Fly | Global Music Culture

Karl Hector & The Malcouns - Sahara Swing

Now-Again have done the impossible, they’ve hit on a combination that can challenge their own Heliocentrics and Mulatu Astatke as they put the Sun Ra and James Brown in the Sahara

]]> Karl Hector is a new name to me (we’re told he’s the mysterious leader of the Funk Pilots) and he has teamed up with The Malcouns (Thomas Myland and Zdenko Curulija) who have previously dabble in projects like the Berlin Serengeti and released soul/funk 45s on Watou Records and the producer of Poets of Rhythm/Whitefield Brothers, J. Whitefield.

As last week was all about Ethiopiques at Glastonbury, this album takes their Ethio-jazz triumph to the next level as the sand falls off your shoes on the ‘Followed Path’ to Afro-funk-jazz enlightenment. As a side note, what little I saw of Jay Z on TV surely put to rest any doubts that hip-hop can’t top the Saturday night pyramid stage, well done Mr Eavis (as featured in this months’ Songlines).

It’s all here. If you fancy abit of Fela, ‘Debere’ is the track with glorious organ whilst ‘Jabore Pt. 3’ is a slow waddle on a Sun Ra trip to the water-hole. On a percussive tip, ‘Psycles’ gets in a groove and ‘Koloko Pt. 1’ is the funky horn tune.

There’s four short interlude tracks called, Transition >I<, >Z<, >B< & >W< and drift towards the ambient/experimentation side but I l’d like to think there are (at least) 22 more elements (being the rest of the alphabet) in transition that could be put together as one coherent piece; perhaps the bonus disc on the next album?

It’s hard to believe this album was recorded in Germany but these guy’s know their stuff as if they’ve smoked Steve Reid’s classic ‘Lion Of Juda’ for the past 20 years and re-invented the sound.

The tracks I keep going back to are ‘Nyx’, ‘Followed Path’ and ‘Toure Samar’ as they are as funky as the Dap-Kings, as psychedelic as a walk with Jim Morrison in the desert, as jazzy Sun Ra and as kick-ass as Fela Kuti and James Brown all wrapped up into one.

You don’t have to have subscribe to Wax Poetic to get this album and who knows, by this time next year, perhaps Karl Hector & The Malcouns will have headlined the Jazz/World stage at Glastonbury!

Live:
3 Aug 2008 - Poets of Rhythm @ Mantua Music & Arts Festival

Reviewed: Karl Hector & The Malcouns - Sahara Swing (Now-Again Records) Cat. No. NA5035 Release date: 7th July 2008
Tracklisting:
1 When The Sun Breaks Through (1:27)
2 Nyx (3:53)
3 Followed Path (4:46)
4 Transition >J< (0:56)
5 Sahara Swing (3:29)
6 Psycles (4:11)
7 Transition >I< (0:16)
8 Koloko Pt. 1 (2:52)
9 Debere (2:37)
10 Transition >B< (0:33)
11 Jabore Pt. 3 (4:07)
12 Mystical Brotherhood (2:41)
13 Timely Interuption (0:22)
14 Transition >Z< (0:42)
15 Mellow (Version) (3:24)
16 Rush Hour (2:29)
17 Transition >W< (1:04)
18 Toure Samar (3:17)
19 Passau Run (2:44)

Links:
Karl Hector www.myspace.com/saharaswing
www.myspace.com/themalcouns
www.myspace.com/mrmyland
www.myspace.com/thepoetsofrhythm
www.stonesthrow.com/Karlhector
www.stonesthrow.com
Gilles Peterson :: 12 June 2008 :: Benga Dubstep Vs Jazz Mix & Nostalgia 77 Maida Vale Session
Karl Hector & The Malcouns - ‘Nyx’ (Now-Again)
www.waxpoetics.com No. 29 Herbie Hancock, Jackson Conti, Nigeria 70 and much, much more!
Songlines www.songlines.co.uk The new July 2008 issue of Songlines magazine is on sale NOW. … My World - Glastonbury Festival’s Michael & Emily Eavis.

Splitloop - Pleasure Machine

It doesn’t take a genius to work out Splitloop take their name from a breaks background but this album has been two years in the making and whilst it will pleasure their current fans, it’s got stacks of crossover potential.

]]> Splitloop are the duo of Philip Byrne and Brendan Crowe who apparently met on the bus going to see a Prodigy gig in Ireland. Chances are this was some time ago when Liam Howlett was at his peak and Daedelus was 15. What’s the link to Daedelus? Well his album Love To Make Music To supposed to be a return to his rave roots as he manipulates his own ‘Pleasure Machine’. Apparently the idea behind Splitloops’ Pleasure Machine album is the opposite of going back to their roots as the pair broaden their horizons, looking outside of the breaks scene for inspiration and going “electronic”.

Crowe has said, “we really wanted to make music we thought was really good and move our sound forward, not worrying about what anyone else would think”. So you don’t care what we think! Well, you can’t say that Splitloop are new the doyens of IDM but Pleasure Machine gives you a thumpin’ good ride of what a breaks album should be in my book. Bangin’ beats with bouncy electro synths, a few housey vocals, a bit of rap and all turned up to full volume. This is simply a dance album with tracks that merge together like a great club night.

That said, stand out tracks are the 12” releases of ‘Frequency Rebel’ (that intro will get anyone’s attention), ‘Keep Running’ (that’s definitely going on my Nike+ mixtape), ‘Electricity’, ‘Release-Remove’ and my favourite, ‘Speak And Splitloop’.

The album ends on another highlight ‘Tweaked Out’ that has understandably gained the attention of BBC Radio1’s Annie Nightingale and featured on Fabric Live CD by Krafy Kuts (he being the boss of Against The Grain).

The only reason not to move to this album is if your dead and these guys must be even better live than on CD. You’ll have to catch them when you can as they’re going on tour to Oz in August. Now that should be some party!

Forthcoming Tour Dates
20 Jun 2008 - San Francisco Breakbeat Booty San Francisco, California
04 July 2008 - Life Festival Gort
09 July 2008 - Supercharged Audio, Brighton
11 July 2008 - Fabric London - Pleasure Machine Album Launch www.fabriclondon.com
12 July 2008 - Seville, Spain
August 2008 - Australian Tour Dates [To be confirmed]

Reviewed: Splitloop - Pleasure Machine (Against The Grain) Cat. No, ATGCD07 Release date:14th July 2008
Tracklisting:
1. Crazy Sexy (4:39)
2. Party People featuring Jax (4:52)
3. Beat That Smack That featuring Marvel & AnnMarie McBaron (4:26)
4. Pleasure Machine (4:43)
5. Frequency Rebel (4:12)
6. Electricity (4:26)
7. 100 Places featuring Evil Harrisons (5:42)
8. Go Down featuring Marvel (4:38)
9. Release Remove (Splitloop Vs. Arveene) (5:12)
10. Rush (6:23)
11. Keep Running featuring Marvel (4:57)
12. Ghetto Blaster (4:24)
13. Speak And Splitloop (5:08)
14. Tweaked Out (5:10)

LInks
www.splitloop.com
www.myspace.com/splitloop
www.superchargedmusic.com
www.myspace.com/atgandsupercharged
Daedelus blog www.myspace.com/daedelusdarling Tuesday, February 20, 2007 “On matters of Rave”
Been hearing a bit about Raving lately, lots of folks seem to be checking out that wonderful period in electronic music; post Acid House pre-everything else, and I thought because it is a passion of mine as well I’d put up some of my favorite artists from Rave in case the trusty internet can lead you to some excellent music (sometimes a name is enough)
1. Acen
2. Altern8
3. Bay B Kane
4. Shut Up and Dance
5. Hyper on Experience
6. Prodigy (this one is difficult, cause it all went so south around 1994, but worth checking the old material when it was just one producer and his dancer friends)
7. Ray Keith (who still makes excellent tracks!)
8. DJ Hype
9. Anything on Production House (label) from 1991-1993, lots of Acen on there
10. Anything on Suburban Base even their post rave early jungle is really worth the research.
Such a random list, but again please check a few out, and dance like no one is watching!

V/A - Secretsundaze Presents Tobi Neumann

Giles Smith and James Priestley release one of the best underground house and techno compilations of 2008 with tracks that have been selected and mixed by Tobi Neumann; it’s such a winning formula.

]]> Now after last weekend, I think it’s again now safe not to write off the Germans. And if you were at the Secretsundaze party last weekend with guest Tobi Neumann and residents Giles Smith and James Priestley, you’ll have been talking all week about their next CD compilation coming out this Monday.

You’ll recall Smith and Priestley brought us one of the most exciting/best tech/house compilations last year, Secretsundaze : Volume 1. Now the temptation must have been to do something similar for ‘Vol.2’ but that type of repetitiveness is not what Secretsundaze is about; it’s just not in their nature.

So if you’re going to trust your second mix compilation release to someone else, you better make sure it’s someone who knows what they are doing. Tobi Neumann knows what he’s doing alright. He made his name as producer of jingles and movie soundtracks after getting the electronic music bug at the 1995 Love Parade. Since then he’s been a resident DJ at Munich’s Flokati House Club and part of Sven Väth’s Cocoon team and with his own productions, he’s one of the driving forces on the German scene.

Now if you’re still a little confused about world music’s influence on dance/club culture, this is an album to open your ears. From the opening track of Osunlade’s ‘My Reflection’ to ‘Le Cercle Peul’ by Mr. Raoul K and the (non-reggae) drums of Minilogue’s ‘Jamaica’, this album is jam packed with treats.

Also included is a track from Kerri Chander’s Computer Games album that’s suitably Detroit with big strings and talking of the U.S.A., Billy Dalessandro is a Chicago based DJ and producer and his ‘Nitrogen Bass’ is a bit of a ping-pong electro bouncer; I love this stuff. Also check out the tasty ‘Radar’ siren and the dubby vocal mix of ‘Derrick’s Chase’ by Nathan Hawks.

If you’ve got the lastest Slices (Issue 2-08) there’s a feature on Oslo Records and their hot guy of the moment, Johnny D. Tobi’s gone for the Johnny D. Remix of ‘Pox Box’ which might not be the best of this set, but it has some serious squechy bits and sets up the exclusive and unreleased ‘Viola Tricolor’ (this is a great ‘experimental’ track, more of this please).

The album ends where it started with a couple of some jazzy/world influenced stompers and it’s exactly this quality and variety why Giles and James picked Tobi as his track selection as impressive as his mixing skills. Get this album and you can have your own Secretsundaze session any day you like, now that’s got to be a good idea.

Secretsundaze will be at The Lovebox Weekender on 19th July, London www.lovebox.net

Reviewed: Various - Secretsundaze Presents Tobi Neumann (Secretsundaze) Cat. No. SSPCD001 Release date: 7th July 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Osunlade - My Reflection
2 Sascha Dive - Bdown Variation 7
3 Move D - Quit Quitting
4 Vera & Federico Molinari - It Ain’t Music
5 Soni - Here To Stay
6 Mr. Raoul K - Le Cercle Peul
7 Minilogue - Jamaica
8 Kerri Chandler - Pong
9 Nathan Hawks - Derrick’s Chase (Vox Mix)
10 Rhythm & Sound - Ruff Way (Bootleg Version)
11 Billy Dalessandro - Nitrogen Bass
12 Stimming, H.O.S.H. & Solomun - Radar
13 Ralph Sliwinski - Pox Box (Johnny D. Remix)
14 Sensitiva - Viola Tricolor
15 Jus Ed - Kick It Up (Part 4)
16 Guillaume - Les Gans

Links:
www.myspace.com/tobineumann
www.secretsundaze.net
www.myspace.com/secretsundaze
www.myspace.com/gilessmithmusic
www.myspace.com/jamespriestley
www.eb-slices.net

The-Quartet - Shattering

When you call your album Shattering, you hope that the music lives up to the title; Hectic investigates this new foursome of sound extremists.

]]> Now the first thing to note about this quartet of Jack Hues (guitar), Sam Bailey (Piano, Fender Rhodes), Tom Mason (double bass) and Dave Smith (drums) is that they are joined by Paul Booth (saxophone) and Duncan MacKay on trumpet.

The other thing to note is that Hues and producer Chris Hughes have had success in previous musical groups this is a new project altogether. Also, we know Joel Reeves is a fan of Tom Mason’s work with Robert Mitchell’s Panecea (as are we) and we know he’s a sometime musical partner of Jack Cheshire. Now if your into other groups Paul Booth has played in, notably Tim Garland’s Northern Underground and (with drummer Dave Smith) in Arnie Somogyi’s Ambulance, you’ll also be into this album.

Lastly, this is an ambious album as it consists of a six part opus ‘Canterbury Tales’ that’s no doubt based on Geoffrey Chaucher’s 630 page book of 1855. However, Hues has written all the track on this album (apart from ‘The Check-Out Girl’s Tale’) and it is as heavy/hard to get to grips with as Chaucer’s tome. Not in a totally Shattering sense but more of whether the ‘Canterbury Tales’ half of the album matches the other six tracks or vice versa.

On ‘Canterbury Tales’ there’s a strange combination of the atmospheric lighter moments and progy King Crimson-ish guitar and piano led moments, whilst the ‘electronic’ tracks are not as ‘experimental’ as you might have hoped/thought. ‘The Chav’s Tale’ and ‘The Check-Out Girl’s Tale’ are the stand-out elements of the piece for me.

At the moment the jazzer second half of the album is getting more attention like ‘Tokyo Angelic’ and ‘Plains Rising’. I love Mingus influenced ‘Dark Moon Part 1’; an atmospheric mood piece introduction to, (surprise, surprise) ‘Dark Moon Part 2. By now the horns and the band are in full 60s jazz club de Blue Note mode; Tom and Sam have got the beat!

The last track ‘Lights Out’ is a study of Miles (Davis) as the group stretch out the track to nearly 10 minutes.

This is a fine album in the traditions other bands from Cantebury (Soft Machine, Caravan and Egg) and the locals should be looking out for them at their forthcoming gigs (see listing below).

Upcoming Gigs
13 Jul 2008 - Lounge on the Farm Festival - The Further Tent, Cantebury, Kent
28 Jul 2008 - Orange Stret Music Club Cantebury
30 Jul 2008 - The Vortex Jazz Club, London

Reviewed: The-Quartet - Shattering (Helium Records) Cat. No. HeCD004 Release date: June 2008
Tracklisting:
Canterbury Tales
a Prologue (2:04)
b The Chav’s Tale (2:50)
c The Check-Out Girl’s Tale (4:20)
d The Deacon’s Tale (1:34)
e The Wife Of The Councillor’s Tale (1:35)
f Canterbury Bells, Saturday 5.20pm (1:30)
7 Tokyo Angelic (5:30)
8 Plains Rising (7:06)
9 Dark Moon Part 1 (2:56)
10 Dark Moon Part 2 (6:49)
11 Lights Out (9:40)

Links
www.the-quartet.co.uk
www.myspace.com/thequartetband
www.heliumrecords.co.uk
www.online-literature.com/chaucer

Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra - Miles Of Styles

Shawn Lee’s success as a musician has taken him all over the planet and in an effort to reduce his carbon footprint, he’s been hard at work in his studio to bring us 21 tracks that cover miles of different styles; ideal for global music appreciation.

]]> Shawn’s musical background goes way back to the mid 90s when he was signed to Gilles Peterson’s Talkin’ Loud label. Probably best known for the uplifting hit ‘Happiness’ via the Ashley Beedle remix (although I always thought the orginal was the better version), he has found a home at Ubiquity Records with his Ping Pong Orchestra and Miles Of Styles is their seventh album together.

How come Lee is so prolific? Well his orchestra is mainly just him as he’s a multi-instrumentalist with his own massive collection of instruments. Putting the world elements into this travelling ‘document of sound’ he manages to play the Gu-zheng (a Chinese zither), a Steel Drum (from the Caribbean), a Balafone (from Africa), a Harmonium and Tablas (India), Hurdy Gurdy and Harpsichord (European), a Guitarron (Mexico), a Churango (Bolivia) and a Waterphone (from the USA.) Not all at once of course; and he sings! The only instruments he doesn’t manage to master are the flute and saxophone (as provided by Andy Ross, the son of jazz saxophonist Ronnie Ross) and the trumpet (Dominic Glover, who featured on Incognito’s Bees + Things + Flowers).

If you’re familiar with the work of Lee’s PPO, you’ll know that its a funky, soulful, Latin, pop, rock, cinematic combination and ideally suited to this worldwide trip (see track titles). There are a few that don’t comply with the naming convention concept, notably ‘Great Russell Street’, but as this WC1 address is the home of the British Museum, if you have a pint in the Museum Tavern, you’ll see that the world will come to you over a period of time.

You can split this album up three ways. The dance/upbeat tracks like ‘Punjabi Lullaby’, ‘Brazilian Bubble’ (a good one for fans of ‘Berimbau’ as last covered by Jackson Conti, (Afro) Lightning Head styled ‘Lagos Calling’ and the racy ‘Tokyo Dancer’; great flute on this one even if it has a hint of 70s porn about it). And talking of which, there’s the more cinematic tracks, especially, the indo-chill of ‘Gt. Russell St’, the film theme ‘Dinosaur Island’ and the Bullitt of a ‘Heist In Helsinki’ (long version required). The rest fall somewhere better the two like the (Dub) Lightning Head styled ‘Bathtub Dub’ and the soft-rock soul of ‘San Diego’.

Lee’s previous album, Voices & Choices got picked up by the TV show Damages and his work has also been used on movies, film trailers and commercials. Like a one man Library Music company, is he too clever for his own good? I wouldn’t say that but even if there are no surprises here, this is an album to keep coming back to as you keep hearing new favourites. Currently it’s the big-band jazz-funk of ‘Italy 73’, erm.., no it’s ‘Ciao Bruno’; Oh! you see what I mean. Great album.

Reviewed: Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra - Miles Of Styles (Ubiquity Records)
Cat. No. URCD 228 Release date: June 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Punjabi Lullaby featuring Kiren Lee
2 Brazilian Bubble featuring Andrea Monteiro
3 Great Russell Street
4 Lagos Calling
5 Mela D
6 Bathtub Dub
7 Prague Rock
8 Parisian Glam Slam
9 Italy 73 featuring Stephen Large (Piano)
10 Ciao Bruno
11 Dinosaur Island
12 Heist In Helsinki
13 Tokyo Dancer
14 Mystery Train
15 Phoenix Firebird
16 San Diego
17 Daddy Funky
18 Chinese Chillin’
19 Fly First
20 Greekout

Links
www.shawnlee.net
www.myspace.com/shawnleemusic
www.ubiquityrecords.com
The British Museum. Great Russell Street London WC1B 3DG Tel: +44 (0)20 7580 1788 Fax: +44 (0)20 7323 8614 E-mail: Web: www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Bullitt (1968) With Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset www.imdb.com

The Black Seeds - Solid Ground European Tour 2008

Hot on the heals of their warm up gig at Cargo last week, New Zealand’s finest The Black Seeds are set up for some more hot summer tour dates.

]]> Yep, it was The Black Seeds who were Karen P’s surprise guests at Cargo’s …Broadcasting (see interview with Karen HERE and review of her album …Broadcasting. With the new album coming out in a couple of months, called Solid Ground, hopefully the hot weather will toughen it up for them on their summer tour.

They’ve got some corkin’ gigs lined up including Groove Armada’s Lovebox (with Goldfrapp, fresh from Glastonbury Manu Chao and Horse Meat Disco and many, many more), the Rip Curl Boardmasters (lets hope the the surf is more like 2005 than the rubbish last year) and the always excellent Bloom Festival (see last year’s line up HERE).

I think you will agree that this is a big step up from the end of Bournemouth Pier last year (see HERE) or even at London Astoria (with Eva Be as support last year). Whilst we wait for the new album to come out, it’s a good idea to get out their Into The Dojo release of last year. It’s a long way from Wellington, New Zealand, but this a band (and a good time), not to be missed.

To coincide with the tour, on Monday, Sonar Kollektiv released a 2-track digital single as an album preview. ‘Slingshot’ is typical of their reggae based soul/funk romp “with a deep groove and a wailing saxophone solo”. On the ‘digital’ other side ‘Shazzy Dub’ originally appeared on their On The Sun album from 2004 and I can assure you, they’ve lost none of their horny excellence in since.

Tour dates - Summer 2008
19th July - The Lovebox Weekender, London. Lovebox #1 June 2008 www.lovebox.net
1st August - Komedia, Brighton
2nd August - Standon Calling Festival, Standon
3rd August - Castle Palooza Festival, Tullamore, Ireland
4th August - Whelans, Dublin, Ireland
5th August - Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh
8th August - Rip Curl Boardmasters Unleashed, Newquay
10th August - Bloom Festival, Bristol www.bloomfestival.com

Reviewed: The Black Seeds - ‘Slingshot’ (Sonar Kollektiv/Digital Kollektiv) Cat. No. DK026 Release date: 30th June 2008
A. Slingshot (Radio Version) (4:27)
B. Shazzy Dub (5:28)

Links
www.theblackseeds.com
www.myspace.com/theblackseeds
www.sonarkollektiv.com
www.myspace.com/jabinward
www.bestseven.de

Rupa & The April Fishes - Extraordinary Rendition

I missed Rupa & The April Fishes this time around on their European tour but after listening to their debut album, I won’t make the same mistake next time around.

]]> Whilst the Editor was trying out his new equipment at the family reunion (see exclusive footage on FLY and Jill interview HERE), I’ve been getting to grips with the album.

When you start listening to this album, you may think that it is French as it is almost sung exclusively in French by Rupa. But what’s French these days? Turntablist Birdy Nam Nam are but this comes more from the likes of Les Negresses Vertes with less punk and more world as there lots of Gypsy influences. But nowhere near the mayhem of the likes of Balkan Beat Box.

Now whether it is the fact that these guys are based in San Francisco and Rupa is a part-time physician, there is a dark depressed feel to many of the tracks; some sort of recognition that we better be having a good time when we can before we pass on.

This duplicity is best exhibited on ‘La Pecheuse’ and ‘Mal De Mar’ and by the time we get to ‘Yaad’, that is like an acoustic minimalism, you just about get the hang of; especially as it is exquisitely done. These guys sound more like they’ve been classically trained than the likes of Balkan Beat Box/Les Negresses Vertes. The label, Cumbancha, say the band “create music that defies easy categorization.” I’ll go along with that. What it means is that you just have to give it a little more time on the more unusual tracks.

There’s no problem though with the tango of ‘Maintenant’, the high speed ‘Poder’ (sung in Spanish) or swinging ‘C’est Pas D’L’amour’ (those of a certain age will fear that this one will dip into a version of Mary Hopkins’ ‘Those Were The Days’ which made me slightly scared). And then in total contrast to that, the best track for me is the sleezy Parisian street jazz of ‘Les Abeilles’. If my ‘O’ level French was a little better I’d have a stab at finding out what the lyrics were about to it.

The CD ends on the only song sung in English, ‘Wishful Thinking’. Not exactly a sea shanty, but it’s a tale of running away to sea with suitable accordion emphasis that reminds me of the excellent album Rogue’s Gallery (and now the forthcoming Rogue’s Gallery Concert at the Barbican Hall - see preview HERE).

As Jill says in her review of Rupa & The April Fishes at Momo, that these guys would be great at Festival. Today, they are playing at the NYC Central Park Summer Stage today with festivals booked up for Quebec City (Festival d’Éte), the Montreal Jazz Festival, Regina Folk Festival in Saskatchewan and their home town Outside Lands Festival in August (see links below to their myspace site).

If you want to have a good time, go mental to ‘Plus Que Moi’, if you want to get a little bit Jaques Brel, ‘La Peinture’, if you want to slit your wrists, ‘Mal De Mer’ and if you want to open St. Peter’s Gates, ‘Yaad’. Is this what extraordinary rendition is all about or are these April Fools having a laugh? Who knows? I’m off to sea (wishful thinking).

Reviewed: Rupa & The April Fishes - eXtraOrdinary rendition (Cumbancha) Cat. No. CMN-CD-7 Release date: Summer 2008
Tracklisting:
1 (San Francisco) (0:52)
2 Mainentant (4:07)
3 Poser (3:38)
4 Le Pêcheuse (4:50)
5 Une Americaine A Paris (4:08)
6 Le Pecheuse (5:36)
7 Mal De Mer (4:39)
8 Les Abeilles (5:30)
9 Plus Que Moi (3:57)
10 Not So Easy (1:47)
11 La Peinture (4:36)
12 Yaad (4:54)
13 Wishful Thinking (3:53)

Links
www.myspace.com/aprilfishes
www.theaprilfishes.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupa_and_the_April_Fishes
www.cumbancha.com
www.momoresto.com June 10 Momo London
www.negressesvertes.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraordinary_rendition_by_the_United_States “controversial detention method practiced by the United States”

Birdy Nam Nam - Live @ London 12th July 2008

For us francophiles, July is a great month as we get to celebrate someone elses party on Bastille Day and it’s when the Tour de France starts, especially this year as it starts in Brittany where there’s so many ex-pat second homes. But this year, you’d be better of being in London as the greatest 4 turntable scratchin’ crew are in town!

]]> After years of dominating the DMC World DJ Team Championship at the turn of the millennium, they retired from the scene as if in a state of Zizou type outrage declaring the competition “for nerds”. However, this was a good move as they went on to perfect the use the turntable player as an actual musical instrument.

Their self-titled debut album was released in 2005 was created entirely on the turntables and contained the monster hit ‘Too Much Skunk Tonight’ that was a must have track ever since Gilles Peterson opened his show with the track. The following year, they went onto release the CD/DVD package Live recorded at Le Cigale. The band are signed to Uncivilized World but if ever there was a crew that should be on Ninja Tune, Birdy Nam Nam should be as their “similar artists” and all Ninja stalwarts, DJ Food, The Herbaliser and turntable vertuoso from Japan, DJ Kentaro. For more music from Japan, see HERE).

Since Koko re-opened it’s doors a couple of years ago after a major refurbishment, it’s gone onto establish itself as a major London venue and in the next few days with gigs from N.E.R.D. (Gilles Peterson’s favourite) and Peterson’s new favourites Paul Weller and The Ting Tings. It’s a far cry from when Weller played the venue as part of The Jam in the late 70’s when the place was called The Music Machine and it was in a particularly run down sad state.

So this is a rare chance then to see a totally unique b-boy turntable crew in a top venue. Support comes from more hot Parisian talent, DH Crazey and DJ Feadz so it’s all set up for an evening of non-stop action.

Nerd alert: “The group’s name is taken from a line in the 1968 Peter Sellers film The Party, directed by Blake Edwards”

STOP PRESS; Due to some technical issues at Koko, the Birdy Nam Nam show is now at Cargo in Shoreditch this Saturday 12 July. Still a full on banging lineup and booming sound plus the lineup NOW also includes the excellent Part Time Heroes Soundsystem!

Links
www.birdynamnam.com
www.myspace.com/birdynamnam
www.last.fm/music/Birdy+Nam+Nam
www.myspace.com/feadz
www.uncivilizedworld.com
www.koko.uk.com 1a Camden High Street, NW1 Birdy Nam Nam, DJ Crazey, DJ Feadz - Tube: Mornington Crescent. 9pm to 2am - Sat 12th Jul 2008
Gilles Peterson :: Tracklisting 25/03/04 :: Box Of Delights
Birdy Namnam - ‘Too Much Skunk Tonight’ (White) Gilles Peterson, ever the upfront DJ that he is, opened one of his Box Of Delights with the slurred electronic dub breaks of “Too Much Skunk Tonight!”
Gilles Peterson’s Blog Saturday, June 28, 2008 - Ting Tings and Festivals
www.thetingtings.com
www.myspace.com/thetingtings
www.myspace.com/djkentaro
www.lacigale.fr
Zinedine ‘Zizou’ Zidane
www.letour.fr
Running from Saturday July 5th to Sunday July 27th 2008, the 95th Tour de France will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,500 kilometres.

V/A - Life Beyond Mars - Bowie Covered

David Bowie is one of those artists that has crossed time and musical boundaries throughout his career and this compilation of cover versions does exacttly the same with a right cross section of modern day heroes.

]]> This forthcoming album on Rapster closely follows their Prince cover version album and you’ll recall they’ve previous done the same with Radiohead with Exit.

Bowie is credited for many innovations in popular music from his use of make-up, cross dressing, electronic collaborations with Brian Eno to the father of the nu-romantics. For me, I’d say his most remarkable contribution was to make soul and disco acceptable to white kids with the album Station To Station in the mid 70’s. Don’t forget, this is a period after he killed off his glam alter ego Ziggy Stardust (with his backing band, The Spiders From Mars) and when punk was starting to emerge as the youth culture that would take over the world.

With this in mind, it’s a same they didn’t ask Emanative (son of former Spider From Mars, Mick Woodmansey) to contribute (as an aside, on Simon S’s podcast with Gilles Peterson, the said Peterson raved about the forthcoming release on Futuristica Music by Emanative, ‘Petite Planet’ and I’m told there even a vocal version by Deborah Jordan!)

Anyway, there’s no future space jazz version a la Cosmic Lounge on this CD which is a bit of a shame but it ends with freestyle instrumental of ‘Life On Mars’ by a Norwegian/Swedish experimental jazz band. Also, as Carl Craig has recently started a jazz focused History Of Detroit project with founder members of Tribe Records, it would have been awesome if they’d have covered ‘Looking For Water’. That said, Craig’s Zoos Of Berlin actually come out with quite a rockin’ version that’s a bit of a grower as it’s not such a obvious choice.

Of the Bowie Greatest Hits, I’ve never heard of Drew Brown but he does a minimal Tunng-ish ‘Sweet Thing’ whilst Matthew Dear who comes from “the doorsteps of the minimal-but-funky regime of techno music”, slows ‘Sound & Vision’ to a winey snails pace. Au Revoir Simone also slow down the classic pop of ‘Oh! You Pretty Things’ and it really suits their indie-synth leanings.

Other highlights are Joakim (he of last years’ Monsters & Silly Songs) & The Discos’ rework of ‘A New Career In A New Town’ (a favourite of Mercury Rev) and one of Japan’s “finest gifts to the electronic music”, Susumu Yokota’s cover of ‘Golden Years’ (from Station To Station) that’s already had a massive Re:Edit a couple of years ago. With all of Yokota’s pseudonyms, in his own name he’s probably best known for ‘King Of Darkness’ and his leftfield cover of the disco classic ‘Could Heaven Ever Be Like This’ on Exceptional and the remix of the Cinematic Orchestra’s ‘Breathe’ that is featured on You Don’t Know: Ninja Cuts. For more music from Japan, see HERE).

For a modern day disco exponent it’s hard to beat Kelley Polar (‘Magic Dance’) who was magnificent at Bestival a couple of years ago and The Emperor Machine has a sort of Devo/B52 approach to ‘Repetition’.

Of course, this isn’t the first or the last time Bowie catalogue will be re-interpreted. Seu Jorge came to the general public’s attention with his Bowie covers sung in Portuguese throughout the film The Life Aquatic whilst on the BBC, they used Life On Mars to the retro police drama set in the 70’s show of the same name which has to be one of the best things they’ve done in years.

Life Beyond Mars is a fitting tribute to Bowie and his music as his legacy. David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones we salute you.

Reviewed: Various - Life Beyond Mars - Bowie Covered (Rapster Records) Cat. No. RR0077CD Release date: July 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Au Revoir Simone - Oh! You Pretty Things (4:17)
2 Heartbreak - Loving The Alien (7:17)
3 Kelley Polar - Magic Dance (5:17)
4 Leo Minor - Ashes To Ashes (3:21)
5 Carl Craig Presents Zoos Of Berlin - Looking For Water (5:05)
6 Drew Brown - Sweet Thing (2:55)
7 Matthew Dear - Sound & Vision (4:26)
8 Susumu Yokota - Golden Years (3:29)
9 The Emperor Machine - Repetition (6:05)
10 Joakim & The Disco - A New Career In A New Town (6:01)
11 Richard Walters & Faultline - Be My Wife (3:28)
12 The Thing - Life On Mars (4:36)
Links
www.rapsterrecords.com
www.aurevoirsimone.com
www.myspace.com/aurevoirsimone
Heartbreak : Ali Renault & Sebastian Muravchik www.myspace.com/heartbreak1
www.kelleypolar.com
www.myspace.com/kelleypolar
www.myspace.com/carlcraig
www.matthewdear.com
www.myspace.com/matthewdear
www.myspace.com/jimibazzouka
www.joakimikaoj.com
www.susumuyokota.org
www.myspace.com/emperormachine
www.davidbowie.com
www.myspace.com/futuristicamusic
Mail on Sunday gives away iSelect, Bowie’s own choice of his all-time favourite hits on 9th June “Including rarities, classics and spanning decades of hits, iSelect comprises tracks that Bowie describes as, ‘Twelve songs that I particularly like. Few of them are well known, but many of them still get sung at my concerts… usually by me!’
Christchurch Festival 2008 July 4-6th (Saturday @ 9pm: Bowie Experience) www.christchurchfestival.co.uk

Rogues Gallery – Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys - Barbican, 28 July '08

The line-up for this special event now includes Pete Doherty, Martha Wainwright, Julie Fowlis, Baby Gramps, David Thomas, Keith Moline, Gavin Friday, Langley Sisters, Teddy Thompson, Kami Thompson, Jenni Muldaur, Eliza Carthy, Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Robyn Hitchcock – as well as actor Tim Robbins and cartoonist Ralph Steadman

]]> Based on recent critically acclaimed CD release featuring the talents of Nick Cave, Sting, Jarvis Cocker and Rufus Wainwright, this concert consists of contemporary re-workings of traditional sea chanteys, pirate ballads and seafaring songs produced by maverick genius Hal Willner.

Mon 28 Jul 7.30pm
Tickets £15/20/25

The idea for Rogue’s Gallery germinated on the set of the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie, with actor Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski. The songs on the subsequent CD have titles like Baltimore Whores, Boney Was a Warrior (about Napoleon) and Little Boy Billee sung by the artist Ralph Steadman about eating the cabin boy. A sea chantey (often spelt shanty) is a work song that was sung on the old wooden ships. Rhythmically, they matched the activity speed of these men hauling on lines. Many of them are really filthy; many are very beautiful.

‘The ocean: it’s all about the vast blue that engulfs two thirds of the planet. The human being cast against that abyss creates an interesting bit of perspective. I think the sailors of the time were dancing with death, and these were there tunes’ — Gore Verbinski.
A number of special guests shall be announced shortly. Artists confirmed at 25 June 2008:
Pete Doherty, Martha Wainwright, Julie Fowlis, Baby Gramps, David Thomas, Keith Moline, Gavin Friday, Langley Sisters, Teddy Thompson, Kami Thompson, Jenni Muldaur, Eliza Carthy, Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Robyn Hitchcock – as well as actor Tim Robbins and cartoonist Ralph Steadman. Please see below for detailed artists’ biographies.

Some of these artists will perform with the house band for the evening, which is an extraordinary ensemble of cross-genre talent: Kate St John (oboe, coranglais, saxophones), Leo Abrahams (guitar), Andy Newmark (drums), David Coulter (musical saw and many other instruments), Rory McFarlane (bass), Martyn Barker (drums).

Concert at the Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS
Box Office: 0845 120 7550 www.barbican.org.uk

Artists appearing in Rogue’s Gallery at the Barbican:
Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty is best known as a singer-songwriter, formerly of the indie band The Libertines in the late ’90s which he co-founded with Carl Barat, achieving mainstream success with their debut album Up the Bracket. The band disbanded in 2004 following Doherty’s departure. Pete Doherty is currently frontman of Babyshambles, which have released two albums Down in Albion in November 2005 and Shotters Nation in October 2007. Doherty is also an artist and published writer and poet and in 2004 was voted joint No.1 with fellow Libertine Carl Barat in NME’s Cool List and in 2006 was voted No. 2 in their poll of 50 of rock’s greatest heroes. In February 2008, Doherty won the Hero of the Year award at the NME Shockwaves Awards.

Baby Gramps
American performer Baby Gramps is a steel guitar player, and has been performing since 1964. Famous for his palindromes, he plays a mixture of styles including traditional blues, labour and children’s songs as well as his own compositions. His singing styles include throat singing and he uses improvisation and audience participation during his performances. His guitar style includes flat finger picking and chording with the back of his hand and his elbow. The New York Times likened Baby Gramps’ voice to that of ‘Popeye after smoking an entire tin of Prince Albert.’

Martha Wainwright
Canadian-American folk-pop singer-songwriter, Martha Wainwright has been singing and performing on stage from a young age, but chose to study drama at university in Montreal before pursuing music. Composing and writing her own material, she earned a living performing in clubs and coffee shops in Montreal and has since toured, recorded and performed with a range of artists including Snow Patrol, Annie Lennox and her brother Rufus Wainwright. She has followed up her 2005 self-titled debut album with a 2008 release I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too.

David Thomas
David Thomas is an American singer-songwriter and musician and was one of the founding members of the short-lived punk rockers Rocket from the Tombs (1974-5) and of the post-punk band Pere Ubu, founded in 1975. He is primarily a singer, though he also plays a range of instruments including the trombone, guitar and melodeon. Thomas has also released a number of solo albums and his most recent work is an avant-garde traditional folk music project the Two Pale Boys, incorporating “post-dance technology” with Andy Diagram (trumpets & electronics) and Keith Moliné (guitars, violin & electronics ). Their most recent album was 18 Monkeys on a Dead Man’s Chest in 2004.

Gavin Friday
Gavin Friday is Dublin-born alternative rock/punk vocalist, artist and composer. He collaborated with Bono writing songs for the 1993 film In The Name of the Father and has written a number of film score for movies such as In America and the 50 Cent biopic Get Rich or Die Trying, on which he teamed up with pianist Maurice Royston aka The Man Seezer and the famous producer Quincy Jones.

Teddy Thompson
Teddy Thompson is a singer-songwriter and son of the folk-rock musicians Richard and Linda Thompson and brother to the singer Kamila Thompson.

Julie Fowlis
Scottish singer and instrumentalist Julie Fowlis sings in Gaelic and brings ancient songs from the Hebrides to new audiences around the world. An accomplished musician, she plays the Highland bagpipes, small bagpipes, oboe, cor anglais, whistles and the melodeon. Among a list of awards, Julie Fowlis most recently was named the BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year 2008, and at the 2007 Scots Trad Music Awards was voted Gaelic Singer of the Year and awarded Album of the Year.

Eliza Carthy
An English folk musician, Eliza Carthy is the daughter of legendary folk musicians Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson. As well as being a vocalist, Eliza Carthy plays a number of instruments such as the violin, viola, melodeon, piano and guitar. She has twice been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize for UKalbum of the year: Red Rice (1998) and Anglicana (2003). In 2003, Eliza won three Radio 2 Awards for Folk Singer of the Year, Best Album and Best Traditional Track. She was also nominated for a BBC 3 Award for World Music in 2003, the first traditional English musician to be nominated. In 2004 she was part of the Oysterband Big Session, where she collaborated with a number of folk artists who produced the album The Big Session Volume One, and who collectively won Best Group at the Folk Awards 2005.

Martin Carthy
Martin Carthy MBE is one of the most influential figures in British traditional music, influencing the likes of Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, as well as Richard Thompson during the early days of the folk revival. He holds a creative collaboration with partner Norma Waterson and their daughter Eliza Carthy called Waterson:Carthy. In 1998 he was appointed an MBE and in 2002 was named Folk Singer of the Year for the BBC2 Folk Awards and again in 2005, also winning Best Traditional Track for Famous Flower of Serving Men. In 2007 Martin Carthy and long-time collaborator Dave Swarbrick won Best Duo at the 2007 Folk Awards.

Norma Waterson
Best known as one of the original members of the English traditional music group The Watersons, Norma Waterson has enjoyed collaborations with her partner Martin Carthy, her daughter Eliza Carthy, other members of The Watersons including her brother and sister Mike and Lil Waterson and has received a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize.

Robyn Hitchcock
British guitarist and singer-songwriter, Robyn Hitchcock also plays the harmonica, piano and bass guitar. He began his career in the mid 1970’s with The Soft Boys, a punk/New Wave band with an interest in psychedelic punk. When the group disbanded in 1981, Hitchcock began recording as a solo artists. His lyrics include a mixture of surrealism, melancholy and comedic songs and his influences include Bob Dylan, Syd Barrett and John Lennon.

Ralph Steadman
Cartoonist Ralph Steadman has illustrated classics such as Alice in Wonderland, Treasure Island and Animal Farm. His own books include the lives of Sigmund Freud and Leonardo Da Vinci and The Big I Am, the story of God. The book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, was a result of collaboration with American writer Hunter S. Thompson with this work being the definitive book in the genre. It was subsequently made into a feature film in 1998. Steadman also illustrates Will Self’s column in the Independent newspaper and has contributed to two songs in Rogues Gallery, singing lead on one and backing vocals on another.

Roberto Fonseca - Zamazu

Roberto Fonseca’s most recent album, Zamazu, grooves seamlessly from start to finish as his sound at once nods to his musical roots and speaks in the original voice he set out to find many years ago

]]> One October afternoon in Havana in 2002, pianist Roberto Fonseca told me: “With my music I strive to have my own style. I don’t just want to play jazz. I want to be a musician that can play any type or style of music, but at the same time have my own style that people know is my music.” Brought up through the ranks of Cuba’s celebrated music education system, Fonseca largely focused on classical music starting in primary school and continuing through the Superior Institute of Art (he enthusiastically responded “Bach” when I asked him to list a few of his most important influences). As he made countless recordings and toured the world with a wide variety of groups, including Polito Ibañez, Augusto Enrique, the orchestras of Buena Vista Social Club stars Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo, and his own group Temperamento, his musicianship and sound progressed and developed. His most recent album, Zamazu, grooves seamlessly from start to finish as Fonseca’s more mature sound at once nods to his musical roots and speaks in the original voice he set out to find many years ago.

Making this album even more interesting is that it was recorded in both Havana, Cuba and the northeast Brazilian city of Salvador, and that it features many prominent Brazilian musicians, including Carlinhos Brown. In fusing his Afro-Cuban roots with the Afro-Brazilian roots of Brown’s own music, Fonseca presents a testament to the shared cultural and musical history of both countries, where similar African and Iberian cultures mixed in distant geographical contexts. The result is striking. Clandestino, Ishmael, and especially Zamazamazu sizzle with Brazilian instruments and rhythms infused into Fonseca’s own distinct Cuban feel.

Zamazu comes alive with a number of cameos by Cuban greats. Ibrahim Ferrer makes a posthumous appearance on El Niejo, in which Fonseca pays homage to this mentor and close friend. Their closeness as both musicians and friends seeps out from between the chords of Fonseca’s masterful solo. Orlando “Cachaíto” Lopez, nephew of the legendary bassist Israel “Cachao” López, gives a surprisingly mysterious performance on Llegó Cachaíto. Finally, Omara Portuondo graces the record with her brilliant performance of the classic Cuban ballad Mil Congojas.

Years ago Grammy award-winning Irakere singer and percussionist Oscar Valdés told me to keep an eye (and an ear) on those whom he thought were the top up-and-coming Cuban musicians. The musicians on his list clearly paid tribute to both the masters of traditional jazz and the maestros of Cuban music, but at the same time were defining themselves with something totally new, and very Cuban. Roberto Fonseca was first on that list. Now, six years later, I had the pleasure of catching back up with Fonseca at the 2008 Havana International Jazz Festival and hearing most of the themas of this impressive record performed live. Both live and recorded, Fonseca does not disappoint. His recent release, Zamazu, is the cutting edge of Cuban jazz.

Track List:
1. Misa Popular
2. Tierra en Mano
3. Clandestino
4. Llegó Cachaíto
5. Así Baila Mi Madre
6. Congo Árabe
7. Zamazu
8. Suspiro
9. Ishmael
10. El Niejo
11. Mil Congojas
12. Triste Alegría
13. Zamazamazu
14. Dime Que No

Personnel:
Roberto Fonseca (piano)
Mercedes Cortes Alfaro (vocals)
Javier Zalba (saxophones, clarinet)
Omar González (bass)
Ramsés Rodriguez (drums and percussion)
Emilio Del Monte Mata (percussion)
Emilio Del Monte Valdés (percussion, background vocals)
Orlando “Cachaíto” López (bass)
Toninho Ferragutti (accordion)
Vincente Amigo (flamenco guitar)
Botas Gordas, Alê Siqueira (palmas)
Boghan Costa (percussion)
Carlinhos Brown (percussion)
Arlene Silva, Juan Maria Braceras, Paulo André Mettig, Mario Soares, Margarita Ciclilova, Margarita Ciclilova Jr., Mario Gonçalves De Araújo Jr., Laila Andresa Cavalcante (strings)
Carlos Manuel Calunga, Pepe Maza (background vocals).
Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal (trumpet)
Omara Portuondo (vocals)

V/A - The Rough Guide To The Music Of Japan

With that uncanny timing of things, whilst the Roundhouse host a night of with the SOIL & “Pimp” Sessions, The Rough Guide guys decide to go back to a time before Death Jazz!

]]> Japan has had such an influence over the world with Jap Jazz in the 70/80s, DJ Krush, Monday Mishiru, United Future Organisation, modern experts like Jafrosax, DJ Kawasaki, Sleepwalker and SOIL & “Pimp” Sessions (check out our Roundhouse preview HERE and win stuff!), but this compilation roughly focuses on more traditional Japanese music.

When I say roughly, it would appear Japanese musicians have always been influenced by music from outside of their boarders whilst blending it with their own traditional music; apart from J-Pop (which I still haven’t learned to love).

Strangely enough the opening track is what you think of traditional Japanese music should be and this isn’t meant to sound bad, but there’s a touch of Michiko Suga trying to do The Slits without the punk. And the album is full of gems like this where you think we’re going off in one direction, like Koza Renka on calypso-soft rock ‘version’ that’s followed by Oki Dub Ainu Band’s nyabinghi enka or the middle eastern influenced ambient dub of Ryukyu Underground.

The most ‘Mr. Scruff’ track award is jointly awarded to the Irish fol swing of ‘Ah Wakaranai’ that you’d be hard pressed not to join in after a pint of the black stuff and the boogie woogie bugle boy of Shizuko Kasagi. ‘Tokoyo Boogie Woogie’ destined to be the revival of the summer?

Whilst the umpah of ‘Tokoyo Bushi’ is probably the lowest point, the CD definitely ends of a high with a cosmic modal big band jazzer ‘Akkan’ by Shibusashirazu; that’s one for Zeljko, the Nostalgia77 crew, Examples Of Twelves and Japanophile Gilles Peterson will hopefully spread the word. The CD is much more than a one track album but I love this! ‘Akkan’ is a big tune. Apparently they signed to a J-Pop label last year so lets hope they lose none of their free jazz death punk ska experimention; check out their Glastonbury vid below ( “Very good indeed” John Peel).

You can’t go wrong with any of the Rough Guide series albums (e.g. Rough Guide Planet Rock, The Rough Guide To West African Gold or The Rough Guide To The Blues to name just three) and this is the second Rough Guide To Japan that Paul Fisher has compiled for them (the other being 1999). Neither includes anything by other Japanese stars like Tokyo resident Daisuke Tanabe, the Reggae Disco Rockers, the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra or the Cinema Dub Monks so definitely chances of another edition.

The label have just updated their web site that’s also well worth a visit; but don’t forget to come back here soon!

Reviewed: Various - The Rough Guide To The Music Of Japan (World Music Network) Cat. No. RGNWT1211 Release date: July 2008
Tracklisting:
MICHIKO SUGA: Ushibuka Haiya Bushi
CHANCHIKI: Yagaefu
NAMI MAKIOKA: Subayado Bushi
TAKASHI HIRAYASU: Koza Renka
OKI DUB AINU BAND: East of Kunashiri
RYUKYU UNDERGROUND: Shinkaichi (Saru’s Meditation Dub)
SEIJIN NOBORIKAWA: Asadoya Yunta
SOUL FLOWER MONONOKE SUMMIT: Ah Wakaranai
HAJIME IKOMA: Kawachi No Ryu
TADAO SAWAI: Futatsu no Hensokyoku Sakura Sakura
KUNAICHO GAKUBU: Hyojo Netori
TENDAISHOMYO, TATSUYA KOUMAZAKI & PANGEA: Gobai
KOTSURU TADE: Hara no Tatsutokya
TAKEHARU KUNIMOTO: Appalchian Shamisen
SHIZUKO KASAGI: Tokyo Boogie Woogie
HARUMI MIYAKO: Yuhizaka
MORIO AGATA: Tokyo Bushi
SHIBUSASHIRAZU: Akkan

Links
www.worldmusic.net
‘Tokoyo Boogie Woogie’ on YouTube’ Jeffreylmcentire (1 week ago) YAA!!! : ) I love this!
www.japanimprov.com/shibusashirazu
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibusashirazu_Orchestra
Shibusashirazu Orchestara Glastonbury 2002
www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk 27-29th July, 2008 [John Peel Stage] [JazzWorld Stage]

The Bug - London Zoo

The Bug has spent the last two years working on this album at his studio in Hackney but at long last the gates are open to his London Zoo

]]> By his own accounts, his Hackney gaff isn’t located in the most salubrious of areas. As the environment you live in affects the music you make, this London Zoo houses some dark creatures in the gloomy recesses.

Don’t let me put you off as for all its dark ambience of deep bass dubstep, The Bug (aka Kevin Martin) holds onto his ragga and dancehall background. And the album gets off to a cracking start with the latest single ‘Angry’ with reggae legend Tippa Irie. Irie has been going over 20+ years and this track shows he’s still got a fire inside; much like Tricky’s new single ‘Council Estate’. The b-side, ‘Ganja’ is not on the album but definitely is worth a purchase.

Talking of singles, Ninja Tune released ‘Poison Dart’ and ‘Jah War’ last year (and featured Mary Anne Hobbs presents The Warrior Dubz) that were both big tunes so this album has been eagerly anticipated for ages. And better than that, it matches up to those expectations. Apart from Tippa, tracks feature the vocal talents of “Killer Queen”, Warrior Queen (she of the all-time Sunship classic, ‘Almighty Father’) and one of our favourite wordsmiths, Roger Robinson. Roger features on one of the downtempo tracks ‘You & Me’ that’s followed by an instrumental and both have such an electronic erieness it reminds me of the dark side of Amon Tobin’s ‘Lighthouse’.

The killer track ‘Skeng’ also slipped out on a 12” on Hyperdub (Kode9’s label) and features some great atmospheric lyrics Flowdan and Killa P. On the vocal side, Ricky Ranking makes the most appearances. There’s a brilliant bit on ‘Murder We’ when the MC’s introduction ends with “big tune Kevin!” It sort of catches you off guard so as the subject matter is far more serious. No doubt Ricky’s attitude is what happens when you work a lot with Roots Manuva; especially on bitter sweet-gloomy ‘Judgement’. Also see, ‘Insane’; it’s mad world.

Flowdan picks up the pace on ‘Warning’ with is loud and dark apart from a brave half-time break and another dubstep veteran, Spaceape gets is out of his system with ‘Fuckaz’. These are tracks to bust ya bass bins and alienate your neighbours.

Ninja Tune/Big Dada have long had a foot in the underground hybrid hip hop, ragga, dancehall (Lotek Hi-Fi spring to mind, even Infinite Livez and New Flesh are on the boarders) and for those that are not quite ready for a whole album from Benga or Skream, this album has more than enough variation. Not only that, it’s got balls with something to say; in that way, it reminds me of the 2-tone period.

The Bug certain follows his own non-aligned trajectories whether it be free jazz, ambient or remixes for Grace Jones or Thom York but London Zoo is where he’s at right now. And the judgement is that it’s a bloody good place to be, even if it is a bit scary times.

Reviewed: The Bug - London Zoo (Ninja Tune) Cat. No. ZENCD 132 Release date: 7th July 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Angry featuring Tippa Irie (3:37)
2 Murder We featuring Ricky Ranking (3:53)
3 Skeng featuring Flowdan & Killa P (4:39)
4 Too Much Pain featuring Ricky Ranking & Aya (3:56)
5 Insane featuring Warrior Queen (3:29)
6 Jah War featuring Flowdan (3:00)
7 Fuckaz featuring Space Ape (5:26)
8 You And Me featuring Roger Robinson (4:12)
9 Freak Freak (5:00)
10 Warning featuring Flowdan (3:51)
11 Poison Dart featuring Warrior Queen (6:14)
12 Judgement featuring Ricky Ranking
13 Hidden Track

Links:
www.myspace.com/thebuguk
www.bigdada.com
www.ninjatune.net
The Stool Pigeon #17 Summer 2008 Freak Colony by Cyrus Shahrad
www.hyperdub.net
www.kode9.com
London Zoo [The one in Regent’s Park]

Tricky - Council Estate

Tricky hits the streets with the new single, Council Estate, from his forthcoming debut album for Domino called Knowle West Boy

]]> With Portishead’s long awaited third album released last month and Massive Attack’s Meltdown festival ending yesterday, Tricky keeps up the re-immergence of the Bristol scene.

As you’ll recall from his interview in the Metro on Monday, Tricky grew up on the Knowle West council estate and he got his break at the youth club at the age of 9 when they brought turntables into the club. When it comes to a tough childhood, Emmanuel Jal knows what tough, but both he and Tricky bring a message of positivity.

Tricky might live in LA now but ‘Council Estate’ isn’t a return to trip hop or his half-rapped, half-sung “asthmatic whispering” style. This is Tricky in his abrasive grime-punk rock mode.

The video was shot in a Paris banlieue by Valerie Pirson and on the www.knowlewestboy.com site, there’s a chance to remix ‘Council Estate’ if you think you can do better.

The album Knowle West Boy is out 7th July,

Links
www.trickyonline.com
www.knowlewestboy.com
www.massiveattack.com
www.southbankcentre.co.uk/meltdown
Tricky - Revealing Home Truths www.metro.co.uk by PAUL CLARKE - Monday, June 23, 2008
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banlieue, in the UK, the equivalent terms would be a “Housing Estate” or “Council Estate”.

Win A Night Of Death Jazz - The Roundhouse, 14 July '08

Courting controversy, Gilles Peterson has just announced A Night Of Death Jazz at Camden’s Roundhouse which will feature Tokyo’s Soil & “Pimp” Sessions, The Mighty Jeddo and 2BO4. alongside musikal selectahs Toshio ‘UFO’ Matsuura, drum’n’bass don Fabio and GP himself. Win a pair of tickets and a signed copy of Soil & “Pimp” Sessions’ latest CD

]]> Tokyo’s hi-rise renegades Soil & “Pimp” have long billed their local sessions as Death Jazz in the hope of alienating Japan’s polite, noodling, straight ahead jazz cogescenti along with those DJs and clubbers who favour all things “jazzy”. However, in the context of Guardian scribbler Marcus O’Dair’s The Noisy Rise Of Death Jazz, they are perceived as “a relatively straight jazz sextet with an over-eager marketing department.” Ouch! Not a description to endear oneself to Soil & “Pimp“‘s megaphone wielding frontman.

Featuring:
Soil & “Pimp” Sessions

Neil Cowley Trio

The Mighty Jeddo

DJs:

Toshio ‘UFO’ Matsuura

drum’n’bass don Fabio

Gilles Peterson

That said, out there, in the web forums, there’s a furious little debate going down between the boys. Alongside those quintessential avante garde jazz-men — Coltrane, Shepp, Mingus, Ayler, Sun Ra and Ornette — we have a whole other range of musical reference points to deal with. Pivotal to that essential Death Jazz mix are Cynic (one LP in ‘93…. these dudes are LARGE), Peter Brotzmann (crazy German horn player – check ‘Machine Gun’), Lou Reed’s ‘Metal Machine Music’, NYC’s John Zorn and Original Silence — a kind of death-jazz supergroup, featuring the ubiquitous Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, alongside members of the Thing, Zu and Dutch experimental rockers the Ex. It’s all pretty wild shit and it’s just a starting point.

Dig in and check it out. Be bold but remember Jazz is product of slavery and racist repression, creativity in the face of adversity, it’s a release as much as it’s an art form and it was given to the world by Black Amerikka. As music it ranges over an array of emotions. It can be reflective or militant, it can make you weep and it can make you dance. In 2008, the quest is whether this music can maintain its relevance and win a place in the hearts and minds of a new generation – including the girls.

A dark, banging, noise and nihilism infected session, populated by head nodding, out of shape geezers dressed in black, may well be your bag — and that’s cool — but that’s not A Night of Death Jazz at The Roundhouse. Expect that bug in the bassbin and the deep, dark, element of surprise. Dress up not down.

To win a pair of hot death jazz tickets and a signed Soil & “Pimp” Sessions CD, answer this tricky little question (no cheating):

Soil & “Pimp” Sessions’ member Shacho has the unusual role in a band of:
A- Agitator
B- Cleaner
C- Chef

Brownwood presents Death Jazz @ The Roundhouse, 14th July 08.
The Roundhouse,
Chalk Farm Road London
NW1 8EH
7pm
£15
T +44 0844 482 8008 boxoffice@roundhouse.org.uk
www.myspace.com/soilpimpuk

The Mighty Boosh Festival - Hop Farm, Kent. 5th July 2008

One of the hottest festivals this summer finds the Mighty Boosh team in Kent on a Hop Farm proving comedy is the new rock’n’roll.

]]> Noel Fielding “We’ve got the band together and have written some special bits just for this festival. It should be a real laugh!!”

The comedy acts are in place, the bands have been booked, but as you would expect with the Boosh, there is a lot more to The Mighty Boosh Festival than meets the eye - this isn’t just another festival! Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt have put together a delectable day of comedy extravaganza and musical mayhem with The Boosh Band headlining the festival. This is a one off show that won’t be repeated, so make sure you get your tickets for the first ever, open air comedy festival.

All the usual Boosh characters will be present; Naboo, Bollo and Bob Fossil take to the stage with Howard and Vince. The Boosh Band will headline the Monkey Hell stage, giving us an eclectic mix of exclusive live music and specially written comedy material, including not too be missed, never to be witnessed again specials like a dance off between Har Mar Super Star and Bob Fossil, making this an extremely unique one off affair!

The festival will be spread across two stages, Monkey Hell, for the musicians, and the Velvet Onion which will be home to the comedians. Also on site will be Howard Moon’s Jazz Spectacle, face painting in Vince Noir’s Electro Tent, merchandise available at Nabootique, and a bouncy castle for the kids. Also if you come dressed as you favourite character you can text your photo in and it will appear on the massive stage screens, from which Noel and Julian will choose a winner.

The Boosh boys have roped in a stellar support cast consisting of The Charlatans, Gary Numan, Jarvis Cocker, Har Mar Superstar, The Kills, Peaches, White Denim, Polar Bear, Robots In Disguise, with the Midfield General keeping the party going between bands in Monkey Hell.

Performing over at The Velvet Onion will be top notch comedians like, multi award-winning international cult comic Ross Noble, critically acclaimed Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle, plus Matt Holness (Garth Marenghi), Arj Barker, Mark Watson (If.Comedy Award WINNER), Perrier Award Nominee Tim Key, up and coming comedian Paul Sinha, Canadian comic Tony Law, Greg Fleet, Arnab Chanda, Josie Long (If.Comedy Award WINNER), Paul Foot and Robin Ince (The Book Club).

The Hop Farm is the perfect place this July to enjoy the spectacle - a live cacophony of comedy, accompanied by lashings of musical loveliness. Expect controlled chaos and organised confusion - a perfect summer feast of insane rock and roll!

The Mighty Boosh Festival is only 45 minutes from central London and gates open at 12pm.

Links
www.themightyboosh.com
www.myspace.com/mightybooshfestival
www.booshfestival.com
Tickets on sale now at See Tickets - 0871 220 0260 www.seetickets.com
The Mighty Boosh Festival takes place on Saturday 5th July 2008 at The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Tonbridge, Kent, TN12 6PY
www.hopfarmfestival.com
Other comedians confirmed for the festival include Milton Jones (Perrier Award WINNER), Wil Hodgson (Perrier Award WINNER), Tom Basden (If.Comedy Award WINNER), Pappy’s Fun Club (If.Comedy Award Nominee), David O’Doherty (If.Comedy Award Nominee), Simon Munnery (Perrier Award Nominee), Andrew Lawrence (If.Comedy Nominee), Dan Clark (The Mighty Boosh TV Show)
The Mighty Boosh “the madcap comics present their equally eccentric music for two warm-up shoes ahead of their very own festival” 24th June & 1st July @ Cargo, 83 Rivington Street, EC2 www.cargo-london.com

Rupa & the April Fishes - Nobody's Fool

Jill and Rupa get sweaty in a London basement getting to grips with the unique musical mixture that is ‘global music culture’. We also have an exclusive live video treat…

]]> I have been listening to Rupa and the April Fishessince I received the early pressing of their debut CD in the spring. I liked the tunes but knew nothing about the band itself. What I did know was that this music that was coming out of San Francisco has a distinctly international vibe and wondered why Rupa sang in French…was she a Parisian in California?

we are getting people emailing from Oklahoma and North Carolina asking to come… I would love to see the reaction in those places

The album eXtraOrdinary rendition has distinct Gypsy, French chanson, tango and swing currents but also there is a sort of cabaret feel to the songs or something of the early North American rough and ready Acadian folk. It’s a vibe rather than a distinct musical form. Picture a small, dark, hot and sweaty bar full of ‘immigrants’ on the edge of an American shanty town… the band is playing and punters are letting loose. That is pretty much the atmosphere Rupa and the April Fishes create.

With Rupa Marya on guitar and vocals backed by the April Fishes (whose name was inspired by “les poissons d’avril”, a similar concept to April Fools day) upright bass, cello, accordion, drums and trumpet the band delivers fresh and fun songs though often laced with serious lyrical content. ‘Poder’ (sung in Spanish) is about the inability of Mexicans to cross the boarder into America legally, often at the expense of their lives, and exemplifies much of Rupa’s concern for humanitarian matters.

As a part time physician, Rupa’s music is informed by her work taking care of people and being with them when vulnerable and/or dying. It’s not heavy going music though. The songs vary from a waltz with ‘Mal De Mer’, to the knees up party song ‘Plus Que Moi’ with its mad cowbell to ‘Yaad’ with a distinctly Eastern essence and an appearance of tablas.

‘world music’ — brown people playing music for white people

Of South Asian parentage, Rupa spent part of her childhood in Southern France, which would account not only for the ability to write in French, but also her empathy with that of the ‘other’, which is a reoccurring theme in her songwriting. Still, when we met for a chat I asked her why she chose to sing in a language other than English and how that was received. “I was looking for a way to explore the musicality of language, not just the meaning of words, but their rhythm…” She continues, “also post 9/11 everyone was suddenly scared of anything foreign.”

Rupa and her music might present a challenge to American xenophobia in the current climate, but they have yet to venture far from the cosmopolitan and integrated cities of the 2 coasts. “We haven’t played ‘in between’ [the coasts] but we are getting people emailing from Oklahoma and North Carolina asking to come… I would love to see the reaction in those places.”

Putting aside the idea of “world music”, which she described as “brown people playing music for white people,” Rupa spoke of “global music” and “global culture”. That there are pockets of people all over America who reject America’s inward looking culture and want to embrace and relate to a more “global culture”. Young people in particular interact with people from different cultures everyday on the street or on the internet and it is this audience, the disenfranchised and people angry with the Bush administration, that Rupa and the April Fishes developed a connection with musically.

I mentioned to her that “Gypsy” music was fairly familiar to European ears and it was interesting to hear something of this coming from California. “I am not trying to recreate Rom or French Chanson.” Rupa puts her music in the context of a great burgeoning music scene in San Francisco where she was able to gather together musicians to work with. Different musical traditions from her colleagues’ various heritages, whether several generations removed or musical interests picked up from traveling and living in different parts of the world, have incidentally been absorbed and incorporated into the band’s sound.

Live, this band is a great, delivering everything from a sultry sway to a bopping skiffle. The feel is saucy and fun and makes you want to join in. I do hope to catch them again, hopefully not in such a small, dark, hot and sweaty bar (in the heart of London rather than an American shanty town)… as I am sure Rupa and the April Fishes’ European audience will grow, demanding further tours in bigger venues. I certainly recommend picking up Extraordinary Rendition in the meantime. I can hear it playing now at your next (small, dark, hot and sweaty) party.

—With thanks to the ever-lovely folk at Cumbancha—

V/A - Desert Blues 3

Network records have kept up the profoundly high level of quality control exhibited on the first two instalments of this exquisite series

]]> If I may paraphrase badly the French theorists Deleuze and Guattari, the most interesting and important things never happen in the centre, they happen along the cracks between things, where stuff escapes and mixes, where authorship is confused and confusing but always inter-related in some tangled way. The mother of all these cracks or ‘lines of flight’ must be the Sahara Desert. Islam, Animism and Christianity crash into each other, settlers and nomads, Arabs, Touaregs, Sub-Saharan Africans, the Occident and Orient, the great trading languages of English, French and Arabic meet a thousand local tongues. This is the fertile ground in which the appropriately named Network records has looked for the material for its latest release.

For hundreds of miles, the physical manifestation of this line of flight is that most astonishing physical sight of the River Niger. Surrounded by sand and desert, it seems incredible that it doesn’t just drain away. This vast river, home to millions of birds, fish and hippos is the conduit of culture that links the ancient city of learning Timbuktu with musical powerhouse Bamako and on into Niger and Nigeria eventually. The people like the late Ali Farka Toure who live along its sides tend to be highly specialised: some ethnic groups are mainly fisher folk, others pastoralists, settled farmers and still others nomads. Naturally, trading is a necessity and speaking multiple languages a given.

Many of the artists on this double CD can be found not far from the banks of the Niger and nearly all are connected to the Sahara. Indeed Malian musicians are incredibly well-represented on this album: Oumou Sangaré, Boubacar Traori, Rokia Traori, Bassekou Kouyate, Ali Farka Toure, Habib Koite and Amadou & Mariam are there just as are desert-trademark owners Tinariwen. But to complain about this preponderance of great musicians coming from one place is like complaining that the story of bebop tends to favour the New York scene.

This of course only makes it all the sweeter when other sounds come round such as the achingly pretty song ‘Raoui’ by Souad Massi or the tracks by Gigi that benefit greatly from this setting. Morocco, Guinea, Niger, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Senegal all make their own contributions felt on this sumptuous two hours of music.

Perfect record.

DISK 1
01: Fanta Bourama — Djélimandy Tounkara
02: M´ba Den Ou — Idrissa Soumaoro
03: Raoui — Soaud Massi
04: Wahrane, Wahrane — Khaled
05: El Nabi — Tiris
06: Kanou — Booubacar Traore & Regis Gizavo
07: Dream After Dream — Markus James
08: Lassidan — Bako Dagnon
09: Keme Bourema — Fula Flute
10: Bati Bati — Gigi
11: Baayo — Cherif M´Baw
12: Humaisa — Abdouolaye Alhassane Toure
13: Bownboï — Rokia Traore & Kronos Quartet
14: Ai Ga Bani — Toumani Diabate & Ali Farka Toure striplet linje

DISK 2
01: A Kind Of Love — Dhafer Youssef
02: Tounga — Seckou Keita Quartet
03: Penda Yoro — Ali Farka Toure
04: Kar Kar — Boubacar Traore
05: Yarab — Malouma
06: Banani — Bassekou Kouyate & Lobi Traore
07: Imidiwan — Abdallah Ag Oumbadougou
08: Kulu — N´Gou Bagayoko
09: Izarharh Tenere — Tinariwen
10: Djorolen — Oumou Sangare
11: Mali Ba — Habib Koite
12: Ce N´est Pas Bon — Amadou & Mariam
13: Eywat Setenafegagn — Getatchew Mekurya
14: Ethiopia — Gigi

V/A - Chess Moves - Chess Reworked (with Keith LeBlanc)

Full marks to Keith LeBlanc for remixing these blues tunes from the vaults of Chess and bringing them some new attention

]]> Of course, to some folks this is heresy but the Blues are either covered these day’s by compilations like the excellent The Rough Guide To The Blues or old hands like Sugar Blue. LeBlanc has 30+ years of experience coming to attention initially as a drummer at Sugarhill Records to currently touring with Mark Stewart (current cover feature on The Wire) & The Mafia (of On-U-Sound). As a remixer, his Malcolm X release of ‘No Sell Out’ was one of first of the sample records where he was years ahead of the times.

Back to the old days, can you make Little Walter’s classic ‘Boom Boom’ any better than the original? No. Can you improve, Jimmy Rogers, ‘Rock This House’? Yes you can as LeBlanc proves here. OK, the original will always be great but this remix version gets some hip-hop sensibilities to the beats and the guitar and vocal cut ups work really well. Another one that can get the head nodders going is Rosco Gordon’s ‘Booted’ with the repetitious cut of “Jack, have you ever been booted”; original also recommended as it surely belongs in Gaz Mayall’s Rockin’ Blues box of 45s. Also, Muddy Waters ‘I’m So Glad Your Mine’ gets into a proper groove and the funked up nyahbingi style of Memphis Slim’s ‘Mother Earth’ is getting to be my favourite.

One’s that ain’t so good are Etta James’ ‘My Dearest Darling’ and I’ve always disliked any version of ‘Jock A Mo’ (Iko Iko)’ whether it be from the original version made popular by The Dixie Cups to the otherwise excellent Zap Mama (as listened to by Karen P). That’s not bad and I’m sure Howlin’ Wolf is looking down and saying, “that’s not a bad version of ‘Killing Floor’ you know”. Especially when you think of those covers British R&B bands of the 60s did all those years ago, this is very respectful.

On the 25th June, LeBlanc teams up with his old Sugarhill pal Little Axe at the Womad festival (see preview HERE) for the Adrian Sherwood night that hopefully includes an appearance by Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry.

Whether your going to Womad or not, Chess Moves - Chess Remixed is sounder than a theoretical novelty opening and a bit of a grower; future blues - Boom Boom, out goes the lights!

Reviewed: Various - Chess Moves - Chess Remixed (with Keith LeBlanc) (Universal Music) Release date: June 2008
01. Howlin’ Wolf - Moanin’ At Midnight (3:31)
02. Little Walter - Boom, Boom Out Goes The Lights (3:35)
03. Muddy Waters - So Glad I’m Living (4:04)
04. Little Walter - Temperature (3:26)
05. Howlin’ Wolf - Killing Floor (4:09)
06. Memphis Slim - Mother Earth (5:35)
07. Jimmy Rogers - Rock This House (4:58)
08. Eddie Boyd - Third Degree (3:19)
09. Howlin’ Wolf - Goin’ Down Slow (4:36)
10. Rosco Gordon - Booted (3:30)
11. Etta James - My Dearest Darling (4:21)
12. Sugar Boy Crawford - Jock-A-Mo (5:16)

Links
www.keithleblanc.com
www.myspace.com/keithleblanc
www.last.fm/music/Rosco+Gordon “The Rosco Rhythm” places the accent on the off beats, and is widely cited as the foundation of Jamaican ska and reggae music.
www.thewire.co.uk July 2008 #293 On The Cover: Mark Stewart — The former Pop Group and Maffi a godfather talks up his new outernationalist album and warns against being absorbed into a consumerist ‘flatpack reality’
Recommend Mark Stewart + Mafia — Learning To Cope With Cowardice (On-U Sound) and the top track of last year, the Adam Sky vs. Mark Stewart remake of The Pop Group’s ‘We Are All Prostitutes’ (Exploited) with remixes by Crookers and Princess Superstar.
www.blackark.com
The Brook, Southampton 5th December 2005: Lee Scratch Perry, The Mad Professor & The ARIWA Posse 25th Anniversary Tour “I am particularly dissapointed to anounce that this show has been cancelled”.
Iko Iko @ wiki

Karen P - ...Broad Casting

Karen P is …broadcasting to the world and you’d be daft not to tune in to her first compilation for Sonar Kollektiv.

]]> You’ll recall from our interview with Karen (see HERE) that she started off with a wish list of 50 tracks before they got whittled down to 20 but, I suspect, always at the top of the list were those Moomins from Finland.

Effectively this is the first track on the album and if you know nothing about Tove Jansson’s popular Scandinavian children’s book/cartoon series, you’d be convinced this was the future of Finish impro jazz; ”Pikku Myyn Laulu (Lilla Mys Visa)’ is a summer hit from the leftfield.’

As I’ve said before, so many of Fly’s favourite artists have turned up here that there’s nothing not to admire. Aaron Jerome, Heritage Orchestra, Stereotyp’s ‘Take The Weight’ from Keepin Me, Tunng, Jamie Woon, Owusu & Hannibal ‘Blue Jay’ and Mocky. There’s hardly anyone missed out; apart from
Daedelus Love To Make Music To.

The ‘jingle’ production by Si Begg and Karen P (‘Broadcasting Across The Valley’, ‘Stars With Tails’, ‘Deep Water’ show great promise for future excursions in sound pictures along with the 12”.
‘
And talking of old jazz, what can you tell us about the Rene Costy track. “A friend of mine sent me a mp3 of ‘Scrabble’ and even if you didn’t know it was the sample in the J Dilla track (F*** The Police)

If you like radio shows that touch multi-genres of electronic, folk, funk, soul, hip hop, jazz and the odd bit of experimental, this DJ is for you. The album is an eye opener to and she’s definitely one to watch.

Reviewed: Karen P — …Broad Casting (Sonar Kollektiv) Cat. No. SK186CD Release date: 30th June 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Si Begg & Karen Pfeaturing Fatima Broadcasting Across The Valley (0:50)
2 Mooming Voices — Pikku Myyn Laulu (Lilla Mys Visa) (4:39)
3 Tunng — Blow Folk (0:51)
4 Viva Voce — Wreaking Ball (Tunng Remix) (4:17)
5 Woon — Robots (4:56)
6 Si Begg & Karen Pfeaturing Fatima — Starts With Tails (Interlude) (0:40)
7 Damon Aaron — Don’t Get Up Again (4:41)
8 Quite Sane — Short Stories (4:14)
9 One Divided Soul — Keats (4:19)
10 Sykmark featuring Black Spade Space & Time (3:58)
11 Owusu & Hannibal — Blue Jay (4:31)
12 Tettory Bad — Unite (One) (3:09)
13 Rene Costy — Scrabble (4:13)
14 Open Sky Unit — Sunshine Star (4:56)
15 Jimi Tenor — Spell (5:15)
16 Aaron Jerome — Brighter Days (4:36)
17 Stereotyp — Take The Weight (4:58)
18 Mocky — Sweet Music (4:11)
19 Damon Aaron — Hold On Me (Greatstone Mix) (4:05)
20 Si Begg & Karen P featuring Fatima — Deep Water (Outro) (0:59)

Links:
www.karenp.co.uk
www.cargo-london.com/event/broad-casting
www.jazzanova.net
www.sonarkollektiv.com
Monday night (16th) Makossa and Megablast will be playing at the Volksgarten Banane for our Puma friends too. Check that, should be mental after the Austria vs. Germany game.
www.myspace.com/blackspade
www.myspace.com/tawiah
Gilles Peterson :: 22th May 2008 :: Charlie Dark in the Studio & 2000 Black Maida Vale Session
Fatima — ‘Territory Bad’ (Test)
Cargo, live music venue nr Shoreditch High Street, under the arches, live music, Street Food Café + licensed bar, Cargo, 83 Rivington Street, Shoreditch, … www.cargo-london.com
www.brandyflower.com/damon.html
www.myspace.com/damonaaron
www.sibegg.com
www.myspace.com/sibegg
www.echo-news.co.uk
www.myspace.com/mmaxtundra
Becky Jacobs wins a Sony Gold award for her literary podcast “The award is the biggest accolade you can get in radio,” Ms Jacobs, 32, tells People. “It’s huge for me and for the company I work for [Karen P Productions]. It means the radio industry will recognise us.” A radio producer for seven years (and daughter of this newspaper’s literary editor), Ms Jacobs also sings in the experimental folk-cum-electronica band Tunng. The band has been invited to play at next month’s Southbank Centre’s Meltdown Festival, alongside Massive Attack.
www.myspace.com/voiceofthesevenwoods
www.myspace.com/djrossallen
www.moomin.fi

Mary Hampton - My Mother's Children

With a voice straight out of the 60s folk revival Mary Hampton - even by name - would have fitted in with a whole host of classic fantasy folk singers.

]]> The refrain ‘you are loved because you are young’ in the opening track sets out the scene for the rest of the album and there’s a feel the show Hampton puts on is for an innocent who’s concept of reality hasn’t yet been tempered and tamped down by adult cynicism. The tales she sings have all the horror of an original Grimm tale - all ‘glass-eyed dolls’, eels that scream before they are skinned, thumbs tearing on the sharpest thorns and stuffed dogs - and her bizarre flights of fancy are the dreams of children, far more unsettling for an adult.

If you’re thinking this all sounds a little fragmented and out there, for the most part it is but it’s a sound well grounded in some classic folk singers gone by. There’s something of Nick Drake in the title track on My mother’s children and the Brighton based singer’s otherworldly vocals, sit somewhere in between Joni Mitchell and Sandy Deny.

It’s avant garde, trancy and beguiling fantasy folk with an unsettling twist evoking Eliot’s Wasteland in it’s beautiful bleakness.

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