BBE

Originally released in 1980 on short-lived Oregon label ‘Match Box Recordings’ and recently unearthed for BBE Music by The Mighty Zaf, ‘Burnin’’ is the only album recorded by Portland jazz/funk band Carl Smith And The Natural Gas Company.

The story of this album’s recording has gone down in infamy among the remaining band members and Carl Smith’s daughter Carlee (who performed lead vocals on ‘Love Won’t Let Me Go’), all of whom recall a fraught, rushed recording process, led by a producer who had no musical experience and was nothing more than a puppet for the somewhat shady label owners. This led to the album being cut too fast and accidentally pitched up a key, so if you want to hear it as the band intended, pull the pitch control down a little on your turntable.

Upon its release, the album received airplay on several radio stations across Oregon and Washington, the band were invited to play live on local TV channel KGW, and copies sold out quickly within the local area. Despite the bitter-sweet circumstances around the record, Burnin’ remains a fantastic document of this well-drilled and talented group of players, showcasing original funk, jazz and soul compositions mostly arranged by Larry Dunlap, who went on to become musical director for the Pointer Sisters and write for Cleo Laine during a long and fruitful career in music. – BBE 

A forgotten 1978 free-jazz masterpiece by bass player, composer and improviser David Wertman, alongside his Sun Ensemble.

‘Earthly Delights’ is perhaps best described as loosely composed, or highly improvised, depending on where you stand on such subjective matters. Containing just 4 compositions, ‘Earthly Delights’ explores man’s relationship with nature; at times subtle and delicate, at times wide and sweeping in its gestures. The record’s spiritual message is conveyed by heartfelt, virtuoso performances from all six players, drifting together seamlessly from one sonic wave to the next. - BBE

Over the course of nine albums in the 2000s for their producer-led Beat Generation series, BBE adopted an unusual stance. “Do what you want,” their artists were told for probably the first time in their careers. The label’s enormously liberal approach was the antithesis of stiff major record label A&R practices, their forward thinking rewarded handsomely by a truly diverse set of albums from some of the world’s most capable hip-hop architects. Among those picked to contribute were Golden Era greats (Marley Marl; Jazzy Jeff); acclaimed DJ/producers whose work habitually blurred genre lines (King Britt; DJ Spinna; Madlib); and those whose regular gigs didn’t afford them the creative freedom they craved (Will.i.am).

No-one made better use of the brief than Jay Dee, whose inspired Welcome 2 Detroit showed that despite all the techno and soul that seeped into and out of the Motor City there was still room to be influenced by the Carpenters and Sergio Mendes. Pete Rock, the hip-hop producer’s producer, filled his rapturously received PeteStrumentals disc with classic sample-led tracks packed with drama and finesse. DJ Jazzy Jeff’s The Magnificent celebrated the slew of Philly talent at his A Touch Of Jazz studios, Jill Scott guesting on an exalted Roy Ayers cover in finale. Then there was veteran cellist and arranger Larry Gold, on hiatus from adding strings to hits like Brandy and Monica’s ‘The Boy Is Mine’, who called upon fellow seasoned pros McFadden and Whitehead and Bunny Sigler for his piece of the puzzle. - Bandcamp

“DJ Vadim is a prolific DJ and producer, born in Leningrad, USSR (now Saint Petersburg, Russia), raised in London and currently residing in both New York and Berlin, whose music combines hip hop, soul, reggae and electronica. He has been described as "one of the few artists creating genuinely new work in the Hip-Hop field" and an artist who "cannot be ignored”.” - Wiki

“Is it possible to create something entirely new? What does one of the fathers of the new beat scene do in a time of such huge tectonic plate movements? 'Don't Be Scared' is an album about change, about progress, about moulting the old, cutting the dead wood away and bringing in the new. Part hip hop in mind-set, part electronic in sound, and part soulful in spirit with undertones of tribalism and some very ethnic and hypnotic elements, this album is rooted to bass culture, connecting dots along the way. Abstract dark sounds from previous albums such as USSR Repertoire (96) get rediscovered. Twisted dancehall crunked bass lines meet traditional African rhythms in a Bollywood cinema, whilst lush strings and grand pianos sit next to haunting morphed keyboards; afro beat licks and smoked out grooves.

This album focuses on the instrumental and brings the beat to the foreground, but look forward to vocals from long-time collaborator and fellow 'Oneselfer' Yarah Bravo, Sabira Jade (The Electric) gets political, and new sounds resonate from upcoming singers D'Angelo'esque Jazz Bailey, Hawaiian soulstress Karen Be and gruff funkman Greg Blackman. More pensive than recent albums, melancholy meets tropical vibes meets a strange BBC reporter high on eboga root. Even Jamie Fox makes a guest appearance talking dance moves.” - UndergroundHipHop.com

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An extremely rare, never-before-reissued, in-demand set by an unknown, single-album band from the early 80s, recorded in Nigeria’s Tabansi studios by an augmented Ghana highlife band.

So, who plays and sings on this beautiful collection? Unfortunately little can be gleaned from the original sleeve, which features a picture of only two band members on the cover and no credits or notes whatsoever. The vocals are ‘pure Ghana’, but our guess is that some of the keyboard parts are taken by Tabansi’s peripatetic production genius Jake Sollo- who may have had a part in the characteristically clean production and engineering, too. And it wouldn’t be surprising if a handful of the Tabansi Studio Band- the incredibly versatile Martins Brothers and cohorts thereof - found their way into the mix somewhere along the line.

The music? Varied cuts of classic late 70s/early 80s Accra highlife, as well as South African township jive-flavoured horn sections and Afro-Cuban clave patterns. - BBE

This compilation is a tribute to a truly groundbreaking show, music and a serious music personality who is ahead of the curve and debuts awesome records on his show before anyone else. Gilles Peterson is a truly revered international club and radio DJ and one of musics' foremost tastemakers, (possibly the most well known in the whole world) in a world dominated by style over substance.

The focus of this compilation is to present to its audience not just a DJ's favourite selection or songs that stood the test of time but it represents a great collection of songs and grooves premiered on Gilles Worldwide show before any other station in the world.

Its about music that Gilles has helped popularise across the world on his show which is syndicated in 15 countries. Its a musical journey for DJ's and radio listeners across the world.

More about Gilles Peterson:

Gilles “Worldwide” Radio show has been broadcast on BBC Radio One since 1998. Not only does he 'join the dots' between artists, producers and styles, but he's a DJ who places equal legitimacy on a Max Roach album and a Jig Master's 12-inch. With WorldWide now broadcast in 15 countries from New Zealand to Croatia to  Nigeria to the USA to Cyprus, his popularity and message can only grow.

Brought up among the South London suburban soul scene in the early eighties, Gilles would avidly listen to listening to Level 42, Earth Wind & Fire, Central Line and the heavier, deeper pirate stations such as Radio Invicta.

This inspired him to set up his own station - literally an aerial suspended between a tree and a phone box - playing an eclectic mix of jazz, funk, reggae, soul and early electro. By a stroke of luck, Radio Invicta needed a new transmitter, so Gilles swapped his for a regular show on the station. At the same time, Gilles was a regular shopper at DJ Paul Murphy's Palladin Records. Murphy also DJ'd at Camden's Electric Ballroom, and his knowledge of rare, killer power jazz tunes and rare Afro-Cuban fusion was further inspiration for Gilles, who took over the decks in a baptism by fire when Paul left.

Once ensconced upstairs in the Electric Ballroom, Gilles' understanding and insight into jazz, funk and soul grew exponentially. The music he played attracted an increasingly loyal following from a friendly, mixed crowd and his reputation grew.

Gilles soon began to play at Nicky Holloway's Special Branch night at The Royal Oak. He says 'the scene I was building was a cross between the casual soul-boy scene and the London trendy. I'd play upstairs with Chris Bangs and downstairs it was Rampling, Oakenfold, Holloway. That lasted three, four years, a very important weekly club that that scene would all go to. Out of that scene came nearly everything that we have today in the UK.'

1985 saw Gilles releasing the Jazz Juice compilation series, collecting together many of the jazz tracks Gilles had been playing over the past few years.

EMI Records soon called on Gilles to put together a series of inspired collections showcasing jazz label Blue Note's best artists; Duke Pearson, Horace Parlan, Art Blakey, John Patton and many others. The resulting albums 'Blue Bossa Vols. 1 & 2' and 'Baptist Beat' became the motivation for the hugely popular 'Blue' series of Jazz compilations.

During this period, Gilles had also been working on new pirate radio projects at KJAZZ (later taken off air by gun-toting gangsters), Solar Radio and On Horizon, before 'going legit' with the BBC.

'BBC Radio London was the first legal station I worked on. There were only a few legal stations at that time. I had my own show 'Mad On Jazz'. We'd do live percussion, spoken word and we'd mix it all up.'

After leaving Radio London in 1986, Gilles started his Sunday sessions - 'Talkin' Loud' & 'Saying Something' - at Camden's Dingwalls. Co-hosted by Patrick Forge, these ran for five years.

Coinciding with the emerging acid house scene, the sessions became a natural magnet for post clubbing come-down kids. 'Those five years were the best of my life as a DJ. Musically I did exactly what I was into, the Real Gilles Peterson trip'.

'We put on this old 7-inch at by Mickey and the Soul Generation which was a rare groove record with a mad rock guitar intro and no beat. I started vary speeding it so it sounded all warped. Chris Bangs got on the microphone and said, 'If that was acid house, this is acid jazz'. That's how acid jazz started, just a joke!'

Shortly afterwards, Gilles started the Acid Jazz label. 'It was a great time, but after two years I was beginning to feel the sound, the music and name was ghettoizing itself, it was becoming a mod thing, a retro thing.'

An approach to Gilles from Phonogram in 1989 to set up a new label saw the birth of Talkin' Loud records, and releases from the likes of Brand New Heavies, Jamiroquai, the Galliano.

Talkin' Loud echoed Gilles' own diverse tastes, and releases have been nominated for five Mercury Music Awards - Roni Size Reprazent (winning in 1997), 4 Hero, Courtney Pine, Young Disciples and M J Cole.

Back on air, Gilles' show on London's Jazz FM was axed in 1990 after he played 'inappropriate' music and made statements supporting peace during the Gulf War. Soon after, he joined the newly-legalized Kiss FM. His Sunday evening WorldWide slot proved one of the most popular on the station and he stayed there for eight years until he joined Radio 1 in 1998.

Gilles presents his Tuesday night/Wednesday morning show on Radio 1 at 2am-4am. He has also hosted his Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards every year, the awards are an annual celebration of all the best new music that has come through every year on Gilles' Radio 1 show, with some of the best new acts performing on the night.

Recently, Gilles has set-up a new record label, Brownswood Recordings, to sign and develop exciting new talent as well as putting on his Worldwide Awards every year in London and the Worldwide festival every summer in the south of France and his compilation albums have become legendary. He continues to be a breath of fresh air on the dancefloors of the world playing a unique selection of music that is rarely heard elsewhere. – BBE

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TAV ESSENTIAL LISTENING / MUST LISTEN

The opening two notes of Welcome 2 Detroit, a dramatic double hit of modulated bass guitar and dusted organ, represent the culmination of a vast musical history. Not only was this album J Dilla’s debut as a 27-year-old solo artist, but it was also the first time that name appeared on a record cover. After nearly a decade of DIY releases, high-profile remixes, and productions credited to Jay Dee, slowly a renown bordering on reverence was built for one James DeWitt Yancey.

Though he had several creative phases yet to come, Dilla was, in many ways, operating at the very peak of his game at the turn of the millennium. His production work with A Tribe Called Quest had brought him into the neo-soul collective Soulquarians, a circle of like-minded collaborators who had just worked on a string of critically acclaimed LPs: the Roots’ Things Fall Apart, Common’s Like Water For Chocolate, and Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun. After donating his talents to artists, it was time for Dilla alone to step into the spotlight.

What Dilla ultimately delivered to the label was not even close to a beat tape, which was what he was ostensibly commissioned to create. As much a portrait of a city as a personal introduction, Welcome 2 Detroit is closer to a jazz-funk concept album like 1969’s Yusef Lateef’s Detroit than a conventional rap record, framing Jay’s own particular reinvention of hip-hop within the city’s multi-decade legacy, including live excursions into techno, electric jazz, and Afro-funk. – Pitchfork

A TAV Curator’s Pick.

The Shining is the third studio album by album by American hip hop recording artist J Dilla, who died February 10, 2006. The Shining was incomplete at the time of J Dilla's passing and was posthumously completed. Discounting the instrumental album Donuts, The Shining was the first full-length solo release by J Dilla (featuring vocals) since Welcome 2 Detroit five years earlier, and as such was highly anticipated. It was released on August 22, 2006 through BBE Records. An instrumental version of the album followed its release shortly afterward.

“James ‘J Dilla’ Yancey leaves behind an impression on Hip Hop that will last the test of time. A bridge between Hip Hop’s underground and mainstream, Dilla’s contributions ranged from single handedly defining Detroit Hip Hop as a founding member of Slum Village to providing his production talents to Common, D’Angelo, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, The Roots, Janet Jackson and Macy Gray.

The Shining marked the reunion of J Dilla & BBE, who had released Welcome 2 Detroit, J Dilla’s debut album. The Shining serves as showcase of J Dilla’s talents which features him not only as a producer, but also as a rapper, singer and musician. Featured guests on this album include Busta Rhymes, Common, Pharoahe Monch, D’Angelo, Madlib, Black Thought, Medaphor aka MED, and Guilty Simpson.” - BBE

“The first album to be released after Dilla’s unfortunate passing was The Shining. Now this was a great album; above all the others, there was a true consistency here. Not only did the album have a cohesiveness unlike most of Dilla’s other releases, but it’s sound was soulful, smooth, pretty much everything we love about Dilla beats, all in one, little red-and-gold package. Stand-out Jay Dee classics like “So Far to Go” with Common and D’Angelo, as well as “E=MC²” with Common again and, my personal favorite, the soulful jam, “Won’t Do,” all canvassed this diamond-studded showcase of fine, J Dilla production. There’s no denying The Shining as a top-notch Dilla Dawg project.” – Hip Hop Speak Easy

About J Dilla:  

James “Jay Dee aka J Dilla” Yancey was born and raised on the mean streets of Detroit’s east side. Little is known of his musical upbringing, but he has most definitely become one of the most talented, innovative producers of our time. Gaining inspiration from listening to Whodini’s “Big Mouth” back in the day, Jay tried his hand at making beats by using the “pause” and “record” buttons on his tape deck. After learning to work an MPC-60 back in 92’ from Amp Fiddler, J Dilla was on his way to becoming one of hip-hop’s illest beat makers.

After hooking up with two high school friends, T3 and Baatin, they formed the crew called, Slum Village (circa 1988), and Jay started to polish his rhyming skills to match his dope production. As Slum Village began to show themselves in Detroit and around the east coast Jay was also busy getting his production noticed by other artists in the music industry. One thing led to another and by the end of 1996, Jay Dee had produced joints for the likes of The Pharcyde, Keith Murray, Busta Rhymes and De La Soul. After hearing Jay’s ill productions Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest) brought him in to lend his expertise to their 1996 release “Beats, Rhymes and Life”. Jay Dee became one-third of the ghost production team now known as the Ummah, which included Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed. That year also saw the first release from Slum Village with “Fantastic Vol. I”, a classic hard to find item. A chance meeting with Janet Jackson led to his 1997 remix of the chart topping “Got Til’ Its Gone” single that paired Janet’s smooth vocals with Jay Dee’s intoxicating drum kicks.

Now dabbling in other music genres, Jay went on to lace beats for artists like Macy Gray, D’angelo, N’Dea Davenport and Erykah Badu. 2000 was a stellar year for Jay Dee, with his group Slum Village finally releasing their critically acclaimed “Fantastic Vol. II” through Goodvibe Recordings, he also received notoriety with many other acts. With the now defunct Ummah production team non-existent (breakup of Tribe Called Quest in 99’), J Dilla became a member of The Soulquarians, which includes Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson (The Roots), James Poyser and D’angelo. Jay produced a substantial amount of Common’s 2000 release “Like Water For Chocolate” and contributed to D’angelo’s Voodoo album.

In 2001 Jay Dee released his first solo effort entitled “Welcome 2 Detroit” (BBE Records). The “W2D” album showcased a few emcee’s from the Detroit area, but also showed the versatility of Jay Dee and his craftiness. This 16 track ensemble of lyrical tracks, classic “instrumental” covers and bouncy grooves solidified Jay Dee as one of the illest producers of his era and beyond. Other albums that followed included Jaylib (Jay Dee & Madlib) as well as an instrumental series at Bling47.com and production of 2 songs (Love is… and It’s Your World (Part 1 & 2)) on Common’s recent ‘Be’ album.

J Dilla leaves behind a body of work which will be loved and rediscovered for years to come. His most recent album “Donuts” was released on February 7^th 2006, the day of his 32nd birthday. Two other projects, “The Shining” (BBE Records) and “Jay Love Japan” (Operation Unknown) are completed and will be released in 2006. Other production work has been completed for artists Madlib, Busta Rhymes, Ghostface Killah, A.G., Visionaries, Truth Hurts, Phat Kat, MF DOOM, Skillz, and Frank N Dank. –  BBE Records

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James ‘J Dilla / Jay Dee’ Yancey leaves behind an impression on Hip Hop that will last the test of time. A bridge between Hip Hop’s underground and mainstream, Dilla’s contributions ranged from single handedly defining Detroit Hip Hop as a founding member of Slum Village to providing his production talents to Common, D’Angelo, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, The Roots, Janet Jackson and Macy Gray.  The Shining marked the reunion of J Dilla & BBE, who had released Welcome 2 Detroit, J Dilla’s debut album. The Shining was near completion when J Dilla passed on February 10, 2006. In pursuance of his mother’s plan that his musical legacy continue, The Shining was released on August, 22nd, 2006. To add to that legacy, The Shining Instrumentals are to be released; allowing the listener to hear the intricate warmth of Dilla’s beats completely untouched by MC vocals. - BBE

TAV CURATOR'S PICK - JAZZ
BBE Music present the latest in the acclaimed J Jazz Masterclass Series: Kohsuke Mine ‘First’, the debut album by one of the leading artists in the new wave of modern jazz that swept Japan in the late 60s and early 70s. ‘First’ epitomises the shifting sound of the Japanese modern jazz scene of the time, characterised by rich textures and tones, kinetic rhythms, punctuated by urgent, angular melody lines.

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Reissued for the first time since original 1970 release, Mine is joined by master keyboard player Masabumi Kikuchi on electric piano, and two American players – bassist Larry Ridley and drummer Lenny McBrowne – to deliver one of the strongest debuts in the J Jazz canon. ‘First’ announced the arrival of a serious talent, one who was to be a hugely influential figure in the Japanese jazz scene across the decade that followed and beyond. ‘First’ established an artist who built a reputation for standout albums spanning spiritual jazz, post-bop, modal and funk-fusion. All of that started here, on this exemplary album.

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‘First’ is issued on CD, digital and vinyl. The vinyl edition is presented as a double album, cut at 45rpm by the Grammy-nominated Carvery, with full original reproduction artwork, including obi strip. Both CD and vinyl comes with a 4500 word sleeve note and interview with Kohsuke Mine by Tony Higgins, plus artist portraits by Shigeru Uchiyama. - BBE

You can hear it in the songs of Amerie, Amy Winehouse, Kanye West, Mark Ronson and Timbaland. Even in this digital age, the beating heart of modern R&B and hip-hop is still vintage soul, funk and jazz. Whether it’s Winehouse sampling Motown’s finest or Timbaland hijacking Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman”, the sound of the sixties and seventies has never been so sought after.

Modern producers, searching for music of integrity, continue to scour dusty racks of records for inspiration. What Kon and Amir have done is make their lives easier. The first collection in the five part “Off Track” series, contains 28 superb songs that you’ve probably never heard of. From a disco tribute to Muhammad Ali to a slice of soulful South African jazz, this is music for the connoisseur. Just don’t be surprised when you hear it being sampled on the next big R&B anthem…

Like legendary treasure-hunters, Kon and Amir have spent the past twenty-five years excavating record bins finding gems to pierce ears with. Fortunately, everyone gets to share in the riches of their labor with the release of their latest offering The “Off Track” Series; Long forgotten musicians are now getting their proper dues and appreciative audiences are being turned on to some amazing music.

The Off Track series builds on the successes of their highly respected “On Track” series. Unlike the “On Track” series, which featured short snippets of samples and breaks, the Off Track double disc series features full versions of some the best and rarest audible gems in their entirety. - BBE

In 1979 the late Congolese musician Lumingu Zorro, protégé of Kinshasa’s legendary 60s band leader Dr Nico, recorded Mosese, his only pre-2000 solo album, for the Tabansi label- and this is it.

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CHAMPETA STORM WARNING! The first-ever reissue of one of West Africa’s best-kept rumba-soukous secrets- as well as being one of the most in-demand titles on Colombia’s booming Champeta sound system scene, where a rare record is protected as fiercely as on the Northern Soul or Jamaican sound system scenes, the label scratched off, the record hidden from view when not on the turntable. Possibly one of the strongest and most consistent Congo dancefloor albums ever recorded perfectly balanced between voices, horns, guitars and percussion.

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Which is why original copies of this all-time rumba rarity almost never reach the open market, being traded between Colombia’s champeta picoteros (sound system selectors) instead. In Kinshasa they say ‘Miziki ezelaki eleng ndeko’- ‘Sweet music, brother!’. Roger that. – BBE

On this rare pressing from Nigeria’s Tabansi label, reissued by BBE Music, we have the mystery man Ojo Balingo, juju music master.

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Popularised all over the globe by King Sunny Ade in the 1980s, juju music had actually been around for decades before. Resembling highlife music in many ways, juju could be described as a more traditionally African form, mainly played by Yoruba people for Yoruba audiences.

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Although the original sleeve artwork implies that this is a ‘various artists’ album, it’s pretty clear that it’s the same unnamed juju band throughout, performing two long tracks, one on each side. Side 1 calls forth more traditional juju sounds, whilst the darker Side 2 adds funk breaks galore. Psych-rock Hawaiian guitars, talking drums and political lyrics rub shoulders in this almost-unknown 70s juju rarity.

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Ojo Balingo, in Yoruba, means ‘rain comes’, or ‘a breeze comes’. And so it does, with this never-before reissued obscure collectors’ vinyl from the vaults of Tabansi Records.– BBE

Since the 60s, Congolese guitar combos and orchestras have always been popular across West and Central Africa. But the ‘natural fit’ element between East Nigerian Igbo highlife and Congolese rumba and soukous made for a unique beat: highlife-soukous.

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Although eclipsed internationally by Lagos, Yoruba, Fela Kuti and Afrobeat, it was highlife- soukous that you’d hear at parties all over southern Nigeria in the late 70s and early 80s.

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Outside Africa, the sound proved a special favourite with Colombia’s Carnival Champeta and Pico Sound system DJs – where, even today, you can hear super-rare Bota International original vinyls booming out over 20-foot-high speaker stacks along Colombia’s Caribbean coast, the records being ‘covered up’ in the style of British Northern Soul 45s, or reggae sound system dubplates, so that competitors can’t discover the name of the tune or band. Welcome to the mysterious world of highlife-soukous – and Bota Tabansi International. – BBE

 Multi platinum selling producer Osunlade will surprise his house music disciples with a return to his soundtrack scoring origins. This album tells of his love affair with the beautiful Greek Island of Santorini & pays homage to it’s rich unspoilt culture. Sonically it describes his experience, full of feeling, opening a window into what was going through his mind while he was resident. Recorded live over a 12 day period, this is a stunningly beautiful soundscape, taking house tempos, lushly orchestrating them with strings, and divine horn solos, to produce a masterpiece. Throughout the album, from traditional African influences to fat breaks, to jazzy broken beats. Thoroughly produced and inspired, Aquarian Moon is a musical journey which explores fully genres that Osunlade only touched on before. – BBE Music

This is the is the kind of “spiritual’ jazz gem that appears on You Tube and upon checking it out on Discogs reveals a price well in excess of £150.00. To have it widely available in its original vinyl format is a real treat!

The self-produced ‘Eastern Standard Time’ features Thomas on baritone, alto and tenor saxophones as well as flute and percussion. He describes himself as a practicing ethno- musicologist who’s musical vision evolved during the Sixties and it’s Thomas’ multifaceted, global approach that gives the music on Eastern Standard Time’ an engaging and distinct flavour. - BBE

Rodion Ladislau Rosca grew up and got his musical education in Cluj, the third biggest city in Romania, during the relatively ‘open’ years of 1965-1972, before Ceacescu’s regime cracked down viciously on the cultural opportunities (and freedoms generally) available to the Romanian people. In this period he absorbed the influences that filtered through the Iron Curtain from the ‘decadent west’ and local eastern European musical traditions. Cluj had its own prog-rock bands, Cromatic and Experimental Quintet, and the music of the Beatles, Hendrix and Led Zep all found ready a ready audience there.

But Rodion’s tastes were more unorthodox still: he was drawn to electronic music, at that time still an exciting new possibility, represented by East Germany’s Karat, Czechoslovakia’s Matador and Hungary’s Skorpio, as well as bands from the west including Jethro Tull, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Yes, and the inevitable Kraftwerk and what would become known as ‘krautrock’.

What is clear is that The Lost Album will firmly cement the idea of a neglected genius, first intimated by The Lost Tapes, in the public view. Here at last is a complete set of music, as originally conceived by a figure who will surely take his place alongside the Enos, the Kraftwerks, the Gottschings, as a true pioneer of electronic music. - BBE

Sadly, Rodion Ladislau Rosca passed away in April 2021.

Originally released in the UK only on Uno Melodic Records, ‘Silver Vibrations’ shares some of its musical DNA with ‘Lots Of Love’, Ayers’ US album from the same year. However, ‘Silver Vibrations’ contains four unique cuts all of its own, plus extended takes of three songs, including the definitive version of iconic song ‘Chicago’. The rarity of the original pressing has led to eye-watering second-hand prices for this truly brilliant LP.

‘Silver Vibrations’ was perhaps the last album to retain the sound of Ayers’ organic ‘classic’ period of the latter ’70s and manages to stand up well under its current re-evaluation. “Chicago”, the unedited version of which is exclusive to this L.P., received considerable airplay in its time and has barely faded from earshot ever since;

its woozy, mysterious vibe and cosmic ruminations from Roy in the second half have certainly endured. The strutting, funky “Good, Good Music” echoes Ayers at his pre-’80s, up- tempo disco peak, sporting a grittier edge and an old-school party atmosphere. Title track “Silver Vibrations” was only ever released in the U.K., both on this album and as a single, backed with “Fast Money”. Both “Lots Of Love” and “Keep On Movin'” hark back to previous times and are a pleasant listen without being at all taxing. “Smiling With Our Eyes” is mid- tempo, lilting and jazzy, with a vocal vaguely reminiscent of Stevie Wonder in places. The wistful “D.C. City”, a close companion of Ubiquity’s original recording of “The Third Eye” is, in many ways, quintessentially Roy Ayers. - BBE

BBE Music presents the seventh release in its highly acclaimed J Jazz Master Class Series: ‘Evolution’ by Shintaro Quintet. Recorded in 1984 and originally released on the private label Streetnoise Records, ‘Evolution’ is a perfect example of stately modal jazz with every one of its five tracks composed by band leader and bassist, Shintaro Nakamura.

A cut from the album, ‘A Blind Man’, was included on the BBE Music compilation ‘J Jazz – Deep Modern Jazz from Japan 1969-1984’, and it’s a track that’s indicative of the album’s graceful blend of spiritual jazz and gently swinging minor blues waltzes, a style favoured by Nakamura that allows the band to stretch out and explore the strong melodic themes, lush arrangements and seductive rhythms.

Recorded in New York, ‘Evolution’ features the great Japanese trumpet player Shunzo Ohno alongside a mixed Japanese-American band: pianist Jeff Jenkins, who brings a touch of McCoy Tyner’s percussive blues to the album, has worked with many jazz greats including Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Harris and Clark Terry; US-born Saxophonist Bob Kenmotsu, one- time member of Jack McDuff’s band has also recorded and performed with jazz guitarist Pat Martino; and drummer Fukushi Tainaka, who studied under Philly Joe Jones, completes the solid rhythm section with Nakamura and Jenkins.

‘Evolution’ is reissued as a double 45rpm 180g LP, cut by the Grammy-nominated Carvery Studio. The BBE Music edition features exact reproductions of the original artwork and super-rare diagonal obi strip. It also comes with the original notes fully translated plus a new extended essay and interview with band members by Tony Higgins. ‘Evolution’ is also available as a CD and across digital formats.

The BBE J Jazz Masterclass Series is personally curated by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden and is dedicated to presenting the very finest in Japanese modern jazz. The series features rare material, presented in the highest quality reproductions of the original releases, fully licensed and authorised by the artists and labels.  – Bandcamp

A Disco-Boogie must have!

A homage, Ay to Zee, to New York’s late 70s disco scene, filtered through an Accra late-night haze: Ga vocals and West African percussion all the way, all of it composed and produced by the artist himself. A generous eleven tracks of all killer-no-filler boogie business: one of those albums you just put on, and leave on.

An essential partner to BBE’s double Buari LP Feelings/Sidiku Buari & His Jam Busters, Disco Soccer is reissued from the original masters and reproduced on 180-gram vinyl with new liner notes and original artwork. – BBE

Four incredible slices of almost- undiscovered late-70s/early 80s Afrobeat magic, but not Fela’s Yoruba/Pidgin Afrobeat.

This is Igbo and Hausa Afrobeat- two very different and rarely heard styles. For the first time anywhere, BBE is proud to reissue back to back two LPs that are so elusive that many Afro heads doubted their very existence until now.

The beats are laid down by the seven legendary Martins Brothers – of ‘Money’ fame- whilst vocals are courtesy of a multi-lingual Igbo legend, Prof. Goddy Ezike, one of the most extraordinary voices out of Africa, up there with Youssou N’Dour and Salif Keita, whose half- century career has, like fine wine, simply improved his voice.

Wakar Alhazai Kano and Lokoci Azumi Ta Wuca (tracks 1 and 2) draw on Northern Hausa music, with its Islamic inflections and skipping 12/8 time signatures more typical of the string and wind-based instrumentation of Kano and the broader sub-Saharan musical palette.

Kama Sofos and Aka Ji Ego Ga Anu Nwam (tracks 3 and 4) are sung in Igbo, with all the percussive wonders that Igbo culture has to offer, filtered through a jazzy Afrobeat improvisational spectrum.

Never before. Never again. New Afrobeats, in old bottles. – BBE 

UK hip hop’s original and best live band are back with brand new album ‘Bring Out The Sound’, released in February 2018 on BBE Music. Founded in the early 90s by Ollie Teeba and Jake Wherry, The Herbaliser have earned every single accolade they’ve received during almost 25 years of touring and recording. Best known for delivering a series of groundbreaking albums on Ninja Tune and providing one of the all-time highlights of the ‘Fabric Live’ mix series, The Herbaliser’s most recent LP ‘There Were Seven’ was issued on their own ‘Department H’ imprint back in 2012. Having worked with hip hop royalty such as Jazzy Jef and Pete Rock over the years, not to mention releasing J Dilla’s frst and last solo albums, BBE are delighted to share in The Herbaliser’s musical journey.

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Inviting a carefully chosen group of guest vocalists to join them in their London studio, ‘Bring Out The Sound’ presents a diverse blend of soulful songs, hip hop bangers and original instrumental funk breaks, made all the more impressive by its complete absence of sampling, an album from the heat of The Herbaliser. Famous for his pop smash ‘Starz In Their Eyes’ (sadly as relevant now as it ever was), Camden vocalist Just Jack lays down an incredibly moving performance over lush horns and strings on the instant classic ‘Seize The Day’. The London Posse’s own Rodney P spits lyrical fre alongside 28Luchi over the reggae-infused, unmistakably British beats of ‘Like Shaft’. Former Senseless Things member and Libertines collaborator Mark Keds creates an almost uncomfortably intimate, confessional atmosphere on the intensely personal ’20 Years To The Day’. Compared by Mark Ronson to a young Minnie Ripperton, UK singer STAC’s voice cuts through with a breathy kind of clarity on ‘Over and Over’.

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But the Herbaliser band has always been so much more than the sum of its collaborators. Languid, powerful hip hop beats and uncompromising production values underpin impressive performances by all the band members, especially the horn section who track after track, turn in vintage performances. These guys make it all sound so easy that by the time we reach ‘Takedown’, a track that sounds for all the world like a forgotten b-boy anthem by The Incredible Bongo Band. - Bandcamp

J Jazz 2 builds on the solid foundation of the first compilation and sees co-compilers Tony Higgins and Mike Peden once again pick choice sections from their own record collections. They present a deep dive into an intoxicating and beguiling range of styles: from cinematic roaring big-band (Little G by Nobuo Hara) and sparse minimal acoustic funk (Teru Teru Bozo by Teru Sakomoto), to deep spiritual modal epics (Dragon Dance by Makoto Terashita and Harold Land) and funk fusion (Mother of the Future by Electro Keyboard Orchestra). J Jazz 2 delivers more astonishing high quality jazz that will appeal the old school hard-core jazz head as much as those digging the current sounds of the current vibrant jazz explosion in the UK and USA. - BBE Music

“These nine examples, taken from rare albums only ever released in Japan, exude the authentic excitement of those days. Most impressive of all is the rhythmic energy on show. Relaxed swing doesn’t come into it; the drummers are relentless. They’re supported by some immaculate bass playing too, and you can hear it properly, thanks to Japanese technology. The wilder soloists do tend to go on a bit in the longer numbers but the performances never sag, because of those amazing drummers. It’s music of its time, of course, but better late than never.” – The Guardian

“‘J Jazz’ includes obscure and sought after rarities like the bass-driven power jazz of Koichi Matsukaze’s ‘Earth Mother’, the holy grail rarity of Aizawa Tohru Quartet’s ‘Dead Letter’ and the loping majesty of Takeo Moriyama’s ‘North Wind’. This collection takes the listener into deep spiritual jazz, post-modal impressionism and fierce dance-floor fusion with material from artists and composers whose names are generally only known to committed collectors of Japanese jazz. Fumio Karashima, Mitsuaki Katayama, Takeo Moriyama and Kiyoshi Sugimoto are among the names featured on an album aiming to shed a little light on the shadowy world of Japanese jazz clubs, tucked away in the neon backstreets. This music demands a wider audience and BBE are excited to deliver a landmark compilation, lifting the veil on this wonderful and mysterious area of the global jazz catalogue.” – BBE Music

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Scotland’s foremost (possibly only) disco obsessive Al Kent returns with a fourth volume in the critically acclaimed Disco Love album series.

Previous volumes of Disco Love had critics saying things like “Some of it is risqué, cheesy and (may I say) sexy. Great stuff for us disco-geeks” and “A real gem for the disco connoisseurs” and “This will enhance any deep disco collection” and “the ever-reliable Glaswegian crate digger unearths even more dusty gems” and “Just when you think that Al Kent guy is not going to get you again, he assembles a third Disco Love that is more stimulating than the first two volumes” and, less excitingly, “The mastering and sound quality is great”.

So, just when you think that Al Kent guy isn’t going to get you again, here he is – with fifteen more obscure disco tracks (or at the very least soul records you could dance to), most of which were pressed in limited quantities before sinking without a trace - BBE

BBE Music presents J Jazz volume 3, the latest in its definitive compilation series exploring the finest modern jazz from Japan.

Since the first volume in February 2018, the J Jazz compilation series has showcased some of the most creative, inspired, and sought-after jazz recorded in Japan during a golden period spanning the 1960s to the 1980s. Illustrating the richness and versatility of the composers and musicians on this collection, the music spans a wide yet coherent range of styles: samba, funk fusion, modal, spiritual, post-bop, and bossa all combine to present an aural portrait of a jazz scene that was constantly moving and shifting its multiple musical centres of gravity.

Mastered at the Grammy-nominated Carvery studio in London, many of the tracks featured are reissued for the first time, including mega-rare private press cuts from the Yasuhiro Kohno Trio, Masaru Imada Trio, and Hideyasu Terakawa Quartet. There’s heavy post modal bop by J Jazz legends Kohsuke Mine and Koichi Matsukaze; samba heat from Tatsuya Nakamura, Hideo Shiraki and Seiichi Nakamura; and funky dance floor energy by Hiroshi Murakami, Ryojiro Furusawa Quartet and Shigeharu Mukai.

Selected albums from which the tracks are drawn will be reissued in full as part of the acclaimed BBE Music J Jazz Masterclass Series. Released as a deluxe, heavyweight x3 vinyl set in a gatefold sleeve with obi strip and insert, the collection comes with extensive artist biographies and track information. – BBE