Australian jazz funk ensemble Kerbside Collection return with dusty grooves of “Round The Corner”, the second single to be taken from their forthcoming fourth studio album of the same name, following the lush & laidback “‘Glaze”.

Referring to some of the ‘unknowns’ and ‘uncertainties’ around the corner post cv-19, “Round The Corner” is also an uplifting groove affirmation looking forward to the positive things, and seasons to come round these kinds of unknown corners, and the new year ahead.  

In contrast to the cruisy, layered and cinematic first single, ‘Round The Corner’ is a tight, dancy, uptempo, jazz funk burner featuring the group’s core trio raw and upfront. The Rubbery, pulsating electric bass guitar of Lachlan Symons, the silky Fender rhodes (and acoustic piano solo), jazzy guitar licks guitar of Andrew Fincher, and the gritty, razor sharp grooves and percussion of drummer paprika, are all wrapped up into this dancefloor-friendly, contemporary live jazz funk track.

“Round The Corner” embodies some of the current resurgence of live jazz-house crossover sounds coming out of Australia (Horatio Luna, First Beige etc), whilst also reminiscent of Incognito, The Rebirth and Herbie Hancock’s 70’s jazz fusion years. Another sumptuous taste of what to expect on this special new record from ‘down-under’ out on modern funk and soul label Légère Recordings.

Exclusive Premiere: Kerbside Collection "Round The Corner" (Forthcoming on Légère Recordings)

BBE Music is proud to present the latest J Jazz Masterclass Series reissue, 1978 soul/jazz tour de force album ’Push’ by Noriko Miyamoto.

For the first time, this critically acclaimed series that delves deep into the history of Japanese Jazz will be releasing an album by a Japanese female singer, Noriko Miyamoto produced by one of the legendary figures in Japanese Jazz, Isao Suzuki.

The release of her incredible debut album, ‘Push’, coincided with a surge in popularity for local female jazz singers such Kimiko Kasai, Yasuko Agawa, etc. that crossed over into the pop market. It was originally released by the now-defunct label, Yupiteru Records in 1978. Since then, it has been reissued a few times in Japan but recently, along with a surge of worldwide interest in old Japanese music, ‘Push’ has been gaining a cult status among foreign music heads, with the price for an original pressing skyrocketing in the second hand record market. This reissue of ‘Push’ will be the first time ever that this album will be officially released worldwide.

Long before R&B music went onto enjoy mainstream success in Japan, a soul music and disco loving lady, Noriko Miyamoto who started her music career working as a dancer at the legendary Tokyo disco, ‘Mugen’, was inspired by Tina Turner’s performance there and decided to became a soul singer. It was at a time in the early 1970s when there were only a handful of female songstresses who sang soulfully in Japan. In 1977, Miyamoto was scouted by Isao Suzuki to join his band, Soul Family and subsequently, with their backing, he produced Push, an album that kickstarted her career. It is an album that exquisitely combines her jazzy and soulful vocals with Suzuki’s acoustic bass and precocious playing from his youthful and vibrant group at the time.

Along with Sadao Watanabe, Terumasa Hino, Masabumi Kikuchi and George Otsuka, bassist, cellist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, producer and band leader, Isao Suzuki was considered to be one of the most influential figures in Japanese jazz history. Beloved by many in the Japanese jazz scene as “Oma-san”- Suzuki was renowned for developing young talent. Noriko was one of his prodigies, and so ‘Push’ became a vehicle to showcase her and his band as well, which featured notably future renowned players such as keyboardist, Masanori Sasaji, who went on to back Yasuaki Shimizu and guitarist, Kazumasa Akiyama, who played with many major Japanese Jazz musicians. According to Noriko, these young musicians in the group helped Suzuki create a brand new sound, mixing orthodox jazz with the crossover / fusion sound that was popular at the time, coming together supremely on ‘Push’.

For ‘Push’, Suzuki focused on Noriko’s unique prowess of singing songs in English, somewhat a rarity in the Japanese music scene at the time. She sang two jazz standards, ‘Everything I Have Is Yours’ and ‘Stella By Starlight’ on the album. Noriko also wrote English lyrics for two original compositions of Suzuki’s, an instrumental piece, ‘Cadillac Woman’, and ‘My Life’, a song that he composed for Kimiko Kasai, who’d originally sung it in Japanese on her 1977 album, ’Tokyo Special’.

Noriko fulfilled her long-held dream of becoming a soul singer after she moved to the US in 1990 and subsequently joined a number of prestigious outfits, such as Eddie Murphy’s band, Graham Central Station, the Brothers Johnson and Side Effect, but ‘Push’ is the album that paved the way for her career and hopefully, with this first time ever, worldwide reissue, it will attract more listeners. Sadly the producer of this album, Isao Suzuki sadly passed away recently at the age of 89. It is unfortunate that he was not able to see the reissue of this special album that he produced for Noriko Miyamoto.

Noriko Miyamoto, Isao Suzuki - Cadillac Woman

Buy / Stream it here: https://orcd.co/thelibraryarchive2

Crate digging DJs Mr Thing and Chris Read return to BBE Music with a second volume of their compilation series ‘The Library Archive’, presenting more Funk, Jazz, Beats and Soundtracks from the archives of Cavendish Music.

Founded back in 1937 and originally known as Boosey & Hawkes Recorded Music Library, Cavendish Music is the largest independent Library Music publisher in the UK and also represents a host of music catalogues across the globe. The influence of Library Music on British pop culture cannot be overstated, especially during the 1970s when companies KPM, De Wolfe and of course Boosey & Hawkes provided the soundtracks to iconic TV shows such as The Sweeney and The Professionals, as well as a host of feature films.

The discs produced by Boosey & Hawkes for TV and radio production have, over the intervening years, gained a cult following among collectors and have found themselves sampled by successive generations of beatmakers. Renowned scratch DJ Mr Thing and WhoSampled’s Chris Read, both lifetime beat fanatics, first entered the Cavendish vaults in 2014, presenting their first compilation of rare Library Music cuts in 2017 on BBE Music. Both knew that Cavendish Music’s vast low-ceilinged London basement still held a host of hidden treasure just waiting to be rediscovered, so the pair returned in 2020, emerging with ‘The Library Archive 2 – More Funk, Jazz, Beats and Soundtracks from the Archives of Cavendish Music’.

“This new collection leans toward the less obvious titles, not only the funky sides and tracks ripe for sampling but also some of the jazzier corners of the catalogue” says Chris Read. “As with Volume 1, this is more than merely a collection for sample heads – it’s a compilation of great funk, jazz, soundtracks and experimental themes to be enjoyed by DJs, producers and fans of good music alike.”

Dennis Farnon, Sound Studio Orchestra - Tournament

The Gentle Giants - Leagueliner

In 1975, under the oppressive air of military dictatorship in Brazil, brothers Lelo and Ze Eduardo Nazario invited bassist Zeca Assumpção to join their musical experiments in a basement under Sao Paulo’s Teodoro Sampaio Street. The trio had already been playing together in Brazilian polymath Hermeto Pascoal’s band, alongside guitarist Toninho Horta and saxophonist Nivaldo Ornelas, and it was while working together under Hermeto’s direction that the Paulista rhythm section (as they were then known) realised their own potential.

With many nightclubs and venues closed in the mid-70s and government censors dictating the output of radio, TV and art galleries, many Brazilian artists fled during the years of the dictatorship. But underground, Grupo Um were fusing avant garde ideals with contemporary jazz and Afro Brazilian rhythm; making phenomenally beautiful music which was wildly free and expressive - in stark contrast to the sterile, conservative conditions being imposed above ground.

Recorded in just two days at Sao Paulo’s Vice-Versa Studios, Starting Point was to mark the inception of one of Brazil’s most daring instrumental groups. But with a record so radically ahead of its time, Grupo Um struggled to find a label willing to release their debut and Lelo Nazario kept the tapes safe in his archives, which is where they sat for almost half a century…

Finally, this mesmerising piece of history is here, and it was only the beginning…

Grupo Um - Suite Orquidea Negra

Ramrock Red Records are beyond excited to deliver this extraordinarily confident selection of original jazz compositions by Italian composer, producer and studio wizard, Stefano De Santis. Recorded entirely at Re:Fill Studio, Rome in 2022, Stefano plays Rhodes, piano, clavinet, Prophet 5, Moog, Solina String Ensemble, Juno 6 and does all the drum programming on every single title! After being introduced to the EP by Dan Tenor-City, I experienced the same reaction as to when I listened to Ronnie Foster’s seminal ‘Love Satellite’ LP in 1978 for the first time – completely blown away. The sheer strength of the musicality behind each title is phenomenal. Stefano has really pushed his musical boundaries on this solo excursion, highlighting his jazz-funk roots and ever developing studio production skills. This EP showcases Stefano’s diverse palette of sounds where he effortlessly blends a flowing broken beat rhythm section, next level hip hop, future jazz, latin and funk throughout the entire project. One for the serious ‘jazz heads’ – I am expecting BIG support on this one.

Rome based, Stefano De Santis is conservatory trained and raised on the music of Herbie Hancock, Weather Report and Azymuth. He has been a go-to session player in many projects across multiple genres - from jazz to funk, reggae, and pop. In 2017, he launched the ‘Big Beat’ trio who blended pure jazz with new synth sounds and syncopated drum patterns. Later, in 2020, Stefano teamed up with his friend and consummate drummer, Gaetano De Carli to form Re:Fill. Since then, the duo have taken their music to a further level and developed a brace of imaginative and complex grooves. Gaetano provides a rich musical background to combine with Stefano’s soulful synth-work, balancing the old world and the contemporary. Their first record, ‘Cycles’, on Cognitiva Records, was released in June 2022 and features important collaborations with heavy-hitters from the UK’s DJ-producer scene, Ben Hauke and WheelUp.

Buy digital

04. Stefano De Santis - Sick With Rhyme

https://cqqlrecords.bandcamp.com/album/walter-thomas-i-wanna-get-witcha

"I Wanna Get Witcha" is a mid tempo love song, playfully serenading a long-time love interest to elevate their friendship into a romantic endeavor. The flirtatious lyrics and sweet plea in Walter’s voice illustrate a flourishing connection between a man and a woman he has known for quite some time.

Walter Thomas wrote and recorded "I Wanna Get Witcha" in North Chicago, Illinois in 1987, and the track was eventually released in the UK by Bay Breeze records on CD in 2000. In 2008, the tune was pressed up as a small run white label promo 7". We were then introduced to this soulful Chicago dance floor starter at the legendary, San Francisco-based dance party Sweater Funk via the deep crates of veteran Selector DJ Kirk. Our reissue is a re-mixed and re-mastered version, accompanied by its previously unreleased instrumental.

Walter Thomas - A - I Wanna Get Witcha

Buy / Stream it here: https://orcd.co/beersheba

Like a long-lost Holy Grail album from the mid-seventies, Kirk Degiorgio’s latest project, Modal Forces / Percussive Forces, explores both Modal Jazz and Seventies Jazz Fusion in the Library album format. Side One swings with a vengeance with its tight arrangements built around acoustic bass, electric piano and glorious analog synth leads and side 2 takes us on a journey of funk fuelled, percussive workouts and heavy breaks. The contributions of renowned session drummer Chris Whitten adds to the authenticity of the album as does the use of vintage, analog synths.

Now, as a taster of what's to come on this album, BBE is releasing Beersheba as the first single from the project. In true library music style Beersheba comes in at less than 4 minutes but manages to create an atmosphere and a story. With the keys overlaying a melody and a refrain on top of a bass and drum break rhythm this track not only paints a picture but also builds to a lovely mid-tempo dancefloor groove that tantalises the listener as to what the next track will be.

Kirk Degiorgio is a DJ, composer and music lover whose influences, from family and then going out to clubs from under-18 discos to attending the Belvedere Arms and 'Shoom' and working in Reckless Records, cover all genres of Black music. From Soul, Jazz-Funk, Funk and then House and Detroit Techno Kirk has a love and an appreciation for how all these sounds work together and evolve from each other.

Kirk Degiorgio - Beersheba [BBE Music]

Buy/Stream the album here: https://orcd.co/onceagainchildren

Gather together beneath the sun as we journey through the rhythmic sands of time, Paul Hillery, an esteemed collector and vinyl hunter, presents his follow-up to the highly acclaimed ‘We Are The Children Of The Sun‘. Andrew Male of MOJO Magazine calls the album “One of the most emotionally uplifting and hazily beautiful compilations of recent years.”

“Once Again We Are The Children Of The Sun” is a shimmering collection of rare finds, reminding us that we have more to connect us than to divide us. The music encompasses a broad range of sounds, starting in Cajun country with Will & James Ragar, their handmade acoustic guitars allowing for soaring vocals. Along with many of the tracks featured on this compilation, “As the Day Grows Tired” is reissued on vinyl for the first time.

Experience the previously unreleased cover of “Milk and Honey” featuring Kat Barnard and Greg Foat, a versatile mainstay of the UK jazz scene. Discover the first-ever vinyl release of “Kayenta Crossing” by William Eaton Ensemble, capturing the austere presence of Monument Valley. Immerse yourself in Wendy Grace’s jazz-folk masterpiece “More Than Hope” and the acoustic ambience of “Golden Hour” by Aria Rostami.

Paul Hillery and BBE present a compilation of styles and genres, fusing together to make private press wants accessible as a springboard for further listening pleasures. “Once Again We Are the Children of the Sun” is an eclectic selection mixing styles, year and tempo, painstakingly gathered and presented with a great deal of love.

Forest - Crazy Days

‘Save The Best 'Til Last’ is the first single to be taken from the forthcoming compilation, With Love: Volume 2. 

Compiling the follow-up to a very successful first album is always a tricky task, but just 12 months since the release of volume one in the 'With Love' series, miche has excelled himself once again with another glorious, deep dive into the world of rare soul. 15 tracks of independently released music, created by magnificent artists with stories to tell and primed for rediscovery.

'Save The Best 'Til Last' is a bit of radio comp gold. This time from Philadelphia’s WMMR and Alice Cohen with her band Fun City. This killer, AOR, folk-funk gem has one of the grooviest chorus’ around, underpinned with a bassline that’s impossible not to dance to. It’s an affordable record which may have been overlooked, which goes to show that the finds are still out there!

Alice Cohen & Fun City - Save The Best ‘Til Last

En Transit B / W Colibri

En Transit (feat. Eva Simonis)

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Founded in 1996 by Peter Adarkwah, Barely Breaking Even (BBE Music) started life as a London club night, taking its name from the eponymous Disco record by the Universal Robot Band.

The label grew from the vibrant early 90's club scene with its first release, Stop & Listen compiled by Dr Bob Jones in 1996, opening the door to iconic series' such as All Back To Mine & Late Nite Tales.

A tonne of releases followed, ranging from Disco to Funk, Jazz to House. In the year 2000, the label celebrated Masters at Work's 10th Anniversary with a mighty box set that featured near 80 tracks.

A year later BBE Music spawned the Beat Generation Series of artist albums, notably introducing J Dilla (Welcome 2 Detroit) & a young Will.I.Am's first solo outing, alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff, Madlib & DJ Spinna, all of whom contributed to this seminal set of long players.

A quarter of a century and well over 500 titles later, having worked with Mark Ronson, Roy Ayers, Questlove, Hugh Masekela, DJ Premier, Dimitri from Paris, Joey Negro, Kon, RZA, Laurent Garnier, Black Coffee, DJ Shadow, David Rodigan and John Morales among many others, BBE Music looks to the future, celebrating its rich heritage while continuing to release a bounty of fresh titles.

The label’s most recent projects include an expansive reissue series from pioneering Nigerian label Tabansi, new imprint ‘Batakari’ in association with Boddhi Satva and the critically acclaimed ‘J Jazz’ Japanese Jazz multi-album project, not to mention the recent landmark 500th label release: a brand new version of 'Barely Breaking Even', featuring Leroy Burgess, Patrick Adams and Louie Vega.

In 2021 BBE Music is celebrating its 25th anniversary. To mark this milestone, the label is offering up some special projects, from the 20th Anniversary edition of J Dilla’s ‘Welcome 2 Detroit’, through David Bowie tribute album ‘Modern Love’, to a special new ‘Worldwide’ compilation from old friend Gilles Peterson. BBE Music will also be looking to the future with more exciting original artist projects, plus merch collaborations events and more...

The Gentle Giants - Leagueliner

BBE Music

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