Bastard Jazz is proud to present the debut EP from producer and multi-instrumentalist Simon Mavin. Most well known as the Grammy nominated keyboardist/co-producer and co- writer of the celebrated Australian band Haitus Kaiyote, Simon’s had a hand in multiple projects across the spectrum, but has yet to release under his own moniker until now.

The EP, which features two original tracks and two remixes from fellow Aussies Harvey Sutherland and Close Counters starts out was recorded in-between projects at the Grove, a small recording sanctuary in Melbourne. In Simon’s studio, he had installed a library of keyboards. 30-40 synthesizers, all of which were painstakingly patched in to be simultaneously accessible and ready to record in an instant. A drum kit in the corner was constantly mic'd up, and everything routed through a multitude of analog mixing desks providing different flavours of tone and texture. The Grove had such appeal that it was chosen as the studio to record the Gilles Peterson compilation ‘Sunny Side Up’ on Brownswood Recordings.

Things kick off with “Good Hair Day”, a track originally blossoming from an infectious piano loop in which fellow collaborators Nick Lam and Henry Hicks added guitar parts and bass parts. What’s resulted is a danceable, infectious feel-good dancefloor jam with an ultra funky synth bassline that harkens back to Herbie Hancock’s 1970’s repertoire. Harvey Sutherland takes the tempo up and takes the track deeper into outer space with deep synth work, four on the floor drums, and a punchy bassline for late night sessions.

On the flip, “Only You & Me” is a lower tempo, slow burning joint with a live drum loop played by Nick Martyn, with an alien bassline, squelching keys, otherworldly oscillating vocodor parts and jazzy keyboard solos. Up and coming trio Close Counters take the song into new territory, stripping things down with a classic Broken Beat vibe, a driving bassline and synth stabs from the original, moving things squarely on the dancefloor – definitely a track for the breakers in the building.

Buy 12" Here

Simon Mavin - Only You & Me (Close Counters Remix)

Michal Poncar started his playing in 1993 under a name DJ Face. In that times it was just in small places near Prague. As an eager Radio 1 listener he met Béla Némeshegyi and very soon he started to write reviews for Béla..s Pareniste server under a nickname Myclick.

In 1999 he was also contributing with reviews of new records to Tripmag magazine thanks to Honza Babka who was editor in chief in that time. One year later, after his work for Trance.cz server, Mellow with Dan Kafka offered him a collaboration with Techno.cz.

After reviews with unbelievable 13.000 types he is enjoying writting of voluminous reports from the events he took part in. He is preparing news from the world of dance music for this website and publishes DJ beginners..sets. Since 2004 you can hear him two times a week on
Akropolis Internet Radio in programmes Techno.cz on Akropolis Radio and Techno.cz In Da Mix where he is interviewing DJs and mixing live sets right in studio.

House in all its periods was his favourite. But there was basic change at the end of 2001 and the beginning of 2002. Then he was contacted by <a href="http://www.lucasross.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lucas Ross</a> the guitar player, Mataro purchased electronic percussion and Face 2 Face project had got its roughcast. Every performance took place with different guests and with different repertory. Five musician formation Face 2 Face with records and live instruments combination was performing beside small clubs also at Sazava Fest, Creamfields and several times in Roxy Club.

DJ Face currently enjoys first of all nu disco, deep house, dubby house and minimal house and an ideal performance is to him 
a nights Unplugged @ House boat U Bukanyra, House 4 Adults @ 2. patro with DJ Cubik, Groove Bar and Moovement with DJ Diom, Bar v Krymsky with MC Manda, Luft Cafe and Moje Muza with Pavel Aeling and Namax.


At the beginning of 2010 the circle closes and his big dream comes true... Side by side with his friends who he called about his musical wishes to the Radio 1 in the mid of 90th,
now he puts its own radio show Fluffy Clouds with legendary FlyBoyEda and soon with his longtime back 2 back partner in crime Diom every odd Sunday 15:00 - 18:00. Stay tuned: 91,9 MHz / http://www.radio1.cz!

Naarm/Melbourne-based Close Counters’ diverse soundscape sits at the crossroads of house, neo-soul, broken beat and disco. Their 2023 Music Victoria Award-winning album, ‘SOULACOASTA II’ secured their spot as one of the top talents in their class, with the duo tirelessly sourcing niche samples from films and records on trips across the globe. The LP was touted by tastemakers Gilles Peterson, Folamour, Jamz Supernova and landed Album Features with Australian stations Double J, 3RRR, PBS and 2SER. Breakout singles from the pack were originally released by Melvo Baptiste’s The Remedy Project, an imprint of Defected Records.

Their collab 'Rollout' with Young Franco, Scrufizzer and Jay Prince, won over fans across the globe and was added to the Official Soundtrack for acclaimed video game FIFA 23, and have been synced for Apple’s recent iPhone campaign. In the past year the band have also performed for triple j, 3RRR, Defected Radio, FBi Radio, Soho Radio NYC, Baked, and interviewed on BBC Radio 1Xtra on tour recently, and when hotly tipped as their ‘After Dark Discovery’ and ‘EP of the Week’ (‘FLUX’, 2022).

The duo expands up to a 7-piece tour-de-force with live-mapped visuals, dancers and featured musicians and vocalists from their wider collective and they’ve continuously sold out their hometown Naarm/Melbourne dates, notching impressive shows at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, sold out dates at 170 Russell, Corner Hotel, The Night Cat, and packed-out rooms across Australia’s east coast. Support duties have flowed from Madlib, Sofi Tukker, Crazy P Soundsystem, Tall Black Guy, to local mates Confidence Man and The Jungle Giants, betwixt bucket-list festivals Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival, Let Them Eat Cake, Strawberry Fields, Meredith Music Festival, MONA FOMA, Party in the Paddock and showcasing at BIGSOUND, Electronic Music Conference and three sold-out Melbourne Music Week events.

The band recently finished their UK & EU summer ticking off Lost Village Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, Defected Malta and Cabaret Sauvage. In London, they sold Ronnie Scott's, did 180 tickets at Ninety One Living Room, packed out Hootananny Brixton and landed a sold out Jazz Café support for Somewhere Soul's showcase with Cotonete. The band have also played packed sets in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Monaco, Brighton and featured behind the decks at ADE, Defected Croatia, Reflektor in Belgium with A-Trak, and are returning for Brick Lane Jazz Festival in April 2025.

For remixes, mixing, or mastering email: agfamusic@gmail.com.

For DJ bookings email funkweapons@gmail.com

Made up of Frank Cueto and Rusty Belicek, the All Good Funk Alliance has opened up for James Brown, DJ'd all around the world, written songs for commercials, T.V. and movies, and have appeared on the Breakspoll Top 50 list and was included in The Little Big Beat book,. In other words, these guys are no strangers to the funk. And while their musical tastes range the gamut, when Frank and Rusty join forces the end result is always the same: they deliver a sound that is funky, fun and fresh.

Side Projects:
B-Team
Vested Soul
E1sbar
Rockmaster Rus B
Sons of Satin
LNW

Actor, Writer, Producer, DJ and Podcaster and Co-Host of Dudes Brewing Podcast for NEW ZEALAND (NZ) and Australia (AU).

www.kelvintaylor.com

Brooklyn boutique record label. Purveyors of fine beats worldwide.