MINT

Gemini,a new band formed around Shigetoshi Otake (Cro-Magnon), creates a unique instrumental jazz-funk sound that fuses diverse musical elements such as 70s jazz and soul, the beat/groove sensibility of hip-hop and beyond, the dynamism of South American music, the essence of smoky reggae/dub, and the thrill of improvisation/jam sessions. Their 1st full album "zed" is being released as a limited edition vinyl by Jazzy Sport.Gemini is a super session band comprised of talented musicians who have supported the Japanese music scene, centered around Shigetoshi Otake, drummer of cro-magnon, and including Shoji Ishiguro, bassist of Inushiki, Ryuta Koshino, guitarist of Razoku, Shota Hishiyama, keyboardist of urb/Soil&Hemp Sessions, Yohei Takada, percussionist who has been active in numerous major festivals, and Taiga Tanimoto, saxophonist/flute player of Sanabagun.Rooted in 70s jazz and soul, the album "zed" showcases an overwhelming, raw groove born from the chemical reaction of players transcending genres and generations. Their undeniable musicianship and improvisational skills intersect to present a new possibility for contemporary band sounds.A new masterpiece has been born, imbued with an exquisite, evergreen, and freshly exciting contemporary jazz-funk sound, created through the interplay of a dynamic rhythm section that incorporates improvisation while centering on a post-hip-hop beat/groove sensibility, and rich performances featuring solos on electric piano, saxophone/flute, and guitar.The limited-edition analog version will be mastered for analog by Taiji Okuda, who has also worked with artists such as Cro-Magnon, Tabito Nanao, Tempalay, Cero, and Ikuko Harada, resulting in a superb product that allows you to experience its rich and dynamic sound in a more immersive way.

As it often happens, while Richie Weeks and Jerome Derradji were working on Volume 3 of the Love Magician Archives, Richie uncovered a couple more unreleased Jammers tracks that never saw release on Salsoul. He believes these songs were intended for a second Jammers album that, sadly, never materialized.So here you go—two absolute stormers of NYC Boogie and post-disco madness. All the usual suspects are on the tracks, delivering that signature sound. What can we say but: thank you, Richie, for giving us even more heat to play out!