Various - Heavenly Sweetness - Label Compilation #1
(2xCD/12"/Download) Heavenly Sweetness, 2010-03-15

Heavenly Sweetness is THE French JAzz label today. It's quite easy since there isn't much competition... but praise should be given anyway to Antoine Rajon and Franck Descollonges for an incredible series of releases and reissues during the recent years, among which were shining the John Betsch Society and the Anthony Joseph and the Spasm Band LPs (available at the Superfly Records store!).

Along the way of releasing fantastic albums and re-releasing superb jazz LPs, they've also regularly fed Parisian record dealers of all sorts with limited edition 45s, 10 inches and free MP3s... all collected here in this double compilation, along with many tasteful spiritual Jazz, Afro, and even Reggae pieces. I couldn't recommend a better introduction to this Jazz label.

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Don Cherry & Latif Khan - Music / Sangam
(CD/LP) Heavenly Sweetness HS015CD/HS015VL, 2009-03-23

First time reissue of this forgotten album of Don Cherry. This album was recorded in 1978 in Paris and released only in France in1981. That was the first meeting between Don Cherry and Indian percussionist Latif Khan and the result is an incredible mixture of jazz and Indian music. This unsung album is only known by hardcore fans of Don cherry who considered it as one of his best effort. Produced by Martin Meissonnier (Fela, King Sunny Ade, Khaled, Seun kuti…)

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Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band - Bird Head Son
(CD) Heavenly Sweetness / Naïve, 2009-01-13

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Grant Phabao and Djouls - 21st Century Afro
(MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) T.I.M.E.C., 2008-08-18


[comment faire?/how to?]

Info :
In the next 6 weeks, Paris DJs activists Grant Phabao & Djouls will explore the many facets of 21st century African music, from Afrobeat to Afrofunk, from Afrosoul to Afrojazz, etc. This week's selection opens the salva with one of THE albums of the year, the second opus from The Budos Band, one you NEED - trust us. After a glimpse of the new Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble album, we're proud to present a new master of African music, Seun Kuti, bravely and proudly reaching out to his father with a bomb of a first album! A record we'll lookout for in the coming months is Antony Joseph & The Spasm Band's new one on french jazz label Heavenly Sweetness. You'll get here a taste of their recently released "La Diablesse EP", which hints at some serious afro-punk-jazz grooves. Concerning Kokolo, we've already told ya many times that their formula is flawless: funky afrobeat to dance to. Nuff' said. Nostalgia 77 is a UK artist with a huge soul-jazz sensibility, producing, remixing, releasing a LOT of stuff on Brighton's Tru Thoughts label and around. Grant Phabao got the chance to remix his cover of The White Stripes' 7 Nation Army featuring the incredible vocals of Alice Russell. It's available on his current "One Offs, Remixes & B-sides" compilation, along with an afrodeepfunk remix of his "Freedom" track, which we've included here. Closing this mix is former Fela guitarist/bassist Oghene Kologbo's latest single, extracted from his Fela Kuti homage album (available with two different covers for CD and vinyl). If you were in Paris this August (2008) you shouldn't have missed the 4 consecutive free Antibalas free shows in Parcs - Oghene was there guest-starring, offering some superb afrorock guitar solos... All in all 30mn is VERY short for afrobeat - but if you come back next week, we should have uploaded a new selection of the best 21st Century Afro Music you may find!! See ya there.

Tracklisting :
01. The Budos Band - Adeniji
(from 'The Budos Band II' album, 2008 / Daptone) USA
» more info on djouls.com «
02. Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble - Fela Dey
(from 'President Dey Pass' album, 2008 / Afrobomb Music) USA
» more info on djouls.com «
03. Seun Kuti + Fela's Egypt 80 - Fire Dance
(from 'Many Things' album, 2008 / Tôt ou Tard) NIGERIA
» more info on djouls.com «
04. Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band - Vero
(from 'La Diablesse EP' 12 inch, 2008 / Heavenly Sweetness) TRINIDAD/UK
» more info on djouls.com «
05. Kokolo - Our Own Thing
(from 'Love International' album, 2008 / Freestyle) USA
» more info on tru-thoughts.net «
06. Nostalgia 77 Octet - Freedom (The Freedom Zombie Dance Remix Part 2)
(from 'Freedom Zombie Dance' 7 inch, 2006 / Tru Thoughts, available on the 'One Offs, Remixes & B-Sides' 2xCD compilation) UK
» more info on djouls.com «
07. Oghene Kologbo And Afrobeat Academy - Afro Confusion
(from 'Remember Fela Anikulapo Kuti' album, 2007 / Lions Ark Records) NIGERIA
» more info on djouls.com «

Original record covers :


Credits :
Selected and mixed by Grant Phabao & Djouls(timec.net)
Artwork by Djouls (djouls.com), photo by srbyug under a Creative Commons license
Audio mastering by Grant Phabao (grantphabao.com)

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Doug Carn (aka Abdul Rahim Ibrahim) - Al Rahmana!
(CD/LP) Heavenly Sweetness HS008CD/HS008VL, 2008-06-02

First time reissue on CD&LP, the lost album of Doug Carn, a rare and obscure album to re-discover. Doug Carn is one of the most famous artist of the Soul Jazz scene. His "best of" and "the best of Black Jazz" sold many records worldwide.
Il s'agit de la réédition d'un album « perdu » de Doug Carn, sorti en 1977 juste après la période Black Jazz de Doug Carn et sa séparation avec sa femme Jean Carn. Cet album a été enregistré juste après la conversion de Doug Carn à l'islam et le changement de son nom en ABDUL RAHIM IBRAHIM.

Tracklisting :
01. Al Rahman
02. Tropic Sons
03. Casbah
04. The Watcher
05. Eronifa's Brown Bird
06. Suratal Ihklas
07. Balancez Calinda

Links :
myspace.com/heavenlyssweetness
heavenlysweetness.viabloga.com

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