Two Pots Of Gold (see review of 'Two Pots Of Gold' HERE) that they are on a departure from previous "straight jazz" and this album does seem to edge to some of the previous releases by the Schema label.

And it's not just Schema, but let's just pick on their 'house' trombonist, Gianluca Petrella as he set a tone in Italy and now Mr. Wilcox, who might only appear on 3 tracks, is definitely a star of this show with 'Podednik (The Victor Of Belgrade)' and the bangin' avant-blues march of 'Reviving Blast'.

There's big respect to Blue Note/Pretege/Riverside et al especially as Novalov's drums can swing-bop-simmer; there's a couple of slower tracks, like the rive gauche of 'My Return' that Irina plays the electric piano and Obradovic and Radivojevic get a chance to have a workout.

Nikolic's bass also gets to feature on the tender duet with Irena 'My Tree' and featured on 'Look Above' and then there's Irina's soft to heavy hands on the piano for the powerful 'Dawn In The Warfield'.

Back on the album cover; it's a shame that they couldn't do a Yusef Lateef syled 'Jazz For The Thinker' cover as the Podednik is a war monument statue in Belgrade; and as that's such a great track.

But that'll be my minute gripe as this album is much more than a soul-jazz tribute and whilst Irena is the leader, I hope that the core of this group is able to keep together as they clearly work so well together and support each other.

Many thanks again to DJ Bob Hill of the Return Of The Illicit Groove for keeping us up to date with all things jazzy/acid jazz.  

PS. Yusef Lateef's album, 'Jazz For The Thinker' is the hard bop/modal classic from 1957 featuring  Lateef on tenor and flute, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Hugh Lawson piano, Ernie Farrow bass, and Louis Hayes drums.

Artist: Irena Pavlović

Title: The Soulful Heritage

Release date: 24th November, 2023

Label : A.MA Records

Catalog Number : CD / Digital / Bandcamp