HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2008

Happy New Year to one and all.



Dance The Latin Funk (3x7 Inch)

Disc one: A: Tito Puente – Hit the Bongo B: Tito Puente – Black Brothers Disc two: A: Mongo Santamaria - Mambomongo B: Latinaires – Camel Walk Disc three: A: Al Escobar – Tighten Up B: Chollo Rivera – I’ve got the Feeling Our third excursion into the deep catalogue of world-renowned Latin labels Fania and Tico focuses on the sounds of heavy funk – with a touch of Latin! A selection of classics and rarities that have worked their timeless magic on dancefloors the world over for thirty or more years – all presented in a special package including informative liner notes and cover scans! The 3 record box set contains the two heaviest funk tracks from the master Tito Puente – ‘Hit the Bongo’ and ‘Black Brothers’, both on one loud pressed 45, plus rare JB covers from Al Escobar and Chollo Rivera, as well as mighty Mongo Santamaria’s ‘Mambomongo’ and the rare ‘Camel Walk’ from the Latinaires – all adding up to one bangin’ Latin funk party! (Jazzman Website)


Jungle Struttin 7 Inch

Prior to the release of their forthcoming debut album, The Lions drop a limited-edition 7” single that features the album title track “Jungle Struttin’” and a dub version of “Ethio-Steppers” that’s 100% exclusive to this 7” release only. “Jungle Struttin’” is a dj-friendly, dusty, Jamaican-funk joint in the vein of Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, and the flipside is a bass-heavy dub in the vein of Scientist or King Tubby but with an added Eastern/African/Ethiopique twist.
The Lions is a unique Jamaican-inspired outfit, the result of an impromptu recording session by members of Breakestra, Connie Price and the Keystones, Rhythm Roots All-Stars, Orgone, Sound Directions, Plant Life, Poetics and Macy Gray (to name a few). Gathering at Orgone's Killion Studios, in Los Angeles during the Fall of 2006, they created grooves that went beyond the Reggae spectrum by combining new and traditional rhythms, and dub mixing mastery with the global sounds of Ethiopia, Colombia and Africa. The Lions also added a healthy dose of American-style soul, jazz, and funk to create an album that’s both a nod to the funky exploits of reggae acts like Byron Lee and the Dragonaires and Boris Gardner, and a mash of contemporary sound stylings.The Lions are an example of the ever-growing musical family found in Los Angeles. There is a heavyweight positive-vibe to be found in the expansive, sometimes artificial, Hollywood-flavored land of Los Angeles. Many of the members of the Lions met through the LA staple rare groove outfit Breakestra and have played in many projects together over the past decade. It was through discussions about The Lions taking place between band conductor Todd Simon and Ubiquity that recent releases by Orgone and Connie Price came to be. (Ubiquity Records).


Earth Blossom LP


A beautiful session of spiritual soul jazz -- and one of the rarer albums on the legendary Strata East label! The obscure combo is led by drummer/percussionist John Betsch -- and instrumentation includes guitar, piano, electric piano, and reeds -- all used with plenty of warm touches, and a few sharp edges -- all very much in the best Strata East mode of the time! The tracks have a soaring sort of sound -- similar to some of the Keno Duke material on the label, but also touched with some trippier edges too -- a great blend that really brings a lot of depth to the session, and which has made this one of our favorite Strata sides over the years. Titles include "Song For An Untitled Lady", "Ra", "Get Up & Go", and "Ode To Ethiopia". (Dustygroove)



Ode To Ethipoia 7 Inch

To coincide with a wonderful re-issue of the legendary album, Earth Blossom, Heavenly Sweetness present this 7" that features the stunning 'Ode To Ethiopia' with a Carlos Nino (Build An Ark) remix on the filp! (Rush Hour).












Blue Note Street (Part 1) 12 Inch.

Blue Note classics, replayed here by some of the best artists on the Japanese groove scene -- including some of the key club jazz combos who've been inspired by the older work on the label! The collection is really wonderful -- proof that the Blue Note groove is not only alive and well into the 21st Century, but also has plenty of room for new interpretation and new modes of jazz expression! Some of the tracks here feature electronics, beats, and dancefloor production -- but just as many sparkle with the kind of spontaneous, acoustic instrumentation that Blue Note gave the world back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Part 1 of the vinyl version features 5 tracks that include "Maiden Voyage" by DJ Kawasaki, "Street Walkin Woman" by Jazztronik, "Oriental Folk Song Rework" by Robert Glasper Experiment, "Off & On" by Kyoto Jazz Massive, and "Avila & Tequila" by Sunaga T Experience, (Dustygroove website).

Blue Note Street (Part 2) 12 Inch

Blue Note classics, replayed here by some of the best artists on the Japanese groove scene -- including some of the key club jazz combos who've been inspired by the older work on the label! The collection is really wonderful -- proof that the Blue Note groove is not only alive and well into the 21st Century, but also has plenty of room for new interpretation and new modes of jazz expression! Some of the tracks here feature electronics, beats, and dancefloor production -- but just as many sparkle with the kind of spontaneous, acoustic instrumentation that Blue Note gave the world back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Part 2 of the vinyl version features 6 tracks that include "Afrodisia" by Muro, "Moanin" by Takeshi Nakasuka, "Mode To John" by Soil & Pimp Sessions, "A Night In Tunisia" by Toshio Matsuura Group, "Don't Know Why" by DJ Kaori, and "Cleopatra's Dream" by Home Grown

For those who are interested....check this MP3 being offered free from Tru Thoughts.....


LINK: Me&You - Sneaker Thief (Hint Remix)

TM Juke (solo artist and producer & co-writer of Alice Russell) and Robert Luis (A&R and Co-Owner of Tru-Thoughts) are the joint force which is me&you, a multifaceted musical outfit producing a wide range of stomping dance floor breaks.
The duo first collaborated in 2005 to write a one-off track for their DJ sets, then in the summer of 2006 they were invited to play at Bestival and recorded a couple of extra tracks especially for the gig. After an astounding reaction from the crowd they were inundated with enquiries through MySpace and the Tru Thoughts website so decided to record a full-length album together. The unique, encapsulating mix of me&you sounds will instantly entice you into a head-nodding, toe tapping dance floor stomping trance and deliver you on a journey through an eclectic spectrum of influences from break beat, soul, jazz, dub step, broken beat, reggae, disco to drum and bass. (Tru Thoughts Blurb).