soleil rare.

The dude akabrownssugar crafted a tribute to this very blog, although it's been pretty silent for a while... 

A 9-track beattape with a ruff sound. Available on Bandcamp. Enjoy. 

Beats : akabrownsugar. 

Photo : w.nolland.

Amha Eshèté.

He's the man who made it possible in Ethiopia. Without Amha Eshèté, there wouldn't have been a private company pressing vinyl records in the 1970s. He dared to defy the regime by making records that wouldn't commissioned or sponsored by the government. 

After leaving Ethiopia and the DERG regime, M. Eshèté pursued a career as an entrepreneur, in both catering and music venues, relying on the Ehiopian community of the United States. Then back to Addis. 

The whole Ethiopian scene which is now massively reissued owe a great deal to M. Eshèté, who recently died. 

He said it all to the Pan-African Music website in a two-part interview (in French). 

Respect. 

Jazz Funéral.

Once again, I have to talk about Capitaine Hadôken, aka Koffi Gnato, aka many other monikers and characters... Usually, he builds beats around random vinyl records, and break our necks with surprising beats. 

On his latest project, the vibe was different. This one is a testimony to his late father, Jean-Pierre Liou, who used to play double-bass in local jazz bands of the Lyon area, France. It was all natural that the Capitaine would use samples from his father's performances to deliver this very unique hommage. 

The whole beat tape is available on Bandcamp. 

Emile Sornin.

The man officially known as Emile Sornin his better known as Forever Pavot, one of the most interesting authors of the current psychedelic pop wave coming from France. He's made music in several bands, from Arun Tazieff to La Récré, and as a solo act, always coping with different genres with great inspiration.

Now the owner of his own studio, Forever Pavot recently presented his love for instruments. And I must admit, it's very entertaining to listen to him. Sadly for non-French speakers, it's... only in French. 

For those who don't know, five yeard ago, in 2016, Forever Pavot issued a 7", "Le Bon Coin Forever", that perfectly express his love for instruments. The concept : visiting people who posted ads to sell their unusual instruments, trying these, recording parts and assembling them in original compositions. It is now pretty difficult to track down. 

Swedish wonder.

Sven Wunder is a a bit of a mystery. A multi-instrumentalist, apparently capable of embracing the subtleness of exotic instruments, with a passion for library music. Maybe seclusive, he mainly works alone. He's responsible of two wonderful albums, one inspired by the Turkish sounds, another one diving into the atmosphere of Japan. 

His label, Piano Piano Records, has just announced the third opus of the guy, titled "Natura Morta", with a first track called "En plein air". 

Besides the announcement, Sven Wunder issued a mix of favorites from the library music genre. It includes pretty much a best-of of the genre (just take a look at the following list : Janko Nilovic, Stefano Torrossi, Ennio Morricone, Arawak, Piero Umiliani, Jay Richford, François de Roubaix, Rahul Dev Burman... what a dream team), hosted on the Aquarium Drunkard website. Good news, it's a mp3 file that you can download, instead of a streaming link (which I kinda hate for some reason...). 

The goodies don't stop here. Sven Wunder had already made mixes for the release his "Wabi Sabi" album, which are available on the same website.  

Do yourself these favors. 

lockdown : vinyl find #53.

This is lockdown #2. Although it doesn't feel the same as the volume 1. But still, it contributes to the shitty year that is 2020. 

Under these circumstances, one of the best remedies to the soul must be Brazilian music. It provides the warmth in winter, the sun in the short days, the emotion in the gloomy times. So, besides the classics of Brazilian music (bossa nova, MPB...), I often go back to a cheap record I thought I had found in Toulouse but... no. I found it in Strasbourg, France in 2016, at an excellent shop called "L'Occase de l'Oncle Tom". 

This fantastic compilation is called "Brazilian Wave" and it costed me 4€. On two records, all the stars of Brazilian music are reunited : Astrud Gilberto, Marcos Valle, Luiz Bonfa, Stan Getz, Antonio Carlos Jobim... Ok, a few are missing, like Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa... But still, it flows naturally, from one track to the next one, without the need of skipping any track, with a pleasant balance between instrumental tracks and vocal ones, calm songs and more danceable ones.  

Imagine a movie scene, a sunset on Copacabana, girls and boys playing football on the beach, pretty women licking ice creams... this compilation is the soundtrack to that. 

Various Artists - Brazilian Wave.

For your listening pleasures, a few contributions by Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd, Marcos Valle, Bola Sete...

500 best albums.

Is "Whats's Going On" by Marvin Gaye the best album of all time ? That's what Rolling Stone thinks, writes and publishes. 

Their list of the 500 best albums of all time is available here. 

I know, it's a short post. 

Shitao - Aleph.

2020 has been a shitty year, that's for sure. But it made Shitao very productive. After "The day she arrives", released in June, the buddy has just dropped "Aleph", his brand new opus. 

Served with a fantastic artwork by pyramid.ink, the album is inspired by a novel by Jorge Luis Borges. 

In Shitao's words, "Alpeh is the story of a woman plotting revenge, a monster stuck in a labyrinth, a deserter and a translator. "Aleph" is the story of an obsession, a dead man, a Byzantine general  and the memory of Beatriz". 

Available on Bandcamp for free, "Aleph" is also available for pre-order as a vinyl on Qrates. All we need is 100 pre-orders ; please make it become real !

ST live.

In these strange times we're experiencing, live shows are a rarity. Well, there are some, but without any audience. That's exactly what Sébastien Tellier did, taking over the stage of La Gaîté Lyrique in Paris on November 13th, 2020. 

Backed by a handful of musicians (two keyboard players and a drummer, with various skills), he delivered his unique mood for an hour long of concert. 

The concert was coupled with the release of the digital version of this newest album, "Simple Mind", which includes new stripped versions of some of his previous hits. 

The perfect glamour show for a gloomy dark sunday. 

OK Computer demos.

 

For those who don't mind downloading 17 hourw worth of music from Radiohead, the aforementioned Funk It (Facebook post) has assembled demos and outtakes from the legendary "OK Computer" sessions. 

Those archives were previously known by the fans as bootlegs from Minidiscs.  

As detailed by Funk It himself : 

Y'all remember when those Radiohead OK Computer Minidiscs leaked last year? Well, I condensed 17 hours of outtakes and rehearsals and demos to a manageable listen. Check it out.

https://mega.nz/folder/xrJVXA5Y#pAbkzOv92Kl2tqtnXroECA FLAC

https://mega.nz/folder/8ihAEYAb#nHkMBc4V5WfaxgCA2wN09Q MP3

and here's the full 17 hour set, but tracked out instead of hour long files: https://mega.nz/folder/wmIXzAZB#WWlVkkGbQ1SKa_7Sb6WzfQ

rare Miles.

 

The excellent Funk It published a rare audio recording of a concert Miles Davis gave in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1974. 

40mn of jazz for your listening pleasure. 

re-up gang.

I found in an old hard-drive the 28 episodes of the "le soleil est rare" compilations that I used to assemble back in the days on this blog. I had a lot of fun listening to, selecting, commenting on each and every track that I chose... the good old days...

All the links must be dead by now, so here are the re-ups of the first seven episodes, and the tracklistings, minus the comments and covers. Available for seven days. 

#1 : mondovision

Os Baobas - Bye Bye My Darling.

Stavros Xarhakos - Annabel. 

Amorf Ördögök - Betyar A Holdon

Asha Bhosle - Dum Maro Dum. 

Kourosh Yaghmaei - Gol-e Yakh. 

Galt MacDermot - Coffee Cold. 

Cesaria Evora - Partida. 

Okukuseku International Band Of Ghana - Black Beauty. 

Galatasaray Lisesi - Zazie. 

Meiko Kaji - Fushigi Ne.

Jean-Claude Vannier - Danse Des Mouches Noires Gardes Du Roi. 

#2 : motions

François de Roubaix - Un Peu, Beaucoup, Passionnément...

Acanthus - Sleeping Beauty (Samba Des Vampires).

Chan Kwong Wing - I Want To Be A Good Guy.

Guido & Maurizio De Angelis - Speed Fever.

Bruno Nicolai - Whisky.

Michel Magne & Jean Yanne - Luttons Pour Le Marché Commun.

The Chemical Brothers - The Devil Is In The Details.

Eric Demarsan - Thème De Mathilde.

Alain Goraguer - Déshominisation I.

David Holmes - Lifting The Building.

#3 : bits

Rza - Flying Birds.

Dr. Who Dat? - Viberian Twilight Part 2.

Infinitskills - Morning Lights.

Fat Jon - Spacesuit proper.

KenLo - "Bass". 

J. Rawls - A Tribute To Troy.

Exile - Love Line. 

Madlib - Dillalade Ride (Contact Hide). 

Count Bass D - All Shook Up. 

Onra - Come Closr (Kicks & Claps Edit).

#4 : blankets

Curtis Mayfield - Hard Times.

Gary McFarland - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. 

MPB 4 & Quarteto Em Cy - Because. 

El Michels Affair - Shimmy Shimmy Ya. 

Stevie Wonder - Bang Bang.

Ben L'Oncle Soul - Crazy. 

Syl Johnson - Come Together.

Takkhalha - Play With Fire.
Seu Jorge - Ziggy Stardust.

#5 : the L word

Minnie Riperton - Stay In Love.

Marvin Gaye - Need Your Lovin' (Want You Back).

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Everybody Needs Love.

The Stylistics - Love Is The Answer.

Willie Hutch - Lucky To Be Loved By You.

The Three Degrees - Get Your Love Back.

David Ruffin - Still In Love With You.

Teddy Pendergrass - Love T.K.O.

Barry White - It's Only Love Doing It's Thing.

Curtis Mayfield - So In Love.

#6 : sippin

Kavinsky - Testarossa Autodrive. 

A-Trak - Say Whoa.

Simian Mobile Disco ft. Chris Keating - Audacity Of Huge

MSTRKRFT - Street Justice. 

Sébastien Léger -P.Y.T. 

DJ Mehdi - Pocket Piano (Brodinski Remix).

Jaydee - Plastic Dreams (Laidback Luke Bootleg).

TTC - Dans Le Club (Instrumentale Version). 

David Guetta ft. Kelly Rowland - When Love Takes Over.

#be blessed, be back

01 - Idéal J - Uniquement pour les miens
02 - DJ Mehdi - We crying
03 - 113 ft. Doudou Masta - Truc de fou
04 - Etienne de Crécy - Out of my hands (DJ Mehdi remix)
05 - 113 - Prologue
06 - Idéal J - Pour une poignée de dollars
07 - DJ Mehdi - Signatune (Thomas Bangalter edit)
08 - Rocé - On s'habitue
09 - 113 - Tome III
10 - The Cambridge Circus - La Nursery
11 - Fabe - Excusez-nous
12 - DJ Mehdi ft. Vinia Mojica - Anything is possible
13 - DJ Mehdi ft. Fafi - Lucky boy
14 - 113 - Ouais gros
15 - Wayne Shorter - Footprints (dub) (DJ Mehdi remix)
16 - Booba - Couleur ébène
17 - 113 - Tome II
18 - DJ Mehdi - Keep moving
19 - Karlito - Orly à Orly
20 - Carte Blanche - Gare du Nord
21 - The Cambridge Circus - Spanish Harlem
22 - MC Solaar ft. Bambi Cruz - Wonderbra
23 - DJ Mehdi - My time my days
24 - Idéal J - J'ai mal au coeur
25 - DJ Mehdi - Along the way
26 - Idéal J - Si je rappe ici
27 - Joss Stone - Tell me about it (DJ Mehdi remix)
28 - DJ Mehdi - Love is the blues
29 - Rohff - Appelle moi Rohff
30 - The Cambridge Circus - Ulysse
31 - Idéal J - Un nuage de fumée
32 - Karlito - T'inquiète...
33 - 113 - Tonton du bled
34 - New Young Pony Club - Ice cream (DJ Mehdi remix)
35 - KDD ft. 113 - Artifices
36 - Karlito - La rue cause

37 - Karlito - Contenu sous pression 

Sign O' The Times - 1987.

Hate it or love it, the Prince Estate have opened the gates to the deepest secrets of the vaults of Paisley Park, and only God knows where it'll stop. Looks like there is no end to this. 

In the video field, it allowed plenty of previously blocked (by decision of Prince himself) videos to (re)appear on various platforms. This concert, given at Paisley Park in 1987, is one of those. And it features the one and only Miles Davis. 

Let's enjoy it before it's taken down again... 

Medicine Show.

Call it data screening, Big Brother's effect, coincidence or whatever... As I was looking into Madlib's catalog and more particularly into his "Medicine Show" series, Bandcamp incidentally published an article about it. 

Basic info, sure, but a good way to get to know Madlib's intent with these obscure records, in which he tackled many genres and styles, acted in a total free way and therefore showcased the best of his creativity. 

ASP.

ASP is a collective of beatmakers, consisting of akabrownsugar, Shitao and Pi-Pol, since 2006. They have been reviving the old flame lately, so here's a recap of the latest releases :

Pi-Pol - R&¶ : a collection of wonderful remixes, available on Bandcamp : https://pi-pol.bandcamp.com/album/r

Shitao - The day she arrives : spooky and cinematographic instrumentals, available on Bandcamp : https://shitao.bandcamp.com/album/the-day-she-arrives

A vinyl can be pre-ordered on Qrates : https://qrates.com/projects/20804-the-day-she-arrives

akabrownsugar - noodles : reissue of this old project, this time available on Bandcamp : https://akabrownsugar.bandcamp.com/album/noodles-2

akabrownsugar - ruff batch : a collection of beats previously posted on Soundcloud, available on Bandcamp : https://akabrownsugar.bandcamp.com/album/ruff-batch 

  

Support tha movement.

mixtapes.

Back when cassette tapes where ruling thanks to the possibility they offered to record almost anything (live sounds, radio, vinyl, CD, tapes...), it was the favorite format of teenagers, who would trade or offer personal compilations to their friends and loved ones. To be honest, it was a magical time. The format then gained fame within the hip-hop community as a way for DJ's to spread their mixes. And it opened a glorious era, full of discoveries, sonic gems, and sane competition. 

Then the CD arrive, and the same actors switched to this format, which allowed an even faster and wider distribution. Then it became uncontrollable when the mp3 and later the streaming possibilities came into play. That's where we are nowadays.

Many rappers owe their introduction in the game to the mixtape scene. As a DIY way of making and distributing music, for a genre like hip-hop, it's a natural thing. 

Mainstream acts like Kanye West, 50 Cent, Drake, Migos, Future, Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne and alternative cats like Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler the Creator, Lil B, Danny Brown, Run The Jewels, Chance The Rapper (who won a Grammy with a mixtape) used the mixtape for several reasons : as a business card cleverly placed on the desk of the music industry executives or as a way around the limits of their respective contracts with labels and majors. Indeed, several rappers kept releasing mixtapes after their break out in the music industry : the examples of Drake and Lil Wayne are famous. Lots of mixtapes even became considered as albums after they gained success and were pressed on physical formats. 

Now, if you're looking into a ranking of the best (post-cassette era) mixtapes, Pitchfork made an attempt at listing a few. XXL Mag has the same idea a few months ago. Far from being exhaustive, but a simple way to get into this essential page of the hip-hop story book. 

Capitaine Hadôken.

In the world of beatmakers, among the heavyweights, Madlib is prolific, Knxwledge is prolific, Alchemist is prolific, and many underdogs are prolific as well. 

Lurking in the underground for many years now, the guy behind the Capitaine Hadôken moniker falls in this category as well. 

Despite a one year and a half-hiatus between his two latest projects available on Bandcamp, he used this period to improve his game on his portable turntable and Boss SP404 sampler. Plus, he operates under other personae. 

The result is a monster project comprising of 150 beats, which amounts to around 4 hours of music, available on Bandcamp. 

The French loopdigga. 

Groupe RTD.

When Ostinato Records announced the release of an album by a band from Djibouti, I felt interested, curious. Somalian music had crossed borders within the last decade, through the efforts of a few labels such as Awesome Tapes from Africa or Analog Africa, but music from Djibouti remained a mystery. Sure, Djibouti is a tiny country, so the influence of Somalia is huge on both the population and culture.

While chasing Somalian sounds, the guys at Ostinato Records got the idea of asking for the authorization of the Djibouti government to dig into the archives of the national radio. Smart move. Incidentally, they heard a live band rehearsing, and that's how they knew the Groupe RTD. Getting to record the band was apparently another administrative hassle, but Ostinato Records managed to do it. Can't wait to listen to the album, "The Dancing Devils of Djibouti". 

The whole story behind the release is told by Radio France International. And more on Bandcamp. And on Okayafrica. And on World Trasures Music.

lockdown : vinyl find #52.

This may be the last post of the "lockdown : vinyl find" series, as the lockdown will officially end tomorrow. But I might go on ; it's been fun so far. 

In Auckland, New Zealand, armed with my paper list of record stores, I found a small one I was looking for. It took me a few minutes to find some space to park my rental car, but as soon as I entered the store, I knew I would be in good hands. The owner inquired about my tastes and what I was looking for. Actually, I had no idea so I said something like "local stuff, psych rock mainly". It took him two seconds to point his finger on "Doug Jerebine is Jesse Harper". He summed up the story of Doug Jerebine, and I knew right away that the album would be an interesting listen. The owner guaranteed the finest quality, and I trusted him.  

Doug Jerebine won't ring many bells, but he's a legend in New Zeland and should be beyond those parts. But today's record was recorded in London at the end of the 1960's. At the time, Doug Jerebine had made a name for himself as a prodigious guitar player and songwriter. His songs would be sung by Kiwi rock legends Human Instinct, and Doug could certainly count on his undisputed talent to blow up on the rock scene with his Hendrix-ish style. But this record did not see the light of day. And no other recording either. Until 2012 that is.  

Truth is : Doug Jerebine is the most psychedelic character one could be. He went from being an industry hype (under the Jesse Harper moniker, hence the title of the album), recording an unreleased album, press it on acetate, forget it, to living in India for thirty years as a member of the Krishna movement, becoming a translator, a sitar expert and an instructor. Even George Harrison can't top that story.

And forty years later, he had the most interesting reaction to the release of his long-awaited album : he was glad because it meant that he could go back to play on stage. 

Fully licensed under Doug Jerebine, the album was even mastered with his involvement in the process. This release could not have been more respectful of the author's wishes and intentions. So, thank you to the folks at Drag City for chasing down the original acetate and share their find with the world ; so much blues and psych in this album that it genuinely sounds like the 1970's.  

Doug Jerebine - Doug Jerebine is Jesse Harper.

Some of the tracks can be listened to from a Doug Jerebine YouTube account.

For those interested, the resurrection of Doug Jerebine made the headlines in New Zealand, so his return was quite documented : here are a few examples.

lockdown : vinyl find #51.

My first encounter with Donny Hathaway dates back from my student years. I was uploading mixtapes online, and Donny featured in one of them though I don't remember how I got to choose one of his tracks to feature. I tried to have my Beatles-fanatic friends to listen to "Jealous guy" by Donny, and they hated it because of Donny's piano-bar style and vibrato. I shared the "Live" album with my best friend, and he loved it. We both consider it one of the best albums we've ever heard. 

Donny Hathaway seemed to be a troubled guy, and it kinda makes its way in his music. Despite his virtuosity on the keys, which makes playing look effortless and sound like a natural language, his voice contains sadness. I guess people called it "emotion" while he was still alive. 

This album is actually a collage work. The first side comes from a concert at the Troubadour in Hollywood, while the B side comes from a concert at the Bitter End in New York. But they added a bass solo played at the Troubadour in one song, "Voices inside (everything is everything)", of side two. Nevertheless, the listening flows well, without any filler or weak point. 

Playing both covers and his own songs, Donny Hathaway felt comfortable in both : his "The ghetto", playing for more than 12 minutes, is an unmatched marvel, his covers of Carole King's "You've got a friend" is so legendary that many people think he's the author of the song. 

A real live album, in which the artist interacts with the audience. Makes me want to travel back in time in order to have the opportunity of participating. 

Donny Hathaway - Live.

Here's the album, as a YouTube playlist.
 
  

lockdown : vinyl find #50.

Lots of memories with this one. 

Back in the late 1990's, Bob Sinclar made a (new) name for himself with his hit-full album "Paradise". He surfed on that wave to create something that is difficult to define : Africanism. Is it a band ? A collective ? A label ? A series of releases ? 

In any case, it's a spirit. Good vibes with lots of percussion-supported house tracks, tailored to have crowds dancing until the end of the night and beyond. 

In 2000, Bob Sinclar released "Bisou sucré" as a 12", a French-touch gem that would resonate up to the nightclubs of China. Back then, "Bisou sucré" was an anthem in my MP3 player, which, at the time, was a USB stick with the capacity for only a handful of songs. It cheered me up everytime it played. 

It was only seventeen years later, in 2017, that I finally found it on vinyl. Bought it on the spot without even thinking. Gosh, it reminds me of so many moments. The track is on the two sides, though with more bass on the B side. The melody, the beat, the helping percussions, great track...

So, for the 50th vinyl find of this blog, it seemed natural to post it. For this, and also as a massive THANK YOU to Bob Sinclar who played a new live set on Facebook/Instragram everyday for the whole duration of the lockdown. He will stop the day after tomorrow, on Sunday. Sunday will be Bob's birthday, he will be 51. He looks 30. This guy is just pure optimism. 

Although I didn't like his most successfull era ("The love generation", that kind of tracks), I have nothing but respect for this guy. He started as a hip-hop head, then produced acid-jazz, elegant house, he started a label which released East's (RIP) and Cut Killer's first records... He got rich, no doubt, but he's still the smiling guy who loves listening, spinning and making music he was twenty and even thirty years ago. And he's the owner of 35000 vinyl records.

Hands up, then down, for Bob Sinclar.  

Bob Sinclar - Bisou sucré.

And the track, of course. 

Now shake. 

Jean-Paul Groove.

New band alert and it's jazz fire. Like they say, Jean-Paul Groove, it's first and foremost two slaps in your face.

The good city of Brussels, capital of Belgium, is home to a new jazz outfit, a trio armed with their drums (Denis Baeten), bass (Jeremy Debuisschère) and guitar (Nils Hilhorst). 

So far, they have released two videos, "Don't scratch" and "Exoskeleton". Skillfull and tasty !

Fingers crossed for a physical release. But for now, if you're in the Brussels area, look out for the first concerts, as soon as we're unlocked. 

Denis Baeten, the drummer of the band who seems to be handling the social media, is also responsible for a stellar jazz EP, titled "Experimental music if for losers", available on Bandcamp. 

lockdown : vinyl find #49.

The story started with the label Lion Productions releasing Kim Jung Mi's album "Now" as the first installment of their series dedicated to Shin Joong Hyun's productions. This release got me into a Korean rock mood. I had to know more. As usual, internet provided. And soon enough, in my ear fell the delicate yet fuzzy rock arrangements of San Ul Lim. 

Composed of three brothers, who started their ascent into success while at university, San Ul Lim enjoyed an incredible productive streak between the years 1977 and 1986, with sometimes two or more albums released within a single year, not including the numerous greates hits compilations. 

The sound of the band, based on a classic line-up of bass, guitar, drums, with a few keys provided by the band members' sister, was shaped in 1977 and 1978 across a glorious trilogy that was reissued as a boxset in 2016. 

Although their style may sound pop-ish at times, there's no shortage of psych elements, sometimes confining to hard rock, in their first recordings. 

Today's pick is a compilation of tracks released between 1977 and 1979, gathering songs from San Ul Lim's five first albums. The highlights of the records are no doubt the first and the last song : the first song opens on a long psych instrumental part that sounds like the perfect introduction to the band ; the last one is an even longer display of their skills as musicians and vocalists, with its fuzzy parts and its catchy hook. In between, the mood alternates from hard rock to psych to garage to pop. 

This compilation is the easiest way to get introduced to San Ul Lim's sound. A foot in the door, as it calls for a deeper dig in the universe of San Ul Lim and Korean rock.

San Ul Lim - The psychedelic years, 1977-1979.

    
Here are a few tracks from the compilation.

lockdown : vinyl find #48.

It is fair to say Kankick prefers keeping it local. Having used his first drumpads alongside Madlib and the Lootpack crew, he then expanded to produce for local Californian celebrities Tha Alkaholiks, Declaime/Dudley Perkins, Oh No (Madlib's brother), Wildchild (from Lootpack), MED, Planet Asia etc. More than keeping it Cali, he likes keeping it Oxnard or Oxnard-kinda-related. He's the reclusive type ; even more than Madlib. But he's that good, like top-notch beatmaker, member of the elite who brings feelings to the listener's ear. 

I think I heard about this album first from a mixtape on tape. Or from DJ Babu's album "Duck season vol. 1". The sound struck me as being both emotional and disruptive, hitting and ground-breaking. I remember seeing the CD on shelves of record stores, in the import section, which at the time meant that it costed a lot. A lot that I didn't have to spare at the time. 

When the time came to switch to vinyl, I realized the vinyl edition was very limited. Then ten years after the first release of the Kankick's first album "From artz unknown", German label and record store HHV decided to put out a reissue on three records. Three because HHV added instrumental versions and bonus beats to the original product. 

Nevermind the new design of the cover (why ?), I had to jump on the opportunity to finally own this incredible album that I'd been chasing for a decade. In 2016, HHV released a 2 LP version, without the bonus beats, which made my previous rushed purchase even more relevant.  

Despite the temptation for a beatmaker to make an instrumental solo album (something Kankick would do later, but at the time - 2001 - it wasn't an obvious thing to do), "From artz unknown" is not an instrumental effort. It includes an impressive line-up of mic kickers from the Oxnard area, with various levels of talent. Declaime, Dr. Oop, MED and Oh No stand out with ease. But of course, with a beatmaker of that caliber (although very underrated because under the radars), the main ingredient is the music, the beats ; long story short, they're premium standard. 

The brilliant idea on this album was to mix rapped songs and instrumentals, providing the air and variations the listener needs. In terms of hip-hop, this is quality. 

Kankick - From artz unknown.

Here's the full album, in its original version.

Although not as productive as other beatmakers (who said Knxwledge ?), Kankick is on a solid trend, publishing frequent updates on his Bandcamp profile with new projects. I can only hope a label would release his projects on a physical format some day... feels like a waste to leave it in bits form... 

By the way, I have no idea why Kankick has no ties with Stones Throw. It would be the logical move but... 

        

lockdown : vinyl find #47.

Attention : masterpiece. 

Picture yourself in the "1001 Nights". But then it becomes weird... 

While in Izmir, I found this cluster of record stores in the bazar that was incredible. Lots of rarities there and a guy who would just let you listen to anything you want. His shop is a bit strangely  designed, with a huge desk in the middle of a small room, and records shelved on a few levels upon one of the walls. But start dropping names and he'll feed you. 

I can't remember in which store I bought this one by Okay Temiz, but it's one of the best decision I've ever made in terms of records. Expensive, but with a reason. And because it was relatively pricey, when I found a very new cheap reissue in a bookstore, I bought it as well. So I came back from Turkey with two copies of "Zikir". Twice the joy.  

Okay Temiz, a famed percussionist from Turkey, had developed his own instruments, and showcased them on his albums, including "Zikir". A difficult album to describe, full of experimentations, definitely linked to the Ottoman spirit, but including jazz innovations. There are also elements from abroad, and a bit of fusion hints (the record was recorded in Istanbul in 1979).  

The mix of old/traditional/authentic and new/experimental/creative makes the album a difficult album to get into, but once the listener has found the key to it, the pleasure is just maximized. 

Temiz proved the world to be a genius, virtuoso and innovator with this one, leading a band (watch out for Aka Gündüz Kutbay on the ney) that follows his guidance with discipline and some kind of cool. 

So essential that there's no shame in owning it twice or more. 

Okay Temiz & Oriental Wind - Zikir.

Here's the album, as a YouTube playlist.

Could have picked another Temiz's album, I know... The sign of a true master.

lockdown : vinyl find #46.

Ethiopian music was among the first genres that I dived into when I started digging into those "global grooves". I associated "genre" and "Ethiopian music" because most of what got out of this marvelous country can be categorized as ethio-jazz. Of course, it is only part of what Ethiopia has produced. 

Schooled in some of the best music schools of the Western world (in London, Boston and New York City), Mulatu Astatke was already a trained musician when the Derg dictatorship took over Ethiopia and shut down the boiling music scene of Addis. He had already invented a formula, which he would keep on refining under the trademark "ethio-jazz". 

Probably thanks to his student years abroad, Mulatu Astatke developed a sense of international collaborations which led him to publish records on labels from the USA, Australia, France, etc. 

Seeing him releasing a record on a Polish label should be no surprise, especially on such a reference label, Poljazz. But it was still the Cold War, with controlled borders for both humans and cargo : a challenge. Accepted. 

Getting Mulatu's originals (LP or singles) around 2010 was almost impossible. Thankfully, his music was widely available on CD thanks to the work of archeologist by musicologist Francis Falceto. His "Ethiopiques" series brought Ethiopian music forward and shed light on the stars of the genre : Mahmoud Ahmed, Tlahoun Gessèssè, Alèmayèhu Eshèté etc. 

This album by Mulatu was one of the few to be affordable. I bought a first copy off internet. When I received it, I thought "wtf, a kid scribbled on the f* cover !!!". It took me some time to realize it was the actual design... My bad. 

Then, in a store in Vienna, Austria, I found another copy, super cheap, and bought it. 

With "Plays ethio-jazz", Mulatu apparently broke a 15-year silence, with class. The first category that comes to mind would be jazz-fusion, in a very 1980's trend. The opening with a sax says it all ? Not really. Percussions and bass are equally important to the balance of the album. Vibraphones, Mulatu's main instrument, are discreet but appear underneath from time to time then blend again.  

Recorded with the crème de la crème of the Polish jazz musicians of the time, "Plays ethio-jazz" is the ideal combination of African rhythms and melodies played with a Western vibe. A bit cheesy to our ears of 2020, but it brings a candid charm to it. 

Mulatu Astatke - Plays ethio-jazz.

 

Although Mulatu recorded several of his tracks multiple times, I couldn't find on internet the recordings he did for this album. Sorry.  

By the way, here's Mulatu's Red Bull Music Academy master class. 

And if Mulatu plays in concert near your home, don't hesitate : book your ticket. It was the only concert I booked 6 months in advance, and I did myself a favor. It's a guaranteed grand experience. 

lockdown : vinyl find #45.

I should have written about a 45rpm. I know... but our habits and logic are upside down, so the post is about a LP. 

African music is something I have put aside for a while, and there's an explanation for this : I'm afraid of getting lost if I start digging. There are so many genres, so many records, a lot of them in terrible condition. I know it could be a beautiful journey to browse and acquire the knowledge I'm lacking, but it's just frightening when you realize the task. 

December 2016 was my first time visiting the Brussels Record Fair, held at the Ravenstein Gallery. I've said it before, it's glorious. Though cold and windy (thank you Lord, they have a summer fair as well), the fair is unmissable for anyone in the area. It's not negotiable. There was this guy with crates filled with African records in amazing condition compared to what one would usually find on the second-hand market. Near mint records, a lot of them coming from Portuguese labels, so I knew it would be music from the former Portuguese colonial empire, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Angola. I immediately thought it would be a good first foot in this incredible field that is African music. 

So I picked this one, by Saba Mini-amba, a band from Guinea-Bissau. I noticed the almost perfect condition and many copies in the crates, and the guy explained : he had found a dead stock in Lisbon. Lucky dude. He may still have a few to this day. I used to see him at several flea markets around Brussels as well, with the same crates. 

Though a bit expensive when I bought it, this record contains the flavors I was looking for and remains a sound purchase for an introduction to the soukouss and cadence styles. The band has a typical line-up, comprised of guitar, bass, drums, congas, but at times offers strange effects, in a psych-fuzz way. Though don't expect long psych parts, it's not what we're talking about here. It is a soft album, musically and vocally. Danceable nonetheless.  

Saba Mini-amba - Saba Mini-amba.

Here's the full album, as a YouTube playlist.

lockdown : vinyl find #44.

There's no clear mark in my memory of my first encounter with François de Roubaix's work. I may have subconsciouly grown up with his music in my ears, considering the type of soundtracks he did. 

However, it became obvious very early in my digging "career" that I had to collect as many records involving François de Roubaix as I could find and afford. It became an obsession, that I filled with a few 45's and LP's. Recent reissues came to my rescue, considering the price tags of some of the originals. For others, they'll probably remain as dreams for my entire life. 

Beside his most famous soundtracks, François de Roubaix was a pioneer in electronic music, infusing synths and crazy sounds into his composition, or even composing entire titles with electronic means and exotic, if not self-crafted, instruments. His personality, his work ethics, became worthy of interest, although there was very few documentation to find.   

I bought this compilation of music composed to score short movies very early, in Bordeaux, probably at the very good record fair that used to be held at the Velodrome. It was like a gift from God. I didn't know anything about WéMé Records at the time, but I worshipped them for this compilation. It contains such a variety of styles (jazz, pop, funk, afro, proto-electronic...), such an amount of music,  such diversity in moods, on just two records, it's simply impressive. 

When I became aware of the influence of WéMé Records in the Belgian landscape, I found it odd that they were the ones who put on the market that many de Roubaix's recordings ; I gotta admit that besides pressing de Roubaix's exclusives, they are also responsible for a bunch of weird records. And the same guys are responsible for the best second-hand bookstore in Brussels, Pêle-Mêle. 

Spanning from 1963 to 1973, "Courts métrages", is an essential addition to any collection, especially for those focusing on soundtracks. Like the hand-drawn cover, it perfectly shows the typical négligé elegance of de Roubaix's music. Those flutes, damn, those flutes... a signature.

François de Roubaix - Courts métrages.

Here's the CD version : YouTube.

Other labels (notably Pucci Records) have released a collection of his soundtracks for short movies. 

lockdown : vinyl find #43.

I haven't linked my posts to the losses of music giants that happened during the current crisis, such as Manu Dibango, Christophe... I'll do today, although in a diverted manner. 

Tony Allen died yesterday. Considered by many as the best drummer anyone can remember of, he shaped the sound of afrobeat, and therefore contributed to the sound we're used to nowadays, from Africa of course, but also in electronic music, hip-hop etc. As legendary as he was, he's been sticks for hire for decades. He brought his incredible skills to many albums, especially for European and American stars of the music industry. 

Two weeks ago, I read an article from Radio Nova about Sébastien Tellier's song "La ritournelle", on which Allen plays the drums (Edit : Sébastien Tellier and Record Makers generously shared Tony Allen's drum solo track as a .wav file). The article describes how a shy Tellier asked this iconic drummer how he wanted him to play the drums under his hypnotizing piano melody.   

It wasn't the last collaboration between the two. Allen circled back in 2013, playing drums on Tellier's album "Confection". 

I've loved some of Sébastien Tellier's music as soon as I heard his music in "Lost in translation", Sofia Coppola's movie. There's nothing original here, I guess a lot of people discovered Tellier that way. Then I dug. The "Narco" soundtrack. The "Politics" album. "L'étrange vérité". I had to own those. I failed, and still to this day, for "Politics". 

So, 2013. "Confection" was marketed as the soundtrack to an imaginary movie. Word on the street says something different ; it was actually a soundtrack to a movie, that was rejected. For those who don't know, it actually happens a lot in the movie and music industry. I remember music blogs back in the first half of the 2000's which used to post many rejected scores and soundtracks, from outstanding composers. Good ol' days. 

Nonetheless, despite this background story, the album is everything you would expect from a post-Ritournelle Sébastien Tellier, a style he diverted from in the meantime. The album sounds like it comes from the same recording session, or the same era, revolving around the same harmonies, atmosphere, vibes and mythology. The fact that the same team was used on "La ritournelle" and seven years later for the "Confection" album has everything to do with that feeling : Zdar (RIP) on the mix, Tony Allen (RIP) on drums, Phoenix's Rob on synths, Emmanuel d'Orlando on arrangements. 

The sound is soft, rich, enveloping, highly musical a reminiscence of François de Roubaix. A true marvellous romance, with Tellier avoiding the microphone, except for one track, the Ritournelle-ish single "L'amour naissant", which isn't even the best song of the album.  

Sébastien Tellier - Confection.

Here's the album, on Bandcamp.

Sébastien Tellier's new album, "Domesticated", is due right after the crisis is over. Concerts will follow.
Anyway, the point was : RIP Tony Allen.

lockdown : vinyl find #42.

I've just listened to the album Procol Harum recorded with the Edmonton Symphonic Orchestra. And I followed with a real Finnish sweet. Almost a perfect mix.  

I've already mentioned the quality of the record stores in Helsinki on this blog. The digging session I had there was the occasion to get acquainted with the impressive Love Records catalog. From this bottomless pit, Wigwam stands out. They represented the best of progressive rock in Finland in the 1970's. Honestly, I had no idea before visiting the stores in Helsinki. Chatting with the record dealers was key, it always is. 

Opening on a couple of prog rock kinda conventional anthems, the album also contains some strange bits of experimentation on synthetizers and background vocals, jazzy moments, also heavy guitar solos to impress the ladies. Organs are there when needed, pianos as well, floating flutes, offering a wide range of sounds, though remaining in the usual prog rock palette. However, don't expect any reference to the Finnish roots of the band : the lyrics are sung in English, one of the band members and main songwriter, Jim Pembroke, was Brit, and the album was produced by American producer Kim Fowley.  

The general atmosphere, soft as a pillow, serves as a time capsule, a travel back into the flower power. 

Wigwam - Tombstone Valentine. 

Here's the full album, as a YouTube playlist.