Joao Selva
Navegar (Repress)

Mr Day is also known as the singer of French combo Metropolitan Jazz Affair, the main singer in The Dynamics, for his House-Soul records released on indie label Rotax, as well as his superb guest vocals on productions by Boozoo Bajou, Patchworks and Mr President! "Small Fry" evokes classic soul music, from Curtis Mayfield to Motown, and from northern soul to west coast, without being a specific genre album. The musical style is vast and replete, but the composition and production manage to never fall prey to shortcuts or repetitiveness.

“RARE & LOST TAPES” is a collection of singles by the legendary group CORTEX never released on album.This album brings together previously unreleased and rare recordings such as "Les Oiseaux Morts" (Alternative Take 76) released only as a Test Pressing, "Mary & Jeff" (Fender Rhodes Version 77) recorded for TV, or "Californie" & "Stevie" released for the Side Project CARIBOU in 7Inch...

Born on June 28 1936, in Edikwu Village, Oturkpo, Idoma Division, Benue Plateau State, Nigeria, Ray Stephen Oche comes from a family of musicians, singers and flute players. His ancestors and folks were undisputed celebrities in the many music festivals of his native region, especially in the 30's, and Ray just followed with amazing ease and talent, the path they had so gloriously thread.From the tender age of 8, Ray was already an outstanding flute player in his village school band. Soon after, Ray joined local bands and became a first rate Obinde singer and started travelling extensively, visiting every part of Northern Nigeria, where he entertained Idoma communities.In 1953, Ray arrived in Lagos and quickly found his way into the best musician's circles, joining Stephen Amechi's and, later on, Bobby Benson's groups. Shortly after he found his own band, Ray Stephen Oche & His Orchestra, and quickly performed in Kano, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Aba, Port Harcourt or Ibadan. Coming back to Lagos, Ray decides to go to Accra (Ghana), where he achieved his musical studies at Ghana Military School of Music and, later, became a favourite of late Kwame N'Krumah. While staying in Accra, Ray met the world famous drummer and percussionist, Guy Warren, who is supposed to have delivered Ray with the secret of the authentic African rhythms.In March 63, Ray returned to Lagos, where he collaborated with Chris Ajilo & His Cubanos, before forming his own new band, Outter Space, with which he toured Sierra Leone. That's also where he ended invited to perform a series of private shows for the prime minister. Ray then visited Gambia, Senegal and then Paris, where he arrived in 1965. He and his band performed all over Europe in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, France, etc…After the memorable "Festival de Montparnasse" in 1970, Ray Stephen Oche joined Alan Silva & His Celestial Communications Orchestra for several shows and festivals. In 1971, he collaborated with Noah Howard Quartet and played for the Copenhagen Radio, the University or the famous "Montpartre Jazz Club". After having worked successfully in Germany and Holland, Ray came back in Paris where he raised his Freedom Suite Orchestra, this time bringing him to Algeria or Tunisia.Famous in many Jazz circles and at the SACEM, Ray is now leading the Ray Stephen Oche & His Matumbo (in Angolese language, Matumbo means: "Gifted with various talents"). This band is composed mainly of African musicians from Congo, Togo, Guinea or Gambia, but also with others from Brazil or French West Indians. The band main purpose was to shed more lights on the diversity of African melodies and rhythms.As a calm, gentle and discrete person, Ray answers very genuinely when questioned about his beliefs: "Of course I believe in God!!" This makes even more sense when you know that his real name, Owoicho Oche, means "God is the King".

INFOS“Muscles” is a banging 90’s-beat flavored tune extracted from Bonnie Banane’s 1st EP, Greatests Tits. Recently highlighted with a great DIY video made by Walter Mecca, it’s quickly been acclaimed by many bloggers and DJs. At Favorite Recordings, we also believe it deserves a spinning on your turntables! For the occasion, we’ve arranged a photo shooting with brilliant French photographer Lisa Roze (Keren Ann, M & Sean Lennon, Leon Ware & Quadron,…), resulting in a tasty label artwork. And we fatten the sound thanks to a new mastering made at Carvery Studio (UK).ABOUT WALTERDiscreet and prolific figure of a new French musical scene, obsessional producer mainly feeding himself with muesli, biscuits and VCRs, and quoting references such as G.A Romero, Herbie Hancock, Ice-T, or Kid Chameleon, Walter Mecca is an hybrid artist. With several singles and one LP released on Favorite Recordings, he’s also responsible for the creation of his own label, called Weirdata.Since he started among a rap crew in the early 90s, he never stopped surprising and transforming himself, wearing several hats (rapper, producer, director) and adapting his musical identities under various alter-egos. From the Cut Basic series (released as Dal-gren), to Gaab Squaad, or Breaking Point, we ride through heavy soundfields, hardly classifiable, naturally zigzaging with his skills between meta-hip-hop, destructured House and dirty Nu-Jazz, haunted by synthesizers, talkbox and subliminal.ABOUT BONNIEWhen Bonnie Banane started making music it was so compulsive that she did it first with her dictaphone, then her computer eventually. Initiated early to American music played loud in the car, she’s still inspired by this original packaging (Cameo, Stevie Wonder, Above The Rim, Janet Jackson, Boys II Men ...), but also by some late discoveries (Slum Village Nini Raviolette, Moondog, Bahamadia, Gerard Depardie, ...).Distilling intuitively psychedeliquo-suave and hypnotiquo-tropical vocals, with post-feminist lyrics, sometimes explicit, sometimes inarticulate, Bonnie Banane has delivered her 1st EP called “Greatest Hits” in collaboration with Walter Mecca.

After a 3rd album recorded between Detroit and Nashville, LAFAYETTE, the duo Nathalie Loriot and Franck Hedin, decided to dedicate to their 60's style "side project", THE SHUFFLES. An unceasing dream had been exciting them for a long time; Compose, produce and record an album of pure, classic 60's soul, with a sharp backing band, backing vocals and guest singers.The Studio Mercredi 9, one of the temples of the vintage sound in Paris, would be the place chosen for the recording. Analog mixer, 24 tape tracks, ribbon microphones, tube preamps and plate reverb, and Fred Carrayol, a sound engineer and studio creator, are the guarantors of the rough sound the duo is looking for. As for the musicians, they had to have strong musical personalities, essential for live tape recording: Daniel Marsala, guitarist, Olivier Ferrarin, drums, Stéphane Benguigui, bass, aka the gang des Niçois, Fabrice Colombani on the tambourine and a guest of choice, Camille Bazbaz playing the piano and the Hammond organ.3 days later the 12 tracks were taped. The following sessions took place at Gum Studio with engineer-mixer Etienne Colin, another old accomplice of the duo. And for the vocal part, the finest of Parisian Soul Gospel scene were invited: Kandie, Felicia, Josephine Spector aka Nathalie Loriot, Mike Louvila, François Valade and Kevin Davy White.The vocal performances are full of sincerity and energy, respectful to the illustrious legends of the genre. The shadow of the legendary Motown, Fame, Stax, Hi Records or Atlantic albums hang over the 12 tracks of this album, a vibrant tribute to the golden age of soul.

A 12inch single from the incredible French Afro Funk band including remixes by the one and only Osunlade under the collective name of Yoruba Soul!Since their first acclaimed album Apiafo and its irresistible single “Pas contente”, these Lyon (France) natives never turned down the heat over 160 stages across Europe, Africa, Canada, Japan... Peter Solo has displayed his amulets, voodoo chants and charisma around the globe. When it came time for them to harness their Afro Soul sound for the second time, they turned their attention once again to their analog strengths. On the road Peter Solo and Osunlade met and could share their musical visions. It was obvious that this two will share their spiritual music experiences.Kidayu is the name of the second opus which means “sharing”: it’s exactly what those versions of “On se pousse” are about: a true futuristic Hi-life, a great meeting of two ardent defenders of the Afro Soul sounds ! Limited press, mastered by Carvery.