Various Artists
Rumba Jazz - A History Of Latin Jazz And Dance Music From The Swing Era 1919-1945
(Pre-war American jazz)

DOUBLE CD PRICE: £8.50

Africa and Latin America together have moulded American popular music since the beginning of the twentieth century. African influences have led to the development of jazz, gospel and blues while successive waves of dance music from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Jamaica have largely determined its rhythm. Broadway stage, Hollywood film, New York Tin Pan Alley and even country music have all been affected to a greater or lesser degree.

Dance forms and musical stylings such as habanera, bolero, tango, rumba, conga, samba, baion, calypso, mambo, charleston, cha-cha-cha, bossa nova and twist all have their origins outside the USA. This compilation aims to demonstrate just how far back the roots of Latin jazz stretch, well beyond the partnership that Dizzy Gillespie forged with Chano Pozo in founding cubop, the post-war marriage of bebop with Cuban music.

The repetitive riff making over a groove so beloved of 60’s and 70’s jazz and rock musicians springs not from the blues but from Latin song-form and its montunos. Note the similarity between Machito’s Freezelandia and the Beatles’ Day Tripper and between Deep Purple’s Smoke On The Water and Ary Barroso’s Baia (track 19 disc 1).

The Brazilian samba began to make its presence felt during the late 1930’s. It is the spring in the beat and the almost imperceptible skip at the end of each measure that differentiate it from Cuban rhythms. But of all Latin rhythms, none had such an all-pervasive influence as the rumba. Its journey from the Middle East through North Africa and Spain to the New World brought it into American dance halls in the thirties. The syncopated, rhythmic riffs of bandleaders such as Xavier Cugat helped to liberate dancers from stuffy foxtrots and waltzes, opening up an altogether more sensual world of excitement and exoticism.

In post-war popular music, rumba is everywhere, from Elvis’ Hound Dog to the Clash’s Rock The Casbah. Thanks to Bo Diddley, its 3-2 clave rhythm became an integral part of American music and continues to cast its spell over current day sounds.

An illustrated 32-page booklet includes detailed sleeve notes with track-by-track commentary on each song.

Helios Quinquis Quintet (FRANCE)
Eastern Dub
(Jazz / Gypsy Swing)

CD PRICE: £10.99

Helios Quinquis is a composer with multiple horizons, influenced by his musical encounters and travel ... It creates both a musical climate that festive music. Balkan Jazz music, or indeed could be said to summarize, colorful gypsy swing, funk, folk music, you realize that listening to a real universe is upheld by this quintet. Each player will also incorporate its history with his improvisations and his tones that blend the electric and acoustic, strength and softness. It is ultimately a journey that offers the group a trip tinged with realism to the next world music repertoire and a journey of imagination, dreams and originality ...'

Jennifer Leonhardt (USA)
Gods & Nations
(Folk/Blues/Americana)

CD PRICE: £9.99 Special Offer - Now only £7.99

Recorded in NYC and Seattle with producers Marc Copely and Matt Brown, gods & nations is a blend of alt- ambient rock with old-timey jazz, folk and blues elements, and influences from a cross-section of artists like 70s rock and soul artists Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder and the Rolling Stones to Bjork and Edie Brickell.

Groovy Eyes (FINLAND)
Tuberadio Broadcast
(Swing/Surf/Soul/Hawiian/New Orleans!!)

CD PRICE: £9.99

Their second Tuberadio Broadcast - CD continues following the path of their unique, earthly & fearless 2-track live-recording tradition. The natural, unconditional & wide open vibrating way of making records is the only way this band ever wants to do records which was the case also of their highly worldwide acclaimed debut High Flyin´ But No Foolin´- CD.

With this CD the band has succeeded again in a very hard field that most bands only dream of. They have captured the same spontanity, energy, intensity, soulfulness and joy of life as they are serving live on stage. These 100% original tunes are worldclass in their professionalism played with immediately irresistable groovy sound and personality. The tone and feel of this band combined with brilliant songs makes it very special.

Joel Paterson (USA)
Feat. Beau Sample and Alex Hall
Steel Is Real
(western swing, blues, rockabilly, jazz)

CD PRICE: £9.99

Steel is Real! A session of western swing, blues, rockabilly, and jazz featuring the pedal steel and lap steel guitar of Joel paterson.

When Chicago’s music scene comes up in conversation, you are not likely to hear the words “steel guitar.” If Joel Paterson has his way that will all change soon. Paterson is the Windy City’s champion of the steel guitar.

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Hoedown (FINLAND)
Hoedown
(Country/Roots)

CD PRICE: £9.99

Hoedown gathers together the "royalty" of Finnish country/roots players, resulting (in addition to sell out gigs) in one of the most relaxed albums of 2007. The band includes Ninni Poijärvi, Mika Kuokkanen (Kkane) and Esa Kaartamo, all great solo artist and songwriters of their own right. The CD consists mostly of the groups original songs, with a couple of hand-picked covers.

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Eero Raittinen & The Noisy Kinda Men (FINLAND)
Woodstock
(Roots/Rocknroll)

CD PRICE: £9.99

The latest album of Eero Raittinen, a 63 year old veteran of finnish R & R, was recorded at Levon Helm´s (The Band) studio in Woodstock in mere two days. The CD includes 4 bonus tracks recorded live at Levon´s Midnight Ramble, where Eero & The Noisy Kinda Men were invited to open the show for the maestro himself. "Woodstock" has gotten rave reviews in the finnish music press.

Jim Cofey (BELGIUM)
Black Box Allegations
(Funk/Soul/Roots)

CD PRICE: £10.99

Jan Ieven (El Fish, Rhythm Junks) started Jim Cofey in June 2006. The band’s music is inspired by the New Orleans Funk of the sixties and seventies. Dr. John, The Meters, Eddy Bo, Jon Cleary, Allen Toussaint & Jimmy McGriff all appeal to the bands imagination. Jan Ieven, Steve Wauters (Last Call, Big Dave) and Patrick Cuyvers (Hideaway, Soul Spirit) first worked together during sessions with Lurrie Bell in 2005. They hit it off so well that they have been playing together ever since. Dynamite Steve is a member of Last Call, in which he is renowned for his “second-line” drum style, an essential ingredient in New Orleans music. Patrick Cuyvers has a velvety voice and a great aptitude for playing the organ; he could be the prodigal son of Jimmy Smith and Chris Rea. When Patrick joined the band, it was time for the real deal.

Speedbuggy USA (USA)
Valle De La Muerte
(Country/Americana/Roots)

CD PRICE: £9.99

Country brand, rodeo rock. Rocks harder than 8 seconds on a pissed off bull. Speedbuggy races forward as pack leader reviving American roots rock with a vintage country kick.

Speedbuggy USA is a road band bent on coalescing American roots rock with the younger generation, a sound derivative of hard times, blue-collar life and endless tours around the world. Though without turning their backs on traditional country completely.

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Tiny Tones (FINLAND)
Precious
(roots/celtic/folk)

CD PRICE: £9.99

Precious has a lot of traditional & beautiful ballads - even spirituals on it. The record has a peaceful and natural mood. It is the kind of CD that you listen to at home with dusky lights or by the fire place after a hard days work. There are 15 songs including musical rootsy spices of Latin, Celtic, Folk, Swing (our own type of "schlager punk") and "Voodoo" rhythms.