“Back in America” is an introspective song about growing up in a country where we are constantly told that we are the best. That life is perfect here; that we understand everything better than everyone else. Only later to discover, after traveling and discovering the rest of the world, that it was all an illusion. There are still a lot of things that we are far from being the best at. American society is full of contradictions between our Puritanism and the corruption, violence, and poverty that reigns. It also talks about feeling like a stranger in your own country and in your own culture. “Back in America” is a long walk that examines the cracks and taboos which blight western society in general: racism, poverty, religion, and violence done in the name of Capitalism and God"

THE BUTTSHAKERS - Back In America

We teamed up again with Afro-Colombian folkloric group Palo Q'Sea on our brand new EP on UrbanWorld Records. After contributions to compilations on Wonderwheel Records, the new EP continues to mix traditional Afro-Latin music with modern electronic production. The title song "El Diablo Alegre" (The Happy Devil) fuses steel drum melodies with funk-filled basslines and dancehall beats. Check out the remixes courtesy of Mr. R of Novalima and Omegaman too. 


Pre-order here

Los Chicos Altos feat Palo QSea - El Diablo Alegre (Original Mix)

Various Artists - Footprints EP
Format: 12" vinyl sampler
Release date: March 17, 2014
All tracks taken from the forthcoming full-length album Footprints to be released on April 28 on CD & digital.
www.jazzandmilk.com

Jazz & Milk is back with a brand new compilation series featuring previously unreleased tracks by international label artists, friends & family! The 6 track "Footprints EP" offers a small foretaste of the forthcoming full-length compilation to be released in April 2014.

Footprints starts off with the heavy Afro-Funk vibes of the Bad Jazz Troupe, remixed by Jazz & Milk label-founder Dusty. Sam Irl from Vienna takes us on a journey of raw emotion. On "Time" he fed his MPC with filthy vinyl samples, jazzy rhodes chords, deep basslines and smooth synth-arppegios - all glued together on top of a driving House beat. "Sidama de Cali" is a 50/50 blend of Ethiopian and Colombian music by Todd Simon & The Angel City of All Star Brass Band featuring strictly horns and percussion - including Quantic on the guacharaca (colombian version of the guiro) and a 'who is who' of LA's music scene.

The B-side begins rather bass-heavy. On Dusty's "Cosmic Path" gliding synths and vibrant percussion float over a foundation of deep bass and slightly off-kilter beats. Russian talent Lay-Far delivers a soulful broken beat tune - "A Good Old Holiday Groove" draws obvious influence from mid 70's jazz. The EP concludes with the legendary Munich-based formation Karl Hector & The Malcouns. "Who's Foolin' Who?" was written by JJ Whitefield (producer and guitarist for the Poets of Rhythm and the Whitefield Brothers) and reflects his affinity for sounds from across the African diaspora.

Todd Simon & The Angel City All Star Brass Band - Sidama De Cali

Trap - Hip Hop - Freestyle 2025 Music High-Energy Mix#7174

The Deadly 7" Sins

Fresh Rhythm

Jupiter & Okwess International's international debut album Hotel Universtakes you right into the heart and onto the streets of modern day Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a politically and economically troubled country. Band leader Jupiter Bokondji is the charismatic and outstanding representative of the innovative scene of street musicians in Kinshasa, a scene which became internationally well-known through the success of Staff Benda Bilili, a band who they shareclose ties with. His idea is to reactivate the forgotten rhythms and melodies of Congo, by injecting the urban groove of the city. “At independence in 1960, the country was in good condition, utilities worked. But our parents were unable to pass the idependence "test", they blew it, they were given the chance but they messed upand they created a sacrified generation”,Jupiter says, “but I'm not interested in the past. What matters now is to lay the foundations for our children and grandchildren.”

When Jupiter wants time off from the daily hustle on the streets of Kinshasa, he rents a room at Hotel Univers. There he can hide from the noise of the streets and seek new inspiration. Many of the ideas of his songs were made up between his room and the bar where he drinks whisky and meets the characters that roam the streets of Kinshasa at night. The song “Magerita” is dedicated to the dangerously attractive women in Kinshasa's nightlife. It became an immediate hit in Lemba, the area on the outskirts of Kinshasa where Jupiter is from. He identifies with this place where many better educated people stay still struggling to find a job.

The middle class is small in Congo and many of the country's riches leave the country immediately or end up in the hands of a small elite. “Bapasi” has become a common expression for the daily life struggles of the community in Lemba. It is a catchphrase people use to search for new motivation in order to tackle their daily difficulties – for instance when the public cleaning service doesn't work, the people in Lemba decided to take care of cleaning up the streets themselves. 

Jupiter, who refers himself to be the 'rebel general' of Congolese music, doesn't see the richness of the country in its mineral resources of coltan and diamonds but in the undiscovered talents. “The material is but an elution,“ he sings in the song “Bakwapanu”, “but only the spiritual remains eternal”.Unlike many of the commercial successful Congolese pop-stars, he doesn't want to praise the ones in power, but relies on the musical richness of the county. To him big musical stars like Kofi Olomide or Werrason often wash down the musical heritage, when their connection to the ones in power as well as their fancy dresses becomes more important than the music itself. Jupiter knows that he won't be at the top of mainstream music in Congo, a place that is quite conservative when it comes to pop music. But he has a brighter vision.

Through his music Jupiter tries to encourage people to take the future into their own hands. Instead of seeking a better future and immediate wealth by emigrating to the west, common expections shown in many local pop music video clips, he wants people to draw from the talents they already have. “I saw how immigrants struggled in Europe and didn't want this for my life. I wanted to make something for my country. I realized that it is my mission to bring a new sound into the Congolese music."

Jupiter has indeed seen this himself. In 1974, as a young boy, he left the Congo to go to East Germany with his father who was appointed executive assistant for the Congo's embassy in Germany. There he spent his adolescence and discovered Europe and its vibrant music scene, and artists such as the Rolling Stones, Deep Purple and James Brown. He set up his own rock band called Der Neger (The Negro) with fellow young Berliners. Their sound was a strange cocktail of Mongo percussions and Zeppelin-esque guitar. The song “The world is my land (Deutschland)” he captures the experiences of this period of his life.

At the age of 20 his father’s mandate ended, and Jupiter went back to the bubbling 80s Kinshasa, his head full of dreams, glory and sounds unimaginable to most of his friends. He left the family home, earning a living singing at funerals and playing percussion in several local orchestras. "From 18 to 20 years, I have lived as a street child. To earn some money, I was doing music in traditional ceremonies. I worked with families from all ethnic groups in the country, this is how I was able to discover the richness of our heritage." He started developing his own unique style, surrounding himself with musicians from Europe. He named this explosive mix 'Bofenia Rock' and in 1983, succeeded in forming his first orchestra, Bongofolk. Then in 1990 he founded his own band: Okwess international. The band developed a vision of a new Congolese sound experimenting with the musical heritage of a nation with more than 450 different ethnicities.

In early 2004, Jupiter met two French travellers, Renaud Barret and Florent de la Tullaye. The connection was immediate, so much so that the Barret and de la Tullaye returned to record the songs of Okwess International and other groups surrounding Jupiter, such as Staff Benda Bilili. "I knew something like this would happen, I was convinced."Jupiter's Dance, a film documenting his musical exploration was released in 2007. On screen, we see his slender silhouette exploring the various districts of Kinshasa, discovering talent artists undiscovered and unknown by the rest of the world. Little Jupiters, he calls them. "Today, there are plenty of young bands who are like me to do music research, dipping into our historical resources. My mission is accomplished transmission. Even if I disappear today, I achieved my goal." The film became his international introduction and worldwide recognition. Damon Albarn ofBlur and Gorillaz fame worked with him on several projects including the electronic album DRC Music - Kinshasa One Two (Warp). Albarn also invited him to perform at the 2012 Africa Express tour in the UK. Jupiter and his band also toured the world with Amadou & Mariam.

After an extensive tour around Africa, Jupiter & Okwess International will be on tour in Europe from May 2013. His debut album will be released on 20 May. Later this year a collection of remixes will be released, including 3D (Massive Attack), Spoek Mathambo, Aero Manyelo and DJ Mo.

Further Links:
Website Artist:  http://www.jupiter-okwess-international.com/Website 
Release: www.outhere.de/homeroots/releases/jupiter-okwess-international/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JupiterAndOkwessInternational
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/okwessinternational
YouTube: http://youtu.be/fGyPKv-jfqI
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/outhererecords/jupiter-okwess-international
Jupiter's Dance trailer: http://youtu.be/TxkaVmpgHcs


Tourdates: 

18/05/2013 Music Meeting - Nijmegen NL (The Netherlands) 
19/05/2013 Festival Musique Métisse - Angoulême (France) 
22/05/2013 Bee Flat - Bern (Switzerland) 
23/05/2013 La Rodia - Besançon (France) 
24/05/2013 La Bellevilloise - Paris (France) 
25/05/2013 Festival Mix' Terres - Blois ( France ) 
28/05/2013 Festival Mawazine - Rabat (Morocco) 
28/06/2013 Glastonbury Festival - Pilton (UK) 
19/07/2013 Festival Terre de Couleurs - St Croix Volvestre (France) 
20/07/2013 Festival Détours du Monde - Chanac (France) 
27/07/2013 Festival Fiesta Sete - Sete (France) 
28/07/2013 Olympic Park - London (Uk) 
07/08/2013 Oya Festival - Oslo (Norway) 
09/08/2013 Flow Festival - Helsinki (Finland) 

And more dates to be announced soon!

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Arat Kilo

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