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

AFLEX COMBO - HIBAROS

Set to ignite dance floors and elevate spirits worldwide: "Umoja (Joaquin's Sacred Rhythm Dub)" is New York City house music royalty Joaquin Joe Claussell’s rework of the title track from Italian jazz maestro Nicola Conte’s latest album Umoja.

Claussell’s trademark brand of deep, afrofuturist house combines with the spiritual jazz dance magic of Conte’s original for an extended mix of ecstatic club music, teasing the wider release of Nicola Conte - Umoja (Joaquin Joe Claussell’s Sacred Rhythm Music & Cosmic Arts Dubs): 10 tracks of comprehensive rearrangements - featuring additional percussion, guitars, keyboards, synthesizers and drum programming - whereby Claussell excavates the source music, re-recording many of its parts under the auspices of his Sacred Music & Cosmic Arts banner.

Claussell's collaboration with Nicola Conte and Far Out Recordings helps mark the label’s 30th anniversary, as Claussell joins fellow producers such as Theo Parrish, Ron Trent, Kenny Dope and 4hero in remixing music from the label’s catalogue.

Nicola Conte - Umoja (Joaquin Joe Claussell Sacred Rhythm Music & Cosmic Arts Remixes) releases on double vinyl LP, CD and digitally on 28th June 2024 on Far Out Recordings.

Umoja (Joaquin Joe Claussell Sacred Rhythm Music & Cosmic Arts Remixes)

Nicola Conte - Umoja (Joaquin's Sacred Rhythm Dub)

To celebrate 10 years of one of London’s most loved underground club nights, Tangent, Mr Bongo are thrilled to launch this new compilation series. Crafted by its two residents, John Gómez and Nick the Record, it aims to transmit a taste of Tangent’s spirit. A party rooted in inclusivity and open-mindedness, whose name captures the spontaneous switches in musical direction that are a defining element of their nights. For the compilation, the pair have cherry-picked a selection of their prized, rare and dancefloor-ready tracks from around the globe, that have soundtracked the past decade of parties.

Friends for close to 20 years, music lovers, record obsessives and internationally renowned DJs in their own right, John and Nick have two lifetimes worth of musical knowledge to draw from. John a long-standing NTS Radio resident and compiler for Music From Memory. Nick one of the UK’s go-to record dealers, resident DJ since the ‘90s at one of Japan’s pioneering parties, Life Force, and co-captain / co-edit-expert of Record Mission with Dan Tyler (Idjut Boys).

In 2014, the pair decided to bring some of Life Force’s grassroots principles to the UK, whilst channelling underground clubbing institution Plastic People’s meticulous attitude to sound. Tangent grew from being a small gathering of friends, to an established fixture in London’s nightlife, whilst always maintaining a strict no guest DJ policy. “As London’s clubs have become increasingly reliant on international guests, we wanted to emphasize the importance of a club night growing through its residents”, John and Nick reflect. With 10 years of the duo at the helm, an intimate connection between DJ and dancefloor has been built, allowing for freedom of expression on both sides of the decks.

Tangent reaches around the globe and across different eras to make connections that stimulate emotional reverberations in the unfamiliar. Where the blissfully Balearic ‘Laberinto’ by Miguel Perikás, goes hand-in-hand with the Cameroonian hip-house of King B.’s ‘Love is Crazy’. The thundering ‘Amek Amek’ by L'Innovateur Djoe Ahmed et le Zoukabyle, rubs shoulders with the soulful Caribbean-influenced touch of Champagn’s ‘Bel Ti Négress’. And Pellegrin El Kady’s afro-cosmic ‘Seiva de Carnaval’, crosses paths with Kajou’s Kompa disco anthem ‘Tet Chajé’.

Tangent’s longevity is in part down to it having always embraced contemporary sounds. The sub-rattling bass of Srirajah Sound System’s stunning Molam dub stepper ‘Si Phan Don Lovers Rock’ and the slow, woozy mantra of leftfield dancehall explorer Androo’s ‘Lyriso’, are two shining examples.

This compilation represents an ongoing dialogue between past and present, transporting listeners to the heart of a pure musical experience, where open minds and open hearts are eager to follow the tangent.

Leo Basel - Quelle Drôle De Vie (Nick The Record & Dan Tyler Re - Edit)

This one is very special to us. We linked three of our cherished musical family together; the wonderous band SOYUZ, legendary cult artist Asha Puthli and Swedish maestro Sven Wunder, for an exclusive production made especially for the Mr Bongo Record Club 7 compilation. We were so blown away with the results, we wanted to share it as a stand-alone single too. 

They say don't meet your heroes, but this is not the case with Asha Puthli. You couldn't meet a more inspirational, gutsy and funny spirit, who is rich in stories, experience and knowledge. At the age of 79, Asha has embarked on her first-ever world tour, returning to the stage after over 40 years.

The track that would go on to become this collaborative piece, started out in Minsk just a month before the outbreak of full-scale war in Ukraine and SOYUZ’s emigration to Poland. Spending time in the studio playing around with different instruments and recording ideas, SOYUZ’s Alex Chumak wrote the initially piano-driven track, influenced by Azerbaijani pianist and composer Vagif Mustafazadeh, with hints of Holger Czukay weaved within.

As longtime fans of Asha’s music, SOYUZ were incredibly excited about the prospect of a collaboration. Asha loved the demo, so the band recorded a proper studio session, sending it to her in Miami where she returned it with her mystical vocals, that as Alex explains “were like a revelation – strange and beautiful at the same time!”.

To put the icing on the cake, Alex met one of our heroes, producer and composer Sven Wunder from Stockholm, whilst playing Sessa’s live band. After playing him the Asha track, Sven wrote a glorious string arrangement that was recorded with the Stockholm Studio Orchestra and conducted by Erik Arvinder. 

Lifting the track even further, subtle percussion by Anders Scherp and Anders af Klintberg delicately dusts the grooves. It was a pure goosebumps moment when we first opened the finished track at Mr Bongo HQ and got to hear the song in its entirety. At just over two minutes it's short, but oh-so-sweet, beautifully encapsulating Asha's character and personality - playful, wise and serene, whilst also perfectly capturing SOYUZ’s cinematic, song-writing prowess and Sven Wunder’s distinctive style.

SOYUZ (СОЮ3) Featuring Asha Puthli & Sven Wunder - Spring Has Sprung

Announcing the lead single from Dora Morelenbaum’s forthcoming debut solo album, Pique. ‘Caco’ is a perfect representation of the musical vibrancy and creativity that has reached a new boiling point in Brazil. Tapping into the country’s long lineage of musical brilliance, Dora explores new sounds, colours and textures to build bridges between tradition and modernity. Fuelled by funk, guided by MPB, with jazz roots and indie pop energy, ‘Caco’ is the embodiment of everything that is exciting about Rio’s new generation of artists.

A member of the Latin Grammy award-winning band, Bala Desejo, Dora’s previous solo single and EP have laid the foundations for this hotly anticipated debut album. Imaginative, animated yet intrinsically soulful, ‘Caco’ became one of the favourites from her recent solo tour and is a taste of what to expect on the LP. A record that features a whole host of this new generation of Brazilian artists with an injection of Ana Frango Elétrico magic on co-production.

The track sweeps in with a swell of hazy Rhodes stabs and filtered choral harmonies led by Dora’s enchanting vocal prowess. Breaking into a sparkling jazz-funk groove, the pace soon reduces to a simmer as Dora strides across the seafront with the swagger of summer. A voice that washes away any lingering discontent as each new phrase laps up over you. Whistles carry across the wind, guitars strut alongside, with a backdrop of horns to add further colour to the palette. As the track reaches its climax, the energy builds from bubbling to boiling, entrancing to electrifying, fused with an indie pop sentiment that firmly places ‘Caco’ in the here and now.

A collage of musical references across eras and genres, ‘Caco’ pieces together the puzzle with a bright new picture at play.

Dora Morelenbaum - Caco

Exciting things are happening as UK-producer Drum Dance launches his new label, ‘Into The Cosmos’, with a standout four-track release that showcases his eclectic taste and production skills. Among the tracks is the captivating "Venus Dub 2", a must-hear for fans of dub, jazz, and Balearic sounds.

"Venus Dub 2" is an 80s jazz Balearic-inspired track that takes a journey to Kingston for a bass-heavy dub makeover. The resulting track is a lush, atmospheric track with irresistible grooves. Drum Dance's production shines as he expertly balances influences to create a track that's both relaxing and propulsive, making it a perfect addition to any summer playlist.

As for the rest of the EP, the release kicks off with "Zani!", a cosmic head-nodder influenced by both Chicago footwork and Malian music, paying homage to the legendary Zani Diabaté. Following this is "Body Heat", a Latin-flavored boogie number that keeps the energy high with its four-to-the-floor beat, sultry disco vocals, and jazzy keys.

Closing the release is "Adan On Dòt Soley", a personal dedication to the beautiful island of Gwadloup. This track begins with spaced-out synths and evolves into a dubby percussive jam, featuring the enchanting Fender Rhodes keys recorded by Andy Wileman. Field recordings of birds singing, waves lapping, and the sounds of gwo ka drumming on the beach bring the listener to a serene and soulful conclusion.

The EP is released this Friday, on vinyl, pressed by Vinyl Factory and digital. Available directly via Bandcamp, plus Juno, Phonica, Redeye Records, Clone, HHV, Deejay.de, and so on.

Exclusive Premiere: Drum Dance "Venus Dub 2" (Forthcoming on Into The Cosmos)

Here at Jazz Room HQ we've always been a big fan of the GALAXY2GALAXY original "High Tech Jazz" and when we heard the version by SuperHip Japanese Jazz Combo quasimode we said "We gotta release it!".
So here it is. Acid Jazz meets High Tech Meets Jazz Room Records!

QUASIMODE - HI TECH JAZZ (PAUL MURPHY 45 EDIT)

Presenting the second single, ‘Essa Confusão’, taken from Dora Morelenbaum’s forthcoming debut solo album, Pique. As one of Rio’s most beguiling voices right now, and a member of Latin Grammy award-winning supergroup, Bala Desejo, Pique sees Dora embrace a freedom through fresh new forms. Alongside the funk-driven, groovier side to Dora’s songwriting that this album has highlighted, ‘Essa Confusão’ showcases those signature, celestial songs that her first solo EP beautifully demonstrated. Co-written by her Bala bandmate, Zé Ibarra, and co-produced courtesy of another of Brazil’s finest, Ana Frango Elétrico, this entrancingly elegant track is a shining example of the creativity that has reached a new boiling point in Brazil.
 
Enveloping you in the serene side of her talents, Dora glides into ‘Essa Confusão’ with a luscious string section arranged by herself and her father, Jacques Morelenbaum. A highly respected artist in his own right, Jacques has featured on an array of timeless recordings with greats including Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil, Antônio Carlos Jobim and Ryuichi Sakamoto. It’s a simple yet instantly absorbing track. Alberto Continentino’s bass plucking and Luiz Otávio’s delicate Rhodes providing the perfect complement to the rise and fall of Dora’s dance between her vocals, the string section and Zé’s acoustic guitar. A sublime offering, from an album that surely earns the stamp ‘future classic’, with Dora’s heavenly voice so close she sounds like she’s right there next to you.

Dora Morelenbaum - Essa Confusão

What originally started in a pub between Charlie Tate & Matt ‘DJ Shuff’ Harris in 1994 has come full circle 30 years later! King Kooba return with a new Drum & Bass EP, Rapido, coming this fall. The lead single, ‘Smoking Room’ is a massive stretched out tune featuring Kooba signature bass lines and jazzy licks creating a heavy groove. Let it rock and get ready for more.

Smoking Room

King Kooba - Smoking Room

A sublime expedition from Brazil to the sky, “Modo Avião” (Airplane Mode) sees São Paulo based trio Caixa Cubo jet further forth from the lineage of Brazilian instrumental music.

Following in the footsteps of heroes like Azymuth, Antonio Adolfo, Cesar Mariano and Marcos Resende, with the tried and tested trifecta of synthesizers, bass and drums, Caixa Cubo have carved out their own idiosyncratic ideal of golden-era Brazilian jazz-funk and samba-jazz.

Encapsulating the vitality and experimentalism synonymous with Sao Paulo’s musical history, Caixa Cubo playfully straddle the elegant and the surreal, with masterful songwriting and the consummate musicianship of longtime friends and bandmates Henrique Gomide (keyboards) Noa Stroeter (bass) João Fideles (drums).

Caixa Cubo have been playing together for over 14 years - and that’s ‘playing’ in the truest sense of the word. As bassist Noa Stroeter explains: 

“A story, a joke, images, invented words, people we met on tour, places, fictitious or not, have always been part of our creative process. And they are precious materials beyond the musical work itself. This dynamic has stayed with us to this day, and for me it is the characteristic that guarantees that no matter what, we will have fun working.”

Presenting a contemporary reimagining of Brazilian grooves from the 1970s, Modo Avião marks an evolution for Caixa Cubo’s music which delves deeper into the tradition of Brazilian instrumental music, while continuing to develop its rhythmic and harmonic possibilities. Utilising an extensive understanding of Brazilian music history and Brazilian rhythm in particular, the group explore the seemingly endless possibilities of fusing carnaval marches, frevo and Baião, with jazz, MPB and funk.

Recent Caixa Cubo releases include 2023’s “Agora”, which featured guest vocalists including Xênia França and Zé Leônidas; and 2020’s "Angela," which was hailed by BBC 6 Music, Gilles Peterson, and Bandcamp as one of the best albums of the year. 
Caixa Cubo have performed at Jazzahead! in 2022 (Germany), Jazz à Vienne (France), Riverboat Jazz Festival (Denmark), Breda Jazz Festival (Netherlands), Blue Note São Paulo (Brazil) and Jazzkeller Frankfurt (Germany) 

This November Caixa Cubo will tour Europe, with performances in the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands and France. 

Modo Avião releases on Vinyl LP, CD and digitally on the 15th November 2024 via Far Out Recordings.

Caixa Cubo - Modo Avião

Singer-songwriter Dora Morelenbaum is Rio’s most beguiling voice right now. As a member of Latin Grammy award-winning supergroup Bala Desejo, she has enamoured worldwide audiences – energising ecstatic dancefloors and concert halls with a particularly ebullient brand of MPB. On solo turns, meanwhile, Dora’s honeyed vocals and sophisticated compositions have drawn comparisons to Joyce Moreno – 2021’s gentle debut EP Vento De Beirada garnering international admirers, extolling its elegance and expansive beauty.

It is, then, as an already coveted member of Brazil’s new wave that the carioca announces her debut solo album Pique (Mr Bongo, 2024). On Pique, we hear an already accomplished Dora at her most emboldened.

Preserving the grace of her debut EP, but imbued with new-found groove and a gargantuan-sounding band, Pique is a vivid and exceedingly fun first full-length album. While there certainly remain moments of serenity here, Dora’s debut album finds her in a more dynamic mode – as a commanding bandleader, a curios composer and an exuberant performer. In her own words, “Pique was an album made in motion and ended up being about just that.”

Pique’s sophisticated compositions do indeed shift and swing – from sumptuous soul to evocative MPB, through jazz, funk and disco. And, at each dextrous turn, an animated Dora is a compelling frontwoman – buoyed by playful production, courtesy of fellow Rio star and co-producer Ana Frango Elétrico.

Release on Mr Bongo in partnership with Coala Records (Brazil) and Think! Records (Japan).


Dora Morelenbaum - Venha Comigo

Record label. Record shop. Film label. Since 1989.

SOYUZ (СОЮ3) Featuring Asha Puthli & Sven Wunder - Spring Has Sprung

Mr Bongo

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