Ital Foundation
Ital Foundation Vol. 1

Favorite Recordings proudly presents an exclusive eponymous LP by Brazilian singer and composer George Sauma Jr., originally produced in 1985. Imagine a never-marketed release on which you’d hear not only the beautiful and genuine George’s songs but also the work from two figures of the Brazilian Music Golden Age: Arthur Verocai and Junior Mendes! A much-needed album for all Brazilian connoisseurs. Back in the days, George Sauma Jr. was a young artist from Rio de Janeiro, learning on his side how to play chords and compose songs since he was 10. Still at the university, he’s influenced by Brazilian artists like Cassiano or Tim Maia, deeply fascinated by the arrangements and the “levada” (the groove) of all these new Brazilian songs. Simple and romantic music that resonated to his soul and creativity.Around 1985, the story took an unexpected turn. George tells: “Dna Deyse Lucidy, the mother of Junior Mendes was a candidate for deputy and went to my father’s company to advertise. When I saw her, I shouted, “I’m a big fan of your son!” ” Of course, she could not praise more the work of her son. On her advises, George went to his studio on Rua Siqueria Campos at Copacabana. Junior loved the project and sent him to Arthur Verocai to improve the arrangements. Without money, the decision was taken to record everything at Junior Mendes’ studio on an 8-channel mixer. It was a small set-up but the emotions were there! George surely had other plans for some of his songs but without the budget, they ended up doing everything the best they could. And they did very fine with a top-notch team of musicians: Paulo Black on Drums, Arthur Verocai on Guitar, Ricardo Do Canto on Bass and Helvius Vilela on Keyboards.Leaving the studio with the tapes, George tried to knock doors of international labels, but none did even dare to give him an answer. With less than 1000 copies pressed back in the days and without any distributor or label behind him, he went with proud to record stores, but received nothing than a strong reality check regarding the difficulties for a young Brazilian artist to achieve something on the saturated market of the 80s. Even for free, record stores didn’t want it. In the end, he ended up giving copies to friends and families, knowing deep inside that the songs were good! George tells: “I decided to leave, calm and conscious. I’ve still made three more albums, however on tapes, as it was more affordable. This time, just for my pleasure…”. Thirty-five years after, it’s with great emotion that this first album by George Sauma Jr. is now made available as Vinyl LP with its original offset printed innersleeve & CD.

Few years before the international hit “Uptown Top Ranking”, made with his friend Donna, Althea Forrest recorded “Hey Mister” for famous producer (and singer) Derrick Harriott.Mid 1970's, Derrick Harriott is the best reggae-soul producer in Jamaica. He's made tons of US soul cover with Jamaican artists. “Hey Mister” was recorded at Federal studios (Tuff Gong nowadays) and didn't get an international audience, not even in Jamaica, probably because it was not a cover!For the first time since 1976, “Hey Mister” is now available on a Maxi vinyl 12'' to offer the best sound quality. Thanks to Derrick Harriott's master tapes and to the original artwork, now you can play this tune in the perfect condition.

Born from a French mother and a father with a Burkina bé/Senegalese dual nationality, Jennifer Zonou aKa Hawa has been rocked in music from an early age. As a DJ addicted to all kind of grooves, her father passed on his genuine love and great vinyls collection of Rap, Soul, Funk, Jazz, Afrobeat, or Reggae music. While her mother, keen on American Folk and Pop, gave her awareness and sensibility for the beautiful melodies and songwriting of artists such as Rickie Lee Jones.Yet it was not until 2000 that Jennifer began her singing career. A native of Macon (near Lyon, France), it was after she met with IPM, a Hip-Hop group from Lyon, that she gained confidence in her skills and decided to start within the best schools possible: Gospel. Thus she joined the choir called “Héritage Soul” (Soul Legacy), where she connected with Raphael Chambouvet, keyboard in the choir and in many projects of the Lyon’s music scene such as CHK, or later Mr Day. At that time, her voice could be spoted on many Hip-Hop projects from Lyon, including Dialect Music, Casus Belli and therefore IPM, but it’s only when she entered a new choir, "Precious Voices," that Jen took another turn in her carreer. She then rised in a Nu-Soul duo act called Ebony Source, whose album will certainly never be released, but which will allow her to tour seriously and to open for top French artists such as Diam's or Wallen, but also for international names such as Lizz McComb. Jennifer then begins to work solo with her old mate Raph, who has since continued to play in bands such as Mr Day and who quickly liaised her with Favorite Recordings label (Dynamics Onra, The Funk League Solomko Andre, ...) and his founder Pascal Rioux. A new Hawa was born, raising the challenge of writing in English with surprising ease. Very soon the first demos come alive, including "Sweet Lucky Day", wich will later be found as the B-side of her first single "DANCE ", released in 2009. In the meantime, she also meets with Bruno "Patchworks" Howart (Metropolitan Jazz Affair, Uptown Funk Empire, Mr Day, Mr President, ...) at a concert in Lyon in 2008. International reknown within the indy Soul/Funk music scene, Patchworks is immediately attracted and offers to produce her some songs. Coming next is a first acclaimed 7inch mentioned above and several appearances alongside Mr Day and Mr President, then naturally followed by the common desire to sail further. The result is called ‘My Little Green Box’, first album by Hawa due for release on June 6th 2011 on Favorite Recordings. Mainly produced by Patchworks, MLGB is naturally imbued with the Soul/Funk touch which made his success and fame. But the album is also deeply led by Jennifer’s eclectic influences, and each of its 11 songs is the result of a true joint effort between her, Bruno, and Raph on some tracks like "Full of Love." Above all, this mysterious “green box" contains 11 great groovy nuggets and reveals a fully uninhibited Hawa. She impresses first thanks to a natural musicality gained through her years of Gospel, but also makes her own imprint with an approach to writing and rhythm very inspired by her long passion for Rap. In the wake of the Queen Sharon Jones and all her Soul daughters such as Nicolle Willis or Giselle Smith, Hawa could well find her place in the circle of the international top Soul Sista, thanks to this first attempt without a fault. Now we hope you’ll feel the same!!

Thomas Blanchot, 40 years old percussionist and drummer, started his production structure Mato Production in 2001, where he collaborated and directed for many projects.Composer, music publisher and producer of music for TV, advertising, films and records, he also began a career as reggae producer since 2006, under the name "MATO". Since then he’s released music through various projects concepts, coming out through labels such as Makasound, EDR Records or Big Singles. In the meantime he developed a real trademark: taking over classics French, Hip-Hop, or Pop song, into roots reggae-dub new versions.Besides since 2010, Mato has built a solid reputation thanks to his hot remixes of Hip-Hop classics on Stix Records. And in 2014, he presented Homework Dub, giving his own vision of the multiplatinum classic album by Daft Punk, quickly acclaimed internationally as a true performance.Today, Mato is back with another target for his special skills as a tailor of reggae music, this time focusing on classic musical songs from original soundtracks. The result is an album titled Hollywoo Dub, which is planned for release later this year on Stix Records.On this first brilliant 2 tracks single, he also delivers two another renditions; First, he takes over the amazing “’T’ Stands for Trouble” by Marvin Gaye for a cosmic reggae trip, then he provides a new life to “Enter The Dragon” by legendary composer Lalo Schiffrin.

Lamunai Records is proud to announce Titik Api, the 2nd opus of the Indonesian master Harry Roesli, recorded in 1975. Political activist, prominent member of the Tradisi Baru Movement (New Tradition) who emerged in the 1970s, Harry Roesli worked with musicians, poets, playwrights who were commited to experimenting indonesian traditional culture. Titik Api is another successful effort to blend Indonesian's traditional instruments, such as gamelan, with Western music from progressive to funky hypnotic groove.

Emotional Rescue and Jamwax end their Capo Disco series by returning to Glen Adams and his cover of Bob Marley’s classic. The early 70s Lee Perry produced original raw sound is taken to the disco reggae dancefloors of the early 80s with a bottom heavy jam, while his Capo Crew works a killer dub flipside.“Fussing & Fighting” was originally released on the 1971’s Soul Revolution album and for many came during the pinnacle of Bob Marley & The Wailers output, before the smoothing out of their sound during the later “Island” years. Whichever, the guidance and collaboration with Perry transformed the Wailers from a successful Ska / Rocksteady group towards a visionary, conscious, crossover phenomenon.Perry’s in-house band, The Upsetters, lent so much to this early period, the brothers Aston and Carlton Barrett creating a perfect drum and bass bedrock. With Glen Adams on organ, the original version known simply as is an incessant, rumbling message and in that light, Adams return to it over a decade later makes justified and righteous sense.Actually released on both Capo Disco and Marley’s own Tuff Gong, Adams’ vocal marries a disco-dub and guitar groove, dropping, in the latter half, right down to tambourine into perfectly stretched Discomix.Things get even more laid out on “Mad Blank” aka the version. Riding the desk, “Capo” lets each instrument time and space, dropping to just a kick and dubbed piano before slowly coming back with hats, guitar and then when the bass comes, the Gospel purity of dub reggae shines, all before the teasing fade calls for a rewind. Rest and rise, Glenroy “Capo” Adams.