Recorded remotely during 2021-2022 the album took shape in the form of mutual compositions, gradually developed and embellished online. Final recording sessions took place at the majestic Chale Abbey Studios on the Isle Of Wight with Moses Boyd (drums), Tom Herbert (bass) and Siobhan Cosgrove (flute, clarinet) adding elements to several pieces. Tracks include the reflective, wistful single ‘VientoCalido’ and drifting ambient piece ‘Sabena’, a beautiful tribute to Gigi’s wife who sadly passed away during 2022.

Greg Foat has recorded prolifically in recent years including acclaimed albums Symphonie Pacifique (2020) and The Mage (2019).
Best known for his 1986 ambient masterpiece Wind and as a member of Gaussian Curve, Gigi Masin has enjoyed a revival in recent years through his Calypso album on R&S’s Apollo label and renewed touring. Dolphin represents Greg and Gigi’s first landmark recording collaboration together. “I first heard Gigi’s album Wind in 2016,” remembers Greg. “I was living in Miami and I heard it playing one Summer evening. Since then, it has always been in my mind to be able to record together.”

"This album is a tribute to the joy of playing together and creating something beautiful and exciting.A sincere hymn to life"(Gigi Masin)

TRACK LISTING

1 / A1 Lee
2 / A2 London Nights
3 / A3 Love Theme
4 / B1 Dolphin
5 / B2 Sabena
6 / B3 Leo Theo
7 / B4 Viento Calido
8. Your Move

Formed in Mamelodi township near Pretoria, the group started out as Malombo Jazz Men with Julian Bahula on malombo drums, Abbey Cindi on flute and Philip Tabane on guitar. Fusing traditional and improvised rhythms with jazz, Malombo became renowned as one of the first South African bands to fully connect jazz with the African traditions. Despite his undoubted genius, Tabane became erratic on tour and Bahula brought in another Mamelodi-based talent, guitarist Lucas “Lucky” Ranku, renaming the band Malombo Jazz Makers. The group played stadiums and festivals and were soon signed to Gallo. Recording at a studio in Pretoria, the trio debuted with the album ‘Malompo Jazz’ in 1966, showcasing the simple, spacious beauty of the Malombo sound and Abbey Cindi’s compositions, with Mahotella Queens’ Hilda Tloubatla on guest vocals. The partner follow-up album ‘Malombo Jazz Makers Vol. 2’ was recorded a year later, continuing the earthy flow of Malombo’s music. The two albums have since been recognised as unique landmarks of South African jazz through popular tracks like ‘Sibathathu’, ‘Jikeleza’ and ‘Emakhaya’. Alongside full original artwork, the albums feature a new interview with Julian Bahula.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Abbey's Mood
A2. Lullaby For Angels
A3. Grab This For Me
A4. Emakhaya
A5. Blues After Lunch
A6. Bababelo
B1. Intandane
B2. A Tribute To Birds
B3. Root Of Africa
B4. Vuma Mbari
B5. Lousy Fever
B6. Jikeleza

Formed in Mamelodi township near Pretoria, the group started out as Malombo Jazz Men with Julian Bahula on malombo drums, Abbey Cindi on flute and Philip Tabane on guitar. Fusing traditional and improvised rhythms with jazz, Malombo became renowned as one of the first South African bands to fully connect jazz with the African traditions. Despite his undoubted genius, Tabane became erratic on tour and Bahula brought in another Mamelodi-based talent, guitarist Lucas “Lucky” Ranku, renaming the band Malombo Jazz Makers. The group played stadiums and festivals and were soon signed to Gallo. Recording at a studio in Pretoria, the trio debuted with the album ‘Malompo Jazz’ in 1966, showcasing the simple, spacious beauty of the Malombo sound and Abbey Cindi’s compositions, with Mahotella Queens’ Hilda Tloubatla on guest vocals. The partner follow-up album ‘Malombo Jazz Makers Vol. 2’ was recorded a year later, continuing the earthy flow of Malombo’s music. The two albums have since been recognised as unique landmarks of South African jazz through popular tracks like ‘Sibathathu’, ‘Jikeleza’ and ‘Emakhaya’. Alongside full original artwork, the albums feature a new interview with Julian Bahula.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Ngivulele
A2. Udondolo
A3. Soul Of Africa
A4. Jolly Journey
A5. Umkhosi
A6. Majazana
B1. Abbey's Body
B2. Vukani
B3. Hleziphi
B4. Sibathathu
B5. Malombi Walk
B6. Emoubane

Strut present a brand new compilation documenting the groundbreaking maloya scene on Réunion Island from the mid-‘70s, as Western instrumentation joined traditional Malagasy, African and Indian acoustic instruments to spark a whole era of new fusions and creativity. Compiled by Réunionese DJ duo La Basse Tropicale, ‘Oté Maloya’ follows up last year’s acclaimed ‘Soul Sok Séga’ release on Strut.

Traditional maloya, originally called “séga”, described the songs, music and dances of slaves on the sugar plantations of Réunion Island in the 17th Century – maloya ceremonies paid tribute to ancestors and mediated between the living and the dead. The music and culture began to be more widely accepted by Réunionese society from the 1930s as folklorist Georges Fourcade began to play maloya songs. By the ‘50s, maloya tracks were appearing on 78rpm releases and, in the ‘60s, it was used as a form of cultural protest music.

In the mid-‘70s, a new generation began exploring new directions in the music, using Créole language; many were self-taught and learned their craft in 1960s dance band “orchestres”. André Chan-Kam-Shu’s Studio Royal in the south of the island became the main hub for experimentation and collaboration. Most notably, the band Caméléon honed their sound here – with maloya legends Alain Peters and vocalist Hervé Imare involved, Caméléon became the leading collective on the scene, using poetic lyrics and creating their own potent fusion of maloya, jazz and psychedelia.

‘Oté Maloya’ tells the story of this fertile period in Réunion Island music for the first time and features the full spectrum of maloya styles. From Caméléon’s genius to the teenage Michou’s classic ‘Maloya Ton Tisane’, Daniel Sandié’s breakbeat sleeper ‘Défoule 3e Age’ and more traditional styles from Maxime Lahope and Pierrot Vidot, this is an essential trip through a lost era of Indian Ocean blues and soul.

TRACK LISTING

1. Caméléon – La Rosée Si Feuilles Songes
2. Michou – Maloya Ton Tisane
3. Jean Claude Viadère – Moin La Pas Fait Tout Sel
4. Daniel Sandié – Défoule 3E Age
5. Cormoran Group – P’Tit Femme Mon Gâté
6. Marie Hélen Et Ses Créol’S – Séga Le Sport
7. Françoise Guimbert – Tantine Zaza
8. Vivi - Toé Même Maloya
9. Pierrot Vidot – Commandeur
10. Hervé Imare– Mele-Mele Pas Toué P’Tit Pierre
11. Groupe Dago – Réveil Créole
12. Ti Fock – Sé Pi Bodié
13. Gaby Et Les Soul Men – C’Est Le Même Cadence
14. Vivi – Mi Bord’ A Toé
15. Maxime Lahope - Sous Pied D’Camélias
16. Gilberte - Serre Serre Pas
17. Gaby Et Les Soul Men – Oh Maloya
18. Hervé Imare – Mi Donne A Toué Grand Coeur
19. Carrousel – Oté Maloya

New from Strut, a fresh reissue of the classic debut album Try And Love from one of Nigeria’s most celebrated Afro-rock bands, Ofege.

Formed by guitarist Melvin Ukachi and bassist Paul Alade while young students at St Gregory’s school in Lagos, Ofege first found their feet borrowing instruments and supporting school band The Groove Makers. Discovering drummer M-ike Meme by chance at a school dance and adding Dapo Olumide on keys and Felix Inneh on rhythm guitar, they met EMI’s resident producer / A&R man, Odion Iruoje who promptly auditioned them. Sneaking them out of school to record their first sessions (Ofege literally means “breaking bounds”), Iruoje honed the band into a tighter unit and their debut album Try And Love was recorded at EMI’s Studios in 1972. “Odion was like a Sergeant Major, explains Ukachi. “He drilled us for the whole day until we became tight.”

The album caught the imagination of a young Nigerian crowd fascinated by the new teen band and Ofege joined a fresh wave of homegrown artists coming through in the wake of Fela’s towering influence and other Afro-rock bands like Monomono, Ofo The Black Company and Blo (Blo’s Berkley Jones contributed wild guitar solos to this album and continued working with the band).

Try And Love mixed driving Afro-funk and rock tracks like the instrumental ‘Gbe Mi Lo’ and ‘Whizzy Llabo’ about a fellow student with hair like a wizard. Ukachi also contributed ballads including the title track and ‘It’s Not Easy’, most recently featured in TV series What We Do In The Shadows.

TRACK LISTING

A1 Nobody Fails
A2 Whizzy Ilabo
A3 Gbe Mi Lo
A4 Try Andlove
B1 It's Not Easy
B2 Ofege
B3 You Say No
B4 Lead Me On

Strut presents the definitive reissues of two all-time classic Caribbean soul and funk albums, The Beginning Of The End’s ‘Funky Nassau’ (1971) and ‘Beginning Of The End’ (1976).

Emerging from Nassau in the Bahamas in 1971, the band was formed around the Munnings brothers (Ray, Leroy and Frank) and the first song they recorded, ‘Funky Nassau’, became a No. 1 Billboard R’n’B hit, selling over a million copies. “We wanted to create something new,” remembers Ray Munnings, “something that was truly Bahamian. We loved funk but wanted to include elements of junkanoo, the indigenous music of The Bahamas.” An album was written within a week and recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami. “We brought in more Bahamian themes, like ‘Monkey Tamarind’, a wild fruit that grows there.”

By the time of their second album in 1976, the band was managed by Don Taylor, also Bob Marley’s manager. “Don took us to Byron Lee’s studio in Jamaica and used Teddy Randazzo (Little Anthony & The Imperials) to direct the sessions,” recalls Munnings. “He gave us more of an uptempo jazz funk sound with Chicago-style horns.” The album led to a run of incredible bad luck. Booked to support Marvin Gaye’s ’What’s Goin’ On’ tour, the US Musicians Union stepped in and ordered a US group to fill the slot. They were then added onto a major Bob Marley tour in 1976 before he injured his foot, cancelling all dates.

These definitive official reissues of ‘Funky Nassau’ and ‘Beginning Of The End’ are remastered by The Carvery from original tapes and feature full length tracks from the studio sessions. Both albums feature a history of the albums and the band by vocalist Ray

Munnings, alongside rare photos. ‘Beginning Of The End’ appears on loudpress 2LP for the first time. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Superwoman
2. Trip To Nowhere
3. Jamaica
4. I’Ve Got The News
5. Falling Apart At The Seams
6. That’S What I Get
7. Bluestrain
8. Jump In The Water
9. Bahamian Boogie

Strut present the first ever compilation bringing together classics and rarities from the seminal spiritual jazz and conscious soul label Black Fire, covering 1975 to 1993. Formed by DJ and record producer Jimmy Gray in Richmond, Virginia, and following in the footsteps of other influential black-owned independent labels like Strata-East and Tribe, the foundation of Black Fire coincided with saxophonist James “Plunky” Branch returning to the city from New York to form Oneness Of Juju. The band’s ‘African Rhythms’ album in 1975 was the perfect fusion of jazz, deep African polyrhythms and empowering lyrics and bassist Muzi Branch, a trained artist, created the first of many Black Fire handillustrated sleeves for the label’s debut release.

The album set the tone for a series of landmark releases on the label including Oneness Of Juju’s ‘Space Jungle Luv’ (1976) and debuts from soulman Wayne Davis (1976) and early go-go pioneers Experience Unlimited (1977). Gray continued to use his influence and strong A&R instincts to bring in more key artists – great jazz players like Byard Lancaster and Hamiet Bluiett, Ghanaian master percussionist Okyerema Asante and collectives including Southern Energy Ensemble and music / drama troupe Theatre West. Due to personal and cashflow issues, many releases had to be canned and only later surfaced on CD during the early ‘90s

‘Soul Love Now’ brings together some of the many highlights from the label onto one essential compilation. Opening with Theatre West’s powerful soul message ‘Children of Tomorrow’s Dreams’, the tracks include a Byard Lancaster recording with Tunde Kuboye’s Drummers Of Ibadan in Nigeria and Lon Moshe’s driving jazz dance classic ‘Doin’ The Carvin’ For Thabo’. Wayne Davis brings the explosive gospel rare groove ‘Look At The People’ while Plunky’s JuJu and Oneness Of Juju feature with three tracks spanning their career, including a storming previously unreleased version of the classic ‘African Rhythms’ recorded in DC in 1975.

The release features extended sleeve notes features extended sleeve notes around the history of the label alongside interviews with featured musicians. The 2LP format includes a reprint of one of the three original Black Fire magazines published by Jimmy Gray which predated the launch of the label.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: You always know you're in for a good comp with Strut, and this might just be one of their finest yet. Covering the material of legendary Richmond, VA label Black Fire. Unbeatable grooves, and warm, soulful beats meet loungy jazz and slo-mo funk. A superb compilation, and a great testament to a legendary label.

TRACK LISTING

CD
1. Theatre West – Children Of Tomorrow’s Dreams
2. Oneness Of Juju – Soul Love Now
3. Byard Lancaster – Drummers From Ibadan
4. Juju – Nia (Poem: The Complete Circle)
5. Lon Moshe – Doin The Carvin For Thabo
6. Wayne Davis – Look At The People
7. Southern Energy Ensemble – Third House
8. Oneness Of Juju – African Rhythms (Live In Washington Dc, 1975)
9. Okyerema Asante – Follow Me
10. Experience Unlimited – People

2LP
A1. Theatre West – Children Of Tomorrow’s Dreams
A2. Oneness Of Juju – Soul Love Now
A3. Byard Lancaster – Drummers From Ibadan
B1. Lon Moshe – Doin The Carvin For Thabo
B2. Juju – Nia (Poem: The Complete Circle)
C1. Wayne Davis – Look At The People
C2. Southern Energy Ensemble – Third House
D1. Oneness Of Juju – African Rhythms (Live In Washington DC, 1975)
D2. Experience Unlimited – People

Vibraphone and keyboard player, master arranger and bandleader, Mulatu Astatke is one of the all-time greats of Ethiopian music and the creator of his own original music form, Ethio jazz. Through the acclaimed Ethiopiques album series and through featuring on the soundtrack to the Jim Jarmusch film Broken Flowers, his music has belatedly reached a global audience and a new, younger generation of fans. In November of last year, he recorded an inspired new album with London psych jazz band The Heliocentrics for Strut’s ‘Inspiration Information’ studio collaboration series. Now, Strut are proud to present, for the first time anywhere, the definitive Mulatu career retrospective covering his landmark ‘60s and ‘70s recordings.

Mulatu is a true pioneer of African music. He was the first Ethiopian musician of his generation to travel extensively and to record abroad – he studied in the UK in Wales and at Trinity College Of Music in London, cutting his teeth on the buoyant London jazz scene of the early ‘60s. He became the first African student to attend Harvard and he lived and recorded in New York, developing a unique sound that fused Western jazz with traditional Ethiopian melodies.

Tracing the progression of his Ethio jazz experiments with full access to all of the labels for whom he recorded, Mulatu Astatke: New York-Addis-London is the essential Mulatu. Covering his first recordings in the UK during 1965, his groundbreaking fusions for the small Worthy label in New York and his key ‘70s recordings back in Addis on Amha, Phillips and Axum, the album features comprehensive sleeve notes by Miles Cleret, boss of the excellent Soundway Records imprint, and rare, previously unseen photos from Mulatu’s personal archive.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Yèkèrmo Sèw
A2. I Faram Gami I Faram
A3. Shagu
A4. Emnete
A5. Mulatu
B1. Yègelé Tezeta
B2. Asiyo Bellema
B3. Ebo Lala
B4. Fikratchin
B5. Yefikir Tizita
C1. Dèwèl
C2. Yèkatit
C3. Girl From Addis Ababa
C4. Mascaram Setaba
C5. Ené Alantchie Alnorem
D1. Nétsanét
D2. Kasalèfkut Hulu
D3. Wubit
D4. Lanchi Biye
D5. Tezeta

The roots of JuJu started in San Francisco after Plunky had met his musical mentor, Zulu musician Ndikho Xaba, helping to form his band Ndikho and The Natives. Three members of The Natives (Plunky, bassist Ken Shabala and vibes / flute player Lon Moshe) then joined Marvin X’s theatrical production The Resurrection Of The Dead, joining local musicians Al-Hammel Rasul (keyboards), Babatunde Lea (percussion) and Jalango Ngoma (timbales).

When the production ended, the six musicians formed Juju. “We had high-energy rehearsals that lasted for hours and, as a band, we became powerful and began gigging around the Bay Area,” remembers Plunky. Although orientated towards Black Nationalism, the band fed off the Bay Area’s culturally diverse communities as Plunky shaped an inclusive worldview based on collective political, social and artistic activities. During this time, the Soledad Brothers case and Angela Davis were prominent and the band supported Professor Davis and the cause. Juju’s music matched the fire of their activism. “As a band, we blew, pounded and stroked our instruments like there was no tomorrow, like our life’s work was wrapped up in each session. We approached our performances like religious rites and the music mesmerised, informed and awakened people.” The band’s first album, a Message from Mozambique, was intentionally political. While the anti-war movement focused on Vietnam, Juju looked towards wars being waged in South Africa, Angola and Mozambique over issues of white supremacy and control of natural resources. A second album, ‘Chapter Two: Nia’ would follow before the birth of Oneness Of Juju during the mid-‘70s. This definitive reissue is fully remastered by The Carvery from the original tapes and features original artwork and a new interview with Juju bandleader James “Plunky” Branch.

TRACK LISTING

A1 Struggle (Home)
A2 Soledad Brothers
B1 Freedom Fighter
B2 Make Your Own Revolution Now
B3 Father Is Back
B4 Nairobi / Chants (Traditional) 

Strut present a limited transparent vinyl pressing of the seminal album by one of the all-time legends of Nigerian music, the late, great Orlando Julius, in a mouth-watering collaboration with London super-group The Heliocentrics, originally released in 2014. Starting with his club residency in Ibadan in the mid 60s, Orlando Julius set the blueprint for a whole generation of Afrobeat and Afro funk stars, going on to play with Louis Armstrong, The Crusaders, Hugh Masekela and Lamont Dozier among others, famously co-composing the classic ‘Going Back To My Roots’ in 1979 whilst based in the USA.

For ‘Jaiyede Afro’, Julius went back to his own roots, revisiting several compositions from his early years which had never previously been recorded.

Recorded at the Heliocentrics’ fully analogue HQ in North London, the band take Orlando’s sound into new, progressive directions, retaining the raw grit of his early work and adding psychedelic touches and adventurous new arrangements. They also contribute live favourite, the James Brown cover ‘In The Middle’ and a series of memorable shorter interludes. 

TRACK LISTING

A1. Buje Buje
A2. Love Thy Neighbour
B1. Aseni
B2. Sangodele
C1. Jaiyede Afro
C2. Omo Oba Blues
C3. In The Middle
D1. Be Counted
D2. Alafia 

Strut revives a lost recording from the archives in January with a 2002 collaboration between acclaimed South African folk singer Vusi Mahlasela, singer songwriter Norman Zulu and Swedish jazz / soul collective Jive Connection.

The links between South Africa and Sweden have long been strong with Sweden one of the most supportive European nations in the struggle against apartheid; the government helped to fund the ANC for decades and Mandela visited the country on one of his first European stops following his release from prison in 1990.

Sotho folk singer Vusi Mahlasela, dubbed “The Voice” Of South Africa, performed at Mandela’s inauguration in 1994 and has enjoyed his own long relationship with Sweden, regularly embarking on cultural exchanges and forging a strong bond with the Jive Connection band, featuring guitarist / bassist Stefan Bergman and Little Dragon drummer Erik Bodin within its line-up.

Although touring regularly, the collaboration has rarely been documented beyond a lone studio album in 1994. This “lost” recording, discovered in the archives of producer Torsten Larsson, also features songwriter / vocalist Norman Zulu and showcases their natural musical chemistry together. Vusi’s songs have traditionally addressed the struggle for freedom and the need for reconciliation and, here, his lyrics are as powerful as ever, ranging from parables (‘Prodigal Son’) to an unflinching lament on child abuse (‘Faceless People’). Jive Connection vary the soundtrack, bringing in hints of reggae, jazz and post-punk alongside traditional township arrangements.

Face To Face is mastered by The Carvery. Artwork features unseen photos from the album sessions along with full lyrics. Produced in association with Torsten Larsson. 

TRACK LISTING

1. PRODIGAL SON
2. UMZALA
3. FACELESS PEOPLE
4. INKOMO
5. FACE TO FACE
6. THEMBA LAMI
7. INTOMBI YE MBALI
8. PUSH
9. ABANTU ABANGANA BUSO
10. ANASTACIA
11. B4 THULULALELE
12. ROOTS
13. STILL
14. SON OF PRODIGAL SON

Nigeria 70: No Wahala returns to a fertile heyday in Nigerian music when established styles like highlife and juju became infused with elements of Western jazz, soul and funk in the ‘70s and early ‘80s.

TRACK LISTING

A1 Odeyemi – Oni Suru
A2 Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz – Sickness
A3 Osayomore Joseph & The Creative 7 – Obonogbozu

B1 Felixson Ngasia & The Survivals – Black Precious Colour
B2 Sina Bakare – Africa
B3 Saxon Lee & The Shadows International – Special Secret Of Baby

C1 International Brothers Band – Onuma Dimnobi
C2 Don Bruce & The Angels – Kinuye
C3 Etubom Rex Williams & His Nigerian Artistes – Psychedelic Shoes

D1 Rogana Ottah & His Black Heroes Int. - Let Them Say
D2 Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Titibitis – Iziegbe (Ekassa No. 70)
D3 M.a. Jaiyesimi & His Crescent Bros Band – Mundiya Loju

Strut and Art Yard join forces for a special release to mark what would have been Sun Ra’s 100th birthday with ’In The Orbit Of Ra’, a new collection curated by the longest serving member of the Arkestra and current bandleader, Marshall Allen. Bringing together Ra highlights from over 25 years of music, the album is the first internationally released compilation to provide an introduction to the music of Sun Ra, curated personally by the Arkestra and mastered from the original tapes. With a catalogue of well over a hundred albums, Sun Ra forged his own direction in music from the mid ‘50s until his passing in 1993, injecting space age cosmic philosophy, ancient Egyptian history and lyrical poetry into a unique and freeform jazz sound. His music evolved constantly with relentless rehearsals, live gigging and recording schedules, developing a second?sense chemistry with his fellow Arkestra band members. Together, their emphasis would often be on improvisation and “the moment”, constantly re?interpreting and evolving their sound. Elements of magic and ritual would regularly feature in their performances and would lend the Arkestra a mystical aura.

For this exclusive new collection, Strut join forces with Art Yard to gain access to the inner sanctum of the Arkestra. In addition to the track selection, the release features recollections and contributions from some of the core Arkestra line?up including Marshall Allen, Michael Ray, Knoel Scott and Danny Ray Thompson. For the music, Allen’s selection takes us through the huge variety and intricacy of the Arkestra’s work covering the ‘60s to early ‘80s, from the celestial blues of ‘Spontaneous Simplicity’ and ‘Plutonian Nights’ to the urgent jazz of ‘Rocket Number Nine Take Off For Planet Venus’ and ‘Dance Of The Cosmo Aliens’. The album features an exclusive previously unreleased Sun Ra track from the Art Yard archives, the acoustic ‘Trying To Put The Blame On Me’ recorded live in Rome in 1977, along with a previously unreleased Part 1 of ‘Reflects Motion’ from 1962 and an unheard extended version of ‘Island In The Sun’ from the late ‘60s.

‘In The Orbit Of Ra’ is released on 2CD and 2LP. Physical formats feature full interview with Marshall Allen along with rare and previously unpublished photos by Val Wilmer.

TRACK LISTING

LP 1
1. Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra – Somewhere In Space
2. Sun Ra & His Solar‐Myth Arkestra – The Lady With The Golden Stockings
3. Sun Ra And His Afro Infinity Arkestra – Somebody Else’s World
4. Sun Ra – Spontaneous Simplicity
5. Sun Ra & His Solar‐Myth Arkestra – Plutonian Nights
6. The Sun Ra Arkestra – Angels And Demons At Play
7. Sun Ra – Island In The Sun
8. Sun Ra – Rocket Number Nine Take Off For Planet Venus
9. Sun Ra – Solar Differentials 

LP2
1. Sun Ra And His Arkestra ‐ Afro Black
2. Sun Ra And His Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra - Have You Heard The Latest News From Neptune
3. Sun Ra – Dance Of The Cosmo Aliens
4. Sun Ra – Trying To Put The Blame On Me
5. Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra – Planet Earth
6. Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra – The Nile
7. Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra – Reflects Motion
8. Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra – Reflects Motion (part 2)
9. Sun Ra – Ancient Ethiopia 10. Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Interplanetary Music
11. Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra – We Travel The Spaceways  

‘Disco Not Disco’ was a perfectly timed compilation back in 2000. Released when interest in the myths, history and playlists of original New York clubs like Paradise Garage and The Loft was at its peak, the album drew on the outer limits of leftfield disco championed by Levan and Mancuso, bringing together unlikely dancefloor anthems by rock acts like Yoko Ono and Ian Dury, obscurities from cottage labels like BC and Splash and selected oddities from the unique mind of avant-garde hero, Arthur Russell. It was essentially a celebration of the sonic melting pot in New York during the early ‘80s, an era when punk had burnt itself out and disco had become commercial and saccharine; in its place, the post-punk movement threw up brilliant oddities which tore up the accepted rulebook.

Since its release, the compilation title has become a by-word for a whole genre of music and remains a landmark collection of its time. With original copies now changing hands for €100+, this new pressing is a welcome return for an essential celebration of disco’s difficult cousins. The album features full original artwork and Kris Needs’ sleeve notes and is remastered and cut by The Carvery.

TRACK LISTING

A1 Yoko Ono – Walking On Thin Ice (1981 Re-edit)
A2 Liquid Liquid – Cavern
B1 Loose Joints – Tell You (Today) (Vocal)
B2 Ian Dury & The Seven Seas Players – Spasticus Autisticus (Version)
C1 Material – Over And Over
C2 Was (Not Was) – Wheel Me Out
D1 Dinosaur – Kiss Me Again (Original Edit)
D2 Don Cherry – I Walk
E1 Common Sense – Voices Inside My Head
E2 Nicky Siano - Move
F1 Indian Ocean – School Bell / Tree House

A bona fide Sun Ra classic, 'Discipline 27-11' was recorded by Impulse! producer Ed Michel in October 1972 at Streeterville Studios in Chicago and involved the largest Arkestra lineup Sun Ra had ever taken into a studio session. The recordings spawned two albums, the celebrated 'Space Is The Place' and 'Discipline 27-11' which would remain its rather mysterious occult twin. Official reissue remastered from the original tapes.

TRACK LISTING

A1: Pan-Afro
A2: Discipline
A3: Neptune
B1: Discipline 27-II

Following 2016’s definitive collection of singles released by Sun Ra from across his illustrious career, Strut present the second volume of the vinyl edition on 3LP format which focus on Ra’s later 1962-1991 period. Released sporadically during the three decades and primarily on the Saturn label, the 45s offer one-off missives from Ra’s prolific cosmic journey, tracing the development of his forward-thinking 'Space-Bop' and his unique take on jazz and blues traditions which remains unlike anything else from the period. As with the first volume vinyl editions, the collection is hugely varied, ranging from Ra’s spoken word recitations and some of his R&B recordings to alternative versions of Arkestra staples like "Love In Outer Space", "Enlightenment" and "Rocket No. 9". The singles are also unpredictable vehicles for Ra’s music, combining different tracks from different sessions and occasionally making available music which was recorded many years beforehand. On the volume 2 vinyl editions, we find tracks that have only ever been seen via a small handful of copies including "Love In Outer Space" b/w "Mayan Temple" and "The Blue One" b/w "Orbitration In Blue"; some were planned and pencilled but allegedly never made it to vinyl and some appeared as limited one-off magazine singles including Ra’s very last single release, the reflective "I Am The Instrument". Sleeve note writers Chris Trent and Paul Griffiths brilliantly illustrate the role of the single within Ra’s career and break down each release with detailed track by track notes. Working with Sun Ra LLC and Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson, Strut has also assembled the best possible master sources for each track.

"Singles Vol. 2" features fully remastered tracks, rare photos, original 45 artwork, Chris Trent sleeve notes and detailed track by track and session notes by Paul Griffiths.

TRACK LISTING

LP Tracklisting
A1. Sun Ra & His Arkestra – Space Loneliness
A2. Sun Ra & His Arkestra – State Street
A3. Sun Ra & His Arkestra – The Blue Set
A4. Sun Ra & His Arkestra – Big City Blues
B1. Sun Ra & His Arkestra Featuring Pat Patrick – A Blue One
B2. Sun Ra & His Arkestra Featuring Pat Patrick – Orbitration In Blue
B3. Sun Ra & His Arkestra – Out There A Minute
B4. Little Mack With Sun Ra & His Arkestra – Tell Her To Come On Home
B5. Little Mack With Sun Ra & His Arkestra – I’m Making Believe
C1. Sun Ra & His Outer Space Arkestra – The Bridge
C2. Sun Ra & His Outer Space Arkestra – Rocket # 9
C3. Sun Ra & His Astro-Solar-Infinity Arkestra – Blues On Planet Mars
C4. Sun Ra & His Astro-Solar-Infinity Arkestra – Saturn Moon
C5. Sun Ra & His Astro-Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra – Journey To Saturn
C6. Sun Ra & His Astro-Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra – Enlightenment
D1. Sun Ra & His Astro-Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra – I’m Gonna Unmask The Batman
D2. Sun Ra & His Astro-Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra – The Perfect Man
D3. Sun Ra & His Arkestra – Love In Outer Space
D4. Sun Ra & His Arkestra – Mayan Temple
D5. Sun Ra Quartet – Sky Blues
E1. Sun Ra Quartet– Disco 3000
E2. Sun Ra – Rough House Blues
E3. Sun Ra – Cosmo-Extensions
E4. Sun Ra & His Outer Space Arkestra – Quest
E5. Sun Ra & His Outer Space Arkestra – Outer Space Plateau
E6. Sun Ra Arkestra – Sometimes I’m Happy
F1. Sun Ra Arkestra – Nuclear War
F2. Sun Ra Arkestra – On Jupiter / Cosmo Drama
F3. Sun Ra Arkestra – Cosmo Drama
F4. Sun Ra – I Am The Instrument

Strut present the definitive vinyl edition of 'Nigeria 70'. First released in 2001, the collection inspired a new generation of labels and releases into Afro funk and Afro jazz fusions and helped to introduce the 1970s Lagos scene beyond Fela Kuti's catalogue for a legion of soul, funk and dance music enthusiasts.

TRACK LISTING

A1 Orlando Julius & His Afro Sounders - Alo Mi Alo (Parts 1 & 2 )
A2 Segun Bucknor & His Revolution - La La La
A3 Lijadu Sister - Orere Elejigbo
B1 Peter King - Shango
B2 Sahara All Stars Band Jos - Enjoy Yourself
C1 Fela Anikulapo Kuti & The Africa 70 - Jeun Ko Ku (Chop 'N' Quench)
C2 Tunji Oyelana & The Benders - Ifa
C3 Ofo The Black Company - Allah Wakbarr
D1 The Funkees - Dancing Time
D2 MonomonoTi - Re Loma Da Nigbehin
D3 Bala Miller & The Great Music Pyrameeds Of Afrika - Ikon Allah
E1 Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maestroes - Akayan Ekassa
E2 Shina Williams & His African Percussionists - Agboju Logun
F1 Gasper Lawal - Kita Kita
F2 King Sunny Ade & His African Beats - Ja Fun Mi (Instrumental)

Nigeria 70: Lagos Jump, another essential box of West African dynamite with the emphasis firmly on the dancefloor. From the heavy jazz of Peter King to Bola Johnson’s scratchy Afro funk and the rolling grooves of juju legend Sir Shina Peters, the album captures a rich and unique era in West African music.

TRACK LISTING

A1 Bola Johnson & His Easy Life Top Beats - Ezuku Buzo
A2 Ify Jerry Krusade - Everybody Likes Something Good
A3 Sir Shina Peters & His International Stars - Yabis
A4 Olufemi Ajasi & His New Nigerian Bros - Aiye Le
B1 Ashanti Afrika Jah - Onyame
B2 Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maestroes - Dododo (Ekassa No 1)
B3 Peacocks Guitar Band - Eddie Quansa
B4 Rex Williams - You Are My Heart
C1 Peter King - African Dialects
C2 Cheif Checker - Ire Africa
C3 Eddie Okwedy - Happy Survival
D1 Tony Tete Harbor And The Star Heaters Of Nigeria - Tete Muo Bo Muo
D2 Eric (Showboy) Akaeze And His Royal Ericos - Wetin De Watch Goat, Goat Dey Watcham
D3 The Immortals - Hot Tears 

Strut present the definitive collection of singles released by Sun Ra across his illustrious career, spanning 1952 to 1991. Released prolifically during the 1950s and more sporadically thereafter, primarily on the Saturn label, the 45s offer one-off meteorites from Ra’s prolific cosmic journey, tracing the development of his forward-thinking “Space-Bop” and his unique take on jazz and blues traditions. The collection is hugely varied, ranging from Ra’s spoken word recitations and his early work with Chicago vocal groups to the different phases of his Arkestra, small group and duet recordings. The singles are also unpredictable vehicles for Ra’s music, combining different tracks from different sessions and occasionally making available music which was recorded many years beforehand.

As with his LPs, most 45s were only pressed in small runs and have since become extremely rare and sought after. Only a small handful of copies of ‘Love In Outer Space’ b/w ‘Mayan Temple’ and ‘The Blue One’ b/w ‘Orbitration In Blue’ have ever been seen; some have only been discovered in physical form in recent years; some were planned and pencilled but allegedly never made it to vinyl (including ‘Saturn’ and ‘Velvet’ from the Jazz In Silhouette LP) and some appeared as limited one-off magazine singles and posthumous releases, including ‘Hell #1’ aka ‘Out There A Minute’.

All formats feature fully remastered tracks, rare photos, original 45 artwork, Francis Gooding’s extensive sleeve notes, an interview with Saturn Records founder Alton Abraham by John Corbett and detailed track by track and session notes by Paul Griffiths.

The set is the most comprehensive collection of Ra’s singles to date. Sleeve note writers Francis Gooding and Paul Griffiths brilliantly illustrate the role of the single within Ra’s career and break down each release with detailed track by track notes. Working with Sun Ra LLC and Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson, Strut has also assembled the best possible master sources for each track.

TRACK LISTING

1. Sun Ra – I Am An Instrument
2. Sun Ra – I Am Strange
3. The Nu Sounds With Sun Ra – Chicago Usa
4. The Nu Sounds With Sun Ra – Spaceship Lullaby
5. The Cosmic Rays With Sun Ra And Arkestra – Daddy’S Gonna Tell You No Lie
6. The Nu Sounds With Sun Ra And Arkestra – A Foggy Day
7. Billie Hawkins With Sun-Ra And His Orchestra – I’M Coming Home
8. Billie Hawkins With Sun-Ra And His Orchestra – Last Call For Love
9. Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Soft Talk
10. Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Super Blonde
11. Le Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Saturn
12. Le Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Call For All Demons
13. Le Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Demon’S Lullaby
14. Le Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Super-Sonic Jazz
15. Le Sun-Ra & His Arkistra – Medicine For A Nightmare
16. Le Sun-Ra & His Arkistra – Urnack
17. The Qualities – It’S Christmas Time
18. The Qualities – Happy New Year To You!
19. Yochanan (The Space Age Vocalist) – M Uck M Uck (Matt Matt)
20. Yochanan (The Space Age Vocalist) – Hot Skillet Momma
21. The Cosmic Rays With Le Sun Ra And Arkestra – Bye Bye
22. The Cosmic Rays With Le Sun Ra And Arkestra – Somebody’S In Love
23. Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Hours After
24. Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Great Balls Of Fire
25. Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra – October
26. Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra – Adventur In Space
27. The Cosmic Rays With Sun Ra And Arkestra – Dreaming
28. The Cosmic Rays With Sun Ra And Arkestra – Daddy’S Gonna Tell You No Lie
29. Hattie Randolph With Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra – Round Midnight
30. Hattie Randolph With Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra – Back In Your Own Back Yard
31. Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Saturn
32. Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Velvet
33. Yochanan “A Space Age Vocalist” With Sun Ra And His Arkestra – The Sun One
34. Yochanan “A Space Age Vocalist” With Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Message To Earthman
35. Yochanan With Sun Ra And His Arkestra – The Sun Man Speaks
36. Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Space Loneliness

Strut present the official reissue of a landmark album in the field of African music, Mulatu Astatke’s ‘Mulatu Of Ethiopia’ from 1972. Recorded in New York, the album arrived at a time when Astatke had begun to master the delicate fusion of styles needed to create Ethio jazz. “I left the UK for America and studied at Berklee College in Boston. I learnt the technical aspects of jazz and gained a beautiful understanding of many different types of music. That’s where I got my tools. Berklee really shook me up.”

Journeying regularly to the Big Apple to play and watch live shows at the Cheetah, the Palladium and the Village Gate, Astatke met producer Gil Snapper on the circuit. “Gil was a nice and very interesting guy. He produced music and worked with all kinds of musicians.” The meeting would lead to a series of albums on Snapper’s Worthy label, Astatke began to hone his sound, infusing funk and Azmari “chik- chikka” rhythms into the mix. Returning to a downtown Manhattan studio with Snapper and working with some of the city’s top young jazz and latin session players, ‘Mulatu Of Ethiopia’ began to take shape. “We rehearsed for 3-4 weeks,” remembers Astatke. “it took them a while to get the right feeling in the music.”

The resultant album represented the first fully formed document of Astatke’s trademark Ethio jazz sound. It features ‘Kulunmanqueleshi’, ‘Dewel’, and ‘Kasalefku-Hulu’, tracks that Mulatu would return to regularly on singles and in live shows, the Ethio- Latin workout ‘Chifara’ and the self-titled groover ‘Mulatu’ (“I wanted to make a track for.... myself!”).

TRACK LISTING

A1. Mulatu
A2. Mascaram Setaba
A3. Dewel
B1. Kulunmanqueleshi
B2. Kasalefkut-hulu
B3. Munaye
B4. Chifara

Strut present 3 separate reissues of the 1970s album trilogy from Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids. As students at Antioch ollege, Ohio, alto saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, flautist Margaux Simmons and bass player Kimathi Asante created three lasting monuments in sound — Lalibela, King of Kings, and Birth / Speed / Merging, a trio of albums produced without any label backing or distribution between 1972 and 1976. Their music is unique among the varied canon of avant-garde and experimental music of 1970s America: high intensity African-styled percussion topped with songs, chants, and horns, laced with African instruments and arranged into long, flowing suites that surge and roll.

King Of Kings was recorded in 1974 and features a wider array of instruments including Ugandan Harp and Balafon. Perhaps best known for the expansive "Nsorama (The Stars)" a seminal work of Spiritual Jazz.

TRACK LISTING

1. Mogho Naba (King Of Kings)
2. Queen Of The Spirits Pad 1
3. Queen Of The Spirits Pad 2
4. Queen Of The Spirits Part 3
5. Nsorama (The Stars)
6. My Africa

Strut present 3 separate reissues of the 1970s album trilogy from Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids. As students at Antioch ollege, Ohio, alto saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, flautist Margaux Simmons and bass player Kimathi Asante created three lasting monuments in sound — Lalibela, King of Kings, and Birth / Speed / Merging, a trio of albums produced without any label backing or distribution between 1972 and 1976. Their music is unique among the varied canon of avant-garde and experimental music of 1970s America: high intensity African-styled percussion topped with songs, chants, and horns, laced with African instruments and arranged into long, flowing suites that surge and roll.

Birth/Speed/Merging was recorded in 1976 after the band's move to San Francisco. The album closes the Pyramids' 70s trilogy and makes more use of studio technology: adding overdubs and other effects, a marked departure from the previous two releases, though at no cost to the urgent message and energy of their earlier works.

TRACK LISTING

1. Aomawa
2. Birth / Speed / Merging - Part 1
3. Birth / Speed / Merging - Part 2
4. Birth / Speed / Merging - Part 3
5. Birth / Speed / Merging - Part 4
6. Reaffirmation - Part 1
7. Reaffirmation - Part 2
8. Reaffirmation - Part 3
9. Reaffirmation - Part 4
10. Jamaican Carnival - Part 1
11. Jamaican Carnival — Part 2
12. Black Man And Woman Of The Nile

Strut continue their work from the archives of Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids with a first ever vinyl release of Ackamoor's debut avant-garde / Afro-jazz recordings from 1971 with The Collective, based out of Yellow Springs, Ohio.

The group was formed after Ackamoor had returned to Antioch from a spell in L.A. under the wing of influential saxophonist Charles Tyler. Pianist Lester Knibbs had been appointed to the Antioch college music department as an assistant professor and had followed a similar path to avant-garde pioneer, Cecil Taylor. "They both came from the classical tradition," explains Ackamoor, "but also understood jazz and avant-garde improvisation." Ackamoor and Knibbs started as a duet before Ackamoor met three musicians from Wright-Patterson Air Force base near Dayton. Ackamoor continues, "They would come to Yellow Springs because they could find marijuana there. They were called 'the three Steves': Steve Maniscoso, an Italian, Steve Rumboat, a white American and Oakland Steve, a black musician playing flute. Oakland Steve left the air force and then Margaux Simmons arrived - that is the quintet featured on these recordings. You also hear a vocalist called Peggy Pettitt, another Antioch student who became quite famous in movies; she starred in the film Black Girl soon afterwards in 1972.

This concert is the only professional recording of The Collective from a performance at Kelly Hall in August 1971. "After this, I think the Steves went back to Wright-Patterson," continues Ackamoor, "and The Collective just naturally evolved and transitioned into the Pyramids. I felt like The Collective was my birth as a composer; we created such a tapestry of sound because Lester had the talent to play enormous arpeggios and colours on the piano, both classically and as improvisation. Our music was just a natural expression, coming from our souls, our hearts and our minds. A channel from above... But it was not pre-designed in any way.

`Idrissa's Dream' is fully remastered from the original tapes by The Carvery and the package features an interview with Idris Ackamoor alongside previously unseen photos.

TRACK LISTING

A1 The Shepherd's Tune
A2 Idrissa's Dream Part I
B1 Idrissa's Dream Part II
B2 Black Queen
C1 Beginning Roots Part I
D1 Beginning Roots Part II
D2 Veil Of Solitude

Strut present 3 separate reissues of the 1970s album trilogy from Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids. As students at Antioch college, Ohio, alto saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, flautist Margaux Simmons and bass player Kimathi Asante created three lasting monuments in sound — Lalibela, King of Kings, and Birth / Speed / Merging, a trio of albums produced without any label backing or distribution between 1972 and 1976. Their music is unique among the varied canon of avant-garde and experimental music of 1970s America: high intensity African-styled percussion topped with songs, chants, and horns, laced with African instruments and arranged into long, flowing suites that surge and roll.

The debut album by the Pyramids was inspired by the group's visit to the Lalibela monastery in Egypt, and was recorded in Yellow Springs Ohio in early 1973. Drawing on the teachings of Cecil Taylor and the influence of John Coltrane, combined with a barrage of intense percussion, the album evolves over several long-form pieces, Initially only 500 copies were pressed and sold to friends and followers in the local area.

TRACK LISTING

1. Lalibela
2. Sheba's Dance
3. High Priestess
4. Rock Churches
5. Dialogue Of The Spirits
6. Mesenko Nights
7. Indigo
8.yaayaayaayaa
9. Sunset At Giza

Strut and Art Yard present the culmination of a 5-year project researching the archives of author, DJ and activist John Sinclair with the first ever retrospective of the influential Detroit Artists Workshop spanning 1965 to 1981.

“In the mid-‘60s, Detroit was nowhere,” explains Sinclair. “A decaying jazz scene, no community of poets, painters or writers so a group of young Detroit artists, most of us students at Wayne State University, got together in the late Summer of 1964.” Led by Sinclair and trumpeter Charles Moore, the Artists Workshop Society was formed as a co-operative community, drawing upon the resources of every participating individual in order to perpetuate itself. They began to provide spaces in Detroit for musicians to rehearse and to promote live concerts showcasing a range progressive jazz artists across the city.

Between the mid-‘60s and the early ‘80s, Sinclair amassed a huge archive of recordings from the Workshop concerts featuring Detroit residents like Moore’s Contemporary 5, Ron English and Lyman Woodard alongside many other US jazz luminaries including Donald Byrd, Sun Ra Arkestra and Herbie Hancock. Dormant in the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Brooklyn for many years, Strut and Art Yard began their research into the archives in 2017.

This first compilation of Detroit Artists Workshop is a revelation for any fan of jazz, featuring previously unreleased recordings by Byrd, Moore, English, Woodard, Bennie Maupin and Teddy Harris accompanied by extensive sleeve notes from John Sinclair, Robin Eichele and Herb Boyd. All tracks are remastered from the original tapes by Technology Works.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: From percussive heavy tribal dancers and boppin' funk that'd make New Orleans take note; to spiritual jazz so deep it'll change your religion! A breath taking comp from the city which seems intrinsic in the story of the jazz. For some the sixties are its golden age and when listening to this double disc spectacular it's hard not to see why.

TRACK LISTING

A1. John Sinclair Introduction / Yusef Lateef - Happy Ology
A2. Donald Byrd - Christo Redentor
A3. Donald Byrd - Blackjack
B1. Detroit Contemporary 4 - Effi
B2. Detroit Contemporary 4 - The Promise
B3. Detroit Contemporary 4 - Three Flowers (Cd Only)
C1. Bennie Maupin Quartet - Water Torture
C2. Ron English - Bees
D1. Teddy Harris - Passion Dance
D2. Lyman Woodard - Deja Vu
D3. Lyman Woodard Organisation - Help Me Get Away

The Patrice Rushen revival is in full swing with definitive reissues of her classic albums and a global Tik Tok dance craze around her best-loved hit, ‘Forget Me Nots’. Now, Strut present her complete Elektra recordings in one essential 5CD set on ‘So Real’.

After a series of acclaimed soul-jazz albums for prestige Records, Patrice came to Elektra as the label branched out from its trademark soft rock sound to hone a roster catering to the burgeoning “sophisticated R&B” audience during the late ‘70s, at the tail end of the disco boom. Pulling together a tight team of musicians and studio craftsmen that she had worked with and respected through writing and performing sessions in L.A., including her mentor Reggie Andrews and producer Charles Mims, Patrice combined intricate, punchy big band arrangements with her new role as lead vocalist on Patrice in 1978. The album set the template for a series of classic recordings, bringing soulful style and musicality to dancefloors. Pizzazz (1979) ushered in the huge club hit ‘Haven’t You Heard’ and classic tender ballad ‘Settle For My Love’, before Posh and the infectious single ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ a year later. Then in 1982, the landmark album Straight From The Heart and the worldwide crossover success of ‘Forget ME Nots’ following a self-funded PR campaign. Now ended her time with Elektra in 1984, a more stripped back, synth-led affair led by ‘Feels So Real (Won’t Let Go)’ and the reflective ‘To Each His Own’.

As well as through covers, samples and regular use in films, TV and ads (most famously in the film ‘Men In Black’ and on George Michael’s ‘Fastlove’), Patrice’s music has endured over the years as each new generation discovers her recordings. “So much of what happened with these records happened years after they had come out as people discovered them,” Patrice explains. “And that’s the biggest compliment of all, that the music is still being played. It’s kinda cool.”

‘So Real’ features all five of Patrice’s Elektra albums in their expanded editions including 12” versions, instrumentals and unreleased takes from the original sessions. A 32-page booklet features complete lyrics and new interviews with Patrice and the set has been fully remastered by The Carvey from the original reel to reel tapes.

TRACK LISTING

CD 1: ‘Patrice’ (1978)
1.Music Of The Earth
2. When I Found You
3. Changes (In Your Life)
4. Wishful Thinking
5. Let’s Sing A Song Of Love
6. Hang It Up
7. Cha-Cha
8. It’s Just A Natural Thing
9. Didn’t You Know?
10. Play!
11. Music Of The Earth (Danny Krivit Edit)
12. Hang It Up (12” Version)
13. Play! (12” Version)

14. Didn’t You Know? (Extended Version)

CD 2: ‘Pizzazz’ (1979)
1.Let The Music Take Me
2. Keepin’ Faith In Love
3. Settle For My Love
4. Message In The Music
5. Haven’t You Heard
6. Givin’ It Up Is Givin’ Up
7. Call On Me
8. Reprise (Message In The Music)
9. Haven’t You Heard (12” Version)
10. Let The Music Take Me (12” Version)
11. Givin’ It Up Is Givin’ Up (Instrumental Version)

CD 3: ‘Posh’ (1980)
1.Never Gonna Give You Up (Won’t Let You Be)
2. Don’t Blame Me
3. Look Up!
4. I Need Your Love
5. Time Will Tell
6. The Dream
7. The Funk Won’t Let You Down
8. This Is All I Really Know
9. Look Up! (12” Version)

CD 4: ‘Straight From The Heart’ (1982)
1.Forget Me Nots
2. I Was Tired Of Being Alone
3. All We Need
4. Number One (Instrumental)
5. Where There Is Love
6. Breakout
7. If Only
8. Remind Me
9. (She Will) Take You Down To Love
10. Forget Me Nots (12” Version)
11. Breakout (12” Version)
12. I Was Tired Of Being Alone (12” Version)
13. Number One (12” Version)

CD 5: ‘Now’ (1984)
1.Feels So Real (Won’t Let Go)
2. Gone With The Night
3. Gotta Find It
4. Superstar
5. Heartache Heartbreak
6. Get Off (You Fascinate Me)
7. My Love’s Not Going Anywhere
8 Perfect Love
9. High In Me
10. To Each His Own
11. Get Off (You Fascinate Me) (12” Version)
12. Get Off (You Fascinate Me) (Instrumental)
13. Feels So Real (Edit)
14. Feels So Real (Won’t Let Go) (Dub Version)

Strut reissue one of Patrice Rushen’s all-time classic albums for Elektra Records with an expanded 2LP edition of ‘Pizzazz’ from1979.

The album marked another progression in Rushen’s solo career as she broke through with the huge club hit ‘Haven’t You Heard’ and also featured on her LP cover with her trademark braids for the first time courtesy of stylist Sibongile Bradley and topphotographer Norman Seeff.

The album showcased Rushen’s famed talent for bringing the right musicians together, mixing more experienced players like drummer James Gadson and Bill Summers with younger talent including bassist Freddie Washington and drummer “Ndugu”Chancler. The tracks themselves were more spacious than on ‘Patrice’, released 18 months earlier. “It was the confidence of feeling that we didn't need quite as much in the arrangements, ”Patrice explains, “and the times were also changing in terms of what we liked, what we danced to and the kind of grooves that people responded to. With ‘Pizzazz’, we had the advantage of a rapport with radio and black press, which were both very powerful at the time.”

Alongside ‘Haven’t You Heard’, the album features many tracks that have become fan favourites over the years - the upbeat, carefree single ‘Let The Music Take Me’, the sweet ballad ‘SettleFor Me Love’ and a memorable duet with Roy Galloway, ‘Givin’ ItUp Is Givin’ In’.

Strut’s expanded reissue of ‘Pizzazz’ features loud cut bonus extended 12” versions of the album’s singles ‘Haven’t You Heard’ and ‘Let The Music Take Me’, alongside a previously unreleased instrumental version of ‘Givin’ It Up Is Givin’ Up’.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Let The Music Take Me
A2. Keepin’ Faith In Love
A3. Settle For My Love
A4. Message In The Music
B1. Haven’t You Heard
B2. Givin’ It Up Is Givin’ Up
B3. Call On Me
B4. Reprise (Message In The Music)
C1. Haven’t You Heard (12” Version)
D1. Let The Music Take Me (12” Version)
D2. Givin’ It Up Is Givin’ Up (Instrumental Version)

Strut revisit the early years of Patrice Rushen’s time with Elektra Records with the definitive 2LP edition of the ‘Patrice’album from 1978.

After a series of jazz funk albums on Prestige, Patrice moved to Elektra as the label tapped into the burgeoning sophisticated R&B  market at the tail end of the disco era. 'By this time, I had already made some great in-roads, made some great friends and picked up valuable knowledge which definitely paid off in terms of the music and the way the records sounded,' Patrice remembers. As a brilliant pianist, songwriter and arranger from a young age, Rushen was perfectly placed to bring the class and musicianship that the label needed and now also began to assume the role of lead vocalist for the first time. She enlisted the production prowess of high school friend Charles Mims, Jr. and long-time mentor Reggie Andrews.

Recorded at the newly opened Conway Studios in L.A., Patrice Rushen brought in heartfelt lyrics, vulnerability and messages of hope into her music for the first time on yearning tracks like "Didn’t You Know" and "When I Found You" alongside simply forgetting your troubles on the singles "Hang It Up" and "Play!". Clubs played an important part in the interest in her music. While her record label didn’t fully get behind her as an artist until the early ‘80s, influential club and black radio DJs consistently supported her and recognised Patrice as a unique talent. "Music Of The Earth" became an underground New York club favourite and Danny Krivit’s extended edit has endured in its own right, included here.

'So much of what happened with these records happened after they had come out, like years afterwards, as people discovered them,' reflects Patrice. 'but with this album, all of the things that I wanted to do were possible without limitation - the recording, the writing, the execution with the musicians, the production. Everything was, 'Okay, let’s do it.' And we did it.'

This definitive reissue of "Patrice" is released featuring bonus 12” versions of the album’s singles "Hang It Up!" and "Play", the popular Danny Krivit re-edit of "Music Of The Earth" and a previously unreleased version of "Didn’t You Know" from the original session tapes.

TRACK LISTING

A1.Music Of The Earth
A2. When I Found You
A3. Changes (In Your Life)
A4. Wishful Thinking
A5. Let’s Sing A Song Of Love


B1. Hang It Up
B2. Cha-Cha
B3. It’s Just
B4. A Natural Thing
B5. Didn’t You Know?
B6. Play!

C1. Music Of The Earth (Danny Krivit Edit)
C2. Hang It Up (12” Version)

D1. Play! (12” Version)
D2. Didn’t You Know? (Extended Version)

Strut continue their Patrice Rushen original album reissue series with the definitive edition of her influential classic ‘Now’ from 1984.

Released after the global success of ‘Straight From The Heart’ and the huge hit ‘Forget Me Nots’, ‘Now’ stripped back the arrangements and explored a new sonic palette, combining top level musicianship with the evolving studio technology of the mid-‘80s. “By this time, I had built a little home studio,” explains Patrice, “and the new synthesizers and drum machines opened a lot of possibilities. A lot of the pieces on ‘Now’ started off as demos based on these instruments and we just went with it quite naturally, adding guitar, bass and drums.”

The album continued Patrice’s unerring skill in fusing intricate jazz musicianship with infectious grooves. The solid boogie classic ‘Get Off (You Fascinate Me)’ lit up dancefloors and ‘Feels So Real’ became one of Patrice’s best loved songs, an effortless mid-tempo soul stepper. The album is also celebrated for the tender ‘Gotta Find It’ and one of Patrice’s most poignant ballads, the intricate and politically charged ‘To Each His Own’.

The album marked the end of Rushen’s tenure with Elektra before a move to Arista and remains a much-referenced part of her career. “I think it was a great representation of where we were at the time and it may have been a little bit ahead of its time”, she reflects. Famously, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis had become fans, attending her live shows, and, allegedly, the feel of Janet Jackson’s debut album ‘Control’ two years later was heavily influenced by Rushen’s approach on ‘Now’.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Feels So Real (Won’t Let Go)
A2. Gone With The Night
A3. Gotta Find It
A4. Superstar
A5. Heartache Heartbreak

B1. Get Off (You Fascinate Me)
B2. My Love’s Not Going Anywhere
B3. Perfect Love
B4. High In Me
B5. To Each His Own

C1. Get Off (You Fascinate Me) (Dance Version)
C2. Get Off (You Fascinate Me) (Instrumental)

D1. Feels So Real (Won’t Let Go) (Radio Edit)
D2. Feels So Real (Won’t Let Go) (Dub Version)

Strut present the first box set release to bring together the 1970s recordings of The Pyramids, led by Idris Ackamoor. As students at Antioch College, Ohio, alto saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, flautist Margaux Simmons and bass player Kimathi Asante created three lasting monuments in sound – Lalibela, King of Kings, and Birth / Speed / Merging, a trio of albums produced without any label backing or distribution between 1972 and 1976. Their music is unique among the varied canon of avant-garde and experimental music of 1970s America: high intensity African-styled percussion topped with songs, chants, and horns, laced with African instruments and arranged into long, flowing suites that surge and roll.

Jazz musicians in the US had long been consciously engaging with African sources, concepts, and instruments, and by the early 1970s, Africa was a central reference point for the music, both sonically and philosophically but, by 1973, relatively few prominent jazz musicians had spent any significant time in Africa. The Pyramids were almost alone among their musical generation in journeying to Africa to expressly absorb the sounds, cultures, places and spaces of the continent. During 1972-3, they embarked on an African trip of several months, to Morocco, Senegal, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Egypt. The experience was both musically and personally transformative and remained a crucial touchstone for their own work.

Their trip to Africa was made possible through the work-study program at Antioch College, where they had been taught by Cecil Taylor; all had been part of his Black Music Ensemble, Lalibela, King of Kings, and Birth / Speed / Merging were the remarkable fruits of their progressive education – spiritual unity in sound which remains as vibrant today as ever.

‘Aomawa: The 1970s Recordings’ features fully remastered editions of Lalibela, King of Kings, and Birth / Speed / Merging in their original artwork along with the first ever vinyl issue of their live session for KQED TV in 1975. The accompanying 12-page 12”-sized booklet features extended interviews with The Pyramids by Francis Gooding alongside previously unseen photos from the archive of Idris Ackamoor.

Box set includes all three 1970s albums by The Pyramids + previously unreleased LP ‘Live at KQED, 1975’

12pp 12”-sized booklet includes extensive interviews with the three original members of The Pyramids by Francis Gooding alongside unseen photos

Audio fully restored and remastered by The Carvery

TRACK LISTING

CD 1 / LP 1: LALIBELA (1973)
1. Lalibela
2. Sheba’s Dance
3. High Priestess
4. Rock Churches
5. Dialogue Of The Spirits
6. Mesenko Nights
7. Indigo
8. Ya A Ya A Ya A Ya A
9. Sunset At Giza

CD 2 / LP 2: KING OF KINGS (1974)
1. Mogho Naba (King Of Kings)
2. Queen Of The Spirits Part 1
3. Queen Of The Spirits Part 2
4. Queen Of The Spirits Part 3
5. Nsorama (The Stars)
6. My Africa

CD 3 / LP 3: BIRTH / SPEED / MERGING
1. Aomawa
2. Birth / Speed / Merging - Part 1
3. Birth / Speed / Merging - Part 2
4. Birth / Speed / Merging - Part 3
5. Birth / Speed / Merging - Part 4
6. Reaffirmation - Part 1
7. Reaffirmation - Part 2
8. Reaffirmation - Part 3
9. Reaffirmation - Part 4
10. Jamaican Carnival - Part 1
11. Jamaican Carnival - Part 2
12. Black Man And Woman Of The Nile – Part 1
13. Black Man And Woman Of The Nile – Part 2
14. Black Man And Woman Of The Nile – Part 3
15. Black Man And Woman Of The Nile – Part 4

CD 4 / LP 4: THE PYRAMIDS: LIVE AT KQED, 1975
1. Jamaican Carnival
2. The King He Comes
3. Black Man And Woman Of The Nile
4. Theme For Margaux And Kay

Strut present an exclusive collaboration between two jazz greats, Bennie Maupin and Adam Rudolph, on ‘Symphonic Tone Poem For Brother Yusef’, originally commissioned by the Angel City Jazz festival in Claremont, to mark the late, great Yusef Lateef’s 100th birthday on 9th October, 2020.

The album weaves a magical, meditative path across five movements, combining electronics, saxophone, voices and Rudolph’s wide palette of percussion from hand drums to thumb pianos and gongs. “I learned so much from Yusef about intervals,” explains Rudolph. “Greats like Yusef, Ornette Coleman and Coltrane stopped using traditional harmonic forms and introduced systems of working with intervals. So, there was an intellectual process with this album, but mostly it was just intuitive. What I love about intuition is that it erases its own tracks behind it. On the 5th Movement of this album, I was working around a major seventh but 90% of what happened was instinctive. It is a unique moment; you can’t go back and recreate it.”

Both artists bring unparalleled experience to the project. Detroit’s Bennie Maupin is best known for his work with Miles Davis on Bitches Brew, Herbie Hancock and The Headhunters and Eddie Henderson. Chicago percussionist Adam Rudolph was Yusef Lateef’s percussionist for 20 years and has worked with many other jazz luminaries including Pharoah Sanders, Wadada Leo Smith and Don Cherry. His work with Mandingo Griot Society during the ‘70s and ‘80s and, more recently, leading Hu Vibrational and Go Organic Orchestra constantly break new ground in the use and context of percussion.
“Brother Yusef was a luminous being who continues to be an inspiration to so many of us,” continues Rudolph. “He was a great teacher, not only of music, but also of how to live as an artist and as a human being.”

‘Symphonic Tone Poem For Brother Yusef’ is released on LP, CD and digital. The album is mastered by Technology Works and cover art is by Nancy Jackson, based on a Lateef saying, "Have you noticed the leaves waving to you? It's okay to wave back.”

TRACK LISTING

A1. First Movement
A2. Second Movement
A3. Third Movement (Part 1)
B1. Third Movement (Part 2)
B2. Fourth Movement
B3. Fifth Movemen

Flock is a brand new collaboration between five leading musicians from London's open-minded jazz and experimental scenes: Bex Burch (Vula Viel), Sarathy Korwar, Dan "Danalogue" Leavers (Soccer96, The Comet Is Coming), Al MacSween (Maisha) and Tamar Osborn (Collocutor).

The musicians were first brought together by drummer Sarathy Korwar during March 2020 for one of Boiler Room, Total Refreshment Centre and Night Dreamer’s more memorable streamed sessions from early lockdown. It caught the attention of Strut Records and the label presented an open offer for the musicians to create a new, completely freeform project.

Gathering together at The Fish Factory in London Summer 2020, the approach was to try something fresh. "I wrote texts as scores for the session and the emphasis was on breathing and listening to each other", explains Bex Burch. "Improvisation is composition in itself, so although the music was freely improvised, we sometimes chose to stay on form and rhythm, repeating melodies and groove."

Tracks include the pulsing, searching opener ‘Expand’, the taught soundscape ‘Prepare To Let Go’ and the frenetic, urgent ‘Bold Dream’. At times widescreen and cinematic and at others more tense and claustrophobic, each Flock piece explores its own colour and mood.

"Every moment in this process has been a new journey into the unknown. Everyone came, breathed and brought openness of heart, ears, lungs and wings."

Artwork is based on an exclusive new illustration piece by Muhammad Rofi Fatchurofi.

TRACK LISTING

01 / A1. Expand
02 / A2. Prepare To Let Go
03 / A3. Sounds Welcome
04 / B1. It’s Complicated
05 / B2. What Purpose
06 / C1. Murmuration
07 / C2. Bold Dream
08 / C3. My Resonance
09 / D1. How Many Are One
10 / D2. Fully Breathed

One of the all-time greats of Brazilian jazz fusion, Flora Purim, returns with her first studio album in over 15 years.

Conceived as a celebration of her music and collaborations, the album explores new compositions alongside fresh versions of Flora’s favourite personal songs and positive lyrics from across her varied career. Title track ‘If You Will’ reprises a song from her inspired collaborations with George Duke: “You will find... good love, real joy, so much peace of mind, if you will…”; the resilient ‘This Is Me’ updates an Airto jam band tune ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Myself Again’; ‘500 Miles High’ marks the heyday of the late Chick Corea’s Return To Forever band and ‘Zahuroo’ interprets a song by Claudia Villela about “a shapeshifting animal creature, a messenger who acts as a bridge between our thoughts and the universe.” A family affair recorded primarily in Curitiba and Sao Paulo, ‘If You Will’ brings together many of Flora’s closest circle of musicians including Airto Moreira, guitarist José Neto, her daughter Diana Purim on vocals and percussionist Celso Alberti. The album is the latest chapter in Flora’s long, illustrious and varied career. As well as her celebrated partnership with Airto and her early days with Quarteto Novo, Flora has worked with Stan Getz, Gil Evans, Miriam Makeba, George Duke, Chick Corea (as an original member of Return To Forever), Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nation Orchestra, Uruguayan band Opa and many more. Her solo albums on Milestone remain true jazz fusion classics.

TRACK LISTING

LP
A1. If You Will Feat. Diana Purim
A2. This Is Me
A3. 500 Miles High
A4. A Flor Da Vida
B1. Newspaper Girl
B2. Dandara
B3. Zahuroo
B4. Lucidez

CD
1.If You Will Feat. Diana Purim
2. This Is Me
3. 500 Miles High
4. A Flor Da Vida
5. Newspaper Girl
6. Dandara
7. Zahuroo
8. Dois + Dois = Tres
9. Lucidez

Strut return to the rich archives of Black Fire Records for the Drum Message album by Ghanaian master percussionist Okyerema Asante from 1977.

After playing a short spell early in his career with Ebo Taylor’s Blue Monksband at Tip Toe’s in Accra, Asante joined the fledgling Hedzoleh Soundz during the early ‘70s at their Napoleon Club residency in the city. After playing Fela’s Shrine, Fela recommended them to Hugh Masekela as an ideal backing band and Hedzoleh joined Masekela on a US tour in December 1973. Sharing the same management company, Charisma, Asante first met Plunky and Oneness Of Juju during an East coast tour with Masekela, starting a relationship with the band that has endured until today.

Recorded at Arrest Studios in Washington D.C. in October 1977 and featuring musicians from Oneness alongside Gil Scott Heron cohort Brian Jackson on piano, Drum Message represents an important milestone for Asante: “This album really came from my heart. I wanted to project the African spirit in the music and come out with some unique African jazz. To be able to record it on Black Fire was extra special.” The album also involved some serious physical graft: “The studio was up on the 14th Floor and the elevator was often broken down. I showed up with a van full of African drums and Jimmy Gray from Black Fire and myself had to carry them all the way up there, each day!”

The resultant album was well worth the sweat. ‘Adowa’ adds jazz arrangements to a traditional Asante rhythm and Oneness classic ‘Follow Me’ is skilfully re-worked (“I used the bass drum in place of the bass guitar so it was all based on rhythms.”). New versions of Asante dancefloor favourite ‘Sabi’ sit alongside the mellow groove of ‘Asante Sana’ (“I wanted something cool like reggae or highlife on that track, a similar vibe. So, I went inbetween.”).

TRACK LISTING

A1. Drum Message
A2. Asante Sana
A3. Follow Me
B1. Sabi
B2. Mother Africa
B3. Never Fly Away From The Funk
C1. Play A Sweet Rhythm On Them Drums
C2. Adowa
C3. Sabi (Black Fire Mix)
D1. Kazi’s Awakening
D2. To The Ancestors

Recorded in New York in the Summer of 1978 for Philly Jazz (who attempted to form the Ra-legion Cosmo-Fan Club!), this legendary (and previously ultra-rare) LP is maybe the closest Sunny ever got to a crossover album! That's not to say that the out-of-this-world arrangements have been toned down (far from it!), but you can hear the influence of disco and fusion on tracks like "Where Pathways Meet" and "That's How I Feel". It's had a few re-issues over the years, including an amazing deluxe version, which was enough to get my pants moistened, but now it has been reissued on vinyl with all original artwork, and some amazing liner notes in which they interview Bob Blank (the engineer), Michael Ray, Danny Thompson (Arkestra musicians) and Tom Buchler (from Philly Jazz) - I have well and truly soaked my trolleys!! Definitely one of the top five all-time greatest Sun Ra albums - if you've never bought one before, I reckon that this is the perfect introduction to THE GENIUS OF SUN RA!!!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Lanquidity
A2. Where Pathways Meet
A3. That’s How I Feel
B1. Twin Stars Of Thence
B2. There Are Other World (They Have Not Told You Of)

Strut presents one of the most in-demand and significant albums from the archives of Jimmy Gray’s Black Fire Records, ‘Bow To The People’ (1976) by theatre collective Theatre West, based out of Dayton, Ohio.

Founder Clarence Young III was a US Air Force Vietnam Vet who had been part of a theatrical troupe entertaining soldiers in 15 countries during his tour. When he returned home in 1969, he started Theatre West in Dayton, Ohio as an outlet for inner city youth to come together and express themselves. At its height, the company involved around 27 members. “Everybody played everything and did everything,” recalls bassist Sigmond Dillard. “We all had to sing, dance and act all the time. If someone messed up, you came in. It was a tight unit and we were constantly helping each other out.”

“There were so many talented and gifted people in our troupe,” continues Dillard. “Rita Brown went on to New York, starring in the film Disco Godfather during the late ‘70s. Bruce Davis went on to work regularly on Broadway in Chicago, All That Jazz and more. Our Musical Director was Delbert Taylor and he also played with Gil Scott Heron’s Midnight Band and with Slave afterwards in the early ‘80s. Vibes player Ben Wilson and I also played regularly with Gil.”

Recorded at Arrest studios in Washington in ’76, ‘Bow To The People’ brought together songs from several of Theatre West’s best known plays including Bow To The People, The System and Black Love and unflinchingly explored serious issues around drug addiction, mental health and cultural awareness. “The whole idea of Bow To The People was to honour our black forefathers,” explains Dillard. “It was important to do that for the kids that didn’t know.”

Shelved following the original recording, the Bow To The People album eventually surfaced on a limited CD on Black Fire in 1993. Now receiving its first full international release, the album features the previously unreleased tracks ‘Man Of Many Means’ and ‘I Don’t Know Much About Love’.

TRACK LISTING

LP
A1 Searching For Ourselves
A2. Crossroads
A3. Bow To The People
A4. One Little Chance
B1. Children Of Tomorrow's Dreams
B2. Black Love
B3. Big Brother
C1. No More Junk
C2. Della Get Down
C3. I Am A Woman
C4. I Really Like It
D1. Puppet
D2. Man Of Many Means (Previously Unreleased)
D3. Cool Out Your Mind

CD
1. Searching For Ourselves
2. Crossroads
3. Bow To The People
4. Black Love
5. One Little Chance
6. Big Brother
7. Children Of Tomorrow's Dreams
8. No More Junk
9. Della Get Down
10.I Am A Woman
11. I Really Like It
12. Puppet
13. Cool Out Your Mind
14. Man Of Many Means (Previously Unreleased)
15. I Don't Know Much About Love (Previously Unreleased)

Strut present the definitive edition of Sun Ra’s classic ‘Lanquidity’ album from 1978 with brand new 4LP box set and 2CD editions.

Recorded overnight at Bob Bank’s Blank Tapes on 17th July 1978 after the Arkestra had appeared on Saturday Night Live, the album is unique in the Ra catalogue. “Most critics felt that it was more of a fusion-inspired record,” explains Michael Ray. “As the name suggests, the album is liquid and languid.” Bob Blank continues, “Musically, it was very ad hoc and freeform. There were horn charts but most tracks came out of improvised jams. Sun Ra just did his thing.”

Comprising five effortlessly fluid pieces, the album eases in with Lanquidity. Danny Ray Thompson remembers, “This was one of Sun Ra’s on-the-spot compositions. It is almost like an Ancient Egyptian Stargazing Ceremony, mapping out the stars and the planets.” Where Pathways Meet is “Sun Ra’s funky version of an Egyptian march. Pharaoh is sending his troops off to fight and this is his pep-talk!” continues Thompson. “The music seems to take different pathways but still converges.” The loping groove of That’s How I Feel, features the reflective trumpet lines of Eddie Gale with solos by John Gilmore and Marshall Allen: “Marshall comes in with that snake charming oboe.” Says Thompson. The funky Twin Stars Of Thence weaves around Richard Williams celebrated elastic bassline while the haunting closer, There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of), is pure “space music.” The poet Mama Nzinga described it as ‘The essence of light. Spirit takes a ride inside the deep dark space of just being.”

The new box set edition of ‘Lanquidity’ features the widely distributed version of the album alongside alternative mixes by Bob Blank originally released in limited quantities for a 1978 Arkestra gig at Georgia Tech. Both versions of the album are cut loud at 45 rpm over 2LPs each.

Housed in a silver foil box, both LP sets reflect the original Phlly Jazz artwork. The first comes in a foil / magenta sleeve while the second features 2 x yellow A4 sheets pasted onto a white sleeve. Also included is a 12-page over-sized booklet featuring unseen photos by Veryl Oakland and liner notes by Tom Buchler (Philly Jazz), Michael Ray and Danny Ray Thompson (Sun Ra Arkestra) and Bob Blank.

The 2CD version is housed in a foil digipak.

TRACK LISTING

4LP TRACKLISTING:
A1. Lanquidity
B1. Where Pathways Meet
B2. That’s How I Feel
C1. Twin Stars Of Thence
D1. There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)
E1. Lanquidity (Alternate Version)
E2. Where Pathways Meet (Alternate Version)
F1. That’s How I Feel (Alternate Version)
G1. Twin Stars Of Thence (Alternate Version)
H1. There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of) (Alternate Version)

2CD TRACKLISTING:
CD 1
1. Lanquidity
2. Where Pathways Meet
3. That’s How I Feel
4. Twin Stars Of Thence
5. There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)
CD 2
1. Lanquidity (Alternate Version)
2. Where Pathways Meet (Alternate Version)
3. That’s How I Feel (Alternate Version)
4. Twin Stars Of Thence (Alternate Version)
5. There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of) (Alternate Version)

Nubiyan Twist return with their brand new album ‘Freedom Fables’ on Strut on 5th February, the follow-up to the acclaimed ‘Jungle Run’ from Spring 2019.

Woven around soul searching, cautionary tales and parables for modern life, the new album is the most accomplished yet by the Leeds / London collective, effortlessly fusing different soul, jazz and global styles with great musicianship and lyrics. “Freedom Fables reflects on the power of narratives. Each vocalist on this record explores their own memoirs, a freedom of expression underpinning our belief that music is the ultimate narrative for unity,” explains Tom Excell. “The record references a lot of music that we all loved during our formative years; you can hear touches of broken beat, blunted hip hop, highlife, Latin, jazz and UK soul running through the tracks.”

The album is also packed full with illustrious guest appearances: regular collaborator Cherise features on the brilliant ‘Tittle Tattle’, calling out gossip through acerbic nursery rhyming, the loping ‘Flow’ dealing with the ebb and flow of anxiety and the epic Brazilian jazz workout, ‘Keeper’; UK jazz saxman Soweto Kinch brings a burning alto solo and rhymes to the determined ‘Buckle Up’ alongside the band’s own vocalist Nick Richards as the track aims to “find the door to peace” among life’s challenges. “Soweto is a trailblazer of the UK scene both as an alto player and as a rapper with a unique flow and important lyricism,” reflects Tom Excell. “It was really important for us to invite him to contribute to the album.” Richards continues the “dust yourself off and find hope” theme on the rousing ‘Wipe Away Tears’; Ghanaian great Pat Thomas voices a gorgeous Accra meets London highlife jam; massive new vocal talent Ria Moran (a contemporary from the band’s time at Leeds College Of Music) steps up on the sensual ‘Morning Light’ tackling delicate complexities of the heart and long time friend of the band, KOG, brings his trademark full strength Afro dancefloor energy.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Funky in parts, soulful throughout and beaming good vibes and positive attitude, Nubiyan Twist could be that perfect tonic for garden parties and park gatherings once the lockdown rules are lifted.

TRACK LISTING

1. Morning Light Feat Ria Moran
2. Tittle Tattle Feat Cherise
3. Ma Wonka Feat Pat Thomas
4. Buckle Up Feat Soweto Kinch
5. Keeper Feat Cherise
6. If Only Feat Ruby Wood
7. 24-7 Feat Ego Ella May
8. Flow Feat Cherise
9. Wipe Away Tears Feat Nick Richards
10. If I Know Feat Kog

Foat has become a versatile mainstay in UK jazz through an acclaimed series of albums on Jazzman and Athens Of The North, moving from soul-jazz workouts to library music to cinematic, haunting compositions and pastoral acid folk. ‘Symphonie Pacifique’ goes expansive and widescreen, building a lush soundscape using choral textures, harp and tubular bells on the atmospheric ‘After The Storm’ alongside sensual groove-based tracks like the undulating ‘Anticipation’, the album title track and Groove Merchant-channelling ‘Nikinakinu’, all driven by Phil Achille on bass, Eric Young on congas and Moses Boyd’s crisp, flowing breakbeats. Other tracks include a moving tribute to KPM library legend Duncan Lamont on the reflective ‘Lament For Lamont’ and the languid, simmering ‘Island Life’.

The album is a truly international collaboration, recorded analogue and produced by Greg Foat at London’s Fish Factory studios with strings recorded in Edinburgh and choir in Gothenburg. The album was mixed by Mattias Glava at Kungsten Studios in Gothenburg. Cover artwork is based on a painting by early 20th Century Algerian / Parisian artist Henry Valensi.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Greg Foat has always had a firm place on the shop stereo, and 'Symphonie Pacifique' cements that likelihood with a swaying, filmic mash-up of syncopated hooks, frenetic percussion and effortless, jazzy cool. As perfectly redolent of the genre's past as it is it's future.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Prelude
A2. Symphonie Pacifique
A3. Undulation
A4. Anticipation
A5. Mu
A6. Yonaguni
B1. Island Life
B2. Nikinakinu
B3. Man Vs. Machine
C1. Before The Storm
C2. After The Storm
C3. Meditation On A Pedal Steel
C4. Lament For Lamont
D1. Pointe-Vénus
D2. Mother’S Love
D3. Epilogue: Three Tenors

Strut and Art Yard present the first compilation bringing together the modern era recordings of Tribe, Detroit’s acclaimed independent jazz collective.Tribe began as a musical ensemble in 1971 co-founded by Saxophonist Wendell Harrison and trombonist Phil Ranelin that soon expanded into a broad amalgam including a live collective and independent record label. Ignored by the mainstream, many African American jazz artists in Detroit and across the US began creating their own small imprints and Tribe emerged alongside other cultural entities to express selfdetermination goals in the city: saxophonist Ernie Rodgers with his sessions at Rapa House; John and Leni Sinclair’s Artist Workshop; Bruce Millan’s Repertory Theater; the Hastings Jazz Experience and the Strata Corporation led by Kenny Cox. Harrison’s ideas of independence, self-determination and education were central to the Tribe ethos: “I might be possessed with a drive to get the knowledge out,” explained Harrison, “because I see this as sustaining the future of the jazz diaspora, the jazz tradition.” Tribe album releases like Harrison’s ‘An Evening With The Devil’ (1972) and Harrison and Ranelin’s ‘A Message From The Tribe’ (1973) became early ‘70s milestones in Detroit jazz.

In 1977, Harrison teamed up with pianist/composer Harold McKinney to form Rebirth Inc., aided by Detroit cultural warrior John Sinclair, a continuation of the Tribe community ethos. Musically, it formed a link with radio station WDET and began an outreach program to teach children and to publish Harrison’s jazz instruction books. Harrison continue to record extensively as a leader with his own labels, WenHa and Tribe, documenting the collective through sessions led by Phil Ranelin, Harold McKinney, Pamela Wise and more.

The ‘Hometown’ compilation places the spotlight on this later era of Tribe and Rebirth Inc., with rare and previously unreleased recordings from Harrison’s WenHa / Rebirth Studios and the SereNgeti Gallery And Cultural Center. Among many highlights, Harold McKinney and his “McKinfolk” family of musicians contribute the pulsing ‘Wide And Blue’ and dance celebration ‘Juba’; Phil Ranelin re-works his classic ‘He The One We All Knew’; Poet Mbiyu Chui (Williams Moore), pianist Pamela Wise and percussionist Djallo Djakate spark on the uncompromising ‘Ode To Black Mothers’ and the rallying cry of ‘Marcus Garvey’: “If we ever get together we will astound the world.” Harrison himself evokes the power and majesty of juju on ‘Conjure Man’.

TRACK LISTING

LP
A1. Wide And Blue
A2. Freddie’S Groove
B1. Juba
B2. Ode To Black Mothers
B3. Conjure Man
C1. Libra Ahora
C2. Hometown
D1. He The One We All Knew
D2. Marcus Garvey
D3. The Slave Ship Enterprise

CD
1. Wide And Blue
2. Freddie’S Groove
3. Ode To Black Mothers
4. Juba
5. Libra Ahora
6. Conjure Man
7. Marcus Garvey
8. Hometown
9. He The One We All Knew
10. The Slave Ship Enterprise

Strut presents an all-time classic of South African music, the definitive remastered edition of Miriam Makeba’s ‘PataPata’, her first album recorded for Reprise in 1966. The album marked a significant international breakthrough for Makeba.

Moving to the US after the anti-apartheid film ‘Come Back, Africa’ gained international attention and staying there in exile, she quickly built her career in New York during the ‘60s, mentored by Harry Belafonte. Signing with Reprise after a period with RCA, she returned to one of her older songs: “I wrote ‘PataPata’ back in 1956, back in South Africa,” remembered Makeba in her autobiography. “It was a fun little song and I was thinking of a dance that we do at home (“pata” means ‘touch” in Zulu and Xhosa).”

Originally a hit in South Africa with her early vocal harmony group the Skylarks, the new recording, produced by Jerry Ragovoy, brought a lighter uptempoR’nB arrangement, adding some English lyrics. “It was my first truly big seller. All of a sudden, people who never knew I had been in America since 1959 were asking me to be on their television shows and play at their concert halls during 1967. In the discotheques, they invented a new dance called the ‘PataPata’ where couples dance apart and then reach out and touch each other. I went to Argentina for a concert and, across South America, they are singing my song.”

TRACK LISTING

A1. PataPata (Mono Version)
A2. Ha Po Zamani (Mono Version)
A3. What Is Love (Mono Version)
A4. Maria Fulo (Mono Version)
A5. YetentuTizaleny (Mono Version)
A6. Click Song Number One (Mono Version)
B1. Ring Bell, Ring Bell (Mono Version)
B2. Jol’Inkomo (Mono Version)
B3. West Wind (Mono Version)
B4. Saduva (Mono Version)
B5. A Piece Of Ground (Mono Version)
C1. PataPata (Stereo Version)
C2. Ha Po Zamani (Stereo Version)
C3. What Is Love (Stereo Version)
C4. Maria Fulo (Stereo Version)
C5. YetentuTizaleny (Stereo Version)
C6. Click Song Number One (Stereo Version)
D1. Ring Bell, Ring Bell (Stereo Version)
D2. Jol’Inkomo (Stereo Version)
D3. West Wind (Stereo Version)
D4. Saduva (Stereo Version)
D5. A Piece Of Ground (Stereo Version)

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2019 EXCLUSIVE, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

“Strut Records were there first, well before DFA recorded The Rapture’s Sub Pop debut. ‘Disco Not Disco’ preceded the punk funk revolution by two years.” - Resident Advisor For Record Store Day 2019, Strut present the first ever repress since 2000 of the influential first volume of ‘Disco Not Disco’ compiled by Joey Negro and Sean P as part of the label’s 20th Anniversary. ‘Disco Not Disco’ was a perfectly timed compilation back in 2000. Released when interest in the myths, history and playlists of original New York clubs like Paradise Garage and The Loft was at its peak, the album drew on the outer limits of leftfield disco championed by Levan and Mancuso, bringing together unlikely dancefloor anthems by rock acts like Yoko Ono and Ian Dury, obscurities from cottage labels like BC and Splash and selected oddities from the unique mind of avant-garde hero, Arthur Russell. It was essentially a celebration of the sonic melting pot in New York during the early ‘80s, an era when punk had burnt itself out and disco had become commercial and saccharine; in its place, the post-punk movement threw up brilliant oddities which tore up the accepted rulebook. Since its release, the compilation title has become a by-word for a whole genre of music and remains a landmark collection of its time. With original copies now changing hands for €100+, this new pressing is a welcome return for an essential celebration of disco’s difficult cousins. The album features full original artwork and Kris Needs’ sleeve notes and is remastered and cut by The Carvery. • First volume of the seminal compilation series repressed for the first time since 2000 for Record Store Day • Album title became known as a style of music in its own right, when rock bands and experimental NY artists aimed at the dancefloor • Major influence on the punk funk bands and labels of early 2000s including DFA • Album remastered by The Carvery and featuring full original artwork and sleeve notes by Kris Needs

As part of their 20th Anniversary celebrations, Strut present the first new volume in their pioneering ‘Nigeria 70’ series for over 8 years, bringing together rare highlife, Afro-funk and juju from the ‘70s and early ‘80s. Compiled by collector and DJ Duncan Brooker, this new selection of tracks is receiving its first international release outside of Nigeria.

The compilation returns to a fertile heyday in Nigerian music when established styles like highlife and juju became infused with elements of Western jazz, soul and funk and musicians brought a proud new message post-independence. Brooker places the spotlight particularly on some of the incredible Ukwuani musicians from the Delta State region as guitarist Rogana Ottah and Steady Arobby’s International Brothers Band forged their own fluid brand of highlife and soulman Don Bruce drew on the US R&B greats for a series of great albums and explosive stage shows at his residency at Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

Elsewhere, the album explores the close connection between Nigeria and Benin’s music, most famously through Sir Victor Uwaifo, appearing here with a killer mid‘80s ekassa jam, as well as highlife hitmaker Osayamore Joseph on ‘Obonogbozu’ (Joseph made headlines in Nigeria for very different reasons in 2017, surviving a one month kidnapping ordeal).

Other tracks include ‘Sickness’ a 1979 lament on how all countries share troubles by Prince Nico Mbarga, the Nigerian / Camerounian star behind the smash hit ‘Sweet Mother’; reggae singer Felixson Ngasia switches to funk and disco for a heavy workout with potent lyrics around black identity; another major highlife great Etubom Rex Williams unleashes a punchy psych funk gem with ‘Psychedelic Shoes’ and Africa 70 member Pax Nicholas vocals a simmering Afrobeat groove from Jacob Lee’s Saxon Lee & The Shadows International Band.

TRACK LISTING

CD
1. Odeyemi - Oni Suru
2. Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz - Sickness
3. Felixson Ngasia & The Survivals - Black Precious Colour
4. Sina Bakare - Africa
5. Saxon Lee & The Shadows International - Special Secret Of Baby
6. Osayomore Joseph & The Creative 7 - Obonogbozu
7. International Brothers Band - Onuma Dimnobi
8. Don Bruce & The Angels - Kinuye
9. Rogana Ottah & His Black Heroes Int. - Let Them Say
10. Etubom Rex Williams & His Nigerian Artistes - Psychedelic Shoes
11. Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Titibitis - Iziegbe (Ekassa No. 70)
12. M.A. Jaiyesimi & His Crescent Bros Band - Mundiya Loju 3.03

2LP
A1. Odeyemi - Oni Suru
A2. Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz - Sickness
A3. Osayomore Joseph & The Creative 7 - Obonogbozu
B1. Felixson Ngasia & The Survivals - Black Precious Colour
B2. Sina Bakare - Africa
B3. Saxon Lee & The Shadows International - Special Secret Of Baby
C1. International Brothers Band - Onuma Dimnobi
C2. Don Bruce & The Angels - Kinuye
C3. Etubom Rex Williams & His Nigerian Artistes - Psychedelic Shoes
D1. Rogana Ottah & His Black Heroes Int. - Let Them Say
D2. Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Titibitis - Iziegbe (Ekassa No. 70)
D3. M.A. Jaiyesimi & His Crescent Bros Band - Mundiya Loju

Strut present an exclusive new reissue of a great (and now very rare) original album from the early career of Nigerian juju star Shina Peters, ‘Sewele’ from 1986.

“‘Sewele’ represented a time of transition in my music career,” explains Peters. “I had branched out to start as a solo artist after spells with Ebenezer Obey, Prince Adekunle and Segun Adewale and I was trying to find my own voice and to play juju in a more progressive direction. This was an important time for me. Three years later, I had honed that sound into AfroJuju, and my ‘Ace: Afro Juju Series 1’ album broke me as an artist.

On ‘Sewele’, Peters explores different themes on four extended juju workouts, showcasing his incredible guitar work and his sense of fun as the odd Bob Marley and Abba riff pops up in the grooves. The title track means ‘shower of blessings’: “it’s like a prayer for my fans throughout Nigeria and the diaspora.” The funky Afrobeat of ‘Yabis’ is about being proud to be African and not to follow American ways and ‘Agbe’ere De’ states proudly that Peters is coming again with something different: “I always wanted to get the message across to my fans that I was keeping things fresh and creating melodies and music that people would enjoy.” The final track, ‘Late Aboderin’, is a moving tribute to Peters’ mentor, the late Chief Aboderin: “He helped me in many ways including legal aid in a court case against a record label. He also bought a van to carry the band to concerts.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Sewele
A2. Yabis
B1. Agbe’Ere De
B2. Late Aboderin

Trevor Jackson (Playgroup / Underdog / Output Recordings) returns with the eagerly awaited second instalment of his 'Metal Dance' compilation series, following widespread critical acclaim in the wake of 'Volume 1'. Drawing from Jackson’s deep collection of original industrial, post-punk, EBM and new wave, the album is an inspired mix of sounds and styles, mining classics, dub versions, oddities and secret weapons inspired by his formative clubbing years at many of London's seminal nightlife haunts.

Alongside more familiar names like Visage, Chris & Cosey, Front 242 and Ministry, the compilation includes unexpected outings by 80s artists Godley & Crème (with the obscure B-side "Babies") and an early incarnation of Sheffield’s ABC, Visa Versa, with "Riot Squad". As before, Jackson also places the spotlight onsome of the less heralded bands of the time and casts the net far and wide: Germany’s Plus Instruments, Spain’s Diseno Corbusier offshoot Esplendor Geometrico, Italy’s Neon and Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Haruomi Hosono out of Japan all feature. The selection even travels as far as Lebanon for the outrageous "Tanki Tanki" by Rene Bandaly Family, a truly one-off slice of intense political Arabic proto-techno (here re-edited by fellow Lebanese artist Rabih Beaini aka Morphosis). Rarities include tracks from pre-Liaisons Dangereuses / DAF group CHBB, Craig Leon & Arthur Brown, and Trevor's own re-edit of Rusty Egan’s "Twilight Zone," all receiving their first official release on CD.

'Metal Dance 2' is another essential selection of anarchic machine music which remains hugely influential on today’s generation, informing the sound of groups and labels such as The Knife, Factory Floor, Gesaffelstein, COMEME, DFA and L.I.E.S.

STAFF COMMENTS

Patrick says: Mega selection of synthwave bangers, Industrial rumblers and skewed EDM cuts plucked from the archives by Trevor Jackson. If you're tuned into the likes of Bahnsteig 23, LIES and Macadam Mambo, you need to cop this disc.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Logic System - Unit
A2. Psyche - The Saint Became A Lush
A3. Skinny Puppy - Dead Lines (400 Blows Remix)
B1. Visage - Der Amboss (Extended Version)
B2. Rusty Egan - The Twilight Zone (Trevor Jackson Edit)
B3. Rene Bandaly Family - Tanki Tanki (Rabih Beaini Edit)
C1. Ministry - Over The Shoulder (12" Version)
C2. Mile High Club - Walking Backwards
C3. CHBB - Ima Iki-Mashoo
C4. Esplendor Geométrico - Necrosis En La Poya
D1. Vice Versa - Riot Squad
D2. Crash Course In Science - Jump Over Barrels
D3. Haruomi Hosono - Platonic
D4. Godley & Creme - Babies
D5. Front 242 - Body 2 Body (2 Trax)

Strut launch a new series, "Inspiration Information", which sees the label take a break from their usual (excellent) compilations, and come up with a series of studio-based works instead. The series brings together current artists and producers with their musical heroes for a mouth-watering one-off collaboration. With each album centred around an intensive five-day writing and recording session, the emphasis is on spontaneity, musicianship and an open A&R brief. The series kicks off with Detroit soul maverick Amp Fiddler in a head-to-head collision with reggae legends, Sly & Robbie. Arriving at Anchor Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, armed only with a handful of acoustic vocal ideas, Amp and the Riddim Twins recorded the album in just three days during June with overdubs laid down a week later in Detroit. The result is a confident, laid back set that brings a whole new twist to Amp's trademark vocal style: Sly builds innovative digital and live rhythms, Robbie underpins the tracks with solid bass foundations and original generation guests 'Sticky' Thompson (percussion) and Dalton Browne (guitar) add plenty of colour. Back in Detroit, Amp knitted together the finishing touches, adding extra keys and backing vocals. The tracks are never predictable, at times echoing Sly & Robbie's 80s days with Island Records at Compass Point studios, at others structured around more mood-based keyboard pads and new patterns re-inventing the established dancehall template.