Review: Idrissa Soumaoro - Diré (Mieruba)

"[it's] shaping up to be the year of the Touareg takeover. Fortunately the appetite for the heavy, bluesy, desert rock made famous by Tinariwen is matched by the supply of fine bands".*

This is what we were saying in 2006 and whilst Tinariwen remain the most well known of the desert blues World/WOMAD discoveries (indeed you'll probably have spotted that they've got a new album just out, 'Amatssou'] for "supply", here's Idrissa Soumaoro on a longer awaited and very rare album during the past 20 years from Idrissa Soumaoro.

Composer, singer, guitarist and master of the kamalen n’goni he sings in French, Bambara and English and throughout the album it's a awash with distinctly West African stringed instruments, percussion with flute and balafon and a very 60s sounding organ; I'd like to think that if the Small Faces ever chilled out in the Desert, they'd produce such a masterpiece as 'Diré'.

For the single, 'Sababou' I'm still love the organ on this, like a Brian Auger goes to Mali; Malian Mod? Beautifully sung, it's lovely throughout with highlights like 'Don't Worry' and 'N'den tedi'.  There's even a bit of a jazz dance percussion on 'Yélé', brilliant stuff.

The mainstream press (such as MOJO, Uncut, Songlines, The Guardian and the like) will be championing this album (quite rightly) as it's a 10 track love song for 'Diré', a town where he met his wife: I'm in love with 'Diré' (the album) too!

Artist: Idrissa Soumaoro

Title: Diré 

Release date: 22nd September, 2023

Label : Mieruba

Catalog Number : -

Format: LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

*FLY Global Music - El Tanbura - 'Between The Desert And The Sea' Review: 06 October 2006 (see HERE)

Review: GODTET feat. Novak Manojlovic - +Strings (La Sape Records)

Fans of the experimental/electronic/ambient jazz of GODTET (and indeed La Sape Records) know that they are partial to a bit of a '+' experiment but this is the first time it's been recorded as a live album and with the addition of Australian pianist Noval Manojlovic and a string quartet.

It's was apparently Noval's idea of the 'classical' strings and it really work as an experimental (lets hope Godriguez/they are all best buds now as we definitely want more of this.  

Love the faint 'Love Supreme' vs shoegaze vs. heavy percussion of 'Lilt' and you can't blame 'em if sometimes it slips in the 70s prog sphere of say a Camel ('Nautical') but not a Gentle Giant.  Jazz funkers, it's  'Broadening'.

This is GODTET's fifth album and a couple of years ago I said, "Ambient jazz club types that fall in the Cinematic Orchestra/Portico Quartet envelope with be onto GODTET's trio of tracks, Meditation I, II & III as a beautiful landscape of outer spatial sounds".

'+Strings' was performed in a former women's prison at VIVID Festival in Sydney 2022 and this recording has certainly captured an 'atmospheric' that's mezmorising in just an audio format; check the appropriately named 'Texture'. 

You don't have to be Jez Nelson to love this and many thanks to the label for making this event more widely available.

Artist: GODTET feat. Novak Manojlovic 

Title: +Strings

Release date: 22nd September, 2023

Label La Sape Records

Format/Cat. No. : Digital / Bandcamp  SAPE026

Review: Darren Price - The Real House Music EP (F*CLR Music)

Darren Price may not be the biggest name in club music but he had a hand in one of the biggest tracks in 'Born Slippy', this time, with F*CLR Music, if looks as if he's more than just touching a huge house hit as it's 'The Real House Music EP'.

Four tracks, with their own flavour of 'The Real House Music' message, 'Main' (obviously the main room jazz fusion chant), 'Warehouse' (a bit less defined). 'Cliffhanger' (on the edge of your seat) and the mind messin' 'Disco'.

Close to half an hour of house that'll move dancefloors for the rest of time because it's "All about the music, the real House Music".  

We've heard this sort of  repetitive chant that spans ambient, spiritural jazz, funk, soul all the to The Fall's classic take on 'Repetition' because it works; where's Frankie Knuckles; did someone say Kevin Saunderson?

A bit late for this month's Colour & Pitch Sessions but we'll definitely be on this one in all its form and reinforces F*CLR's history of being ahead of the curve; and they're at it again once more.

PS. it's also a good idea to check out his Soundcloud page: Stream Darren Price music.

Artist: Darren Price

Title: The Real House Music EP 

Release date: 25th September, 2023

Label: F*CLR Music

Cat. No: FCLR027

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Joe Probert - The Nose EP (Ramrock Red)

When you've got Tim Goldsworthy (DFA, UNKLE, Hercules & Love Affair) and Ramrock's Jo Wallace after a Bristolian living in New Zealand, you can be sure that they're sniffing out some super talent.

Over the last 20 years, New Zealand has proved to be more than just an musical outpost that produced Split Enz/Crowed House/Finn Brothers and Charles Tumahai (BeBop Deluxe) as the likes of Fat Freddy's Drop/Joe Dukie and Julien Dyne have seen them have album releases on cult labels in the UK and Europe.

And now it's Joe Probert's turn as his unique soul/funk/pop is right up Ramrock's as 'No Hot Fever' gets psych/funked-out, 'Toe The Line' that's classic Motown soul soaked vocal/organ (you get me, Mrs Ramrock?) and 'Tired Of Waiting' which is my pick of the three; that said, I can see all three getting played on all the great radio stations throughout the day.

Who know's why it's call The Nose (why not 'The Toe'?) but if you're a fan of Joseph Malik's new album, 'Proxima Ebony' (see review HERE), here's another must have and it's frightening to think how good these guys are and indeed, what's to come!

Did someone say, DJ Gerry Hectic was on the undercard to Tim Goldsworthy in Bournemouth many moons ago?  I thought not.

Artist: Joe Probert

Title: The Nose EP

Release date: 22nd September, 2023

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR052

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Nick Marks - Cinematic Chromatics Vol.1 (Independent)

How good is Nick Marks?  If he was a 100m athlete, he'd break the current world record by at least 4 seconds: one for every track on this EP!

We've loved everything we've heard as singles previously, 'Dorongo', 'Paradiso' (love the rock guitar solo at the end, who'd have thought it'd fit in so well) and 'Ride The Dragon'.

I've said before that is like a 'modern' interpretation of jazz-funk OST as Marks gets his 70s 'Thundercat' on with the Metropole Orkest for 'Enter the Dragon' (Lalo Schifrin) meets 'Death Wish' (Herbie Hancock).

So, you can tell from the titles that there's a big cinematic influence as there is with the new track, 'Prelude/Asrc Of Light'. You just know 'Prelude' is going to be the atmospheric tension before the opening 'Arc Of Light' orchestral jazz sunshower of sound.

It's like Miguel Atwood-Ferguson has teamed up with Lalo Schifrin, Quincey Jones and Eumir Deodato in an explosion of cinematic jazz funk disco goodness with a hint of Dilla.  

This guy's is far to busy for remix work and it's more than evident Mr Nick Marks is a cool dude that's as much Cinematic Chromatics as he is Snarky Puppy. People: this is Vol 1 and it's a set of 3! 

On your Marks, [Nick] you might say?

PS. The artwork by rtistry and vision. French artist matches the briliane of the music.

PPS. Thanks to the Jazz Chill Blog for quoting, “a twisted jazz fusion of orchestrated funk bruk electronica - dare I say, of Herbie Hancock proportions” (Gerry Hectic, You And The Music)

Artist: Nick Marks

Title: Cinematic Chromatics Vol.1 

Release date: 22nd September, 2023

Label: 

Cat. No: -

Format: Digital

Review: ENEMY - The Betrayal (We Jazz Records)

Whether it's big or small, We Jazz are not the enemy and there's no beytrayal going on whatsoever.

The reason I mention this is because they've gone from the magnificently and large 17 member Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra album release of last week, to the release of a trio, Enemy, that's made up of fantastic modern jazz exponents.  We'll known pianist Kit Downes, the magnificent Petter Eldh and drummer James Maddren.

I've said before on the single, 'Hollywood Bypass' that they make a very powerful trio; "... bypass Hollywood, straight to Frith Street/5 Corners" but even I was taken aback by the other 11 tracks.

Kit was once a member of the hard hitting "new London jazz revolution" group Empirical and he's no less powerful or inventive in ENEMY and he's know/played with Maddren for many years.  'Sun' is hot and manic, Croydon is represented by 'Croydon Shuffle' and 'Croydon Smash' - the later being the opening tease of a track; shame it's just shy of 2 mins long but the rest of the album makes up for it. 

Recorded in a day(!), this is their third album as a group (their debut on We Jazz) and even though there's no hint of the previous association with ECM trademark sound (the label of the previous albums) you're going to find that fans are already in the major jazz press and radio stations; consider this is more of a transfer than a betrayal.

PS. Petter Eldh plays the bass on Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra album 'Family' (see review HERE) so there's another reason to get both albums.

PPS. Apparently availabe in bring pink vinyl version.

Artist: ENEMY

Title: The Betrayal 

Release date: 22nd September, 2023

Label : We Jazz Records

Catalog Number : LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Daniel Ögren - Fastingen 92 (Mr Bongo)

Sweden's Daniel Ögren (Swedish guitarist, composer, engineer and producer) was actually born in the late 80s so what's 'Fastingen 92' all about?

Well, the cover looks like Jan Akkerman might look as a young man in a studio of today and that's a bit of a clue as Akkerman is equally adept at jazz, funk and rock, Ögren beguiles us with a range of styles that sound a little synth pop, a little South American folk, Scandinavian folk, OST and a little ambient/Balearic too [Ed. not sure that we can have 'Scando-Balearic']. 

'Idag' is the "obvious" crossover track, but to where - 60s pop or Scando-Young Marble Giants(?)  It's definitely a grower and much the better for the inclusion of a bonus track, 'April' that's ideal for radio plays next spring (great pysch-ish climax). Then, not long 'til 'October (For Lo)', another dreamy won, and if you're not fed up of me mention Belgium's hero Remco Evenepoel at every desparate opportunity, previous Belgium legend get a mention on 'Maj (For TinTin)'; a bit more instrumental post-Joy Div that one.

It's been quite a year for Mr Bongo Records already and this is about as far as you can get from thier last release, Ana Frango Elétrico's 'Electric Fish' (see review HERE) or even fellow Swede (and mate), Sven Wunder (see review HERE).

This album's was original release in limited to 100 copies in 2020 version whilst this version of 'Fastingen 92' comes in both magenta and black vinyl versions, CD and download.

Artist: Daniel Ögren

Title: Fastingen 92 

Release date: 22nd September, 2023

Label : Mr Bongo

Catalog Number : MRBLP277

Format :  Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: South Beach Recycling - C Dog's Wish (Craig Smith's Lightyears Dub) (Atjazz Record Company)

Do we love a mid-week remix? We certainly do when South Beach Recycling meets up with Craig Smith for a journey into the outer-reaches of Theo Parrish's excelsior space travel disco ball service.

South Beach Recycling (let's call 'em SBR) released one of our favourite albums of the year with 'Obsessive Compulsive Disco' (also on Atjazz Record Company - see review HERE) and this remix with the tolling bell of Whitby (or should that be Portland Bill) is so mesmerizing.  Throw in some disco moves and it's the perfect single for this time of year.

So there's the remix and the original version and you'll love 'em both whether you're in Detroit or Derby.

Artist: South Beach Recycling 

Title: C Dog's Wish (Craig Smith's Lightyears Dub) 

Release date: 19th September, 2022

Label: Atjazz Record Company

Catalog Number: Digital / Bandcamp

 
 

Review: Scorpio Leisure - Give Us Some Space (Ramrock Red)

We are told that this is this the lastest in, "Ennio Morricone vs The Clash spaghetti western reggae....": you'll have to give us some space to let that sink in! 

If you're a little worn on the Clash's 'Bankrobber'/'Dub' and after a bit more rockabilly as in Brian Setzer (he's got a new album out too, 'The Devil Always Collects') with the Camden Cat (Daniel Jeanrenaud) and the spirit of Joe Meek, here's a reviver with a sting in the tail.

That said, you've got to watch those pinchers at the front as they've got a vocal version and an instrumental double punch.

The only thing this is missing is a full string orchestra OST version and a full on dub but that apart, this is another winner from the Ramrock Red team.

Artist: Scorpio Leisure

Title: Give Us Some Space EP

Release date: 18th September, 2023

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR051

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Léon Phal - Stress Killer (Heavenly Sweetness / Pura Vida)

On the face of it, Heavenly Sweetness/Pura Vida having a album led by a Franco-Swiss saxophonist Léon Phal might seem a little bit out of their comfort zone; but this ten track debut on the lable picks up from his last with the benefit of some label mates.

K.O.G. always sounds good but he's alongside Léon Phal's as guest on 'Stress Killer' - great lyrics for all of France and the rest of the world - jazzy hip-hop is here! For more K.O.G, there's 'Zone 6 Remixed EP (see review HERE).

On 'Something Inside' the band; Arthur Alard (Drums), Rémi Bouyssière (Double Bass), Gauthier Toux (Keyboards) and Zacharie Ksyk (Trumpet) is joined by Cameroonian born/LA based Lorine Chia on vocals.

The other tracks do have a mix of club and jazz club inter-meshed from a cover of 'Naima', the in your face, 'Fuck Yeah' and the title track which is a quirky bopper.

If you're new to the label, this is different but now we know that jazz is hip (after Ezra Collective have won the Mercury Prize this year), this is not as leftfield as it once was!

Artist: Léon Phal

Title: Stress Killer

Release Date : 15th September, 2023

Catalog Number : -

Label : Heavenly Sweetness

Review: Tatsuya Nakamura - Locus (J-Jazz Masterclass Series) (BBE Music)

Back in 1984, there was probably little interest inside or outside of Japan for what was seen as a jazz-rock album even though the band leader was drummer, Tatsuya Nakamura.

Now, nearly 40 years on, Nakamura's album 'Locus' is latest in the Tony Higgins/Mike Peden curated J-Jazz Masterclass Series to be re-issued on BBE Music.

Originally only four tracks, 'Ballad' and the previously unreleased shorter version of 'Ballad' as a bonus is more reflective of the album artwork than the actual title track that over the 12 minutes wanders from synth/electronic intro to full on Miles fusion rock-off including obligatory drum solo.

At times, you might think this is any of the Miles fusion supergroups especially where Airto Moreira and Chick Corea are present which says much for the group joining Nakamura (drums, percussion); there's Shinobu Fujimoto (trumpet), Jun Fukamachi (keys), Hedeto Kanai (electric bass), Kazumasa Akiyama (electric guitar) with more percussion by Tatsuji Yokoyama and Yuji Sakai.

'Wow' is more of a showcase for Fukamachi who, in addition to being a jazz-fusion composer, pianist/keyboards was a synthesizer pioneer and played with many of the US leaders in the 70s.

And talking of the 70s, in '79, Nakamura's debut album 'Where Is The Quarter?' contained a 5 minute track called, '¼ Samba' (with a different line-up) so by the time of the recording of 'Locus' the operandi (you could say) had progressed to '¼ Samba II' which made an re-appearance as the near 12 minute version on the compilation 'J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan (Volume 3)' a couple of years ago.

And if you do recall, it's monsterously mad sh*t jazz bonkers and needs to be any collection of anyone that loves jazz or J-jazz or even hates jazz; 'Ballard' is a well timed cool down after that!

Many thanks to Messrs Higgins and Peden for their combined dedication to this series and bringing to the BBE fan club music that would normally be totally unobtainable to us mere mortals.

My informants tell me that the J-Jazz team have a special announcement coming soon so consider me to be on the case and we'll bring it to you as soon as we can. In the meantime, 'Locus' awaits to thrill and entertain you.

Artist: Tatsuya Nakamura 

Title: Locus

Release date: 15th September, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE6 1XLP vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp .

Review: Charlie Hill - Yore EP (Middle Name Records)

You can see why Sampology is into this as jazz-loop-trip that Sun Ra would be proud of as Charlie Hill releases his 'Yore EP'.. 

There's so much great music coming out of Brisbane (and New Zealand) as 'Philly' is another great mix of BRUK/World/Jazz-Funk and our favourite, 'Space For Space' as spiritual jazz meets hip-hop vibes that so popular these days.

And Charlie likes his house too as 'Orleigh Sun' is his 4x4 drives to the classic Carlos Niño/Daedelus/Life Force Trio period and 'Her Four Thorns' is a little bit more experimental.

'Yemlaad' (Ed. is that a Black Country saying?) is more bass wobble-ish meets Mia Toi Dodd so that's one more for clubs/NTS than say, TWR but there's loads here to keep Charlie HIll in your charts for a while yet.

Artist: Charlie Hill

Title: Yore EP 

Release date: 15th September, 2023

Label : Middle Name Records

Catalog Number :  Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Automat - Heat (Compost Records)

Just in time for some late summer festival excitment as here's the 'Heat' album from Automat. 

This new album is definitely hot as it reflects some Morcheeba, Massive Attack and even a sense of EasyStreet All-stars above and beyond the Stereolab-ish single, 'Climb' featuring Barbie Williams.

This is more than a one track album as Automat are as diverse together as they are apart with their previous associations, being Achim Färber (Phillip Boa & The Voodooclub, Skip McDonald), Georg Zeitblom (wittmann/zeitblom), Max Loderbauer (Ricardo Villalobos / Sun Electric / Moritz Von Oswald Trio), Scott Montieth (Deadbeat): not only that they play as a live band too!

They may have swapped Jochen Arbeit (guitar) for Mr. Loderbauer but it's a bit of a re-union as they'd worked together on 'Selekt 01' back in 2015 so we've still got a bit of surf guitar mixed in with dub-synth on 'Emperor'.

In fact it's surprising how dubby this is until you hear guests includ Prince Alla and R Zee Jackson ('Standing', 'Youth Man') together with Gemma Ray ('Cold').  In fact, the more you hear this album, the more impressive and commericial it is like, a bit like early synth pop;  as in 'Drift', 'Statues' or even 'I Was Never Here' (is it just me but I'm still thinking synth-pop Pink Floyd dub!)

After the return of Paul St. Hilaire (with his new album, 'Tikiman Vol​.​1'), the Compost assault on electronic dub is well overdue and this is brilliant companion release with the recent Fred un Luna 'Future Sounds Of Kraut (see reveiw HERE) compilation that's very different but very connected.

Artist: Automat

Title: Heat

Release date: 15th September, 2023

Label : Compost Records

Catalog Number :  CPT 619 LP / Digital / Bandcamp   .

Review: Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra - Family (We Jazz Records)

How many times to you hear on TV folks say, "It's all about [the] family"? Well, when it comes to Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra and We Jazz Records, it literally is all about the new double LP. 'Family'.

And "supersonic" the orchestra is - all 17 of 'em!

This set was recorded live at the Mondriaan Jazz Festival in Den Haag, Netherlands: it's not in the Congress Centre so I'm a little surprised they were able to get all these guys on the stage.  That said, it does seem to have made the music/atmosphere quite cosy, like being in a family of loved ones, even if there's a break out of some musical skirmishes at times.

Fans of We Jazz will know what to expect as it's modern jazz of Scandanavian discent (that Cherry, Ayler, Coleman influence) done today.

When the single 'The Healing Force Of The Trojan Horse' was released, I said "[I'm not going to be able to say this often] It's on the set list for We Out Here Festival on Friday!" and it was; surprisingly not a longer version on the album (at a mere 4:29s) it's the shortest track whilst the longest 'Dolphin Disco' (11:33s) and  'Spending Time With Ludde' (10:14s) are my personal favourites.

There's so much brass on 'Supersonic' it could be by a brass band from Houston and they explode on 'SP68' climax.  But the whole album is so good that you don't have to like Big Band Jazz/US High School/Uniiversity bands/Marching Bands etc to get this; ask Karem Gokmen (Dubmission) this is just a great album as each of the 8 tracks is crammed full of jazz.

Whilst it's not going to winning next years' Mercury Prize, (well done Ezra Collective for winning this year as the first 'Jazz' album), it might win a Scandanavian equivalent; still a few gigs to catch them live this year if you are lucky enough to be anywhere near them with a ticket. 

20.10. Stockholm Jazzfestival (SE)

22.10. Skopje Jazzfestival (MK)

2.12. We Jazz Festival, Helsinki (FI)

How does it go, "We(Jazz) are Family".

Artist: Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra

Title: Family

Release date: 15th September, 2023

Label : We Jazz Records

Catalog Number : 2XLP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Abel - Jazz In The Room (Atjazz Record Company)

Talk about on a roll, here's the follow-up release to Abel's 'Can’t Let You Go' featuring Rona Ray (see review HERE) and it comes with two remixes.

It was only a couple of weeks ago we got very excited about Mr OFFBeat's 'ZEZEN' release on Atjazz (see review HERE) and here's Abel's new one that captures 'Jazz In The Room' like Paul Murphy, Gilles Peterson, Kev Beadle and Colin Curtis were on a 24 hour bender; all vinyl of course.

The beautiful guitar (Lloyd Wright) is dominated by te trumpet (Ferg Kisby) on the remix versions.  With beautiful 'Sun Ra'-ish artwork you get seven minutes of Jimpster's remix (one for the "flute gang") and another seven of Peacey's groovin' dub style remix which really works that trumpet/synth.

We're told that the album, 'Cosmic Law' is out at the end of October and it's definiitely in the "must have" folder along with South Beach Recycling (see HERE) and Si Tew (see HERE) which came out at the start of the year. 

Artist: Mr OFFBeat

Title: ZEZEN

Release date: 8th September, 2023

Label : Atjazz Record Company

Catalog Number : ARC250ADS2 Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Monzanto Sound - Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow Remixed EP (None More Records)

Can't believe it's nearly been a year since 'Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow' was released and the year before, we were excited about the release of Monzanto Sound's debut on None More Records, 'Time Lapse' EP, asking, "Where has all the post-punk-funk gone?" And even then, the tracks themselves were also neo-soul-jazzy and much more.  

'Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow' (see review HERE),has a fair amount of influences from  ESG to Kraut-rock to Erykah Budu along with reggae/dub; so what will you get on the remix?

Well, there's some might fine new age steppas on 'Tricksters' (Monzanto Sounds meets Natty Wylah) in original and dub versons whilst 'Eja' goes about bit more dubby jazz dream on the David Okumu remix ("You know Dave Okumu?" Yes I do, another who's been in many groups that's got the 'Gilles Peterson approved' badge).

I can't say I know Waz but he's morphed 'The Letter' from the kraut-rock to the kraut-techno-ambient-dub which is quite something and I think it's possibly my favourite of the four tracks save for 'Tricksters'. 

Monzanto Sound are the Alt.Ezra Collective and I'm ready for the Hectic Extensions as you can't have too much of these tracks. 

Artist: Monzanto Sound 

Title: Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow Remixed

Release date: 15th September, 2023

Label: None More Records

Cat. No: -

Format: Digital

Review: Ana Frango Elétrico - Electric Fish / Insista em Mim (Mr Bongo)

One of many reasons why I've never wanted to learn Brasilian/Portuguese is that I'm more than willing to accept that Ana Frango Elétrico real name is Ana Frango Elétrico... that is, until you're told that it translates as 'Ana Electric Chicken'!

But all is forgiven for that small 'pop' foopah when you discover that she is one of the leaders of Bala Desejo (yes, they of the best new Latin/Brazilian album in years, 'Sim, Sim, Sim' - see reveiw HERE) and that her new album is coming out soon.

'Electric Fish' (or should that be 'Peixes Elétrico'?) is the lead track and it's full of pop-boogie disco that'd be on the dancefloor of Blackpool Mecca as it's got touches on modern Northern Soul - think of it as Colin Curtis / Patrick Forge love child (if you can).

'Insista em Mim' (no translation available) is like the slowed down version but it's clear that this lady likes her funky soul a la Deodato as does her talented band which includes Alberto Continentino (who plays bass with Caetano Veloso), Sergio Machado (drummer of Negro Leo’s band) and Guilherme Lirio (who plays electric guitar in Gilberto Gil’s band).

The radio edit of 'Electric Fish' is sung in English which is just as good as the original.

Get onboard with this release now as by the time the album comes out in October ('Me Chama de Garo Que Eu Sou Sua') she'll be a big star..erm, should that be a big fish?

Artist: Ana Frango Elétrico

Title: Electric Fish / Insista em Mim

Release date: 13th September, 2023

Label : Mr Bongo

Catalog Number : MRB273R

Format :  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Joseph Malik - Proxima Ebony (Ramrock Red Records)

The eagerly anticipated album 'Proxima Ebony' by Joseph Malik (out now on Ramrock Red) is finally here and it's everybit as good as what Craig Charles, Gilles Peterson and Blues & Soul's 10/10 review rating have been telling us it is.

It's as soulful as Mr Malik is with hip-hop notes (from Capitol A and Kameelah Waheed - taking a break from Colour & Pitch - see review HERE), acid (Digital Liquid), spiritual (Alina Bzhezhinska - see review HERE) ,Latin/folk (Chris Franck) and it's super funky too!

Eleven tracks in total and some of which we're already totally obsessed with like 'Adjust Like Dat' (which Mr. Charles loves), 'Trouble With A Capital T (as previously reviewed as a single HERE and the remix HERE) and the one about the sex worker industry 'Only Fans' - brilliant acid trip that conjures images of the Acid Queen herself, Tina Turner.

And see if you can work out which one is "Joseph's vision of 'Psycho Killer' meets CBGB's with Otti Albietz on guitar (from Suddenly WOW!) and Daniel Walls on drums....and me [Jo Wallace] on BVs".

Mr Malik has been very clever in balancing the entire album with these great musicians and it really does feel very balanced from start to finish.

I can't stress enought that it's all so good, you don't want it to stop listening to it. In fact, it's so good, we've just got to repeat Blues & Soul's 10/10 rating - it really is that good [Ed. we get the idea].

Not only that 8th September, 7:30p,m in the The Ballroom, The Voodoo Rooms is where Mr Malik's new album, 'Proxima Ebony'  is going to have a launch party (check the details HERE) along with the magnificent Jo Wallace (Ramrock in all its forms), Shuya 'Shuya San' Okino (Kyoto Jazz Massive and WeOutHere) plus Natasha Kitty Kat and no doubt members Ramrock's Scottish contingent of The Jennifer Ewan Band (see review HERE and HERE) will show up to have a great time. 

I can't imagine the buzz when he walks out on stage to 'Introduction' - it's going to be fantastic!

Artist: Joseph Malik 

Title: Proxima Ebony

Release date: 8th September, 2023

Label: Ramrock Red

Cat. No: RRRLP010

Format: Bandcamp / Digital