Meant to have this together sooner, but you know how it goes. Second Summer Session mix is all beats with a laid back flavor, for the headphones or the ride. Tried to play a few things old and a couple new. Enjoy!

Summer Sessions 2021

Subscribe on iTunes!

Summer Session #2

Stargazing from the sands of the Niterói beach, Tempos Futuros is low-end-led Brazilian futurism from one of Brazil’s most prolific and influential bassmen. As one third of legendary Brazilian trio Azymuth, Alex Malheiros has pioneered a one of a kind fusion of space-funk, samba and jazz since the early seventies. His playing can be heard on the records of Jorge Ben, Milton Nascimento, Roberto Carlos, Marcos Valle and Mark Murphy (to name a few), and he’s performed and toured with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Chick Corea.

Written and recorded in Niteroi, Brazil, overlooking Guanabara and the beaches, mountains and forests of Rio de Janeiro, Tempos Futuros has deep roots in Brazilian soil. The rhythms of Malheiros’ homeland have always permeated his music. But just like the Oscar Niemeyer designed Niterói Contemporary Art Museum which stands spaceship-like over the water, Tempos Futuros - while inspired by terrestrial forms, reaches out deep into the great unknown. 

Produced by acclaimed London-based producer Daniel Maunick, who has worked with Marcos Valle, Azymuth, Terry Callier, and Ivan Conti, the funk comes full circle. Daniel’s father Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick and Alex Malheiros shared a reciprocal stream of influence throughout the 80s, between London and Rio; Azymuth and Incognito; brit-funk and samba-funk. But just as with Azymuth’s music, you can also hear the influence of stateside jazz-funk masters like Roy Ayers, Weather Report, Lonnie Liston Smith, Mtume and Pleasure.

Tempos Futuros features Alex’s daughter, a Brazilian star in her own right, vocalist Sabrina Malheiros, Brazilian percussion master Sidinho Moreira,  London based saxophonist Sean Khan, Marcos Valle’s go-to drummer Massa, and keyboard player Dudu Viana.

Alex Malheiros - Retrato (feat. Sean Khan)

Pulled some classic breaks as well as some dope new jazz covers for this one! Dig in.

Tracklist: High Pulp, Julien Lourau, Didier Lockwood, Ian Carrs Nucleus, Monty Alexander

September 15 2021

Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 176

BBE Music presents a brand new remix of the 1982 Rim & Kasa classic, ‘Love Me For Real’, created by the L.A. duo of Denise Love Hewett and Yung Spielburg.

Former New Yorker, now Los Angeles based DJ Denise Love Hewett joined forces with fellow NYC export, musician, and producer Yung Spielburg for the rework of ‘Love Me For Real’, having heard the track on the soundtrack to the 2019 movie ‘Big Time Adolescence’.

“My ears are always ticking for songs to add to my sets to keep them fresh” says Hewett. “I heard it in a film soundtrack and loved it! I started playing it but had an urge to rework some components for a club setting. I called up Lenny (Spielburg) to collaborate on the remix and between both of our visions, we found our way to this awesome result.”

Adding rock-solid House drum patterns and updating the song’s production aesthetic for modern dancefloors, Hewett and Spielberg’s version makes great use of the swirling synths, catchy vocals and unique Latin Afro-Disco vibe which has made ‘Love Me For Real’ an international hit since its 2015 BBE reissue.

Rim Kwaku Obeng - Love Me for Real (Denise Love Hewett Extended Remix)

RIP Dr. Lonnie Smith. We're back with just a few mostly longer selections for your ears. Digging adventures continue, and more in store in the coming weeks! Thanks again for tuning in.

Tracklist: Dr. Lonnie Smith, Nucleus, Whole Darn Family, Three Pieces, Gerry Neiwood

October 6 2021

Subscribe on Apple

Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 177

An amazing record recently landed in my post office box, an absolute classic of an album I honestly never thought I’d see in person let alone get a copy of: Winston Mankunku Ngozi’s quartet masterpiece “Yakhal Inkomo” - I insist everyone at least take a listen to this on Spotify or elsewhere. On this episode I've included the title track to start off the set. There is also an excellent interview with South African jazz scholars Percy Mabandu, Kevin Davidson, Nduduzo Makhathini and Salim Washington discussing the importance of this recording, available at: https://www.allaboutjazz.com/yakhal-inkomo-a-south-african-masterpiece-at-fifty-winston-mankunku-ngozi-by-seton-hawkins

Anyway, I decided to partner it on this podcast with a few other horn-heavy selections. Hope you dig!

Tracklist: Mankunku Quartet, Azar Lawrence, Lee Morgan, Sahib Shihab, John Coltrane

October 20 2021

Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 179

• DTW FM #304 •

Special Guests :
unowhoknows 

Spotify Handle : dtw.lnk.to/DTWitall
Every Saturday
12PM - 2PM EST
Broadcasting via The Lot Radio
(www.thelotradio.com)

Darker Than Wax FM #304 w/ unowhoknows • 12th Feb 2022

With the jazz-leaning electronic producer Hemai, Swiss trumpeter Bodo Meier finds the perfect remixer to give his Afro Latin inspired jazz a subtle electronic edge.

Hailing from Switzerland, Bodo started playing the trumpet at 8 and very quickly turned to jazz and improvisation. For the last 12 year, he's been touring intensely with a variety of artists across the globe.

In 2012, a tour through Brazil with the rock band Underschool Element in 2009 and in Senegal with percussionist Mory Samb started a deep connection with the Afro-American music heritage . Today, Bodo is involved in many projects and bands with Latin American music.

Bodo moved to London in 2015 and became very active in London's music scene. He started collaborating with guitarist Tjoe Man Cheung. Together they recorded two albums and toured twice in Hong Kong and China in 2016 and 2018. Now back in his native Switzerland, he writes and arranges music for his own band as well as others and released his debut album 'Approaching Change' on Berlin label QFTF. 

Bodo's debut EP, 'Eclipse', follows the release of singles 'Lamento Olvidado' and 'Roadrunner'. Both supported by the likes of Kev Beadle, Soho Radio, Twisted Soul and Jazz FM. It sees Bodo collaborate with electronic sensation, Tru Thoughts signed producer Hemai, for a dancefloor remix of 'Roadrunner' and swiss collective Alma Negra for their own take on 'Lamento Olvidado'.

Producer and multi-instrumentalist Louie Hemus AKA Hemai sonically melds soul and jazz with an electronic tinge. “Production-wise I’m experimenting with the concept of space; bringing together my favourite sounds from around the world and the universe and merging them with UK roots”, he explains. 

Born and bred in the UK’s second capital Birmingham, Hemai grew up around jazz culture, music and live musicians, taking influence from the likes of Herbie Hancock, The Gilberto’s and D’Angelo to modern day acts like Zero7 and Corinne Bailey Rae.

His 2019 debut EP “Eyes, Closed” received upfront support from Gilles Peterson, Erica McKoy and Papaoul (Worldwide FM) and from his home station BBC Radio West Midlands. The release was closely followed by Hemai’s official remix of Oscar Jerome’s “Gravitate” and being titled one to watch by BBC Introducing’s Jaguar on her Hot List 2020, cementing the now London-based artist’s place in the thriving UK jazz and electronic scene.

Follow Bodo

Exclusive Premiere: Bodo Maier "Eclipse" (Hemai Remix)

Recorded live on a Sunday evening in front of a small Twitch audience, an hour of jazz joints make up the latest episode of Pullin from the Stacks! Stay tuned for future episodes to be streamed live as well starting in May. No episode next week as I'll be traveling but a new Knowledge Breaks before the month is out...thanks for tuning in!

Tracklist: Donald Byrd, Hampton Hawes, Jazz Traficantes, George Shearing, Frank Cunimondo, Steve Grossman, Stanley Turrentine, Michel Sardaby, Clare Fischer, Atlantis Jazz Ensemble, Mutual Attraction, Build An Ark

April 13 2022

Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 195

Today we have over an hour of soulful body-moving inspiration, mixed by two of our favourite new producers, Mambele and Rosie From The Block, both fresh from hot releases on Vice City. Perfect for fans of broken beat and forward thinking soulful house.

Rosie: "Mambele and I got together for this mix without preparing much, we just brought some tracks that we were excited about and intuitively brought them together.

The mix starts off with an unforgotten banger by Tommy Gee. Tommy Gee’s been a big inspiration for me (Rosie) for years. He released an album on R&S Records in 1996 which was a game changer at the time but seems to be forgotten by most today. The second track’s one produced by me (Rosie) and it’s called ‘Let me be’. It’s on my debut EP ‘Love potions for block parties’ which came out on Vice City. The third track’s by Domu, a producer that had a big influence on both Mambele’s and my (Rosie) productions. Domu has done so many different things and this track called ‘Like this?’ is to be found on the album ‘the return of the Rogue’ that explores mixing up different styles and influences such as songwriting structures with dancefloor oriented beats. This mixing up of genres and song structures is something we’re particulary interested in since we don’t let ourselves be restricted by genres nor structures in our own productions. Other producers we played tracks of include Scrimshire, Cody Currie, Dego, Zopelar, Steven Julien, Sean McCabe amongst others. All producers that bring that soulful element into their productions."

Vice City

MIMS Guest Mix: Mambele x Rosie From the Block (Brussels, Belgium)

Rivalling their legendary output from the 70’s onwards, Brazilian jazz-funk pioneers Azymuth’s latest album Fênix saw the band on top form, with their trademark samba doido (crazy samba) sounding as slick as ever. Since then, Far Out Recordings has comissioned a special one-off remix for the project, from Chicago deep-house legend Ron Trent, who has long cited Azymuth as musical heroes and one of his biggest influences. With a toughened groove and gorgeous swirls of synth and pad embelishments, Ron’s remix takes Azymuth’s futurist disco even deeper.

Fenix- Azymuth (Album Version)

When I'm not at the dayjob, I'm probably at a record store. Pullin from the Stacks podcast most Wednesdays, available here, Apple Pods (please subscribe!) and elsewhere.

Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 179

DJ Ian Head