Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: Fela Kuti's Alagbon Close, released in 1974, stands as one of his most powerful Afrobeat statements, criticising police brutality in Nigeria. The title track was inspired by two raids on Fela's home, where police searched for marijuana. After swallowing a planted joint, Fela was detained at Alagbon Close, the headquarters of Nigeria's Criminal Investigation Department, for three days while police waited for evidence. His cellmates, in what became known as the Kalakuta Republic, helped Fela escape prosecution. Fela's lyrics denounce the arrogance of the police, declaring that wearing a uniform doesn't place one above the law. The album also marked the beginning of his collaboration with artist Ghariokwu Lemi, whose iconic cover art became synonymous with Afrobeat. Recorded at the A.R.C. Studios, the album is fueled by tight polyrhythms and fiery organ and horn sections, with Fela's sharp political commentary at the forefront. On Side-2, 'I No Get Eye For Back', offers a more groove-driven, mostly instrumental track, showing the collective talents of Africa 70. Together, these tracks solidify Alagbon Close as a timeless work of rebellion and musical innovation.

Review: Recorded in 1964 at the great Café Au Go Go in Greenwich Village - just months after Astrud Gilberto’s 'Girl from Ipanema' became a Top Five pop hit - this live album from the Stan Getz Quartet in live euphony with the Brazilian vocal phenom marks a pivotal moment in both musicians’ careers. Steering away from her original, traditional Brazilian bossa nova, Gilberto embraced a North American jazz influence here. A young Gary Burton is heard on vibraphone, with Kenny Burrell also on guitar, Gene Cherico on bass, and Joe Hunt on drums - some further percussive substitutions by Helcio Milito (drums) and Chuck Israels (bass) appear in later sets. At the time, Astrud was not a professional singer, but she was asked to sing with Getz because her spouse, fellow bossa nova chanteur João Gilberto, was reluctant to sing in English.

Review: Daniel Sommer's Sounds & Sequences, the second entry in his Nordic Trilogy, ventures deeper into the nuances of Nordic improvisation. Featuring Norwegian trumpeter Arve Henriksen and Swedish bassist Johannes Lundberg, the album takes an adventurous approach, blending chamber music, spiritual jazz and ambient influences. Recorded at Gothenburg's Studio Epidemin, the trio navigated the sessions without set guidelines, letting intuitive improvisation guide each track. The album's atmosphere is distinctly expansive and haunting. In 'Vejen Til Epidemic', Henriksen's ethereal trumpet melodies float over Lundberg's deep bass and Sommer's textured cymbal accents, creating a tone both ominous and inviting. 'Hey, Superhero' adds a more aggressive edge, as Henriksen's airy trumpet soars against grounding basslines and Sommer's more assertive stick work. 'On Blue - Seven', subtle electronic touches and reverberant trumpet evoke a foghorn's call in a shadowy soundscape, while Beautiful Daisy brings in Henriksen's otherworldly falsetto, crafting an eerie, ritualistic feel. The title track's primal drumming and electronic effects add a rock-infused urgency, with Henriksen's falsetto peaking in a raw crescendo. Sounds & Sequences boldly explores Nordic soundscapes, blending electronic and acoustic realms in a stirring album.

Review: At 88, Ebo Taylor, the legendary Ghanaian highlife and Afrobeat pioneer, made his U.S. debut at the Jazz Is Dead concert series, captivating audiences nationwide. This historic visit coincided with the recording of Ebo Taylor JID022, a groundbreaking psychedelic afrobeat album produced with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Younge expressed the significance of this collaboration, likening it to working with Fela Kuti, emphasising the dream of capturing Ebo's essence on analog tape. The album features swirling horns, gritty guitars and polyrhythmic percussion reminiscent of Taylor's seminal 1970s work, alongside spiritually rich backing vocals that evoke a sense of nostalgia. Ebo's heartfelt lyrics, exploring themes of love, peace and spirituality, resonate with nearly a century of wisdom. Tracks like 'Beye Bu, Beye Ba' and 'Kusi Na Sibo' impart life lessons on gratitude and divine provision, solidifying Ebo Taylor JID022 as an essential addition to his storied catalogue and a crown jewel for Jazz Is Dead. This release coincides with his eagerly anticipated tour across the Americas, showcasing the enduring legacy of a true musical icon.

Review: At 88, Ghanaian highlife and afrobeat legend Ebo Taylor made his first-ever journey to the US, performing in the Jazz Is Dead concert series. These shows, which sold out across the country, led to an unexpected and electrifying collaboration between Taylor, Adrian Younge, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. The result is a psychedelic afrobeat album, recorded at Younge's Linear Labs studio, that's bound to thrill fans of both classic West African funk and afrobeat purists. The album channels the raw energy of Ebo's 70s recordings, with swirling horns, fuzzed-out guitars, and the unmistakable polyrhythmic percussion that made Taylor a revolutionary figure in African music. "Collaborating with Ebo Taylor is a bucket-list accomplishment," says Younge, likening the experience to working with another afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti. The analog recording style, embracing the gritty textures of 70s Africa, gives this album an authenticity that's impossible to ignore. Tracks like 'Beye Bu, Beye Ba' and 'Kusi Na Sibo' exemplify Taylor's profound lyricism. His reflections on love, spirituality, and gratitude echo his decades-long career, while the ensemble of Ghanaian vocalists adds a spiritual depth that transports listeners back to his prime. Ebo's son, Henry Taylor, also features, proving himself a formidable talent in his own right. This album is not just a nod to the past but a crowning achievement in Taylor's enduring legacy. For connoisseurs of afrobeat, it's a standout moment in both Ebo's catalogue and the growing canon of the Jazz Is Dead series.

Review: Ebo Taylor, a towering figure in highlife and afrobeat, recorded his latest album during his debut US touria milestone that came at the remarkable age of 88. Teaming up with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Taylor crafted a psychedelic journey steeped in 70s-inspired rhythms. Tracks like 'Beye Bu, Beye Ba' and 'Kusi Na Sibo' reflect his spiritual depth and lyrical wisdom, exploring themes of gratitude and divine guidance. Recorded at Linear Labs, the album pulses with fuzzed-out guitars, polyrhythmic percussion, and Taylor's signature vocal style, standing as both a testament to his enduring brilliance and a crown jewel in the Jazz Is Dead series.

Review: Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad share the 21st volume in the 'Jazz Is Dead' series, the LA-based "love story" founded by the pair in the fallout of the latter's involvement in A Tribe Called Quest. Jazz Is Dead is a longstanding series committed to unearthing and re-sharing the jazz artists who, after initial releases, found continual success in the continua of hip-hop and pop, especially by way of being sampled by other artists. That said, all the artists featured share new contributions to the series, rather than reissued goldies. A new eight-track record, this is yet another LP, one that multiplicitously celebrates and continues the legacies of the greats: chief among them this time is Ghanaian highlife and afrobeat pioneer Ebo Taylor - whom at 88 years old contributes the jolly synth-sonic rivulet 'Obi Do Woa', a sagacious modernising of his originally 70s and 80s psycho-beat sound - and Antonio Carlos e Jocafi, who updates, in the label's own words, "some of the sweetest samba-soul of the 1970s by way of Salvador, Bahia," Brazil. An all-out arsenal of differential Afrobeats (among other kinds of beat), packaged and presented for the modern listener gripped by an insatiable curiosity for the past.

Review: Jazz Is Dead 021 is a celebration of legendary artists and their timeless sounds, pressed on vibrant red vinyl. Produced by label founders Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, this series transports listeners from the funky rhythms of Ghana to the psychedelic soul and samba of Brazil. The collection features new, all-analog recordings from iconic musicians like Ebo Taylor, Dom Salvador, Hyldon, and more, offering a fresh take on their influential styles. At 88, Ebo Taylor recorded a powerful afrobeat album, one of his most seminal works of the 1970s. Meanwhile, Brazilian masters like Carlos Dafe, Dom Salvador, and Hyldon return to their roots, blending jazz, funk, and samba with Younge and Muhammad's modern sensibilities. The dynamic duo Antonio Carlos e Jocafi, along with Joyce and Tutty Moreno, also contribute rich, anthemic albums that resonate with their classic sounds. Come celebrate the legends and their enduring impact with this stunning edition.