The Stance Brothers
Resolution Blue / Where Is Resolution Blue?

Allegedly Coltrane’s favourite singer, Andy Bey recorded as vocalist for Max Roach (“Members, don’t git weary”), Horace Silver (“Won’t you open up your senses”), Gary Bartz (“Celestial blues”) and Stanley Clarke in the late sixties/early seventies, released one solo album, and then disappeared from view for over 20 years. "Shades of Bey" (originally released in 1998) showcases his four-octave range, the intimacy of love songs and raw power of the blues on a mixture of standards (“Pretty girl”, “Some other time”), Latin (“O cantador”, “Drume negrita”), modern (Nick Drake’s “River man”), and a couple of original tunes. Available for the first time on vinyl, it features Andy on vocals and on piano, and appearances from Gary Bartz and Geri AllenAndy Bey's bass-baritone voice has aged over the last thirty-odd years, but it's aged well; he now sings in a husky drawl that sounds all the more warm and intimate for being a bit ragged around the edges. When he goes into falsetto, as on "Midnight Blue," athe sound is so dark that you don't recognize it as falsetto at first. This album peaks early on with "Like a Lover," a wistful love song with only the gentlest, sparest guitar accompaniment. But there are many other beautiful moments, the best of which always come on the slow numbers: the Billy Strayhorn classic "Pretty Girl," on which Bey sounds like Billy Eckstine with a weathered patina to his voice, and the surprising Nick Drake cover, the moody and intense "River Man." His vocal version of Thelonious Monk's "Straight, No Chaser" is fun, but it tends to expose the limitations of his range; however, he makes the uptempo "Believin' It" work beautifully -- Geri Allen's edgy, modernist piano contrasts nicely with Bey's effusive, bop-inflected delivery. (allmusic)

BLACK FLOWERFuture FloraSdban Ultra Belgium

Denmark's premier Afro-Jazz outlet The KutiMangoes have pressed their first ever 7" including 2014s 'Fire', the intro track to their debut album 'Afro-Fire', and 2019s 'Money Is The Curse' from their 3rd album 'Afrotropism' in a brand new mix just for this 45 rpm disc. With similar, grand brass riffs both of the six-piece's tracks are just a small window into a bold catalogue of afro-jazz and swing, with 'Money Is The Curse's quick-fingered brass section sounding almost like a distorted electronic beat - they are just playing *that* fast. An incredible double-single, with uplifting Afro-futurist sounds as a stage for the brass and keyboard to really shine. On 'Fire', the vocal stylings of Patrick Kabre give the track an uplifting dancehall vibe that is guaranteed to plaster a smile across your face. It's pure fun, and is an incredible gateway to what The KutiMangoes, and afro-jazz as a whole, have to offer.

While he was working on the repertoire for the new version of his group Malagasy, with young Malagasy musicians he had met in Paris in 1972 (and who can be heard on the album "Malagasy At Newport-Paris"), Jef Gilson realised that two of his new discoveries, in addition to being established polyinstrumentalists (who both had sharpened their skills in the legendary seja-jazz band from La Réunion, Le Club Rythmique), were also skilled composers. They were capable of reinventing jazz and traditional Malagasy music, adding influences from the new generation inspired by pop, rock and funk into the mix. He offered them the chance to share the two sides of an album recorded on his own label, Palm, alongside their compatriots. Ange "Zizi" Japhet, Gérard Rakotoarivony and Frank Raholison.This is how Del Rabenja and Sylvin Marc came to record this "Madagascar Now / Maintenant 'Zao". The first side really showcases the valiha (a small Malagasy harp) of Del Rabenja who uses the occasion to pay homage to the sadly missed Rakotozafy, often called the Django Reinhardt of the instrument. His three compositions are full of spirituality and invite an almost trance-like state. But Rabenja is equally a very good tenor saxophonist and organist on the other tracks. The other side displays the full range of talents of the multi-instrumentalist and composer Sylvin Marc, who moves from bass to drums, from vocals to percussion and offers four compositions ranging from free jazz to cosmic groove.At the same period the five men could also be found amongst the cast list of the mythical albums, "Funny Funky Rib Crib" by Byard Lancaster and "Soul Of Africa" by Hal Singer & Jef Gilson. Later, Sylvin Marc would play bass for Nina Simone on her album "Fodder On My Wings" in 1982, then join the team of violinist Didier Lockwood, while Del Rabenja would be part of Manu Dibango’s and Eddy Louiss’ orchestras for a long time and would even be at the front of the top 50 at the end of the 80s with David Koven. He would also be the special guest of the Palm Unit trio (Fred Escoffier, Lionel Martin, Philippe "Pipon" Garcia) on their first album, an homage to the œuvre of Jef Gilson, in 2018.Jérôme "Kalcha" Simonneau

Beauty !