John Parry, Author at Backseat Mafia

Track: Zimbabwe’s Gonora Sounds preview their hot stepping ‘Mukoma Shadrek’ ahead of February debut album.

Ah, memories of the first time hearing early cuts from Staff Benda Bilili or Malawi Mouse Boys –eyes closed, the inner smile, that warmth of discovery….It all comes back with…

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Album Review: Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O – ‘UMDALI’

Sometimes the narrative surrounding a record can make listening seem too intrusive. This prospect might have been a very real challenge for the revered South African jazz composer, Malcolm Jiyane…

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See: Geneva’s electronic post punkers Tout Bleu deliver ‘Rucksucre’ ahead of new album ‘Otium’.

From the ever giving Bongo Joe portal, key communicator from the Geneva underground scene and beyond, comes news of Tout Bleu’s second album ‘Otium’ due for release on 10th December.…

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Album Review: L’Eclair- ‘Confusions’

It’s not surprising to hear that eclectic jazz funk instrumentalists L’Eclair and their record label go back a long way. Drifting home to Geneva from a London expedition in 2015…

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Album Review: Portico Quartet – ‘Monument’

I can still remember the kerfuffle Portico Quartet sparked off at Womad 2012…Where’s the hang drum? What’s this, loops? Is this dance music? For a crowd expecting the pastoral acoustic…

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See: Global beat fusionists Black Flower preview ‘O Fogo’ from incoming album ‘Magma’.

The pronunciation might be tricky but you can’t question the discerning taste of Belgian label Sdban Ultra in the nu-jazz, funk and grooves department. More proof comes with the label’s…

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See: Richard Dawson/Circle reveal ‘Methuselah’, an epic rush of folk /metal story telling.

Ever tried keeping up with Richard Dawson? It’s a challenge that always pays off. Over the past couple of years we’ve been gifted his reflective and resonant song craft on…

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Album Review: Meridean Brothers & Conjunto Media Luna- Paz en la Terra

Nothing about the Meridean Brothers is as you would expect unless you are prepared for the unexpected. The name might suggest a collective but in the studio the ‘Brothers’ focal…

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Album Review: South African be-bop trailblazer Kippie Moeketsi’s Blue Stompin receives long-awaited reissue

Over forty years on since its original release in 1977 those intrepid sound seekers at We Are Busy Bodies have just re-issued, in partnership with Rashid Vally’s seminal South African…

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Track: Quantic & Nidia Gongora- new track, Balada Borracha, plus album announcement

The story goes that musician, producer and global fusion pioneer Will ‘Quantic’ Hudson first heard Colombian singer songwriter Nidia Gongora’s singular voice through the wall of his Cali apartment busting…

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