Taylor McFerrin - Already There (feat. Robert Glasper and Thundercat)

From the forthcoming album "Early Riser" on Brainfeeder.

Release date: 06/03/14


Buy - iTunes

Taylor McFerrin - Already There (feat. Robert Glasper and Thundercat)

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


Koln

Cover of the Roy Ayers classic with 
@thisisversis [vox] and @melaniecharlesmusic [flute/vox]

swarvy.bandcamp.com/album/mirrors-vol-1

@vibe-music_co

02 - EverybodyLovesTheSunshine [ft. Versis & Melanie Charles]

Love these guys so did this unofficial remix of The Lung!!

Hiatus Kaiyote "The Lung" (Paul White Unofficial Remix)

"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

'Oooo Lala' (Feat. Kaidi Akinnibi) taken from Blue Lab Beats' debut album 'Xover'.

Pre-order the album/stream the single here: BlueLabBeats.lnk.to/Xover

Follow Blue Lab Beats:
www.bluelabbeats.com
www.facebook.com/BlueLabBeats
www.twitter.com/bluelabbeats
www.instagram.com/bluelab_beats

Oooo Lala(Feat. Kaidi Akinnibi)

Taken from 'Mt Glorious' EP 
listen to full EP here: https://AWAL.lnk.to/sampologyep 
buy vinyl here: https://sampology.bandcamp.com/
℗&© Middle Name Records 2018

Teal Sunrise

Budapest born and based producer/keyboardist Szabolcs Bognar starts his new collaborative jazz project https://soundcloud.com/abasemusic with debut single "Skeme goes all city".
The base of the track is a smooth cinematic sounding riverbed of soothing harmonies where different instruments flow around in repetitive phrases. Every phrase repeats itself in the perfect length, as soon as you get your fix - a new melody kicks in.
"We wrote and recorded the track in one improvised studio session back in 2016. I brought the harmonic structure and the main melody and the band built on top of that. Everyone brought something to the table. It was recorded in the oldschool way, all the musicians in the same room, no headphones, no chance for correcting mistakes or editing. Raw. The title is a dedication to the New York graffiti pioneer Skeme and the power of self expression in Hip Hop culture." - Àbáse

"Fanni Zahár - flute, vocals 
Szabolcs Bognár - Rhodes 
Tamás Heilig - bass 
Tamás Czirják - drums 

Recorded, mixed & mastered at Studio Einz, Budapest 

Cover design by Fabian Kretz"

https://soundcloud.com/abasemusic

EP/LP coming soon...

Àbáse - Skeme Goes All City

I used the end of this track as an interlude on the Broken Vibes EP. I meant to add a vocalist the full track at some point but never did. circa '04-'05 

Taylor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TaylorMcFerrin
Taylor on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Taylor-McFerrin/9087746963
Taylor on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/artist/0yLmsf6RBPYqm6hvFJCPg6
Taylor on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/artist/taylor-mcferrin/id26149051

Tribute (Unreleased Instr)

Those following beat culture in the last years might have heard about Swiss producer @melodiesinfonie already. From his tracks on the early Soulection compilations, releases on Melting Pot Music and Sichtexot to countless live sets in Europe and even South Africa. We are very happy to now announce his first release on Jakarta Records. In comparison to previous output the most apparent difference is the extend to which Melodiesinfone incorporated live elements to his productions, achieving a more eclectic and organic sound. Get a first taste with the upcoming single „Longo Do Rio“ before the full length album „A Journey To You“ will drop 26th of April.

A Journey To You

PREORDER

melodiesinfonie - AO Longo Do Rio (taken from A Journey To You LP; April 26th)

Touching down in New York for our 15th anniversary, the <a href="http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/">Red Bull Music Academy</a> is a world-travelling series of music lectures, workshops and events: a platform for those who make a difference in today's musical landscape.

Each year we invite 60 of the most extraordinary music makers from across the globe for a month of workshops, studio and live gig madness, working shoulder to shoulder with some of the most influential figures in contemporary music.

We are proud to count the likes of <a href="https://soundcloud.com/flyinglotus">Flying Lotus</a>, <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hudsonmohawke">Hudson Mohawke</a>, <a href="https://soundcloud.com/jesseboykinsiii">Jesse Boykins III</a>, <a href="http://aloeblacc.com/">Aloe Blacc</a> and <a href="https://soundcloud.com/nina-kraviz">Nina Kraviz</a> among our alumni, and we can't wait to hear what magic comes out of the studio jams from the Class of 2013! For the full rundown on #RBMA and what's going down in #NYC check www.redbullmusicacademy.com

Track recorded at Red Bull Music Academy in Melbourne, 2006.

Flying Lotus feat. Andreya Triana - Tea Leaf Dancers

International Booking: James.Wright@unitedtalent.com 
US Booking: karl@windishagency.com

Management: 
Vincent Bennett
vincent@secondsonproductions.com