afrobeat
Album Review: Àbáse –‘Awakening’: Stunning spiritual jazz and beyond from the prolific producer/instrumentalist.
It doesn’t seem that long since Hungarian keyboarding producer whizz Szabolcs Bognár was premiering his ambitious Àbáse project with the extensive, celebratory ‘Laroyê’. Released at the end of 2021, it was assembled from jams recorded in collaborators’ lounges and apartments during a lengthy musical sabbatical in Brazil. Stoked with Bognár’s unflappable positivity, ‘Laroyê’ somehow came …
Album Review: TC & The Groove Family – ‘We Have Each Other’ : UK Nu-jazz collective forge ahead with a powerful, passionate EP.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from TC & The Groove Family but you can’t keep a good collective down. Led by drummer Tim Cook (TC) and based around players who originally crossed paths in Leeds, the band’s 2022 debut ‘First Home’ (reviewed in BSM HERE ) made a sizeable dent in the listening …
Track/Video: Groove conscious, Ethio-jazz fusionists Sandman Project step forward to announce debut album ‘Where Did You Go?’
Tel Aviv based, global grooving combo Sandman Project are spot-on calling their new album (due June 7th via the irrepressible Batov Records) ‘Where Did You Go?’ It’s been six years since they whipped up the outer-national dance floors and airwaves with their ethio-jazz meets Habibi funk mega-EP ‘Royal Family’. DJ Kobayashi, Gideon Coe, Laurent Garnier …
Track/Video: Producer/composer Àbáse previews his re-energised new album ‘Awakening’ with the elevating afro-funk of ‘Menidaso (My Hope)’.
Hungarian keyboardist and producer Szabolcs Bognár aka Àbáse has been on the ‘one to watch’ list for a while now. A cornerstone in the Budapest nu-jazz/ afro-beat scene as a band leader, his first solo album, ‘Laroyê‘ in 2021 turned muso heads in his direction with its seamless weave of soulful beats, West African vibes …
Track/Video: Jazz/afrobeat fusionists TC & The Groove Family announce new EP with the dynamic ‘Stand Strong’.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from TC & The Groove Family but you can’t keep a good collective down. Led by drummer Tim Cook (TC) and based around players who originally crossed paths in Leeds, the band’s 2022 debut ‘First Home’ (reviewed in BSM HERE) made a sizeable dent in the listening schedules. …
Album Review : Huw Marc Bennett – Days Like Now : Folktronica, funk and global beats make inspired new connections
Welsh producer and bassist Huw Marc Bennett is one of those orbital artists who washes up on your essential listening zones with a tidal regularity. A global beats innovator and world music synergist, his inspired 2016 album ‘Kiera’ under the guise of Susso emerged from his trip through Gambia making music with Mandinka griot families. …
Album Review : Dele Sosimi and The Estuary 21 – ‘The Confluence’ : The afrobeat alumni returns to guide and groove.
Touchstone afrobeat musician Dele Sosimi teaming up with long standing indie songsmith Sam Duckworth (aka Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly) sounds like a longshot but that’s what’s happened. Sosimi’s new mini album ‘The Confluence’ is on the shelves via Wah Wah 45s and yes Duckworth is on production duties. Except this is no quirky experiment, …
News/Tracks : Afrobeat alumni Dele Sosimi announces new album ‘The Confluence’ with a mighty double single shake down.
You wouldn’t bet on some collaborations happening. So having a touchstone afrobeat musician and band leader Dele Sosimi team up with long standing indie songsmith Sam Duckworth (aka Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly) sounds almost like one of those longshots. Except now comes news of Sosimi’s next album ‘The Confluence’ coming to the shelves via …
News: 50th Anniversary Of Fela Kuti’s ‘Shakara’ To Be Reissued, Out Friday (13.01.2023) – Ezra Collective share their reinterpretation of the album’s ‘Lady’
With the 50th Anniversary reissue of Fela Kuti‘s seminal Shakara landing this Friday, Jan 13th, on Partisan Records, Ezra Collective share their reinterpretation of the album’s a-side ‘Lady‘ – an Afrobeat maelstrom that comes off the back of Ezra Collective’s acclaimed new album, Where I’m Meant To Be, which landed back in November via Partisan. Listen to Ezra Collective’s take on ‘Lady’ here: https://youtu.be/8Fg_5dME-go …
Track/Video: Direct from Benin, Star Feminine Band beam out more authentic teen pop with new single ‘Le Mariage Forcé’ and soon come album ‘In Paris’.
If you didn’t catch onto the joyous West African pop of Star Feminine Band when their self-titled debut burst onto the scene a couple of years ago, then you really missed something. The all-girl, teenage group from Natitingou village Benin, make music forged in friendship, sparkling with youthful energy and powered by commitment. Delivering upbeat …