De jaren tachtig vieren op muzikaal gebied momenteel hoogtij. Eén van de Nederlandse aanvullingen in dit genre is de uit Dordrecht afkomstige electropopband Black Tie Electrons. Het duo bestaat uit drummer/producer Phil Martin en zanger/gitarist Otto van Gemert die beiden hun sporen al in andere bands hebben verdiend. Disco Of Decay is het debuutalbum van de band.
Continue reading Disco of Decay – Recensie Festival Info
BodyQuake is het derde album van het Brits, Nederlandse collectief Laura Vane & the Vipertones. In 2008 is de band ontstaan door de samenwerking via Myspace tussen een aantal soulveteranen van eigen bodem en de Engelse souldiva Laura Vane. Songwriter en zangeres Laura Vane, ook wel “miss honey-over-sandpaper tones”genoemd, heeft een indrukwekkende staat van dienst. Zo bracht zij eerder albums uit met artiesten als The Streets en Gnarls Barkley.
Met haar rauwe stem voegt ze een typische Engelse ‘touch’ toe aan de composities van haar Nederlandse partners in crime, componisten Ton van der Kolk en Phil Martin. De heren staan bekend om hun uitstekende werk voor acts als AIFF, The Soul Snatchers, The Jazzinvadersvoor labels als Social Beats Records en Unique Records. Continue reading Recensie BodyQuake – Joost Wijdeven
Vijf jaar na het debuutalbum Sniffin’ And Snatchin’ is de Nederlandse formatie The Soul Snatchers terug met een langverwachte opvolger. En nog steeds swingt deze groep muzikanten de pan uit.
Wanneer je de sixtiessoul en seventiesfunk uit je speakers hoort schallen, kun je nauwelijks bevatten dat dit een collectief van eigen bodem is. De composities, de productie en de arrangementen klinken namelijk zo ontzettend Amerikaans. Wanneer je niet beter zou weten, zou je denken dat dit album veertig jaar geleden is gemaakt.
En dat is waarschijnlijk het grootste compliment dat je The Soul Snatchers kunt maken, want de band doet hard zijn best Scratch My Itch te laten klinken als een authentieke funkplaat. Dat de groep er niet voor schroomt om diens helden uit het genre aan te halen, spreekt eigenlijk voor zich.
Funkbroeders
Good To Me memoreert aan het klassieke werk van James Brown, terwijl The Right Track duidelijk geïnspireerd is door Stevie Wonder. En waar elders funkbroeders als Curtis Mayfield, Sly Stone, Bobby Womack en Edwin Starr worden aangehaald, is slotstuk Good & Plenty duidelijk opgebouwd uit bekende Motown-elementen.
Behalve de uitstekende muzikanten verdienen ook vocalisten Curtis T. en Jimi Bellmartin en dikke pluim voor hun bijdrages. The Soul Snatchers mag zich kwalitatief rustig meten met te gekke bands als JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, The Dap-Kings of The Roots (dat onlangs een plaat maakte met Betty Wright). Pure klasse.
Press Release :
To get a strong idea of what is taking place on the European Nu-jazz dance floors at the moment the second edition of ‘Socialized JazzBeats’, the successful compilation from the Dutch label Social Beats, would be a great example. With tracks & remixes by artists including Diesler, The Jazzinvaders, Idea6, Solo Moderna, The Houdini, Monsieur Dubois and DJ Maestro, ‘Socialized JazzBeats 2’, compiled by Phil Martin, also highlights how Social Beats interoperates jazz; Modern, danceable electronica production combined with traditional jazz instruments. This is indeed new jazz!!
Track-by-track commentary :
1. Praful – Corpo Suado (Phil Martin remix)
This track was on the album One Day Deep by the Dutch / German saxophone player Praful. He had a big success in the US with this record. I love the vocals on this track that were done (of de vocal part is done) by Lilian Vieira of the group Zuco 103. Samba meets the jazz sound of The Jazzinvaders. Great piano playing by Erwin Hoorweg (The Jazzinvaders) on this remix.
2. Diesler – Revelations (Draaikolk ft. Jazzinvaders remix)
This remix is done by Ton van der Kolk alias Draaikolk. Bassplayer of the Soul Snatchers and my musical partner in lots of other productions. After he came up with the groove and bass line, we asked the Jazzinvaders to fill in all the instruments. It’s one of my favourite remixes we done so far, also available on 7″ on freestyle records. We are crazy about the voice of Laura Vane!
3. The Houdini’s – My Lost Hands Crumbles (Eddie Roberts remix)
In 2007 I produced an album with the Houdini’s called Unleashed and Remixed. One of my favourite jazz groups in Holland. I asked my favourite producers / musicians to fool around with the Houdini’s music. This is the track that guitar player Eddie Roberts of The New Mastersounds came up with. So funky and groovy and what a great guitar solo!
4. Frank Montis – Illusions
Frank has been a friend of mine for some years now. Besides being a great organ player in The Soul Snatchers, Frank has got his own jazzy pop style when playing his own music. Right now I am producing his debut album. We’re definitely going to hear more from him!
5. The Beets Brothers – Reunion Blues (Phil Martin remix)
Marius Beets – one of the well-known Beets Brothers – gave me the tracks of this song that they had just recorded. He asked me to do something with this tune. Well, I just gave it the right groove and the right sound, so let’s boogaloo!
6. Monsieur Dubois – Spy’s Methaphor (Phil Martin remix)
I did this remix two years ago but they couldn’t release the track, so we thought we could better do it ourselves! Monsieur Dubios released two great Nu-Jazz albums, this track was taken from their first album ‘Ruff’. Their style is described as danceable hard jazz. Please check out this great Dutch Nu-Jazz Movement!
7. DJ Maestro and Sven Vigee – Damn that Beat (Phil Martin remix)
DJ Maestro is well known for his Blue Note compilations but he has also produced some music. This is one of my favourite tracks with Tineke Postma on saxophone and Peter Beets (The Beets Brothers) on the piano.
8. The Houdini’s – No More Yesterdays
Not too many people have heard about Gianni de Luca but after this remix that might change! Once again he delivered a very nice remix of a song that was already very danceable. The track was originally for the Houdini’s Remixed album but it deserves more attention. A drivin’ beat, great guitar playing by Eelco van de Meeberg and some superb saxophone playing by Rolf Delfos! A killer track.
9. Jaffa – An Echo Remains
Jaffa is a new project I started with the Dutch vocalist Christel Meijer. I love her voice and she’s full of great ideas for songs. We’re aiming to get a complete album together next year. On this track trumpet player Jan van Duikeren, of the Jazzinvaders, is playing along.
10. Solo Moderna – Bop the Ragtop
A jazzy tune taken from Solo’s debut album Boogalookalikes on SocialBeats. Solo has got some good dancefloor stuff and there’s always a strange twist and funny vibe to his songs. This one got a good jazz flavour.
11. The Jazzinvaders – Day by Day
It’s one of the popular songs on The Jazzinvaders second album ‘Blow!’ Just a good jazzy bossa track with vocals by Frank Montis.
12. Idea6 – New Born
Paolo Scotti asked me to do a remix on this one. He just delivered ‘Metropoli’, a great album by the Italian group Idea6. I liked the tune already, so I only changed the groove and added some new piano parts by Erwin Hoorweg and some saxophone by Tom Beek, both Jazzinvaders members.
13. The Houdini’s – Catch 22 Hot (The Jazzinvaders remix)
It’s the mighty Houdini’s again. As a remixer you just can’t go wrong on this stuff. What a pleasure it is to work with such great tracks. Having that kind of material, it’s inevitable: a steaming beat and some hardbop licks: jazzy satisfaction on the dance floor!
14. The Jazzinvaders – Perugia (Diesler Remix)
I’ve been in contact with Jonathan (Diesler) for several years now. Over time we did quite a few remixes for each other. It’s always nice to work with this talent. Once again he added his trademark: getting tunes into a tempting dancefloor vibe. You just can’t sit down on this one!