Al Mason
Good Lovin’ / We Still Could Be Together

Canyons are places of mystery and beauty. The interesting thing is, while they are one of the great wonders in the history of planet earth and attract scientists of all kinds of disciplines, they have also been a popular retreat for artists and musicians. You will have heard of Topanga Canyon, Rickie Lee Jones and Chicago recorded here. Laurel Canyon is even more well known, a mythical place where Crosby, Stills & Nash developed their unique vocal sound while hanging around Mama Cass' place. Or was it in Joni Mitchell's house on Lookout Mountain? Ok, you get the picture. There is something unexplainable, almost magical going on in canyons.Maybe that's why Andy Platts and Shawn Lee were thinking of "Canyons" when they wrote and recorded their third album as Young Gun Silver Fox. With "West End Coast" and "AM Waves" these two very talented musicians, singers, songwriters, arrangers and producers already explored all things Westcoast, AOR, Softrock and Boogie. But - especially if you are a into the golden age of this sound running from circa 1976 to 1984 - you will be aware that there is no return once you started digging these unconditional musical delights with their timeless compositions, untouchable musicianship and refined arrangements. The great albums from that era appeared when punk broke and the musical establishment was shaken to the ground. Today they sound more up to date than ever. Who would have thought back then?On "Canyons" Young Gun Silver Fox turned it up to eleven. They are nothing but "Kids" cruising in the fast lane, totally over the top searching for the "Dream Woman", touching down in Tokyo caught in a "Long Distance Love Affair", imagining the theme for a lost 70s TV series starring "Danny Jamaica", being on the winning side in a "Private Paradise", getting deep and soulful in "Things We Left Unsaid" and wondering how to spread "All This Love". Their bass lines, sound layers, brass arrangements and harmony vocals are immaculate. Everything fits perfectly. Just like this. "Who Needs Words" when everything is crystal clear? Exactly!

Super rare deep 1975 jazz/funk album from Cleveland Eaton! Some wild styles going on here ranging from the Blaxploitation soundtrack stylings of “Keena,” “All Your Lover All Day All Night,” and “Hamburg 302,” all of which incorporate disco-style strings into funky soul-jazz vamps, to the almost trad-jazz of “Kaiser 405,” to the Philly soul of “Are You Out There Somewhere Caring,” to the out-and-out party anthem “Moe Let’s Have a Party.” KILLER, KILLER ALBUM!Written and Arranged by Cleveland Eaton, except "Are You Out There Somewhere Caring" written by M. Anderson, C. Eatonwith special assistance from Ed Green & Morris JenningsSpecial thanks to the late Terry Bashman and Peter Trunk, for making some of our music.Produced by Eaton's Prod. Inc. (E.P.I.)Recorded 15 Jul 1974 at Chess Recording StudioMixed Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, PAP.S. My music and business idols are Maurice White "Mr. Earth Wind and Fire" Herbie Hancock "Mr. Jazz/Rock and Mr. Stevie Wonder.

The glorious Athens of the North label will always be one of our favourites. It is pretty much buy on sight for lovers of soul, funk and disco and this month it is serving up two more unmissable long players. Here it is Ike and The Uptights and their superb sounds which make, what me might bravely, say, could be one of this always high class label's finest releases. Formed by Henry Bradley in Forrest City, The Uptights recorded for Memphis label Action Records and here we get a perfect window into their world of raw and guttural funk.

First records from iconic Venezuelan Daniel Grau in 30 years with Synth Wave influences, electro & Smooth Jazz Daniel Grau Sosa is a venezuelan recording engineer, producer, composer and arranger born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1948. As a multi-instrumentalist musician he showed his talent on guitar, bass, synthesizers, keyboards and programming from the very beginning. His first record Dejando volar el pensamiento (1974) establishes a unique fusion of styles which will be evolving to get his personal sound throughout his entire career. Pop-rock, disco, instrumental folk, jazz and funk are pivotal genres in all of his records from 1974 to 1984: Dejando Volar El Pensamiento (London/Palacio, 1974), La Orquesta De Daniel Grau (London/Palacio, 1976), El Sonido Mágico De Daniel Grau (London/Palacio, 1978), Disco Fantasy (London/Palacio, 1979) Kryptonita Líquida (London/Palacio, 1979), El León Bailarín (London/Palacio, 1980), ¿Por Qué No Podemos Hacerlo? London/Palacio 1981 Canción Del Amanecer London/Palacio 1982 440 Torker Vol. 9 (Palacio 1984), You Are In My Dreams (Lyric, 1994), The Magic Sound of Daniel Grau (Compilation, Sonar Kollektiv 2014). Every record was made in his own studio and self-promoted. From mid ‘00s, Grau’s work has been rediscovered by music lovers around the globe, and his work is finally getting the kind of appreciation he deserved. Though his own musical project has been apparently silent from 1984 (with the exception of a 1994 forgotten jazz album), he never fully stopped working behind the scenes, as a sound engineer, continued working with local artists like Vytas Brenner, Aditus, Hernán Gamboa, Serenata Guayanesa, La Misma Gente, Trino Mora, Trío Raúl Borges, Victor Castillo, Andy Durán, Fucho Aparicio, Rudy Márquez, and many others. In 2014, due to the growing popularity in his classic records, the German label Sonar Kollektiv, released a double LP: The Magic Sound of Daniel Grau (2014) with many of his iconic songs.