Essential Funk, Soul, and Jazz grooves finally unearthed
Highly regarded lost classics — never reissued until now.
At last, here they are in all their Funky glory!

Download card included!

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Citation - "Inspiration of My Life"

Led by Nate Jones, Citation was a vocal group from Highland Park, on the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, that recorded two seven-inches on the seventies. Sean Brown, Terence Forsyth, Clayton Hooker and Walter Jones were the other voices of this band that gave us the highly collectable “Inspiration of live”, pressed 1977, by Red Line Records, the small independent that also unveiled North by Northeast's “Disco unusual”.
A superb midtempo Harmony Soul stepper that gives you goosebumps every time is played.
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Cho-Ko "Tried and Cried"

There´s almost no clues about Cho-Ko.
It seems the band must have been active on the early eighties on Waterford, a small town on the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan.
They only recorded one single, in 1982, which also is the sole edition of Alternating Current, a label they must have created to put it on the market.
Once again, “Tried and cried” is a b side and the only reason for this elusive seven-inch to be on the wantlists of most of Modern Soul collectors.
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The Aferton Project -"Nowhere"

Dave Hoffman, Tom Deglman, Mark Janas, Boe Perry, Ken White, Kevin McGlennon and the great jazzy voice of Jill Kennedy were the core members of The Aferton Project, but also of Aferton Records, a small label from Springfield, Illinois.
Created by Hoffman as an output of Deglman's Drc Studio, the two LPs and nine singles released by Aferton Records, being Prog or Jazz Rock, AOR, Soul or Funk, credited to Satchitananda, The Force or Boe Perry, are all linked to these musicians.
“Nowhere” came out as a seven-inch in 1978 and was used as the opening track of “The Aferton Project Volume One”, the band's double LP release one year later, and it's the masterpiece signed by the collective.
A beautiful slice of “Blue-Eyed Jazzy Modern Soul”, with masterful musicianship, amazing arrangements, sublime vocals and a sharp use of the synth, that's perfect for the most discerning dancefloors.
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Ice-O-Matic - "Bein' Nice"

Conrad Johnson, Charlie Sporck, Eddie Dodds, Rooty Van Overen, Alvin Reed and Windfield Scott formed Ice-O-Matic, in Monterey, California, at the end of the seventies.
Trying to break through, the band booked a session at the Super Sound Studios, a local institution where The Beach Boys registered some records in 1978.
The two songs recorded there would be self-released on a seven-inch, that is their only record. “Bein' nice” is the b side of this record, pressed by their own Cold Cut Productions, it's a Modern Soul Masterpiece.
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Coleus – "Wonder why"

The only seven-inch recorded by Coleus is as much of a mystery as the band itself. The names in the credits of the label don't add much info, even if some state that Bobby Green, one of the composers of “Vegetatian delight”, the male Funk a-side of the record is the sax player on Webster Lewis' band on part of the seventies.
“Wonder why”, the b female side of this record pressed by Bell Tree Productions, is a true Soul Jazz masterpiece.
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Clonzo May’s Sextet – “Your Heaven is Too Late”

“Your Heaven Is Too Late" by Clonzo Mays' Sextet is a soulful ballad released in 1977 on Gibraltal Records. The track was issued as a 7" vinyl single, paired with the B-side "We Are Naturally High" . This release has become a sought-after item among collectors of rare soul and funk music.
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Oasis II Oasis – “I miss you”

“I miss you” It's the only thing Oasis II have done, the only thing RePete Records launched, the song Elvester Hobdy had written and the only record Lepoleon Peterson and Lonnie Reaser ever produced.
“I miss you” is the B-side of this rare and collectable seven-inch, pressed in 1979 at Deltron Record Pressing in Lafayette, Tennessee, and it's a fabulous Soul ballad comp'd for the first time in this exclusive collective.
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Arejay – “Kansas City Girl”

Arejay is an alias of Robert James, a brother of Larry James, the leader of Fat Larry's Band.
Unlike his brother, Arejay had a very successful career: with his band, but also playing with the legendary Delfonics, The Blue Magic or even as a manager of Slick, Robert only recorded this rare and collectable record, pressed on a seven-inch and on an almost impossible to get twelve-inch, that had only 100 copies.
“Kansas city girl” is the b side of this pearl recorded in 1983, at Hitman Studios in Hollywood, California. A supreme stepper that assured this Philly born singer a cult status amongst the connoisseurs in the Soul community.
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M & M Co. - Devoted to you

Very little is known about Carl McIntyre, Sam Moncivaiz and their M & M Co. project.
We know they were both Christians devotees. And that their only LP is a collection of religious songs, that reflect the AOR sound of the moment. It was recorded in 1980, at The Sound House in Hollywood, California.
There are no clues about Carl McIntyre but Sam Moncivaiz had a previous recording experience as leader of the family based Moncivaiz Singers, a group from Arizona, that, in 1979, went to San Antonio, Texas, to issue their sole record through Amen Records.
“Devoted to you” is a great AOR song, perfect for today's Modern Soul scene, that borrows its title for the highly collectable LP of M & M Co.
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Frank Pisani – Please don't make it funky

Chicago native Frank Pisani did it all!
Between the mid-fifties and the beginning of the the eighties, he recorded almost twenty 45s and two LP, starting in Doo-Wop, Rockabilly, Teen Songs to finally embrace Soul and AOR Sounds, either solo or with The Highlights.
Pressed in 1980 by Happy Day Records, from Oak Park, Illinois, “Please don't make it funky” is a brilliant midtempo Blue-Eyed Soul beauty that earned him cult status from the more forward-thinking DJs of the Modern Soul scene.
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Sonny Khoeblal – “Arrival/Born Again”

Sonny Khoeblal is a distinguished Surinamese pianist, composer and educator renowned for his contributions to jazz, fusion, R&B, and world music. Khoeblal began his musical training at the age of six in Suriname and further honed his skills at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

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1981 Angola Killer Jazz-Funk

Jazz-Funk at its best and now re-edit by digei de bairro. You can't miss this jazz-funk gem made in Angola

In 1969 Duo Ouro Negro went on tour to the United States. Their experience there was decisive for what we would come to know three years later.
“Don't forget your blackground” Raul Indipwo would exclaim in 1972, the voice of ‘Blackground’, the Angolan band's landmark album. Awakened to the activism of Black Power, attentive to the jazz that was being created on American soil, combined with an interest in the independence movements of the African colonies, what was then the most international of Portuguese bands recorded an album in Lisbon that was a vibrant cultural statement through music. In 1981, “Blackground” was revised with new arrangements, including the instrumental “Iemenjá” and “Aruandaí”.

Acoustic Guitar – Milo MacMahon, Raúl Indipwo
Bass – Steve Neil
Drums – Zézé M'Gambi
Flute – Perikles
Guitar – João Maló
Organ – Terinho M'Umbanda
Piano – Emílio Robalo
Producer – Raúl Indipwo
Saxophone – Perikles

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Super Rare library recorded in 1980 by the powerful duo of percussionist Daniel Humair, one of the most avant-garde in the Swiss jazz evolution experiment, and the familiar and talented cellist Jean-Charles Capon (ex-Baroque Jazz Trio), who is associated with Jef Gilson and Henri Texier. A total of 15 songs that are a masterpiece in which the two performers' eye-opening acrobatics, including unexpected electric modulation, create an insanely hip groove at the edge of indigestion.

This magical production work was done by Christian Bonneau, a genius in the French radio music world who has worked on many national treasure-class libraries for Dominique Andre and Yan Tregger.

Licensed by Daniel Humair.

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ANOTHER KILLER DISCO FROM THE BAM JAM BAND

After taking by storm the global Disco community, with their quickly sold-out debut seven-inch, The Band Jam Band returns with another solid double sider.

"Keepin' on" it's a peak time raw and funky Disco Jazz instrumental, with a Latin inspired piano, a Gospel organ and a psychedelic synth solo, that will blow away the most discerning dancefloors.

"Something about love" is a meditative midtempo jam, perfect for a spiritual and soulful journey.

Already got support from Darryn Jones, Jacques Renault, Mike Sawe, Red Greg and Waxist!

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BOOGIE JAZZ FUNK AT ITS BEST

Rare 1985 session from guitarist Eddie Fisher, the East St. Louis native whose best known for the jazz/funk albums “The Next One Hundred Years” and “The Third Cup”. Fisher, who died in 2007, never really achieved major stardom, but has become a cult figure over the last years, thanks in large part to DJs and crate diggers who discovered his music and spread the word.

Perhaps the most obscure item in his catalog, “The Promise” was issued only on vinyl in 1985 on Fisher's own Nentu label and has been out of print for years . Boogie Jazz Funk at its best.

Licensed by Christina Fisher

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ANGOLA KILLER JAZZ-FUNK

Milo MacMahon and Raúl Indipwo, arrived to Portugal in 1959 and, over next three decades, they developed an international career in the music industry.

In addition to Portuguese and the various Angolan languages, the group recorded songs such as “Sylvie”, “La Kwela” and “Le Palmier” in French, among others, and also covered Latin American, Spanish-speaking, Brazilian and even North American repertoires, where on their various tours they came into contact with the struggle for the Civil Rights of the black population.

In 1969 Duo Ouro Negro went on tour to the United States. Their experience there was decisive for what we would come to know three years later. “Don't forget your blackground”, Raul Indipwo would exclaim in 1972, the voice of ‘Blackground’, the Angolan band's landmark album. Awakened to the activism of Black Power, attentive to the jazz that was being created on American soil, combined with an interest in the independence movements of the African colonies, what was then the most international of Portuguese bands recorded an album in Lisbon that was a vibrant cultural statement through music.

In 1981, “Blackground” was revised with new arrangements, including the instrumental “Dança do Robalinho”. Jazz-Funk at its best and now reissued for the first time in 7” format.
You can't miss this jazz-funk gem made in Angola.

Licensed by Ana Vitória Pereira

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180g vinyl + Deluxe hard-cardboard sleeve + OBI + resealable outer sleeve

This isn’t just a seminal album. It is an estuary. All the black rivers that would form Brazilian funk/hip-hop flow through it. Led by Paulista pianist Salvador Silva Filho – Dom Salvador – “Som, Sangue, e Raça” from 1971, one year after the explosion of Tim Maia on the scene, catalyzed the bossa nova and jazz background of its leader with the rhythm and blues of its members like saxophonist Oberdã Magalhães, nephew of samba-enredo master Silas de Oliveira and future leader of Banda Black Rio, who since the group Impacto 8 (which had, among others, Robertinho Silva on drums and Raul de Souza on trombone) had already been trying to reconcile MPB with Stevie Wonder and James Brown. Add to all this a mixture of samba, Nordestino accent, and even the black side of the Jovem Guarda represented by the authorial presence of Getúlio Cortes (older brother of Gerson King Combo, our James Brown “cover”) in ‘Hei! Você’. Alongside these elements and the presence of Rubão Sabino (bass), who still called himself ‘Rubens’, drummer Luis Carlos (another member of Black Rio), the record enlists the trumpet and flugelhorn of symphonic musician Darcy in place of the original Barrosinho (yet one more founder of Black Rio), who was traveling during the recording but would end up being a leading force of the band.



The album ‘Som, Sangue e raça’ paves the way for future generations of musicians and producers of the Carioca scene at the beginning of the 1970s. The lyrics that dealt with the question of race and the explosive fusion of samba, soul, jazz, and funk, elaborated by Dom Salvador and his troupe, Abolição, established the bases for the development of new sounds and tendencies in Brazilian music.

Tracklist:
Side A: A1.Uma Vida – A2. Guanabara – A3. Hei! Você – A4. Som, Sangue E Raça – A5. Tema Pro Gaguinho – A6. O Rio
Side B: B1. Evo – B2. Number One – B3. Folia de Reis – B4. Moeda, Reza E Côr – B5. Samba Do Malandrinho – B6. Tio Macrô



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DELUXE HARD-CARDBOARD SLEEVE COVER + 180g VINYL + OBI + DOWNLOAD CARD

Mad About Records officially reissues super rare private press Quintessence’s 1981 LP. With every famous jazz recording, many others remained on the shelf of oblivion without ever receiving the recognition they deserved, and this is the case of Quintessence.

Led by Ron Ancrum, with George Sovak, David Gaedeke, Winston Johnson and Steve Muse recorded an exceptional and fundamental album of 80's jazz.

If you are into Fender Rhodes, this is an LP to be collected.

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DELUXE HARD-CARDBOARD SLEEVE COVER + 180g VINYL + OBI

Private pressings have always been objects of demand and research by record collectors. In most cases, print runs were no more than 300 copies, and despite the total lack of recognition, this movement can be seen as a countercurrent act to the mass music industry. Private presses are non-commercial print runs distributed as a promotion or sold at concerts.

This was the case of Belair that, in 1980, recorded and sold the album “Relax, You're Soaking In It” at their own risk and distributed it in the San Francisco area. At the time, 1000 copies were pressed, which have become rare and highly desirable for collectors.



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DELUXE HARD-CARDBOARD SLEEVE COVER + 180g VINYL + OBI

Majoie Hajary is an atypical musician. Born in Paramaribo (Suriname) to Indian parents and raised in Amsterdam. In 1970, in France, accompanied by the best Jazz musicians and with arrangements by Roger Guerin, she recorded “La Passion Selon Judas”.

The result was an incredible fusion of Psych, Funk, Indian and Jazz elements – deep religious Jazz in the vein of Jef Gilson.

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DELUXE HARD-CARDBOARD SLEEVE COVER + 180g VINYL + OBI

A rare album, “Fisher” was originally released on the Nentu label in 1976.

Think Grant Green meets Eddie Hazel.



This LP has it all: gorgeous Soul Jazz, wahed-out fuzz Rock, dirty, head-nodding Funk Rhythms.

It's a monster psychedelic soul-funk instrumental album. This is less jazzy than the “Third Cup” and “The Next One Hundred Years”, released by Chicago’s Cadet label and more cosmic psych funk across both sides and gets super exploratory and trippy.



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The 70s Funky Northern Soul masterpiece by New York-born soul singer Judy Freeman is reissued for the first time on 7"



Ted Taylor was chronically unappreciated throughout his career. "Somebody's Always Trying" by Ted Taylor is a magnificent uptempo dance floor filler with a pounding rhythm, powerful drums, rocking horns and a great frantic, exasperated vocal. This stuff makes you immediately say, “Who is this?”


Licensed by Sony Music Portugal

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One of the greatest musicians in the history of Brazilian music. Conductor, composer, arranger, band leader and, without a doubt, one of Brazil's most brilliant sax and flute players.

In 68, Paulo Moura brought together a notable group from the country's jazz and instrumental music to record the album "Mensagem". He walked between African rhythm and American and European avant-garde, transforming the Brazilian soul.



Licensed by Halina Grynberg

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LP DELUXE EDITION

180g. VINYL + HARD CARDBOARD COVER + OBI

Killer French Boogie, Jazz-Funk album by the prolific arranger/composer Christian Gaubert, feat. Some of the key musicians of the French jazz scene of the 70s.

French Soul masterpiece with the Rare Groove classic “Sweet Maryline” and “Sweet and Fool Like a Child” beautifully reissued here and remastered from the original master tapes.
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released October 9, 2023

Piano [Fender Rhodes], Piano, Synthesizer – Christian Gaubert
Arranged By – Christian Gaubert
Baritone Saxophone – Jean-Louis Chautemps, Romain Mayoral
Bass Guitar – Jannick Top
Drums – Dino Latore
Drums, Percussion – Jean Schultheis
Electric Guitar – Claude Engel, Raymond Gimenes
Percussion – Marc Chantereau
Tenor Saxophone – Alain Hatot, Jean Pierre De Barba, Patrick Bourgoin
Trombone – Christian Guizien, Hamid Belhocine, Jacques Bolognesi
Trumpet – André Lidli, Freddy Houseplan, Kako Bessot, Tony Brenes
Vocals – Last Exit

Licensed by GM Musipro

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LP DELUXE EDITION 180g. VINYL + HARD CARDBOARD COVER + OBI + REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL INSERT + DOWNLOAD CARD

Fernando Oly is a musician who was part of Lô Borges' band and took part in the recording of the album "Via Láctea" in 1979. He placed one of his compositions among the album's tracks: "Chuva na Montanha", whose original version was also included on “Tempo Prá Tudo”


Licensed by Fernando Oly

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80g. VINYL + HARD CARDBOARD COVER + OBI + DOWNLOAD CARD

“300 MPH” debut album by Namaz was originally released in 1981 by German group led by guitarist Werner Goos. Jazz Fusion at its best with a Latin-Brazilian touch.

Licensed by Werner Goos

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GATEFOLD LP DELUXE EDITION
180g. VINYL + HARD CARDBOARD COVER + OBI

Leila Pinheiro is a legendary Brazilian singer, songwriter, and pianist. Over her 41-year career, she has released over 20 albums, showcasing her musical versatility and creativity. Her debut album, "Leila Pinheiro,” included the boogie anthem “Tudo em cima”, which featured the participation of renowned musicians such as Tom Jobim, Ivan Lins, Francis Hime, João Donato, and Lincoln Olivetti.


In 1970, Leila began her piano studies under the guidance of the legendary Guilherme Coutinho.

As part of celebrating the 40th anniversary of this important milestone in Brazilian music, Mad About Records presents a worldwide vinyl reissue for the first time.

Under exclusive License by Leila Pinheiro

Acoustic Guitar – Tunai, Toninho Horta, Alberto Arantes
Electric Guitar – Hélio Capucci
Electric Piano – Lincoln Olivetti
Guitar – Luiz Claudio, Hélio Capucci
Bass – Luiz Alves
Drums – João Cortez
Piano – Luís Avelar, Gilson Peranzzetta, Reinaldo Arias, Francis Hime, Antonio Carlos , Jobim Ivan Lins, João Donato
Bass – Jamil Joanes
Percussion – Ariovaldo
Bagpipes – Mauricio Einhorn
Producer [Direção de Produção] – Raymundo Bittencourt
Arranged By – Luís Avelar, Dori Caymmi
Technician [Técnicos de Gravação] – Eduardo Ramalho
Mixed By – Célio Martins, Max Pierre
Liner Notes – Billy Blanco
Gravado nos Estúdios da Sigla - RJ


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Grupo Medusa was one of the best instrumental bands in Brazil during the 70s and 80s, blending Jazz, African Influences, and traditional Brazilian Rhythms.

Formed By Chico Medori, Claudio Bertrami, Amilson Godoy and Heraldo do Monte.

Original release in 1981, reissued for the first time Worldwide.

Tracklist:
A1. Baiana – A2. Zeby – A3. Caminhos – A4. Medusa
B1. Pé No Ch?ão – B2. Asa Delta – B3. Uma Viagem – B4. Ponto de Fusão

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Strut proudly presents a new edition of one of Sun Ra's most celebrated albums, Sleeping Beauty, reissued in its original artwork for the first time.

Tracklist:

A1. Springtime Again 9:12

A2. Door of the Cosmos 8:53

B1/B2. Sleeping Beauty 11:48

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FTakuya Kuroda is a highly respected trumpeter and arranger born in Kobe, Japan and based in New York City. 'Midnight Crisp' is Takuya's seventh studio album, entirely self-produced and following 2020's highly acclaimed 'Fly Moon Die Soon', also released on UK label First Word (winner of the Worldwide Award's Label of the Year in 2019). Consisting of six new tracks, this once again sees Takuya displaying his unique hybrid sound, blending soulful jazz, funk, post-bop, fusion and hip hop.After following the footsteps of his trombonist brother playing in big bands, he relocated to New York to study jazz & contemporary music at The New School in Union Square; a course he graduated from in the mid-noughties. It was here that Takuya met vocalist José James, with whom he worked on the 'Blackmagic' and 'No Beginning No End' projects.Following graduation, Takuya established himself further in the NYC jazz scene, performing with the likes of Akoya Afrobeat and in recent years with DJ Premier's BADDER band. Premier said "The BADDER Band project was put together by my manager, and an agent I've known since the beginning of my Gang Starr career. He said, 'What if you put a band together that revolved around a trumpet player from Japan named Takuya Kuroda? He's got a hip-hop perspective and respect in the jazz field…"

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In an ever-expanding musical universe, Azymuth have long existed as a celestial giant, drawing countless artists, musicians and followers into their orbit. Marking fifty years since their 1975 debut album Azimuth, their new album Marca Passo proves that the band’s alchemic brew of Brazilian jazz-funk and cosmic samba soul remains as vital as ever, as the group honours the profound legacy of their departed founders.

Recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Marca Passo is the first full-length release since the passing of founding drummer Ivan "Mamão" Conti in 2023, following the earlier loss of keyboardist José Roberto Bertrami in 2012. Alex Malheiros, the sole remaining original member, sees his stewardship of the band’s musical legacy as his spiritual duty. He is joined by the equally devoted Kiko Continentino (Milton Nascimento, Djavan) on keyboards, who has been with the group since 2016, and new recruit Renato Massa (Marcos Valle, Ed Motta) on drums.

Yet since their earliest recorded music, Azymuth have always been far greater than the sum of their parts. The "three-man orchestra’s" unmistakable sound is rooted in Brazil's MPB studio scene of the 1970s and early 1980s—a time when artists blended traditional Brazilian rhythms with global jazz, rock, and emerging psychedelic and progressive elements. Marca Passo continues this legacy, seamlessly fusing Brazilian musical traditions with global influences while showcasing the exceptional musicianship that powers Azymuth's distinctive, multi-dimensional sound.

The album is produced by studio mastermind Daniel Maunick, responsible for Azymuth’s two previous studio albums, Fênix in 2016 and Aurora in 2011. Daniel’s credits also include albums by Marcos Valle, Sabrina Malheiros and Terry Callier. Azymuth also invited Daniel’s father, British jazz-funk royalty Jean Paul “Bluey” Maunick, of Incognito, to play guitar on a new version of Azymuth’s eighties classic “Last Summer In Rio”, in tribute to the song’s composer, José Roberto Bertrami. Equally, “Samba Pro Mamao” is a new composition dedicated to Azymuth’s beloved original drummer, Ivan “Mamão” Conti.

Credits:

Alex Malheiros - Bass, Acoustic Guitar & Vocals: 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Kiko Continentino - Keyboards, Organ, Vocoder & Vocals: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Renato Massa - Drums & Vocals: : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10
Ian Moreira - Percussion: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10
Sidinho Moreira - Percussion: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10
Dudu Viana - Keyboards & Vocals: 1
Victor Bertrami - Drums: 1
Mangueirinha - Repinique: 3
Jean Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick - Electric Guitar: 5
Jose Carlos Bigorna - Soprano Sax: 9
Daniel Maunick: Additional Percussion, Synths & EFX: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Produced, Engineered, Mixed & Arranged by Daniel Maunick
Co-Produced & Arranged by Alex Malheiros
Executive Producer: Joe Davis


Recorded by:
Daniel Maunick & Leonardo Vieira @ Estúdio Nos Trilhos, Santa Teresa, Rio, Brazil
Daniel Maunick & Amadeu Signorelli @ Sigstudio, Niterói, Rio, Brazil
Daniel Maunick & Alex Malheiros @ Estúdio Basslab, Piratininga, Rio, Brazil
Mixed by Daniel Maunick @ The Sugar Shack, Carluke, Scotland


Artwork & Design: Tyler Askew

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Germany's iconic deep funk collective digs into a new soundscape: "A Higher Frequency" was recorded with a nine-piece live to tape at legendary MPS studio in the Black Forest, adding an airy, jazzy flavour to their trademark raw and breaks-heavy funk. Ten tracks full of spiritual grooves, soulful themes, loose funkiness and organic interplay, captured with state-of-the-art 1960s gear in a super-vibey room - but the title A Higher Frequency is not just about the pristine analogue sound quality of the recording, it is also a reference to a trancendant wavelength where minds meet and music connects. Together with long-time friends and collaborators Daniel Kimaz on flute and Guillame Métenier, who worked his magic on the studio's historic Bösendörfer grand piano and Hammond organ, the group spent a week in the Black Forest, with full focus on the mission to capture the live energy and togetherness of the ensemble. The result is an album bursting with positive energy and power, rooted in a universal funk groove with excursions into many colourful branches like outernational, cinematic, soulful jazz, psychedelic & disco.

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Mighty Vertebrate is the International Anthem debut from Anna Butterss. The Adelaide born bassist / composer has been a first call for LA tour and studio work since relocating there in 2014 – racking up credits with notables across the experimental, jazz, and pop worlds alike – but their most notable contributions to the burgeoning LA scene have been as a member of both Jeff Parker’s ETA IVtet and rising proto-trance supergroup SML, who Pitchfork says “represents the thrilling next phase of a vibrant L.A. community.”

“I had just gotten off of a bunch of touring at the end of 2022 and just wanted to write music,” says Butterss. “The best way for me to do that, I’ve found, is to set myself a discreet and focused task."

I’m going to make a song where the bass doesn’t function in the role of a bass.
I’m going to work on this for an hour and then I’m going to stop.
I’m going to make a song that uses groups of three-bar phrasing.
I want to sample something and make it into a song.
I’m going to start with a drum machine.

The music itself reflects that structure beautifully, with the material being tightly
composed and melodically realized by Butterss well in advance of production concerns. Here they reconvene a group of trusted longtime collaborators to bring their compositions to fruition: Ben Lumsdaine (drums, guitar, production), Josh Johnson (sax), and Gregory Uhlmann (guitar), plus a smoking guest appearance from Jeff Parker. The breadth and scope of the results might have been difficult to achieve otherwise. From the Robbie-Shakespeare-in-groove-mode intro to the album opener “Bishop” to the spacious cinematic doom of “Seeing You”, there is a lot to wrangle into one cohesive concept. On Mighty Vertebrate, Butterss and crew do just that.

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Originally released in 2003, Marcos Valle’s Contrasts combined early noughties production techniques with his trademark Brazilian songwriting brilliance. The album quickly became one of Valle’s most in-demand, with tracks like the triumphant “Parabéns” (which was sampled by Childish Gambino, covered by Tom Misch and remixed by Misa Negra) and bossa beach classic “Agua de Coco”, both becoming firm fan favourites.

Produced by Roc Hunter, and executive produced by Joe Davis, with musicians including Robertinho Silva (percussion), Alex Malheiros (bass), and Marcos’ wife Patricia Alvi (vocals), Contrasts encapsulated Valle’s ever evolving musical vision, bringing together samba, baião, bossa pop, broken beat, house, trip-hop and more, on one era-defining record.

After 22 years, Contrasts is finally set for a double LP vinyl and CD reissue, with the original mix of “Valeu” and “My Nightingale” making it onto the vinyl edition for the first time.

Credits:
Marcos Valle: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Fender Rhodes, Organ, Melodica, Keyboards
Alex Malheiros: Bass
Renato Franco: Flutes, Saxophones
Trick: Trumpet, Flugel, Trombone
Patricia Alvi: Vocals
Robertinho Silva: Percussion, Drums
Leandro Sapucaí and Layse Sapucaí: Percussion
Roc Hunter: Programming

All arrangements: Marcos Valle and Roc Hunter
Producer: Roc Hunter
Co-Producer: Marcos Valle
Executive Producer: Joe Davis

Studios & Engineers:
Recording: Luis Claudio @ Castello Studio, Rio De Janeiro
Additional recording: Lula @ Century Studio, Rio De Janeiro
Mixing: Roc Hunter @ Rocit Studio, London
Mastering: Pete @ Heathmans, London
Vinyl Remaster by Stuart Hawkes @ Metropolis Studios

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Soundway Records delivers an exciting new compilation, diving ever deeper into South-East Asia. Ayo Ke Disco celebrates the musical identities emerging during the 1970s and 80s from the newly independent countries nestled around the South China Sea.

This time, Soundway’s long-time general manager Alice Whittington (aka DJ Norsicaa) steps into the limelight, embracing her Malaysian heritage and selecting music from her heavy collection of Asian records. Aside from steering the label, she is often found on international stages and radio stations playing an eclectic array of music.

For Ayo Ke Disco (meaning ‘Let’s go to the disco’ in Indonesian), 10 rare tracks of disco-funk, psychedelic funk, synth, city pop, and Hindustani-Arabic rhythms were painstakingly licensed from local labels – forming a snapshot of the vibrant discotheques and live scenes across Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

The vinyl release is also accompanied by the Ayo Ke Disco zine from Norsicaa, with extensive research on the history of music in South-East Asia, archival photos and exclusive interviews with some of the region’s most respected collectors.

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Following on from his previous debut album Tape 1/Tape 2 on Soundway, Felbm delivers Tape 3/Tape 4: an intimate, emotional, lilting and melodic solo project. These 14 lo-fi, instrumental, jazz-infused sketches were written on guitar, with cascading keyboards, vibraphone and drum machine. Possessing a restorative and soothing quality, it goes some way to balancing out a chaotic year for the world at large. With echoes of the dreamier end of 1980s English indie-pop, minimal ambient music and Brazilian bossa-nova, Topper"s musical storybook includes touches of The Durutti Column, hints of Antônio Carlos Jobim and Baden Powell, whilst all set firmly in the summer fields of Germany and the Netherlands. The recording method used for the creation and recording of Tape 3 and Tape 4 follows the same as his previous release: all sketches were initially recorded onto cassette on a 4-track tape machine. Most notably a vibraphone finds its way onto almost every track fitting Topper"s sound-palette perfectly: warm yet distinctive, a percussive as well as sustaining sound that evokes some melancholy and a certain timeless nostalgia. Features that most certainly also apply to the other "new" instrument on the tapes: mellotron flutes. Tape 3/Tape 4 navigates the space between quiet, open, meditative tunes and more solid instrumental works, reflecting his constant search for an optimal balance between stillness and movement.

Tracklist
1.1Filatelie
1.2Tartufai
1.3Tiquetonne
1.4Veluwe
1.5Herausweh
1.6Talmen
1.7Heisei
1.8Brunnengasse
1.9Colorists
1.10Langeweile
1.11Beaufort
1.12Somnambulant
1.13Regtur
1.14Midori

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**RSD 2025**

Nu bossa icon Sabrina Malheiros has released four now classic original studio albums for Far Out Recordings. Her first, Equilibria, was originally released in 2005, ascending the daughter of Azymuth bassist Alex Malheiros to international acclaim. Celebrating 20 years since it was first released—for Record Store Day 2025—Equilibria will be available on vinyl for the first time ever.

A masterful collection of sambas and bossas, Equilibria strikes the perfect balance between classic Brazilian songwriting and modern production courtesy of Far Out mainstay Daniel Maunick. The album features some of Brazil’s very best musicians including members of Azymuth, as well as Incognito frontman and guitarist Jean-Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick.

As one review put it, Equilibria is “guaranteed to turn your limbs to liquid…. Prepare to be swept away”

Tracks:
terra de ninguem
saudade rio missing rio
maracatueira
love sorte love luck
vibrasom vibrations
capoeira vai go capoeira
passa passes
equilibria equilibrium
Estacao verao summer station
eu sous mais eu i prefer myself


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**RSD 2025**
Far Out Recordings proudly presents a special Record Store Day 2025 reissue of L’Ora del Cocktail, an exquisite and rare gem by the legendary Italian composer and multi-instrumentalist Alessandro Alessandroni. Originally released in the golden era of Italian library music, L’Ora del Cocktail is a sonic masterpiece that encapsulates the sophistication of mid-century cocktail culture with Alessandroni’s unmistakable flair for magical melody and otherworldly brilliance.

Renowned for his work on iconic Spaghetti Western scores with Ennio Morricone and his groundbreaking contributions to library music, Alessandroni channels his genius into this album, blending jazz, bossa nova, and lounge music with his signature wordless vocal arrangements and lush instrumentation. Featuring his remarkable talent on guitar, piano, and mandolincello, this album paints a vibrant portrait of 1970s cosmopolitan cool.

This Record Store Day exclusive reissue has been remastered from the original tapes, offering crystal-clear fidelity while preserving the warm analog charm of the original pressing.

A must-have for soundtrack enthusiasts, library music collectors, and fans of timeless lounge grooves, L’Ora del Cocktail invites you to rediscover the magic of Alessandro Alessandroni in his element.


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SML is bassist Anna Butterss (Jeff Parker, Daniel Villarreal, Makaya McCraven), synthesist Jeremiah Chiu (Ariel Kalma, Marta Sofia-Honer), saxophonist Josh Johnson (Jeff Parker, Makaya McCraven, Nate Mercereau, Marquis Hill), percussionist Booker Stardrum (Amirtha Kidambi, Carl Stone, Lee Ranaldo, Patrick Shiroishi), and guitarist Gregory Uhlmann (Sam Wilkes, Meg Duffy, Perfume Genius). Their debut album Small Medium Large began as a collection of long-form improvisations recorded during two separate two-night stands at beloved Highland Park venue ETA

Tracklist
1.1Rubber Tree Dance
1.2Industry
1.3Herbie for Commercials
1.4Search Bar Hi Hat
1.5Window Sill Song
1.6Switchboard Operations
1.7Soft Sand
1.8Three Over Steel
1.9Chasing Brain
1.10History of Communication
1.11Feed The Birds
1.12Greg's Melody
1.13Dolphin Language

https://listen.k7.com/b7d4a647-d93c-4459-a87e-b6db0d5c8f29

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
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DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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