Review: No one's edits and disco bombs slap quite like Rahaan's. The US master of all things soulful and funky can tap right into your core with his work and this new EP on Hot Biscuit is the latest example of that. 'Get Up' opens with retro disco favours, funky guitars and lung-busting vocals that bring the heat. 'Zombies' sinks into a nice silky sound with sliding cymbals and hi hats and knotted bass, then 'How' slows it down a bit for a more playful and seductive disco sound with nice horns and squelchy bass. Three real heaters.
Review: In celebration of 50 years in the performing arts, Idris Ackamoor presents Artistic Being for Record Store Day 2025-a powerful blend of jazz, spoken word and activism. Featuring the voices of acclaimed actor Danny Glover and stage legend Rhodessa Jones, this record captures highlights from the Underground Jazz Cabaret, which was performed during Black History Month 2024 at The Lab in San Francisco. Co-produced by Ackamoor's Cultural Odyssey, the release fuses poetic storytelling with evocative musical textures while reflecting on social justice, identity and resilience. Artistic Being is a profound statement from a visionary artist.
Review: The RAH Band's iconic album Mystery celebrates its 40th anniversary with a reissue that finally fulfils plenty of demand for it. This marks its first vinyl pressing since 1985 after originally being created by producer Richard Anthony Hewson. The ageless album blends jazz, funk and electronic pop while placing great spotlight on Hewson's unique production style. With eight impeccably crafted tracks including the jazz-funk anthem 'Are You Satisfied?' and the chart-topping 'Clouds Across The Moon,' which reached #6 in the UK, the dreamy synth-jazz epitomised by 'Float' and the smooth sax of 'Out On The Edge' (which featured in Funkineven's DJ Kicks) ensure Mystery remains a timeless classic.
Review: After 20 years of soulful and authentic rock & roll blues, Eli Paperboy Reed definitely had a right to celebrate. Originally recorded in a basement in Allston, Massachusetts, completely live onto and direct to analogue tape in mono, this collection was first released on a limited run of 300 CDs, self-released, and mostly sold by hand on the streets of Cambridge, close to Harvard University. Now redone, pressed-up and polished for 'proper release', you get all 12 original tracks and another 14 that never saw the light of day before. Four of those were recorded at the time of the others, the remainder come from a radio session the following year. All of them are incredible, and prove that it's not only the Deep South that can make these raw and unflinchingly honest sounds.
Review: Max Roach's Again is a compelling double LP capturing two of his finest live performances from 1960 and 1961, both of which spotlight the drummer's rhythmic brilliance and collaborative prowess. Side A features 'This Night Mountain' and 'Ceciliana' which highlight Roach's synergy with Tommy and Stanley Turrentine. Later, you find 'Who Will Buy?' with Abbey Lincoln's captivating vocals adding emotional depth and the album culminates with 'Stop Motion' on Side D, which is a testament to Roach's innovative percussion. With contributions from Clifford Jordan, Julian Priester and Coleridge Parkinson, Again stands as proof of Roach's trailblazing jazz artistry.
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