Ray Lugo & The Boogaloo Destroyers - Mi Watusi
(CD/LP/Digital) Freestyle Records FSRCD087, 2011-06-06

Rays' teenage years in New York saw him immersed in the vibrant Big Apple music scene, working as a roadie, band manager, studio engineer and label manager before taking to the stage in alternative rock and latin ska bands in the early 1990s and eventually forming Kokolo Afrobeat, who established a worldwide reputation through touring and recordings, Ray never lost that love for latin music he had experienced in his early years and often talked about a possible latin music project when he could find the time. In 2010, he finally achieved that dream. Ray Lugo & The Boogaloo Destroyers were born! For the record, boogaloo was the New York fusion of latin music, rhythm & blues and soul which immediately became the soundtrack for second and third generation Puerto Ricans raised on son, guaracha, bomba and plena but who equally loved Tamla Motown, James Brown and Ray Charles! With it's English and often double entendre lyrics and street-slang, it appealed to everyone. It didn't matter if you were black, white, brown, Latino, Italian, Jewish or African-American... anybody could dance the boogaloo! On this album, Ray's repertoire consists of classics from the likes of El Gran Combo, Willie Rosario, Ray Barretto, and Mongo Santamaria though Ray has re-arranged some tracks and added new lyrics and choruses to others. From the opening track Soy El Rey Del Boogaloo to the final song Lugo's Boogaloo, this album proves in the 21st century, boogaloo is still alive and kicking in New York City and Ray Lugo & The Boogaloo Destroyers are the leaders of the new school! Viva La Nueva Generacion!

Ray Lugo & The Boogaloo Destroyers - Swingy Boogaloo
(7"/Digital) Freestyle Records FSR7067, 2011-05-16

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, and raised on the lower east side of Manhattan, Ray Lugo has experienced such an enormous variety of music in his life time, from attending gigs by Fania Records super stars with his parents as a young boy, though to being a roadie on the Beastie Boys License to Ill tour, performing in bands, managing bands, running record labels and club nights - Ray has seen the music world from every angle possible. Also known as the driving force behind US afrobeat heavy hitters Kokolo, Ray's latest project brings him full circle as he returns to his latino/New York roots with The Boogaloo Destroyers, his new project dedicated to spreading the unifying spirit of classic boogaloo, the fusion of influences that fermented into the heady brew that changed forever the future of latin and soul music in the mid to late 1960's. Swingy Boogaloo was originally known as the instrumental heavyweight number by El Gran Combo: Gran Combo's Boogaloo. Ray has augmented the original with new lyrics, chorus and title and the results speak volumes about the authenticity of this music. This beautiful little 45 single is a teaser for the forthcoming full length Boogaloo Destroyers album Mi Watusi (FSRCD/LP087) which will be creating waves all through Summer 2011, take it from us!

Big Pimp Jones - 21st Century Blaxploitation Vol.3 (MP3 Podcast on ParisDJs.com) 2011-05-05 Philadelphia's Big Pimp Jones have become quite big on the 21st Blaxploitation tip, with their two funky soundtracks to Blaxploitation movies that dont exist. They loved our previous mixes on the same theme (vol.1 and vol.2) - "Those first two volumes are super-dope, we are fans of your stuff as well, that's really nice work on the Black Cat mixtape. I'd be honored to throw a volume 3 together!" said Keith Foster from Big Pimp Jones. His mix is fun & funky, keeping the 21st century...

Paris DJs Soundsystem & Musiques Impures present Adrian Quesada's Spring Reverb (MP3 Podcast on ParisDJs.com and MusiquesImpures.com) 2011-04-13 The Echocentrics is a new project of psychedelic, cinematic and dusty soul produced by Adrian Quesada of Brownout/Ocote Soul Sounds/Grupo Fantasma fame. Loads of spring reverb, psyched out farfisa organs and heavy drums are accented by beautiful vocals sung in English, Spanish and Portuguese by Tita Lima from Brazil and Natalia Clavier from Argentina. The album is out on Ubiquity Records. Grant Phabao, without any doubt the greatest reggae...

Frootful - Colours
(CD/LP/Digital) Freestyle Records FSRCD084, 2011-03-21

The Frootful project bridges the gap between past and present, acknowledging influences, while reflecting the creative process of looking back to move forward. Those classic influences include 60s soul-jazz, latin, ska and R&B. Being an accomplished guitarist, Nick Radford also cites players such as Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, Boogaloo Joe Jones and BB King as a constant source of inspiration. The album title, Colours reflects the wide range of moods and grooves found on the album which also features the instrumental and production skills of Lack Of Afro.
Freestyle Records is all about fresh, soulful music be it: jazz, funk or latin based and this wonderful new album from Frootful continues that tradition.

Speedometer - This Is... Speedometer - Volumes 1 & 2
(CD/Digital) Freestyle Records FSRCD075, 2011-02-28

Originally released separately on the tiny, independent Blow It Hard label, and now very hard to find, now in 2011 Freestyle Records is proud to announce the re-release of Speedometer's debut and follow up album, available on one CD for the first time! This Is Speedometer 1 & 2 also boasts brand new artwork and sleeve notes from the band founding member and leader Leigh Gracie and DJ, producer, author and of course, star percussionist Snowboy, as well as a selection of sleeves, gig flyers and live photos that illustrate Speedometer's development over the past decade. From the gritty funk instrumentals like Monkey Stick, the punchy latin grooves Return To Palmetto through to the 60's style soul ballad You Got Me Started, it's all here on one handy 22 track fully remastered album, This Is Speedometer Vol 1 & 2 is the perfect retrospective collection from one of the greatest funk outfits of the last decade.

The Shaolin Afronauts - Journey Through Time
(12"/Digital) Freestyle Records FSR091, 2011-02-28

The mysterious afro-soul of The Shaolin Afronauts first echoed across the dance floors of Australia in late early 2008. Heavily inspired by the sounds of 1970's West Africa, Ethiopia and the pioneering avant-garde jazz artists of the same period the Shaolin Afronauts draw on the this highly innovative and sometimes volatile era in music, using it as inspiration to create music with the same fire and intensity. Their spirited performances have fast gained a reputation as some of the most exciting live shows around. Though there is something refreshing and original about the Afronauts, their music could be described as somewhere in between the heavy Afrobeat of Fela Kuti and the Ethio-Jazz of Mulatu Astatke. This debut 12 inch precedes the forthcoming album Flight of The Ancients which promises to put Australian Afrobeat on the map!

Paris DJs Soundsystem - In The Footsteps of the Ethio-Jazz Innovator (MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) T.I.M.E.C., 2011-02-27 Next thursday evening in Paris will be a BIG date at La Bellevilloise, thanks to our friends from the Soul Train parties, who produce an Ethio Jazz Night with Strut... featuring Mulatu Astake and The Heliocentrics playing live!! You DON'T want to miss this show and as an appetizer here's a small tribute to the father of Ethio-Jazz, on the 21st century side of the genre and beyond. [comment faire?/how to?] Tracklisting : 01. The Gaslamp Killer - When I'm In Awe (feat....

Frootful - Fish In The Sea
(7"/Digital) Freestyle Records FSR7066, 2011-02-07

Freestyle Records is very proud to announce our first release of 2011, a cracking, rhythm & blues tinged 45 single, suitably from brand new signing: Frootful - the name that guitarist Nick Radford works under. Fish In The Sea has its roots stuck in the early 60's transition from R&B to soul, and features the wonderful Angeline Morrison on vocals. The hand-clapping, foot-stomping groove is made all the heavier with some solid horn arrangements by Lack Of Afro (Adam Gibbons). The flipside is an instrumental version that is totally exclusive to this 45, and features Nick's tasteful guitar soloing and some sweet flute which simply swings - beautifully. Taken from the forthcoming album Colours (FSRCD/LP084) the Frootful project bridges the gap between past and present, acknowledging influences, while reflecting the creative process of looking back to move forward. Such influences include 60's soul jazz, latin, ska and R&B.

Speedometer - The Shakedown
(CD) Freestyle Records FSRCD082, 2010-10-16 / P-Vine Japan/Zoom, 2010-09-02

...2006 saw Freestyle Records in the UK release Diggin Deeper, a compilation of all of Speedometer’s early 7" 45 releases in one place on CD for the very first time. It also saw them back in Big Noise Studios to start laying tracks for the next album 4 Flights Up realeased in 2007 on Freestyle Records. Over the years, Speedometer has worked with many of the US funk legends including Sir Joe Quarterman, Eddie Bo, Marva Whitney, Sharon Jones, James Bell (The Highlighters), Lee Fields, Billy Wooten and Robert Moore. All the artists were blown away by 's authenticity to the original soul-funk sound. The 2007 album Four Flights Up is widely regarded as one of the best funk albums of the last 10 years. The band released a live album in March 2009, Soul Grooving and started recording their 5th studio album in summer 2009 for release in september 2010. This new album The Shakedown features contributions from Myles Sanko, DJ Format, Snowboy, The Root Source, Natasha Watts, and James Brown's co-vocalist Miss Martha High.