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

Single: Treasure 
Project: Hypnotic Joints II
Apple Music: http://itunes.apple.com/album/id/1672931201
Official Video: https://youtu.be/9nYK16lm8f4
Bandcamp: https://hypnoticbrass.bandcamp.com/track/treasure

Treasure

Recorded as part of a four-day session at Berlin’s Brewery Studios with a cast of close collaborators from both Budapest and Berlin’s vibrant jazz scenes, Destruction Everywhere marks the beginning of a new chapter for Àbáse.

The track features Ziggy Zeitgeist (30/70) on drums, Ori Jacobson on saxophone, flautist Fanni Zahár, Andras Koroknay on bass and Ghanaian percussionist Eric Owusu. The release brings in an era of partnership with Analogue Foundation, who are dedicated to preserving and furthering analogue creation via record releases, international events, and activities at its recording studio and hi-fi listening bar. The Foundation is headed up by Grammy-winning New York City recording and mixing engineer Russel Elvado, Soundwalk Collective, and Berlin recording and mix engineer Erik Breuer.
credits
released March 28, 2024
Fanni Zahár - flute
Ori Jacobson - sax
Eric Owusu Sunday - congas, bongo
Szabolcs Bognár - Rhodes, Roland SH2000, clave
András Koroknay - bass
Ziggy Zeitgeist - drums

Written by Szabolcs Bognár

Recorded and mixed by Erik Breuer at Brewery Studios, Berlin
Assistant engineers: Rhea Sodemann, Heinrich Matis
Mastered at The Carvery Studio, London by Frank Merritt
Cover design and layout by Mark Fridvaszki

Oshu Records x Bridge The Gap x Analogue Foundation

Supported by Initiative Musik gGmbH with project funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media.

Destruction Everywhere

Koln by The Sure Co. from the 5ives EP (Jazz Refreshed).
Richard Spaven - Drums
Grant Windsor - Keys


Koln

➫  Fradell
https://www.instagram.com/fradell_/

➫  SSR
https://lnk.bio/__s.s.r

stream/dl

sin titulo

Playing with Dilla's beats is just another way for me to practice and improvise, guess I'm not the only one doing that.
 
There's no losin' game when playin' with Love 
that's what I've learned from you, Dilla.
 
Blessing

1. What's up (Detroit 98)
2. I believe in a love Supreme (Let me be the one)
3. What a color (Colors of you)

Art Work by J.Lamotta Suzume

About Love #1 (Dilla Tribute)

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

"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?)

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

BOOKINGS: arthur@foreignbrothers.com
The S, from Skomes, beatmaker, producer and backup whisperer.
The O, from Cazeaux O.S.L.O, MC, vibe merchant and vocalist.
The Crates hold the history which we revive and reinterpret.