Andrew Ashong - Special

A smoothed out, catchy little downtempo bobber from a cool late-winter night in The Vault.  Makaya bounces on a flammed rimshot, Abrams jumps in quickly with some nice bass chords, Justefan colors the progression with his singing vibraphone harmonies, and Marquis tops it all off with a gorgeous trumpet melody and solo verse.

Recorded on March 5th, 2014 by Dave Vettraino.  Personnel: Makaya McCraven - drums, Joshua Abrams - bass, Justin Thomas - vibraphone, Marquis Hill - trumpet.

Steppe Smoothe

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

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

Presenting the third single ‘Ron Song’ taken from Melbourne/Naarm multi-instrumentalist Don Glori’s forthcoming third album, Paper Can’t Wrap Fire. An ode to Brazil’s musical heritage, it’s Don’s nod to icons and influences including João Donato and Seu George. Samba-flecked, yet with a distinctive Don Glori groove, it’s doused in buttery Rhodes, hazy vocal harmonies and acoustic guitar riffs. Combine that with a serving of long majestic horn lines and the instantly recognisable cuíca and it’s a one-way ticket to Rio’s sunshine-soaked shores. 
 
Speaking about the track, Don mentions, “The thing I love about ‘Ron Song’ is all the ear candy. The Rhodes was routed through the preamp of an original suitcase Rhodes to give it the proper stereo trem it needed. The guitar just breaking through the ribbon mic contrasts against the very digital chorus on the bass. The bass is pushed out to the sides, using every dial tone sample at once. Texturally it feels like an ear massage. 
 
Alcides Neto laid down cuíca throughout the track and fans of Azymuth/Brazilian music in general will appreciate the partido alto underneath the trumpet solo. It’s as if the cuíca and Rhodes are having a conversation in the outro.”


Don Glori - Ron Song

For her fifth studio album, Hollie Cook is returning to Mr Bongo almost fifteen years since the Brighton label released her debut album. Entitled Shy Girl, it’s a sun-drenched exploration of love in all its guises and marks her most authentic body of work to date. The second single from the release is the title track and provides the perfect opener for the album. It’s a buoyant and elastic slice of lovers rock that bubbles with a charisma and positivity that Cook radiates.  

Written and recorded in a moment of spontaneous intuition at Relic Room Studios in NYC, with the finishing touches written in Echo Park, LA, ‘Shy Girl’ is a snapshot into the vision and meaning behind the album as a whole. “I’m not a natural show-off,” Cook explains. “The Shy Girl theme is me. It’s just about being my most vulnerable self and being as true to the music that I love as possible.” 

Across three glorious minutes, shimmering guitars sit atop a groove-heavy, dubby bassline, and organ bubbles, as Hollie effortlessly serenades in her soft-hued tones. A song speaking of letting one’s guard down and opening up to love, it’s a signature example of the ‘tropical pop’ sound that Hollie has made her own.


Shy Girl

The first single to be taken from СОЮЗ (SOYUZ)'s enthralling fourth album KROK, sees the release of the emotive and personal title track. “Krok” means “step” in Belarusian - and for Alex Chumak and his band this word comes with a lot of meaning. It’s a theme running throughout the album, reflecting the journeys the band has navigated in recent years. 
 
In early 2022, Chumak and original members, Mikita Arlou and Anton Nemahai, joined tens of thousands of Belarusians seeking safety from the political unrest in their homeland and the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Resettling in Warsaw, the band released Force of the Wind in October 2022, garnering widespread acclaim, a string of major European gigs, and led to Polish musicians Albert Karch and Igor Wiśniewski joining the band.
 
Embracing the uncertainty became both the inspiration and main lyrical theme for Alex Chumak, SOYUZ’ composer and arranger. ‘Krok’ was one of the initial songs written for the new album and was the first to feature lyrics. It paved the way for Chumak to find the new poetic language on the record - for the first time in his native Belarusian language. Chumak demoed the song whilst he was still in Minsk in early 2022, and then, as he and his band moved to Poland, he continued developing it. In September 2024, together with other songs, Alex took it on a trip to São Paulo, where he recorded it with the help of his longtime friend and collaborator Sessa and extraordinary musicians Biel Basile and Marcelo Cabral.
 
It is a song about transition and migration, in which this act is poetically reduced to “a step” – into the unknown and unexplored. While singing about it, Chumak also makes a step forward musically. He delivers his very atypical view on samba, which doesn’t pretend to sound Brazilian. A strict yet loose rhythm section is covered with layers of tense acoustic guitars, aleatoric piano lines, and a lush yet restrained arrangement for strings and flutes.
 
This ethereal opening track is taster of the magic to come from СОЮЗ (SOYUZ) new career-defining album.


Крок / Krok

Pamoja - Oooh baby

Fan Fiction Blues

Taken from the album 'Home' - due out in mid-February on Sound of Speed Records.

Culross Close are:

Eli Emmnauel - Bass
Hasani - Percussion & Incense
Anthony Kieron - Keys
Nathaniel Jiddu - Synthesizers
May Goode - Drums


Artwork c/o of Ears -  http://earstotheground.net/

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Requiem + Reflections

 Taken from Gilles Peterson 6 Music show. 

Nominated for Best Track of 2012 - World Wide Awards.

http://www.gillespetersonworldwide.com/worldwide-awards-2013-new-acts-announced-public-vote/


Produced & Arranged by Theo Parrish and Andrew Ashong
Drums - Andrew Ashong
Percussion - Andrew Ashong
Acoustic Guitar - Andrew Ashong
Fender Rhodes - Andrew Ashong
Arp Synth Bass - Theo Parrish
Slap Bass - Andrew Ashong

Flowers- Andrew Ashong & Theo Parrish

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