ENEMY, the trio of drummer James Maddren, pianist Kit Downes and bassist Petter Eldh make their We Jazz Records debut with their third album The Betrayal, out 22 September 2023. After their self-titled debut (Edition, 2018) and the follow up (Vermillion, ECM 2022), the explosive yet lyrical trio is seeking new directions with the 12-track new record, arguably their strongest yet.
TRACKLIST
A1/1. Croydon Smash
A2/2. Hollywood Bypass
A3/3. Neglecting Number One
A4/4. Sun
A5/5. Morfar Sixten
A6/6. Fiend
B1/7. Close Up
B2/8. EB
B3/9. Manipulate
B4/10. Liability
B5/11. Croydon Shuffle
B6/12. Army of Three More

ENEMY, the trio of drummer James Maddren, pianist Kit Downes and bassist Petter Eldh make their We Jazz Records debut with their third album The Betrayal, out 22 September 2023. After their self-titled debut (Edition, 2018) and the follow up (Vermillion, ECM 2022), the explosive yet lyrical trio is seeking new directions with the 12-track new record, arguably their strongest yet.
TRACKLIST
A1/1. Croydon Smash
A2/2. Hollywood Bypass
A3/3. Neglecting Number One
A4/4. Sun
A5/5. Morfar Sixten
A6/6. Fiend
B1/7. Close Up
B2/8. EB
B3/9. Manipulate
B4/10. Liability
B5/11. Croydon Shuffle
B6/12. Army of Three More

Finnish drummer/Producer Teppo "Teddy Rok" Mäkynen returns with his alias The Stance Brothers with "Sao Paolo / Timmy", a new 7"/digital single release on July 12th on We Jazz Records. Lauded by the likes of DJ Koco aka Shimokita, Kenny Dope and Gilles Peterson, Mäkynen's studio creation released the new album Duktus in November 2023, the project's first full length in more than 10 years. Back a new version of album cut "Sao Paolo" plus an unreleased new track, "Timmy", the project a treasure-trove for everyone into crunchy jazz funk à la Bob James & CTI, but this is no retro exercise. Teddy Rok moves forward in all directions, constantly bringing new elements into his sound, which is more layered and deep than ever before. At the same time, the crunch & the breaks are there when you need them. The B-side "Timmy", appearing here for the first time, has a "Kosmische" feel to it, driven by the motorik drum beat and a floating vibraphone.

The Stance 7" sides are often dominated by crunchy drums and crystal clear vibraphone melodies, and that's the overall vibe here, too. That being said, Mäkynen keeps things moving forward at all times, achieving moments of pure bliss with tracks that sound compact but expand far and wide both emotionally and musically.

The Stance Brothers are active live as a four-piece band, appearing live over the summer in Finland at Odysseus Festival and Flow Festival in Helsinki, plus G Livelab Tampere.

RIYL: Roy Ayers, Mizell Brothers, Bobby Hutcherson, Cesar Mariano, Patrice Rushen, George Duke, Madlib's Mind Fusion Mixtapes

Composed, performed, produced and recorded by Teddy Rok
Mastering J. Vanhanen / Tape Over
Lettering by Teddy Rok
Design by Matti Nives
Another Rok Solid Production More

Magazine 128 pages, 170 x 240 mm in size and printed on 140g Edixion paper with laminated 300g Invercote covers

The tenth issue of We Jazz Magazine, "Dominoes" for Donald Byrd. 128 pages, 170 x 240 mm in size and printed on 140g Edixion paper with laminated 300g Invercote covers. All articles presented IN ENGLISH. Donald Byrd by Andy Beta, Lonnie Liston Smith by Anton Spice, Charles Gayle by Seymour Wright, Anoushka Shankar & Arooj Aftab in conversation by Debra Richards, Billy Harper by Bret Sjerven, Anni Kiviniemi by Wif Stenger, Kenneth Jimenez by Andrey Henkin, Sun Ra by Francis Gooding, Muffins by Marc Medwin, Discaholic column by Mats Gustafsson, Vogel Records by Lander Lenaerts + reviews & more
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A radiant manifesto of artistic freedom, fLuXkit Vancouver (its suite but sacred) brings together a composition in four movements written and performed by Jones on alto saxophone, long-time collaborator Gerald Cleaver on drums, and four Vancouver-based string musicians: violinists Jesse Zubot and Josh Zubot, cellist Peggy Lee and bassist James Meger; with original artwork by Stan Douglas and liner notes by poet Harmony Holiday.

Tracklist
A1. Fluxus V5T 1S1
A2. Zubot
B1. Rainbow
B2. Damon and Pythias More

(1LP spatter vinyl with tip-on sleeve & OB)
A radiant manifesto of artistic freedom, fLuXkit Vancouver (its suite but sacred) brings together a composition in four movements written and performed by Jones on alto saxophone, long-time collaborator Gerald Cleaver on drums, and four Vancouver-based string musicians: violinists Jesse Zubot and Josh Zubot, cellist Peggy Lee and bassist James Meger; with original artwork by Stan Douglas and liner notes by poet Harmony Holiday.

Tracklist
A1. Fluxus V5T 1S1
A2. Zubot
B1. Rainbow
B2. Damon and Pythias More

A radiant manifesto of artistic freedom, fLuXkit Vancouver (its suite but sacred) brings together a composition in four movements written and performed by Jones on alto saxophone, long-time collaborator Gerald Cleaver on drums, and four Vancouver-based string musicians: violinists Jesse Zubot and Josh Zubot, cellist Peggy Lee and bassist James Meger; with original artwork by Stan Douglas and liner notes by poet Harmony Holiday.

Tracklist
A1. Fluxus V5T 1S1
A2. Zubot
B1. Rainbow
B2. Damon and Pythias More

ENEMY, the trio of drummer James Maddren, pianist Kit Downes and bassist Petter Eldh make their We Jazz Records debut with their third album The Betrayal, out 22 September 2023. After their self-titled debut (Edition, 2018) and the follow up (Vermillion, ECM 2022), the explosive yet lyrical trio is seeking new directions with the 12-track new record, arguably their strongest yet.
TRACKLIST
A1/1. Croydon Smash
A2/2. Hollywood Bypass
A3/3. Neglecting Number One
A4/4. Sun
A5/5. Morfar Sixten
A6/6. Fiend
B1/7. Close Up
B2/8. EB
B3/9. Manipulate
B4/10. Liability
B5/11. Croydon Shuffle
B6/12. Army of Three More

ENEMY, the trio of drummer James Maddren, pianist Kit Downes and bassist Petter Eldh make their We Jazz Records debut with their third album The Betrayal, out 22 September 2023. After their self-titled debut (Edition, 2018) and the follow up (Vermillion, ECM 2022), the explosive yet lyrical trio is seeking new directions with the 12-track new record, arguably their strongest yet.
TRACKLIST
A1/1. Croydon Smash
A2/2. Hollywood Bypass
A3/3. Neglecting Number One
A4/4. Sun
A5/5. Morfar Sixten
A6/6. Fiend
B1/7. Close Up
B2/8. EB
B3/9. Manipulate
B4/10. Liability
B5/11. Croydon Shuffle
B6/12. Army of Three More

Norwegian drummer/composer Gard Nilssen debuts on We Jazz Records with his major new album “Family” with the 17-piece Supersonic Orchestra.

Tracklist
A:
1. The Space Dance Experiment
2. Spending Time With Ludde
B
3. Letter to Alfred
C
4. Boogie Stop Tøffel
5. The Healing Force Of the Trojan Horse
6. Supersonic
D
7. Dolphin Disco
8. SP68 More

Norwegian drummer/composer Gard Nilssen debuts on We Jazz Records with his major new album “Family” with the 17-piece Supersonic Orchestra.

Tracklist
A:
1. The Space Dance Experiment
2. Spending Time With Ludde
B
3. Letter to Alfred
C
4. Boogie Stop Tøffel
5. The Healing Force Of the Trojan Horse
6. Supersonic
D
7. Dolphin Disco
8. SP68 More

A lost MPB gem from rural Finland! We Jazz presents the first ever reissue of this rare 1990 local release by Brazilian duo Rosanna & Zelia. 7" EP with inside out 3mm spine sleeve. RIYL: Gilberto Gil, Joyce, Musica Popular Brasileira, bossa nova, bossa jazz More

Swiss artist Lukas Traxel releases his powerful debut album One-Eyed Daruma on We Jazz Records, March 10. The trio features Traxel on double bass, Otis Sandsjö on sax and Moritz Baumgärtner on drums. Compact, deep, and organic to the bone, Traxel & co's sound echoes the innovations of rhythmically driven avantgarde jazz while keeping things moving at all times. There's both drive and freedom to this sound. ONe-Eyed Daruma features eight new compositions by Traxel, who crafted the outline for the album while dealing with the loss of his father. The group came together after an open invitation from the Zurich jazz club Moods to present a new group. The trio of Traxel, Sandsjö and Baumgärtner creates a full, symphonic, and powerful body of sound despite the instrumentation without a harmony instrument. The trio functions as a collective where the boundaries between composition, melody, and accompaniment are in flux, while keeping the common goal of creating new music together in sight at all times. Traxel reports that after playing bass in various groups with guitar and/or piano, he wanted to create a counterpoint of sorts with his new group and specifically go about it with a more sparse setup. As One-Eyed Drama proves, the idea behind the trio dynamic is a strong one and the unit makes use of their extra space in creating evocative, moody, swinging creative jazz with a distinguishable fingerprint of its own. More

Composer Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen presents his Nonet formation on We Jazz Records. Their debut album Tigers Are Better Looking is released 3 Feb and the ensemble features internationally renowned Finnish clarinetist Antti Sarpila, plus a strong cast of Helsinki-based musicians from several of the top Finnish groups. Based on the writings of British-Caribbean author Jean Rhys (1890–1979), the 6-track album is a melancholy, intimate chamber jazz creation. Laurell's music swings, yet he doesn't stop there, but moves further to paint an original, richly-toned sonic image with the highly potent Nonet. Laurell states Gerry Mulligan, Miles Davis's "Water Babies" and Charles Mingus among the key musical influences of his compositions on this album. Through Rhys's text, Laurell finds a special sense of detachment and melancholy evident in his new material. Antti Sarpila's masterful clarinet provides the icing on the cake, floating high above the clouds of sound. More

Uusi Aika is a fresh new ensemble from Finland. Their self-titled debut album will be released by We Jazz Records on 25 November 2022. The band's music could be described as introspective and meditative, but that's only a part of the story. The instrumentation is acoustic and their sound organic to the bone, but the music's slowly unfolding character brings to mind some deep abstract electronic music or experimental dub explorations at times. That is, there's power just under the surface, just beautifully out of focus. Otto Eskelinen says: "Lately I have been playing mostly folk music and using traditional instruments, such as ancient flutes. Now I felt that I wanted to play the saxophone again, and to do it in a small group setting, while searching for new compositional approaches and also ways of playing together with others. I wanted to create a band that would play something connected to free jazz, but with a distinctly melodic approach. I wanted the sound of the band to be gentle and peaceful, all acoustic. The main inspirations here stem from the history of Japanese sound aesthetics, new age, early 20th century art music and jazz giants such as Lester Young and Jan Garbarek." Uusi Aika has already debuted live in Helsinki, where their performance at Odysseus Festival this summer was met with remarkable enthusiasm. More

Ilmiliekki Quartet and vocalist Emma Salokoski team up for a Christmas album We Jazz Records. Includes 10 stunning xmas vocal jazz gems sung in Finnish and Swedish, featuring three fantastic originals. Here's to better xmas listening. More

We Jazz Records presents the second volume of their reworks albums dealing with source material from the Helsinki-based label's catalog. This time around, it's Carl Stone's turn to tackle the source albums at hand and filter the label's output through his musical lens. We Jazz Reworks is an idea that repurposes some of the label's output 10 albums at a time. That is, the label invites producers whose music they love on board, and one by one, they tackle 10 albums worth of source material, of which they are free to use as much or as little as they choose. The series evolves chronologically, so this volume being number two, the source material is pulled from We Jazz LPs numbers 11 through 20. The artist has complete freedom. Volume 2 in the series happens with Carl Stone, a legendary figure in creative music. His career spans decades of unlimited musical innovation. Stone's recent output on Unseen Worlds, the label who has also been instrumental in issuing some of his remarkable earlier work, ranks among the most original art of our time and renders notions such as "genre" virtually meaningless. Here, We Jazz originals by Terkel Nørgaard, OK:KO, Jonah Parzen-Johnson and more are met here with a fresh sense of discovery, spun around and delivered ready for the turntable once again.
CURACAO BLUE TRANSPARENT VINYL, INSIDE OUT SLEEVE, OBI W/ LINER NOTES, PRINTED INNER SLEEVE WITH SOURCE ALBUM DESIGN REFLECTIONS.

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We Jazz Records kicks off their new series of archival 7" releases with Esa Pethman "In Belgium 1967" released 23 September 2022. The two-tracker is licensed from the Belgian VRT radio archives and both of the pieces are previously unreleased. Finnish jazz legend Pethman, heard here on alto flute and tenor sax, joins forces with European jazz greats such as Heinz Bigler, Uffe Karskov and Jean Fanis. This is a small but valuable piece of unheard European jazz history from the early heyday of modern jazz. The physical release is a quality "inside-out"-styled EP with 3mm spine and small center hole on the 45rpm vinyl. "Esa Pethman (b. 1938) was one of the key figures of modern Finnish jazz in the 1960s. His album The Modern Sound Of Finland was the first Finnish modern jazz album and his composition "The Flame" a true modern Fenno-jazz evergreen. In the mid 1960s, Finnish jazz was also taking its first international steps. Pethman's quintet took part in the first Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in June 1967. At the Montreux jazz band competition, the quintet came in fourth of the twelve contestants. Despite not winning the competition, the band got an honourable mention, and Pethman was now recognized outside Finland. In December 1967 Pethman travelled to Brussels. His visit was organised by the national Finnish broadcasting company Yleisradio and their jazz program producer Matti Konttinen. Konttinen was supposed to go to Brussels with Pethman, but the musician ended up traveling alone. In the Decca recording studios Pethman played two songs. He recorded a version of his most famous composition "The Flame", where he played the alto flute and was accompanied by Belgian musicians. On Swiss saxophonist Heinz Bigler's composition "Like Steel", Pethman played the tenor saxophone. The band was now more international, consisting of Bigler, the Italian Francesco Santucci, the Dane Uffe Karskov, a Belgian rhythm section and Pethman. After 55 years, Pethman still remembers Bigler's remarkable skills as a saxophonist.
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Lampen is Kalle Kalima and Tatu Rönkkö. Kalle plays guitar, Tatu plays percussions and sampler. Together they're Lampen, a duo making highly addictive "post jazz" with a musical heart far beyond genre. Call it what you will, but the main point is listening, and there's a high season for that coming as Lampen is set to release their debut album on We Jazz Records on "Kintsugi Gold" vinyl and digitally. Previously a CD only release (Karkia Mistika Records, 2020), "Lampen" presents two artists who have a knack at making music which opens up with each listen, pulling you deeper and deeper. Meditative passages flow by slowly as in a peaceful river stream, erupting into full rapids of sound when the time is right. This is sonic rafting for the curious listener. More

Ron Trent's masterpiece from 1993 "I Feel The Rhythm" in the rebound! For the first time together on one record with the remixes by Paul Johnson & Inner Experience which came out 1999 on Prescription Records - a must have!



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Big Love boss Seamus Haji commits four of the label’s freshest releases to wax for the third edition of ‘A Touch Of Love’. Opening the compilation are two releases from London-based deep house duo Saison, starting with the feel-good house track 'Spark It Up' featuring Miss Patty. This anthem of manifestation is the perfect fit for Big Love, with its uplifting message of self-worth resonating over a deep and lively bassline. Next up, Saison take Mike Dunn’s ‘It’s A Groove Thing’ and give the classic disco-cut a club-ready spin. On the flip, Big Love shines a spotlight on Seamus Haji, with the Art of Tones NYC Remix of ‘I Walk Alone (For Your Love)’ made in collaboration with Those Guys. Rounding out the collection is the label boss’s soul-steeped single ‘Better Come Again’ featuring London’s Phebe Edwards, exuding a timeless energy that is quintessentially Big Love. More

Pure Virgin EP, compiling 3 original tracks that were produce by Vietnamese artist "TrinhNu" during the most intense lockdown in Vietnam, is considered as a love letter to the early 90s dance music - unconventional, progressive and fearlessly fun. “A Shout Going Out” kicks off as a quasi-breakbeat House track, accompanied by the nostalgic samples. “The Cliffhanger”, inspired by European proto-Trance, offers a mystical ambience and a darker atmosphere to the club. On the other side, peak-time “Tu Nay” is the journey of ravey sounds with euphoric M1 synth-lines and classic samples. Liquid Earth guides “Tu Nay” into an orbit around a trippier and richer sphere of Tech House. More

Tracklisting:
A1 Frankel & Harper - Counter Strike
A2 Frankel & Harper - Armshouse
B1 Frankel & Harper - Return
B2 Frankel & Harper - Return (Al Wootton remix)

Release Note:
Frankel & Harper deliver the appropriately named "Return EP" on their council work imprint. following on from the "Crouching Tiger EP", CWR005 sticks to the signature Council Work sound, bringing together a fusion of UK Garage, Drum 'n Bass, Breakbeat, Dub and many other flavours. The 3 original tracks feature in the shape of Counter Strike, Armshouse and Return, with the release rounded off with an infectious, stripped back remix of the title track from Trule head honcho Al Wootton. From all out dance floor destroyers, to deeper and more cinematic textures, this collection of beats should easily find a home in many record bags. More

Repress!
Dark Grooves Records starts with the aim to rediscover cult tracks from Deep-House to Uk Garage and old-school Techno. This second release comes from the highly influential and prolific UK Garage producer, Jeremy Sylvester. His contribution to the UK scene has been fundamental since the early 90's under different aliases, showing his skills to move from house, through Drum n Bass and UK garage.
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Initially released as “Never Dull feat Crystal Waters "In My Mind (Disco Rave Edit)", mashing-up The Bucketheads’ classic “The Bomb” and Crystal Waters’ “Gypsy Woman”, this is the record that started it all and stormed the charts and radio waves!
The demand by dj’s and audience was overwhelming since day one. Clearly the cat was out of the box!
When Brazilian superstar-DJ Alok took the project on board, hired Ella Eyre for the vocals and asked legendary Kenny Dope to add his magic, it became known as Alok’s ‘Deep Down’, resulting in one of the biggest worldwide dance hits of 2022, exceeding the 75 million streams.
Now, the initial version “In My Mind” by Never Dull finally returns, as “Deep Down (Never Dull’s In My Mind remix)” and finally it's available on vinyl!
The B-side contains a unique extended version of the original “Deep Down” single version, created by Dutch veteran Ben Liebrand, resulting in the “Deep Down Extended remix”.
A pure dj-delight, which will a vinyl exclusive, only available on this unique 12” release.
Making this all together a not-to-be-missed package! More

Hello operator, you have a collect call from 1-800 Girls.
Ringing in their fifth releases following appearances on the label from Kasra V, Dream 2 Science, Brian Summers, Mark Seven and more, Feelings Worldwide line up three emotive rave cuts from long time friend 1-800 Girls.
Making serious noise across the digital airwaves and a piece of the furniture on your suggested panel on YouTube, 1-800 Girls delivers his second solo EP via Feelings. One for the sad crew who like to rave the release features three tracks filled brimming with thick pads and atmosphere for those long dark winter nights in the dance.
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Official reissue of this italo classic from 1985! More

FrescoEdits as usual give us huge re-edits from Italian and international scene. Digging in the depths, there’s a flavour for every occasion here that span the world over.

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You’d be hard pressed not to have been completely won over by Lovebirds and vocalist Stee Downes magnetic ‘Want You In My Soul’ back in 2011. A record that is as blissful as it is absorbing, a true crossover that seemed to appeal to everyone and anyone, skyrocketing prices up to £200 for an original on Discogs. South Street continue their incredible run with a fully remastered, officially licensed reissue of this cherished cut.
Clocking in at over eight minutes ‘Want You In My Soul’ is as pure a modern deep house anthem as you’ll get. An extended intro that gradually builds in intensity from the echoing pads to the shimmering arps, before the pulsing synths and Stee Downes instantly recognisable soul infused vocals come to the fore. Packed with passion, brimming with emotion it’s about as sun kissed as you can get without getting burnt.
On the flip, the never before released ‘Summer In London’ edit, that gets straight down to business, shortening the lengthy intro and adding extra percussive touches for a more DJ friendly take on the original.
A highly sought-after EP, finally given the reissue it deserves - a must-have in any collection. More

2021 Repress!
Official re-release of this 'lost' 6-track mini album by New Yorker Ben Cenac (of Newcleus fame). Recorded and released in 1990 and is an absolute gem of a record - very much in the vein of Larry Heard's best recordings. MASSIVE TIP!

Electronic soul classic! Now available again for the first time in 22 years, remastered + full artwork.

'A truly, dreamy, beautiful classic deep-house mini-album from the golden-post-Larry Heard era. New-yorker Ben Cenac, who was also member of electro pioneers Newcleus (and part of Sha-lor, who had a cool jazzy garage-house hit in the late 80's), shows a great sensibility and delicacy here in following mr Heard's path.

His approach is perhaps slightly more sci-fi in the synths and pad sounds, and perhaps a tad less crafted and mercurial in production than the master (i.e. less timeless), but this adds in realness and charm.

So, past the classic deep-garage dream "My Love Turns To Liquid" (in the vein of these sultry garage productions from Peter and Vanessa Daou), the rest of the record shows constant quality, with song titles that could have been (or actually have been) used by Mr. Heard himself, and a content oscillating between warming deep-house, sweet acid, lush garage and relaxed spacejazz piano parts, the whole thing also evoking the Beloved's better 'rave' moments ("The Sun Rising" etc).

This record could be studied in university as the synthesis of the deep-house scene of the early 1990s. Classic.' (Review by Restless, taken from Discogs). More