Strange Times by Omar Coleman - Color Red Records


ABOUT THE TRACK:
Stange Times” is a reflection of initial conversations Omar Coleman had with Eddie Roberts during Coleman’s 2020 sessions at Color Red Studios (Denver, CO) testifying the bizarre state of America amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The exchange kept running back to the strange times that they were living in and Coleman took the stanza and ran with it. He immediately compiled lyrics he scribbled out on pieces of paper and knocked out lyrics from start to finish. Roberts approached the album combining classic blues with funkier blues and captured the rawness and immediacy of the music by recording through tape on Color Red Studios’ Tascam 388. “I hear Omar’s voice as a cross between Muddy Waters and Charles Bradley,” he states, “I tried to reflect those qualities in music approach and songwriting as well as the way we recorded the album and built the instrumentation of the tracks.” Joining Coleman and Roberts on “Strange Times” are Dan Africano (Ghost Light) on bass, Chris Spies (Matador! Soul Sounds) on keyboards and organ, Carl Sorenson (Dragondeer) on drums, Eric Bloom (Lettuce) on trumpet, Nick Gerlach (Michal Menert) on saxophone, Adrienne Short on viola and Kari Clifton on violin. ‘Eddie Roberts presents Omar Coleman: Strange Times’ comes out in summer 2021.


WHAT'S THE STORY?
When Chicago-based producer David Vandenberg brought The New Mastersounds to the US for their first time to open for Greyboy All-Stars in 2004, little did Eddie know nearly two decades later there would be full-circle energy tied into that first night out in Chicago and working with Omar Coleman, an icon-clad staple in the city heralded as ‘Home of the Blues.’ On Eddie's first night in Chicago, Vandenberg took him to Rosa’s, a legendary blues club on the West Side of town, a club that Coleman had been playing for decades. Fast forward to 2021 producing Coleman's upcoming record on Color Red, Coleman started to lay down his original tune "Old Man Teaser" and explained that it was a story about the lady behind the bar at Rosa's teasing all the older blues musicians.

An instance like that goes beyond coincidence and demonstrates the ripple effect of Color Red’s collaborative spirit and the minuscule degrees of separation in their musical network. As for the album’s title, Eddie Roberts Presents Omar Coleman: Strange Times, it’s an ode to The New Mastersounds’ 2001 debut record, Keb Darge Presents: The New Mastersounds, that was championed by the iconic Scottish DJ and curator launching the band into a 20+ year career and nine more records to boot. Now, the baton is passed to Eddie as a leading voice in the modern funk and soul revival era with notable producer and bandleader accolades and the launch of Color Red that curates top-notch musical talent from all over the globe
released March 18, 2021
 

I Can't Give You Up by Smoove & Turrell



Free Download of the Smoove & Turrell classic, taken from their debut album, ANTIQUE SOUL

Enter 0 at checkout for free download or name your price to support the band.

For more free music from the band and their label head here:
VOL. 1 - jalapenorecords.bandcamp.com/album/we-love-jalapeno
VOL. 2 - jalapenorecords.bandcamp.com/album/we-love-jalapeno-vol-2

released February 8, 2021

Nobody's Clown by Los Yesterdays

 

Beggin / Ms. Jackson by The Diasonics free download

 


Initiators of the hussar funk from Russia

Rare groove sound
Raw funk feeling
Sensual dramatic melodiesreleased February 15, 2021

'Every Day (Every Night​)​' b​/​w 'I Don't Need No Doctor' by PM Warson

 



Part of the UK’s vibrant, modernist Rhythm & Blues lineage, PM Warson established himself self-releasing raw-cut 45s in the vein of the independent studios of the ‘50s & ‘60s.
Recorded direct to tape with a live rhythm section, just before the global lockdown of 2020, his debut LP is due early 2021 on Legere Recordings.I been to long away from my baby...'

A song for soul-searching in 2020, 'Every Day (Every Night)' was cut just in time direct to tape in East London in February. For love lost to lockdown, Ashford, Simpson & Armstead's 'I Don't Need No Doctor' appears on the flip.
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released September 14, 2020

Basilisk by Orgone

 


Basilisk” is a brooding instrumental theme that brings a dusty psychedelic flavor to Orgone’s signature brand of heavy funk. The hard-hitting drum groove and snaky rhythm section pulsate in lock step, fueling the hypnotic sway and bite of the tripped-out RMI Electra-piano melody. “Basilisk” is propulsive with a dark, cinematic feel that finds a home somewhere between psych-rock, library music, and classic 1970s jazz-funk. This is a teaser track from the upcoming Orgone stoney-voodoo-psych album Chimera.
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released February 19, 2021

It Might Be French by Waldeck Sextet

 


In a perfect world one would expect to find the music of Klaus Waldeck in the genre of electronic music. With his new project "The Waldeck Sextet" he leaves this stereotype behind and surprises us with a very pleasant acoustic experiment.
It all began with an analogue recording session in Vienna´s legendary supersense studios.And although it is hardly a perquisite to form a new project for these kind of recording ventures, Waldeck - quite obviously enthused by the idea of this analogue adventure - founded his new project "The Waldeck Sextet". Such was his excitement that he lost track of the number of musicians and thus founded the worlds first sextet that consists of 10 members, including his main vocalist Patrizia Ferrara.

Funk Purpose Vol​.​4 [SMS020] by Various Artists

 


With three dynamite editions already under their belt Samosa Records ‘Funk Purpose’ series is rapidly turning into one of the finest V/A compilation series available on vinyl today.
Having already topped the charts in vinyl stores across the globe the first three editions were a hard act to follow but Samosa have put together perhaps their finest edition to date in Volume 4 with masterful tracks coming from Souldynamic, De Gama, HP Vince and AlexNY.
Opening up proceedings are Italian production duo Souldynamic with the much sought after track ‘Black Night’ which is perhaps the perfect set opener. It’s warm and dynamic but equally cool and controlled with soul drenched Philly style vocals. The wonderfully hooky string line gives it an immediate feeling whilst the funky piano and wah guitar licks will cause uncontrollable dancing and add a touch of grit.
Black Night has also had the House music royalty seal of approval with Louie Vega regularly championing it for a couple of years now in many of his sets live and streamed. You can hear him spinning it in his Mixmag live appearance from legendary NYC club Output and as part of his Annie Mac Mini Mix.
Also on the A side is De Gama’s ‘Crocodile Boogie’ a monstrous slice of percussion heavy jazzy piano house. The keys give it a powerful punch and despite it’s jazzy leanings it has a cool 70’s theme feel which will open it up to the more clued up dancefloors out there.
Over on the flip Dutch producer HP Vince closes out his packed 2020 with ‘My Baby Got The Blues’ a deep blues edged house outing with a real classic feel. Rock solid drum programming gives the chilled vocal all the push that it needs for the dancefloor, it’s a track of togetherness, one for those small hours in both the club and the afterparty.
Closing the EP out De Gama has re-built super hot Argentine producer AlexNY’s track ‘Over’. Featuring another powerful soul drenched vocal the warm bass notes draw the listener in for what is a wonderfully crafted track. Again it’s got the dancefloor at its heart but is packed with more than enough class to give it long lasting appeal for home listening.
Funk Purpose Vol. 4 features four dynamite tracks all tied together by a late 60’s / early 70’s soulful ethos. Warm an approachable it’s an EP for the club, which again will undoubtedly see huge DJ and radio support, but which will also find itself on many a favourite playlist.
Another triumph for Samosa, grab them while they’re hot!