Back in stock: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: Hot Casa France reissue a sultry drum workout from master Turkish darbouka player Yasar Akpence's 2004 album 'Passion Percussion'. 'Desert wind' layers unbelievably tight darbouka trills and phrases over a pulsing, almost dembow-esque core, making for a perfect Balearic DJ tool for any occasion. We can imagine this one bookending hypnotic techno wormholes in a small hours Donato Dozzy set, with its wide stereo drum intrusions and tight production longing to be aired off a suitably weighty soundsystem. Truly chameleonic and compelling music!

Review: With both tracks now coming out for the first time on 7" vinyl, the 'Liquid Love' and 'What's The T?' 7" single is a must get for all Roy Ayers fans and serious music collectors, not least as 2023 witnesses Roy's final ever tour of live dates. This release is a fitting tribute to the career of one of the most influential musicians in global Black music history and each track represents his virtuosity as a vibesman and his versatility across genres. 'Liquid Love' is taken from the 2015 BBE released album of Roy's unreleased material, Virgin Ubiquity II and is a wicked mid-tempo track where Roy's vibraphone complements an amazing female vocal arrangement to create harmonies and melody over a tough-as-you-like breakbeat, bassline and keyboard riff.

Review: British soul singer Dee C Lee started her career singing backup for Wham and the Style Council, before embarking on a solo career that included an early release on Mo Wax. By the late 90s, she'd pretty much stepped back from music though - making this new album for Acid Jazz a genuine surprise (it's her first new release for over a quarter of a century). It's rather good, too, with Lee's sublime and emotion-rich vocals soaring above 'heritage soul' style tracks that variously offer nods to bossa-nova ('Don't Forget About Love'), disco/jazz-funk fusion ('Be There In The Morning', with its excellent horns and fluttering flutes), and Motown-style stompers (the uplifting excellence of 'Walk Away').

Review: Dresden label Cold Diggin has been a consistent outlet for the work of The Duke Ya Love To Hate, which is one of several different aliases that Stefan Senf choses to work under. Usually they serve up just one of his special 7" outings per year but in 2023 two are arriving in December. This one comes on a hand-numbered 7" in screen-printed sleeve and is limited to just 150 copies. A-side jam 'Cold Wire' is a lively mix of breaks, jazzy chord stabs and plunging bass, then 'Cold Strut' slows things down and builds on a familiar funk break and top line melody in alluring new ways.

Review: For the very first time on vinyl comes Presents The Light Programme, Jah Wobble's extraordinary 1997 descent into downtempo and beat science. Released on his now-defunct 30 Hertz label, The Light Programme showcased an excellent cast of musicians, including Can drummer Jaki Liebezeit, Wire's Clive Bell, conga player Neville Murray, guitarist and synthesist Mark Ferda and the harpist Zi-lan Liao. The Light Programme is an intensely effulgent but at times vitreous record, with Wobble seemingly embracing the worldbeat vogue of the time with a keen, albeit naive fervour. When the tracks aren't so clear cut or obviously mixed, things get more interesting; 'One In 7' is the oddball of choice here.

Review: Pete Jolly's Seasons, first released in 1970, is an early example of, one could say,'"environmental' cool jazz and ambient music. Seasons never saw a significant commercial release, though they say that if one successfully articulates the spirit of the time, one is rewarded with fame regardless: the ensuing cult following in the years after felt almost inevitable, and now that its flames are being fanned again, we can say with surety that the West Coast jazz pianist and accordionist's efforts will continue to be rewarded once more. Cycling through each season in a jumbled order, yet revelling in every possible sensory twist and turn characteristic of each season, we're met with an album that not only straddles the jazz and pop worlds in unprecedented ways, but also serves a premonitory rendition of hip-hop; the album is a favourite sample source of such greats as Cypress Hill, Jay Dee and Busta Rhymes.

Review: Voodoos & Taboos unveil their anticipated new LPs series with Human Aventura, the debut self-titled album from the promising Corsican producer. An unusual dance release modelling itself on electro and chiptune, but finding itself somewhere in the hidden interstice between them, this is a self-described "libidinous Mediterranean spoken disco" album, giving elements of Telex or Kraftwerk, albeit with a progressive bent best heard on pithy cuts 'Solid State Scouter'. Not one to be missed for those who like it intelligent, fidgety and FMmy.

Review: Azimuth, a collaboration between John Taylor, Norma Winstone, and Kenny Wheeler, presented an enchanting blend of jazz mastery when it was released in 1977 and it still resonates to this day. The album showcases the trio's seamless interplay and innovative approach to improvisation with Taylor's delicate piano, Winstone's ethereal vocals and Wheeler's evocative trumpet creating a mesmerizing tapestry of sound. From the introspective ballads to the spirited compositions, Azimuth captivates with its emotive depth and musical sophistication. This timeless LP remains a testament to the brilliance of three exceptional musicians pushing the boundaries of contemporary jazz.

Review: Yussef Days, a virtuoso drummer, has injected fresh energy into contemporary jazz and broken beat genres through multiple innovative projects, each showcasing his remarkable talent. One of them is The Yussef Dayes Experience which recently dropped its Live At Joshua Tree Presented By Soulection album and now follows it up with another live album, this time from Malibu, on Gilles Peterson's revered Brownswood label. It features music from his critically acclaimed debut solo album, Black Classical Music, and plenty of other gems on limited vinyl with features from his usual longtime collaborators Rocco Palladino, Venna, Elijah Fox, and Alexander Bourt.