Conch Records

Date

July 09 2012

Written By

1

Comments

0 Comments

UPCOMING: Various - Spiritual Jazz Vol.3 2LP (JAZZMAN)

Written By 1 - July 09 2012

Due out this month on CD & 2LP, to pre-order please contact us at info@conch.co.nz

'Esoteric, modal and deep jazz from the European undergound, 1963-72' At the end of the '50s, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue heralded the revelatory arrival of modal jazz. As the vibrations of these giant steps resonated across the world, European jazz musicians reassessed their bearings and began to steer a new course. Across the continent they sent roots down into the rich soil of the European folk and Christian liturgical traditions, extended their music along ancient routes of communication and trade to the Middle East, and reached across the crumbling ramparts of the European empires to the music of Asia Africa and Latin America. The music collected here follows the richly tangled threads of meditative, modal and religious European jazz. Picking up where Spiritual Jazz 2: Europe left off, with volume 3 continuing our excavation of private releases, underrepresented artists and visionary one-offs that stud the European jazz landscape like standing stones. Just as it had waxed, so the cult of American jazz waned, and these recordings are the compelling documents of a musical world in imaginative transition and virtuoso transformation - a second trail of determined footprints on the pathways of European jazz. THE MUSIC Sublime choral jazz in an ecclesiastical setting, revolutionary sounds deep within the USSR, radical modal experiments inspired by excursions to the Asian continent and Latin America, advances in rhythm and sound where modern jazz combines with Balkan and Scandinavian folk traditions. This is Spiritual Jazz - European style. " All tracks fully licensed and digitally restored from the original master tapes " Comprehensive liner notes with individual notes on each track and original stories direct from the artist " 16 page colour CD booklet with in-depth liner notes, album cover scans and previously unpublished photographs " Most tracks never before reissued - previously only available on rare LPs that change hands for hundreds of dollars. " Deluxe double vinyl pressing with thick, glossy double gatefold sleeve " Only on Jazzman - all because WE DIG DEEPER! Tracklist with sound clips: A1 Jef Gilson - Untitled A2 Hermann - Gehlen Kyrie A3 Palle Mikkelborg - Mongolia A4 Michel Roques - Le Temps A5 Babs Robert - Pro Forma I B1 That's Why - Udoyeleg B2 Binder Quintet - Vasvirág B3 Crescendo Quintet Variations on the Azerbajian Mugam 'Chargiakh' B4 Dusko Goykovic - Macedonian Fertility Dance B5 Albert Mangelsdorff - Sakura Waltz C1 Yoki Freund - Aisha C2 Jan Allan - Odins Oga C3 Dennis Wiley - Barrio Chino C4 Full Moon Ensemble - Samba Miaou D1 Louis Xavier - Suite D2 Antithesis Haze's - Dance

Date

June 13 2012

Written By

1

Comments

0 Comments

Salah Ragab - Unreleased Egyptian Jazz 2x7" (JAZZMAN)

Written By 1 - June 13 2012

Available Here on 2 x 7"

Comes packaged within a hand-printed pyramid shaped box

Unreleased Egyptian Jazz: 2x45s set in a Unique Hand-Printed Fold-Open Pyramid! Four sides of previously-unreleased ethnic mythic mystic jazz from the legendary Egyptian drummer! Before the re-release of his album with the Cairo Jazz Band recently, the name Salah Ragab was best known to jazz fans and record collectors by way of another LP that was recorded with Sun Ra in the early ‘70s. His album ‘Prism Music Unit’ with the Cairo Jazz Band was released in Egypt with another by the Cairo Free Jazz Ensemble, but perhaps only Salah himself knew of the other songs he had recorded at the time, but didn’t make it onto these LPs. The tapes lurking for decades in an old trunk, it’s taken until now for them to see the light of day, and we present them here as four amazing pieces of Egyptian jazz on 2 seven inch singles. Entombed within a hand-printed, hand-made pyramid shaped box, this is the first time in 40 years that these recordings will have come to light. Ladies and Gentlemen, behold the splendor that is Salah Ragab and the Cairo Jazz Band!

TRACKLIST & SOUNDCLIPS: A1 - Black Butterfly A2 – Kahn El-Khaleely B1 – Latino in Cairo B2 – The Egyptian March SOUNDS LIKE: Mulatu Astatke Ethiopiques Sun Ra Phil Cohran Spiritual Jazz

Date

March 09 2012

Written By

1

Comments

0 Comments

UPCOMING: Owen Marshall - The Naked Truth (JAZZMAN)

Written By 1 - March 09 2012

Due out April 2012 on CD & LP+7", to pre-order please contact us at info@conch.co.nz

Every once in a while, a record presents itself so defiant in its refusal of categorisation that it becomes the bane of those poor vinyl archaeologists whose business it is to file and classify. The aptly named ‘The Naked Truth’ is one such artifact, a wayfaring stray of an album that weaves its insouciant magic through the edgelands of sound. The musical provenance is palpable - an electric blend of spiritual jazz, rhythmic black psychedelia and far-out exotica - but where it’s headed remains a mystery, echoing shapes so strange that they fit no musical crevice. This is an album whose grooves are slow and deep, with a languid, balmy, and irresistibly pensive aura. It’s moody: cosmic abstractions ooze from every sweet inflection, lulling arpeggios lose themselves in a haze of forgetfulness.

The late Owen Marshall and his band run wild over this record, and their experiments with sound are compelling, occasionally bizarre, and chock full of strange paradoxes. So much of what can be heard here is playful, free, imbued with a sense of wonder and pure joy usually ascribed to that most natural genius of the imagination – the child. And yet there is a knowingness at work here - a certain subdued polish tempering these otherwise passionate excursions. The full force of this can be seen in Marshall's use of instruments, among the saxophone, the synth, the percussion, and the electric piano, you will hear the 'Hose-a-phone', the 'Tube-phone', 'Ply-tar', and 'Boonet'. These are instruments that Owen built himself - in order, he said, to enable him to 'tap the very depths of his creative resources...to make music fun to play, and entertaining to listen to'. This is a private press album that begs to be public. ‘The Naked Truth’ is an album that wants to be listened to, it wants to be heard and take your hand and lead you far, far away – it wants to wander with you deep into the woods of imagination, just as Owen himself must have done all those years ago. · All tracks fully licensed and digitally restored from the original master tapes · Original liner notes written with the assistance of the Marshall family · BONUS 7” Jazzman single included with the LP · Extremely rare private press spaced-out spiritual jazz funk LP that changes hands for well over $1000! · Vinyl LP with bonus JM.089 7” record inside 1000 numbered copies ‘A great deal of creative energy has gone into the making of this LP. Which somehow illustrates what a very wise one once said, “If you want anything done right, do it yourself” and that is “THE NAKED TRUTH”.’ – Owen Marshall, 1975

Track List & Sound Clips:

A1 Electric Flower 4:47
A2 Nana's Sleeping 3:53
A3 Peanut Butter Ice Cream Man 3:39
A4 Planet Funk 2:46
B1 Paper Man 4:04
B2 Winter Butterfly 5:46
B3 Casa Del Soul 3:39
B4 Ancient Astronauts 3:05
 

Date

February 10 2012

Written By

1

Comments

0 Comments

Various - Spiritual Jazz Vol. 2 2LP (JAZZMAN)

Written By 1 - February 10 2012

 

Available Here on 2LP

  Tracklist & Sound Clips:

Esoteric, modal and deep jazz from the European undergound, 1960-78' ... As the '60s progressed, cultural and political revolutions occurred both in the US and in Europe. Jazz was both a victim and a saviour, with radical developments in the music occurring in both continents. In the US, artists took control of their own musical destiny as small labels broke away from the mainstream, expressing new and creative visions of freedom and peace against a backdrop of civil unrest, repression and war. Be sure to check the first volume of this series, Spiritual Jazz (JMANCD020). In 60s Europe the jazz community forged ahead with a different revolution, that of breaking away from mere emulation of their American counterparts. A distinctive, European jazz sound began to develop that combined traditional music from across Europe and around the world with the creative freedom so abundant in American jazz. Over time the most forward-thinking creative talents of the post-Coltrane European jazz generation crafted and nurtured sophisticated and multi-faceted styles of jazz that were as radical as they were beautiful, giving modern jazz a characteristically European flavour. THE MUSIC A heady mix indeed, stirring jazz overtures with orchestra and choir, festival performances recorded live from the grassy heartlands of central Europe, modal montages inspired by pilgrimages to Asia and Africa, experiments in rhythm and sound where modern jazz meets traditional Balkan and Flamenco folk music. This is Spiritual Jazz - European style. We dedicate this album to Michael Garrick, who died shortly before its release. His contribution to UK jazz was profound, and we're proud to include one of his previously-unreleased tracks. > All tracks fully licensed and digitally restored from the original master tapes > Comprehensive liner notes with individual notes on each track with original stories direct from the musicians and artists > 16 page colour CD booklet with in-depth liner notes, album cover scans and previously unpublished photographs > Most tracks never before reissued ¡V previously only available on rare LP's that change hands for hundreds of dollars. > 180g double vinyl pressing with thick, glossy double gatefold sleeve and colour inserts > RARE and FINE music heard

Date

January 03 2012

Written By

1

Comments

0 Comments

V/A - Jukebox Jam (JAZZMAN)

Written By 1 - January 03 2012

Available here on CD, here on 2LP

Blues boppers! Jukebox faves! Rompin’ stompin’ RnB dancers! A whole double LP worth of raucous, rollicking’ rambunctious ’50s/’60s RnB bangers! Track List  & Sound Clips:
1. Rose Mitchell – Baby Please Don’t Go 2-24 2. Mr. Sad Head – Hot Weather Blues 2-48 3. Big Maybelle – I’ve Got A Feeling 2-58 4. Bunker Hill – You Can’t Make Me Doubt… 2-15 5. Jay Swan – You Don’t Love Me 2-45 6. Jack tucker – Crazy Do 2-18 7. Little Arthur Matthews – I’m Gonna Whale… 2-09 8. Etta James – Nobody Loves You Like Me 2-27 9. Ervin Rucker – Baby You Were Meant For Me 2-04 10. Frances Burr – I Say No, No More 2-27
11. Mike Robinson – Lula 2-22 12. Big Tiny Kennedy – Country Boy 2-21 13. Little Esther – Hound Dog 2-36 14. Roy Brown – Mr Hound Dog’s In Town 2-33 15. Otis Blackwell – Let The Daddy Hold You 2-21 16. Eunice Davis – Get Your Enjoy’s 2-36 17. Marga Benitez – Geechie Goomie 2-25 18. Vernon Dilworth – Shorty 2-23 19. Terry Timmons – Got Nobody To Love 2-41 20. Jeannie Barnes – Can’t Get You Off My Mind 2-45 21. Arthur Griswold – Pretty Mama Blues 2-16 22. Ben Harper – I Can’t Takit No Longer 2-17
The Jukebox Jam club night began in Summer 2007 as a raucous monthly celebration of authentic US Rhythm & Blues of yesteryear. Two years later, the club’s founder Liam Large linked up with Jazzman to release high-quality, short-run 7? singles of the often obscure R&B music which the club continues to thrive on. Jazzman had already carved a niche for itself with the label’s many soul, funk n’ jazz 45s, but here was the opportunity to work a new furrow in vintage Black American music, turning an already clued-up and tuned-in client base of hipsters, diggers and full-on record nerds on to the seemingly endless charms of Rockin’ Blues, Greasy R&B, Jump Blues and Popcorn. Just as the Jukebox Jam club itself saw a fair few copycat enterprises spring forward in its wake, the label itself has been similarly influential in shaping the tastes of those who were yet to be introduced to the vast R&B reservoir, as well as sharpening and widening the palette’s of the more journeyed enthusiast. This is due largely to the careful selection and programming of releases. Not merely picking the records with the most obvious crowd potential, the Jukebox Jam releases have often traded liberally in the unexpected and the unique. This album is the first full length volume in the series. Founder and DJ Liam Large pulls together some selections from the 45 series and adds a further 8 songs. It’s a set which manages to be both diverse and yet totally coherent in spectrum. There are a few sombre, downbeat moments here, but even these come with a seductive groove and finger-snapping back beat and overall this is a selection very much geared, like the club itself, to get your pulse rising and feet jumping. ” 22 songs on a double LP/single CD ” CD with extensive original liner notes ” LP with fold-out booklet inside AND a free A3 size colour Jukebox Jam poster! ” Never-before-seen pictures, photos and images ” RARE and FINE music heard only on Jazzman – all because WE DIG DEEPER!

Recent Articles

Tags