First up, Happy New Year to everyone, readers and writers alike. I’m gonna break my review up into 2 parts, this first part is listing any reissues or compilations which really impressed me last year, from any era, in any style and not in any order. Also, I can’t think of a single album from 08 that’s really impressed me, so the only albums in my list are reissues.
Album Reissues;
Joe Higgs – Life Of Contradiction (Pressure Sounds)
Beautiful rootsy soulful reggae from this underrated artist. He was a mentor to Bob Marley and Peter Tosh when the Wailers were moving from ska and rocksteady into rootsier territory and you can hear some similarities in the melancholy spiritual tones on display here.
Cravo & Canela – Preço De Cada Um (Production Dessinee)
There’s been a bit of a resurgence in the popularity of Brazilian pop psychedelia recently thanks to the excellent Soul Jazz comps on the Tropicalia and post-Tropicalia periods of Brazilian music. A number of classic album reissues have since followed on various labels, this being the most recent one. If you’re into that sound, then I definitely recommend this album, extremely infectious poppy hooks with a sunshine feel, but it’s also pretty ambitious and experimental with all sorts of odd psychedelic touches. Japanese only reissue limited to 500 copies.
Melvyn Price – Rhythm & Blues (Wax Poetics)
Originally from Michigan, Melvyn Price moved to Sweden during the Vietnam War and recorded a number of well received albums with Swedish and international jazz musicians. This is his 3rd and most highly regarded album, rhythmic soul jazz/jazz funk of the highest order is what you get. AFAIK, this reissue by Wax Poetics Magazine is the first time it’s been available outside Europe.
Mombasa – African Rhythms & Blues 2 (Sonorama)
Mombasa were a European based group of international musicians led by LA trombonist Lou Blackburn. Heavy jazz funk with plenty of African percussion going on. Kinda similar to Cymande at times but jazzier, or the Pharoahs, but funkier! I missed out on the reissue of the first volume, so I can’t compare the 2, but this one is fantastic, highly recommended.
Miles Davis – ‘Round About Midnight (Speakers Corner Records)
Miles Davis masterpiece from 1956 beautifully remastered from the original analog masters and pressed up on heavy 180gram vinyl. Mmmmm…. a vinyl snob’s dream!
Compilation Albums;
V/a – Spiritual Jazz (Jazzman)
Subtitled “Esoteric, Modal and Deep Jazz from the Underground 1968-77”, this outstanding comp showcases jazz from an era when many musicians were looking to their roots for inspiration, as well as collaborating with musicians from Africa and the Middle East. Although it’s quite avant-garde in places, the rhythms are tight and often funky and as such it may be more accessible than you might presume. If you like artists such as Pharaoh Sanders, Mulatu of Ethiopia, John/Alice Coltrane and so on, I highly recommend picking this up.
V/a – African Scream Contest (Analog Africa)
I’ve mentioned this comp previously, heavy afro/latin/funk/psychedelic grooves from 70s Benin & Togo. Outstanding!
V/a – Nigeria Rock Special (Soundway)
Another one I’ve mentioned here before. This volume of the brilliant Nigeria Special series focuses on psychedlic rock/funk from 70s Nigeria.
Ashford & Simpson – The Warner Years: The 12″ Collection (Rhino)
8 classic disco cuts on 4x 12″s from everyone’s favourite disco couple as well as a bonus 12″ with some new remixes, ’nuff said.
Singles/EPs;
Ragtyme feat Byron Stingily – I Can’t Stay Away (Clone Classic Cuts)
Clone does it again, one of the finest Chicago house tracks ever, originally released in 1987, is made available again on vinyl. Another record off my wants list thanks to the Clone Classic series. Tear the roof off vibes!
V/a – Mission 3 (Vintage Records)
I bought this for the scratch remix of John Carpener’s theme tune to Assault On Precinct 13, but it’s the flip side that really made me take notice. Moon Base’s “Waiting For A Train” is an odd poppy italo tune from 1983, with a spoken word vocal and amazing synths, hard to describe it really, check it out for yourself.
Florence – US Heritage / Wladimir M – As The Leaves Fall From The Trees (Eevo Lute Muzique)
Very welcome reissues of the first 2 releases on legendary Dutch techno label Eevo Lute Muzique, both very much influenced by Detroit but also with quite a distinct European sound that helps them stand apart from their predecessors. “A Touch Of Heaven” from the US Heritage EP was also compiled on the classic Intergalactic Beats comp on Planet E.
Bernard Badie – Time Reveals (Mojuba)
Another house classic from Chicago, originally released in 1994.
Norma Jean Bell – Do You Wanna Party? (KDJ Remix) (Funky Chocolate)
Classic deep Detroit house from Mr Kenny Dixon Jr, also comes with the Theo Parrish remix of “Late Night Show” on the flip.
Banda Los Hijós De La Niña Luz – Dejala Corre / El Sapo / Crees Que Soy Sexy (7″) (Soundway)
Heavy Afro-Cuban funk reissue on the ever excellent Soundway label. Serious breakbeats on this killer 7″.
So that’s the first part of my round up, I’d be interested to read people’s thoughts on my picks. In the next couple of days I’ll list some of my favourite new music releases from 2008.
12 Comments
I passed on that Ashford & Simpson comp, only a couple of tracks on it seemed to be to my liking. Some of those Vintage re-issues are really good, on good heavy vinyl too. My pick of the bunch was this http://www.discogs.com/release/1338129 I had “Ikeya Seki” on a boot but it’s all about “It’s a War” on the flip. Proper cosmic banger! And as for Ragtyme, if you don’t like that record you’re mental.
very interesting, thanks for sharing!
i grew up on r+b, disco, house + jazz. now i’m obsessed with techno…kinda like a cross fader music evolution…? 😉
nice to see the stefan robbers reissue on your list, he’s fantastic.
that Wladimir M record is the schnazz, must keep my eyes peeled for Florence.
the norma jean bell is on my wishlist just now as well.
although it’s going to have to wait until i get paid. a whole fortnight at home with meagre sterling during the booze olympics that is Christmas has me living on spaghetti hoops and toast until the end of january!
It’s a great list, i’m really interested in picking up a few of those records, especially Spiritual Jazz.
I kept coming across the Melvyn Price LP but at the time it just wasn’t edgey enough for me but I know that is quality. I’ll probably regret it once the reissues run out.
I’ve been wanting to checkout the Spiritual Jazz comp as well. Hearing your feedback on it, I just might have to order it in my next order.
i second kenny on the ashford and simpson comp. i didn’t dig all of it as much as i hoped. i had it on my wishlist for a while but ended up taking it off just because i wasn’t stoked about enough of it to get it. i’ve had more luck getting the originals.
i’ve been seeing the clone classics everywhere and this one is no exception. i keep passing it up to buy something else. i’ll have to grab it up. i’m not an old-school chicago junky so i’m probably not getting as stoked as i should about it. i am stoked about the KDJ track. the sascha dive remix on ornaments i thought was better but they are both really sick. i just saw that sascha dive remix on a bootleg repress – fuckers!
i know i said this in another bit, but as far as represses go, i was really stoked about the black cock represses of the DJ Harvey edits. originally came out between ’93 – ’97. if you look at discogs these fuckers are going for 300 EUR a piece and i picked the up for 15 USD a piece. most of them were just repressed and they are sooo sweet. i highly recommend them.
this year was just too much for me. soo much great new music and revivals of superb classics through this whole “edit” craze. honestly, i spent waay too much on vinyl but there’s just stuff you can’t pass on. great list!
for me, the harvey edits might be okay for $7.99 (aka the price of a domestic release for me). anything more, and theyre just not worth it regardless of their insanely inflated second hand price. dood is not a bad deejay, but his edits don’t do much for me at all. the same is true of the idjut boys, i’m not sure what it is about their aesthetic that irks me, but it just doesn’t get the job done. theyre slightly missing the boat.
not sure what you guys are going on about re: ashford and simpson, so many heaters on that. i hadnt seen it, i’m not usually one to buy represses, but some of those are crazy difficult to find on 12″ and i’ve been looking for a hot second. i might have to invest! i did just order that Ragtyme reissue as well, but i will still be hunting down an original one day…….
it’s all the same to us 😉
I have It’s A War on those Kings Of Techno comps, killer track. For some reason I passed on the Kano LP when I was in Rotterdam, don’t ask why
yeah, I wouldn’t describe the Melvyn Price as edgy. it’s “nice” soul jazz, but the compositions and musicianship is excellent, I really enjoyed it. the Mombasa LP and the Spiritual Jazz comp are on the edgier side of things.
the remixes aren’t all that on the Ashford & Simpson aren’t all that really, but I like all 8 of the originals, thought it was pretty good value too
Thing about the Harvey edits is, they can be hit and miss for me. I kinda see what you’re saying about the aesthetic, it’s funny how sometimes an overall percieved aesthetic can sometimes affect your views on music. It’s something i’ve been thinking a lot about recently..
That Luna Party joint off the Harvey edits is my motherfuckin JAM though, that’s a seriously dope track
Just a litle bit of jazz, tonight
makes you feel allright
Just a little bit of rocking thru’ the night
makes you wanna hold her tight
It’s the music that you hear
shakes you to the stratosphere
You fligh, you get high
you can even touch the sky
that’s cool man. i just discovered the harvey edits and really like them. i’m not a huge fan of the idjut boys either. i wouldn’t say they are similar but not sure if you were meaning to imply that.
as far as the overall perceived aesthetic issue: i totally agree and swing in and out of genres and styles of music and find that i rediscover music that i used to not be that much into because my perception of the music (or the style) was kind of a barrier keeping me from appreciating what it was. not meaning to get philosophical but i find that when i hear really good DJs drop obscure tracks and find out that it was something that was real commercial from back in the day but seem to fit nicely between two really underground tracks, i then begin to question my own perceptions and then try to force myself to get outside of my own box.
another reason why i like this site…there’s a lot of different music that is talked about and i appreciate that.
dean knows whats up!