The rhythmists drag the beat, Makaya swings accents while sitting-in guest De'Sean Jones cuts loose on the saxophone.

Recorded on July 24, 2013 by engineer Dave Vettraino.  Heard on this recording: Makaya McCraven - drums, Junius Paul - bass, Justin Thomas - vibraphone, Jeff Parker - guitar, De'Sean Jones - tenor saxophone

Stutter Strutter

Written, performed and produced by Andrew Ashong
Which Way Records. R/D 27th January 2014

'Never Dreamed' - Gilles Peterson Worldwide BBC Radio 6 - 12/10/13

04.HER HANDS Feat. Allysha Joy - SO.Crates

'The Idea' (Feat. @nubya-garcia, @sheldon-agwu & Dylan Jones)
Buy or stream now: https://bluelabbeats.lnk.to/TheIdea

Follow Blue Lab Beats:
http://bluelabbeats.com
https://www.facebook.com/BlueLabBeats
https://twitter.com/bluelabbeats
https://www.instagram.com/bluelab_beats

The Idea (Feat. Nubya Garcia, Sheldon Agwu & Dylan Jones)

"I love The Expansions their futuristic leanings inject new life into the form. Fresh material!" Ian Merchant (Black Acre)

“Exudes all the qualities I cherish most in music, warmth, integrity and a dedication to the groove… it’s a hard road to travel when you step in the footprints of giants, The Expansions are treading that path with ease and assurance.” Patrick Forge

"Coming off something like the UK's more jazz-funk fueled answer to BBNG, all four quarters of this monstrous unit are on point on this hugely anticipated release. There's got to be a very special long-player in the works, and I for one can't wait to immerse myself in that!" Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s) 

“The Expansions, very funky! Headhunters/Weather Report inspired, and definitely worth checking out. My new favourite band.” Steve White (Style Council, Paul Weller)
=========
When The Expansions self released their first single in 2013, the laid-back jazz funk of Lavender, it quickly gained strong support from soul and rare-groove aficionados including Kenny Dope, Dom Servini, Patrick Forge and Andy Smith. A run of shows followed and before long, when someone was asking if there was a soul-jazz band around to play with, “The Expansions” was the answer. 

Although this popularity meant a hiatus in releasing music, the band have been constantly busy, playing around Europe with legendary British-Ghanaian soul singer, Andrew Ashong and the exceptional, upcoming talent Connie Constance. 

Murmuration, recorded over three days at Big Noise in Southend, is constructed of single takes, with minimal overdubs, as the band attempt to capture the feeling and energy they create live. 

Debut single Breakthrough introduced the insanely catchy but deeply soulful blend of synths and groove, but here on the album that is explored to the fullest with longer breakdowns and more expansive, experimental solos. Pocket 5 displays the, possibly unexpected, influences of broken beat and almost combative rhythm playing – particularly in the complex guitar and keys breakdown where Koor and O’Keefe layer conflicting time signatures and battle to ride it out to the heavy drum return. 

Cannonball brings warm mellowness that delicately evolves through beats, touching on bossas alongside their fundamental hip-hop sensibilities. But even here there is a raucous zenith before the band sublimely recede into the silence of the a-side ending. 

Colossal album highlight Ivory Mountain is truly an epic. Evoking moments of 4Hero, there is a lightness of groove in the first half of this soulful exploration. But at the halfway point, all restraint is let go as a live string section joins the four quarters of the band for three glorious minutes of soulful disco. Evoking sounds of Quincy Jones, George Benson and Johnny Hammond, all the way through to a beautifully cacophonous finale. 

Dragonfly undoubtedly reflects on the work of Herbie Hancock and is the most direct throwback to the band’s earlier work, which is a welcome marker of how far they have come. A quintessential jazz funker. 

The album closes with the thoughtful and introverted shuffle of Miles Away. In the final eight minutes of Murmuration, The Expansions allow space and time to take precedence, with once-more-restrained peaks and developments. It becomes clear though, that the band cannot resist one last explosive finale, as they rise with screeching synths, strings and dubs for a perfect race to the finish line. 

You can hear the influences of Idris Muhammad, Grover Washington, even parallels with South London peers Yussef Kamaal and Ruby Rushton. But The Expansions have tirelessly worked to create a sound of their own and are very proud, along with label Albert’s Favourites, to finally share it.

Murmuration

The Expansions - Cannonball

Subdued EP

Where Are Your Branches? (Where Is Your Fruit?)

Yussef Kamaal - String of Light (Live @ Jazz Cafe) ::: Mixing / Mastering (2016)

Pre-save the album on Spotify:
https://presave.kud.li/jrf0016

Drift Glass

Afronaut - SEED ENSEMBLE

Back in Town is taken from "Suzume" LP, released 12th of April 2019
https://jlamotta.lnk.to/Suzume
Music,  production and pocket trumpet by @jay-lamotta-1 
Bass by Martin Bhul 
Rhodes piano by Doron Segal
Drums and bongos by Ra'fat Muhammad
Recorded at Jazzanova Studio, Berlin by Axel Reminder & Jose Victor Torelli
Mix by Q3000
Master by Roskow Kretschmann

J.Lamotta Suzume - Back In Town

First single from the upcoming release Seven Wonders. New Movements in Australian Jazz & Soul A 14 track compilation recorded at Plug Seven Studios In Melbourne Collingwood, in partnership with Wondercore Island, due for release Feb 2020.

Seven Wonders

05 WVR BVBY - Custard Shoulder

NEW SOUNDS BY OKVSHO. 

Get "Kamala's Danz" NOW (12" Vinyl + Digital):
https://boyoomconnective.bandcamp.com/album/kamalas-danz

“Kamala is the manifestation of kama, which is all pleasure and individual experiences with one or more senses: hearing, tasting, smelling, seeing and feeling—assisted by the mind together with the soul. Experiencing harmonious music is kama, as is being inspired by natural  beauty,  the  aesthetic  appreciation  of  a  work  of  art,  and  admiring  with  joy something created by another human being...”

---

Credits:
Vocals – Sreya
Trumpet –Rachid Freudemann

© 2020, BOYOOM – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

IT'S ALL LOVE.

Kamala's Danz

SUPPORT

Okvsho - Kamala's Danz (Official Single / Album OUT NOW, Vinyl + Digital)

VAULT HITS is a highlight reel from drummer Makaya McCraven's Wednesday night residency at The Bedford in Chicago, Illinois.

All sounds heard on this page are spontaneous compositions, captured live by engineer Dave Vettraino of Public House Sound Recordings.

Makaya's regular collaborators at The Bedford include: Matt Ulery, Marquis Hill, Justin Thomas, Junius Paul, Jeff Parker, and Tony Barba.

Performances take place every Wednesday night from 9pm-11pm.  The Bedford is located at 1612 West Division Street, Chicago, Illinois.

This series is a presentation of Uncanned Music™
||| uncannedmusic.com |||

Stutter Strutter

SPONTANEOUS COMPOSITION