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DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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Strut continue their essential work with the "Godfather Of Ethio Jazz", Mulatu Astatke, with the first official reissues of his early classics 'Afro Latin Soul' Volumes 1 and 2 from 1966, recorded as The Ethiopian Quintet. Arriving after Astatke's life-changing years studying at Berklee College in Boston, the albums were the first experiments in his pioneering sound, fusing Ethiopian cultural music with Afro Latin and jazz forms. "I have always felt a deep connection between Latin and African music," he explains. "I travelled to Cuba and listened to their musicians; the tempo, rhythm and feeling was very similar to different African forms. In the mid-'60s, I formed a band called The Ethiopian Quintet in New York comprising Ethiopian, Latin and Afro-American musicians - the band included trumpeter and pianist Rudy Houston who later played with Yambu and Felix Torres who played with La Sonora Poncena." Supported by Worthy Records' Gil Snapper who offered to record the quintet, Astatke began to experiment during two separate sessions: "We created a different feel and different arrangements. On the first recording, I played an adaptation of an ancient Ethiopian warrior song, 'I Faram Gami I Faram' - the lyrics were translated so that the singer could sing it in Spanish. Some compositions were important steps for me: 'Mascaram Setaba' ('Summer Is Coming') 'Shagu' and 'Almaz'. With the second album, a personal favourite is 'Girl From Addis Ababa' which worked very nicely as a fusion of Ethiopian modes and R&B rhythms." Astatke would start to perfect his Ethio jazz sound on his later album for Worthy in 1972, 'Mulatu Of Ethiopia' (STRUT129) but the two volumes of 'Afro Latin Soul' stand as important recordings documenting his early career. "It was a very interesting time to be in New York during the mid-'60s. I was there at the same time as Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and Fela Kuti and we each tried to play our part in putting Africa on the map of contemporary jazz." 'Afro Latin Soul' Volumes 1 and 2 come in their full original artwork and are painstakingly remastered by The Carvery. All formats feature personal liner notes by Mulatu Astatke.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Strut continue their essential work with the "Godfather Of Ethio Jazz", Mulatu Astatke, with the first official reissues of his early classics 'Afro Latin Soul' Volumes 1 and 2 from 1966, recorded as The Ethiopian Quintet. Arriving after Astatke's life-changing years studying at Berklee College in Boston, the albums were the first experiments in his pioneering sound, fusing Ethiopian cultural music with Afro Latin and jazz forms. "I have always felt a deep connection between Latin and African music," he explains. "I travelled to Cuba and listened to their musicians; the tempo, rhythm and feeling was very similar to different African forms. In the mid-'60s, I formed a band called The Ethiopian Quintet in New York comprising Ethiopian, Latin and Afro-American musicians - the band included trumpeter and pianist Rudy Houston who later played with Yambu and Felix Torres who played with La Sonora Poncena." Supported by Worthy Records' Gil Snapper who offered to record the quintet, Astatke began to experiment during two separate sessions: "We created a different feel and different arrangements. On the first recording, I played an adaptation of an ancient Ethiopian warrior song, 'I Faram Gami I Faram' - the lyrics were translated so that the singer could sing it in Spanish. Some compositions were important steps for me: 'Mascaram Setaba' ('Summer Is Coming') 'Shagu' and 'Almaz'. With the second album, a personal favourite is 'Girl From Addis Ababa' which worked very nicely as a fusion of Ethiopian modes and R&B rhythms." Astatke would start to perfect his Ethio jazz sound on his later album for Worthy in 1972, 'Mulatu Of Ethiopia' (STRUT129) but the two volumes of 'Afro Latin Soul' stand as important recordings documenting his early career. "It was a very interesting time to be in New York during the mid-'60s. I was there at the same time as Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and Fela Kuti and we each tried to play our part in putting Africa on the map of contemporary jazz." 'Afro Latin Soul' Volumes 1 and 2 come in their full original artwork and are painstakingly remastered by The Carvery. All formats feature personal liner notes by Mulatu Astatke.

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist:
1. Alone Tonight
2. Brief Call
3. Young Girls
4. Avril In The Alps
5. Conscious Effort
6. I Was Never Told
7. Left on the Shelf
8. Song of Love

Short info:

Simple Reality cements the short lived legacy of Coventry DIY group Skeet.

Emerging from a scene of first-generation punks and 2 Tone kids, Skeet was instigated by Gary and Nigel Meffen in 1981, fusing tightrope instrumentals with a Roland CR-8000 under the glow of projected visuals. After a cassette of their debut performance found its way to Kay Booth who worked at Inferno Records, the unsuspecting frontwoman took the liberty of adding her own vocals. Instantly embraced as a permanent member, Booth’s shy delivery and open-diary expressions of social alienation and romantic rejection hovered over the brothers’ scratchy guitar and agitated bass.

Playing as few as 10 shows, their unnerving minimalism was recorded in a suburban home studio, borrowing a reel-to-reel from Toby Lyons (The Colourfield) and a mixer from Jerry Dammers (The Specials). Record labels gestured interest until one day they were no more - no arguments, no official split, just a silent parting of the ways and three people taking journeys in different directions. Unheard and unloved in the vaults for nearly four decades, 'Brief Call' finally resurfaced via the Coventry Music Museum compendium Alternative Sounds Volume 1, followed by a micro pressing of the full suite on Chris Long’s Almost Unknown imprint in 2023.

Simple Reality now offers a definitive snapshot of these must-hear neurotic post-punks. Mastered by Skeet fanatic Mikey Young, newly discovered instrumental multitracks are restored alongside a live recording of their final stand. Performed atop of a trailer in a pub beer garden, the release-worthy desk tape adds three new tracks and a more energised swing at ‘Left On the Shelf’s apathetic techno-pop.

RIYL: Fire Engines, 23 Skidoo, A Certain Ratio, Young Marble Giants, pel mel



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1. LTD LP - Territory: WW Minus UK/Eire,Usa, Canada

- Limited Edition (300 copies worldwide
- Limited Transparent Green vinyl
- Printed on heavyweight board outer sleeve
- Vinyl comes in black poly-lined protective bag
- Housed in a heavyweight PVC protective outer sleeve
- Hype front sticker
- Vinyl pressed at Optimal media GmbH
- Printed at Delga in the UK


2. GENRE/S: Alternative / Experimental / Ambient

3. TRACKLISTS: see next page

Please add track lists for all listed formats.


A1. Future Sand (feat. David Lackner)
A2. Soft Power (feat. David Lackner)
A3. Pose Beams (feat. Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Robbie Lee)
A4. Flutter Intensity (feat. Russell Greenberg)

B1. The Big Clock (feat. David Moore, Britt Hewitt)
B2. There Was Somebody There (feat. David Moore, Jefre Cantu-Ledesma)
B3. Get Some Rest (feat. Mary Lattimore)




4. SHORT INFO:


Ezra Feinberg's third album Soft Power sees the composer-guitarist enlist an impressive array of fellow musicians including Mary Lattimore, David Moore (Bing & Ruth), Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Robbie Lee and share the life affirming lead single 'Future Sand'.

Defined by its abundance of melodies, repeating figures and ecstatic improvisations, Soft Power exudes an enlightened and transformative spirit to empower the listener. Feinberg, a practising psychoanalyst and former founding member of the San Francisco psychedelic collective Citay (Dead Oceans / Important Records) resides in the artistic enclave of upstate New York's Hudson River valley. Initial recordings emerged in the late summer of 2020, before added synthesis with collaborator John Thayer (Arp, Sunwatchers) during early 2021. Soft Power follows previous albums 'Recumbent Speech' (2020) and 'Pentimento and Others' (2018).

Feinberg artfully transcends the listener to an enriched place, his compositions distinguished by the deep humanity that lies at their core, plugging the listener into a state of wide eyed being, open and alive. Soft Power then is Ezra's own mantra but also one of power giving - a colourful catharsis translated into music.

Feinberg's music always speaks to the listener, but Soft Power, in whispering, speaks loudest.

"Much like everyday life, I wanted to convey these very plain, simple, tranquil, nearly quotidian aspects, but each piece contains this arc in which that form expands, is broken out of, so what starts out like a painting of flowers in a seaside motel turns into a riot of color and sound, or you feel slipped into a dream that feels like it could go on forever"




5. VITAL SALES POINTS:

- PR + Radio campaign by Five Worlds (UK/USA) / Dense PR + Radio campaign (EU)

6.

Ezra Feinberg - Previous Press / Quotes



"Invites you to a world so vivid and intricately textured that you might feel like you are part of it"
- Pitchfork

"Gently propulsive gems that evoke the kosmische sounds of Michael Rother, Brian Eno at his most sublime"
- Aquarium Drunkard



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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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LP

* Handmade Tip-On Sleeve
* OBI Strip
* Analogue Remastered

Versions:
100 x Limited Transparent Orange Vinyl Edition

Tracklist:
Side A
A1 Eggs & Bacon
A2 What’s Going On
A3 You’re The One
A4 Down By The River
Side B
B1 If I Were Your Woman
B2 Too Many People
B3 Make It Easy On Yourself
B4 Shangra La

Release Notes:
THE 7000 DOLLAR ACETATE
The year is 1971, a time when nightclubs still had live bands perform the musical hits of the
day. Every city had its local stars and for the club scene of the city of Columbus, Ohio it was
the CROWD PLEASERS. Founded in 1968 by June Carey along with her younger brothers,
twins El & Al, the seven-piece band grew into an in-demand act that performed all over the
city. In April 1971 they went into the studio to record eight songs, but an actual release
never materialized. In time the master tape was destroyed and all that was left were two
acetates. But as time passed, these too were lost. Over the years, a growing market for
obscure funk and soul albums emerged. When one of the acetates went up for sale on eBay
in 2011, it sold for $3,900! Eleven years later, in 2022, the last remaining copy also appeared
on eBay. Collectors drove the price up until it finally sold for a staggering $7,000! So now,
after more than 53 years, Al Carey & Regrooved Records proudly presents the previously
unreleased 1971 album of the CROWD PLEASERS featuring renditions of hits by Marvin Gaye,
Sly Stone's Little Sister, Neil Young, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Cold Blood, Dionne Warwick,
The Lettermen and the original funk break track “Eggs & Bacon”.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More