SOLO 500 is back on their own self-titled label with the third entry in Galaxy Sound Company's series and again it digs deep into jazz-funk to turn out some killer breaks. Up first is the main theme from 1974's subway hijack movie The Taking Of The Pelham One Two Three and it is one with a funky, jazzy, high-octane sound that has been sampled by Company Flow, Mix Master Mike and many more. On the backside is an edit of a tune from Manfred Mann Chapter Three's self-titled 1969 LP. This one has been famously sampled by The Prodigy. Another great little 7".

STAFF COMMENTS

Andy says: Manfred Mann's "One Way Glass", which is the glass in question, is just one of those incredibly infectious, groovy late 60's classics with the greatest horn riff and coolest bass. Don't wanna spoil it by saying that you'll know it from samples and adverts, but I just have and you surely will. Doesn't make it any less brilliant though!

TRACK LISTING

1-2-3 (Edit)
Glass (Drum Breaks Edit)

Recorded at his home studio in Los Angeles (2020) the album is fundamentally the sound of a man alone with his instruments.
Utilizing a variety of guitars, including 6, 7 and 10 strings, Oktav guitar and electric baritone guitar, alongside a host of pedals and synthesizers, Fabiano tracked imagined landscapes with expressive, expansive improvisations, which tend toward the more ambient and atmospheric reaches of his recent output.

Adopting Hermeto Pascoal's concept of Universal Music, a rejection of nationalistic tendencies in order to express all of one's musical influences all at once, Fabiano avoided leaning too heavily on any particular musical language, without denying his own musical roots.

After studying classical piano as a child, the Rio de Janeiro native discovered the guitar aged 10. Studying under his late uncle, Lucio Nascimento, he eventually left Brazil for LA, where he soon became an in- demand player for his distinct and authentic sound. He has since released seven albums under his own name and collaborated with renowned Brazilian artists including Arthur Verocai and Airto Moreira, as well as experimental US saxophonist Sam Gendel.

Mundo Solo (Do Nascimento's eighth), was recorded in one take per track, with occasional overdubs and a few appearances from collaborators and friends Julien Canthelm (drums on Etude 1), Ajurina Zwarg, (percussion on CPMV) and Gabe Noel (Bass on Curumim).

Fabiano Do Nascimento's consummate mastery of his instrument has afforded him a freedom of expression few can claim. Blending the emotional with the elemental, Mundo Solo is a stunning snapshot of solitude and the beauty which can blossom within it.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Abertura
A2. Curumim 2
A3. Paperstrings
A4. Agua De Estrellas
A5. Bari
A6. Etude 1
A7. Meianoite
A8. Reflections
A9. Coisa
B1. Coisa 2
B2. CPVM
B3. Txaii
B4. Tempo
B5. De Manha
B6. Dormenor

THIS IS A BLACK FRIDAY 2023 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8AM ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25TH).

Tuff City anthology of early Hip-Hop solo performers with insert 7" half on red, half on yellow vinyl featuring Spoonie Gee, T-SkiValley, Ultramagnetic MC’s featuring Kool Keith, Grandmaster Caz, etc. Tuff City is pleased to present the best possible reissue program of Hip-Hop's first decade. These reissues were made as a tribute to Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary. Each volume represents an important facet of performers on Tuff City: The Solo MC’s, The MC Crews, The DJ’s and The Female MC’s. Each volume features an inner sleeve with liner notes and bonus 7” insert. Each pressing consists of 750 on red vinyl and 750 of an opaque color specific to the volume (Yellow, Gold, Blue, Orange). A bonus 7” single is slipped in the cover encased in a Tuff City logo sleeve in the style of its iconic 12” singles. The series was also conceptualized as a multiset release to stand side by side with the classic Old School Rarities series (The Funky Drum Jams, The Electro Jams, The Linn Drum Jams & The Disco Jams) issued by our Ol’ Skool Flava imprint.

The Solo MC’s kicks off with Harlem’s pioneering Spoonie Gee’s influential “Spoonin’ Rap” from 1979. “Catch The Beat” from T-Ski Valley captures the post-Disco Bronx era of Rap. The side closes with the underground personality Funkmaster Wizard Wiz whose “Knucklehead Rappers” came after he broke from The Undefeated Three. Brooklyn’s Jimmy Spicer delivers a 14+ minute marathon “Adventures of Super Rhyme (Rap).” Grandmaster Caz from Cold Crush is paired with the Fantastic’s Whipper Whip for “To All The Party People” Captain G Whiz from Freddy B’s Mighty Mic Masters closes with his solo 12” track “All The Way Live.” The bonus single features a Kool Keith solo from the Ultramagnetic MCs backed with Grandmaster Caz by himself doing “I’m What Is and You’re What Wants To Be.”

TRACK LISTING

1. Spoonin' Rap-Spoonie Gee;
2. T-Ski Valley-Catch The Beat;
3. Funkmaster Wizard Wiz-Knucklehead Rappers;
4. Adventures Of Super Rhymes-Jimmy Spicer;
5. Grandmaster Caz With Whipper Whip-To All The Party People;
6. All The Way Live-Captain G. Whiz;

Bonus 7" Single
A: Ultramagnetic MC's-Kool Keith Wild;
B: Grandmaster Caz-I'm What Is Your What Wants To Be

Simon Raymonde recorded his solo album, ‘Blame Someone Else’, while still in Cocteau Twins. Fellow Twins Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie appeared on ‘Blame Someone Else’, as did late-period member Mitsuo Tate. But Cocteau Twins were no more by the time it was out. Originally issued in October 1997, it became the first release on Bella Union, a new label run by Robin and Simon. And now by Simon alone. Circumstances change and ‘Blame Someone Else’ unexpectedly arrived in a world where Cocteau Twins were in the past.

Twenty-five years later, ‘Blame Someone Else’ is now being released under the name ‘Solo Works 96-98’, appearing on vinyl for the first time, and with the additionof the three bonus tracks from 1998’s Japan-only edition.

“It was begun in 1996 at a time of turmoil with Cocteau Twins,” says Simon of the album now. “At the time, I was unsure if I should make the album but my bandmates were extremely supportive, their encouragement helped me get the record finished. It took me 25 years to feel comfortable with these songs being available again. We all have hurdles to get over before we can feel ready to let go of certain things. Today, I feel that the first-ever release on Bella Union should once again be an active part of the label’s history, if only to bookmark these first 25 years.”

TRACK LISTING

It’s A Family Thing
Love Undone
The Seventh Day
In My Place
Supernatural
If I Knew Myself
It’s Raining Today
Muscle And Want
Worship Me
A Fault Of Mine
Days
Tired Twilight
Summer's Blue
Left Untouched The Flowers Grow
Let Love In

Dieter Moebius is one of the most important protagonists of avant-garde electronic music in Germany. Alongside his bands Kluster/Cluster and Harmonia, he participated in numerous collaborations (with the likes of Brian Eno and Mani Neumeier/Guru Guru). Asmus Tietchens, one of his musical companions, compiled this collection for Bureau B – he concentrated on his solo works "as they offer the clearest insight into his personality and inventive potential".

"I have always thought orchestra. I play that way, even when playing the piano." - Sun Ra

Considering the monumental depth of Sun Ra's recorded oeuvre, there are surprisingly few solo piano albums.

Monorails and Satellites Volumes 1 and 2 were the first commercial LPs of the artist's solo keyboard excursions. Recorded in 1966 and released on his Saturn imprint in 1968, Volume 1 featured seven idiosyncratic originals and one standard ("Easy Street") delivered in Sunny's singular manner. Volume 2 was released the following year, and contains five compositions, all originals. A third volume was prepped but shelved, and this deluxe edition marks it's premiere release.

As with all Cosmic Myth releases these volumes are superbly mastered, and are available as a deluxe 2xCD or 3xLP tri-gatefold cover with copious liners notes by renown American jazz pianist Vijay Iyer, and additional overviews by jazz historian Ben Young and producer Irwin Chusid.

TRACK LISTING

1. Space Towers
2. Cognition
3. Skylight
4. The Alter Destiny
5. Easy Street
6. Blue Differentials
7. Monorails And Satellites
8. The Galaxy Way
9. Astro Vision
10. The Ninth Eye
11. Solar Boats
12. Perspective Prisms Of Is
13. Calundronius
14. Soundscapes
15. The Eternal Tomorrow
16. Today Is Not Yesterday
17. World Island Festival
18. The Changing Wind
19. Don't Blame Me
20. Gone With The Wind
21. How Am I To Know
22. Yesterdays

Having played with The Servants in the late 1980s, Luke Haines carved a unique niche for himself in the 1990s with witty lyrics, wry humour and some stellar tunes with The Auteurs and other acts (Black Box Recorder, Baader Meinhof).

By 1999, feeling aghast at the state of the Brit Rock scene in the UK, Luke decided to “start a righteous solo trip”, having been commissioned to write the soundtrack for the film Christie Malry's Own Double Entry (2001). Sticking with Virgin Records, Luke then unveiled his first solo album proper, The Oliver Twist Manifesto, before fronting a new-look Auteurs for Das Capital.

In due course, Luke switched labels to indie Fantastic Plastic for Off My Rocker At The Art School Bop (2006), followed in 2009 by 21st Century Man. Since then, he’s curated a string of imaginative, amusing and always worthwhile albums for Cherry Red Records.

Alive And Well… is the first-ever anthology of Luke’s solo work, cherry-picking musical highlights from each of his long players as well as a smattering of B-sides, radio sessions, rarities and – on Disc 4 – a raft of previously unissued material.

With sleeve-notes by Luke himself, Alive And Well… is a very personal statement spanning the last two decades of the musical life of Luke Haines.

Mark Fosson has been playing music for nearly 50 years now. ‘Solo Guitar’ is the fifth album released under his name in all that time, which gives an insight into the nature of his music; when it is time for Mark to commit to something underneath his fingers, regardless of whether that is after two years, ten or twenty, that’s what’s right.

‘Solo Guitar’ sees Mark continuing to use his chops and enthusiasm to wander musically, drawing up pieces of sparkling, nimble fingerstyle with an eclectic vision. As the title implies, this time Mark is focused on the austerity of the guitar, plain and simple, to bring out the music. Whether on six- or twelve-string, his sure touch is transported by crystal-clear recordings that belie their down-home origins, as they catch the contours of every string as it is pressed, bent and struck - a full-bodied sound projecting soulful dips down into bass strings and shimmering upper register runs with equal power. The air around these performances is coloured with curving waves of steel-stringed beauty and the pungency of freewheeling wit and recollection.

The songs are from all over the place: The bristling, fluent action around the neck on ‘Still Ain’t Got No Home’ - a song he wrote when returning east from his long sojourn in California - evokes a traveling energy, motoring down the road in a way that never really ends. This is one of Mark’s favourites of all that he’s written and it is clear why: the golden, eternal promise of the guitar is ebulliently, transcendently delivered.

Mark Fosson’s ‘Solo Guitar’ is a masterful work, the kind it takes a lifetime to assemble.

First solo album from Papir guitar player Nicklas Sørensen! While there’s certain similarities with the oeuvre Nicklas has created with Papir it quickly becomes apparent that this is something quite different. “Solo” begins and ends with the instrument the Copenhagen native fully masters by now: the guitar. Throughout the album his main instrument is being explored as a generator of otherworldly, esoteric sounds as well as a compositional tool and - perhaps most importantly - a transmitter of pristine, cascading melodies.

There’s a peaceful, savory quality to the record that manifests a musical maturity. With help from the rhythm section of Papir as well as Causa Sui’s Jonas mun (who also recorded the album in El Paraiso Records’ new studio) Nicklas has created a wide, shimmering sound that seems to allude to a multitude of different styles and traditions. Considering that Nicklas is best known as a hard rocking guitar player with a knack for improvisation it’s perhaps surprising that his inclination for pattern-based minimalism, blissed-out ambience and experimental british “oceanic” music from the 1980s and early 1990s dominates throughout this set. This is the kind of record that rewards repeated listens - each listen revealing new layers in the architecture of the sound. “Solo” is an affable, slowburning album where each component is given its own space and place to gently unfold and work its magic in the mind of the listener. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Solo 1
2. Solo 2
3. Solo 3
4. Solo 4
5. Solo 5
6. Solo 6

Nils Frahm reveals new ‘Solo’ album and the ‘Klavins 450’ piano project on the world’s first Piano Day!

Berlin-based composer Nils Frahm has fast become know as a prolific performer and recording artist with the piano at the core. Piano Day is an official body created by Nils and his closest friends, and will house various exciting, piano-related projects. The first project revealed by the Piano Day team is the building of what will be world’s tallest piano: the Klavins 450.

As the life-long dream of David Klavins, it even exceeds the currently largest upright piano there is, the Klavins M370. Situated in Germany, Tübingen, 1.8 tons in weight, 3.7 meters high, its longest strings are about 10 feet in length. And it was on this piano that Nils recorded eight improvised piano motifs in one sitting, which form his new ‘Solo’ album – available for free download on the world’s first Piano Day on the 88th day (March 29, 2015) from www.pianoday.org. Once recorded, Nils began to think of ways to release the album as a gift to his fans, similarly to his 2012 release ‘Screws’, and that’s when Nils came up with the idea of Piano Day.

With a target of 100.000 euros to reach, Nils eases his fans into sharing their money for the project with this free release. All direct donations and a portion from any record sales will go to the Klavins 450 project until the target has been hit.

LINER NOTES:
Situated in Germany, Tübingen, 1.8 tons in weight, 3.7 meters high: the Klavins M370 is probably the largest upright piano there is. Its longest strings are about 10 feet in length.
This colossus was initially built to evaluate a useful maximum size of the piano. Driven by the assumption that pianos could sound better, David got to work in 1985 and finished his instrument 2 years later. Back then I was 5 years old, having no idea how much I would fall in love with it.
When I finally met David Klavins and his enormous piano 27 years later, in the very beginning of 2014, I arrived with empty hands. I didn't know what music, what songs I was about to record in the next 3 days.
Every piano has unique features and certain strengths. Some have more, some have less of them, but there is no bad piano out there, although I do moan about them almost all the time. Some simply hide their secrets better than others. These thoughts made me start to write music when I am with the particular instrument, the tape running.
The 8 pieces featured on this album were selected out of hours of improvising, happy hours as I recollect. The joy of playing and listening to the sound of the instrument made me play slower and slower, softer and softer, as almost every new note was destroying the immense beauty and sustain of the previous note. I was preparing the instrument with parts of my felt collection, carefully tuning mic positions with the help of my dear friend and recording gear wizard Matthias Hahn and simply playing whatever came to my mind. In conversations about this I am still struggling for words in order to praise David’s instrument. Words simply don’t do it justice, so listen for yourself. With lots of love, Nils Frahm.

TRACK LISTING

01. Ode
02. Some
03. Circling
04. Merry
05. Chant
06. Wall
07. Immerse!
08. Four Hands

Classic 1990 debut LP from Hit Squad family member K-Solo. Erick and Parrish provide their trademark beats for this highly gifted MC to flex his high-speed rhyme skills over. Check his crazy S P E L L I N G style on the wicked "Spellbound"!! Class old school action for EPMD fans.