cubikmusik

ayo ayo nene

summer has arrived with this tune.
been raining and overcast the last few days here and between being that and sick wanted to post some summer music tonight but was having trouble something that blew me away to post for you.
then, through the glory of twitter stones throw threw this out and i'm jammin' away to this. goes out to a mate who has arrived home a little early which is a good thing. :)

between mayer hawthorne, dâm-funk, madvillan paper dolls (see below), and whatnot stones throw deliver yet again with this release! 'Spiritual Jazz: Esoteric, Modal + Deep Jazz From The Underground 1968-77' is a pure gem.

via flyglobalmusic (excellent post btw)
When Gilles Peterson says, “there’s tracks on this album I haven’t heard off. And I’m a collector” you know that Jazzman’s lastest compilation has some truly rare stuff on it. Better than that, it reall is the most essentiall release of the year so far; No Jive!

i also highly recommend Ohio Penitentiary 511 Jazz Ensemble's 'psych city'.

serious business i tells ya!

Download 05 Ayo Ayo Nene

buy: back to africa by mor thiam (iTunes) 'spiritual jazz' from  iTunes (jazzman records) or stones throw

madvillan! nuff said.

46 days of lent...day 8

from the amazing album, lifetime, by terry callier.
way too long since i listened to this guy and realized tonight why he became such a big hit with me. so beautiful, soulful, honest and true music.

he was a friend of curtis mayfield and disappeared into relative obscurity,  becoming a computer programmer , before being rediscovered by acid jazz records back in the 80's. "In the late 90’s Callier began his comeback to recorded music, contributing to Beth Orton’s Best Bit EP in 1997 and releasing the album Timepeace in 1998, which won the United Nations’ Time For Peace award for outstanding artistic achievement contributing to world peace. Curiously, his colleagues at the University of Chicago never learned of Callier’s life as a musician, but after the award the news his secret life as a musician became widely known and subsequently lead to his firing"

amazon (US), (UK)

And also from his website, pretty exciting news: "Terry’s new album entitled Hidden Conversations will be released in spring 2009 on Mr Bongo Records.  It will feature three tracks produced by Massive Attack."

Download 09 I Don't Want To See Myself (Wit 1

buy: iTunes,

who is this guy?

bought this print in copenhagen late last year. it now has pride of place on one of my walls. dunno what caught my eye but between the strong graphical display and the engaging gaze of the guy you are kinda drawn in.
designed by kasper eistrup with the guy apparently this cafe/recordshop's owner in copenhagen. it sure does look like him. i wish i'd known this when i was there!

tribute to gilles

great stuff from mr.peterson's space.

a great take on the original...

and from said compilation (previously posted)
moses dillard's 'tribute to wes'

buy: CD/Vinyl ubiquity (label), amazon (US), (UK)

joyful

One song that always springs to mind when thinking of all the songs that I;ve lost or misplaced over the years is by Dorothy Ashby and today I manged to go to my CDs (currently in storage) to track it down. This is so simplistically beautiful and stands out as a top twenty song for me.
I got it years ago on Andy Votel's first compilation for Fat City Recordings 'Special Brew' Series, called Finders Keepers. (I've posted one tune by Andy Votel here and in fact it stylistically reminds me of this one.)

Votel describes this tune, Dorothy Ashby's 'Joyful Grass and Grape' as such:
A beautiful eastern symphony from Chicago's seminal cadet label. The funky harpist who evidently enjoyed a drink or two brings us a stand-out track from her ultra-rare 'Rubyant of...' lp produced by the legendary Richard Evans of Rotary connection/ Marlena Shaw fame."

Download 10_joyful_grass_and_grape_1.mp3

Read more about Dorothy Ashby at npr or Wikipedia
If you think you'd like the Finders Keepers compilation you can buy it below and also check out Votel's aptly named label, Finders Keepers, bringing "psychedelic / jazz / folk / funk / avant-garde and whacked-out movie musak to a lost world of undiscovered vinyl artifacts from the annals of alternative pop history. Catering to record collectors and DJ-producers alike with a huge emphasis on sample friendly soundscapes, rocksteady back-beats and primitive electronic experimentalism. Discerning purveyors of the bizarre and abnormal should expect the Japanese choreography records, space-age Turkish protest songs, Czechoslovakian vampire soundtracks, Welsh rare-beats, bubblegum folk, drugsploitation operatics, banned British crime thrillers and celebrity Gallic Martini advert.."
buy:
finders keepers @ fat city recordings (UK) or  amazon (UK)
Rubyant of... @ dusty grooves

essentially ellington

The Austin High School Jazz Ensemble is one of 15 high school jazz groups in the nation (and the only one from Texas) selected to attend the prestigious 13th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival at Lincoln Center in New York City, May 15 - 17.  Eighty-two bands entered the competition by submitting a recorded performance of three Ellington compositions.  At the festival, the Jazz Ensemble will compete and participate in workshops and jam sessions. The 3 top-placing bands will perform with Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Wynton Marsalis, as guest soloist.

There is a benefit to raise funds to pay for the ensemble to attend the competition as it is costing in the region of $30,000 dollars. The benefit features AHS Jazz Ensemble on Tuesday, March 25, at 7:00 pm in the Austin High School Performing Arts Center (located at 1715 Cesar Chavez St.) and a donation of $10 gets you a chance to see these talented students playing some great Ellington sounds.

If you can't make it but want to support them you can go here.

Best of luck to all the bands but especially AHS!

Download 02_in_a_sentimental_mood.mp3

RIP Oscar Peterson / Merry Christmas

I just read that Oscar Peterson died of kidney failure at his home today. He was 82 years old.
A true jazz great whose influence is far reaching.

From the Oscar Peterson bio:
"Some of the artists who influenced Oscar during the early years were Teddy Williams, Nat (King) Cole, James P. Johnson and the legendary Art Tatum, who many have tried to compare Oscar to in later years. In fact, one of Oscar's first exposures to the musical talents of Art Tatum came early in his teen years when his father played an Art Tatum record to him and Oscar was so intimidated by what he heard that he didn't touch the piano for over a month.
In his last years of high school, Oscar played in a band called the Montreal High School Victory Serenaders with trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. He got permission to play the baby grand piano during the lunch hours and in his words this was "the best way to have a bunch of girls come down. I became the guy."
...when algebra couldn't banish musical arrangements, Oscar asked to drop out of high school. His father told him that he couldn't "let him leave high school to be a jazz piano player. You have to be the best, there is no second best." And so his music career began...         "

This is him playing 'So What' with Miles Davis:

On Wednesday 28th, 2007 Peterson posted on his website with the post title of 'Welcome To My New Beginning'. It looked like he was ready to rise to new challenges and explore an ever changing world.

So, to Oscar Peterson and his family I say RIP sir. Thank you for all that you brought to us.
To all regular readers- thanks for supporting me with comments, emails, etc. it is all very much appreciated.
To the artists and labels that I have gotten to know, especailly during this past year, thank you for supporting CubikMusik and for giving us such good music.
To the blogs and sites out there that link to CubikMusik-thank you for doing so, without so many of you I'd be hard pressed to have many people dropping by.
To new readers-welcome to CubikMusik. I hope you enjoy what you find here. Please feel free to comment, email any feedback.
To my parents back home in Ireland I wanna tell them to turn this up loud and to hold each other close as they have a little Christmas waltz around the living room as their kids and grandkids sit and watch them.

To everyone reading this-have a great Christmas and may 2008 be filled with great times with family, friends, laughter, success (however you may measure it) and of course great music.
I sincerely look forward to contributing to all the above in some way shape or form as we move into the new year.

With that, here is the amazingly beautiful 'Christmas Waltz' by Oscar Peterson.

Cheers.
C

 

Download 01_christmas_waltz.mp3

Hypnotic

Came across the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble this morning and this tune has been on repeat all day as I drove around Austin getting all of my Saturday bits and pieces done. Amazingly powerful sounds.

Hailing from Chicago but reaching out around the world Hypnotic Brass Ensemble are made up of the eight memebrs of which 7 are  brothers and they are the sons of legendary jazzer Phil Cohran (Sun Ra Arkestra, Artistic Heritage Ensemble, AACM). What a sound that these guys conjure up; energetic, passionate, and moving (emotionally and physically). "Music Medicine". Big time; this is why I love music.

Heres a New York times video with the tune and some info. on the ensemble.

Heres a clip of the tune live, with Mos Def on stage.

Check out theirspace, their discography (courtesy of Djouls), and the blog to get some free live tunes with Mos Def recorded at the Apollo.

Download balicky_bon.mp3

Welcome to the Best Years of Your Life

So last night when I got home after a few beers I had this post written and as I was about to publish it my dog managed to literally pull the plug on my computer! I now start this again but I can't imagine it'll be the same without the influence of some beers and the high of a new music purchase. :-)

For those of you that know me, or read CubikMusik regulary, will know that I don't buy albums too much at all. I have stuck with individual songs and compilations pretty much for 10 years and I can't remember when the last time was that I bought a complete album by an artist. They just don't appeal to me at all.
Anyways-that changed last night as Ben Westbeech's album, Welcome to the Best Years of Your Life, came out. What a cracking album it is.

I've posted on Ben before on the amazing tune, Get Closer. Pure infectious music does Ben and the band of talented musicians that play with him deliver. A drum 'n' bass classic.
Check out this live clip.

I first came across Ben Westbeech back when the first (of many?) Brownswood Bubblers compilation came out with his song, Nothing Else. His soulful voice, honest words and upbeat melodies captured my attention. The along came 'So Good Today'- a top summer tune that cannot fail to get you in the mood for hanging with your mates way into the late night.

Last week I also got Hang Around from iTunes so I managed to benefit from their new 'Complete My Album' deal that credits you when you buy a song from an album.

Man-I just can't get over the tunes from this guys.
Choice.

This post goes out to P. who I know will just love this stuff. Enjoy P. :-)

Buy the CD here.

Buy the tunes here.

Came to Me

A while back I posted the video for Koop's amazing tune, Come to Me off their Koop Islands album.
Well, here is the tune itself. I am in love...with a song!

Download 02_come_to_me.mp3

Cheers,
Cubik

Under The Influence with...Dubble D

When you start something like 'Under the Influence' you know that you are gonna get to hear some great new tunes and hear about artist's influences. A bonus of doing this is that you also get to be exposed to the passion that people have for music. All I can say is that if anyone in this world has passion for music it is the one and only Dubble D (bio)! It is infectious.
When I emailed him a few weeks ago, to ask if he'd be into contributing, I wasn't expecting a response in all honesty but within a few days I recieved an excitied response and he was signed up. Today we get to see what Dubble D is under the influence of-it is a treat!

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                                                        Dubble D.  Under the Influence.

What a buzz! Imagine, receiving an e mail asking you to make a selection of  tracks that have influenced your career! What a great gig!
Anyway, after days of dilemma, here goes; I have to say, not as easy a task as I’d originally thought.
(I could go on for ever!!). A lot of the artists I have chosen are influential through their entire careers rather than the specific tracks here so I encourage you, if you can be bothered, or are inspired, to check out their discographies and  collaborators and get diggin’!!!!

1.Miles Davis-“so what”.
Taken from “a kind of blue” Miles’ seminal album. The best selling jazz album of all time. I first heard this as a kid and it continues to inspire me today. An amazing band and beautiful compositions. ANY and ALL of Miles’ work is worth checking out; a true innovator and visionary and an inspiration for life!!
Download 01_so_what.mp3

2.John Coltrane-“you’re out of this world”
Taken from the Impulse album (check out the rest of the label’s releases too!)  “Coltrane” an amazing groove featuring one of my favourite drummers; Elvin Jones and indeed one of my favourite ever groups. Coltrane really soars on this track. Another one I continue to hammer and hear fresh things each time I do.
Download 102_out_of_this_world.mp3

3.Eddie Palmieri-“justicia”
As a percussionist, I naturally fell in love with afro-cuban music. In particular New York Puerto Rican salsa. Eddie Palmieri is a genius/pianist/bandleader. This is a fania recording from the 70s. Check out the groove and the ridiculous solos! Amazing!
Download 02_justicia.mp3

4. Flora Purim-“moondreams”
From “butterfly dreams” and featuring fusion giants Stanley Clarke and George Duke as well as her percussionist/husband Airto.(a major hero and influence). The tune is written by Brazilian composer Egberto Gismonti (another big influence; especially his recordings on the ECM label which I have rinsed!!). I’m a massive fan of Flora and Airto and was lucky enough to collaborate with her and her daughter for a track on my album “Reachin’ Out” (2020 vision). Totally trippin’ . What a buzz!!!!
Download flora_purimmoonbeams.mp3

5.Herbie Hancock-“spider”
I think that in centuries to come people are going to look back upon Herbie Hancock as we might do Mozart. Except, of course that Herbie is a whole lot funkier. This track is from “Secrets”. Herbie’s use of synthesizers was completely innovative and still influences electronic funk producers everywhere today. Awesome….Firm favourites of mine are also “Manchild”, “Thrust”, “Sunlight” and “Headhunters” but it’s well worth checking out anything he’s done.
Download 03_spider.mp3

6.Lonnie Liston Smith-“Expansions”
Amazing groove. Beautiful sentiments. A club classic in Manchester which never fails to take me back to my early clubbing days!! I could also include anything by Roy Ayers at this point but in particular “everybody loves the sunshine” and “we live in Brooklyn baby”. Still kicking it live with an awesome band, another amazing musician who is an innovative producer.
Download expansion.mp3

7.Marvin Gaye-“what’s goin’ on?”
I don’t go anywhere without this album. A message more important today than ever. True soul. How can we ever get close? Beautiful.
Download 06_whats_going_on.mp3

8.Public Enemy-“Don’t believe the hype.”
This record changed my life. I heard it in my mate’s bedroom when I was about 14 years old. It ripped my head apart and still does. It made hip hop a part of my life and everything I do.
Download 04_dont_believe_the_hype.mp3

9.A Tribe called Quest-“We got the jazz”
From “the low end theory” I also love everything else they’ve done. In particular “midnight marauders”, and  “beats, rhymes and life”. Intelligent, witty and poignant lyrics and killer beats and production. Check the brilliant Busta Rhymes cameos on this album too!! Hip hop does not get better than this!!!
Download 02_jazz_weve_got.mp3

10. Common-“the light”
Common. For me this guy is on another level lyrically. His album, “Like water for chocolate” is amazing. J.Dilla is, (along with Pete Rock, ) one of my production heroes and this is one of his best. Deep!!! Also check out Dilla’s “Donuts” album. Made on his deathbed, it is a true testament to innovation in hip hop production.
Download 12_the_light.mp3

11.DJ Krush-“yeah”
Mo Wax came along in the early nineties and blew me away. This track from Krush is taken from his album “ Strictly Turntabalised”. I love the dirt and the swing. This album realy made me think about producing beats myself.
Download yeah.mp3

12. Fila Brasilia-“weasel out the muck”
Funky drum loops. Great Samples. Hip references. Great synth sounds and programming. I love Fila Brasilia. Their albums “maim that tune” “mess” “old codes, new chaos” and “luck be a weirdo tonight” were a revelation. Tying jazz, hip hop and house production values in a way that nobody else did. I was lucky enough to work with the guys and have nothing but love and respect. Indeed, it was Steve Cobby who convinced me that I should be producing. The ethos behind their then label, Pork Recordings, was completely refreshing and all about the music. Check it out!!
Download 10_weasel_out_the_muck.mp3

13.Daft Punk-“revolution 909”
Homework is one of my favourite albums. Daft Punk have the funk. In a massive way. What can you say? Probably nothing. Turn it the fuck up and dance!
Download 01_revolution_909.mp3

14.Future Sound of London “Papua New Guniea”
I loved going to raves. I was lucky enough to witness the social change brought about by ecstasy in the late 80s. This tune takes me there. Amazing. I love it and still play it whenever I get the chance!!!!
Download papua_new_guinea.mp3

15.Aim-“Cold Water Music”
From the album of the same name. When I first heard this tune I was completely blown away. At the time I was quite heavily involved with Grand Central records; playing drums with Rae and Christian. I was lucky enough to go on to play with Aim live through whom I met Q n C and Kate Rogers with whom I recorded for my album “Reachin’ Out” (2020 Vision). (C’mon, that’s only 2 plugs so far!!!!)
Download cold_water_music.mp3

16.Kerry Chandler-“bar-a-thym”
This, for me, is what house music is all about. Kerry is soul and this record makes me want to jump around like a lunatic and whistle. YES YES YES!!!!
Download bar_a_thym.mp3

17.Mary J.Blige-“M.V.P.” (feat. 50 Cent)
I love soul, (some people call it R & B!!!) particularly girly soul, and Mary J. Blige is the queen. No question. This track tells her story. Genius. I’m a BIG fan. One day she might marry me.
Download mvp.mp3

At this point I must also mention some of the DJs who have been huge influences on my musical development.
Ralph Lawson
Mr. Scruff
James Holroyd
Francois Kevorkian
Derrick Carter
Norman Jay
Ashley Beedle
Chris Cruicks
Theo Parrish
These guys have influenced me as much as any individual record. Thank you.

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Now check out the sounds that Dubble D brings us.

Taken from his debut album, Reachin' Out, these two tunes display the breath of influences that we read about above. My gosh- truly stunning. It is so hard to pick two tunes from this album as it is really solid. As you know, Cubik is not the biggest fan of albums and sticks to songs or compilations but Dubble D's hits the right buttons with this one. Check out this BBC Review.

Squelch: Download 09_squelch.mp3

Big Fish: Download 12_big_fish.mp3

Buy Reachin' Out: USA/ Europe

Cheers Danny,

Cubik

Moving & Shaking

Artist: Herbert
Tune: The Movers and the Shakers

Matthew Herbert and he bunch of merry musicians do it again-producing a unique blend of jazz, electronic, pop and off beatfunk with the album, Scale.
Matthew Herbert is such a prolific prodcuer with many remixes to his credit and of course the excellent 'Ruby Blue' by Roisin Murphy.

If you are interested in music production and recording techniques check out the video here that talks about recording drums in such locations as in the air  @2,000 feet in a hot air balloon, or in the sea.

Also go see country x-Herberts virtual utopia.

Download 01_the_movers_and_the_shakers.mp3

Cheers,

Cubik

Ruby Blue

Ok-a few days ago I talked about Roisin Murphy and the upcoming release of 'Ruby Blue'.
Here is a top tune from that album-'If We're In Love'.
This tune will definitely appeal to the Moloko fans out there with it's pop feel, Roisin Murphy's sweet voice caressing our senses all tied in excellently with an excellent undertone of Mr. Matthew Herbert's influence that Roisin has taken on since the Sequins EP.
Download 07_if_were_in_love.mp3

Also check out the video here.

Cheers,

Cubik

Roisin Murphy coming to town?

Hey all, in December I posted an excellent track from Roisin Murphy's album, Ruby Blue

Well, I just got word that Ruby Blue will be on commercial release in the USA on April 25th 2006. Check out the release from World's Fair here.
So, please check this album out and I am calling out for you to support it by buying it (I know I will).
If all works out we can expect to see a live show here in the States and I for one would love to see her live.
Hopefully I might be able to add a track to this post later today. :-)

Cheers,

Cubik

Walking Tall

I have become a great fan of SoundNexx over the past few weeks. He posts great tunes along with some well written pieces on various things musical. One piece from a few weeks ago that hit a nerve with me was on the use of sampling. The basic point (Nexx-tell me if I am wrong here) was that many tracks use samples and a lof of the time listeners (a) don't know that the track uses samples and (b) don't know what the original track is being sampled.
So, taking a leaf from the SoundNexx book I will be trying to post original tracks along with the tracks sampling them.

Artist: Brand Nubian
Tune: Concerto in X Minor
Track sampled: 'Walk Tall' by Cannonball Adderley.

I got XM a few weeks ago and I have to say I love it. It has exposed me to some great new tunes that I haven't heard before.
This 'Concerto in X Minor' is one track that caught my attention as it samples the amazing Cannonball Adderley that I had started listening to a few years ago. This track has some hot rappin' and rhymin' laid down over a funky organ loop sampled from 'Walk Tall'. Brand Nubian (part of the sometimes referred to Native Tongues collective) consistently produce smart and positive tracks that inspire.
Enjoy.
Download 02_concerto_in_x_minor.mp3

Artist: Cannonball Adderley
Tune: Walk Tall
Source: Deep Groove! The Best Of Cannonball Adderley.

Oh man! If you haven't heard of Cannonball Adderley you have probably heard him play. He joined Miles Davis and John Coltrane on such recordings as Milestones and Kind of Blue.
This tune is performed live by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet that included his extremely talented brother, Nat Adderley. With an inspirational introduction by the Rev. Jesse Jackson at a benefit gig this song is a tight tune that delivers the best in big band style jazz with a hint of the funk that Cannonball Adderley started to introduce into his repertoirs as time moved along.
Download 01_walk_tall_1.mp3

Cheers

Cubik