Favorite Recordings and Jazzy Couscous proudly present a series of three EP's A La French – The Balearic Sessions with early remixes works for french artists by the one and only Dimitri from Paris.

Volume 1: https://bit.ly/3gMpHDg
Volume 2: https://bit.ly/3aNskAT
Volume 3: https://bit.ly/32VqlpU

VOLUME 1
A1. Cecilia Noah - Yuku Mon Ukulele (Party Mix)
A2. Alpha Blondy – Yé Yé (Club Suite Movement One + Two)
B1. Gérard Blanc - Dis Tout Bas Dis (Remix Club)
B2. Princess Erika - Calomnie (Club Mix)

VOLUME 2
A1. Marc Lavoine - Rue Fontaine (Jazzy Vibes Mix)
A2. Midi V - Belle Comme Isabelle (Remix Dimitri)
B1. Kaoma - Tago Mago (Latine Soul Remix)
B2. Kassav' - Ou Lé (Metropolys Mix)

VOLUME 3
A1. Claudia Phillips - Donne-Moi Du Feu (Summer Nights Disco Mix + Bonus Dub Extension)
A2. Roé - Soledad (Philly Mix)
B1. Atlantique - Poussée Par Le Vent (Remix Maxi)
B2. Art Mengo - Où Trouver Les Violons (Mr Jazzy Mix)

All tracks have been remastered from the tapes and will be available on May 31st 2021 as a series of 3 x 12" Vinyl EP with Printed Innersleeve.

This project is a long-overdue reminder and tribute of Dimitri’s career's beginnings, a selection of less-known works with a Balearic style and a distinctive French flair. It tells the story of an 80's kid who, through his love of music and remix culture, helped put together the first pieces of what would later become the French House scene by spreading his love for Garage House and Club Music in general.

The year is 1986. There is close to no remix culture in France and only a handful of pioneers are into this new club sound coming mostly from the USA. At the time, Dimitri starts experimenting with homemade remixes, done by cutting tape, inspired by New York producers Tony Humpries and Shep Pettibone. Dimitri starts playing his remixes at the radio and his work gets noticed. Starting his own radioshow "NRJ Club - The Sound of New York", Dimitri's audience quickly became bigger. His remix style starts to settle, and the requests start piling up: Stephanie De Monaco, Gerard Blanc, Elsa, Etienne Daho, Marc Lavoine…Many French pop stars come knocking on Dimitri's door to get a club remix of their latest hit. At this time, Dimitri often works with the same sound engineer: Jean-Philippe Bonichon aka JPB. Together, they will shape the club remix sound of the late 80's France unlike anyone else, heavily influenced by superstar remixers like François K, Shep Pettibone, Larry Levan, Frankie Knuckles, or even Stock, Aitken & Waterman. In the early 90’s, the remixes he produces are infused with Garage House, Balearic vibes & a modern Rare Groove vibe popularized by UK remixers such as Coldcut or CJ Mackintosh, something quite unique in the French musical output at the time.

Dimitri From Paris/VA - A La French (1987-1992) The Balearic Sessions - Snippets

Stix Records, the sub-label of Favorite Recordings, is back with some heavy dub cuts from label regular Mato with its usual special skills as a tailor of reggae music. Available on 7inch on June 21st 2021

Preorder here: https://bit.ly/3eE5JsJ

On Side A, Mato focuses on the infamous "Summer Madness", originally composed by Kool & The Gang. Providing a fresh dub rework, the song will make you dream of hot wet summer nights, gently rocked by beautiful guitar melodies and sweet Fender Rhodes chords. Just a perfect match for all forthcoming summers of love!

On Side B, Mato takes care of "Use Me", originally composed by Bill Withers on his Still Bill album. Expect funky and bouncy clavinets and a nice melodica line for this rework of a timeless classic. As Mato once said, "Play it loud and burn a chalice!"

Starting his reggae production career in 2006, Thomas Blanchot (aka Mato) has released music through various projects on EDR Records, Big Singles or Makasound ... In the meantime he developed a real trademark, taking over classics French, Hip-Hop, or Pop song, into roots reggae-dub new versions. Besides, since 2010, Mato has built a solid reputation thanks to his hot remixes of Hip-Hop classics on Stix Records.

Mato - Summer Madness / Use Me (STIX054) - Snippets

Stix Records, a sub-label of Favorite Recordings, proudly presents Disco Reggae Vol. 4, following three precedent acclaimed editions. Available on October 4th 2021 as Vinyl LP & Digital.

Preorder here: https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/disco-reggae-vol-4

Imagine the biggest classics from Roy Ayers, Chemise, Lyn Christopher, Gerswhin, A Taste Of Honey, Keni Burke, Patrice Rushen or Kraftwerk reworked and re-arranged as Reggae & Dub killer tunes. Dream no more, the best producers from the Stix roster cooked some magic over these essential tunes: Soul Sugar aka Booker Gee, Taggy Matcher, Blundetto, Mato, Rosemary Martins and Wolfgang signed here the perfect soundtrack to extend the summer and rock the dancefloors! Massive!

Disco Reggae Vol. 4 (STIX053LP) - Snippets

Stix Records, a sub-label of Favorite Recordings, proudly presents Push Push, the new album by acclaimed producer Taggy Matcher aka Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart (Voilaaa, Mr President, The Dynamics, Uptown Funk Empire, Metropolitan Jazz Affair, Da Break, …). Available on October 29th 2021 as Vinyl LP & Digital. Preorder here: https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/push-push-2

A1. Push Push feat. LMK
A2. Little Things feat. Birdy Nixon
A3. Volvere Mañana feat. Alexandra Charry
A4. Two Dimes feat. Hawa
B1. Q Fashion feat. John Milk
B2. Get Enough feat. Birdy Nixon
B3. Suit And Tie feat. John Milk
B4.On & On feat. Elodie Rama

After the success of his previous LP Singasong, Taggy Matcher returns with 8 tracks exploring his wide range of Reggae & Dub influences, each time magnified by a fine crew of vocal guests as LMK, Birdy Nixon, Alexandra Charry, Hawa, John Milk & Elodie Rama. With a great sense of authenticity, they all bring their own touch to Taggy Matcher's compositions and covers. Always faithful to its inspirations, brilliantly produced, Push Push is your new invitation to follow the Lion to Zion.

The album starts with "Push Push", a title already released last year as a vinyl single 7", in collaboration with rising singer LMK, who you may know from her successful previous reworks on Taggy's last album ("No Love Allowed", "My Man"). Sharing the same love for the early 80's Digital Rub A Rub productions, lyrics are about street harassment of women… with a pinch of humor!
On "Little Things", Taggy invites old mate Birdy Nixon for a cover of an early rocksteady classic by Hemsley Morris. With the vintage bounce we love combined with modern sounds and productions, the song is all about tenderness and simplicity.
"Volvere Mañana", the song has this very cumbia hip move with the participation of gifted singer Alexandra Charry from Cali in Colombia, where they both composed the song. Then, Taggy invited Boris Pokora to play the "gaita" local flute to give the song its proper Colombian Caribbean coast flavor.
The album continues with "Two Dimes" featuring longtime collaborator Hawa (from Mr President to Mr Day and other numerous projects). This shaky disco reggae rockers is all about getting ready for the party… but with two dimes only!
"Q Fashion" is a song full of wittiness and self-mockery wrote during the first Covid-19 lockdown. Parisian Soul singer John Milk was stuck in Paris while Bruno was in Lyon. On this minimalistic digital reggae tune, they give the ingredients to perfect your next quarantine outfit.
Discoish reggae tune "Get Enough" featuring Birdy Nixon has a simple and successful recipe: just mix a big dose of Lovers with the same amount of Rockers and you've got this 100% soulful song.
On "Suit and Tie", Taggy and John Milk go Pop with this version of Justin Timberlake, which fits perfectly with John's tender and mellow style.
Finally, Elodie Rama with Taggy Matcher pay tribute to Erykah Badu and her legacy to the Soul music scene at the end of the nineties. The mood is jazzy, mellow and warm, with a tiny Lee Scratch Perry early 70's vaporous vibes.

Taggy Matcher - Push Push (STIX055LP) - Snippets

Favorite Recordings proudly presents Deux, the second album of French Jazz-Funk quartet Aldorande. In this new chapter, the four explorers pursue their interstellar trip on the Aldorande planet, deploying their ever deeper love for the 70's Jazz-Funk & Fusion scene. Extending their first visions of this new world, the bigger-than-life arrangements of this second album reflect again their high attention to dramatic narrative schemes, breezy Brazilian vibes, tempestuous funky grooves and strong cosmic melodies from outer space. Classic and contemporary at the same time, Deux is built for the like-minded souls still looking for the perfect beat.

Preorder here: favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/deux

A1. Fenêtres sur le Temps
A2. Vortex des Possibles
A3. La Pierre des Mondes
B1. Oracle
B2. La Promesse au Soleil
B3. Arcane 17
CD Bonus: Prometheus Asylum

Twisting time and space but never forcing the groove, the band dives more profoundly into the Cortex influence of their compositions, with intense female back vocals fitting perfectly into their cinematographic vision. Like a cry in space, could these esoteric incantations be heard by Aldorande's divinities? Or will they be more impressed by the super-tight rhythm section with its bangin' basslines or an irresistible blend of drums and percussion? In the end, they probably would have to surrender after hearing the infinite echoes of the synthesizers and horns reflecting in the atmosphere. Deep and thoughtful, the travel has only begun but it seems that so much has already been experienced. Breaking the code, they opened the gates to a rebirth. One that could be only accomplished by finding the “Pierre des Mondes”, deeply buried somewhere on Aldorande - the only key to solve the riddle of the groove. Mission accepted.

You'll find in Aldorande some of the best French jazzmen including bandleader and founder Virgile Raffaëlli on bass (Setenta & Joe Bataan, Camarão Orkestra), Florian Pellissier on keys (Iggy Pop, Setenta, Cotonete & Di Melo, …), Mathieu Edouard on drums (Chassol, De La Soul) and Erwan Loeffel on percussion (Camarão Orkestra, 10LEC6). On this album, they took the initiative to invite two guests on some tracks: AOR singer Al Sunny and killer guitarist Laurent Guillet (Le Soldat Rose, Setenta).

Aldorande - deux (FVR179) - Snippets

After the recent reissue of their first eponymous album, Favorite Recordings proudly presents Vegas, the second LP from Venezuelan band Esperanto. Rare and sought-after for many collectors, it was recorded in between Las Vegas and Caracas and originally released in 1981. Following bandleader Jorge Aguilar in his musical trip to the infamous American city bathing into flashing lights and vivid colors, we're invited to an excursion in Disco, Boogie and Jazz-Funk territories. Finally reissued, fully remastered, Vegas will be available as Gatefold Tip-On Vinyl LP. Out on January 31st 2022

Pre-order: https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/vegas

With great care and attention to details, Esperanto managed to create a very convincing sequel to their Jazz-Funk debuts. Vegas keeps indeed a perfect balance between various influences. Through energic disco beats with intense funky solos, catchy AOR-influenced songs, where Jorge delivers convincing vocal performance, or sunny jazz-funk slow jams, the album still reveals something quite authentic. And this feeling echoes surely the one that could have been felt by Jorge Aguilar while discovering USA on a trip - where it all started for the music he loves. Like sometimes a foreigner's enriching view on some local specialty, he surely brought with the band all his authenticity and young but vibrant experience while convincing at the same time major labels for distribution.

With certain notoriety coming with the release of their first album, Jorge Aguilar and his drummer Pablo Matarazzo planned to go to Los Angeles for a few gigs. But once there, they realized their contact had to leave for Tina Turner's tour in Europe. Before that, he invited them to come along to Las Vegas and eventually meet musicians there. Luckily, the plan worked perfectly: Jorge came back to Los Angeles with a lot of contacts then moved to Boston and NYC before finally coming back to Caracas. He told: "I was so impressed with this trip that I told myself that one day I would return to Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The first tracks I did them in Los Angeles with Kenny More, James Gadson and other session musicians from that city. Later, I took the tracks to Caracas where the musicians of the band recorded overdubs. After that, I returned to Los Angeles to master with Bernie Grundman who was still working in his small studio at A & M records studios in Hollywood. As can be seen in the title of some of the songs like "Hollywood", "Vegas", "Kenny's Place", were only the translation of my experiences at the time."

Esperanto - Vegas (FVR181LP) - Snippets

Favorite Recordings proudly presents the new 12" of Magic Source. The all-star group around producer Björn Wagner (known also for his cosmic and tropical-flavoured disco music as Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band and The Mighty Mocambos) creates here a hypnotic four-on-the-floor sound that is both earthy and spaced out and all their own.

Available on Feb. 28th 2022 as Vinyl 12inch.
https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/riviera-drive-genius-of-love

A. Riviera Drive (Extended 12" Version)
B1. Genius Of Love
B2. Riviera Drive (Radio Edit)


Recorded on 16 track analogue tape with inexpensive vintage gear, the crew explores the more unusual facets of disco music off the beaten track in favour of more otherwordly and international stylings. In their music, one could hear echoes from lost tropical disco records, cinematic flavors from library soundtracks and a healthy dose of DIY garage funk rawness.

On A side, "Riviera Drive" is an extended Mediterranean disco groove based on hypnotic percussions and soulful horn themes that alternate with trippy keyboard excursions. The tune is equally at ease on the dancefloor as in a chill-out zone, but of course, prefers to be in its natural habitat in a classic car somewhere between Nice and Monaco.

On the flip, Tom Tom Club's "Genius Of Love" is reimagined as a jazzy yacht soul instrumental with an echoed flute taking the lead. You'll also find a shorter Radio Edit of "Rivieria Drive".

Magic Source - Riviera Drive / Genius Of Love  (FVR180) - Snippets

Favorite Recordings presents Dark Is The Color, the first LP by Alan Shearer reissued on vinyl for the first time. 

Available on April 8th 2022 as Vinyl LP. Preorder here: https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/dark-is-the-color

A1. The Flea Age
A2. The Heart Patrol
A3. Dark Is The Color
A4. Generation V
A5. Chronomaster
A6. Nocturnal March
B1. Tropical Terminal
B2. Only For One Girl
B3. Blackstone
B4. Down Town
B5. Sons Of The Snake

Despite being initially composed and produced for the French library label PSI, this rare and obscure in-demand gem from 1985 sounds retrospectively like a proper album with great coherence and sophistication all along. Indeed, these 11 tracks will delight synthesizers addicts. Expect deeply emotive instrumental compositions, with ingenious analogue sequencing on stimulating chord progressions. The result is a highly retrofuturistic album, sometimes almost anticipating 90's videogames scores. Just imagine Wally Badarou in a bunker with Talking Heads watching New York 1997 from John Carpenter.

Composed mostly step by step on a Sequential Pro-One synthesizer, Dark Is The Color is the product of the exciting state of mind from the 80's era with new sounds, new tools and new trends on the music spectrum. Influenced by bands like Talking Head or Japan, the sirens of the new wave scene strongly resonate here with Alan Shearer's familiarity and craftmanship with synthesizers.

Back in the days, Alan Shearer aka Frédéric Viger was working for his father’s music label, “Musique Pour L'image”, and their sublabel “PSI”. He started with Marathon Life under his real name before taking the Alan Shearer monitor. These records were produced for radio, TV and cinema industries but as well for companies’ internal communication. They represented a real investment from the label and these catalogues are usually full of amazing music from great artists such as Martial Solal, Vladimir Cosma, Joël Fajerman, Harlem Pop Trotters and even Manu Dibango.

About his musical illustration process, Alan Shearer tells: "Soundtracks are indeed my biggest influences and I'm a real fan of American composers as Jerry Goldsmith or Elmer Bernstein. I've always considered soundtracks as the new classical music or classical music of our century. There is a real state of mind producing music for illustration: you have to stick to the video. You should not tell what the image is saying but accompany what it is saying. You have to find a unique link, people always told me music should not be noticed for itself in a movie, that's what makes it good.”

Alan Shearer - Dark Is The Color (FVR182LP) - Snippets

Favorite Recordings presents this new official reissue of Révolution Française, French band produced by legendary obscure producer, Jean-Pierre Massiera (Charlie Mike Sierra, Jean-Pierre Areisam, JPM and Co. Erik, The Horrific Child, Jesus, Les Maledictus Sound, Human Egg, or Visitors,… here is a small part of all the personalities he wore). 

Through a catalog where it seems easy to get lost, we recently asked Massiera for more details about an occult 7inch called "Bon baisers d’Antibes". As a result, we discovered 2 amazing disco tracks, which perfectly demonstrates how eccentric Mr Massiera could be, and which were never reissued before. 

Eager to add a touch of contemporary lunacy to this package, we asked Psychemagik (UK) and label mate Dwilt Sharpp (FR) to complete this package with 2 brilliant remixes.

Released on January 13th 2014 as 12inch and on February 21st as Digital.

TRACKLIST:
A1 - Translocomotion (Psychemagik Remix)
A2 - Translocomotion (Original 7" Version)
B1 - Discocorico (Dwilt Sharpp Remix)
B2 - Discocorico (Original 7" Version)

http://www.favoriterec.com/2013/11/jp-massiera-aka-revolution-francaises-single-official-reissue/

Révolution Française aKa J.P. Massiera vs Psychemagik & Dwilt Sharpp (Sampler)

Favorite Recordings presents Remixes by Voilaaa, a new EP built with exclusive versions of some of its biggest hits. Known for its Afro-Disco sound and strong dancefloor-friendly festive bangers, these new mixes bring another light to the successful project of Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart.

Available on May 27th 2022 as Vinyl 12" & Digital.
Preorder here: https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/remixes

On A Side, Voilaaa asked famous Brooklyn-based producer and remixer JKriv (Razor-N-Tape) to provide even more club energy to "Ku La Foon (feat. Lass)”, originally released on Voilaaa's third and last album. The result is a powerful bomb that won't give any rest to the crowd.

The tracklist goes on with "Ben Bene La (feat. Lass)” reworked by Patchworks himself in a very Latin way, taking inspiration from the NY scene and its dancers, "Spanish Harlem" and Mongo Santamaria. You've got to play it loud and we're pretty sure you'll see some special moves on the dancefloor.

On B side, you'll hear another Patchworks remix, this time with probably one of Voilaaa's biggest hits, "Spies Are Watching Me (feat Sir Jean)”. In the footsteps of Moodymann, Masters At Work or the UK Garage scene, Patchworks delivers here some of his classic house music energy. You may know he started his career with house music: he transformed this anthem into a proper deep house cut with the same passion! 

Finally, Voilaaa remixed himself! Working on "Tu Mens Devant Moi (feat. Ramatou Traore)”, Voilaaa carries the arrangement closer to the Angolese and Cape Verdean sound, reminding also the sound of Super Mama Djombo from Guinea Bissau. A tropical cut that will bring more and more sunshine to the club.

Voilaaa - Remixes (FVR184) - Snippets

Favorite Recordings and Charles Maurice proudly present a brand new compilation series: Fusion Global Sounds. 9 rare and hidden tracks produced between 1970 and 1983 in various parts of the world. As a fine collector of Jazz-Funk and Fusion for many years, Charles Maurice selected some of his favorite forgotten productions, as he previously did for the AOR Global Sounds, French and Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds compilations series.

A1. Sundance – Buster
A2. Renato Anselmi – Hello Mr. Acuvis
A3. Zane Cronje – Tropical Island
A4. The 1860 Band – Keep That Same Old Feeling
B1. Otroshakers – Siempre Tu
B2. Daniel Bechet – Astral Dance
B3. Renato Anselmi – Quiet Fire
B4. Pedro Ruy-Blas – Despertar
B5. Majoie Hajary – Prologue

Available on June 3rd 2022 as Tip-On Vinyl LP with Printed Innersleeve & CD. Preorder: https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/fusion-global-sounds-1970-1983 

This time, recordings come from Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, New Zealand, Uruguay, Spain and France, from artists and bands mostly known in their local scenes. You'll hear here the best elements of the Fusion and Jazz-Funk genre: breezy vocal arrangements reminding Flora Purim in Return To Forever or George Duke's albums, sweet and virtuosic Fender Rhodes (kind of common thread of the comp), melodic spiral-shaped fuzzy synthesizers leads, or irresistible basslines, altogether bringing a unique groove to life.

Various - Fusion Global Sounds (1970-1983)(FVR183) - Snippets

Back on Favorite Recordings for this new album as Mr President, Patchworks finally provides a sequel to Number One (2011), first album with whom he was welcomed and praised internationally. Faithful to his love for Disco and Funk from the 70s and 80s, Hips Shaking however differs from its predecessor by digging more into Pop music, but also by a more elaborate production, with real horn and strings sections invited around Patchworks. From Roy Ayers to MFSB , through Vince Montana and Patrick Adams, or Michael McDonald and Ned Doheny, this Hips Shaking proudly look at the sound and production of the pioneer heroes, while infusing with Disco, Pop, Electronic and Fusion influences, which have made the Patchworks’ touch.

Mr President - Hips Shaking (Released on May 12th 2014 as Deluxe LP, CD & Digital)

TRACKLIST:
1 - Gimme All What You Got
2 - Hips Shaking
3 - Candyman
4 - City Rocking
5 - I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)
6 - Shitty Lines
7 - I Get So Crazy
8 - Hips (Reprise)
9 - South Street Walk
10 - Give My Love (Feat. Sabba MG) [CD & Digital Bonus Track]

Mr President - Hips Shaking (Album Teaser)

Sometimes, the paths of copyrights clearances can be complicated and coming with last minute changes... Hoepfully for us, there is no shortage of beautiful forgotten music... this killer tune from very rare Canadian private press (300 copies only) project, "Out Of The Fog", will also replace Ruacan's title to finalize the tracklist of "AOR Global Sounds Vol.3".

OUT OF THE FOG - Heart To Heart  (AOR Global Sounds Vol.3  selected by Charles Maurice)

From AOR GLOBAL SOUNDS VOL.3  / 2LP
Willy Santana (member of Placa Luminosa)

more details:
http://www.favoriterec.com/2017/04/va-aor-global-sounds-vol-3-comp-re/

AOR Global Sounds Vol.3 (1976-1985, selected by Charles Maurice)

Willy Santana - Mais Uma Chance

Archie James Cavanaugh - Light Unto The World

From AOR GLOBAL SOUNDS VOL.3 (1976-1985, selected by Charles Maurice)

Stratus - Girl

French Disco Boogie Sounds Vol.2 (1978-1985, selected by Charles Maurice)

Marc Ashy ‎– Bye Cocotiers

Favorite Recordings proudly presents this new official reissue of ARIAN: A rare and underrated
Disco album originally released in 1981 by PGP RTB label and fully recorded in New-York.
Arian Kerliu was born in the small town of Macedonia, Dibra or Debar. Arian’s first recordings for a local radio stations were at the age of 14, appearing in almost every music festival in Ex-Yugoslavia. When he was 19, Arian came to New York City, working different jobs and studying music. His first music engagements were in various clubs throughout the city, playing guitar and singing. He then met with James Benjamin-Fish, well known bass-guitar player, with whom he formed the band ARIAN & FUNKY FAMILY, mainly performing in the best clubs of NYC at that time.
Together, they came to an idea to record an album of their own. After travelling throughout the US, they got to know each other very well, and had connected with probably some of the best musicians you could find at that time. Thus they had Sinclair Acey arranging three songs and Hubert Eaves, as a writer of "Still Together", a beautiful ballad written in honor of his wife. By that time Hubert had gained two Grammy awards for Stephanie Mills’ albums. Kornelius Cambell also wrote and composed two songs of the album, which Sinclair Acey arranged. The album also contains a great cover of “Can’t Say Goodbye” by Bobby Caldwell, a song that Arian and James had interpreted almost every night when touring. And all of this completed with the background vocals of Tawatha Agee (Mtume), Shevill Alexander and Sybil Thomas (Raw Silk).
Arian being from Yugoslavia the duo was invited to a tour, just after they had finalized the production of these four songs. Having the material ready the PGP RTB label from Belgrade offered them to release an album, with the idea to also adapt the songs with lyrics from the famous Croatian musician and writer Mario Mihaljevic.
Today, Favorite Recordings is deeply honored to bring this brilliant LP back to life. In order to insure the best sound quality, the original tracklist has been dispatched on a double vinyl version, which should please all DJs and music collectors.

More details :
http://www.favoriterec.com/2017/06/arian-arian-lp-reissue/

Arian

Arian - Your Love Makes Me A Winner

Cat Number: FVR148LP & CD
Format: Dlx 2LP (Gtd, Tip-On), CD & Digital
Release Date : May 27th

TRACKLIST:

A1. Papos Desconexos Part.1
A2. Papos Desconexos Part.2
A3. A.E.I.O.U. (Album Mix)
B1. Muhler Instrumento Part.1
B2. Muhler Instrumento Part.2
C1. Canto Da Yara
C2. Kilario (2019 Version)
D1. Linhas De Alinhar
D2. Verso E Prosa

Born in 1949 in Recife (Brazil), Roberto De Melo Santos, despite a very light discography, is among the true icons of the Brazilian Soul music under his artist alias, Di Melo. He’s indeed only needed an eponymous album, released in 1975 on Odeon, to assert himself as a star in his native country, but also as a legend for all collectors and connoisseurs of the world. More than 40 years after its release, this famous album sells for several hundred euros in its original version, and even for the few reissues that were offered. Not very active since then, Di Melo however returned in 2016 with the album O Imorrível, released on the Brazilian label Casona Produções.
It is then that a year later, came a meeting with the French group Cotonete, that Florian Pellissier, founding member and keyboard within the band tells us about: “On tour in Brazil with Cotonete, we had a few days off in Sao Paulo and I really hoped to make a collaboration with an important artist or band from the Brazilian funk scene. We had thought of Marcos Valle, Meta Meta or Ed Motta... but Rafaela Prestes our Brazilian "sound ingineer/genious" told me she’d worked with Di Melo for his recent comeback and gave me his number. No sooner said than done, as I'm a huge fan of Di Melo. The next day he arrived at our house with Jo, his wife, and Gabi, his daughter. He takes the guitar in front of us and gives us a private show of 3 hours… we cried the tears of joy. He had 400 original songs never recorded, a gold mine. On the same night, we started working the arrangements for 2 days, followed by a rehearsal and two small gigs in Sao Paulo. Immediately after, we recorded in the magical Epsilon B studio. This album is the summary of this moment, of these 5 days of madness spent together between “the best band in the world” and the legend Roberto Di Melo… Simple, beautiful, Brazilian-French, human music…”
Today, Atemporal found its final version in collaboration with Favorite Recordings and is proudly presented as what we believe will become the genuine long-awaited follow-up to the classic Di Melo’s LP.

Atemporal

Cotonete & Di Melo - A3. A.E.I.O.U. (Album Mix) (snippet)

Cotonete & Di Melo - A1. Papos Desconexos Part.1 (snippet)

Voilaaa - Tu Mens Devant Moi
Cat Number: FVR153
Format :  Vinyl 12" & Digital
Release date May 27th 2019
Order here: https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/tu-mens-devant-moi

Voilaaa is one of the many projects led and produced by Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart, who’s proven over the past 15 years, his place amongst the finest producers of groove music in all genres.
This time exploring the wide spectrum of the African and Tropical Disco scene, he received a massive international support for Voilaaa’s two first album, On te l’avait dit, and Des Promesses.
Following to that success and pursuing the same direction combining of the festive, yet sometime futile nature of Disco, and the instinctive, deep, sometimes rough nature of African music, Voilaaa’s now presenting a new 4 tracks EP, which will be followed later this year by a new LP.
Another killer package where Patchworks teams up again with longtime partner Pat Kalla, but also with newcomers to the project, like here Ramatou Traore and Ayuune Sule, both bringing great African languages vocals to “Tu mens devant moi” and “Woman Can Do”.

Voilaaa - A1. Tu Mens Devant Moi Feat. Ramatou Traore

Esnard Boisdur - Mizik Bel
Cat Number: FVR156
Format : Vinyl 12" & Digital
Release date: 16th September 2019
Order here: https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/mizik-bel

“You don’t need to be a fan of Gwoka or even Antillean music in general to fall in love with the deep, expressive voices of the singers of the genre. Artists like COSACK, ANZALA and ESNARD BOISDUR have fascinated music lovers around the globe for decades. It’s not only the drumming style accompanied by their beautiful melodic intonation, but also the revolutionary spirit of these songs that make them a unique and powerful document of the culture and the history of the Antilles and the Caribbean.

I remember the first time I listened to this type of drumming and signing, live at the re-enactment of the slave riots, and being completely emotionally overwhelmed by it. Some of my record collector/DJ colleagues and friends – first and foremost Hugo Mendez and Émile Omar – shared the same fascination for the genre and kept inspiring me, and countless others, by their DJ sets at Tropical Discoteq in Paris, where I have had the pleasure to be one of the residents for five years and counting. At one of those nights, I met my friend Pascal Rioux from Favorite Recordings and told him about an amazing unreleased track I received months before, on a home-burned CD, from ESNARD BOISDUR. Among other beautiful songs, it contained one outstanding track, a mix of modern Gwoka and Zouk called “MIZIK BEL”.

When I started playing that track out, there were fierce reactions on both ends. The crowds loved it and after a while you could hear people cheer when they heard the first notes. Many DJs and labels wanted it, demanded it, and would even go as far as to block or unfriend me if I refused to comply. It became clear to me that the track had to be released on vinyl for the first time and made accessible to people who wanted to play it, while giving the original artist full credit. At the same time, I knew a remix version of the track that would pay respect to the original could only be created by getting the original stems, and not by editing the main track and pressing it into an “electronic dance corset.” Pascal agreed to the idea and started the licensing work and the search for the stems, which resulted in an ongoing three-year quest that was crowned by the finding of the ADAT containing the original tracks.

As AFRICAINE 808, Dirk Leyers and I spent considerable time trying to re-create the composition of the original, respectfully slicing and re-arranging it, adding new instrumentation, and recording additional percussion and talking drum with our percussionist ERIC OWUSU (Pat Thomas/Ebo Taylor). We stretched it, adding a krauty synth part without losing the focus of Esnard’s beautiful voice and lyrics, describing Caribbean music in all its diversity and beauty.

With this in mind, I hope you can now enjoy the beauty of “MIZIK BEL” as much as we have so far.” 

– (DJ NOMAD, June 2019).

Esnard Boisdur - B. Mizik Bel (Africaine 808 Remix)

Esnard Boisdur - A. Mizik Bel (Original Version)

Leroy Burgess - Work It Out / Til I Found You
Cat Number: FVR161
Format : Vinyl 12" & Digital
Release date: October 21st 2019
Order here: 

For many Disco and House music producers and listeners, Leroy Burgess might be one of the most important figures and inspiration, however being clearly quite unknown to the mass. Born and raised in Harlem, his musical knowledge was picked up informally through his mother (a classically trained soprano) and the infrequent family reunion with his mom's cousin, legendary Philly soul arranger/producer Thom Bell. It resulted in a 50 years musical career, which started in the late 60s within the Black Ivory band, under the shoulder of famous producer Patrick Adams. The list of project and artists he’s contributed to whether as a singer, musician, arranger, writer or producer is then incredible: Inner Life, Dazzle, Logg, Aleem, High Frequency, Change, Universal Robot Band, Rick James, Ben E. King, Eddie Kendricks, Narada Michael Walden are just a few of them. His influence to the Disco and Boogie musical movement is quite unequaled, and in the 90s he became also part of the Garage and House movement, collaborating with acts such as Blaze, Glenn Underground, and Cassius.

Since 2016 and a special gig at the festival “Nuits Sonores” in Lyon (France), where he was invited by MCDE, Leroy Burgess started touring Europe, backed by a band composed of musicians from the French city. He says himself that it’s part of “the best musicians he had the honor to play with live”.

In 2018 at the New Morning in Paris, Pascal Rioux from Favorite Recordings, could confirm this feeling, while he also realized knowing most of these musicians, who collaborated to project from the label such as Mr Day or The Dynamics. There was not much more needed to launch the idea of some Leroy Burgess’ new recordings with the band, reviving the 80s analog production golden-age.

Today Favorite Recordings is thrilled to present Work It Out / Til I Found You, new 2 tracks single by Leroy Burgess & Saving Coco, produced and composed by The Bernard Brothers and Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart. The Bernard Brothers is a Paris/London based production duo comprised of Elliott and Nevil Bernard. Elliott (aka Seiji Ono) and Nevil (aka Koji Ono) are also involved in running London reissue label, Melodies International. Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart, is a famous French producer, who’s proven over the past 15 years, his place amongst the finest producers of groove music in all genres through various projects such as Voilaaa, Mr President, or Uptown Funk Empire to name just a few.

Work It Out

Leroy Burgess - Work It Out

Various - French Disco Boogie Sounds Vol. 4 
Cat Number: FVR150
 Format: Gatefold Vinyl Double LP, CD & Digital
 Release date: November 25th 2019
 Order here: https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/french-disco-boogie-sounds-vol-4

The motor hasn’t had time to cool down and the belt drive is feeling the fatigue. But Charles Maurice is the kind of DJ who just can’t let a turntable rest. After steaming up the slipmat with three sexy compilations of French Boogie, Charles Maurice is back with Volume 4. 

In the late 70s and early 80s, while France was still firmly tuned into variety-show pop, a few enlightened ears and souls picked up the hypnotic beat of funk from across the Atlantic. These first warrior monks spread the good word in discotheques, jumped on newly available frequencies to fill the airwaves and, in some cases, took up instruments themselves to unabashedly build on the U.S. model. In a short decade stretching from the late 70s to the late 80s – just a blip on the scale of music history – they turned out material in abundance. Lush productions with colorful covers, groovy typeface and creative photo shoots… 

But first and foremost, they made music weaned on, spoon-fed and imbued with funk. Music defined by a groove with a robotic beat (Djeneba) that clearly hears hip-hop banging on the door, where layers of synthesizers, handclaps (Eric Chotteau), horns and African percussion line up and follow the all-powerful lead of the swelling slap bass (Cyrill). Music that tells everyday stories, both humorous and lovelorn (Serge Delisle), and often packed with pheromones just waiting to be released on the dance floor or sofa (Chris O’Hara). Shaped by synthetic textures, these productions are also spiced with Caribbean and Creole arrangements that reflect the West Indies’ critical contribution to French Boogie (Wai Kop, Acayouman). 

With his immaculate tailoring, slicked back hair and clipped moustache, Charles Maurice has once again transformed himself into a HiFi stylus to explore the groove traced by this specifically French musical style. From 45 to 33 rpm, he has traveled the black spiral to bring us a new selection that proudly features a number of rarely heard pieces and even an unreleased track by Marco Attali. True to form, Monsieur Charles carefully crafted this fourth volume from his personal collection of impeccably restored and mastered vinyl recordings. 
Charles Maurice, where French elegance meets uncompromising musical taste.

Distributed by The Pusher Distribution

French Disco Boogie Sounds Vol.4

Wai Kop - Lola

Serge Delisle - Germaine (Remix)

Marco Attali - J'ai Pris Une Claque (Unreleased)

Dwight Druick - Georgy Porgy (Version Disco)

We are very proud to present the new album of Camarão Orkestra, Nação África, following their summer hit in 2019.

Available on March 23rd 2020, as Deluxe vinyl LP in Tip-On jacket, CD & Digital.
You can preorder here:

A1 - Canto Da Bahia
A2 - Dia De Verão
A3 - Guerreiro Yorubá
B1 - Nação África
B2 - Copacabana
B3 - Canto De Iemanjá
B4 - Nação África Parte 2

Gentle waves lap the soft white sand. The limitless ocean fills the view as the sun slowly sinks below the horizon. As the day ends in blue and orange tones, the heat begins to subside, a sure sign that the slow evening migration from the beach will soon begin. 

A pleasant, yet formidable music comes from the radio tuned into a frequency transmitted from Paris. Maybe it was written and recorded in the 70s, or maybe it has simply soaked in that aesthetic all the way down to the pauses. It doesn't really matter. 

Delving deep to explore the roots of Brazil’s musical tradition, the Camarão Orkestra has tapped into Candomblé and its rhythms. Born on the drums of enslaved Africans in a ritual that invokes numerous deities, they lay the foundation for this new album, Nação África. 

The eleven musicians, guided by Amanda Roldan’s silky voice, explore and embrace the murmuring polyrhythm of Brazilian percussion instruments, vibrating berimbau and squeaking cuícas, pouring their tightly-wound funk bass into the groove and letting their jazz fly free, together and solo. 

The seven nonchalant tracks get your hips swaying, whether you’re in a comfortable armchair or surrounded by other dancers. They take your mind far away, on a journey paved by analog synths with Fender Rhodes crystals to the horizon where the sun’s last glimmer has finally faded away. The brass section’s shiny bells, valves and keys reflect the images and ambiance of the soft Brazilian night air.

Camarão Orkestra - Nação África - FVR162 (Snippets)

A selection of  Mellow Blue-Eyed Soul, AOR and more sunny records from my collection brought to you with Audiophile High-End quality!

Danny Cocco ‎- I Will Look At You
Al Jarreau ‎– Rainbow In Your Eyes 
Steve Leach  – I Meditate Each Day
Positive Force Feat. Denise Vallin - You Gotta Know
Byrne & Barnes - Never Gonna Stop Lovin' You
Westside - Don't Take It Away from Me
Bill Withers - Lovely Day
McGee ‎– Now That I Have You 12" version
McKinley Jackson Tribute To Marvin Gaye -  Love Overture
The Bee's Knees - You & I
Sugar Cane ‎– What You Do To Me
Bell & James ‎– Wind And Rain
Tony Rome & The D.W.A.I. Orchestra ‎– What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)
Oliver Cheatham – Something About You 
The Antilles ‎- Come On And Do It

Favorite Recordings Radio Show #24 (Hosted by Charles Maurice)

Cat Nr: FVR165LP / Available on September 7th 2020 as Vinyl LP & Digital

We don’t really know Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart’s secret but we’re always thrilled to get a taste of his proven production skills. After two acclaimed LP’s as Mr President released over the last decade, the Disco ruler is back with some groovy ideas to put the country into clubs again. One Night is indeed a shiny celebration of the genuine spirit of Soul and Disco, always coming with Bruno’s modern touch, fitting all the criteria to become an instant club classic.

From start to end, Mr President’s blend of grooves and subtle jazz harmonies brings a definitive Roy Ayers’ feeling to the compositions. Developing his vision along six titles, Mr President certainly knows how to produce hits for modern dancefloors. Just like on his previous albums, Bruno plays most instruments, when not even singing catchy vocals. One more time, he also brought incredible lead singers in the studio, some you may know from different projects already released on Favorite Recordings, like Jennifer Zonou (Hawa), Cindy Pooch & Celia Kameni (Saving Coco) and Sabba MG (Mr President’s previous releases). Thanks to exciting arrangements, they carry the songs to a certain climax which reminds the great US era of disco and house divas. Along the original compositions, Mr President also tackles the challenge of covering Roy Davis Jr. & Peven Everett’s house anthem “Gabriel”, bringing the track into even deeper jazz territories.

Of course you may know Mr President from his previous LPs, Number One (2011) and Hips Shaking (2014), however you might also know him under many of his other projects, such as Voilaaa, The Dynamics, Uptown Funk Empire, Metropolitan Jazz Affair or Taggy Matcher to name just a few. Patchworks has been a ubiquitous artist since more than 25 years now, from the House years in the nineties to his recent involvement on different Favorite’s releases like Joao Selva, Pat Kalla, or the last EP of Leroy Burgess & Saving Coco. More globally, through all these years and various projects, Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart’s established himself as an unequalled producer, both in term of quantity and quality, fulfilling his wide passion for music and groove. Some could compare his path to famous predecessors such as Patrick Adams, Pierre Jaubert, Patrick Cowley or Jean-Pierre Massiera, who like him, have all stayed quite underrated and in the shade of the many classics and hits they gave birth to. Who knows where the future will bring him, he’s not finished yet feeding our ears!

Mr President - Plenty Loads of Loving feat. Cindy Pooch & Celia Kameni

Favorite Recordings presents an exclusive collaboration between French producer Bruno ‘Patchworks’ Hovart (Voilaaa, Mr President, Taggy Matcher, …) and Australian NYC-based rapper and poet Nelson Dialect. 

Available on October 26th 2020 as Vinyl 7inch & Digital.

The two artists met two years ago after Nelson’s gig in Lyon and, of course, they discussed and seriously planned to collaborate one day, both having an everliving love for early nineties hip hop. Then came the quarantine and Covid-19 with Patchworks locked in Lyon, Nelson Dialect in NYC: it seemed to be the right time to do it. A few months later and they finally drop Blue Benz, the result of their long distance collaboration, coming as a beautiful 7inch filled with proper Jazz & Soul Hip Hop vibes.

On A side, « Blue Benz » reminds indeed the best feelings of the nineties hip-hop with its infectious slapped bass rhythm and subtle Rhodes chords, all fiiting perfectly with Nelson Dialect’s serious flow!
On B Side, « Jazzy Blue Benz » offers an alternate take on the same groove, focusing more on the electric guitar gentle slides with a more percussive beat and horns arrangements with a proper NYC jazz feeling.

From Adelaide, Australia, Nelson Dialect now lives in New York working with Bronx label Red Apples 45 started by AG of DITC and Ray West. Making music since he was 16, he has received critical acclaim for his work with producer Must Volkoff and their most recent album Magnetism. Before moving to New York, Nelson toured extensively in Australia supporting some of the biggest international Hip Hop acts including Mobb Deep, Lupe Fiasco, Ghostface Killah, GZA, RZA, Pharoahe Monch and DJ Premier among many more. He just released a new album Opal Mind with French producer NuTone.

All instruments & Production by Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart @ Ginger X studio, Lyon France
Mastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery (London - UK)
Manufactured and Distributed by The Pusher Distribution

A. Patchworks feat. Nelson Dialect - Blue Benz

Since 2007, the mysterious Taggy Matcher has become famous for his brilliant remixes on Stix Records label. Now more than 6 years after Stix was launched, it’s time for the imprint and Taggy to reveal them officially through the Favorite Recordings’ labels roster (Big Single, Rotax Disques, EDR Records). 

For this first official release, Taggy Matcher also provides us with 2 blazing renditions of the famous “Tighten Up” and “Lonely Boy” by The Black Keys, with the help of upraising and talented Birdy Nixon singer. 

www.favoriterec.com
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Taggy Matcher & Birdy Nixon - Tighten Up / Lonely Boy (Sampler)

Available on February 5th as Gatefold Double Vinyl LP, CD & Digital
Preorders on our Bandcamp:https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/voiciii

Favorite Recordings proudly presents Voiciii, the 3rd and new album by Voilaaa, an immersive dip into its Afro-Disco universe spread across 14 tracks. Needless to say you’ll find in this new LP all the ingredients that made him famous: strong dancefloor-friendly festive bangers, irresistible funky arrangements and an undeniable sense of humor and irony.

Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart, behind Voilaaa, is as often surrounded by amazing vocal featurings from previous LP’s regulars (Pat Kalla, Lass) but also new voices you may already have heard on its recent EPs (David Walters, Rama Traore, Ayuune Suule), as well as the saxophonist Boris Pokora. The LP is also an occasion to pay tributes to major artists of the African sound, such as Fela Kuti (on “Water No Get Enemy”), or Manu Dibango (“Manu Écoute Ça” and “Tenor Jam For Manu”).

Since the release of Voilaaa’s previous LP’s Des Promesses and On Te L’Avait Dit and their massive international support, the Voilaaa Soundsystem did travel through the world to deliver its message of infectious joy and groove, from Equator to Thailand, from Kazakhstan to the infamous French “Fête de l’Huma”. Now you know: Voilaaa is everywhere and Voiciii (“here it is”) their new album.

Produced and Recorded by Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart @ Ginger X Studio, Lyon (FR)
All instruments by Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart.
Except:
Additional Trombone & Tenor Saxophone by Boris Pokora
Lead Saxophone by Boris Pokora on "Ben Bene La", "Water No Get Enemy", "Manu Écoute Ça" & "Tenor Jam for Manu".
Additional Back Vocals by Alejandra Charry, Jennifer "Hawa" Zonou and Cindy Pooch.
All tracks published by Favorite Recordings except "Water No Get Enemy" (EMI Music Publishing France).

Mastered by The Carvery (UK)
Artwork by Zélie Durand
A&R and Executive Producer: Pascal Rioux @ Favorite Recordings

Voilaaa - C1. Fighting Slowly (feat. Ayuune Sule)

Voilaaa - B2. Water No Get Enemy (feat. Pat Kalla)

Voilaaa - A2. Ben Bene La (feat. Lass)

Favorite Recordings is a French label focusing on Soul, Funk, Jazz and other related genres from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. With a rich catalog combining original productions and reissues. Founded in 2006 by Pascal Rioux aka Charles Maurice, the label quickly established itself as an international reference. Under his artistic direction, Favorite Recordings offers a real journey, from the AOR of Al Sunny and Lucas Arruda, to the Jazz-Funk of Andre Solomko and Aldorande, passing by the plainly Afro and Brazilians territories of Voilaaa or Di Melo.

Along these new artists’ projects, a few other strong markers cannot be missed such as the now classic French Disco Boogie Sounds and AOR Global Sounds compilations series. 

Like both sides of the same coin, reissues and contemporary productions ultimately reflect the same passion for the warm and analog sound of musical production’s golden age. Today, again and again, Favorite Recordings aims to ensure the succession.

Favorite Recordings

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