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

Airto - Hot Sands
Eye Of The High - Eye Of The Sun
Etuk Ebong - I Waka Dey Go
Daniel Casimir - Safe Pt 1
Joe Dyson - Pious Walk
10:32 - For The Good
Andris Mattson - Frost
Aka Shaic - Swave Villi Us
No I.D. (aka Bilal Sabir) - Changes
Mast - The Anti-Fascist Battle Hymn 
Greg Foat - Anticipation
Kaidi Tatham - Try 'n' Follow
Frances Jaye - Expert Curators Mix
Amber Navran and Daniel Crawford - Step Into the Amber & Daniel Crawford World
Zo! + Tall Black Guy - Talkin' To Myself
Taina Major9 - Altitude
Yakul - Company 
Deborah Bond - Smolder
Andris Mattson - Summer
Alex Isley & Jack Dine - Wait 
Chromonicci - Beautiful People
India Shawn - Too Sweet (ft. Unknown Mortal Orchestra)
Jacob Collier, Mahalia & Ty Dollar Sign - All I Need
Gordon Campbell - One Mind (feat. Neka)
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Crime Pays
Kendra Foster - Here
Nappyhigh - Girl Of My Dreams (feat. Devin Morrison)
Kevin Ross - God Is A Genius
Jarreau Vandal - Slow It Down (feat. Kiah Victoria)

Folded Space on Jazz FM w/ Tony Minvielle 14/3/21 Frances Jaye - Expert Curators Mix

Mark Murphy - Maiden Voyage
Ian Roller - Yuki and the Ox
Zo! & Tall Black Guy - Talkin' To Myself
Ralph Peterson - Fantasia Brazil
Allexa Nava - Good Job Phillip
Evgeny Ponomarev Quartet - Imminence
Str4ta - After The Rain
The Warriors - Hot Apple
Izy - Out Of Door
Sean Khan - Starchild
Ola Szmidt - C Tactile Afferent
Matthew Little - Water
Amanda Whiting - Time Stands Still
Amanda Whiting - In Conversation
Amanda Whiting - Little Sunflower
Amanda Whiting - Messed Up
Chip Wickham - Interstellar
Dorothy Ashby - Soul Vibrations
Amanda Whiting - In Conversation
Amanda Whiting - After Dark (Rebecca Vasmant Remix ft Nadya Albertsson)
Anthony Joseph - Calling England Home
Space Dolphin - À La Roi
Chick Corea - Friends

Foldedspace on Jazz FM w/ Tony Minvielle 28/3/21 Amanda Whiting in conversation

Streaming from Amsterdam's Radio Radio: this is RRFM.NL w/ @lucasbenjamin

TASCAM SD-20M

RRFM • Lucas Benjamin • 05-05-2021

High Park Funk - Radio Buena Vida 08.05.21

Deeply immersive music for the mind, body and soul from Kofi the Unknown. Hailing from Rotterdam, Kofi taps into the essence of the West London broken beat sound, whilst putting his own percussion-heavy spin on it.

"One For Motet" is dedicated to broken beat DJ and MC, Motet. Kofi shares: ”This song was created as an ode to a close friend Motet, his stories about the Broken Beat movement in West London and my love for the genre.”

Kofi mixes electronic music with heavy percussive rhythms recalling not only broken beat but some of our favourite artists across house and techno whose music exudes groove and emotion. In fact, we recently heard Kofi on the Chicago house inspired "Let Me See You Move", with Steven Pieters.

The multi-talented Kofi balances skills as a producer, beatmaker and composer with a history playing drums for hip hop and funk acts. No doubt this has inspired his approach to making beats on drum machines. Likewise his passion for traditional rhythms and grooves from around the world, from Afro Cuban guaguancó and indigenous chanting, to the more electronic sounds of broken beat and classic Chicago house music. 

It is evident on  "One For Motet" that Kofi brings a wide range of skills to the party so we can't to hear what he has in store. In the meantime, we're very happy to 'bruk out' to "One For Motet", released June 4th on Amsterdam's Wicked Wax.

Exclusive Premiere: Kofi The Unknown "One For Motet" (Forthcoming on  Wicked Wax)

A mix of gospel funk with a late 80s drip!  

Lovingly mixed by Famous Lee during the pandemic.  Many thanks to all the esteemed records dealers whose supply I've been getting high off for the past little while.  

Photo by N.E.P.

Spiritual Flashback

Jazz FM Tony Minvielle on Sunday 6/6/21 guest Alex Isley

Following a prosperous career in music and poetry, Detroit-based musician and performer Malik Alston readies his vibrant album ‘Malik Alston Presents Painted Pictures: Air’ set for release via The Jazz Diaries. The album is a spirited celebration between jazz virtuosity and Motor City house music, showcasing Alston’s roots in Jazz, Gospel, Soul and Dance Music. 

Alston’s story is one that is intrinsically aligned with the story of Detroit itself. Having hosted one of the first Slum Village concerts, and teaching vocal lessons to many members of the Detroit music community. His production and writing collaborations read like a who’s who of Detroit artists including Alton Miller, Amp Fiddler, Roy Davis Jr. & Javonntte and releases on Moodymann’s Mahogani Music to name a few.

“‘When I think of ‘Air’... for me, it exists to express a combination of freedom, self awareness, and doing something different and new. In ‘Air’ you get to really hear the band as a whole, no one stands out individually. It was all a matter of showing that we brought the music to life together as a unit. ‘Air’ is definitely a true reflection of what Painted Pictures was: free musicians who play good music.”

Exclusive Premiere: Malik Alston Presents Painted Pictures "Air"

magz fm  radio / philadelphia / 322

1.Charm Taylor - Follow The Money
2.The Domino Effect - By Any Means 
3.Lance Skiiiwalker ft. Nick Hakim - In The World 
4.Dunt ft. Shears - SPC BTWN 
5.Immortal Nightbody - Moon Reversed 
6.Natural Sequence - FYH 
7.BabySmooth ft. Avery Temple - F.or T.he P.eople 
8.Den Kokoro, Gestalt & Chickpea - Fuck Our Future 
9.Ka! X Eli Carrier - Dum Do Dum 
    10. Sample ft Rillz & K Solar - Accountability 
11.Mute Speaker - Skin Suit 
12.MoonManFlo ft. YF Tee Shirt - Owuraku 
13.J.U.S - A Tribe Called Bruiser 
14.Immortal Nightbody - Wet Work Outro 
15.MarkTheKeep ft. Matthew Jahshua - Yeah x2 
16.Swordman Kitala & Moganjah - Back in di Yard 
17.JD Reid - Edits 4  
18.Janice Godknowsher Holmes  - You 
19.DJ Earl - Far
20.Airfee ft Ambur Rose - I Want to Say
21.Thee Heart Tones - Don't Take Me As A Fool 
22.Ray Barnard - Tru Belever 
23.Love terrence
24.Jules - Outsider
25.Finding Rhythms & HMP Woodhill - Penanomics 
26.Sample - More Than Luvv 
27.J.U.S - Casa Migos 
28.J.U.S - Price is Right 
29.JazzZ - Thrive, Heart Thrive 
    30. Little Dragon - Drifting Out

MAGZ FM

322: new LITTLE DRAGON | DJ EARL | BABY SMOOTH | THE DOMINO EFFECT

Frederic Robinson - Muscle Memory ft Richard Spaven
Marcus Joseph - Beyond The Dome
Reuben James - Tunnel Vision (feat. Frida Touray & Daley)
Rita Joyce - Dancing Close
Henryk Debich - Monika
Arurar - Chamamento
Doom Cannon - Amalgamation
Chick Corea - The Mad Hatter Rhapsody
Ghost X MdCL - Cosmic Ride
Allysha Joy - Light It Again
Florence Adooni - Mam Pe'ela Su'ure
Pino Palldino & Blake Mills - Just Wrong
Rebecca Vasmant - Curator Mix
Josef Akin - Movements
India Blue - Isaiah
Piax - How Long
1132 ft Sophie White - Charing X
Corto Alto - Unchecked (ft Luca Manning)
Corto Alto - Charlie Boy (ft Christos Stylianides)
Corto Alto - Is That It? (ft Soweto Kinch)
Rebecca Vasmant - Big Hugs Checkin' In (ft Paix)
Jazzanova - Summer Keeps On Passin Me By (Rebecca Vasmant Remix)
Scrimshire - Won't Get Better (feat. Emma-Jean Thackray) (Rebecca Vasmant Remix)
Black Nile - Sunset Drive

Foldedspace on Jazz FM w/ Tony Minvielle 14/2/21 Rebecca Vasmant - Expert Curators Mix

DJ, Broadcaster, Musical Journeyman - currently to be found on Jazz FM (jazzfm.com) and onejazz.net