Review: DJ Andy Smith presents Reach Up – Disco Wonderland Vol. 3 (BBE Music)

If by some freak of nature you're new to the works of DJ Andy Smith, don't worry as his 'Reach Up - Disco Wonderland Vol. 3' is a great place to start.

As the selector of choice for Potishead in the 1990s and curator of countless perfect compilations from 'The Document' in 1998, Northern Soul, Greensleeve reggae/dancehall, rare funk and the Disco Wonderland series.

The first two volumes had quite a diggers approach with most artists you'll have been unlikely to have heard of.  This edition follows the formula but has more 'Reach Up' edits, some tracks the BBE Afro should have released, like Orlando Julius' killer 'Disco Hi-Life' which is exactly what it says on the tin, some Risk Assessment (see review HERE) and the leftfield disco-funk of Buscrates' 'Five Days' (taken from his album released before 'Control Center' - see review HERE).

It's been nearly 20 years since I first say Mr. Smith play in Portsmouth for the first John Peel Day and this album shows he's lost none of his love of great tunes that make people dance which couldn't be better timed with party season on our horizon.

Apparently DJ Chris Wheatley (a regular on the south coast) had a influence via his Twitch gigs here so credit where credit is due.

Artist: DJ Andy Smith presents Reach Up 

Title: Disco Wonderland Vol. 3

Release date: 4th October, 2024

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number :BBE712CCD

Format: 3 x LP, 2CD,  Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: Illa J & Ash Walker - Off Days in London (BBE Music)

Here's a interesting combo of Detroit x London when Illa J and Ash Walker have some 'Off Days In London'.

Four tracks, 'Peace', 'True', What?!', 'Vibe' and the instrumentals on this classy EP from Dilla's younger brother and Late Night Tales' Ash Walker (who has also remix WahWah45s premier Afro-beat band, The Resonators).

Expecting that mix of hip-hop to jazz, you've got it where the two shared production and Illa provides the vocals/rap; 'True' is particularly soulful even with the potty mouth rap - repeated on 'What?!'.  

Illa J and  Ash Walker will be having an Off Days in London Launch Party is on 2nd October at the BBE Store in East London with limited amount of signed copies being available.

Artist: Illa J, Ash Walker 

Title: Off Days In London

Release date : 11th October, 2024

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE783

Format: LP / Digital

Review: Ishmael Ensemble - Butterflies (Severn Songs)

Fresh from taking over the airwaves of Worldwide FM, the new sound of Bristol that Ishmael Ensemble is a prime mover release another single from their album 'Rituals', its enough to give you 'Butterflies'.

For all fans of pollinators everywhere, this follows the release of singles 'Madrid' / 'Dust' (see review HERE), 'Ezekiel' / 'Fever Dream' (see review HERE) and the album (see review HERE) and comes with an equally impressive instrumental.

I did say that there's going to be lots of focus on 'Butterflies' that features the vocals of Holysseus Fly - see of 'Out Of The World' (see review HERE) and it's caught the ear of BBC 6 Music friendly with fans including the main DJs Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, Tom Ravenscroft, Mary Ann Hobbs amongst many more.

In supports their tour dates, it's a gig not to be missed.

UK/IE Tour Dates

02/10 - Concorde 2, Brighton
03/10 - Village Underground, London
04/10 - NAC, Norwich
05/10 - Goods Shed, Stroud
10/10 - Ulster Social Club, Belfast
11/10 - The Grand Social, Dublin
16/10 - Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
17/10 - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
18/10 - Rum Shack, Glasgow
19/10 - Gorilla, Manchester
24/10 - SWX, Bristol
07/11 - Botanique, Brussels
09/11 - Bird, Rotterdam
14/11 - Hydrozagadka, Warsaw
15/11 - Jazzclub Tonne, Dresden
16/11 - Badehaus, Berlin
17/11 - Sala Villanos, Madrid

Artist: Ishmael Ensemble

Title: Butterflies

Release date: 1st October, 2024

Label: Severn Songs

Catalog Number: SEVS30

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Dan Jose presents Larry White Vol.3 (Mushman Records)

Digger or not, there is no way on earth that anyone can not spot a Barry White vocal or his Love Unlimited Orchestrations, which makes Dan Jose's 'tribute' even more impressive as he brings a deep love of beats to some of the best of the disco/soul legend.

Now on Vol. 3 (and you'll want to check out the earlier ediitons) this is just a fabulous 're-imagination' of Bazza's top tunes that received the

assistance of some names like Hector Plimmer (Albert's Favourites), Arthur Sajas (Total Refreshment Centre - one of Emanative's favourite hang outs), Fergal McBride (The Rayvelles), Ryan Galvan, Dusty Ohms Bay Area.

Back in the day, there was a R.E-edit series that put some of Barry's productions to the sword (well edit anyway) and that's when I realised that we shouldn't be flicking through Barry's back catolgue in the chazzas/thrift stores and taking this music more seriously than his one global hit.  Dan, has taken this concept one step further with a re-birth as Larry White on the MPC.

Recorded in the Bay area and London (and why not) what with Luke Beat'sequally impressive 'Cream' (see review HERE), this this a new (49er) golden era? 

Artist: Dan Jose

Release: Dan Jose presents Larry White Vol.3
Release Date: September, 2024
Label: Mushman Records
Catalog Number: -
Format: Digital / BANDCAMP

Reveiw: KAT-TET - Women (Symbole Records)

Fans of Jazz Room, Jazzman and all things jazzdance floor action, get yourselves ready for this 'unique' album that's straight outta Guadeloupe in 1985! 'Women' never sounded so good.

Unbelievably, the only studio album of pianist Patrick Jean-Marie its got all for the derivations of jazz-funk dancefloor from the Caribbean, Gwoka, Biguines and more that all your US big heads used to such great effect like McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver and so many more.

And what a start for Symbole Records as DJ Mambo chick fell upon this album on a trip to Guafeloupe (sounds like something Princess Margaret might have done in the 70s) but what a fantastic re-issue and a chance to re-assess how great this album is, even if the cover looks 40 years old, the music is just as good today.

Joined by Toto Jean-Marie (bass), Erick Danquin (drums), Charly Chomereau-Lamothe and Christian Mtahurin (percussion) and Luther François magnificent on sax.  It might only be 5 tracks, 'Nikita', 'Sky 2000', 'Swing Hibiscus'  'Solange' that are all heavily Latin and the more spiritual 'Hommage'.

KAT-TET "Women" - PRE ORDER - | KAT-TET | Symbole Records (bandcamp.com)

Artist: KAT-TET

Title: Woman

Release date: 27th September, 2024

Label: Symbole Records

Catalog Number: 

Format: Vinyl / Bandcamp.

Review: Raz & Afla - Shikor Shikor / Eno Be Me (Wah Wah 45s)

As you'll have noticed, the WAH WAH 45s 25th anniversary celebration is at it's peak this month and here's a couple of party tunes from the label.

We're long term fans of the label as you can tell from the many reviews on YATM and this is another excellent release.

Raz Olsher (electronics) and Afla Sackey (percussion and vocals) have settled nicely into the Wah Wah 45s Afro-beat section along with Shrine 'legend', Dele Sosimi, Soothsayers / Youthsayers, Eparapo, Léa Mondo and more.

'Ebo Be Me' (nothing to do with the former Roxy Music/producer/ambient family) has some heavy 80s pop synth in it which makes it ideal for radio plays whilst 'Shikor Shikor' is the run-a-way train percussive groover with Afro-Anglo vocals, its dancefloor ready.

Both tracks are in original and vocal formats which is ideal for the DJ community and there's a little bird that tells me a certain Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s top man, Jazz FM, Soho Radio and many more) has been playing out the Hectic Extension of the previous single, 'What's Going On' at special times in his set.

These tracks are taken to the follow-up to their debut album from 'The Cycle' in 2022, 'Echoes Of Resistance' is due out next month so stay tuned.

Artist: Raz & Afla

Release: Shikor Shikor / Eno Be Me 
Release Date: 27th September, 2024
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: WAHDIG193
Format: Digital / BANDCAMP
 

Review: Aliza - Aliza EP (Siyal Music)

Get yourselves ready for Aliza for some Mediterranean psych-jazz funk Bollywood bass house; yeah, it's leftfied and further out there - but in a good way.

As neighbours Batov Records haven taken a recent side step on their last release, (Mamman Sani & Tropikal Camel's 'Nijerusalem' - see review HERE), the leading talent behind Aliza and the label, Siyal Music, has thrown all of his multi-talents into the melting pop with these 6 tracks on the 'Aliza EP'.

It's all held together with Lala Tamar's Morrocon vocals with the most accessible tracks 'Hear Us' and 'All The Way' which are very dancefloor ready; 'Hear Us' would go down a strong at We Out Here festival recently on The Grove stage as it's got heavy Sufi stompin' beat like some Northern Soul meets World.

There's a some amount of vocals in English which I find a little distracting but apart from that, any merging of "Levantine bass, futuristic Middle Eastern Dabke, Moroccan R&B" with electronica is going to be a little distracting anyway!

Quite a long way from Kutiman's contribution to Batov's 'Middle Eastern Grooves' compilation of last year (see review HERE) but this has huge potential.

Kutiman - Tabla, Drum Programing, Percussion, Keyboards
Dekel - Vocals, Keyboards
Uri Brauner Kinrot/Ouzo Bazooka - Baglama, Guitar
Lala Tamar - Vocals, Karkabes on 'Hadiya'

Artist: Aliza

Title:  Aliza EP

Release date: 27th September, 2024

Label: Siyal Music

Cat. No: -

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Rick Panzer – Music For The Complete Jazz Dance Class With Lea Darwin (BBE Music)

BBE Music have tracked down a 1979 lost classic of music composed by Rick Panzer and produced by choreograher Lea Darwin as fans of dance instructor Gus Giordano who was known for his modern jazz dance innovations and instruction books.

Originally released as a 11 track double album, BBE have replicated the original with the two killer dancefloor tracks, 'Pre-stretch Warm Up' (16 mins) and 'Floor-stretch Warm Up' (15 mins).  Don't be put off by these functional titles, or the rest of tracks, as this is as much innovated jazz-funk as inspired jazz dance.  

Clearly from the amount of 'new' instruments available to Mr. Panzer in the late 70s including Mini-Moog, Arp Odyssey, Yamaha CS60 Polyphonic Synthesizer, Freeman String Symphonizer, Arp String Ensemble, Fender Rhodes (as well as being the producer, composer, arranger, orchestrater and playing the grand piano and percussion) this guy knew his fusion and jazz-funk and rock and whatever 'Plies' is - so groovy man, for 9 minutes!

So who knew about this one?  Michel Veenstra is the digger responsible (he of Klinkhamer Records - see review HERE) and we are so lucky that this album is re-released in all it's glory.

You'd buy this album on the strength of the cover alone?  

Artist: Rick Panzer  

Title: Music For The Complete Jazz Dance Class With Lea Darwin 

Release date: 27th September, 2024

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number :BBE777

Format: 2 x LP, Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: Gee Lane feat. Blurum - Dancing With The Evil (Ensouled)

Here's a meeting of the minds on the dancefloor with some big names we know and love, get ready for 'Dancing With The Evil'.

You may know Gee Lane from her contributions to Toy Tonics, 'Metamorphosis' and 'Synesthesia E.P.' (the one with the musclecars remix - they were mad at WeOutHere Festival) and she's joined by Blurum (aka BluRum13, Killa Platypus, James Sobers), the US rapper (who was big with DJ Vadim bad in the day on Ninja Tune and has worked with loads of folks) adds his 'preacher' rap to this Afro-house inspired frieght train of a track.

Following up on the Cee ElAssaad single 'Ore Yeye O' release (see review HERE), Cee has provided a remix which is just as strong and has a "Hey" worksong rhythm.

We also get the instrumental version of the original plus an a'capella.

These guys know what they do and this is the evil to dance to and will be in all the trendy places so you'll soon be in love with this. 

Artist: Gee Lane feat. Blurum
Title: Dancing With The Evil 
Release date: 27th September, 2024
Label : Ensouled

Catalog Number : ENSLD007

Format: Digital  

Review: Myele Manzanza - Homesick (Marble Sun Remix) (DeepMatter)

Here's some serious remix action by Marble Sun who transforms the classic 'Homesick' into something even more powerful.

The original version of 'Homesick' is on Myele Manzanza's album 'Crisis & Opportunity, Vol. 4 - Meditations and for a drummer, in a trio with Matthew Sheens (Piano) and Matt Penman (Double Bass) it's reminisent of some of Robert Mitchell's jazz trio work of some years ago.

Indeed, you may recall the New Zealander has been based in the UK for years and had releases on First Word Records and his cutting edge broken beat influenced debut album 'One' (some of the regulars may recall, 'City Of Atlantis' featuring Charlie K & Ladi6 (Gerry Hectic's 50/50 Flip 12" Edit) - albeit it was never released!)

Like wise, 'Homesick' is re-worked as Marble Sun's vocalist Olivia Williams, adds atmospheric lyrics to a two-steppa beat that moves the track onto the dancefloor for soul-jazzers.

Seems like a good idea to check out what Myele has been doing but we know is next move is in Tamil Rogeon's band (together with Audrey Powne!) with the launch party for the 'Wave Theory' album (see review HERE) on 3rd October at BBE HQ (see HERE) so get your tickets now 'cos this really is the hottest ticket in town.

Artist: Myele Manzanza

Title: Homesick (Marble Sun Remix) 

Release date: 27th September, 2024

Label : DeepMatter

Catalog Number :tbc

Format: Digital / Bandcamp