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The Sonic Boom Series is a compilation that will appear on Giantstep.net. These volumes will be filled with new or exclusive material from a myriad of artists from different genres.
credits
released 14 March 2013
Compiled by Maiya Norton for Giant Step.
VERMILLION SKIES, the ninth studio album from New Zealand jazz icon Nathan Haines is due for release on Friday, March 29. Vermillion Skies promises to be a career defining release, bringing together the many threads of Nathan’s musical life to this point, with the addition of .Nathan singing two self penned originals, and featuring the sound of a six-piece horn section.
The follow up to 2012’s THE POET’S EMBRACE, most of VERMILLION SKIES was written in London where Nathan and his wife Jaimie re-located to last year. With a spartan studio set-up of a small midi keyboard, walkman speakers and of course his tenor saxophone, Haines set about to put his new life in London into sounds – and words. Tongue firmly in cheek, Haines expounds on topics from dressing in 80’s garb, staying up all night and watching the sun come up over a London cityscape draped in Vermillion shadings, to never knowing who you may run into on the once very dangerous London streets.
With Mike Patto at the production helm, once again the album oozes analog warmth, with all band performances recorded together and captured via York St Studio’s 1974 EMI Neve and a vast array of vintage microphones.
However this time Patto and engineer Simon Gooding tried something very unique when it came to reverb and echo – a speaker and stereo microphones in York Street’s vast caverned wooden ceilinged car park and a disused large upper room served as a live echo chamber, with parts of the mix sent to naturally reverberate, then recorded and put back onto the final mix.
Nathan further explains – “That live reverb sound is something myself and Mike have been dreaming about for years. On THE POET’S EMBRACE we used a vintage plate reverb, but this time we wanted that huge real sound of an echo in a room. It sounds amazing on everything!”
Luckily the reverbs had already been recorded by the time irate neighbours phoned York St to complain, with one caller almost in tears saying “there’s been really loud saxophone coming out of the carpark all weekend!”
Also on the album are pianist Kevin Field on a 12 foot Steinway grand piano, drummer Alain Koetsier with his classic sound of fire and polyrhythms and acoustic bassist Ben Turua who provides a superb and solid foundation in the bass department.
VERMILLION SKIES builds on the classic sound of, THE POET’S EMBRACE, (which debuted in the Top 15 on the Official NZ Music Albums Top 40 chart), but takes it even further with the inclusion of a six piece brass section made up (unusually) of two flugels, two french horns and two trombones.
“I wanted a Birth of the Cool sound for the brass section on this album” describes Haines, referencing the classic 1949 Miles Davis album which was opposite in sound from the blaring dance band trumpets popular of the day.
Haines is currently one of the finalists for the RIANZ Jazz album of the year Tui Award for his album, THE POET’S EMBRACE. The winner ofRIANZ Jazz album of the year will be decided at the National Jazz Festival in Tauranga on Sunday, March 31.
VERMILLION SKIES is available to pre-order on iTunes and all physical retailers now. All iTunes pre-orders will also include an instant download of the album’s first single, ‘First Light’.
To downtempo aficiandados and beat junkikes alike, Compost Records need no introduction. As one of the groundbreaking labels of nu jazz, house and organic sounds, Compost have more than 400 releases to its credit. The variety and full spectrum of Compost’s repertoire has never or rarely been presented in form of a musical genre compilation. Now this rich back catalogue serves as the basis of the label’s new Various Artists digital download compilation series. These releases are compiled or DJ-mixed by Compost’s artists and are available as digital downloads, except in some rare cases very very limited as 500 CDs.
“Compost Records Releases V.A. – Compost Vocal Selection (Brothers) Merging” showcases the vocal talents Robert Owens, Victor Davies, Colonel Red, Marc Frank, Joseph Malik, Ovasoul 7, Jamie Lloyd, Ernesto and many more. The fourteen tracks are a journey through a variety of genres and moods: From the deep folk electronic of Zwicker, the latin-jazz by Intuit and the spoken word by General Electrics to the beats by Wagon Cookin’, Daniel Magg, Phreek Plus One and TJ Kong & Nuno dos Santos. Giving you post broken beats by Beanfield and Kyoto Jazz Massive. Ending with some classic crooning from Les Gammas and funky soul by Muallem and Alex Attias.
“Compost Records Releases V.A. – Compost Vocal Selection (Brothers) Merging” was compiled by Rupert & Mennert, residents of Den Helder, The Netherlands. From the depths of the Compost vaults vocal tracks were selected and mixed by Rupert & Mennert. The duo broadcast the radioshow Weird Pigs. They also remix tracks and invent new concepts about making music. One of those mysterious new concepts is called: Brain Connection Series, also on Compost Records. You can expect more Compost Selections from their Rupert & Mennert.
FULL TRACKLISTING:
1. Zwicker – Prism (Featuring Serpentine)
2. General Electrics – Take You Out Tonight (Feat. Lateef the Truth Speaker)
3. Intuit – Western Sunrise (Featuring Andy Bey)
4. General Electrics – Facing That Void (Featuring Maroons)
5. Wagon Cookin’ – Start To Play (Featuring Aqeel 72)
6. TJ Kong & Nuno dos Santos – Merging (Feat. Robert Owens)
7. Phreek Plus One – True (I Know It) (Featuring Ovasoul7)
8. Beanfield – Someone Like You (Featuring Ernesto)
9. Daniel Magg – Set For Seizure (Featuring Gentlerain)
10. Kyoto Jazz Massive – Deep In Your Mind (Featuring Victor Davies)
11. Les Gammas – All Of Me
12. Alex Attias Presents Mustang – Help Me (Featuring Colonel Red)
13. Joseph Malik – Evil Things (Bobby Hughes Combination remix)
14. Muallem – Holla (There’s Sun In Primrose) (Featuring Marc Frank)
It’s well known that throughout the 20th century, fed up with poor working conditions and racism in their home country, many American jazz musicians chose to leave the US in order to live and work in Europe. What’s less well known is how their music developed and evolved during their time on the continent, and how the experience of being a musician in Europe was to shape their respective lives.
Over the years countless jazz concerts, festivals and recordings featuring American jazz musicians have taken place all over Europe, yet it’s remarkable how few of these musical artifacts have been evaluated by the jazz community. We seek to assess the European experiences of the American jazzmen, with a specific focus on the progressive sounds of modal jazz and the avant garde. We examine the recordings made by those who crossed the Atlantic just to take in a short tour, as well as those who made more frequent trips, and of course those for whom Europe ultimately became their permanent place of residence.
Radical new jazz sounds created as renowned ex-pat American jazzmen mingled with the creme de la creme of their European counterparts. Early developments in world music inspired by trans-global cultural excursions to Asia, Africa and beyond. Exchanges of ideas and a cultural meeting of minds as revolutionary jazz festivals took place behind the Iron Curtain. Advances in rhythm and sound where modal jazz and the prophetic music of John Coltrane merged with European folk traditions. This is Spiritual Jazz – as played by Americans in Europe.
TRACK LISTING
1. Studie Nr. 1 For 12-Saitige Gitarre – Pierre Cavalli Ft. Sahib Shihab
2. Jazz Rule – Johnny Hawksworth & Hampton Hawes
3. Born & Shake – Clarence Peters
4. The Call – Sahib Shihab
5. Enlightenment – Sun Ra
6. Summertime – Albert Ayler
7. Mode For Trane – Billy Gault
8. T – And – W – Frank Wright Sextet
9. When – Grachan Moncur III
10. Humus – Don Cherry & The New Eternal Rhythm Orchestra
11. Five, Four And Three – Lee Konitz
12. Ole – Noah Howard Group
13. The Creators – Bobby Hutcherson & Harold Land Sextet
14. Springtime – Eric Dolphy
Cesaria Evora’s velvet-and-grit voice flowed from her humble beginnings and from her striking intuition for interpretation. Evora put Cape Verde and its characteristic musical form, the bluesy and bittersweet morna, on the global map. When she passed late in 2011, the world lost one of its most distinctive artists.
From her career as a bar singer in the Cape Verdean city of Mindelo to her triumph on Europe’s foremost stages, Evora kept her trademark style. Engaging but never pandering, she managed to woo the world, often performing with no shoes to earn the name “the barefoot diva.” Over the course of eleven studio albums, Evora and her close collaborators—including producer and longtime champion Jose da Silva—gathered a plethora of high-quality performances, songs that worked on their own but didn’t quite fit on a particular album. Now these gorgeous, characteristically subdued yet passionate tracks are finally seeing the light, with Mãe Carinhosa (Mother Affection, Lusafrica; March 5, 2013).
With exquisite instrumentation behind her, Evora’s voice sounds as fresh and melancholy, as sweet and heartfelt as ever. With songs by Evora’s favorite songwriters and with cameo appearances by musicians like Manu Dibango (who plays marimba on “Esperança”), Mãe Carinhosa draws on Evora’s love for mornas (the lush “Dor di Sodade”) and rollicking coladeras (“Tchon da Franca”), for wry lyrics (the almost goofy but instructive culinary mix up in “Cmê Catchôrr”) and deep emotion (the touching “Mãe Carinhosa“).
From Humble Roots to a World famous Diva
No one would have guessed, had they walked in a bar in Mindelo and looked at Evora, what surprising stardom lay in store for the singer. No one, except Jose da Silva, a producer with roots in Cape Verde. He heard the singer, crooning in a bar for a few bills from the folks who came through port, and encouraged her to cut an album. She did, reluctantly at first due to her family obligations. Then she cut another, and another. A few years later, after she and da Silva found the perfect sound to buoy her distinctive voice, she was selling out major venues and winning major music awards. (Evora has both a Grammy and a Legion de Honneur to her credit.)
When not touring intensively, she was recording. Without meaning to, Evora collected a small store of unreleased tracks from her work in the studio. Following her death in late 2011, da Silva felt reluctant to release a posthumous album. Until he saw the surge of tributes and sadness at diva’s passing, and the unrelenting interest in follow-up albums.
“I was flooded with ideas and projects after Cesaria died,” da Silva recalls. “People suggested we do cover albums, fancy tributes, that kind of thing. I decided we should keep it simple, and give the world a new album of songs that, for various reasons, had never made it onto an album before.”
da Silva insisted on maintaining Evora’s demanding standards for album cohesion, and tried to craft an arc, a seamless experience for listeners, be they dedicated fans or recent converts. With many of the tracks nearly complete, it was more a matter of finding a unified, harmonious whole from pieces sometimes recorded decades apart.
The result captures Evora’s many facets, from the earthy and ribald to the sorrowful yet passionate. Filled with tales of longing and distance—the call of Cape Verde to the many homesick migrants who have been forced to leave the islands—Mãe Carinhosa channels all of Evora’s toughness and tenderness.
From Ninja Tune: Solid Steel (8th March) DK back this week with the superb Cid Rim remix for Chvrches, another spin for Romare and the FaltyDL remix for Dobie, reminiscent of the next track, Wagon Christ’s remix of Extreme Possibilities. Then it’s two from Letherette, one via a Dorian remix, tough Brazilian batucada from Alma Brasileira and Forss fr Concept om 2003. This leads into a classic from Cymande, new music from Bonobo and Four Tet, Moodyman from ’98 and Daphni laced with ‘Dis poem’ by Mutabaruka, who crops up again with Kalbata. We wind down with The Underachievers from their mixtape on Brainfeeder and close with jazz from Billy Cobham and Michel Urbaniak.
We welcome back J Rocc for our 25th Anniversary slot in hour 2, having featured on Solid Steel back in 2005 and also played at the Solid Steel night at Cargo for the ‘Keep in Time’ release. He’s a man that’s also known for his Broadest Beats and for this mix he opens with Krautrock legends Faust and moves through similar 70’s jazz/prog/rock territory with The Abstract Truth from South Africa, Lokomotive Kreuzberg from Germany and Psychedelic Rock from South Korea with He 6! Then it’s a sharp turn into an 80’s New Wave and a leftfield disco selection featuring music from Doris Norton (an 80’s Italian Delia Derbyshire), Das Ding, Dominatrix, Klein & MBO and Visage, all mixed to perfection as you’d expect from the founder member of the Beat Junkies.
Heidi Vogel debuts her solo album ‘Turn up the Quiet’ following on from her many successes with the critically acclaimed Cinematic Orchestra (Ninja Tune). A deeply moving collection of classic 60s/70s Brazilian songs, interpreted and presented in a unique, intimate fashion and with a timeless sound.
Heidi has a voice that comes from the deepest places of the heart. Her honest interpretation of songs, and powerful stage presence make her an utterly beguiling performer and this is the blend that emerges from her debut solo album ‘Turn up the Quiet’ where she elegantly interprets songs of great composers such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes and Joe Henderson.
Recorded and mixed by Demus at Fish Factory & Mancrush Studios, this album showcases the singer’s undeniable connection and resounding passion for Brazilian music. Her capacity to unfurl long-lined melodies unveils her intimate yet direct presence that goes beyond genre or style. Heidi is accompanied throughout the album by the very talented guitarist Josue Ferreira as well as guests musicians including vocalist Cleveland Watkiss, pianist Austin Peralta and Ivo Neame. The album is enhanced further by remixes from The Cinematic Orchestra, IG Culture and Emanative.
Initially making her professional debut touring with Cirque du Soleil, she became a frequent face in the London and LA jazz & soul scene where she became involved with The Cinematic Orchestra as their lead singer. This platform established her extraordinarily rich and complex vocal timbre and built her reputation outside of her home city of London, UK. By 2007, Vogel had toured all over the USA, Australia, South Africa, Canada and Europe and ended the year with a sold out concert at The Royal Albert Hall and a stunning performance live on the Jimmy Kimmel TV show. She then went on to perform the main stage at The Big Chill Festival UK in 2010, and the following year graced the stage as support for Erykah Badu at Dubai’s Chill Out Festival amongst numerous other appearances at North Sea Jazz Festival, Coachella, Gilles Peterson Worldwide and Blue Note Jazz Festival. With every performance, Heidi has been steadily exceeding her rich vocal abilities whilst gaining influential critics’ approval as a soloist.
Her signature musicality and technique which entrances the listener is captured perfectly in this full-length offering “Turn up the quiet” which Far Out is delighted to present to a new audience.
Nigerian icon and Afrobeat originator Fela Kuti passed away 15 years ago but to this day his legacy lives on across the globe with his still-relevant, forthright political views and powerful music. The complete works of Fela, consisting of almost 50 albums, are now being re-packaged, with in-depth track commentaries written by Afrobeat historian Chris May, and prepared for a three-batch re-launch between March and September 2013.
The re-release programme will be spearheaded on 4 March 2013 by the release of The Best Of The Black President 2, a 2CD collection with foreword written by Senegalese-American R&B/hip-hop artist Akon. The twelve tracks (none under 10 minutes) include 1975’s “Everything Scatter”, probably one of the ultimate Afrobeat tracks, as well as an extended version of the classic “Sorrow Tears and Blood”, inspired by the South African apartheid regime’s crushing of the Soweto uprising in 1976. Fela recounts stories such as police having unsuccessfully attempted to charge Fela for possession of weed (“Expensive Shit”) and speaks out about the practise of skin-bleaching among Nigerian women (“Yellow Fever”).
Fela’s final period of recording is covered too with 1992’s “Underground System (Part 2)”, inspired by Fela’s friend, Burkina Faso’s revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara and his assassination. A special deluxe edition of The Best Of The Black President 2 also includes a DVD of Fela’s legendary 1984 Glastonbury concert. In his introduction Akon writes: “Despite everything they threw at him, Fela’s music and his message never lost their way. He was always real and he was always with the people. That’s why we love and miss him all the more.”
Fela was very vocal in his views, with biting, acerbic critiques of European cultural imperialism, corrupt African governments and any forms of social injustice. This did not go down well with Nigeria’s military regimes during the 70s and 80s who routinely harassed and brutalised Fela and his supporters. Two hundred arrests, serious beatings that left scars all over his body whilst fighting for those who had ‘drawn life’s short straw’, never stopped him from coming forward, again and again. “Ah well, they didn’t kill me,” he would say. On 2 August 1997 Fela died – and a million people, the people he fought for, came to his funeral in Lagos to pay their last respects.
Akon, who grew up on Fela’s music, believes “Fela’s political beliefs were ahead of their time in so many ways, not least in their global vision. Today, the most influential protest movements – the environmental campaigners, the Occupy activists – have global perspectives … It is a risky business attributing opinions to people who have passed, but it’s safe to say that Fela would almost certainly have stood alongside today’s environmental and economic activists, and that he would just as certainly have approved of their global outlook.”
And Afrobeat, the music Fela created, didn’t die. Fela’s sons, Femi Kuti with his band Positive Force and Seun Kuti with Fela’s band Egypt 80, both travel the world and release their albums, keeping the flame burning brightly. But it’s not just Nigerian Afrobeat artists who make sure Afrobeat can be heard all over the planet: There are now in excess of 50 Afrobeat bands operating in Europe, the United States, Britain, Japan and Australia.
Fela even made it to Broadway: the Broadway hit musical, Fela!, recipient of 11 Tony nominations and three awards, directed by Tony award-winner, Bill T. Jones, with producer-backing from Jay-Z, Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith among others, continues to play in the world’s most prestigious theatres. In 2011 the musical ‘came home’ to Lagos, opening at the New Afrika Shrine (the venue which was opened by Fela’s children Femi and Yeni in 2000 to replace Fela’s original Shrine) and then on to the Eko Center on Victoria Island where it received a tumultuous reception, playing to 3,500 people each night. The show commences touring once more in February 2013 across the United States (see http://www.felaonbroadway.com/) and then culminates with a season during the Chekhov Festival in Moscow.
In recognition of Fela’s burgeoning global stature, Oscar-winning filmmaker, Alex Gibney, is currently making the definitive Fela documentary, due for cinematic release in 2013. Also, a feature film of Fela’s life and times is in the works with Focus Features, directed by Turner Prize and BAFTA winner, Steve McQueen.
Back in Lagos, Fela’s old home, Kalakuta, has recently been transformed into the Kalakuta Museum, aided by a $250,000 grant from Lagos State Government who finally, and thankfully, have recognised his international cultural significance. Fela’s continuing relevance in his home country was made clear during the recent national protests at the government’s removal of the oil subsidy which effectively doubled the price of petrol overnight. His music was anthemic to the huge ensuing nation-wide public demonstrations which become known as Occupy Nigeria. “Listen to what Fela was saying 30 years ago,” was heard all over the country “and it’s still true today!”
Meanwhile, the new phenomena of ‘Afrobeats,’ performed by a digital-age generation of young African artists, is entering the mainstream charts with Nigerian acts like D’banj and Wizkid leading the way. While musically and lyrically departing from Fela’s Afrobeat these artists are still paying homage to the man by adopting Afrobeats as the genre’s name, and at the annual Felabration festival in Lagos, held around Fela’s birthday (5 October), many of them perform in honour of one of Africa’s true icons.
‘The Best Of The Black President 2’ – Track-listing
CD 1:
1. Everything Scatter 10:31
2. Expensive Shit 13:11
3. Underground System (Part 2) 15:19
4. Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am 12:03
5. Monkey Banana 11:31
6. Sorrow Tears and Blood (Original Extended Version) 16:41
CD 2:
1. Black Man’s Cry 11:35
2. Mr Follow Follow 12:55
3. He Miss Road 10:45
4. Yellow Fever 15:10
5. Na Poi 13:30
6. Colonial Mentality 13:41
DVD (Deluxe edition only):
Fela Kuti performing at the Glastonbury Festival 1984 (60 mins)
John Tripp Creative 