Brownswood 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Black Classical Music by Yussef Dayes is another exceptional bit of work from this revered artist. It is a 19-track trip into his own past and present that also explores themes of home and the family. It is inspired by Hayes's musical heroes Miles Davis and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, as well as his own endless travels around the world, all of which have helped to deepen his understanding of rhythm. Plenty of top features add to the richness here including Chronixx, Tom Misch, Shabaka Hutchings, Nathaniel Cross, Theon Cross and the Chineke! Orchestra, amongst many others.

Review: This is a special white vinyl version of the new album from Yussef Dayes. His Black Classical is another superbly classy work from an artist who rarely misses. The 19 track opus finds him heading deep into his own past and present while also covering themes of home and the family. It is inspired by his own heroes Miles Davis and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and takes cues from his worldly travels while on tour, which he says - and clearly have - helped to deepen his understanding of rhythm. The likes of Chronixx, Tom Misch, Shabaka Hutchings, Nathaniel Cross, Theon Cross and the Chineke! Orchestra, amongst many others all feature to add further quality to this essential record.

Review: Over a year since the release of their exhilarating debut album Could We Be More, Kokoroko present a new collection of remixes of tracks from their debut album. The record brings together a dizzying, globe-spanning array of contemporary music's most forward-thinking artists including Dreamcastmoe, anaiis, KeiyaA, Eun, Demae, Hagan, Ash Lauryn, Stefan Ringer, Miles James, and Vanyfox. A beguiling slice of contemporary jazzdance lent a fresh modern glitzing twist, mixing old friends and fresh faces alike, while not failing to demonstrate the enduring talents of Kokoroko in equal measure.

Review: Kokoroko have been on all world music lovers' radars since their very first and very impressive EP on Brownswood back in 2018. Now we are treated to an expansive and adventurous debut album on the same label that sees the group build on their great early start. Could We Be More has been preceded by new single 'We Give Thanks' and draws plenty of inspiration from the highlife and jazz sounds of West Africa, the Afrobeat and psych-funk sounds of the 70s and plenty of modern broken beat styles. Each tunes swells with emotion and evokes good times.

Review: Members, Don't Git Weary is a Max Roach classic that now gets reissued by the Gilles Peterson-curated Arc Records. It has been mastered in mono from the original analogue tapes by the multi-Grammy winning Bernie Grundman. It comes with new sleeve-notes featuring Charles Tolliver and Gary Bartz and never before seen images of Roach from Warners archives. Originally released in 1968, it's a highlight of Roach's discography with post-bop sounds and modal workouts, some of which are written by Roach, some by Stanley Cowell and one by Gary Bartz.

Review: Secret Night Gang is a Manchester crew formed by Callum Connell and Kemani Anderson, school mates who have been writing together for a long old time before bringing bassist Stuart Whitehead into the fold. After debuting on Brownswood in 2021 with an EP and an album, they're back with a follow-up which sees them going deeper and farther, leading in with the bumping neo-soul perfection of 'Out Of My Head' as the upfront single and packing nine other essential joints from one of the most exciting bands to be doing it in the UK right now. Just dip into 'Don't Know What Tomorrow Brings' and discover the sweet spot between D'Angelo, Funkadelic and Roy Ayers they've tapped into.

Review: One of this year's Mercury Prize nominees, Wisdom Of Elders sees London saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings hitting a new ambitious high as he recorded the whole body of work with a troupe of South African musicians led by Mandla Mlangeni in one single day. Aptly described as afro-futurism, the collective melt down nuances of jazz, psychedelia and traditional South African music to paint a unique picture that's delightfully frenzied yet soulfully smooth all at once. From the big Rhodes washes and vocal textures of "The Observer" to the dramatic percussive tumbles and lonely trumpet of "The Observed" by way of epic multi-suite adventures such as "The Sea" and the incendiary opener "Mzwandile", Wisdom Of Elders lives up to its name with a spirit that's at once both future and timeless.

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.

Review: Brownswood Recordings has high hopes for this debut album from the previously unheralded Yussef Kamaal, which brings together hyped producer Kamaal Williams (AKA Henry Wu) and fast-rising Afrobeat drummer Yussef Dayes. With such talent to draw on, you'd expect Black Focus to be rather good. Happily, it is, with the duo delivering a typically London-centric take on jazz funk. That means that they take as much inspiration from the work of Kaidi Tatham as, say, Herbie Hancock. The key to the album's success - and, yes, it is generally as special as Gilles Peterson suggests - is the fluid combination of Dayes' brilliant drumming and Williams' superb synth solos and effortlessly groovy Rhodes playing.