Head And Neck Sessions – Far/Light Of Day (Dancing Turtle) UK 7”
After creating positive ripples with their debut single ‘Twelve Twelve/Flowes’ Head And Neck Sessions return with another two superb ambient jazz-tronica outings. Jazz vocalist Becki Biggins features on the waltz ‘Far’ whilst Russell Morgan adds his bluesy rasp to the sublime ‘Light Of Day’ With a full length album due later this year this young trio are set for big things.

www.myspace.com/headandneck
www.myspace.com/dancingturtlerecords
www.dancingturtle.co.uk

Daco – Jus’Listen Recordings EP5 (Jus’Listen Recordings) Download
Dave Connally AKA Daco was the main man behind LTA (Love The Action) who delivered the excellent ‘Morphine EP’ on Phuture Lounge a few years back and his latest project for Jonny Miller’s download only label Jus’Listen is equally impressive. Four killer boogie bouncers is what we have here! ‘Electri-ciety’ is an infectious cut which leans towards the electro-house sound whereas Jonny’s remix takes it into broken-beat territory. There’s more broken-boogie with ‘The Way It Goes’, a gorgeous instrumental complete with strings and jazzy keys and if that wasn’t enough there’s also the immaculate 80’s influenced groove ‘Keep Callin’’ featuring vocalist Sarah Howard. You need this, trust me!  

  
www.myspace.com/dacosounds
www.myspace.com/juslistenrecordings
www.jus.ithinkmusic.com

Various – Blue Note Street Part. 1 & 2 (Blue Note) Japanese 12”s
Across these two separate limited edition 12”s classic Blue Note material gets reinterpreted by some of Japan’s leading jazz artists such as Jazztronik, DJ Kawasaki and Sunaga T Experience. The highlights though are a brilliant version of Moacir Santos’s ‘Off And On’ by Kyoto Jazz Massive with Bembe Segue on vocals plus ‘Me N U’, a reworking of Wayne Shorter’s ‘Oriental Folk Song’ by Robert Clasper Experiment. Both of which are found on Part 1. On Part 2 there’s Takeshi Nakatsuku’s take on Art Blakey’s ‘Moanin’’, McCoy Tyner’s ‘Mode For John’ by the irrepressible Soil & “Pimp” Sessions and an outstanding vocal performance from Jose James on Toshio Matsuura Group’s funky version of ‘Night In Tunisia’.

Atjazz – Full Circle (Mantis) UK CD
Martin Iveson AKA Atjazz has always been right on point with his productions and ‘Full Circle’ is no different. Released on his own Mantis label it combines elements of deep house, broken-beat and digital soul and features a variety of guest vocalists including Robert Owens and Ernesto. There’s also Vancouver’s finest Amalia who graces the head-nodder ‘One’, Mr J of Phuturistix who appears on ‘Together’, Dawne B on the techy ‘Parralels’, Clara Hill on the bass heavy groove ‘Before’ and Sarah Jane Morris who fronts the feel-good vibe of ‘Fantasy’, all of which are nothing short of brilliant. Do not miss this one!  

www.myspace.com/atjazz
www.atjazz.co.uk
www.myspace.com/mantisrecordings
www.mantisrecordings.com

Robert Owens – Night-time Stories (Compost) German CD
Since the early days of house music Robert Owens has been an ever present force and his distinctive vocals have graced some of the genre’s most defining moments. His latest full length project is packed with deep house delights and features quality productions from the likes of Jimpster (‘Inside My World’), Simbad (‘New World’), Wahoo (‘Happy’) and Atjazz (‘Now I Know’). Quite simply, house music doesn’t get any better than this!

www.myspace.com/robertjowens
www.myspace.com/compostrecords
www.compost-rec.com

The Super-Phonics – Interstellar (Freestyle) UK CD
The cream of the UK’s soul and funk musicians, most notably Snowboy, Jean Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick and Jan Kincaid and Simon Bartholomew of The Brand New Heavies, have joined forces to create The Super-Phonics. ‘Interstellar’ opens with the appropriately titled ‘P.A.R.T.Y’ which perfectly sums up this set of feel-good disco/boogie cuts. There’s really not a bad track throughout but pay special attention to the Chic influenced ‘Dial L For Love’, ‘Better Try And See’ and a great version of Linda Williams’ classic ‘Elevate Our Minds’. If you like Joey Negro’s The Sunburst Band then this is for you. 

www.myspace.com/thesuperphonics
www.myspace.com/freestylerecordsuk
www.freestylerecords.co.uk

Brownout – Homenaje (Freestyle) CD
‘Homenaje’ is the debut album from the Austin, Texas based eight piece band Brownout. Their sound is most definitely rooted in funk but with plenty of Latin and Afro-beat influences thrown in for good measure. The majority of the tracks here are aimed directly at the dance-floor but my personal favourites are the mellower cuts particularly the string laced psychedelic soul of ‘Brown Wind And Fire’.

www.myspace.com/brownoutmusic
www.myspace.com/freestylerecordsuk
www.freestylerecords.co.uk

Various – Neu Jazz (Sonar Kollektiv) German CD
To pinpoint the essence of any musical genre is always difficult and in the case of nu jazz it’s pointless even trying when Jazzanova have done it so well on this compilation. ‘Neu Jazz’ includes some of the best tracks of recent times from some of the scene’s leading players such as Dalindeo’s ‘Solifer Lento’, ‘Wind’ from Sleep Walker featuring Yukimi Nagano, Soulstance’s ‘Lead The Way’, ‘Carrousel’ by Hipnosis and ‘Last Nine Days’ from Quasimode. There’s also some tasty exclusives in the shape of ‘Queen Of Crows’ from the forthcoming Two Banks Of Four album and Jazzanova’s own ‘That Night’ featuring Bembe Segue, which is a new version of a track they originally recorded with Vikter Duplaix and later with Clara Hill on their Belle Et Fou project. Plus there’s ‘Simple Timeless’ by Fertile Ground which I was unfamiliar with but is apparently from a Chico Hamilton tribute compilation.    

   
www.myspace.com/sonarkollektiv
www.sonarkollektiv.com