Trombone player and composer Beppe Di Benedetto just released his new album "Another Point Of View". Accompanied by his 5tet he recorded the successor to the brilliant "See The Sky".
The remaining members of the group are Emiliano Vernizzi on saxophones, Luca Savazzi on piano, Stefano Carrara on contrabass and Michele Morari on drums. Just like on his previous album Beppe Di Benedetto puts a fresh and uplifting vibe in his tunes. Some motifs in tracks like "My Bright Place" even got some hymn-like feelings to them. His influences reach from classical composers to traditional Afro American greats. It translates perfectly to the compositions which still follow an exciting modern jazz tradition. The 5tet shifts through different moods and dynamics in which every instrument finds its perfect place and balance.
Get more info on Beppe Di Benedetto's website or stream a few tracks on Soundcloud.
Andy Cooper of Ugly Duckling just released a new EP. It marks the first efforts as a solo artist by the man who is still one of today's most skilled MCs - and it comes to you for free.
On this record you can hear lots of the positive vibes that you could already witness on Ugly Duckling releases. Here and there he also gets support from DJ Young Einstein and other producers but at the end of the day Cooper is showcasing his very own sounds and style on this EP. Despite the fact that these tunes are coming to you as a free download you can hear that he has put a lot into them. And despite the lively and playful approach you will get six tracks that are absolutely mature and perfected rap songs.
Get the full stream and free download on Bandcamp.
Pianist and composer David Berkman just released his recent album which appears on Palmett Records. The fact that he worked on this record with some long time companions and some more recent fellow musicians is simply put in the title "Old And New Friends"
Right from the first notes you can tell the fresh jazz approach in Berkman's tracks. His band features saxophonists Dayna Stephens, Adam Kolker, Billy Drewes, bassist Linda Oh and Brian Blade on drums. The music really sounds like a group of friends having fun putting some colour in brand new jazz compositions. So there's a very playful and lively character to tracks like "No Blues No Really No Blues" or "Up Jumped Ming". Other tunes like "West 180th Street" feature more of a quiet and maybe even cinematic vibe. It's that old recipe of great melody lines that lead to passages of improvisation and back again - a standard outfit but exercised in a very beautiful way with positive moods.
It is nice to see more and more contemporary artists on the Tramp Records roster since you can always count on the quality of this label's output. This quality transfers to the latest album by Dokkerman & the Turkeying Fellas entitled "Illegal Move".
This highly dynamic funk ensemble from Humgary is providing you with some serious grooves. There is strong Afrobeat influence which shows in the combination of funky guitars, heavy brass sections and steady rhythms. A very enthusiastic and charismatic singer provides the perfect vocals for this dynamic sound. But it really doesn't stop there, tracks like "Snake Bite" show more of a slow cinematic approach while a few other tunes seem to incorporate some old school oriented funk vibes. The collective among keyboard player Tamas Michelberger (Dokkerman) has got all the tools and energy to put all this into very impressive vibes and hard hitting grooves.
The man behind one of last year's freshest rap releases is back with a new record. Scott D from California - the guy who gives new life to instumentals you've probably heard before with some nice wordplays and rhymes.
In the first few tracks off "Dreams Of The Future" he tames beats that probably were not supposed to be rapped over. But just like on his previous EP Scott D always finds a way to get his flow going. This time the instrumentals are provided by Bonobo, Jamie xx, Flying Lotus, Oddisee, Madlib, Air, Wes Pendleton and Nujabes. His positive style with countless references and name dropping is always surrounded by fresh sound productions and great vibes - and it's always for free.
Get the full stream and free download on Bandcamp.
Big Business is truly one of the best and persistent bands out there when it comes to heavy sludge sounds. Technically their latest record "Battefields Forever" might not be brand new, but its release on Solar Flare Records is - reason enough to mention it here.
If you're familiar with the tracks of this dynamic trio you know that this music is far from pretty. It's more like three blokes playing an extremely loud brand of rock and roll. It is noisy and full of raw and dangerous energy. On top of that there is probably nobody out there who is better qualified in putting this noisy mess into rhythmic rock monsters than producer Dave Curran and Andrew Schneider. There is a high degree of intensity in every song that varies from thundering and stomping sounds to fast smashers like "Our Mutant".
If you happen to be a fan of heavy and intense rock jams there's good news: Frozen Planet 69's instrumental journey continues on the second volume of "Lost Traveller Chronicles".
On this new record the trio from Australia takes off again to higher psychedelic and stoner rock spheres. The special dynamics on this album emerge through very open song structures. You will have a hard time recognizing a riff or pattern more than once in a song. It's not about rules or strict structures but a floating character that shifts from steady rhythms to atmospheric passages or heavy sounds. This record won't allow you to make up your mind by just listening to parts of one track - If you go for this one you have to take the full trip. Take your time and you won't regret it.
Get the full stream on Pepper Shaker Records' Bandcamp.
After publishing the track "Conquest" you could already tell that Orlando's rap collective Overlordz was bound for something great. About one month ago the group released their selftitled debut album which should be a gem for every fan of the old and original rap days.
OverLordz consists of Vets of Kin members Unique Assassin, Word chemist , Shinobi Stalin , and DJ Stranger. On a total of 11 tracks you will also find features by J-Biz, Mygrane Mcnastee and producer Tony Blare. The DIY-character of the cover art above translates perfectly to the sounds - The production might not feature those perfectly polished and high end beats but you just know that this is honest and true rap music. Besides that you will find talented MCs doing their thing over gritty and intense vibes.
The british jazz label 22a has gained itself a nice reputation over the last few years by releasing some great records. Now the founder himself teamed up with a group of friends for the sixth installment on the label's roster.
Ruby Rushton is the name of the quartet that just premiered the first tune off their upcoming album "Two for Joy". The title track is one of those jazz compositions that are as smooth as they come. But there's also a lot more behind behind those nice vibes like an interesting rhythm that might remind you of slow hip hop tracks produced by J Dilla. The group draws their inspiration from different genres and combines them in an original and modern jazz sound.
Get the stream on Soundcloud. Release date will be in late June.
Today marks the release of "Losing You" - the new album by british singer and songwriter Sara Mitra. She is known for her works with the Impossible Ark records collective including talented musicians like James Allsopp, Rian Vosloo, Tim Giles and of course Ben Lamdin (Nostalgia 77).
The record features tracks off the recent EP "Baltimore Oriole" which already gave us a taste of Mitra's sounds. Her soothing voice wanders through clever arrangements of jazz, folk and blues elemtents. Just like in her previous interpretations of classic tunes her singing is always surrounded by an on point instrumentation by the aforementioned musicians. So you will find a large number of original compositions on "Losing You" that follow the same approach while featuring Mitra's playful character and beautiful vocals.
Stream the first track on Bandcamp or in the video below.
One of today's top soul combinations is back with a new single. Singer Nicole Willis teams up again with the exquisite Soul Investigators to release "Paint Me In A Corner" on Timmion Records.
Side A of this record is everything that a fan of the old school soul sound could ask for. It is a steady groove with great horns and haunting vibes. On the backside you will find a slow jam in "Where Are You Now" with a great hammond and Finland's soul queen Nicole Willis at her best. Both tracks are out now on Timmion Records and will be part of the upcoming album "Happiness in Every Style".
After making waves with some smaller releases including an excellent s/t 7" single Hydromedusa from Adelaide just put out their full-length debut on tym records.
If you're into heavy and rough rock and roll sounds there is simply no way around this one. Right from the start with the old school riffs and fierce vocals you just know that this is no joke - this is a truly dangerous brand of rock that doesn't take any prisoners. The band cuts right to the point but also likes to play some intense jams here and there. So as much as some tracks seem to be that kind of music to speed down the highway you will also find some psychedelic flavoured vibes in tunes like "Sew" or "Matter Of Time". There really is no reason why this album shouldn't rank up there with the best rock records this year. And don't forget to listen until the very end where one of the highlights in "Wintertime Blues" awaits.
It was only a matter of time until this one would appear on the blog. Everybody who listened to the first single of this incredible collaboration knew that something big was coming his way. So "Unkut Fresh" is the complete record that features the classic Jazz
Spastiks production and vocals by Rebels to the Grain. Apparently
"Tapes" is only a small part of a great collection of rap tracks,
instrumentals and old school vibes. Collection is probably not the right
word to describe this album because it really sounds like one piece of
hip hop where everything is sitting perfectly in its place. Just hit
the play button and enjoy this journey through laid back tunes and
everything this genre should be about..more
Hot Lunch - s/t Ep
When you're talking about Hot Lunch you're talking about one of the
hottest brands of rock'n'roll out there today. The highly productive
band from San Francisco just released a new 5-track EP via Scion AV. Just like their incredible selftitled album
this EP opens with a fast and heavy tune in "Slappy Sunday" which is
followed by a lot of different approaches in the following songs.
"Expectations" is a dynamic take on a 1990s track by The Resonars. There
is a certain vintage character in every tune but you can't really name
it since Hot Lunch are masters of transforming these elements into their
own heavy and dangerous style of rock music...more
The Mighty Mocambos - Showdown
There probably aren't many doubts that The Mighty Mocambos from Hamburg
are one of Germany's finest funk ensembles. Their new album "Showdown"
is surely another strong statement to cement that point. The record starts with a typical Mocambo groove in "Road To Earth" that
features film composer Peter Thomas on piano. You will find some more
dynamic instrumental jams on this one like "Locked And Loaded", the slow
groove "Drifting Stars" or the title track "Showdown". On no less than
three tracks the one and only Afrika Bambaataa is featured which mostly
results in some seriously heavy grooves and breaks. "In The Dark" and
"Not Get Caught" are two classic funk tracks with excellent soul singers
in Nichola Richards and DeRobert. So you will find a little bit of everything on "Showdown" that has a funky groove at its foundation...more
Alex Jonsson - Spy On Your Friends
Danish guitarist and member of Jakob Sørensen's "Bagland"
Alex Jønsson just released a record of his own in "Spy On Your
Friends". The album features a classic jazz trio lineup with Jønsson
being accompanied by Jens Mikkel Madsen on bass and Andreas Skamy on
drums. The overall sound of the music is a quiet one though tracks like "War is
Peace" show some intense vibes. There is a floating character to every
tune - Jønsson's guitar is circling effortlessly around simple and
beautiful melodies to create haunting moments once improvisation and
melodies collide. But it seems as if those moments are not the main
focus of the group - It is more about the floating, the steady and calm
movement of the tracks that create an exciting tension in an otherwise
minimal musical landscape. On a total of nine tracks the trio exercises
this approach in an impressive and soothing fashion...more
Silensir & L.E.O. - Live From Maple Park
New York-based rapper Love Equals Omnipotence teamed up with producer and longtime friend Silensir to release a stunning record in "Live At Maple Park Side A". On a total of 18 tracks you can witness a timeless hip hop approach with
an impressive number and quality of collaborators. You will hear rhymes
by MeccaGodZilla, J-Zone,
Philmore, Unleashed By Science and many more. It's the sound of a group
of friends rapping over Silensir's 90s flavoured beats. The tracks
feature positive vibes and a certain ease that you can probably only
have if you're not playing the game of the music industry and release
your music yourself and for free...more
Rollfast - Live From Jizz Studio
If you're into heavy and dirty psychedelic rock sounds you should maybe
consider a trip to Bali which is home to the five guys of Rollfast. The
band released some interesting tunes lately resulting in an EP and the most recent "Live At Jizz Studio" recordings. On three tracks you will get the full psychedelic rock package exept for
one thing - clean sounds. The Rollfast approach to the rock genre
happens with a maximum of distortion and energy. You will find the
classic feedback passages and intense moods over heavy rhythms. Speaking
of rhythms, the last song "Destination: Death" combines the echo-loaded
jams with a driving stoner sound which makes it a truly heavy piece of
rock'n'roll...more
When you see the Dusty Platter label on a record you basically know that it's going to be a good one. And when you see the MCs that producer MG Gost gathered for his new LP "Waking Walk" then you know that it can hardly get any better.
The beatmaker and member of Hain Teny from Serbia has a strong passion for jazz beats which shows on the productions of this album. This way he creates the perfect foundation for the raps of Audessey, Tableek, G-Force, Cadencce and many more. It's a truly timeless hip hop approach fueled by some incredible talent, excellent beats and jazzy vibes.
Get the album right here or stream the snippets or "Dream Chaser" below.
When you talk about great bigbands you always have to put Hamburg's NDR Bigband in the conversation. So it was no surprise that when Composer Dale Wilson wrote the tracks for "Tall Tales Of Jasper County" he decided to let this group of talented musicians play his arrangements.
As Wilson states this is a very personal album that deals with a history of his family in the rural midwest. It features solo appearances by Lutz Buechner, Gary Husband and winds player Fiete Felsch. The luxury of having a bigband behind you shows in the versatile sounds that you can hear on "Tall Tales Of Jasper County". The vibes vary from the quiet jazz ensemble in a dusty bar, the beautiful melodies of the open landscapes and the huge brass sounds of joyful times. It all comes together in one musical story with dynamic and intense scenes that ends in a harmonic reprise.