Joel Vandroogenbroeck
L'immagine del suono

** Available exclusively at The Pusher **Comet Records present the new release out of the Comet new reissue series, Noel McGhie’s only full-length LP, released in France in 1975 at cult private label Disques Esperance! A true rare groove classic, a one-of-a-kind spiritual jazz funk record with a fusion touch. Includes ‘Trapeze’, ‘Dancer’ and ‘Mademoiselle Tuloch’.

Favorite Recordings proudly presents Recalling You, a dazzling Disco/Jazz-Funk new single EP by our longtime friend and label mate Andre Solomko.Born in Ukraine and based in Finland for a while, Andre Solomko is a rich and engaging personality, but above all, a talented saxophonist, composer and engineer, with contagious passion. Since they met 7 years ago, Andre and Pascal Rioux’s (founder of Favorite Recordings) collaboration resulted in 3 albums and a couple of singles acclaimed internationally. Primarily known for a sound mixing Jazz-Funk, with European Soundtracks, Pop and Soul influences, Andre Solomko’s skills for composition and production are much wider. Almost 2 years ago, he’s therefore demonstrated his versatility when delivering the hot Disco anthem “Le Premier Disco Sans Toi”.This first attempt definitely seduced many DJs and collectors, and it seems Andre enjoyed the trip too and decided to embark for it again with “Recalling You”. For this new single, Andre’s idea was to revive two of his past compositions, tailoring brand new glamorous Disco suit and arrangements for it. Backed again by a close team of musicians and the beautiful and charming vocals of Charlotta Kerbs, the new session was recorded live and analog as usual, and then brilliantly mixed in France by Jordan Kouby at Question de Son studios. It ended with what might be Andre Solomko’s best level of productions and sound so far.To make it short, “I Recall” and “Teasing You” felt in love and had a baby at the nightclub… here comes Recalling You, packed in a 45rpm 12inch vinyl edition and coming with a hot Dub edit by Charles Maurice on B-side.

Almost 3 years after the release of his first album Seventy Seven, G's Way returned with his new album entitled Patchwork initially released in 2014. It is with the same ingredients that G's Way comes to light: a powerful rhythm section, served by a heavy brass section and talented soloists from the international scene, like the UK trombone player Trevor Mires (on « Kim Helped Me »), who is playing with the famous acid-jazz british band Incognito since many years. Or Gäel Cadoux (on « Space Invaders »), fantastic keyboard player, member of one of the major band in the french jazz-funk scene, Electro Deluxe.Still leaded, composed, and arranged by Gérald « GG » Bonnegrace, Patchwork is a real musical rainbow, from pure funk (« Gotcha ») to Latin music (« jam-session »), through jazz and afro-beat (« Manikou »). But this time, G's Way has invited 3 rappers to complete this musical revolution, marking a major change compared to Seventy Seven . The famous french artist Kohndo (« One Nation »), one of the best female voice in hip-hop game made in San-Francisco, Melina Jones (« Took So Long »). And last but not least, Bruce Sherfield (« The Percfect Getaway »), versatile us artist, rapper, singer, spoken word specialist, and of the most important activist of the parisian scene. With this touch of Hip-hop, Patchwork finally lives up to its name, and bring G's Way in another dimension ...

One of the greatest enigmas of the music scene in mid to late 1970s Harare was The New Tutenkhamen, a band which played an eclectic brand of Zimbabwean township music combining traditional rhythms and western influences. The band included some luminaries of Zimbabwean township music. Elisha Josamu was an alumnus of the fabulously-named Hallelujah Chicken Run Band (alongside Thomas Mapfumo), and Green Jangano’s long-running Harare Mambos, and would later form Two Plus Two with bassist Christopher “Chex” Tavengwa. Jethro Shasha played the drums, and would arguably become the New Tutenkhamen’s most famous export, making continental waves working with likes of Salif Keita. Paul Sekerani played the rhythm guitar, with Amos Chatyoka on the organ, while the enigmatic Maggie Mbuli provided vocals and F. Manda played the sax. The New Tutenkhamen recorded I Wish You Were Mine at Teal Records, produced by Crispen Matema, a talented jazz drummer in his own right who had played drums on the all-time classic Skokiaan, and had backed Louis Armstrong on his 1960 Rhodesia visit. Combining the heavyweight producing talents of Matema and the writing chops of Josamu, The New Tutenkhamen band created an album showcasing various musical styles popular at the time. From the afro-jazz jam session aesthetics of “Tutenkhamen Theme”, “Big Brother Malcom” and “Forever Together”, to the almost Van Morrison-sounding “Sunday Morning”; from the upbeat rock ballad “True Love”, to the funk-infused dance song “Togetherness”; from the bouncy jazz exhortations to work hard in “Ane Nungo”, to the brassy, raunchy foot-stomper “Me & Dolly”. The title track “I Wish You Were Mine” is a ska-infused ballad that wouldn’t be out of place in post-war Birmingham, while the star of the show is “Joburg Bound”, itself a fast-paced rock piece with Motown undertones and funky guitar lines. As a collective effort, I Wish You Were Mine provides a fascinating insight into a fraught time in Zimbabwe’s history, and the bands plying their trade through the turmoil, making music for young people, by young people.

Since the release of his 2 first albums on Favorite Recordings, Lucas Arruda has quickly established himself as one of the most talented young artist and composer from Brazil. His music is filled with fusion style, mixing influences and elements from his Latin musical background, with his genuine admiration for Jazz, Soul, Pop and Funk music.In spring 2015, it was also not surprising to find Lucas Arruda back with a new LP called Solar, receiving great supports and feedbacks from international media and tastemakers. One of the highlight of the album was the song “Melt the Night”, on which Lucas teamed up with legendary producer Leon Ware, reminding his collaborations in the 80s with Marcos Valle, when they perfectly merged together the sophisticated Boogie and AOR touch from California, with the blazing sense of rhythm from Brazil.Today Favorite Recordings proudly present Onda Nova, new and third album by Lucas Arruda. Mostly written, composed and arranged by himself, Lucas however teams up on a few tracks with his old mate Fabricio di Monaco (Modo Solar), his brother and musical partner Thiago Arruda, who recently joined Ed Motta’s live band, or Gaël Benyamin, also known as Geyster, who brings his longtime “savoir-faire” and skills for writing and composing AOR and WestCoast music genre, and who share this deep passion with Lucas.Onda Nova is therefore pursuing the music direction set with Solar, mixing touch of Blue-Eyed-Soul, Pop, Soul and Brazilian styles together, and influenced by the path of legendary Brazilian producer Lincoln Olivetti, who recorded some of the biggest stars of Brazilian music (Marcos Valle, Jorge Ben, Tim Maia…).In Lucas words: “In this record I really wanted to honor Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti. They are the main influence on this record. We recorded the basic tracks for the album in the same studio that Lincoln Olivetti did his last works. So, this was very important to capture the true essence of Brazilian Funk/AOR tradition. Hope you guys enjoy it!”

The Cool Feedback Quartet’s music is quite similar to a philharmonic orchestra manipulating new material: feedback, or in other words, the unexpected beauty of sound when it is let loose. Becoming its master so as to make the best use of it, like a new instrument, the guitar pick up plays again on request. Harmonizing sounds like a string section gone wild would, like light piercing through the ether, tearing up the background and taking us for good to unknown territory.The bandleader, Grégoire Garrigues, who first got the idea of the concept and got the ball to roll, is a well-known and respected French guitarist.Grégoire Garrigues: Guitars, Bass, Keys & Percussion / F. Robert Lloyd: Guitars / Morgan Lanoë: Bass / Jean-Bernard Lepape: Drums / Michel Guikovaty: Piano & Clavier / Jac Berrocal: Trumpet / Gilbert Artman: Bass Clarinet / Tullia Morand: Alto Saxophone / Pierre Mimran: Tenor Saxophone