Tony Allen Africa 70
Jealousy

Out of the utter sense of geographic belonging, not a political one and as personas that live by music and not genres, Eilon Elikam, Aviv Ezra and Isra Shalabi began a slow dialogue that evolved to take shape as their first Album. One that is in fact a journey between cultures, times, places and of course sounds that were molded within the middle eastern orient that had shaped their musical perception. All out of tremendous respect to their family legacies and to the one that they grew up upon, and live by to this very day.Described in one short sentence, Experimental Arabic Drone Music. Picture dark synths, alianted rare drum machines meet ancient organ lamentations, beats the bubble from deep within and such that floats around spaces in circles while constantly changing. Ones that feel like flying on top of a magic carpet ride over deserts, mosques, ancient prayer books while in the background the dimming lights of a mysterious asphalt and concrete covered city.The core value of the Nomadness of this current age is felt in each and every one of the five tracks on the Homage to Tarab EP. The sense that a home can be everywhere, every time and in every culture, as soon as you are willing to embrace influences from far away places alongside your cultural DNA that bind together to a unique and evolving musical piece. One that is in no rush to impress but exactly like an enchanted meditative dance, constructs its power from its own continuous process with a feeling of getting lost in your most familiar places. Written and Produced by: The HallwaysArabic Organ, Vocals (Rast, Bayat Re, Bayat Sol: Aviv Ezra)Vocals (Ya Garat Elwadi): Isra ShalabiDrum Machine, Darbouka: Eilon Elikam

Created in 2006, Setenta, the Latin Soul Band spreads a unique mix over the world scene. For their fifth album Materia Negra, the Paris-based band returns to its roots: hard Latin funk with plenty of Afro-Latin percussion upfront in the mix contrasted with accents of lush vocal harmony and warm, breezy melody. But at its core, there is something essentially darker, rougher and funkier than their previous releases, especially in the guitar and synth work, bluesy minor key arrangements, and lyrical content. It’s essentially a heavier feel with this record, influenced no doubt on the negative side by the current dark times being experienced across the globe due to the pandemic, subsequent economic downturn and the lack of effective government leadership and global solidarity to deal with the crisis. On the positive tip, the inspiring Black Lives Matter movement and international protests against oppressive governments, systemic racism, corporate greed, global warming and environmental exploitation no doubt have something to do with the serious feel of Materia Negra as well. Another crucial aspect to this newfound toughness is what band member and Latin Big Note founder and director Osman Jr. states is the group’s desire to address DJs and dancers who appreciate the rawest songs from Setenta’s previous productions. The desire is to leave their mark on the decks and dance floors of the planet with a genre that “we defend by taking the torch extended by our mentors such as Joe Bataan: Latin Funk!” Setenta’s sound has always been soulful, with plenty of tropical Caribbean roots, but this time there is an even stronger Afro-centric theme and gritty psychedelic R&B angle, clothed in galactic, outer-space trappings, bringing to mind another forerunner, Mandrill, as well as the Afro-Futurist mothership vibe of Parliament-Funkadelic.

Ark Angel Jah Mel is a recording artist, songwriter and musician from Jamaica. Beginning his career as a performer on the stage shows of the Twelve Tribes Of Israel of which he has been a member since his youth, Jah Mel made his debut sharing the stage with artists such as Dennis Brown, Bob Marley, Freddie McGregor, Sugar Minott, Brigadier Jerry & Denroy Morgan. His writing credits include songs written for Marcia Griffiths, Cecile, DaVille, Itana & Jah Mali, for whom he also produced tracks on his debut album El Shaddai. Jah Mel has worked with all of Jamaica’s top producers & musician in Jamaica such as the great Sly & Robbie, Steely & Cleevie, Earl Chinna Smith, Steve ‘Lenky’ Marsden & Donovan Germaine to who’s Penthouse label Jahmel was signed.Jah Mel sees himself as a musical bridge between the original reggae sound & the dancehall sound of today, representing what he calls the real dancehall revolution, merging the spirituality of the old school & the energy of the new school. “Guiding Star” and “Stand Up To It” are the perfect examples to overstand this definition. Both song were produced by Roydale Anderson aka Andy's. “Guding Star” will definitely give you thrills if you are into deep synth and heavy digital rhythm while the superb piano notes will warm you in the analog style. Beware of “Guiding Star” dub version called “Guidance (Dance Mix)” that will break any bunker. “Stand Up To It” rhythm is an adaptation of one of the most classic Jamaican riddim called “Heavenless”. You will never know this riddim like before; This version takes the riddim to another level. A positive song with a bionic nuclear bomb dubwise! Play it loud, Jah is our guiding star!

This is a rare gem of a record from fantastic soul band THE SOUL KIDS stemming from the Democratic Republic of Congo, including covers of James Brown & The Mighty Flames' hit singles "Lickin Stick" (1968), "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" (1965), Wilson Pickett’s "Hey Jude" and a French vocal version of Otis Redding’s soul hit "Respect ".This amazing young band, which released only four 7inch singles and one album, is a great example of the influence of soul music and French pop bridging to the new Afro soul scene that the musicians of Kinshasa were involved in during the time of post-independence. Ngoma was one of the first record labels intent on providing local artists' recordings from both sides of the Congo river to the people of the DRC and West Africa. Created in 1948 by a Greek man by the name of Nicolas Jeronimidis, the Ngoma label was active through 1968, pressed in France until 1971, with a tremendous catalogue, including this historical and essential soul masterpiece!

After NEF's album in 2019, Ici Bientôt is happy to present today the reissue of "Comme Au Moulin" by Nyssa Musique. Paris 1985... ‘Extra-European’ Traditions meet Jazz and Minimal Music. An unusual array of instruments turn music into a dialogue. For a unique record ... vivid, full of texture, somewhere between Midori Takada, Don Cherry and Jon Hassell.Beginning of the eighties, 5 musicians rehearse in a contemporary dance class hall, upstairs from the ‘’New Morning", renowned Music venue in Paris. Nyssa Musique is born. Passionate for a long time about traditional music, like those of the Middle East, India and East Asia, but also about African traditions, they throw a bridge between Jazz and ‘Extra-European’ traditions, resulting in what would be called "Spiritual Jazz" today, a little bit in the style of Don Cherry's Organic Music or Pharoah Sanders. With the notable difference, however, that their creations are strongly infused by contemporary classical and repetitive music, notably Steve Reich's work with whom they share a great interest for the traditional cultures of Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia and its gamelans.In the original group we have Armand Amar, Ballet Music composer and John Boswell. Both specialists of traditional hand percussion which they had been studying for a long time in India and the Middle East, they are also very fond of synthesizers. Three other talented musicians quickly join them: Jean-François Roger, percussionist, marimba and vibraphone specialist, Henri Tournier, multi-flutist and Renaud Garcia-Fons, double bass player, who has a passion for the Middle East and has developed a virtuosic play of the bow, reminding that of Cecil Mc Bee.Each of them enriches the ensemble with their personality, originality and musical generosity. The rehearsal hall is rapidly invaded by the phenomenal instrumentarium put together by Armand Amar. A great opportunity for the musicians, for the dancers, to have access to an endless choice of instruments, offering infinite possibilities for mixing different colors and timbres. Their sense for being a group and their great capacity for improvising culminates, in 1986, in the composition of their first and only album Comme au Moulin (« As by the windmill"), testimony of years of creating without hidden agenda.Authentic, free and vibrant, still today, this album has no real equivalent. Even though it recalls the Fourth World current by its combination of traditional instruments with a subtle use of synthesizers, Comme au moulin gives more space to improvisation. It may also recall those of Midori Takada, less the New Age esthetics. An album that should delight as well lovers of "Love Supreme" by John Coltrane, of "Vernal Equinox" by Jon Hassell, as those of Moondog, an artist who, like them, invented a music based on the use of untypical percussions, at the confluence of 'Extra-European' traditions, Jazz and Classical, all together complex and hypnotic.

Afro-Soul Holy Grail by the “Soul Brother from Benin“, featuring the famous “Vis à Vis” band from Ghana and recorded in Kumasi in 1979.Stanislas Tohon aka Papy Grande was born in the “Country of the kings” (Benin), in Abomey 1955. He’s “Chevalier de la legion d’honneur” in Benin for his brilliant musical career.The famous soul singer from Cotonou started his musical career at this age of 9, played with the greatest such as Gnonnas Pedro and recorded almost 35 albums. Influenced by the traditional “Tchingoume“ music , he invented his own rhythm called “Tchink Système”, a mix of soul and Beninese traditional rhythm . Dans le Tchink Système is an original 4 tracks album recorded in Ghana on 24 analog tracks channel with the incredible “Vis à Vis Band”, completed with the song “Africa“, a rare version of his first 7inch which he recorded a year before with “Les Satelites” from Cotonou. Sang in Fon, his native language from Benin, this album is a soulful call for peace and unity in Africa, a real definition of Afro Soul music! This extremely rare and obscure record is now remastered and strictly limited to 1000 copies.Enjoy!