Germany

Incredibly unique modernized adaptations of traditional rhythms of the diverse regions of Sudan, recorded in Kuwait 1980. The “holy grail” album from Sudan.I heard about Seif Abu Bakr and The Scorpions maybe 3-4 years ago. Their album “Jazz, Jazz Jazz” ended up on my radar because of an eBay auction with the bids eventually rising daily up to a staggering 1000$. The music is a unique combination of incredible horn arrangements powerfully performed, a vigorous drummer contributing a funky backbone and Seif's vocals uniting those elements. The results range from instrumental tracks awaking memories of 1970s crime thriller soundtracks to more Sudanese-rooted tracks, a lot of them modernized versions traditional rhythms of the diverse regions of Sudan and even an excursion into Colgolese Soukouss.I went for my second trip to Sudan in December 2018 and after doing some research on the first trip my local colleagues Larissa and Yassir had managed to reach Amir, The Scorpions band leader and he was happy to meet. We got together with him in a Cafe right at the Nile in Omdurman. It was a happy occasion for everyone. He told us stories about him meeting Jimmy Cliff and Lewis Armstrong when they visited Sudan and how he and his band mates from The Scorpions played extensively in Kuwait, both in club residencies as well as for television. Amir brought tons of incredible photos illustrating not only the bands history but the vivid cultural live in the many music clubs in Khartoum of the 1970s. During this decade up until 1983 the capital was home to a huge number of clubs, bards and concert halls. This scene started to perish after president Nimeiry's turn away from his socialist policies, that he was widely associated with in the first decade of his rule, towards the implementation of Sharia law in 1983. During the first decade of his rule he had actively supported various artists of the Jazz scene, taking some of them on trips throughout Africa. The 1989 coup of Bashir and his generals then caused the final blow to a once thriving scene. Both of these political events within 6 years lead to significant drawbacks for the Sudanese jazz scene resulting into hardly no gig opportunities left and parties and concerts being critically observed. A number of musicians faced prosecution, most of the time for their political views, some left Sudan for good. Music never completely vanished from public life and even the regime kept selected artists close, but for a majority of those bands affiliated to the jazz scene life and making ends became a lot harder. The Scorpions dissolved as a group around the same time.The re-release was produced with a clean copy of the vinyl version as a source. The original reel tape of the album stayed with Saif Abu Bakr along with another reel with other recordings that were never released. Unfortunately it was lost when Saif Abu Bakr had to flee to Kuwait temporarily during the second gulf war when Iraq raided Kuwait. Both the CD and vinyl version come with extensive booklets with photos, interviews, liner notes. The vinyl version also has a DLL code.

Kutmah started "Sketchbook" as a radio show in 2003 on Dublab in Los Angeles. A year later "Sketchbook" became the first instrumental beat night in the city. This was the breading grounds for the already flourished but almost unknown beat scene outside of Los Angeles. Artists such as Ras G, Dibiase, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Flying Lotus would frequent the club and would bring beat CD's to showcase their talent whenever they pleased and Kutmah always got their beat CD's at the end of the night."Sketchbook Archives Series" is a compilation that dates back to this era and the present day. It features exclusive tracks from artists such as Natureboy Flako, Samiyam, Al Dobson Jr., Ras G, Flying Lotus, Pablo Ygal, Mo Kolours, Shash'u and many more.

The German boogie compilation “Boogie on the Mainline” presents a selection of 10 rare disco tracks from Germany plus one more tune from Austria, all of them, originally released between 1980 and 1987.The fully licenced album contains little known tunes by groups like Imagination (which you can also see on the cover of the LP), Squish, Upstairs, The Poptown Syndicate and more. As the Boogie-ish post-disco side of German music history still basically remains undiscovered as of yet, “Boogie On The Mainline” hopefully will shed some light again on 11 rare gems that were mainly published on small or private labels.The album is released on loudly pressed double vinyl with gatefold jacket on the new Artless Cuckoo sister label Boogie on the Mainline Records. It includes extensive liner notes by compiler John Raincoatman aka DJ Scientist.

Here's another Huubaat nugget that we are very excited about to release. "Momentum" includes a collection of previously unreleased or digtial-only available works incl. the collaboration effort with Flako. The vinyl comes with a lovely soft-touch sleeve."Beatnicks Tape": All tracks produced by Hubert Daviz in April/May 2008. The original release "Beatnicks Tape #01" included 13 tracks. These tracks have been released for free download in summer 2008 on the Cologne based record label Up My Alley. The work on this beat tape started as an attempt of getting familiar with one's first own equipment. Original text from the back cover: "lots of vinyl, 1 MPC2500, 1 Microkorg, hands on.""Damage Is Done": All tracks produced by Flako & Hubert Daviz between December 2007 & June 2008. Unreleased beat tape from the joint collaboration with Flako (going by the name of "Damage Is Done"). The original version was completed by Flako on June 21, 2008 and included 8 tracks. "Woop, Wooop.."

BBE present Boston Goes Disco compiled by Serge Gamesbourg.During the 1970s and 80s, the city of Boston and its environs produced some of the era’s most iconic music stars, from rock megaliths like Aerosmith and The Cars to disco and soul celebutantes Donna Summer, New Edition and Tavares. These artists emerged from Beantown’s thriving underground music scene to fnd global success, but what about the countless contemporaries who never made it beyond the local circuit? Native DJ, producer and bass playerSerge Gamesbourg began digging in the crates for forgotten gems more than two decades ago, emerging in 2018 with his frst BBE compilation, lovingly titled Boston Goes Disco! “I wanted to shed light on more obscure & unknown disco & boogie records outta Boston and the surrounding areas, basically small label and privately pressed late 70s and early 80s dance music from Massachusetts.” Turning detective as he began to track down many an obscure artist to license music for the album, Gamesbourg often found Boston’s legendary Berklee College of Music to be the common denominator for many bands throughout the years. “A lot of these cats came here real young to study from various parts of the country, met the other band members and wrote music and performed locally before fnishing their studies and moving on.”With artwork paying homage to 80’s rap compilation “Boston Goes Def”, Boston Goes Disco! provides an exciting insight into the city during its most culturally fertile period, uncovering a rich musical history previously only known to those who were there.