First Word Records is proud to bring you a double AA side remix single from Takuya Kuroda, featuring brand new mixes from Waajeed and Kaidi Tatham. Takuya Kuroda is a Kobe-born, Brooklyn-based trumpeter and musician, who was also a longtime player for Akoya Afrobeat as well as DJ Premier's BADDER band. Initially playing on the Japanese circuit with his trombonist brother, Takuya went on to relocate to New York City, where he has largely remained to this day, becoming a prominent player in the jazz scene, establishing a devoted fan base with jazz heads across the globe.Firstly we head to Detroit, with Waajeed's Hi-Tech Jazz remix of 'Choy Soda'. A pioneer in the worlds of house and hip hop alike, Waajeed's career is like no other. From his roots designing sleeves for Slum Village, to founding Platinum Pied Pipers, to running record labels, DJing and working with a ton of luminaries himself, Waajeed carries the spirit of his hometown in everything he does. This mix carries on the flavours he brought to the world on his 'Memoirs of Hi-Tech Jazz' album: bumpin' broken-beat tinged jackin' house music, this is pure heads-down music to groove to. On the flip, First Word family, Kaidi Tatham takes on 'Dead End Dance'. Kaidi is a deeply-prolific, hugely-revered Grammy Award-winning multi-instrumentalist based in Belfast. One of the original pioneers of the broken beat sound, he's worked with a ton of legends over the years, including Amy Winehouse, Soul II Soul, Mulatu Astatke and Leroy Burgess, to most recently on various projects with DJ Jazzy Jeff. He stays true to the original vibe and tempo of the track, adding a phat synth bass to the mix, before switching to an uptempo shuffle midway, in his own inimitable style & fashion.

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First Word Records are very proud to bring you a brand new album from the legendary Kaidi Tatham. iles Away' is the sixth full-length solo project for the award-winning London-based independent label. Comprised of 10 new tracks, performed entirely by the multi-instrumentalist himself once again, this is an array of forward-thinking eclectic electronic jazz. Rhodes, pianos, synths, strings, horns and flutes weave in & out atop of vibrant percussion and mind-bending drum patterns, forming a sound that is uniquely King Kaidi. As ever, this album is another truly diverse set from the Grammy-winning Kaidi Kyat, exuding quality and good vibes throughout, crossing genres and borders with intergalactic energy, taking us 'Miles Away'.

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First Word Records are delighted to present 'Did It Again', the debut EP from Victoria Port. Victoria is a British singer/songwriter that's previously released two albums as half of electronic soul outfit Anushka (on Brownswood and Tru Thoughts respectively), with a third album from the duo scheduled for release later in 2025 on BBE. Now Victoria is finally making the move to showcase her music, in her own unique way, as a solo artist. This debut 4-track EP is set to place her where she firmly belongs; as an exciting new talent in the vibrant, eclectic UK r&b/soul scene.As well as the single 'Cigarette', the EP includes the beautiful follow-up single 'Haunting', and two more soulful tracks; the slow jam 'Keep Love For Me', and the title track 'Did It Again'. Production comes courtesy of Hemai and Shevlane, with all tracks written by Victoria herself, along with her trusted team of accomplices; JNR Williams, Dominic Martin & Louie Hemus. 'Did It Again' is largely inspired by the legacy of her Dominican grandmother, and the tales of all the powerful women she has known, and is yet to know, encompassing their vulnerability and their truth. This in turn with her own journey as a mother. "I found the journey into motherhood transformative", she says. "I felt lost and broken at times, but simultaneously the most capable and powerful I've ever been. I've had to do the work and face my own shortcomings, in order to be the person I want to be, for my child, and ultimately for myself". Sonically, Victoria takes her influences from a lifelong appreciation of soul music, drawing inspiration from artists like Gladys Knight, Minnie Riperton, Diana Ross, Nine Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Dionne Warwick, to contemporaries such as Cleo Sol and Jorja Smith. She adds "I'm particularly obsessed with the girl bands from the '60's. I love the stories and the harmonies. Motown was the soundtrack to my childhood. Songs that make you want to dance in your kitchen!".

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First Word Records are very proud to bring you 'A Christmas Cwtch', the brand new album from highly-acclaimed Welsh jazz-harpist, Amanda Whiting. Expertly crafted with love, care and dedication, 'A Christmas Cwtch' takes on assorted classics from the likes of Vince Guaraldi, Bill Evans, Holst and Tchaikovsky, and re-presents them with original arrangements by Amanda and her accomplished trio. The end result is a 14-track selection pack of feel-good seasonal jazz-harp magic, including recent singles 'Peace Piece' and 'Skating'. Amanda says "just mention Christmas and you hear Guaraldi, Bill Evans and the sound of sleigh bells and harps. It's my favourite time of year and the music evokes everything warm and cwtchy. Sparkling lights, mince pies, mulled wine and nostalgia around the tree." On the word 'cwtch', Amanda explains that "a 'cwtch' is the most important word to Welsh folk. It's a hug, with a little squeeze. It's a feeling. It's cosy, loving and safe. I wanted this album to hold you, cwtch you and allow you to indulge." Inspired by artists like Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane, Amanda is a classically trained virtuoso, well established in the UK jazz scene, with releases on Jazzman and Albert's Favourites.

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First Word Records is proud to present 'Nothing Leaves The House - The Anthology'.A vinyl-only album of 16 hip hop instrumentals from Mr Thing, kidkanevil, Tall Black Guy & Eric Lau.This is a collection of a long-out-of print series of beats from four of the most revered beat-makers in the underground scene. This double-vinyl collection features four brand new tracks specially created for this 10 year anniversary release.The concept behind this project was originally birthed on Record Store Day 2012. First Word label founder Gilla explains "as we dipped in and out of London's Soho record shops, kidkanevil mentioned to me that he wanted to mine Mr Thing's vast record collection for samples. An idea formed to invite a couple of other beatmakers to join him and to press the resulting beats onto vinyl. Mr Thing enthusiastically agreed to the idea with one stipulation: they could sample what they wanted, but the records had to stay within the walls of his flat. We quickly enlisted Eric Lauand Tall Black Guy to complete the quartet and 'Nothing Leaves The House' was born."The release came to fruition and was released a decade ago, for Record Store Day in April 2014. The quartet met up once again shortly after in another London record shop, to work on a follow up project. For this one, Mr Thing brought one record for each producer from his collection for them to sample. They reciprocated by picking a record from the racks in the shop for him to use. 'Thing Leaves The House' was then released in 2015. Completing the trilogy of releases, the crew were invited to the legendary John Peel Archive to dig for samples there. After trawling the legendary Peel Acres collection, the producers individually selected sound snippets to create new beats from; this time under the stipulation that 'Nothing Leaves The Archive'. This double 7" release again landed on Record Store Day, 2016. Gilla says "10 years on from the release of the first record, and almost 9 years to the day since we were at Peel Acres, we are now releasing the 4th and final volume. Whilst Mr Thing is still in England, the other three have travelled far and wide. Eric Lau is now in China, Tall Black Guy has returned to the US and kidkanevil has moved to Berlin. Our indie label budget didn't extend to uniting everyone from the different continents, so instead Mr Thing uploaded a folder of tracks for the trio to work from. With the previous volumes now long sold out, we've added the original beats to this anthology and have moved up from a double 7" to a double 12" LP. One side for each producer; four tracks made across 10 years."

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First Word Records is very proud to bring you the 10th anniversary edition of Tall Black Guy's debut LP '8 Miles to Moenart'! It includes two brand new jazz interpretations ('From Home To Work, And Back' and 'Running The Motor'), recorded with a live band, as well as a new intro cut ('Black Detroit'), and an alternative mix of the single 'Mon Amie De'troit', previously only available on 7" vinyl. The original vinyl LP release was a one-time limited edition pressing; this being the first time this project has been available on wax since then, and also includes entirely new artwork and photography. From humble origins in Detroit, raised on a healthy diet of Motown, jazz and hip hop, Terrel Wallace (aka Tall Black Guy) has become a standard bearer for the hip hop beats scene. Through a steady stream of soulful productions filled with incredibly clever sample flips and deft production chops, he has won fans across the world, including Gilles Peterson, Benji B, Don Letts, Lefto, Tom Ravenscroft, Lord Finesse, Huey Morgan, Anthony Valadez and countless others, along with sessions for Boiler Room and more. '8 Miles To Moenart' literally brought Tall Black Guy full circle, and proceeds to do so once again. Detroit was where he started making music, and it's to his hometown he took inspiration for this debut album. Taking in low-slung hip hop, downtempo house and jazz-tinged street soul, it's a record of rare focus. It encapsulated the musical heritage of Detroit, through the looking glass of Tall Black Guy's own signature sound.

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First Word Records is proud to bring you 'The Making of Silk', the brand new album from Allysha Joy. Allysha Joy is a deeply-expressive singer, songwriter, producer & keys player hailing from Naarm (Melbourne), known for both her solo work and as front woman for 30/70. A uniquely-talented artist, her husky soulful voice, formidable Fender Rhodes prowess and raw poeticism has garnered legions of attentive fans the world over. As an integral performer in the modern day jazz-soul scene, previous support has included selectors Gilles Peterson & Jamz Supernova (BBC 6 Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), China Moses (Jazz FM) & Laurent Garnier (PBB France), along with stations such as NTS, Lot Radio, KEXP & KCRW, and publications including OkayPlayer, Dazed and The Vinyl Factory. Along with a recent foray into the USA market with a string of successful shows, Allysha Joy has performed alongside acts such as Snarky Puppy, PJ Morton, The Teskey Brothers, Kokoroko and Children of Zeus, to name a few.

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First Word Records is proud to bring you 'Resonance'; a full-length album from Essa & Pitch 92. A lyricist, lawyer and a Londoner, Essa initially released music under the name Yungun in the early noughties, in the midst of UK hip hop's own "golden era". He earned praise from artists such as Nas and Mark Ronson, and performed and recorded with such luminaries as De La Soul, Wu-Tang Clan, Guru, Slum Village and Pharoahe Monch. His classic debut album 'The Essance' originally dropped whilst he was at law school, 20 years ago (which was recently given a full re-issue on First Word). This was followed with a collaborative album with DJ Mr Thing ('Grown Man Business'), then some years later with 'The Misadventures of a Middle Man' in 2014. Essa also released a track on Juneteenth 2020 entitled 'Justice', as a powerful reaction to George Floyd and the BLM movement. It saw support from the likes of Gilles Peterson, and raised money for an assortment of access-to-justice organisations. Joining Essa on the boards throughout this new project is acclaimed producer and DJ, Pitch 92. Born in Dublin in 1992, Pitch grew up in Germany & Switzerland, where the sounds of Madlib & Dilla fired up his neurons. Under the encouragement of friends ASM, he began experimenting with an MPC at the ripe old age of 12. He relocated to the UK in the late noughties, where he was quickly engulfed into the Manchester hip hop scene, becoming a longtime member of The Mouse Outfit, touring across Europe and featuring heavily on their first two albums. Since going solo in 2017, he's released full hip hop & soul album projects with Iyamah, Jerome Thomas (Melting Pot), Verb T (High Focus), Confucius MC (HHV), Illaman (Potent Funk) and MC DRS (Space Cadet), as well as two solo albums ('Intervals' & '3rd Culture') and production work for artists such as Ocean Wisdom, Jehst, Foreign Beggars, The Four Owls and First Word family, Ruby Wood and Tyler Daley (Children of Zeus), to name just a few! This new project from the duo is co-produced, mixed and mastered by Viva Cee, an extraordinarily versatile up and coming writer/producer, known for fusing international sounds with contemporary black music styles. Across the 13-tracks, we have the posse track 'HeavyweightS', which features the likes of Doc Brown, Klashnekoff, Kyza, Tony D & Reveal amongst others. There are a bunch of additional features too, including West London legend King Kashmere on 'Sick', multi-talented Nottingham MC Karizz (formerly Karizma) on 'All For The Love' and 'Back Around', and several appearances from Brotherman. The album exudes true-skool quality from beginning to end, encompassing soulful, jazzy boom bap throughout, from the opening title track, to the reflective single 'Right Now', the uptempo bounce of 'That's The One'. with a sprinkle of skippier double-time flavours on 'Almost There' and 'Seasoned', all seamlessly sequenced.

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First Word Records is proud to bring you a double AA side remix single from Takuya Kuroda, featuring brand new mixes from Waajeed and Kaidi Tatham. Takuya Kuroda is a Kobe-born, Brooklyn-based trumpeter and musician, who was also a longtime player for Akoya Afrobeat as well as DJ Premier's BADDER band. Initially playing on the Japanese circuit with his trombonist brother, Takuya went on to relocate to New York City, where he has largely remained to this day, becoming a prominent player in the jazz scene, establishing a devoted fan base with jazz heads across the globe.Firstly we head to Detroit, with Waajeed's Hi-Tech Jazz remix of 'Choy Soda'. A pioneer in the worlds of house and hip hop alike, Waajeed's career is like no other. From his roots designing sleeves for Slum Village, to founding Platinum Pied Pipers, to running record labels, DJing and working with a ton of luminaries himself, Waajeed carries the spirit of his hometown in everything he does. This mix carries on the flavours he brought to the world on his 'Memoirs of Hi-Tech Jazz' album: bumpin' broken-beat tinged jackin' house music, this is pure heads-down music to groove to. On the flip, First Word family, Kaidi Tatham takes on 'Dead End Dance'. Kaidi is a deeply-prolific, hugely-revered Grammy Award-winning multi-instrumentalist based in Belfast. One of the original pioneers of the broken beat sound, he's worked with a ton of legends over the years, including Amy Winehouse, Soul II Soul, Mulatu Astatke and Leroy Burgess, to most recently on various projects with DJ Jazzy Jeff. He stays true to the original vibe and tempo of the track, adding a phat synth bass to the mix, before switching to an uptempo shuffle midway, in his own inimitable style & fashion.

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First Word Records is very proud to bring you a brand new 11-track album from Quiet Dawn, one called 'Celebrate'. French multi-instrumentalist Quiet Dawn has been an integral part of the First Word family for a full decade now. His diverse catalogue has included organic ambient-jazz (2018's 'Human Being - The Short Story Of The Reed'), Dilla-esque instrumental beats (2023's 'Simple' beat tape), head nod Hip Hop (the 2015 debut album 'The First Day') and broken beat (2022's 'Movements' EP). It's the latter project that this new project is the most obvious successor to, which he produced directly afterwards. This new album from Quiet Dawn (real name Will Galland) takes on an array of broken beat flavours and features a few luminaries from that scene along the way, including the legendary Bembe Segue (on the smooth soulful grooves of 'All Around'), LyricL (dropping bars on the lively title track 'Celebrate') and Oliver Night from the CoOp Presents crew (on 'Follow Your Instincts' and single 'Lost From Life'). Elsewhere there's uplifting jazz samba-tinged vibes (on 'It's All About Freedom' & 'He Is Lion'), a sprinkle of downtempo boom bap ('Flow' & 'See The Good'), and an assortment of instrumental bruk riddims with squelchy synths, sweet rhodes, skippy percussion & funked-up basslines. Quiet Dawn once again effortlessly combines the organic with the electronic. The whole piece exudes positivity and good times.

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First Word Records is very proud to present 'The Liminality of Her', a brand new 10-track album from their newest signing, Amanda Whiting; a highly-acclaimed Welsh harpist & composer.

A virtuoso in her field, this classically trained musician has quickly established herself as an essential player in the UK jazz scene, carving her own unique sound, following on from the paths forged by Ashby and Coltrane.

Amanda recently joined the First Word label roster, via a collaborative project with Don Leisure, 'Beyond The Midnight Sun', as well as a feature on his Welsh Music Prize nominated project 'Shaboo Strikes Back'.

She's previously toured extensively with her own band, as well as with Matthew Halsall, Rebecca Vasmant, DJ Yoda and Chip Wickham (who also features on this new project), whilst previously releasing three solo albums on Jazzman Records, and a remix project for Scrimshire's Albert's Favourites imprint. Along the way, there's been a nomination for 'Instrumentalist of the Year' from Jazz FM and she's garnered the support of DJs such as Radio 2's Jamie Cullum ("highly recommended") and BBC 6Music's Cerys Matthews ("my highlight of the Cheltenham Jazz festival 2023").

This 10-track album exemplifies Amanda's talents as a performer and composer, taking in an array of hypnotising sonics from the worlds of jazz; from fusion to spiritual and beyond. She is backed with accompaniment from a remarkable set of players in their own right, including Chip Wickham on flute and PEACH. on vocals. A confident display of purposefully blissful compositions that saunter as much as they soothe, whilst being unafraid to lean into some deep uptempo grooves.

Amanda describes the theme of this project as "liminality... that place in between, the transition from one place to another. No longer what it was, yet not what it's going to be.

The harp always presents itself at these moments. It's a sound that causes an emotion. My instrument chose me. It's been with me through every chapter of life. It's how I speak, especially when there are no words.

This album is a rite of passage for "her". A feeling of alchemy, a feeling of liberation. Moments of inner searching, intertwined, waiting but moving forward. Never looking back.

'The Liminality of Her' encompasses the highs and the lows. The nomadic love of freedom and spirituality. It's all so much bigger than you or I…"

From the cinematic, classical fusion of 'After Dark', to the more playful 'Lost in Abstraction', this album invites you to float in a soundscape of liminality...

'The Liminality of Her' is released on vinyl & digital worldwide, March 22nd 2024.

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First Word Records is very proud to welcome Ruby Wood to the label, with her debut solo EP 'Sincerely'. Ruby is a vocalist & songwriter hailing from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Her soulful yet distinctive voice has enabled her to front numerous projects; perhaps best known as lead vocalist of the critically acclaimed Submotion Orchestra, since 2009. She also toured as lead vocalist for Bonobo's live band, for Nubiyan Twist, and with hugely successful 1940's-esque vocal trio, The Sugar Sisters. There have also been features for dance outfits such as GLXY & Franky Wah, additionally to writing & recording for the likes of Krept & Konan, Alfa Mist, Roska, Hemai, Barney Artist and XOA, to name just a few.'Sincerely' is comprised of five tracks, firmly based in the realms of hip hop soul and neo soul sonically, with an unashamedly '90s R&B vibe throughout. Throughout the EP, Ruby's story tells tales of motherhood, relationships, commitment, independence and inspirations. Further collaborations on the set come from vocalist Isaac Malibu (on 'Mr. Unavailable'), wind player Arran Kent (on 'My Favourite Song'), and assistance on a couple of beats from acclaimed hip hop producer, Pitch 92 and San Diego's Martel Howard, along with more Submotion alumni, Danny Templeman, Dom Howard and Bobby Beddoe and the debut performance from Ruby's daughter, Amber!


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First Word Records is very proud to welcome the return of the inimitable Kaidi Tatham, with his 5th album for us, entitled 'The Only Way'. Kaidi Tatham is a legendary multi-instrumentalist born in the Midlands and based in Belfast. Established as one of the original creators of the Broken Beat sound, he is a virtuoso on the keys and a true innovator in sound production. A deeply prolific artist, this is Kaidi's 5th solo album under his own name, following on from 'Don't Rush The Process' (2022), 'An Insight To All Minds' (2021), 'It's A World Before You' (2018), and 'In Search Of Hope' (re-pressed in 2020), all released on First Word, along with several EPs from 2017 onwards. 'The Only Way' is the latest chapter in Kaidi's entirely unique explorations into sound. 11 tracks touching on bruk, funk, jazz, mid-tempo hip hop and hyper-energetic Brazilian flavours, all thrown into a melting pot that's difficult to define, but all containing Kaidi's unmistakable sonic signature. The epic opener 'Reason We're Here' starts the album softly, before switching midway into KT's trademark synth-lead bruk boogie, to set the scene of what's to come. Lead track 'The Only Way' sees the return of Philly MC Uhmeer (Jazzy Jeff's son), his third collab with Kaidi and a timely celebratory track about this thing called Hip Hop, in its 50th year. 'Feels Like I'm On My Own' is a statement within itself, starting off as a jazz-funk jam, before switching to breakneck Brazilian choro, in the only way Kaidi can, with 'It's On' on a similar vein. 'Fricassee' is some heads down dancery business, and there are more guests with Trian Kayhatu appearing on 'Alien @$^%' and Matt Lord on the super energetic album closer 'Not Suffering'. Kaidi Tatham continues to grow on his already impressive catalogue, a body of work that falls within the cracks of jazz and dance music, exemplifying modern British black brilliance; uncompromising, innovative, groundbreaking, intricately sophisticated and deeply funky. His fanbase expands on every release and it's no surprise that that fanbase includes a diverse set of peers such as Madlib ("ahead of his time"), Gilles Peterson ("a key part of an entire movement") and K15 ("a limitless source of inspiration") to name just a few of the many influenced by Kaidi's sound.

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First Word Records is extremely proud to welcome the legendary New Sector Movements to the label, and the first new release from this moniker in 15 years! A 5-track EP for 'These Times', comprised of street soul, hip hop, jazz and bruk-tinged vibes. Founded, headed and produced by DJ & musician IG Culture (CoOp Presents / LCSM), this all-new quasi-group project also features the vocal talents of Allysha Joy, Mike City and Natalie May with additional accompaniment from Wonky Logic, Wayne Francis, Alex Phountzi and the NSM Fusion Starship!An essential EP of cross-genre vibes to resonate cross-generations, New Sector Movements do not ramp. IG Culture and crew proceed to give you what you need for 'These Times'.

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First Word Records is very proud to welcome Eye Of The High to the label, with this vinyl-only double-dose of Brit Funk magic - 'Seismic Shift' and 'Elevate'. Eye Of The High is a collaborative project headed by Femi Fem and Glen Scott.Femi Fem is a DJ and producer, perhaps best known as being a member of Young Disciples, the iconic '90s band on the Talkin' Loud stable, whose seminal classic album 'Road To Freedom' was shortlisted for a Mercury Music Award. An iconic LP in the canon of UK soul music, this was a huge inspiration for First Word as a label. As a group, the YD's also worked with Loose Ends, Des'ree, IG Culture and many more.Glen Scott is an award-winner producer, multi-instrumentalist and longtime collaborator with Femi since the mid nineties. Together they've worked on productions and remixes for the likes of Mary J Blige, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, D'Influence and The Pasadenas. Meanwhile, Glen's long list of additional productions and accomplished engineer roles include work with artists like Beverley Knight, Craig David, Luis Fonsi and Eric Bibb. Flipside 'Elevate' was previously released digitally-only last Spring, through their own Higher Grade imprint. Four minutes of sheer upliftment, it received love from Gilles Peterson, Lauren Laverne, Trevor Nelson, Jeff Young, Tony Minvielle, Patrick Forge, Grant Nelson, Ross Allen, DJ Spoony, Ashley Beedle, Gordon Mac, Seamus Haji, Ronnie Herel, Dez Parkes, Mickey D, Roy The Roach and numerous other key selectors, subsequently being played across BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 2, NTS, Mi-Soul, Jazz FM and many others. This is the first time the original track has been released on vinyl. In Eye of the High's words "living in the midst of cataclysmic upheaval in the world provoked the Eye of the High team to create differently. Emerging out of this process, 'Seismic Shift' is about making great change. It feels appropriate for us to align with First Word Records to release 'Seismic Shift' as a vinyl single, with the ever popular dancers fave 'Elevate'. In the video and artwork, we reference the imagery of WW2 African American soldiers whom, on their return to the USA, sparked the fires of a seismic shift in civil rights activism. We are part of a new tide in positivity."

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In their first bout of new music since 2022’s critically celebrated Mondays at Enfield Tennis Academy, Jeff Parker and his ETA IVtet find themselves exploring the depths of improvised jazz grooves on The Way Out of Easy.

Tracklist
1.1Freakadelic
1.2Late Autumn
2.1Easy Way Out
2.2Chrome Dome

Listen: https://listen.k7.com/3b02e2f5-05af-484c-8bbe-5645f87763dc

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At the start of the 60s, a new wave of gospel-influenced jazz started to emerge, with hits such as Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' "Moanin'" and Cannonball Adderley's "Work Song" epitomizing this evolution in the genre. The terms "soul jazz" and "funky jazz" were coined as a way to describe this new sound that was making an impact in the US and also on the other sides of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.In 1964, Ray Charles made his first visit to Japan. Then, in 1968, Martha & The Vandellas and Stevie Wonder set foot in the country, followed by Sam & Dave in 1969, Ike & Tina Turner in 1970, and B.B. King in 1971. The TV show "Soul Train" also began airing in Japan in the early 1970s. A watershed moment happened in 1973 when Sammy Davis Jr. was cast in a TV commercial for Suntory whisky — and the influence of the US Black entertainment world had really landed, with soul, jazz, and funk artists becoming household names.Nippon Columbia played a pivotal role during this turning point. The company had contracts with Buddah Records and Blue Thumb Records, releasing notable works by artists such as Gladys Knight & The Pips, Curtis Mayfield, The Crusaders, and The Pointer Sisters. At the same time, the label was also releasing several Japanese soul, jazz, and funk projects under the lead of music director Jiro Inagaki. Inagaki, a saxophonist who began his professional career in the early 1950s, honed his skills at U.S. military camps, where he shared his love of music with the Black servicemen. In the 1960s, he played with drummer Hideo Shiraki's band, which was widely considered to be Japan's representative group of the funky jazz movement. Later, Inagaki went on to pursue more cutting-edge sounds with his Soul Media project, including being a pioneering figure in the "jazz rock" genre. By working closely with Inagaki and his various musical projects, Nippon Columbia really placed the company at the center of an exciting and important period in Japanese music.In 1965, Nippon Columbia opened a recording studio in Tokyo's Akasaka neighborhood. Akasaka was also home to the first ever discotheque in Japan, the legendary MUGEN, which ran from 1968 to 1987 and where many acts performed, including Con Funk Shun, the Bar-Kays, Ike & Tina Turner, B.B. King, Sam & Dave, Three Degrees, and Edwin Starr, as well as many local Japanese singers and musicians. This melting pot of creativity in the area led to the recording of many singles and albums by Japanese artists that were infused with the sounds of soul and funk. Most of these recordings were not available outside of Japan and remain rare and unknown musical gems. The selection you are holding in your hands is an explosive collection of 10 essential tracks released by the legendary Nippon Columbia label between 1969 and 1977, capturing the raw, unapparelled energy that was flowing through the air of the Akasaka streets at this electrifying time. Enjoy!

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For the fourth Serie Pegaso release, Periodica invites the listener on an escapist adventure through the ‘Citta’ Futura’ of Bassolino. With arrangements assisted by Paolo Petrella and a host of contributing musicians joining along, the album presents a paradise of sun-seared fusion colorations…horns skronking and six strings riffing over latin dance rhythms, liquid keys and cosmic leads setting the air aflame, and filmic guitar themes riding across epic deserts as spaghetti western belles sing romantic tales amidst flute and piano. It’s a sonic world of texture, mood, and cinematic magic, where midnite funk grooves transition into sorcerous prog rock melodrama, and where symphonic soul themes sing out over galactic percolations and kinetic disco jamming.


A1 - Napoli Visionaria
A2 - 'E Parole
A3 - Oro Di Miele
B1 - Malavita
B2 - Città Futura
B3 - Fuga Finale

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Back in print by popular demand ! Finally this Ghost Gem left by Jiro Inagaki's Soul Media has been repressed on vinyl for the first time thanks to Cinedelic Records.

‘Woodstock Generation’ is a masterpiece of Japanese jazz/rock funk/soul that for some it even considered better then the acclaimed "Head Rock" in terms of perfection; surely there are many points in common between the two albums having been made a few months later, in 1970. Behind "The Soul Medium" name hides saxophonist Jiro Inagaki, an iconic figure of the japanese Jazz Rock scene during the late sixties to the early seventies. Jiro is supported by his legendary quintet "Soul Media" under its first incarnation featuring Ryo Kawasaki (g) Yasuo Arakawa (b) Masaru Imada (org) Sadakazu Tabata (ds) with Tetsuo Fushimi & Shunzo Ohno on trumpet in addition.

"Woodstock Generation" is a tribute album to the Woodstock Festival including cover of songs performed on the stage by Sly & Family Stone (I Want To Take You Higher) The Who (Summertime Blues) or Ten Years After (Spoonful) but also Woodstock (written by Joni Mitchell in honor of the Festival) and Mamma Told Me (Not To Come) written by Randy Newman for Eric Burdon and The Animals. Titles include also variations on the "Head Rock" theme "The Ground For Peace” and original composition of Masahiko Sato "Knick Knack". All tracks arranged by Jiro Inagaki.

Artwork by Eric Adrian Lee.

Jiro Inagaki - tenor saxophone soprano saxophone
Masaru Imada – organ
Ryo Kawasaki – guitar
Yasuo Arakawa – bass
Sadakazu Tabata – drums
Tetsuo Fushimi, Shunzo Ohno – trumpet

Tracklist:

Side A
Opening (J. Inagaki) 2:35
Woodstock (J. Mitchell) 4:27
I Want To Take You Higher (S. Stewart) 3:46
Mama Told Me (R. Newman) 2:38
Summertime Blues (E. Cochran) 3:29

Side B
Spoonful (W. Dixon) 4:31
The Ground For Peace (Y. Arakawa) 5:41
Head Rock (J. Inagaki) 4:58
Knick Knack (M. Sato) 3:21

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- NEW Color Vinyl Edition: “Sunny Seaside Splatter”
- Follow up to LITA’s critically acclaimed and best selling 2019 release Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1976-1986
- New artwork by renowned illustrator Hiroshi Nagai
- 2xLP housed in a deluxe wide spine jacket with full color inner sleeves
- Remastered audio
- Extensive artist bios in oversized fold-out booklet

When Light In The Attic released Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1976-1986 in 2019, it was the first collection of its kind to be released outside Japan. It proved to be just what music fans had been waiting for—a compilation of sought-after tracks that had been nearly impossible to obtain unless you were well-connected with dealers and collectors, or traveled regularly to the countless record stores in Japan. Pacific Breeze included Minako Yoshida, Taeko Ohnuki, Hiroshi Sato and Haruomi Hosono among other key players of ‘70s-’80s Japanese City Pop, the nebulous genre that encompassed an “amalgam of AOR, R&B, jazz fusion, funk, boogie and disco, all a touch dizzy with tropical euphoria,” as we described it the first time around.

With Pacific Breeze 2: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1972-1986 we dig deeper into those sounds of bubble-era Japan. From the proto-City Pop funk of Bread & Butter and Eiichi Ohtaki to the crate-digger favorites Eri Ohno and Piper, the latest entry in Light In The Attic’s Japan Archival Series brings another set of sought-after tunes, most of which have never before been available outside of Japan. Tomoko Aran and Anri, also included in this compilation, are just a few of the artists who have gained popularity in recent years thanks to Vaporwave, the meme-genre that heavily samples Japanese City Pop to create its particular aesthetic.

Pacific Breeze 2 once again features the artwork of renowned Tokyo-based illustrator Hiroshi Nagai, whose iconic images of resort living have become synonymous with City Pop. Nagai’s urban tropical imagery is a perfect match for the expertly curated tunes, evoking a certain sense of nostalgia for the leisure lifestyles of ‘70s-’80s Tokyo, while simultaneously being perfectly in tune with the current zeitgeist.

Tracklist:
Pink Shadow - Bread & Butter, Yubikiri - Eiichi Ohtaki, Vibration (Love Celebration) - Kimiko Kasai, Kindaichi Kosuke No Theme - The Mystery Kindaichi Band, Hidari Mune No Seiza - Tetsuji Hayashi, Last Summer Whisper - Anri, Blind Curve - Momoko Kikuchi, I'm In Love - Tomoko Aran, Kindaichi Kosuke Nishi E Iku - Yu Imai, Tokyo Taste - Sadistics, Hot Sand - Piper, Rainy Saturday Coffee Break - Junko Ohashi & Minoya Central Station, Skyfire - Eri Ohno, Kanpoo - Yumi Murata, Harumifutou - Kyoko Furuya, Bay/Sky Provincetown 1977 - Yuji Toriyama

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Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: gpsr@wordandsound.netMore