Ibiza's Café del Mar and Peugeot 1007(!) present the 'Primer Festival de la Cultura Chill Out' and features some top artists such as, Nicola Conte, Madrid De Los Austrias, Jazzanova, The Funky Lowlives, Break Reform, Mark Rae and many more.

No surprise Mr. Conte tops the bill as his debut album on Blue Note; 'Other Directions' was one of 2004's best (my personal No. 1 by the end of the year). Many of the tracks were familiar to the Gilles Peterson's Fan Club who has had a long association with the man from Bari. 'Wanin' Moon', with the vocals of Bembe Seque had already made an appeared on the Worldwide Exclusive collection. 'Kind of Sunshine' was released as a 12" and featured the stunning vocals of Lucia Minetti and backed by already classic, 'Nefertiti'. 'Impulso' and the title track are equally impressive. Most of the tracks are written by Conte and he produced the album. The musicians are mainly Italian and are outstanding. In fact, you could be fooled into thinking this could have been released at the height of Blue Note jazz peak in the 1960's with the album cover design and photo's going for that Francis Wolf look trade mark. This is a super cool CD and Peterson was predicting six month's before it's release that the album would 'blow up' like the success of the Gotan Project. So don't be put off by the sugary opening track 'Sea and Sand' or 'All Gone' and invest in the album if you have not done so already.

As a further aside, GP said last Sunday night that he's just returned from Sicily where the club he played at would get his Michelin 5*s (if there was such a thing for clubs) along with Rainer Trüby's 'Root Down' in Freiburg, Germany!

Anyway, back to Sensomusic. I managed to catch a few words with Simon S of Break Reform recently who has just got back from Chicago promoting the new album, Reformation. Not only has it received a great response in North America, he tells me they've already been to Spain once this year and are looking forward to going to Sensomusic. Lets hope they don't like it too much and join the likes of Prefuse 73 and Seiji who have moved out there to live.

Sensomusic is part of the 25 years of Café del Mar celebrations. For those of us that can't make it, there's always the 'The 25th Anniversary (1980-2005)' triple CD set on Cafe Del Mar. The tracklisting means nothing to me (as below) but Senomusic sounds the biz.

Let us know what it was like if you go.

Links:
Sensomusic Festival www.sensomusicfestival.com Sensomusic will take place at Circulo de Bellas Artes in central Madrid
Café del Mar http://www.cafedelmarmusic.com/
Radio B92: Gilles Peterson / Nicola Conte, Belgrade 2003
July 18th mercati generali - catania (CT) MASSIMO NAPOLI & GILLES PETERSON
Original Gerry Hectic reveiw of 'Other Directions' for 3Hedz: Rating 4/5 23rd October 2004 [clearly, this was re-rated 5/5 two months later],

'The 25th Anniversary (1980-2005)'
CD1-01 Lovers Lane - Private Session (25th Mix) (4:50)
CD1-02 Vargo - Talking One Language (Anniversary Mix) (4:37)
CD1-03 Ludvig & Stelar - Reflection (4:37)
CD1-04 Lumininius - I Believe In You (4:06)
CD1-05 Jo Manji - Innocence (5:14)
CD1-06 Henrik T - Espiral (5:18)
CD1-07 Zuell - Albariza (5:26)
CD1-08 Andre Andreo - Sensual Bay (4:54)
CD1-09 Digitano - El Kiosco (3:48)
CD1-10 A Man Called Adam vs. Chris Coco - Knots (3:53)
CD1-11 Gary B - Lead Me Home (4:03)
CD1-12 Rue Du Soleil - La Francaise (5:19)
CD1-13 Gelka - Hidding Place (4:49)
CD1-14 DAB (Digital Analog Band) - The Call (5:22)
CD1-15 YPEY - Life Time (4:51)
CD1-16 Olaf Gutbrod - Moment Of Passion (6:24)
CD2-01 Alessandro Boschi - Ojo De Vega (4:20)
CD2-02 Tom Oliver - Free Your Mind (4:37)
CD2-03 Azioni Musicali - Volviendo Al Sur (5:07)
CD2-04 Mic Max - Como El Viento (5:21)
CD2-05 Omaya - Novo (4:52)
CD2-06 Melibea - Boheme (5:34)
CD2-07 Camiel - Take Me To This Place (5:55)
CD2-08 Cold Valley - Another Day (6:30)
CD2-09 Roberto Sol & Nera - Sensuality (4:03)
CD2-10 Lemongrass - Bee (4:15)
CD2-11 Glenn Maltman - Chillin (4:37)
CD2-12 DJ3 - Vertigo (5:38)
CD2-13 Shiloh - The Gift (5:14)
CD2-14 Alejandro De Pinedo - Sex On The Beach (4:34)
CD2-15 H Garden - Gentle Rain (6:20)
CD3-01 Leslie Round - Calling Back (6:06)
CD3-02 Koru - The Meeting (6:00)
CD3-03 Steen Thottrup - I Hope Yesterday Never Comes (6:41)
CD3-04 Zednah - Voluptuous Sunrise (6:02)
CD3-05 Marc Puig - To Start Anew (4:47)
CD3-06 New Beginning - Nuevo Comienzo (6:23)
CD3-07 Johnny Chrome vs. Jordan Reyne - Newex (3:34)
CD3-08 Light Of Aidan - The Snowbird (5:23)
CD3-09 Prodoxo - Bailanduna (6:05)
CD3-10 Elcho - Stop The World (Aquatint Mix) (6:14)
CD3-11 Arnica Montana - Memories Of The Seas (Cafe Del Mar Mix) (4:32)
CD3-12 Joke Society - Morphing Morning (6:14)