Gregory Rogove - Piana
(CD/LP/Digital) Knitting Factory Records, 2012-01-31

Claude Debussy is a major inspiration for musicians of every faith in popular music. Debussy's seeds can be found in bossa nova, pop or contemporary jazz music from Antonio Carlos Jobim to Ryuchi Sakamoto, from Chilly Gonzales to Joe Henry just to name a few. And now young and talented multi-instrumentalist Gregory Rogove (Megapuss, Priestbird, Devendra Banhart) join this growing number of disciples. Piana (the female for piano?) is a moving collection of mere compositions for piano solo in the manner of the french masters - Debussy, but also the most eccentric pianist of all, Erik Satie. It's brilliant, often melancholic, sometimes funny, and it reminds us of the music played live over the silent movies in early cinema. John Medeski (of Medeski Martin & Wood) is the one and only guest musician on the record, but do not expect sick and mean hammond grooves à la MMW this time. John plays only the piano, and it's an amazing opportunity to hear him as we've never heard him before (except maybe on Marian McPartland's show). But why on earth did Gregory Rogove ask John Medeski to play on his record when he could have performed his own music? Yes, why?
"I asked John Medeski to perform the pieces for a number of reasons. First of all, he is a master performer with a very intimate knowledge of the instrument - something that I am not. Secondly, I thought that it would be interesting to capture the subterranean intensity of having a virtuosic improviser perform simple, composed pieces. Lastly, he's kinda cute" Greg said. The CD comes with a DVD featuring convincing remixes from The Bees, Billy Martin and Devendra Banhart among others.

Michael Kiwanuka - Whole Lotta Love
January 11th 2012

Tracklisting :
01. ‪Whole Lotta Love‬
02. Home Again
03. Chat with Zane Lowe

Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again EP
(10"/Digital) Communion Records, 2012-01-01

This third EP from British Soul singer and new sensation Michael Kiwanuka isn't as catchy as the first two previous ones, Tell Me A Tale EP and I'm Getting Ready EP, but the quality isn't lowering either. His soulful voice is one of the most interesting we've heard this year in the 'retro soul' current trend. His passionate lyrics seem simple but come straight from the heart, with laidback folk'n'soul dressings, they rank among the most moving we've heard all year. Expect shivers to the soul, no less. And again the production from Paul Butler (The Bees) fits like a glove...
The album, also titled Home Again will be out march 26th on Communion Records.

Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again
(CD/LP/Digital) Communion Records, 2012-03-26

We'll have to wait until late march 2012 to discover this long-awaited first album from British soul singer Michael Kiwanuka. Three EPs will have been released by then, on beautiful 10 inch vinyl that look like old dusty records, Tell Me A Tale EP in april 2011, I'm Getting Ready EP, in july, and Home Again EP in january 2012. The album, as the EPs, is produced by Paul Butler from The Bees, a man and a band we've been foloowing for years for their uniqueness and amazing recordings - get their albums! We've gathered all the available streams and videos so don't hesitate to plunge deep into the masterful folk/soul of Michael Kiwanuka, you won't be disappointed. We'll should be back soon with a real review, and hopefully more exclusive stuff...

The Greg Foat Group
(Interview by Nicolas Ragonneau, for Paris DJs - september 2011)

This spring Jazzman Records unveiled a new sensation with The Greg Foat Group's Dark Is The Sun, a fantastic jazz/soundtrack first album. Talented british pianist and composer Greg Foat was kind enough to allow us an exclusive interview : he tells us about being a child in the Isle of Wight, sci-fi novels, keyboards, analogic recording, a mysterious female French singer and being a DJ.

He's also prepared especially for Paris DJs an exclusive Greg Foat Sci-Fi Bugalu Mix, a fun party mix with a touch of sci-fi weirdness...

The Greg Foat Group
(Interview by Nicolas Ragonneau, for Paris DJs - september 2011)

The Greg Foat Group est l'une des révélations jazz/soundtrack de l'année avec l'album Dark Is The Sun, publié par le label JAZZMAN ce printemps. Pianiste et DJ, Greg Foat confie dans cette interview exclusive son amour pour l'île de Wight et une mystérieuse chanteuse française, son goût pour les claviers vintage, les vinyles et les romans de science-fiction.

Il a aussi concocté tout spécialement pour Paris DJs un mix exclusif 'Greg Foat Sci-Fi Bugalu Mix', parfait pour une fête teintée d'étrange science-fictionnesque......

Michael Kiwanuka - I'm Getting Ready EP
(10"/Digital) Communion Records, 2011-07-18

Michael Kiwanuka's second limited EP is as astonishing as his first one. The 23 year-old's reputation as a unique new British voice is rapidly burgeoning. This new single starts off sounding like folk jazz from Love's Forever Changes classic, before adding blues and southern gospel deepness. A short and majestuous single, really addictive. B-side I Need You By My Side is a sunday morning country-fied Motown song reminiscent of Elvis Presley' gospel side, while Any Day Will Do Fine closes this short EP on a Terry Callier vibe. Again Paul Butler from The Bees has to be mentionned for the perfection of his breezy production. Michael Kiwanuka will release a third EP at the end of the year before a full length in march next year. It's gonna be a long wait until then...

Michael Kiwanuka - Tell Me A Tale EP - Isle Of Wight Sessions
(10"/Digital) Communion Records 2011-04-24

We've been introduced to the amazing and chilling voice of 23-year old Michael Kiwanuka with this first EP, a limited 10 inch that should be really hard to find by now produced by Paul Butler from the exceptionnal UK band The Bees. This first release has been a shock to our system, especially the b-side I Need Your Company, (there's a download link for this one in the rest of the entry, you should deffo rush towards this one!). The a-side, Tell Me A Tale isn't a leftover either, the arrangements being just splendid, blending rich and gritty vocals, 60's soul, Budos Band horns cinematics with strings and flute dances and waves of shuffling drums. Finally, Worry Walks Beside Me will give you chills and goosebumps, like when you first heard Jeff Buckley. Think Bill Withers, Terry Callier, John Martyn, Nick Drake, Curtis Mayfield, Van Morrison with echoes of Richie Havens and Motown Rhyhtm & Blues!!! You NEED this record.

Paris DJs Soundsystem - Morning Sunshine (MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) 2009-05-18 It's been raining for too many days here in Paris so we decided to call for some rays of sunshine, with a mix to listen to in the morning, under a nice sunny vibe. Plat de resistance is a selection of supacool underground hip hop coolies to wake up to, until you're ready to leave for whatever it is you do when the sun rises... and that's when dessert comes with an incredible alternate version of Let The Sunshine In and two groovy numbers to start the day on a dancing tip! [comment faire?/how to?]...

Bernie Worrell - Improvisczario (Godforsaken Music) parisdjs
Charlie Hunter - Mistico (Concord) parisdjs
Papa Mali - Do Your Thing (Fog City) parisdjs
Ruckus Roboticus - Playing With Scratches (Grease) parisdjs
The Bees - Octopus (Parlophone) wikipedia
The Budos Band - II (Daptone) parisdjs
The Harlem Experiment (Rope-a-Dope) parisdjs
The Heliocentrics - Out There (Now-Again) parisdjs
The New Mastersounds - 102% (One Note) newmastersounds
The Souljazz Orchestra - Freedom No Go Die (Do! Right) parisdjs