Seven years after their last ‘Americana‘ compilation for BBE Music, The Mighty Zaf and Mark GV Taylor present two more rare blue eyed soul cuts from across the pond: ‘So Close To You’ by Arthur, and ‘Reincarnation’ by Future Force.

Taken from his first and only solo album, 1981’s ‘Joy’, ‘So Close To You’ is a sweet, folk- tinged song written by Arthur’s guitarist Dean Devener and voiced by Maye Cavallaro. Hailing from New York, a diamond dealer by day and a bassist by night, Arthur joined his first band in ’66. He was living in the tiny community of Inverness, just North of San Francisco when he recorded ‘So Close To You’, which featured mainly local musicians from the West Marin area. “Between around 1980 and 2010, if someone told me I’d see any interest let alone money from my album, I’d have thought they were hallucinating” says Arthur. In 2010, the DJ son of a friend of Arthur’s saw an original copy of ‘Joy’ hanging on the wall of A-1 records in New York, priced at $50. Soon afterwards, compiler Mark Taylor tracked Arthur down on Facebook and the pair met in London, where by happy coincidence Arthur had a brief flight stopover. “We met Mark in a coffee place just outside security and sold him the box of records. I thought he looked like a cop, not a jazz DJ, although if you think 1950s America, the two could look the same”. Arthur returned to London in May 2019 and attended Mark’s ‘Reference Point’ party at the BBE Store, delighted to sign copies of his original ‘Joy’ LP for the regulars, and ecstatic to hear ‘So Close To You’ played in public for the first time.

‘Reincarnation’ was originally the B-side of NYC pop / funk band Future Force’s only recording, a 7″ single released in 1981. Future Force was formed by brothers David and Howard Bowler, who went on to write and produce dance cuts for A&M with the band’s keyboardist Eric Li, including the hit song ‘Sayin’ Sorry Don’t Make It Right’ by Denise Lopez. Recorded live with only the lead vocals overdubbed, ‘Reincarnation’ captures the raw, soulful sound for which Future Force shows had gained notoriety, both in New York City and beyond. The song was written by guitarist Jehri Riley and performed by lead singer Jackie Stewart, who was born in Brixton to Jamaican parents, moving to NYC at the age of 13.

About the compilers:

The Mighty Zaf began his journey at the famous London store Reckless Records, before becoming a respected private record dealer. These days you can find him behind the counter at Love Vinyl in London, the store he co-owns with BBE’s graphic designer Jake Holloway. Mark GV Taylor began collecting records as a schoolboy, started DJing internationally in 1990 and hasn’t looked back since. He’s also a former contributor for Straight No Chaser and compiler for Blue Note Records.

Arthur - So Close To You

MF Robots unleash the third salvo from upcoming BBE Music album ‘Break The Wall’, a feelgood mid-tempo funk bubbler entitled ‘Good People’.

Underpinned by Jan’s unmistakable rock-solid rhythm section and topped off with Dawn’s life-affirming lyrics, ‘Good People’ delivers yet another tough groove, brought to life by some of the UK’s tightest musicians.

Following up their latest single ‘Good People’ on BBE Music, MF Robots unveil an extended version of the track accompanied by an up-tempo remix by MontaQue Adamson and a brand new ‘Bossy Nova’ version of ‘Mother Funkin’ Robots’ by Jan Kincaid.

Emerging London production duo MontaQue Adamson have both played with MF Robots since their first gig at The Bussey Building and helped write the band’s upcoming album ‘Break The Wall’. Both Alex Montaque (keys) and Naz Adamson (bass) have been staples in the UK music scene for the past 15 years, working with world-renowned artists both on stage and in the studio. Their remix of ‘Good People’ takes the laid back original and sends it into overdrive, with a funky-house interpretation.

Making the most of Dawn Joseph’s powerhouse vocal, Jan Kincaid’s ‘Bossy Nova Refit’ of previous single ‘Mother Funkin’ Robots’ injects an enticing Latin vibe into the cut, with a delightfully old-school synth line providing some light hearted interplay with that superb brass section. Says Jan: “it was a challenge to remix this tune and give it a different personality. I wanted it to be a fun late night, the last few dancers left in the place type of thing.”
An extended of ‘Good People’ is also included in the package, alongside instrumental versions of all three tracks.

About MF Robots:
Collaborating for the first time while recording and performing with one of the UK’s most commercially successful Acid Jazz bands The Brand New Heavies in 2013, founder / drummer Jan Kincaid and vocalist Dawn Joseph discovered immediate musical chemistry and began writing songs together right away. They soon left the band to concentrate on their own work, starting MF Robots (Music For Robots) and releasing an eponymous debut in 2018. The duo quickly morphed into a band as they found themselves in-demand at venues and festivals all over Europe, and haven’t looked back since.

MF Robots - Mother Funkin' Robots (Bossy Nova Re - Fit)

Buy / Stream the album: https://orcd.co/soundofdetroit1

In association with DJ Amir and 180 Proof Records, BBE Music presents ‘Strata Records – The Sound of Detroit – Volume 1’, a new compilation taking in just a few highlights from the short-lived but hugely influential jazz imprint.

With a raft of Strata material now entering entering the BBE Music catalogue for the first time, joining together with already-released gems such at the long-lost Charles Mingus live album ‘Jazz In Detroit’, we asked 180 Proof founder and Strata catalogue curator DJ Amir to compile a selection of tracks as an introduction to the uninitiated.

Over to DJ Amir to tell us more:

I carefully selected my top-choice select tracks that have not been already bootlegged or comp’d in the past; from the well-known fan favourites, to the obscure, to the previously unreleased cuts. This is by no means an exhaustive and comprehensive compilation, but these are the songs that truly represent the catalog and help to tell the story of Strata.

I thought it would be fitting to begin the compilation with one of my all-time favourites from the catalog, ‘Beyond the Dream’ by Kenny Cox, a spiritual groover, highlighted with the haunting mellotron strings and soulful vocals from Detroit legend Ursula Walker. And I absolutely love the ending, with the chanting of “Vamonos Que Ya Fiesta Se Acabo” (“It’s time to go because the party is coming to an end”)!

When I originally issued the previously unreleased album ‘Mirror, Mirror’ by Sam Sanders in 2013, the track ‘Face At My Window’ that features an unknown vocalist instantly became a fan favourite thanks to its hypnotising vocals and mellotron strings.

How could I not include my all-time track from Lyman Woodard, ‘Saturday Night Special’? This track represents the best of that lo-fi jazz funk organ groove and bass combined, again, with those mellotron strings. And after meeting Lyman in 2008, I became even more of a fan! His magnum opus that is ‘Saturday Night Special’ began my journey to re-introducing the world to the Strata label.

After a chance discovery of a Strata master with only the letters ‘TJ’ written on the front, I took a chance and digitally transferred the master. Unfortunately, the master was in awful shape, but what I discovered was truly a stunning recording! At first, I thought I was listening to a young Shuggie Otis but then I quickly realised that I was not. TJ, armed with a basic drum machine, guitar, and incredibly infectious vocals, was able to communicate the pain and joy in his soul so clearly in tracks like ‘Time Is Wasting’.

With further tracks from Kenny Cox featuring the Contemporary Jazz Quintet (CJQ), Larry Nozero (saxophone player on ‘What’s Goin’ On’ by Marvin Gaye), to the ever-elusive and spiritual deep Maulawi Nururidin, to a few previously unreleased gems from Ursula Walker, Mixed Bag, and the Soulmates, hopefully, you’ll be inspired to dive deeper into the Strata catalog!

Enjoy!

Amir Abdullah aka DJ Amir

All of the original albums from which these tracks were chosen are now available to download or stream wherever you find your music.

Release Date – May 25th 2021

DJ Amir Presents 'Strata Records-The Sound of Detroit' Volume 1 (Album Sampler)

120 minutes of smooth RnB, Contemporary Jazz and Hip-Hop from Liv and Liz. Classics inside from the likes of Biggie and Eve alongside newer releases from B-Ahwe, Wise Willis and SAULT.

Liv and Liz - May 2021

Hour 1
Georgy Porgy - Toto w/ Cheryl Lynn
Nights in Havana - Blue Lab Beats
Jewels Of Thought - Rebecca Vasmant
The Makings Of You - Curtis Mayfield
If You want Me To Stay - Ari Lennox
Jungle Strut - Ramsey Lewis
Chilvary is Not Dead - Hiatus Kaiyote
Memory of Our Love - Donny Hathaway
All That I Want - Braxton Cook

Hour 2
On & On - Erykah Badu
Beyond The Stage - Carmen Rodgers
Right on for The Darkness - Curtis Mayfield
Song for Everyman - New Rotary Connection
That Cuban Rhythm ft Regis Molina - Arema Arega & Born 74
Time Just Stops ft Jimetta Rose, Ian Roller, Josh Howard - Elusive
Brotha - Jill Scott
Splash Radar* - Turbulance
Company (re-work) - Yakul ft. Mereba

Hour 3
I Want To Ta Ta You Baby - Leela James
Summer Madness - Khruangbin
Show Me - Raquel Martins
It’s All Over Your Body - Jose James
Red Room - Hiatus Kaiyote
Clever Austin - Hiatus Kaiyote In Convo
On The Red Clay - Mark Murphy
Damage - Terrace Martin & Brandee Younger
I Want You To Know Me - Deyampert

Jazz FM Tony Minvielle on Sunday 13/6/21 guest Hiatus Kaiyote

Jeff Higgins - Every Thursday night 11pm-1am. Repeated every Saturday 12-2pm - http://universalrhythms.net
Playing the late night sound of London. Electronic, Jazz, Dance, Hip Hop and beyond

Tracklist
el michels affair - i love ny
childeren of zeus - balance
pyton, brice balnco - let it flow
robert glasper - main theme 
muwosi - a song for someone
rebecca vasmant - timing’s end
outkast - elevators 
hiatus kaiyote - chivaley is not dead
athletic progression - debra
tiana major9, haile - think about you
king tubby, agustus pablo - more warning 
skiifall - bentayga dust
oscar #worldpleace, p nut - need
mansur brown - serious
dean blunt - nil by mouth
natureboy flako - through the old forest
beatchild - unselfish
georgia anne muldrow - yoself
nikhil beats - thoda resham lagta hai
culross close - intrinsic value
foshe and bentley - tech yes
turbulance - one for brother misho
toshiyuki goto - house of takoradi (friend and lover mix)
sampology, allysha joy
patchworks - summertime
oyobi - crossroads (vincent sebastian and atjazz remix)
nina simone - see-line woman (masters at work remix)

Jeff Higgins Universal Rhythms - Jeff Higgins  17/06/21

Tru Community were live running music from Butcher Brown, Tyler, The Creator, Dean Blunt, and more. Contemporary Jazz, Soul, and Garage all inside.

Tru Community - June 2021

Weekly show on https://www.universalrhythms.net
Every thursday 11pm-1am and released every Saturday 12pm-2pm (UK)

chassol, menage a trois - music is god my love
scrimshire - within without
brandee younger - tickled pink
ajuna oakes - even when you’re gone
lone - hidden by horizona
badbadnotgood - signal from the noise
spirit - the other song
kadiata- playin widja
the alchemist - 500 $ ounces
l’orange - durban was a trap house
biz marke - just a friend
rejjie snow - oreos
abase - agangatolu 
the brother moves on - you think you know me
virgo geep - groove
de mthuda - abekho ready
william florelle - do you see
boddhi satva - ze ma na bella
clavis - tascame
moodymann - we wanna party (live)
karizma - woah
dj kemit intro to dance
gabriels - love and hate in a different time (kerri chandler remix)
gabriels - love and hate in a different time 
luisito quintero - our love (nicola conte remix)
paso palante - contento
dave, boj - lazarus 
tekilla - outro
theo croker - hero stomp

Jeff Higgins Universal Rhythms - Jeff Higgins 17/06/21

Jeff Higgins

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