uff that contrast between instruments <·

This release is a special one; a moment where the two halves of the Mr Bongo record label unite, our heritage re-issues and our contemporary artists roster. 

Minoru Muraoka’s 'The Positive and the Negative’ is a firm favourite at Mr Bongo. It sees a master of the shakuhachi, a traditional bamboo Japanese flute, flex his prodigious skill resulting in a unique mix of breakbeat jazz and Japanese folkloric music. 'The Positive and the Negative’ featured on the 1970 'Bamboo’ album, which Mr Bongo reissued in 2019. Heralded by DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Egon, and many others. The record’s cult status had us thinking how could we pay further homage to a sublime track such as this. The opportunity came to us in an email from Melbourne’s Surprise Chef with a link to the fabulous reinterpretation of the track which they had just recorded. 

"Minoru Muraoka’s ‘Bamboo’ LP has long been a fixture in our record bags, mostly for the killer shakuhachi funk cut The Positive and The Negative. The record is possibly our favourite from Mr Bongo’s extensive catalogue of reissues, and certainly the most influential to Surprise Chef; The Positive and the Negative’s cinematic atmosphere paired with the wonky drum feels and dramatic performance makes it a near-perfect amalgamation of what we try to capture on Surprise Chef records. We’ve borrowed an element or two from the tune over the last few albums (such as the percussion on ‘The Limp’), so it felt right to go head first into reinterpreting the entire track for ourselves. We recorded the tune in Karate Boogaloo’s attic studio with our man Henry Jenkins at the controls and Hudson Whitlock on percussion. We spent an entire day trying to get the take; we felt such a deep responsibility to capture the intensity of the original, we must have done 20 or 30 takes before we were finally happy. We stuck a fork in it late into the night, satisfied that we’d had our best crack at paying homage to a masterpiece by the great Minoru Muraoka.” - Surprise Chef

Forged in their signature sound, "The Chef" have made 'The Positive and the Negative' their own whilst simultaneously treating the original with utmost respect. The shakuhachi and koto have been replaced by synths and guitars, but the breakbeat psychedelic vein flows richly through both instruments  

The 7" vinyl format was the right fit for this release, so the original Minoru Muraoka recording which clocks in over nine minutes has been edited into a 7” version to accompany Surprise Chef’s new take.

B. Minoru Muraoka - The Positive And The Negative (Mr Bongo 7" Edit)

Production music album. Available from Little Wren Music

Life and Soul

Funky Strut

Annette Peacock Survival

Deeply embedded in the 22a South London beat scene, Reginald Omas Mamode IV returns to One-Handed Music for his next EP. On 'In This Case', a swirling staccato beat hypnotises the ears, while Reggie's own vocals offer a soothing contrast alongside wandering rhodes chords and playful bass line.  

Read more and listen on Youtube: http://bit.ly/GPWW-RoM
Buy:  https://fiveeasypieces.bandcamp.com/album/we-are-the-universe

Reginald Omas Mamode IV - In This Case (Get Over Yourself) (Worldwide Premiere)

Nubya Garcia - Tenor Sax/Flute
Shirley Tetteh - Guitar
Amané Suganami - Keyboard
Twm Dylan - Double Bass
Jake Long - Drums
Tim Doyle - Percussion

Recorded at Royal Albert, Deptford by Tom Sankey
Mixed by Ben Hayes and Max Wallace-Jones
Mastered by Ben Hayes

Africa (John Coltrane)

Tribute Vamp

comin in look aroun`

New Zealander Julien Dyne is a multi-instrumentalist with a long and impressive history of collaborative, live and solo musicianship. Best known for his solo work as BBE and having worked with the likes of Theo Parrish, Steve Spacek, Andreya Triana and Lord Echo - one of Soundway's most successful artists.

To be released on digital and double vinyl on 19 October 2018 on Soundway Records

Teal

Buy or Stream

Julien Dyne - Copernicus

Liquid Saloon

Premiere: Liquid Saloon - Gueta (featuring Nitai Hershkovits)

Mixed and produced by Adam Scrimshire
Mastered by Walter Coelho
Artwork from a painting by Jonny Drop
All kit drums played and recorded by Chris Boot.
All other instruments including Fender Rhodes, piano, Juno-6, percussion, drum programming, guitars and bass by Adam Scrimshire. 

His fourth album, musically, 'Listeners' draws from Scrimshire's passion for jazz, soul and electronic music of all styles; from an energetic combination of Afrobeat and garage on 'Won't Get Better', to the lushly orchestrated neo-soul of 'Thru You', and the harmonious jazz experimentations of 'I Never'. The album features a host of esteemed guest vocalists and musicians telling their own personal stories, including Georgia Anne Muldrow, Emma-Jean Thackray, Joshua Idehen, Madison McFerrin, Chip Wickham, and James Alexander Bright.

"With this album I wanted to get a more focused sound after six years of relearning and development in the studio. But I also struggled to find my own words, to speak about where I/we are now. So I allowed my collaborators total freedom to tell their own story and as they came back to me, they were telling the same stories I wanted to. It's resulted in some deeply personal confessional pieces: mourning family, collapsing relationships, extremes of self doubt and analysis, trying to balance public and inner persona, and a reminder that life in all forms is important.

It’s called 'Listeners' as I am a listener here, I feel like I've been given these very personal experiences to care for. Listeners because, the travesty of the last few years is that we stopped listening to each other, everyone is shouting at each other and no one is learning. And Listeners because I hope I've made something that is for other people more than I have before. I've tried to craft something warmer and more enjoyable, made for those who give me their time in listening to my music."
- Adam Scrimshire

Since joining the Wah Wah 45s label in 2007, Scrimshire has released three albums of experimental cinematic jazz, and electronic sounds. Following his 2009 debut ‘Along Came The Devil One Night​’, his second album ‘The Hollow’ (2011) was a BBC 6 Music Album of the Week, with Gilles Peterson calling it “A late contender for album of the year”.

In the time since the release of his last album ‘Bight’ (“An eclectic range of influences ranging from disco to fusion to more contemporary electronic styles” XLR8R) in 2013, Adam has worked with long-time musical accomplice Dave Koor on new project Modified Man, and launched Albert’s Favourites releasing projects by The Expansions, Hector Plimmer and Jonny Drop. He has continued to gain radio and DJ support for his successful “Scrimshire Edits” series and has produced and mixed records for artist including Stac, Daudi Matsiko, Bastien Keb, Rōnin Arkestra, Jonny Drop. He has also continued to develop the Wah Wah 45s label, where he is now a co-owner and director.

Listeners

Theme For Us feat. Joshua Idehen & Chip Wickham

A Melbourne-based cinematic-soul outfit cut from the blueprint of David Axelrod, and NYC labels Daptone and Truth & Soul. Top-shelf referential fodder for beat-diggers and deep-funk, Daylight Savings is the title track for their new album on Mr Bongo.

Read more & buy: https://www.stampthewax.com/2020/10/02/premiere-surprise-chef/

Daylight Savings

Surprise Chef - Daylight Savings (STW Premiere)

The In Sound From Way Out 

Residents: @aaronl_dj ≈ @original-hp ≈ @miazs-1 ≈ @peachystw ≈ @rosie-ama-cain ≈

Surprise Chef - Daylight Savings (STW Premiere)

Stamp The Wax

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