3. Habibi

Funky Beats Version of the B&G Rhythm Balearic Jazz Classic coming soon on a 45 from Jazz Room Records!

AFLEX COMBO - HIBAROS

Who We Are, Becoming

Sun Song (feat. Emilie Boyd)

In Between Revisited: Jazzanova Live

Days to Come (Little Big Beat Studio Live Session)

Another New Day (Little Big Beat Studio Live Session)

A mix of funk, Jazz and R&B made for kids and on some tracks by kids, most of it originally recorded for children's TV shows and animations in the 70s.

TRACKLIST
Mike Curb Congregation - Mickey Mouse Club
The Pointer Sisters & Sesame Workshop - Pinball Number Count (DJ Food Edit)
The Brady Bunch Kids - Drummer Man
The Free Design - Bubbles
The Stark Reality - Say Brother
The Future Kind - Simon Says
Nasza Basia Kochana - Gniewna Piosenka Muminka o Lecie (Moomin's Angry Summer Song - Edit)
Sharron & Harrell Lucky - Pease Porridge Hot
The Jackson 5 - It's Great to be Here (Kenny Dope Remix - Edit) (from The Jackson 5ive Show)
Herbie Hancock - Fat Mama (from Hey, Hey, Hey it's Fat Albert TV Special)
Vince Guaraldi - Little Birdie (from A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving)
George Semper - ET Where RU?
Bob Dorough - Three Is A Magic Number (from Schoolhouse Rock)
Vince Guaraldi Quintet - Linus and Lucy (Bonus Mix)

The image is from the Black ABCs photo cards created for the Society of Visual Education in Chicago 1970.

G is for Groovy - Funky Music for Kids of All Ages

Presenting the first single taken from Gabriele Poso’s forthcoming compilation on Mr Bongo, Ritmo Italiano ‘Unspoken Sounds of Italian Tamburo’. Tony Cercola ‘Lumumba’ is just one of the mesmerising tracks that Sardinian multi-instrumentalist, percussionist and producer, Poso, has curated for this captivating new compilation. It’s an under-the-radar, percussive Italo-disco / proto-house dancer, originally landing on the Italian label Tendance in 1987.

“How can one not be overwhelmed by the energetic force of Tony Cercola? An incredible artist who emerged in the 1970s within the so-called Neapolitan Power movement,” Gabriele mentions. Cercola’s track ‘Lumumba’ showcases the vibrance of Italy’s cultural crossroads, with influences from the Mediterranean, Africa and Europe all rolled into this dynamic tribal whirlwind.

Built upon a foundation of gated snares, flavourful bongos and a driving synth pop bassline, ‘Lumumba’ oozes ‘80s dancefloor energy. Reverberating chords and deft keys are layered up in masterful fashion, as earworm chants and a hypnotising lead vocal draw you in deeper. It's a perfect crossover track for a leftfield electronic dancefloor set and is tailormade to ramp up the intensity when the time is right. 


Lumumba

The 18-piece Afro-Cuban jazz big band New Regency Orchestra set out their stall last year with an electrifying debut self-titled album. Inspired by the musical fusion that bubbled up in NYC in the 1950s, they breathe fresh life into this golden era with a host of London’s best contemporary Latin and jazz musicians.

Recording an album with such an abundance of players meant there was a wealth of multitrack stems accumulated from the recording sessions. NRO’s artistic director, Lex Blondin and Mr Bongo thought what better way to utilise this archive of music, than to offer up the parts so that anyone could try their hand at a remix. The winner would have their remix released on Mr Bongo. An incredible range of remixes were submitted from all over the world with all manner of different genres in the mix. It was a tough decision but one stood out from the rest…

More than a simple remix, The Process (aka Jonny Cuba & Ollie Teeba) alongside Washington emcee J Scienide, have totally flipped NRO’s track ‘Pregon’. In true hip-hop fashion, they’ve picked a small section, put their stamp on it, and made it their own. Chopping and sampling the horns in expert style, they’ve layered them over a brand-new beat that channels the golden age boom bap sound. It’s the perfect foundation for J Scienide to step up to the mic, with a flow that takes the track to stratospheric heights.

As Lex Blondin mentions, “Listening to all the remixes coming back was so much fun. A big thanks to all who have participated, there were some really great remixes, but we have a clear winner here. The Process with J Scienide, who remixed our intro track called Pregon, takes it away! Originally written by Chico O'Farrill as the opener of 2nd Afro Cuban Suite, this track was begging for a backbeat and the way they've flipped it gives it just the bop it needed. This remix is pure boom bap goodness...I love how they've chopped up the horn line and peppered it around the chorus. Class work!”

London-based production duo, The Process, are no strangers to the world of music. Both Jonny and Ollie have been pioneers of underground UK music for years, coming up in the mid-1990s as DJs and artists on Ninja Tune. Ollie, being a member of the iconic Ninja Tune band The Herbaliser, and working with emcees such as MF Doom, Roots Manuva, and Rodney P. Jonny, as a partner in Dynamic Syncopation working with the likes of Phi Life Cypher, Chill Rob G, and Mass Influence and going on to form the group Soundsci. On this remix, they are joined by emcee J Scienide whose pedigree has seen him collaborate with hip hop heavyweights on the mic and production, including DJ D Styles (Beat Junkies), Daringer (Griselda Records/Action Bronson), Conway the Machine, Blu, Rome Streetz, and Kev Brown.


Pregon (The Process with J Scienide - Out in the World Remix)

n an ever-expanding musical universe, Azymuth have long existed as a celestial giant, drawing countless artists, musicians and followers into their orbit. Marking fifty years since their 1975 debut album Azimuth, their new album Marca Passo proves that the band’s alchemic brew of Brazilian jazz-funk and cosmic samba soul remains as vital as ever, as the group honours the profound legacy of their departed founders.

Recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Marca Passo is the first full-length release since the passing of founding drummer Ivan "Mamão" Conti in 2023, following the earlier loss of keyboardist José Roberto Bertrami in 2012. Alex Malheiros, the sole remaining original member, sees his stewardship of the band’s musical legacy as his spiritual duty. He is joined by the equally devoted Kiko Continentino (Milton Nascimento, Djavan) on keyboards, who has been with the group since 2016, and new recruit Renato Massa (Marcos Valle, Ed Motta) on drums.

Yet since their earliest recorded music, Azymuth have always been far greater than the sum of their parts. The "three-man orchestra’s" unmistakable sound is rooted in Brazil's MPB studio scene of the 1970s and early 1980s—a time when artists blended traditional Brazilian rhythms with global jazz, rock, and emerging psychedelic and progressive elements. Marca Passo continues this legacy, seamlessly fusing Brazilian musical traditions with global influences while showcasing the exceptional musicianship that powers Azymuth's distinctive, multi-dimensional sound.

The album is produced by studio mastermind Daniel Maunick, responsible for Azymuth’s two previous studio albums, Fênix in 2016 and Aurora in 2011. Daniel’s credits also include albums by Marcos Valle, Sabrina Malheiros and Terry Callier. Azymuth also invited Daniel’s father, British jazz-funk royalty Jean Paul “Bluey” Maunick, of Incognito, to play guitar on a new version of Azymuth’s eighties classic “Last Summer In Rio”, in tribute to the song’s composer, José Roberto Bertrami. Equally, “Samba Pro Mamao” is a new composition dedicated to Azymuth’s beloved original drummer, Ivan “Mamão” Conti.

Marca Passo releases on limited edition blue, red & black vinyl LP editions, CD and digitally on the 6th June 2025, via Far Out Recordings, supported by European and North American tours.

Azymuth - Andaraí

Azymuth - Arabutã

Kicking off a new edit series on É Soul Cultura, head honcho Luke Una hands over the keys to three secret weapon edits of transcendental dancefloor tackle. Having spent a lifetime getting his hands dirty digging in crates, Luke’s collection of off-the-beaten-track gems is second to none. For this three-track É Soul edit release, Luke delivers a one-way ticket to the outer reaches of the universe soaking up sounds from Trinidad, the UK and Cameroon along the way. Strap in for a triple threat of signature Luke Una edits reworking Ella Andall, Slick Mission and Manu Dibango for the modern dancefloor.

Up first, Luke twists and tweaks the Caribbean radiance of Ella Andall ‘My Spirit Is Music’, enriching this high-energy heater. Speaking about the track he said, “It’s a remarkable, ‘90s, swerve ball, machine soul, afrobeat groove from Trinidad. Incredibly rare, but most importantly it’s a wonderful fusion of drum machine and this almost carnival-like feel to this afrobeat rhythm that just turns it into the outer cosmos.”

Following that, Luke gets suitably cosmic on the dub dials with his 5am Shabeen Proto House Edit of Slick Mission ‘Times Up’. Produced by Jerry Pike of Atmosfear / Elite Records fame, Luke recounts, “This is a very much missed slice of UK house pressure which has its foot firmly in a proto-house feel. Very DIY, rough and raw – it’s an absolute gem. This is one that has definitely escaped most eyes.”

Last but not least, it’s a stop in Cameroon shining a light on the legendary Manu Dibango and his cover of ‘Jingo’ featuring King Sunny Adé. “Their version of ‘Jingo’ takes the original classic into a whole new level of outer space, afro brilliance. It’s such a beautiful cover and really turns the track into something else. The musicianship and vibes just scream out. Oddly no one really seems to know it.”

Three certified winners from Luke’s underground arsenal, reworked, refined and ready to be deployed on any dancefloor when the feeling hits.

Manu Dibango ft King Sunny Adé - Jingo (Luke Una's Dancing In Outer Space Edit)

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