We've counted at least a hundred very interesting new releases in the 21st century afro scene since our last mix, 21st Century Afro Extravaganza. Here's nearly 20% of all those new cool afro grooves from all over the world, with an exclusive new track from the Grant Phabao Afrobeat Arkestra, friendly vibes from Afrolicious, Karl Hector, Les Frères Smith (mixed by Phabao!), or Kiala, more friendly vibes sent by our label collegues from Record Kicks, Tramp Records, Jazz&Milk, Enlace Funk, Kindred Spirits or Kept Records and a few things we grabbed here and there. 21st Century Afrobeat,...

Antal - Diggin' In Sao Paolo (MP3 Podcast on ParisDJs.com) 2011-06-14 Today we're introducing you to some friends of ours from Amsterdam, Netherlands. Antal runs the Rush Hour label, record store and distributor. With KC the Funkaholic, he's also running the Kindred Spirits label, which released many essential albums lately, from Jungle By Night, Woima Collective, Build An Ark or Carlos Nino for example... Antal went to Sao Paolo for a Dutch/Brasil cultural exchange program at the Bienal 2010. While there, he spent most of his days in record stores, here are some of the tunes he found....

Jungle By Night - Jungle By Night
(CD/LP/Download) Kindred Spirits KS033, 2011-04-01

"The revelation of afrobeat" - Chief Udoh Essiet (percussionist of Fela Kuti's Egypt '80)

Jungle By Night present their first CD filled with the highlights from a recent studio session. As demand for their debut album is rapidly growing, they decided to do a one-take studio session, in order to create a preliminary EP. The results were above expected and can be heard on this 7-track mini-album. Including E.T. and Afro Blue. Big Tip!

Woima Collective - Tezeta
(CD/LP/Download) Kindred Spirits, 2010-11-08

The Woima Collective was born from deep within the brass section of renowned German funk unit Poets Of Rhythm, as tenor sax player Johannes Schleiermacher became immersed in the rhythms and modes of the African music that the Poets love so much. Combining the tight funk of groups like The Heliocentrics and the Poets Of Rhythm, with gnarly abyssinian brass and classic Mulatu-esque organ licks, the twelve tracks on Tezeta breeze into Europe on the Siroccan winds. At times, the band nods to dubby workouts like on the track No Way But Still Walking, at other times the brass section threaten to get free and atonal on the album closer Wilder Mann. Nevertheless Tezeta takes the cohesive pulse of North Africa, and fits it in a groove that will run and run for days. The Woima Collective celebrates the hypnotic beauty of Ethiopian scales and African rhythms, but creates an unique sound out of those influences, leaving lots of space for the individual band members to do their dance.

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....

Build An Ark – LOVE part 1
(CD/LP) Kindred Spirits KS 028, 2009-11-16

Build An Ark return with their third album LOVE Part 1 featuring guest performances by Phil Ranelin, Michael White and Mia Doi Todd, and their growth – both in sound and players – shows no signs of stopping. This is their meditation on Love ‐ its varying forms and moods, its ecstatic and soothing powers.

Carlos Niño & Friends – High With A Little Help From
(CD/LP) Kindred Spirits KS 027, 2009-11-16

Carlos Niño's latest electro accoustic work, a beautiful album on a ambient / Life Force Trio tip. sublime stuff....

Produced by Carlos Niño, the man behind AMMONCONTACT, WHAT'S THE SCIENCE, BUILD AN ARK and many other projects.
Featuring GABY HERNANDEZ, MIGUEL ATWOOD‐FERGUSON and DWIGHT TRIBLE.

Notre focus sur les labels modernes continue avec un spécial Kindred Spirits, label hollandais couvrant un large spectre de musiques soulful & spiritual. Le nouvel album du collectif Build An Ark, intitulé Love part 1 est LE disque que nous écoutons tous les jours en ce moment, un bijou de jazz folk à l'ancienne!

HEAVy - First Sessions
(CD) Kindred Spirits, 2009-03-23

In 2009, HEAVy drops their "First Sessions" CD filled with classic and unreleased material of the band in it's early stage. As to where Jazz Money$$ had some strong 80 influences, First Sessions returns to the late 70's soul and funk. Including the hit single "Do For You" and sought after remixes by Jazzanova, DJ Spinna and YamWho? A true must for soul and HEAVy fans, plus a great opportunity to get your hands on the remixes!

Sun Ra Dedication: The Myth Lives On
(2003 Kindred Spirits) Selected by Kees Heus

Voici une très jolie compilation qui pourra plaire à de nombreuses oreilles. Que vous soyez amateur de Sun Ra (bravo!), de Madlib (Yesterdays New Quintet & co.), de Jimi Tenor (ses 2 derniers albums sont des merveilles), de Theo Parrish (le potzo à Moodymann) ou de Mocky (le potzo de Gonzales), voire de ces cinq-là (comme moi), vous y trouverez votre bonheur. Kees Heus (à vos souhaits!), alias KC The Funkaholic, qui a sélectionné ces tracks, est en fait le programmateur du Paradiso à Amsterdam (le meilleur club du bled: c'est une ancienne église à l'acoustique extraordinaire). Il vient de monter le label Kindred Spirits, sur lequel sort cette compilation, issu de la soirée mensuelle du même nom au Paradiso. Dédié à Sun Ra, ce disque regroupe à la fois des reprises: "Love In Outer Space" par Jimi Tenor, "Nuclear War" par Alex Attias puis par Madlib avec le rappeur Dudley Perkins (responsable d'un des albums hip hop de l'année!), "Saga Of Resistance" par Theo Parrish ou "Astro Black" par Kirk Degiorgio; mais aussi une bonne partie de compositions "dans l'esprit de Sun Ra".
Les reprises sont ce qui m'a le plus captivé dans cet album: elles sont toutes assez terribles, et "Nuclear War", mon track favori y est même repris merveilleusement deux fois. Pour une fois que le meilleur du free jazz est réinterprété par les meilleurs de la scène hip hop electro broken beat, on aurait tort de s'en priver!!
PS Dégotez donc aussi le maxi vinyle de IG Culture, intitulé "Likwid Continual Space Ope-Ra : Space Is The Place", qui contient en face A "Space Is The Place (A Prelude 2 The Infinite)", et en face B "Space Is The Place (Black Star, Black Moon, Black Sun, Black Planet)". Tout un programme... mais il faudra commander le disque à l'étranger!
Note free goes electro: **** (Havanito)