The SA-RA Creative Partners™ is a trio of accomplished musicians, producers and trendsetters, comprised of Om'Mas Keith, Taz Arnold and Shafiq Husayn.  On their musical quest they have dazzled with amazing productions, collections, mixes and remixes. But now, for the first time, with Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love, they deliver a completely new and original album. Built from scratch, it’s a truly coherent and innovative body of work. Musical, adventurous, and even more evolved than anything they’ve done before, Nuclear Evolution also shows a controlled, polished, and in-the-pocket side to their work. It is an album on which SRCP™ shine as the innovative musical force they promised to be, ever since the cult hit “Glorious” first shattered bass bins and minds worldwide.

Whether on the otherworldly opus “Love Czars,” the bombastic  soul of “I Swear,” or twisted tales of drug-fueled-freaks on “Traffika,”  Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love blends next-level production with a unique and unconstrained blend of street wit, dirty-sex talk, tall stories, and intergalactic future sounds, and is set to become essential listening for the summer of 2009.

It’s an over-used phrase that a band has a unique sound. But The SA-RA Creative Partners use their three minds to combine and make something that is always new, something twisted, a sound not heard before. Their music is soulful, but not limited by the neo soul tag. They make  hip hop, but of the bugged-out and other-worldly kind. Tracks are instantly catchy, but edgy and not commercial. According to the list of high-profile artists requesting their production services their sound has an infectious global spread and appeal. Most recently SRCP have been making their mystical magical soulful productions for Erykah Badu. Serving as her associate producers, they wrote, appeared, and produced on seven of the tracks from her critically acclaimed 2008 New Amerykah album. She returns the favor with a guest appearance on “Dirty Beauty” on Nuclear Evolution. Other collaborators that SRCP have worked with include Pharoahe Monche (on the massive “Agent Orange” track), John Legend, Black Eyed Peas, Talib Kweli, J Dilla, Fonzworth Bentley, Heavy D, Common, Iggy Pop, Herbie Hancock, Dr. Dre, Jill Scott, and Jurassic 5.

Balancing the call to make music for other people with working as the SRCP unit (and working their solo projects,) has been quite a feat. “We find time because we love doing this,” explains Husayn. “We are drawn closer to Nirvana, with each release and creative statement. As for our own stuff, it is all an extension of our will to create things from out of the mind,” he adds.

Helping SRCP realize their potential on Nuclear Evolution is a crew of friends and co-conspirators that includes legends like soul chanteuse Erykah Badu, and saxophonist Gary Bartz with his quartet. The album also features up-and-coming talent like Debi Nova, Rozzie Daime, Noni Lamar, Erika Rose, Brook D’leau of J*Davey, Joseph Liemberg, Fenetta Lowe & Jimetta Rose. Easy to like, but difficult to pigeon hole, the album oozes equal parts jazz, soul, pop, funk, and hip-hop. The eclectic collection of productions bounces from the sticky and bubbly soul of “Gemini’s Rising”, to the string laden bump of “He Say She Say,” and the outer-worldly bossa nova of “Spacefruit.”

Sticking together through more than their fair share of highs and lows, the group channeled their collective energies to create what is arguably their best work to date.  “There is something powerful about the Number 3. A triangle is architectures most structurally sound shape,” explains Keith. “And there is a sense of brotherhood among us, the strong sense of purpose we all share in our will to cleanse the proverbial palette of music!” he adds. Having won the BBC Radio 1s’ “John Peel Play More Jazz Award” at the end of 2004, the band embarked on a fruitful relationship with mega star Kanye West. They signed a major recording deal with his GOOD Music Label, then distributed by Sony. Their plan was to release their Black Fuzz album through Sony Urban and follow-up with the Ubiquity album. However, as with the best made plans (especially those involving major labels,) Black Fuzz has yet to be released. After much pressure from fans and executives at Babygrande records, SRCP opted to release a one-off project entitled The Hollywood Recordings, an album of new and previously released material. In 2006 rumors floated on the internet that the group had disbanded. An exclusive interview with Shafiq Husayn, on okayplayer.com, squashed that rumor. The band is alive and well, and they still maintain a strong relationship with West, recently appearing in a video with him, Andre 3000, and Fonzworth Bentley.

Outside of SRCP, the members are all working on multiple projects. Arnold has a fashion company called ti$a consulting, and is working on collections and collaborations with Kanye West and his Pastelle Clothing line. He is also preparing to launch the ti$a x mcm and ti$a x phenomenon lines this summer. Husayn is working on a full-length album called Shafiq En’ A-Free-Ka, (already garnering causing a buzz), plus the new Erykah Badu album and a few songs on Bilal’s new album, and the new Sleepy Brown album (featuring George Clinton.) Keith is currently producing and writing for P. Diddy’s upcoming album (Last Train to Paris), and will co-star in a major network reality television show. He’s also been serving as MD for rapper Jim Jones, lecturing with the Red Bull Music Academy, managing fresh musical talent, and pursuing his acting/voice-over career. “As always, overseeing The SA-RA family of companies continues to be a top priority!” he says.

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Somewhere between the past and the distant future, sparked by dusty old jazz records and beat generation hip hop, at the audio cross-roads of Detroit and Vienna, lies a series of sound stories steeping in the head of 23 year old beat navigator Paul Movahedi, also known as The Clonious. The Adroit Adventures EP is the first of those tales to exit his dome and hit wax. The EP includes a version of “Fogged Spacesuit,” available only on this release, and an exclusive Dorian Concept remix or “Emora.”

“Searching in the past always felt like looking in the future for me. The past and the future have the unknown in common, but I hope I also captured the jazz that makes it timeless,” says Movahedi.

Check the cosmic vibes on the bouncy “Fogged Spacesuit,” the ideal tune for astronauts on a spacewalk. The equally outerworldly vocalist Muhsinah sings on “One At A Time,” which swells and bumps in a soulful electronic-shoegazer style. Hailing from DC, Muhsinah is fresh off tour with Common. And since the hype of her “Daybreak 2.0.” and “The Oscillations: Sine” releases has collaborated with a resume-busting list of producers that include DJ Spinna, Flying Lotus, Nicolay & Phonte (The Foreign Exchange), Om'mas Keith and many more. The angular and mechanical “Emora” appears in steeley original mix and is also remixed courtesy of uber-hot Kindred Spirits artist, Dorian Concept, who gets glitch-happy adding a cheeky bump to the proceedings. Movahedi and Dorian Concept are long-time collaborators, they’re in the Austrian bands JSBL and Teeming Palliation alongside Cid Rim.

The beat generation scene is on fire worldwide, with artists smashing the boundaries of connections between electronic music and hip hop, taking what they know and creating something new. “With every record I have listened to I inhaled a piece of the world,” says Movahedi. “I come from a musical background that is heavily influenced by the jazz era of the late 1950s and 1960s. But a big part of my sound is sampling. Everything I record or produce eventually ends up in a sampler. As I see it the art of sampling comes close to a cloning process. So add my love for sampling with my love for old jazz records and the name The Clonious makes sense...I guess!” he adds.

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South Florida has produced some great female singers over the years from Betty Wright to Gloria Estefan. But have you ever heard of Betty Padgett? Despite a relatively successful local career the answer is probably not. You’re even less likely to have seen or heard her hard-to-come-by self-titled debut album. Released in 1975 it includes “Sugar Daddy”, a gem of a track that sounds like it could be a Quantic or Mr Scruff production of late. The album will receive a full-length re-issue later in the year, but fr now this 12” includes both the original vocal version and an extended “Sugar Daddy” dub, previously only available on a super-rare12”. This tune alone would normally set you back a few hundred bucks. And Bettys dynamite soul, over such a tasty percussive mid-tempo groove makes it worth every penny.

On the flip-side is an even rarer track by Arthur Foy. Despite coming out of New Orleans “Get Up And Dance” does not sound like your typical Meters, Eddie Bo, etc inspired funk. Instead think deep chocolate soul ala Uno Melodic, Roy Ayers, 80s Ladies, RAMP etc. Down and dirty, and boasting a dance-floor-winning- hook, “Get Up And Dance” is an amazing cosmic soul discovery that came our way via Cool Chris at the Groove Merchant in San Francisco. Copies of the original are rarer than hens teeth and the very few we know about have exchanged hands for $400+.

Limited Edition Pressing: 1000 pieces only.

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Ahhh, the unmistakable Florida funk sound. There have been so many great labels: TK, Drive, Cat, Alston, Glades, Sound Triangle, Konduko, Blue Candle and Marlin just to name a few. Blistering tropical grooves heard around the world and made famous by artists such as: Timmy Thomas, King Sporty, Clarence ‘Blowfly’ Reid, T-Connection, Beginning Of The End, Freak, Oceanliners, James Knight, Chocolate Clay, the 13th Floor, Herman Kelly & Life, Philip Wright, Ray & His Court, All The People, K.C. & The Sunshine Band, Vanessa Kendrick, Miami, Coke, Antique, Lew Kirton, Pearly Queen and so on…The shear amount of talent that emerged from the Sunshine State in the 1970’s is mind-boggling.

But Betty Padgett? Who is Betty Padgett? This is the question record collector and DJ Shane Hunt (aka DJ Sureshot) kept asking himself when he recently discovered the Betty Padgett self-titled 1975 debut LP while browsing through a dusty back room at a Los Angeles record store. “There is a certain feeling that a beat digger gets when stumbling across what may be a Holy Grail, it’s what keeps you going on the quest to unearth lost musical treasure,” said Hunt. “The record simply looked too good to be true. I didn’t know if it was going to be Sweet Soul? Disco? Dirty Funk, or possibly even Reggae? When I got back to my crib and gave it a listen, I discovered it was all of the above and more,” he added. Few records encompass all of these musical genres in one package, but this one captures the essence of Miami in the mid-70s with a sampling of all the sounds that made the region a musical hotbed.

Betty Padgett was born in Newport, New Jersey and her family moved to Florida when she was in the 6th grade. She sang in her church choir and began to take performing seriously after graduating from high school. While checking out the bubbling local music scene at venues like The Double Decker and Tedie Green, Padgett became particularly keen with the group called Joey Gilmore and the T.C. B. (Taking Care of Business) Express. In 1971 she auditioned with Gilmore and ended up, not only securing the position, but singing with the band for the next 17 years.

After a gig at the Elks Club in Ft. Lauderdale, Padgett was approached by soul legend Milton Wright (responsible for the rare groove classics “Keep It Up” and “You Don’t Even Know Me.”) Blown away by her vocal skills and stage presence Wright wasted no time. Within a month she was co-writing and arranging with Wright (check his unmistakable influence on “Gypsy of Love”), Wally Joest, and a cast of musicians she had just met. The entire album was recorded in one evening at Criteria Studios in Miami. Padgett vividly remembers listening to the demo on the drive home from the studio around 3am. It was pouring down rain and she was so excited from having recorded her first record at age 21 that she lost control of her car on the slick streets and nearly crashed!

A 12” disco single of “Sugar Daddy” was pressed up in support of the LP and it created quite a buzz (despite her name being misspelled on the cover and labels.) Padgett remembers a local Pepsi Cola TV & radio advert featured the music. The commercial was apparently filmed on the Ft Lauderdale beachfront and included Navy Sailors in uniform that just happened to be docked nearby. Padgett danced up to a vending machine that was parked in the sand, slapped it, and received a glass bottle of soda. After the success of “Sugar Daddy,” Padgett and her band were whisked off to Belize for live dates. After landing at the Belize airport, she was picked up in a taxi and the commercial played on the radio in the cab.

While Padgett never quite topped the heights of “Sugar Daddy,” she boasts a great musical resume and continues to perform and record. She has performed and shared the stage with Little Beaver, Gwen & George McCrae, K.C. & The Sunshine Band, Latimore, Jimmy Bo Horne, Jackie Moore, Joe Tex, Denise LaSalle, The Impressions, Bobby Bland, Joe Simon and ZZ Hill.

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As we launch the beautiful video for “All The Shallow Deep” Blank Blue drop an EP that includes brand new mixes and music, including folked-out versions of “Sonic What!?” and “Up”, a Flying Lotus remix of “Blank Blue” (in both vocal and instrumental formats) and an exclusive unreleased tune.

The video for “All The Shallow Deep” is influenced by psychedelic classics like Easy Rider and Nicholas Roeg's The Man Who Fell to Earth and was put together by noted video producer Dean Fernando. It was shot on locations in Long Beach and Palm Springs and is enhanced by visual art by Kime Buzzelli.

The Dive EP is available in strictly limited vinyl and as a digital download. The album versions of “Sonic What?!” and “Up” have been stripped down and had new life injected into them by way of breezy acoustic guitars, vibes and strings. Elvin Estella and Niki Randa (collectively known as Blank Blue) were so happy with these re-workings that they see this sound as theirs for future recordings. Flying Lotus, on the other end of the sonic spectrum, takes the album version of “Blank Blue” and drags it through cosmic grit and dirt, before spitting out an extra-terrestrial banger. “Finer Grains” is an instrumental exclusive made just for this EP. “All The Shallow Deep” will be available only on the digital-version of this EP.

The Blank Blue album is a concept record built around the fictional and futuristic account of a massive earthquake that separates the West coast off from the rest of the United States.

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Blank Blue are still a very young group, but the songs they’ve completed so far possess a beatific, rococo lushness—as well as an understated funkiness.
- OC Weekly

Sounds like Os Mutantes with an 808 kick sample.
- LA Record

Delicately straddles the fence between 60s psychedelia and the Bristol sound of the 90s.
- Friction NYC

Elvin Estela, aka Nobody, met Niki Randa at Fingerprints, an indie record store in Long Beach, California, where they have worked together since 2001.  Estela was mulling over ideas for a sequel to Pacific Drift, his 2003 release on Ubiquity, and realized that the album he wanted to make needed only one vocalist.  He had often heard that "Niki can sing!" and eventually would give Randa a CD-R of beats and tracks that he was considering for his new album to see if she was interested in being the one.  In December 2006 the first of their collaborations was finished and given the working title "Sonic What?!"  Excited with the results, Estela immediately told Randa about the concept for an album which had come to him in a series of nightmares.  Shortly after the two ventured to a book store during their lunch break, grabbed a book blindly, opened randomly, and put Randa's finger to a page which read “Blank Blue.”  The god’s had christened their project (it’s both the album's namesake and the name given to the collaboration between Estela and Randa) and for the next twelve months, Estela and Randa would eat, sleep, drink and smoke Blank Blue.

Blank Blue is the surreal story of an Armageddon born out of a massive earthquake off the west coast of the United States and set sometime in the future.  The quake triggers a separation of the west from the rest of the country, creating a whirlpool of devastation in its wake.  Millions die.  Thousands survive.  Those that survive eventually sink and drown from the buckling lands, only to have scores of poison mushrooms waiting for them underneath the earth's masses, loosened from centuries old trees.  The poisoned water gives them their first gasp, and miraculously they are able to and breathe and live underwater.  The album tells the story from various points of views, from an all-knowing narrator, to a psychic fish that warns people via their dreams, to random characters who watch their loved ones drown or ask the others underwater how to find the ability to breathe.  The confusion and sadness is balanced by the fascination of having to start everything all over again; learning how to breathe and swim etc.

“I started to think about making an album that I would want to listen to, that reflected the music that I love to put on and space out to.  I loved albums where one vocalist takes you through a journey through different sounds and styles.  Niki was the first person I trusted with my idea of Blank Blue and her voice matched the music perfectly.  It also helped that we have worked together at a record store for 7 years so we were official record store geeks,” says Estela  ...  more

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"If I were an emcee, I would want Clutchy on my squad. Much like MF Doom he has the unique ability to make the inanimate articulate, as if his instruments could speak. Not only is Clutchy 'next up', but he's also on some next shit."
- Thick Magaine

"Is Hopkins a creation of this label's in-house roster of acts or a mysterious master of the groove arts? In the end, who cares? The 12 tracks here are slick, slow funkin' instrumentals (mostly) that will bring smiles to baristas faces everywhere that it gets spun."
- The Province (Canada)

"Slow-burning arrangements smolder with exotic instrumentation and ear-bendingly effective playing..."
- OC Weekly

"Forged of modern soul, downtempo, hip-hop, blues and electronica, this is one pimp-ass record of atmospheric beat music that throbs with mood, mystery and humor. Add in a clever, hilariously crafted persona that makes truth and fiction impossible to separate as a mascot and you’ve got a winner."
- Orlando Weekly

"Dope beats evoke the work of the RZA, or Madlib's 'Yesterday's New Quintet', and the raw drums crackle with immediacy. The moody album evokes dark, smokey rooms humming with vintage grooves inspired by old records from swap meet dollar bins. Initially underwhelming, Hopkins' style infects the brain."
- SF Weekly

"Simple but not simplistic, Walking Backwards is a fascinating peek under a rock—whether or not the rock exists."
- Dallas Observer

"There's a spare, spacious approach here that almost reminds us of the energy that we first felt in DJ Shadow's groundbreaking work of a decade before -- a similar love of gritty, organic source material -- and an ear for putting it together with lots of dark twists and turns that balance nicely between classic funk and current hip hop production sensibilities. The flavor of each tune changes nicely -- making the album way more than just a clichéd collection of beats..."
- Dustygroove

"Walking Backwards' dense, drifting instrumentals were built on dry snare thwacks, woodwinds and gloomy, dim-lounge organs...Hopkins is a creepy one. Whoever he is."
- Remix

"The tempos are suitably slow and the rhythms nicely woozy...It makes for pleasantly laid-back head-nodding fodder."
- Now Magazine (Canada)

"The disc is chock full of slick jazz/funk fusion hip-hop beats that plays out like a soundtrack to the life of the Clutchster himself...Walking Backwards is nice change of pace from the norm as far as instrumental discs goes, with many using more samples and synthesizers than actual live instrumentation, with Hopkins apparently manning nearly all of the instrumentation. As a result, Clutchy proves that he's hipper than your average bum off the street, and he can play a mean flute...and drums, and organ, and harp..."
- URB

"Instead of sleuthing for the man's true identity, we're better off simply enjoying his music - which is moodier than your ex-girlfriend and more deliciously layered than the cake she eats."
- Snowboard Canada

"The beats are so sticky-icky the record should come complete with rolling papers. 'Love Of A Woman' wins 'Best Song To Make Babies To' in 2008."
- Slug Magazine

"Walking Backwards succeeds in its ability to act as a musical vacation. It takes you on an international near-50-minute journey without the cost of air fare and having to deal with pesky airport security."
- Okayplayer


Dear Press Friend,

Don’t ask me who Clutchy Hopkins is; I don’t know. There’s a line of people waiting to learn his whereabouts.  If you find out, perhaps you will be kind enough to hand over the contact info for the mysterious trickster, folklore guru, and marvelous musician. Because of his anonymity, this won’t be your average press release. I don’t have any of the usual stuff: no insight into his background, no list of influences or interesting anecdotes about his musical upbringing. Instead, what follows is the abbreviated version of how this album came to be by way of thrift store finds, red herrings, a pizza parlor, and a list of characters long enough to cast a b-movie ... more


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Late last year Ubiquity was approached by the mysterious Misled Children about another project from Clutchy Hopkins, the man they claim to represent. A vintage Caribbean tracksuit jacket was found in the office fridge, and written in permanent marker on the inside right arm was a request for a meeting where we would “get another piece of the Clutchy Hopkins puzzle.”

Despite the goose chase involved in putting out the last album we could not pass up the opportunity to hear some more Clutchy Hopkins music. We agreed to meet the Misled Children in Joshua Tree, CA. Sweating from the 110 degree heat and skeptical about the possibility of a no-show we went to the Joshua Tree Tavern for a cool beer. The bar tender spotted us as we walked in. When we ordered a couple of drinks he looked us straight in the eye and whispered, “Follow me.”

Taking us to a messy back room, filled with empty glass bottles, a collection of stuffed owls, and strewn with old newspapers, he handed over a plastic bag and said, “I think this is what you came for.” Despite the lack of liquid refreshment we decided to leave quickly, the local eyes were glued on us and we were itching to get at the contents of the bag which by now we knew had to have been planted by the Misled Children.

Inside was a short stack off Apex 2-inch reel-to-reel tapes and a small journal. The journal contained stories of Clutchy Hopkins, and his move to Barbados. The dates of the stories were vague but seemed to span the late 1970s through the early 1980's. Hopkins had moved there in search for a medicine man, who also hand-made percussion instruments, named Lord Kenjamin. Over the years Hopkins had heard stories about this simple man and as the notes read “his mission to help people come to a place of peace and humbleness through music.” Hopkins searched for several weeks, tricked on several occasions into dead ends by the local children. At times it seemed that the village people wanted nothing to do with Hopkins, “The children enjoy confusing me with directions that lead me back to where I started. It is like a daily joke,” he wrote, “One day they tell me to head east, the next day west, and all with a suspicious smile.”

Hopkins was about to give up his search and go home when he was bitten by a poisonous Lionfish. He passed out from the pain while in a side street on his way back to his hotel room. He was dehydrated and in bad shape after laying there for nearly 2 whole days. A group of the local children found him close to death when their soccer ball bounced down the street and rolled into his listless body. Feeling guilty that they had misled him on his quest, the children carried Hopkins on a stretcher made of sugar cane to Lord Kenjamin. For the next 3 months Hopkins was in and out of consciousness.

At this point in the journal the notes in the book have been ripped-out, we don’t know why. But the next page that is legible reads “With faint memories of a 4 track, deep-rooted beats, and a melodica, I have been brought back to health by the help of Lord Kenjamin and the music we made together. As a token of my appreciation I have promised the good Lord Kenjamin that the world would one day hear these recordings. The music has made a huge impact on our spirits and health during this time. We will call this record Music Is My Medicine.”

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Highlands is an album of bittersweet cosmic campfire electronics and melancholic dreams. Song-writer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Damon Aaron, pens love songs and personal anecdotes that float over spacey hip hop beats and polished bass-lines. He cuts and pastes-in swirling strings and acoustic guitars that decorate his minimal sound-scapes and cast light on traditional folk and songwriting roots.

Aaron is an eclectic musician who equally embodies California craftsman, Renaissance man, and soul boy. His late-night collection of stories directs nods to Massive Attack, Flying Lotus, Nick Drake and Sam Cooke. However, Aaron’s musical path towards Highlands began a long ago, at home, with a unique mix of family influences. He learned his finger-picking style from a banjo-wielding Scots-Irish grandfather. He grew-up singing folk and bluegrass with his Mom. And his step-Dad, an-early 1980’s KROQ DJ, showed him how to program synthesizers. Such an eclectic mix of musical habits is evident in the opening tracks “Matinee” and “Fire” where dubby finger snaps and keyboard washes are building blocks for songs eventually heightened by walls of violins and breathy-flutes. Later, on “Fall”, the acoustics take center stage but glitchy-clicks sneak in to add just a sniff of electronic atmospherics, while on “Better” Aaron’s vocals emerge from a heavy sheen of synthesizer to ride a shuffling beat.

“It's idiosyncratic, sometimes dense, and takes some slightly unexpected turns. It's a record that probably takes a couple listens to take in,” explains Aaron. “Like Tom Waits said, "it's an emotional weather report" with bluesy love songs, laments, and conversations.”

Helping Aaron edit together the right balance of organics and electronics are Los Angeles-based peers Miguel Atwood-Ferguson (arranger and session player to the likes of Dr. Dre, Rihanna, Gnarls Barkley, Blank Blue, Lifeforce Trio), percussionist Andres Renteria, and horn players Matt Demerritt and Michael McDaniel who have played alongside Macy Gray and Nate Morgan respectively.

Throughout the 1990’s, Aaron led soul and hip-hop bands in Los Angeles singing and MC-ing, and played guitar for others like the Breakestra, The Rebirth and seminal hip-hop artist Divine Styler. He's been nominated for a Gilles Peterson's Worldwide winners and LA Weekly music awards. He's also been featured on several influential compilations including: Rewind!3 (Ubiquity), Dublab Presents: Freeways (Emperor Norton), Impeach The Precedent (Kajmere) and Broadcasting (Sonar Kolectiv). Outside of solo work he has worked with groups like Build An Ark, Najite and the Olokun Prophecy, and has collaborated with critically acclaimed electronic artists like Telefon Tel Aviv and Barbara Morgenstern. Watch for shows this Fall to celebrate the release of the album. Just as Highlands is a hybrid of styles Aaron expects the live performances to balance live musicianship with electronics and visual elements.

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"New Territories reduces the more energetic, dancefloor-oriented aspects of London broken beat, retains the deceptive abstractions of left-field hip-hop and R&B, and places equal emphasis on mood and songwriting...Tawiah, Sarina Leah, Rahel, Meshach Brown, Tosin, and Annabel are all lively yet not showy vocalists and, as with Lau, a healthy balance between love for the ’70s/’80s and ’90s/’00s is evident, their voices hinting at Donnie Hathaway and Deniece Williams as often as Aaliyah and Amel Larrieux."
- All Music Guide

"...it’s not US super producers Sa-Ra at the controls. Nor is Detroit bumpmaster Waajeed (of Platinum Pied Pipers fame) anywhere to be found. The man behind the superlative swing here is none other than Eric Lau – one of London’s best kept secrets."
- One Week To Live

"...probably what it would sound like if the late, great J Dilla decided to make an album of love songs...Gorgeous soul chords, gentle keys and an abundance of flutes fill out just about every track, along with a roster of singers that put a sweet cherry on top of these already beautiful productions..."
- BPM

"Future funk, nu-soul, beathead jazz -- none of these really captures Lau’s confident, cool essence...Sure, artists like Jay Dee, Waajeed and SA-RA are Lau’s creative cousins, but the 26-year-old beatmaker blazes his own trails via rich, song-based vocal numbers and sweet, spacious instrumentals...Lau has produced beats for Lupe Fiasco, Georgia Anne Mudlrow and Wildchild, but refreshingly it’s UK locals, Tawiah, Rahel and Sariah whose vocals light up the crisp, no-nonsense soul beats."
- XLR8R

"Unlike most cats who just shop around beat CDs, Lau is one of the fading breed of producers who stays true to the art of production...14 tracks of pure soul that is a Mona Lisa of tweaked piano keys and old school drum patterns...the production values and smooth vocals make the release seem like a big budget blockbuster...Under the radar, but undeniable skill, Lau is a force to be reckoned with."
- Vapors

"Better than goosed down feathers to keep a brotha warm...demanded my attention and will comfort my dancefloor, seat and ears."
- Bobbito Garcia

"New Territories represents the arrival of a talented artist and perceptive one-man production house."
- Straight No Chaser

"Real dope!"
- James Poyser (Soulquarians)

Eric Lau is a London-based producer who has been busy making musical waves for others. He may well be a producer you’ve heard, but not heard of, by way of his productions for the likes of Lupe Fiasco, Dudley Perkins, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Guilty Simpson, Wildchild, Tanya Morgan, Hil St Soul, and a family of up n’coming artists who are featured on New Territories, his debut solo album.

His slick and edgy productions have turned the ears of Gilles Peterson (Lau appeared on his Brownswood Bubblers release of October 2006) and Fat City Records who released Eric Lau presents Dudley & Friends in January 2007. Tastemakers and peers like Benji B (BBC Radio 1Xtra) called Lau’s soulful street sounds “Heavy!”, Phonte (of Little Brother) added that Lau is “One of the illest beatmakers”, Dudley Perkins (Stones Throw) said “His music did something to me,” and Dego (of 4Hero) asked “Who the f$%k is Eric Lau!?”

New Territories has a double meaning. It’s the area in Hong Kong that the Lau family are from and regularly visit. “People have a vision of Hong Kong being sky scrappers and high rises everywhere,” says Lau. “However, the area known as New Territories is full of mountain ranges, sea, villages and farm land. It’s very peaceful and pure there, and these are qualities I try to incorporate into my production.” Also, the title refers to the album and the global musical connections it made. “There are many young artists on the record and our roots are from around the world,” explains Lau. “Even though we are from different backgrounds we approached the album with the same mindset and all want to help each other get to where we want to be. This record is a new territory for us as a group of artists, and I hope that it is, in turn, a refreshing listen.”
...  more

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Eugene Blacknell
We Can't Take Life For Granted
Luv N' Haight (LH055)
Release Date:  September 11, 2007
Barcodes:  LHCD055:  780661005520  x   LHLP055:  780661005513  
One-Sheet:  PDF
Liner Notes / CD Booklet:  PDF x Word Doc.
 

15 years, 5 albums, and many singles after his debut release, Ubiquity is delighted to release a “best of” which includes previously unreleased materials, hard to find mixes, and the tracks which made Greyboy famous as the originator of a new laid back, sunny, jazz and soul-inflicted West Coast sound. 15 Years of West Coast Cool includes appearances from Sharon Jones, Quantic, AG (of Showbiz and AG), Bart Davenport (of Honeycut), Shawn Lee, Nino Moschella, Jeremy Ellis and others.

Andreas Stevens, aka Greyboy, born 1970, was the first artist to sign to Ubiquity. Freestylin’, his first full-length album, holds cult-status and is up-there with the label's all-time best sellers. Not bad for a record that cost less than $4000 to make, and sold on an advertising budget of $0! He was a man in the right place at the right time. While the acid jazz phenomenon was brewing in Europe in the early 1990s, Greyboy became the first American producer to mix instrumental hip-hop with jazz. His chunky beat-making sensibilities earned him praise from the European crowd, and his tracks were heard by crowds checking out DJs like UK-based Gilles Peterson, Marcus Wyatt (LA), and DJ Smash (NYC). "When I first started making beats, I was making hip-hop. Since I couldn't find MC's to work with, I decided to try the jazz thing and lace my tracks with live instruments instead. That's where Karl Denson and the Greyboy Allstars came into the picture", explains Greyboy. Beyond recognition from the DJ crowd, music by Greyboy also ended up in movies like Get Shorty and Celtic Pride, The Kelly Slater Surf Pro video game, Budweiser commercials, and he was picked to provide a mix CD for DC shoes. Since the release of Freestylin’ he has released the equally jazz-based instrumental Land of the Lost and the soundtrack and hip hop inspired Mastered The Art, which featured musicians and MCs in a prelude to the vocal-heavy Soul Mosaic album.

Greyboy has recorded with AG (Showbiz and AG), Sharon Jones, and the Greyboy All-Stars (whom he helped put together and produce). Over the years Greyboy has DJ'd in Japan, Europe, and across the USA. He has played to 5000 people in the countryside outside of Rome, and over 20,000 people a night on tour with Ben Harper and Jack Johnson.

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James Hardway works most often with cool textures cutting his own path on a genre-defying jazz funk excursion that echoes the punk-soul of James Blood Ulmer, evokes the spirit of Fela Kuti's epic jams and is infused with a Cali bounce.

Hardway has worked with an impressive cast of British producers, from Genesis P-Orridge to Adrian Sherwood and Jah Wobble to Andrew Weatherall. During the early '80s, Hardway lived in Germany and acted in films before getting into the Berlin music scene. He recorded an album in 1983 (as David Harrow), and was the main force behind European electro-pop star Anne Clark . Hardway also appeared with Jah Wobble on the continent, but relocated to London by 1986, where he was swept up by the acid-house phenomenon.

Hardway divided his time during the late '80s and early '90s between dub units (Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound System, Lee Perry) and the burgeoning electronic community, working as a producer with Psychic TV and many others. This one time drum'n'bass fusionary, now following a more eclectic path, previously went by the name David Harrow, is and reportedly related to Al Capone.

The name change and new directions started in the 1990s, after a night of jungle music in darkest South London. David Harrow was back at the studio at 4 in the morning, dropping Charlie Parker over double timed hip-hop beats, discovering a brand new sound - thus James Hardway was born. He revealed his James Hardway guise with the impressive Deeper, Wider, Smoother, Shit in 1996. The album was all the more noteworthy considering he played all live instruments (except for flute) and covered programming as well. " Hardway also displayed a talent for writing songs, with a credit for Billie Ray Martin's 1996 million selling hit "Your Loving Arms."

After the release of his second, 1997's Welcome to the Neon Lounge, Hardway earned an American contract through Shadow. The label collected tracks from his two albums to date for the 1998 compilation Easy Is a Four Letter Word. A remix collection, Reshuffle and Spin Again, followed and Hardway returned with his third proper album, A Positive Sweat. For the recording of 2000's Moors + Christians, he assembled a virtual studio band by gathering recordings together from a journey to Cuba and Jamaica. In 2001 he released Straight From The Fridge which, after the tragic death of his close friend and reggae singer Bim Sherman, was the last he’d release in the UK before moving to America.

“I have always been influenced by the atmosphere of Los Angeles , says Hardway. “James Ellroy, my favorite writer , was a great inspiration for early albums . But I began imagining a whole later period of LA music from the early 70s and with LA Instrumental. It’s like a journey to the downtown LA of the 70s using a classic musical pallet of real drums, silken strings , pulsing wurlitzers and Theremins.”

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Indestructible Spirit sees Johnny Blas make a return to performing on saxophone alongside his trademark percussion playing.  It’s not the only change for Blas, Indestructible Spirit also features a new band including: Jeff Hawley (bass, cuatro), Mike Bennet (drums), Ryan Prior (piano), Steve Johnson (trombone) and Leonard Luna (trombone).  The album is also graced by several special guests: Terry Delgado (coro), Isaac Guerrero (percussion), Paul Clark (tenor sax), and Raymond Sepeda (soprano sax).

“Indestructible Spirit signifies that no matter what struggles I go through in life, or what people think or say about me or my music, I cannot be broken,” says Blas.  “This album differs in style, it has more of a funky jazz beat with a twist of Latin.  Kind of a throw back to the 70's sound.”

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01. Oaklands Mambo
02. Puerto Rico Rico
03. Lubi
04. Barry Rogers
05. Afro Rican
06. Indestructible Spirit
07. Boogaloo Blas
08. A Song for Rose
09. Cha Cha Para Ti

This Is My Home is the stunning solo debut from New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based producer Lanu (aka Lance Ferguson).  Brimming with future soul and broken beat flavors, forward-thinking production and intuitive jazz sensibility, this album marks a distinct departure from the raw, deep funk sound of Ferguson’s other project, The Bamboos.

“The Lanu project embraces a wider spectrum of styles that have influenced me including Jazz, Soul, Fusion, Latin, Hip Hop, Broken Beat.  It’s all soulful music, soul is the thread running through all these genres,” says Ferguson.

With his Antipodean deep funk outfit The Bamboos, Ferguson has recorded for such respected independent labels as Freestyle, Soul Force, Kay Dee and released an album on Tru Thoughts/Ubiquity.  And his passion for DJing has taken him all over Europe and Asia.  Ferguson drew on these global experiences for the new album, assimilating and incorporating sights, sounds, themes and friends into an hour-long Australasian future soul opus.  “Dis-Information” is built around a punchy Moog bassline, angular Rhodes chords and an insistent break.  “Mother Earth” teams up UK-based Quantic and California-based Stones Throw vocalist Aloe Blacc for a broken-meets-Afro-beat workout that calls out to people to respect the planet or face the consequences.

While the Bamboos blast raw, hard dancefloor Funk, Lanu blends Jazz, Soul, Fusion, Latin, Hip Hop, broken beat and house into something that is inspired by the past, but is also looking fast forward.  Don Blackman, Roy Ayers, George Duke and the Mizells are big influences for Lanu but the album is even more informed and inspired by the digital rhythms of West London and Detroit and Ferguson’s infectious contemporary hybrid sounds are buoyed by expertly programmed beats.  This effortless eclecticism is partly due to an interesting and varied musical heritage and career.  Grandson of New Zealand’s first ever recording artist (Bill Wolfgramm played lap steel guitar and helped to popularise Hawaiian music in New Zealand’s dance halls in the 1950s), he has also toured as a session guitarist for Latin legend Joe Bataan, future funksters Mark de Clive-Lowe and Bembe Segue, and the UKs tightest funk outfit the Quantic Soul Orchestra.  Lanu was Ferguson’s nickname as a child, and is also the Tongan word for ‘color’  ...  more

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Collaborations, remixes, exclusive tracks, album previews - it's all here on this new EP featuring producer extraordinaire Shawn Lee and crooner Nino Moschella.

"Kiss The Sky" is from the forthcoming Shawn Lee album, Voices and Choices, due out in early 2007 and features Nino Moschella's vocals riding a vintage Lee moody down tempo track.  As an exclusive bonus to this EP Warp Records producer Mark Pritchard (aka Harmonic 33, Troubleman etc) turns in a suitably soundtrack-inspired remix.  "Song For David" is also from Voices and Choices and sees Shawn Lee in David top Axelrod-like form with a stunning instrumental track complete with big dramatic strings and fat drums.

Shawn Lee remixes Nino Moschella's "Holding On" taken from the Moschella debut album The Fix, and also included is the breezy acoustic soul vibe of "You Never Came", yet another exclusive to this EP that's completely unavailable anywhere else.

Nino Moschella's debut has been called an "absolute classic" (Gilles Peterson), "essential" (CMJ), and "the record Stevie Wonder should have made after Songs In The Key Of Life" (See Magazine).  Since it's release he has played alongside James Brown and Dr John and opened for the Greyboy Allstars.  Shawn Lee has recently  completed his forth Ping Pong Orchestra album for Ubiquity which is set for release in January 2006.  Called Voices and Choices Lee steps out with guest vocals in addition to the customary instrumental tracks.  Lee's music has recently been featured in TV campaigns for BMW and Jaguar plus many TV shows and films.  Mutual admirers of each others work the Lee/Moschella collaborations came about organically and these tracks will not be the last we hear of the two working together. 

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Clutch of the Tiger sounds like a collection of film-noir tracks run through the Clutchy Hopkins and Shawn Lee magical music machine. It’s dusty and mysterious junkyard jazz that’s powered by sly beats and other-worldly funk. Famous comic book creator Jim Mahood (who has worked on Spiderman/Marvel, Clerks, Grrl Scouts, Stupid Comics, etc etc) liked the tunes so much he provided the killer artwork for the package! FYI - Inside the album is a hidden code that gives customers a deal on limited edition prints of the Mahfood artwork, available exclusively from the Ubiquity website.

But how did this record come to be? Does Shawn Lee know the identity of the mysterious Mr Hopkins? Read on brothers and sisters ...

A few years back our man Shawn Lee flew from London to Phoenix, AZ, to visit his Mom for Christmas. While out there, the opportunity arose for a last minute recording session in Los Angeles. Renting a car he decided to make the drive by way of the Mojave Desert. Passing though the Desert he was low on gas, and so pulled over to fill up. He could not resist dropping into the thrift store next door. "I love second hand and vintage stuff, I had to go in see if I could find some cool clothes, or a little funky instrument," he explains.

After a quick scour of the merchandise Lee headed back out towards the door only to be met by a bushy-haired man carrying a tiger mask. They exchanged greetings, shared stories about vintage instruments, and then Lee asked about the mask. "He said it was a gift, from a group of gypsies who make costumes for performing art centers in the Los Angeles area.” The man said he'd made the gypsies some instruments and that they gave him the mask in return. Lee immediately fell in love with the mask. This became obvious to the man who gave it to Lee with two requests. Lee was to keep the mask forever, and to wear it every full moon. He agreed and headed out West to Los Angeles.

Back in London, at the onset of the first full moon, Lee donned the mask and felt a lump pushing into the side of his head. He pulled back a cloth on the inside of the mask and found a cassette marked "C. H." on Side A, and "Full Moon Breaks, Vol. 1" on the other.

Excitedly Lee put the cassette into a tape deck and pressed play. "I put the mask back on and, I’m not really a dancer or anything, but my feet were all over the place, this seriously moved me...the music was dope.” Fast forward year or so and Lee hears about Ubiquity releasing music from a mysterious, but talented, artist out of the Mojave Desert called Clutchy Hopkins. Putting “C.H.” and “Clutchy Hopkins” together he pulled out the cassette and knocked out a few ideas inspired by what he heard. The ideas were delivered to the Misled Children, the somewhat secretive agents of Mr. Hopkins that had befriended Ubiquity (coincidentally by way of a chance purchase at a thrift store.) Two weeks later a purple CD-r was mailed to Lee’s house back in London and it included the tracks he started, with new music added to them, and also some other ideas meant for Shawn to play with. There was also a message, in Native American, which Lee was able to transcribe. It was a request from Clutchy Hopkins to send more music. This exchange of ideas, by way of the mail and the Misled Children, went on for 3 months. Then everything went quiet. We could not find the Misled Children, no more packages arrived, and no more messages were received.

A month or so later Lee picked up the mask to honor his full moon request, and once again was surprised by a bump to his head. Inside the cloth lining was a CD. He swears he has no idea of how it got there. You're now holding in your hands the recording found on that CD. It’s the result of long distance collaboration between two talented musicians. They met only briefly, but instantly saw eye to eye by way of a mask and a full moon. Behold, the Clutch of The Tiger …

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"Eccentric soundtrack space melodies which are catchy and stay in your ear for a long time."
- Streetwear Today

In Shawn Lee’s world Ennio Morricone dances with Esquivel and Serge Gainsbourg as spaghetti western guitars and harmonicas ride fat drum breaks accompanied by vibes, lush strings, and piano.  On Voices and Choices Lee's signature style moody instrumentals are accompanied by vocals for the first time in the four albums he has recorded for Ubiquity.  In addition to a handful of full songs, instrumental tracks are decorated with vocal textures in a nod to classic producers David Axelrod and Charles Stepney who used choir-like walls of vocal to create their big productions.

Ubiquity label mate Nino Moschella joins Lee on the rock n’soul epic “Kiss The Sky”, while Ohmega Watts waxes positive lyrical on “The Glass Hour Effect.”  Instrumentals “JW” and “Song For David” are just begging for an accompanying movie to match the cinematic sounds, while “Tense Bossa” and “Glass Act” feature subtle vocal parts to heighten the spy-theme tension.

Releases by Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra started off as an experiment.  Multi-instrumentalist and record collector Lee was obsessed by vintage library records and wanted to see if he could recreate their soundtrack-worthy sounds in his curio-shop-like London studio.  Library records were originally produced to provide instrumental musical backing for TV, film, radio and advertising.  Specific library records have become highly collectable, and are favored by DJs and producers for the occasional drum break, sample, or funk track.

Lee’s idea was to make full-length library albums that were good from start to finish and equally listenable at home as they might also be DJ friendly.  Lee’s studio is insanely overpopulated, instruments at hand include a 1940's early proto-synth called a Clavioline, a 100 year old Marxophone zither, a 1950's Virginal Harpsichord, a 1950's Xylophone, a rare 1967 Vox guitar that has Fuzz, Tremelo and wah-wah built in, a 1930's Double Bass and an early 1900's keyboard called a Dulcetone.  So finding the right instruments and noises to create a specific sound was not going to be a problem  ...  more

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"Uk-producer and multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lee's latest effort hits the mark ... applying a sophisticatedly vintage vibe to a slew of current pop hits. Perpetually fueled by a sunny, feel-good groove, the tunes on Hits the Hits are commendable for Mr. Lee's arrangements and embellishments that often improve upon the original sources."
- Okayplayer

"He even manages to make a Britney Spears record listenable..."
- Prefix Magazine

"This cover of Outkast’s “Hey Ya!” is a must-hear collaboration with renowned pianist Mick Talbot (Style Council, Dexy’s Midnight Runners) that “sounds like vintage Ramsey Lewis,” according to the label.  It’s an accurate description, but what Ubiquity fails to mention is the harmonica that colors the track in place of the chorus vocals, which makes this an off- but still on-beat rendition and a rave-up of the highest order. Somewhere, Magic Dick is smiling."
- Audiversity.com

Shawn Lee is back with his Ping Pong Orchestra in tow, and goes completely pop!

On Hits The Hits he does tunes by Gwen Stefani, Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears, Blur, Badly Drawn Boy, Justin Timberlake, Outkast and many more in his own unique style.  The album opens with a collaborative joint featuring piano-master Mick Talbot (Style Council, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, etc.) on a version of Outkast's “Hey Ya!” that sounds like vintage Ramsey Lewis.

Putting his over-stuffed studio to the test Lee pulls out all the stops on an album that includes a surf guitar-driven cover of Missy Elliot's “Get Ur Freak On” (already selected by taste-maker producer/DJ Tom Middleton for one his compilations), a full-on psychedelic sitar flavored take on Britney’s “Toxic”, and stripped-down super funky versions of the Kelis hit “Trick Me” and Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body.”

Following on the success of Voices and Choices (from which “Kiss The Sky” was picked as an iTunes “Song Of The Day”) and his previous albums (three tunes from which were recently used in each of the three trailers for the Oceans 13 movie) is the second album from Lee this year, but not his last.  A Ping Pong Orchestra take on a Christmas album will follow in November.

Lee’s sound, which started as a take on old-school library albums and has grown into a sound of his own, it's made possible by his inability to stop making music in an insanely overpopulated studio.  A 1940's early proto-synth called a Clavioline, a 100 year old Marxophone zither, a 1950's Virginal Harpsichord, a 1950's Xylophone, a rare 1967 Vox guitar that has Fuzz, Tremelo and wah-wah built in, a 1930's Double Bass and an early 1900's keyboard called a Dulcetone all reside within the walls of Lee’s facilities.

As a multi-instrumentalist and singer Shawn Lee has played and recorded with a diverse range of artists including Psapp, Coldcut, Leeann Rhimes, Martina Mcbride, UNKLE, Tony Joe White, Chateau Flight, The Dust Brothers, St. Etienne, Jeff Buckley, Bomb The Bass, The Spice Girls, and Natasha Atlas - not to mention solo records for Talkin' Loud, Wall of Sound imprint We Love You and BBE.  He is also known to breaks n'beats collectors as the man behind "The Ape Breaks" and "Planet of the Breaks" series which were sampled by everyone from Guru to The Gorillaz.  Music by Lee has been used in commercials for BMW and Jaguar, in multiple TV shows, and in addition to the Oceans 13 movie, he has had music in The Break Up and Save Angel Hope.  He was also asked to score the entire soundtrack to the highly controversial Rock Star video game Bully for which he was nominated Best Original Video Game Score by Spike TV.

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Late one cold winter night, our Little Drummer Boy found himself alone in his chilly recording studio.  Busting out the Jingle Bells he decided to break the unseasonably eerie Silent Night and play himself a song or two.  “Some of My Favorite Things,” he muttered to himself as he stared at his vast collection of musical instruments strewn throughout the room.  “O Come All Ye Faithful” he sung to his horn section as he mustered the musical muscle to Deck The Halls.  Old Saint Mick joined him on the black and whites and the two of them knew that as long as they had tunes, they would not be alone this Holiday season.

Across the street and Away In A Manger, a baby stirred and it’s mother and father said “Do You Hear What I Hear?”  Curious as to the origin of the festive musical mayhem the father trudged his slippered feet through the snow and knocked on the studio door.  As it creaked open, the father extended a cold but firm handshake “We’ve never met, have you always been here? Where are you from? What A Wonderful World of music I hear!” he said.  “O, (a) Little Town of Bethlehem,” chuckled the drummer boy and Old Saint Mick.  “Of course, where else!” said the father.  “Sorry am I keeping you up?” apologized the drummer boy.  “No, it’s no bother,” said the father.  As they were speaking the local police officer happened to stroll by and enquired “Everything ok here fella’s?” “Oh no problems here,” they replied.  “Well, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, then,” said the police officer.  After a few more pleasantries the father decided to ditch the mother and child and join the Little Drummer Boy and Old Saint Mick for an all night sherry-fueled funked-up jam session.  They left the tapes rolling and the CD in your hands might be the result of this session.  It might equally just be the latest album from Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra, done psychedelic Santa style.  Either way, Christmas has never been so funky!

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The seventh in the Ping Pong Orchestra album series see’s multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lee go global. This is the soundtrack to places Lee has been, and would like to visit, and was made using instruments he’s picked-up along the way. Miles of Styles is inspired by the multi-cultural mix of people in his hometown of London, the awe inspiring metropolis that is New York City, and by the mysterious uber-stylish vibe of Tokyo. Not to mention Jamaica, Finland, Greece, China, France and beyond…

While Lee likes to visit new places he admits that it’s not always possible or even enjoyable, “I like to be in other countries - it's just the getting there that's a drag!” he says. So as with his previous cinematic-style albums Miles of Styles is intended to take the listener on a journey, even if they’re just riding the bus home after work, iPod on. In addition to incorporating a multitude of styles, Lee also made Miles of Styles a family affair. His Indian wife, Kirin, sings on the opening “Punjabi Lullaby,” and is also responsible for Lee owning so many Indian instruments. In addition his daughter hummed the melody for the song that would become “Mela D”, and makes a cameo appearance on “My Daddy’s Funky.”

To put some “world” into his music Lee managed to play the Gu-zheng (a Chinese zither), a Steel Drum (from the Caribbean), a Balafone (from Africa), a Harmonium and Tablas (India), Hurdy Gurdy and Harpsichord (European), a Guitarron (Mexico), a Churango (Bolivia) and a Waterphone (from the USA.) “I've always collected traditional folk instruments from around the world. I love taking them out of their traditional element and putting them into a different context. Mixing and creating interesting doubles such as steel drum with Balafone or Sitar with Banjo,” explains Lee. “I love when sounds become mysterious and are hard to decipher. Sometimes people laugh at me when I buy certain instruments. Steel drum was one that a lot of musicians scoffed at. I ended up using it prominently in a various ways on the album,” he adds.


Following on the success of Voices and Choices (from which “Kiss The Sky” was picked as an iTunes “Song Of The Day”, and was used on the TV show Damages) and his previous albums (three tunes from which were recently used in each of the three trailers for the Oceans 13 movie) Lee also released two other albums in 2007 (the covers album Hits The Hits, and the Christmas Album A Very Ping Pong Christmas.) Lee’s music is used in the upcoming movie The Bank Job and he’s had tunes appear in ads for Jaguar cars.

Lee’s sound, which started as a take on old-school library albums and has grown into a sound of his own, is made possible by his inability to stop making music in an insanely overpopulated studio. A 1940's early proto-synth called a Clavioline, a 100 year old Marxophone zither, a 1950's Virginal Harpsichord, a 1950's Xylophone, a rare 1967 Vox guitar that has Fuzz, Tremelo and wah-wah built in, a 1930's Double Bass and an early 1900's keyboard called a Dulcetone all reside within the walls of Lee’s facilities. As a multi-instrumentalist and singer Shawn Lee has played and recorded with a diverse range of artists including Psapp, Coldcut, Leeann Rhimes, Martina Mcbride, UNKLE, Tony Joe White, Chateau Flight, The Dust Brothers, St. Etienne, Jeff Buckley, Bomb the Bass, The Spice Girls, and Natasha Atlas not to mention solo records for Talkin Loud, Wall of Sound imprint We Love You and BBE.


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Soul In The Hole is a tribute to multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lees favorite soul sounds through the eras. Featuring guest-appearances from Paul Butler (The Bees), Nicole Willis, Darondo, Karime Kendra, Fanny Franklin, and Kirin Lee, the album is an homage to styles from the late 1960s to the 1980s. “Writing and recording this project felt so natural. It was like coming home,” says Lee. “The great Richie Havens famously once said "I'm going back to my roots." That's exactly what I've done,” he adds.

He hand-picked his global selection of guests like the amazing Paul Butler (of The Bees, and currently working with Devendra Banhart) from the Isle of Wight, who appears on a track that is part Shuggie Otis, part Style Council mod. Northern Cali’s old school man of soul, Darondo is featured on two tracks, and the super-talented Nicole Willis, hailing from Finland, drops a Northern Soul shaker.

The title track features Lee on vocals and has a late 1960's Detroit stepper vibe. Two crackly-southern-ballads feature Fanny Franklin and Karime Kendra, the latter pulling off a deep version of a little-known Al Green/Willie Mitchell ballad. Lee teams up with his wife on the cosmic funk of “The Stuff,” “ I was thinking of the late 70's jazzy sophisticated productions of Roy Ayers. It reminds me of the UK rare groove scene of the late 80's early 90's,” he says. And there are even funk-rock and sunny Miami disco styled sounds to complete the chronological nod to the past that is mixed with just a touch of the present.

Recording tracks over a period of a year or two, Lee edited the final album to just a handful of his favorites that best moved through the eras. He liked the idea that having 4 or 5 tracks per side was just like the old LPs that had inspired him, “All killer, no filler!” he jokes.

“Soul music has always been a strong part of my musical identity. It resonates deep within and never fails to inspire me. So many great artists, singers, musicians and producers. An endless well of essential music,” says Lee. “Cue Soul in the hole...for the masters who've come before and touched the world with their soul.“

This is Lee’s first all-vocal album for Ubiquity. Previous releases have featured some vocal collaborations, but have mostly been instrumental, library-record style releases. The unstoppable Mr. Lee has more collaborations on the horizon, including a funky-harp record and putting the finishing touches to an album recorded with Money Mark and Tommy Guerrero under the name Lord Newborn & The Sugar Skulls.

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The Lions are an example of the ever-growing musical family found in Los Angeles.  There is a heavyweight positive-vibe to be found in the expansive, sometimes artificial, Hollywood-flavored land of Los Angeles.  Many of the members of the Lions met through the LA staple rare groove outfit Breakestra and have played in many projects together over the past decade.  It was through discussions about The Lions taking place between band conductor Todd Simon and Ubiquity that recent releases by Orgone and Connie Price came to be ...  more


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Singer and songwriter Johnny Malone met saxophonist and flautist Allan Barnes while they were students at Howard University in Washington DC in the 1960's.  In addition to being under the tutelage of Donald Byrd who was head of Jazz Studies, they were classmates with future stars like Donny Hathaway, Leroy Hutson, and Angela Winbush.  Barnes was already a member of the hugely popular soul jazz pioneers The Blackbyrds.

“We were at crest of the wave of early jazz fusion, plus the culture at Howard was a little outside of the box.  We had great teachers – it was an ideal place to study and learn,” explains Barnes.

When the two friends formed Malone Barnes and Spontaneous Simplicity (named after the tune by Sun-Ra, whose band Barnes regularly appeared with when in Washington, DC) the collaboration yielded Freedom Serenade, an album of super spacey and spiritual jazz funk  ...  more

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What is Boomshadow? The made-up word is a fictional character Nino Moschella and some friends concocted nearly a decade ago. “He was a super hero. It was kind of ridiculous. He didn’t really have a specific power, he would just come onto the scene and save everybody,” he explains. Boomshadow came back to Moschella, with a different meaning, as an idea for the title of his sophomore album for Ubiquity. It is a warm cloak of sound emanating from your stereo. It envelopes and protects all who listen. It feels good to be in the warm pulse of the Boomshadow. Moschella likens it to listening from inside the womb. The feeling of being safe and being able to trust was key to the development of this album. With the practice and feedback from an extensive set of gigs under his belt, a new live band to back him, and a close-knit crew of collaborators to work with, Moschella has a deepened trust in his own musical ability. As a result Boomshadow reflects the continued refinement of Nino Moschella’s sound. His songs are more personal, and his production definitely has more boom.

The album launches with a frenetic flying kick to the eardrums, on an intro that reflects Moschellas' East Bay funk-inflicted home-base. It doesn’t let off the gas with the raw angular funk rock of “Sleep.” Fans of The Fix, his first album with Ubiquity, will recognize the progression from tracks like “Are You For Real” to the new, even more soulful sounds of “We Fight” (featuring Fanny Franklin), and on the disjointed head bumping “Around the World” and “Stella,” the tribute to his daughter. On the stripped down “What U Do 2 Me” he sings a twisted anti-ballad over horns and acoustic guitar, while the music on “Time of Day” and “I Love Myself” moves with a cosmic bounce that nods to all the funk elders and ancestors. Moschella’s unique homemade beats and unexpected embellishments are now backed with a fuller orchestration, and his arrangements are more dynamic.

“The identity of this album was clear early on and the songs came more easily. It was less about sculpting something and more about trusting that the process would lead me in the right direction,” says Moschella. “I’ve become more comfortable with who I am as a person in this world and naturally that informs the music,” he adds.

Moschella began three tracks at the Roundhouse in rural O’Neals, California (near Yosemite), where The Fix was recorded. A family-move back to the Bay Area meant Moschella had to studio-hop from an Oakland sublet, to a temporary set-up in Richmond, before finally settling in at a home studio in West Oakland. The nomadic nature of the recordings provided its own set of fruits and challenges. Rural O’Neals allowed for middle-of-the-night, as-loud-as-you-like sessions, while the more urban setting of Oakland meant that recording had to be planned around the schedule of downstairs neighbors and his daughter’s naptime. Moschella had begun to find O’Neills too isolated and the draw of a more intense social and music scene in Oakland more inspiring. It was this drawn-out moving process that allowed for Moschella to play a massive amount of live shows between recording sessions, and to forge the new musical friendships that ultimately helped shape Boomshadow.

While Moschella and his family moved back to Oakland, Derek Taylor, drummer for the Bay Area band The Park, contacted Nino on MySpace, as a fan. The Park had a weekly residency at the Royale in North Beach, San Francisco, and also performed regularly across the Street at Mojitos. Interested in seeing them live, Moschella turned up to one of their gigs (August 7^th, 2007, the night when Barry Bonds hit his record setting 756^th homerun, the place was on-fire), and when the band jumped into a Moschella instrumental he joined them on stage. The Park—which also includes Ben Schwier on keys and Josh Lippi on bass—quickly became his backing band and they discovered they shared similar musical inspirations and geographical backgrounds. “Recording has always been a very private experience for me, and it’s testament to how much I trust, respect, and feel comfortable around them to have this level of collaboration,” says Moschella. “Playing live with them opened me to the idea of working together in the studio.” Ben and Josh co-wrote a couple of songs. The Park, plus conga player Michael Aguilar, all play on the record. Moschella and band also forged a new friendship with label mate Darondo. Together they played at the Bumbershoot festival, were picked by NPR as one of three acts to see at SXSW in 2008, and opened for Morris Day and The Time in San Francisco. 

Since the release of The Fix, Moschella has appeared on records by Galactic, Peder, DJ Greyboy, and Keeley & Zaire. He also co-wrote and sings on “Kiss the Sky,” a collaboration with Shawn Lee which has appeared in the FX show Damages, and will be in the new Muhammad Ali documentary, Facing Ali. Moschella was selected as a guest at the 2008 Red Bull Music Academy in Barcelona and has opened for James Brown and played several festivals including the Toronto Harbourfront Festival, the San Francisco Funk Festival, and Bonnaroo.

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Less than a year after the acclaimed Ghost Rock, NOMO have completed its spirited sister album—recorded during the Ghost Rock sessions and tours. Invisible Cities is informed by their ceaseless travelling, and visits to places both real and unreal. The sonic empire of NOMO is expanding; busting up genres and musical borders with astonishing results. With a theme stolen from Italian novelist Italo Calvino, each tune on Invisible Cities is a little world of it’s own, dense with rhythm and timbre. Hot horns blaze through intersecting lines, heavy percussion drives the band down winding streets, the bass rumbles in some subterranean corridor. The sounds come from far reaching points, not from a fixed place on a globe, but from an area of the human spirit; One that is joyous, open and in motion.

Like Ghost Rock, Invisible Cities reaches into new places both sonically and emotionally, and pulls up some real bangers: The title track’s horns are drenched in Echoplex and its driving beat is straight from the swamp. Bumbo, Moondog’s best tune, gets a NOMO island makeover, with a set of antique fire extinguishers clanging away in a 21st century steel drum style. Crescent is a shimmering silver stream of electric kalimbas, with handclaps and bamboo flutes giving the tune a more delicate feel than NOMO has offered up on previous albums. Giving Elijah a listen, it’s immediately apparent that this is stirring spiritual jazz of a higher order; the tune was written as a lament for one of bandleader Elliot Bergman’s childhood friends. Warren Defever’s immaculate production work creates a space where the music can grow, develop, layer on top of itself, and reveal this band in artful new ways.

Defever convinced the band to come into his UFO Factory studio in Detroit’s Eastern Market the morning after their long tour ended. The surrounding market streets were littered with rotting produce and street sweeper tines, which Bergman (who has a propensity for spotting, collecting and repurposing musical junk) quickly gathered and converted into electric kalimbas-with the help of a now-defunct lumber mill, which generously donated piles of beautiful hardwood scraps. This new set of instruments created the foundation for many of these new tracks, and has spawned a very popular side business. These inspired sessions yielded hours of new material and the band quickly realized that what was originally intended as an EP of material from the Ghost Rock sessions, had blossomed into something far more cohesive and substantial than what they had originally imagined.

But NOMO is not just a band of thieves, garbage pickers, drifters, jammers, and players. In their soul, NOMO truly is a party band. From their roots, rocking sweaty basement shows in Ann Arbor and Detroit, to their current gig, rocking sweaty basement shows and the occasional jazz festival in Brooklyn, Chicago, New Orleans, London, Sevilla, or Montreal, the band has developed its own form of celebratory dance music. They’ve upped the energy level on recent jaunts and it’s impossible to find a stationary body in the house. This music moves people, and it’s refreshing to see teen hipsters get down with crate diggers, jazz heads nod along with the noise kids at a NOMO show. The band crams three drum sets into the silver Ford Econoline, along with enough electric kalimbas to pull-off all of the two hour marathon sets, plus a few extra to sell to the audience. Horns and guitars fit on top of the amps, and it’s a touring eight-piece-sonic-arsenal that packs a pretty heavy punch.

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Ghost Rock is the new album from the Michigan-based collective NOMO. The album, produced by Warn Defever, sheds light on the way forward for a band that has been forging its own vital sound. This is not the Afrobeat of Fela, nor the revivalist funk of a forgotten decade. This record owes as much to Can, Eno, and MIA as it does Kuti, Francis Bebey, and Funkadelic.  On Ghost Rock, NOMO arrives in a new place. There’s no loss of steam as they incorporate new influences, instead NOMO breaks through with a matured and developed sound that is fully its own.

“World music, jazz, electronica, Afrobeat…I hope that we don't get marginalized by any of these terms. We are an American band, and in our hearts I think we're more of a rock band than anything else, but we do love so many different types of music,” says band leader Elliot Bergman. “We have a set of musicians, and we are trying to organize our sounds in a way that represents ourselves. We're not trying to make a record that sounds like it was recorded in the 70's and we're not trying to make anybody think that this was recorded in Nigeria. We're not trying to fool anybody, and especially not ourselves! This is our music. It is full of life, full of emotion. It’s funky, danceable, weird, heavy, exuberant, angry, joyous and raucous,” he adds.

The band’s perpetual grooves are deeper than ever. The horns are set ablaze and analog synths beam an electrified energy into the music. The homemade percussion arsenal is ramped up a notch, and the electric sawblade gamelan brings gong-like overtones into the tangled vine of synthetic and organic strands. The band taps into its full orchestral potential—the arrangements are filled with timbral variety, as the bubbling textures of the percussion meld with the soaring sounds of the horn section. Bergman describes how NOMO evolved to incorporate the wild looped sounds that can be heard throughout the album (nowhere more noticeably than on the screaming electric tone at the top of the introductory track “Brainwave”), “We toured non-stop for a while, and on down time, I would spend every night in my basement recording hours of loops and synth textures. I was fascinated with early Morton Subotnick records, the percussive parts, and when I ran out of records to buy, I just started making my own Subotnick-like loops. I didn't want the end product to sound like early synth music, but I loved the textures and gong-like tones of Silver Apples, Wild Bull, 4 Butterflies, etc,” he says. “Most of the loops were created with the instruments that I've been making, and have amazing variety, perhaps due to my inconsistency as an instrument manufacturer. Some sound amazingly bassy and others have a chime-like ethereal tone. Eno talks about generative music, and creating a system that produces music with little interference. I like that idea, and every night I would try to create as many loops as possible on these instruments without editing. Then I would go back a few weeks later and listen to these bubbling textures that can be heard in so many different ways. Trying to get the band to learn them always sparked heated arguments about where "the one” is!”

With the loops on Ghost Rock serving as the framework for the compositions the band were freed up to experiment with different ideas and a bigger, more orchestral, sound was born. Helping NOMO achieve this new direction were some heavy rhythmic contributors. Hamid Drake and Adam Rudolph lend their percussive mastery to several tracks with Drake’s fiery drumming propelling “All the Stars” to new heights. Josh Abrams fills out the low end on “Rings.”  What once was a rotating collective is now a tightly knit eight piece band.  This is no longer a loose assembly of great players, but a band that relies heavily upon each other, each member playing a distinct role, with a vibrant personality. Dan Bennett's fiery baritone saxophone anchors the horn section. Justin Walter and Ingrid Racine hold down the brass section with contrasting approaches to the trumpet--Walter's lyricism provides a cool counterpart to Racine's raw and brassy punch--dig her wah trumpet solo on "all the stars." This record finds the percussion section deeper than ever, with percussionist rotating chairs-Dan Piccolo and Erik Hall play the kit, and Jason Murdy and Quin Kirchner fill in on the Congas. Erik's main role is on guitar, and he and Jamie Register seem to have a deep kinship. Her elegant, but muscular basslines tie in with the guitar work seamlessly.

The album seems to move in many directions at once. It is more electronic, and more natural, it is more exuberant, but darker. More spiritual and hymn like, but also more visceral. The songs are sweet, but they are dirty and distorted.  It is as primitive as it is futuristic. While these seemingly divergent themes might sound like some post-modern musical meltdown, it’s clear that this is the sound of a band growing into its own collective voice. NOMO pulls from the past, but also points towards a hopeful future. Fans of the band will know that they like to start and end their live shows in the audience, and the opening and closing tracks on Ghost Rock echo this aspect of their performances. “I think that it's really important to participate--as an audience, as a band member, etc. and joining the audience for a song at the beginning or end of a show invites participation,” explains Bergman. “On a good night, it feels like everybody is working together. Having a few great dancers in the audience can really drive the band to new levels, and we love to sing together at the end of show. It ends up solidifying the bond between the player and the listener--and it starts to dissolve those typical divisions between active and passive. It helps to make people feel that music is an event; social, spiritual and communal rather than a commodity to be consumed.”

The band has toured incessantly since the 2006 release New Tones. That album garnered much critical acclaim and ended up on top 10 lists from NPR, Gilles Peterson, and Global Rhythm. The band has performed over 150 live concerts since the album, touring North America, and Europe including stops at Bumbershoot, Pitchfork Festival, the Montreal Jazz Festival, SXSW, and WOMEX. Able to fit anywhere (literally and figuratively)—their sizable lineup hasn’t kept them from sharing a stage with everyone from Earth Wind and Fire, to Konono No.1, to Sharon Jones, to Dan Deacon.

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The band won the “Jazz Album of the Year” award from BBC Radio 1 in 2006 and were also nominated for last years John Peel Play More Jazz award.  UK-based Fat City Records have said that Nostalgia 77 is “keeping jazz music both current and relevant.”  Their cover of The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” was used extensively throughout coverage of the World Cup this past summer.  It would appear that once again jazz, at least of the Nostalgia 77 flavor, is not dead.

On “Everything Under The Sun” Lamdin, the driving force behind Nostalgia 77, teams up with vocalists to create a beautiful cosmic-tinged jazz album that sounds as much classic, spiritual, Impulse-influenced music as it does Cinematic Orchestra and Koop.  “It’s music with roots in jazz but with hands reaching out to anyone who wants to take them... "Imagine if Portishead did a jazz record?” Says Lamdin  ...  more

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This digital-only single features Ohmega Watts teaming up with Lex Records recording artist Jneiro Jarel (Shape Of Broad Minds) and see’s their “Eyes and Ears” collab get an exclusive remix by Clutchy Hopkins. Also included is an instrumental version of the mix, and a 10+ minute live performance with Ohmega Watts and DJ Bombay ripping things up for WUAG in North Carolina.

The release of this digi-single is timed with the release of a video for “Eyes and Ears” which features Watts in back to school mode!

Clutchy Hopkins completely switches up the track to his style – it’s laid back but nasty, with live keys and a koto adding a nice twist to the original vibe. The instrumental sounds like pure Clutchy! On the live medley Watts rapidly makes his way though many tracks from his back catalog, assisted by the manic turntablism of DJ Bombay. This improvised live session was recorded on the spot at WUAG radio in North Carolina.

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Orgone first appeared on Ubiquity with their cover of “Funky Nassau” (on Rewind Volume 4), which became a ubiquitous DJ fave worldwide. We're now proud to present their first full-length album called The Killion Floor.

The Los-Angeles-based band’s reputation amongst the funk and soul fraternity is backed-up by an impressive and quickly growing resume that is expanding their reach.  This includes landing a spot in an Adidas campaign, touring with major-label crew Little Brother, and going out as backing band for The Pharcyde, Plantlife (including a BBC performance for Jools Holland), Tone Loc, and New Orleans funk legend Eddie Bo at the Hurricane Katrina benefit.  Members of Orgone also feature in the make-up of Ubiquity acts Connie Price and Breakestra and perform regularly at the Root Down in LA.

At the core of the band is a rhythm section comprised of close friends who have played together for over 15 years.  Growing artistically as a unit they function as one organic and intuitive whole and, while they enjoy the comparisons to hot acts of the moment like Amy Winehouse, or funk staples like Sharon Jones or Breakestra, they’re quick to point out that Orgone is unique, “We draw from a wider musical and production palette than a lot of the ‘60’s inspired music that’s making a resurgence,” explains band-member Sean O’Shea.  “It's not intentional; it's simply a reflection of the music and production aesthetics that we love.”  The Killion Floor backs this up by taking the listener on a musical journey from the sound of Los Angeles to horn and percussion driven Lagos, and from a New York club to the raw sounds of New Orleans.

Lead singer Fanny Franklin joined the groups’ recordings after they saw her perform with Dakah, the 30-piece hip hop orchestra.  “We felt she was the best soul singer in town,” says O’Shea. “We asked her to record “Funky Nassau” and that led to us working together regularly.” Franklin delivers monster performances that will surely put an end to her relative obscurity on tracks like the Memphis-drenched “Who Knows Who,” the laid-back and cosmic “Said and Done,” and the apocalyptic sound of “Do Your Thing.” ...  more

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“I Get Lifted” is a version of the track Harry Wayne Casey (K.C.) and Richard Finch (later known in life as KC and the Sunshine Band) produced for George McCrae.  Los Angeles vocalist Fanny Franklin shines on vocals riding an irresistible cosmic-flavored tune that settles nicely somewhere between live disco and spacey soul.  Franklin has appeared on recordings by Dakah and sang alongside Macy Gray.  She is the de-facto Orgone vocalist to appear on tours and as the main vocalist on the upcoming album.

On the flip is an instrumental inspired as much by Roy Ayers as Fela Kuti. “It’s What You Do” will appeal to fans of the bands previous recordings like “Hambone” and “Funky Nassau.”

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"Duck and Cover" is the hard hitting 7” from Los Angeles hot property Orgone. This funk fiends platter will be available in limited quantity in stores and on European tour dates this May.

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7''
A1. Duck And Cover
B1. No More Gravy

Their debut album, Triple P, brought worldwide notoriety to the Detroit-based production crew and their global collective of like-minded edgy-beat makers and soulful collaborators. Abundance marks the arrival of PPP as a band. They have developed a new sound that's even bigger, and an album that’s more dynamic and organic than their first.

"Abundance sums up everything; our growth since Triple P, the love and encouragement to make this record that we’ve gotten from our fans, it means a lot of things," explains band-leader and producer Waajeed. "It picks up where the first left- off. Triple P was a great start, but this sophomore album is on another level.  It's more involved and focused…it's Electro Soul!"

The first single from the album features new vocalist Karma Stewart on an infectious horn-driven Motown-flavored joint called "On a Cloud." The super-soulful gospel-tinged mix is an energetic starting point that exemplifies the new PPP. This first single will feature another cut from the forthcoming album along with a remix by San Francisco Bay Area producer Trackademicks, a member of the Honor Roll production crew who have been moving heads and dance floors with mixes and music for the likes of J*Davey, Phonte, and Josie Stingray.

While Triple P had a helping hand from an eclectic selection of peers like Dilla (R.I.P.), Steve Spacek, SRCP, and Invincible, it also launched the solo careers of previously-unknown vocalists Georgia Anne Muldrow and Tiombe Lockhart. Abundance has a much slimmer guest list and shines the spotlight on amazing new talents Coultrain, Karma, and Jamila Raegan. Rather than repeat the successful formula of Triple P, PPP would prefer to progress and develop with new conspirators to keep proceedings fresh. "Coultrain brings the substance and ‘the cool’; it's rare to find a talented male vocalist who actually has something to say.  Karma brings the power and fire; it's amazing she's not been discovered before. Jamila brings style with her unique tone.  Together it’s a winning combo.  It’s like Marvin, Aretha, and Diana!" jokes Waajeed.

Since the release of Triple P, Waajeed and production partner Saadiq moved from Detroit to Brooklyn. And while Brooklyn-life may have changed their sound, it's also made them appreciate their Motor City roots which are audible throughout the album, the majority of which was mixed in Detroit by Grammy award winning engineer Todd Fairall. From the Motown vibe of “On a Cloud,” to the techno-influenced “Rocket Science," Detroit is evident throughout. Another big change for the group was the shortening of their name from Platinum Pied Pipers to PPP. This was a result of legal pressure from a singing-group established in the 1930s called the Pied Pipers. “We took the lawsuit almost as a compliment because it represents our growth from underground status to notoriety,” remarks Waajeed.

During their first album campaign, PPP sold-out tours worldwide, playing high profile performances at the likes of Coachella and Central Park Summer Stage sharing billing with acts like Roy Ayers, Brazilian Girls, and Mark Ronson. Vibe Magazine said the album "Wears it's Detroit badge proudly on a funk-stewed debut that echoes 70s era Steve Wonder," Time Out added that Triple P boasted “Delicious flows and fudge thick beats”, while Entertainment Weekly called the album a “cult soul classic.” PPP’s cover of “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” was voted one of the songs of the year by listeners to the BBC Radio 1 show Worldwide, hosted by influential tastemaker DJ Gilles Peterson.

Waajeed has remixed artists such as Radiohead, Roy Ayers, and Tony Allen-to name a few.  More recently, he’s been working with Cee-Lo, Mark Ronson protégé Daniel Merriweather, Pharoahe Monch, and John Legend protégé Estelle.

Waajeed is no stranger to those who know their hip-hop. Teaming up with his friend, production guru Jay Dee, in the early 1990s, he helped form Slum Village contributing tracks to their Dirty District compilation on Sequence/Kinetic as well as their critically acclaimed Trinity (Past, Present, and Future) album released on Capitol. He also worked with Jay Dee co-producing on the instant classic, Welcome 2 Detroit (BBE) as well as co-producing songs with Grammy award-wining singer and producer Dwele. Waajeed’s Bling47 label provided the launching pad for The Official Jay Dee Instrumental Series and the first installment of his own BPM instrumental series. Partner Saadiq is a master keyboard, guitar, and bass player, taught by world-renowned songwriter Barrett Strong (who worked with Marvin Gaye).

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The first single from the upcoming PPP album features new vocalist Karma Stewart on an infectious horn-driven Motown-flavored joint called "On a Cloud." The super-soulful gospel-tinged mix is an energetic starting point that represents the new and bigger sound of PPP. As a bonus, that track is remixed by San Francisco Bay Area producer Trackademicks, a member of the Honor Roll production crew who have been moving heads and dance floors with mixes and music for the likes of J*Davey, Phonte, and Josie Stingray that blur the lines between hip hop, soul, electro and techno. On the flip is “Angel,” featuring vocalist Coultrain, that also draws on PPPs Detroit roots, but this time it’s the cosmic-rock of Funkadelic that provides inspiration.

PPP recently announced a round of live dates during the summer of 2008 at which they will perform brand new music from their forthcoming album, Abundance. Expect new tracks, and new faces, and most of all, a celebration. To be released on Ubiquity Records in October 2008, the Abundance album will be preempted by singles through the summer. Their debut album, Triple P, brought worldwide notoriety to the Detroit-based production crew and their global collective of like-minded edgy-beat makers and soulful collaborators. Abundance marks the arrival of PPP as a band. They have developed a new sound that's even bigger, and an album that’s more dynamic and organic than their first.

"Abundance sums up everything; our growth since Triple P, the love and encouragement to make this record that we’ve gotten from our fans, it means a lot of things," explains band-leader and producer Waajeed. "It picks up where the first left- off. Triple P was a great start, but this sophomore album is on another level. It's more involved and focused … it's Electro Soul!"

Since the release of Triple P, Waajeed and production partner Saadiq moved from Detroit to Brooklyn. And while Brooklyn-life may have changed their sound, it's also made them appreciate their Motor City roots which
are audible throughout the album, the majority of which was mixed in Detroit by Grammy award winning engineer Todd Fairall.

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"Many of the disc's tracks are instrumental: They're ghosts waiting to inhabit the plotlines of a movie by David Lynch or Alan Ball. It's a lullaby of an album that helps affirm just how bizarre and beautiful life is."
- NPR, National Public Radio

“Peder has found time to make one of the most engrossing cinematic albums of recent memory. Kicking off with the sinister Amon Tobin-esque "Ache", it proceeds to spend the rest of its 56 minutes moving from melancholic death jazz to haunting Delta gospel. Astounding. ”
- Dazed & Confused

“He's created a dark and brooding beast full of horror-movie pianos and stabbing percussive thrusts...within this quest he managed to create one of the greatest singles of the past decade.  'The Sour'...is a jazz gospel gem proving that a part can equal, and indeed surpass, the sum of the whole.”
- XLR8R

“Give it a good listen and prepare to be amazed. Crate diggers, soundtrack collectors and just lovers of great quality music take note – Peder’s pulled out all the stops to bring you something beautiful...”
- Boomkat.com

"Extremely charming, abundant with subtleness and grace in the sounds and stillness...an album to purchase if you appreciate music with depth."
- Fly, Global Music Culture

Peder has spent too much time in front of his computer screen. Despite working multiple careers that include acting (he has acted in an Emmy Award winning TV show and has appeared in Dogme films), childrens radio show host, DJ (nominated for best Danish hip hop DJ), professional photographer, producer of a Platinum-selling comedy album, and recently becoming a father, he knew it was time to record an album with a new perspective. 

As an award winning producer and member of the hip hop production team The Prunes, he has produced, remixed and released a long list of somebodys including the Beastie Boys, DJ Krush, The Roots, and DJ Vadim for labels like Mo’ Wax and Grand Royal. The computer has served him well. But after reading an interview with Rick Rubin, Peder decided to follow the super producer’s lead, and close his eyes and listen instead of looking at the screen. “When you produce music using a computer there’s a risk that your work methods become visual, meaning you look at a screen and try whatever usually works instead of listening," says Peder, "and that’s not what music is about.”

The Rubin intervention led to the album “And He Just Pointed To The Sky.” It’s a very different piece of music for both artist and label. It’s slow, dark, cinematic, soulful and it demands your attention. This is party music for ghosts, Twin Peaks tunes for cold winter nights, and disturbingly eerie and creaky sounds for your iPod. Imagine subtle Hip Hop production on Tom Waits or Nina Simone with Nordic Psalms for extra flavor and you’re getting a little closer to what this album is about. Partly an instrumental record (including a collaboration with Shawn Lee), “And He Just Pointed To The Sky” also features vocalists like Bay Area soul man Nino Moschella, New York based gospel singer Dean Bowman, Danish singers Ane Trolle and Joy Morgan.

Has Peder, the man who was a catalyst at the beginning of the trip hop era and has since produced a massive amount of Hip Hop, grown up, gone mad, or simply lost the plot?

“Producers of hip hop music or any type of music that involves looking at a computer screen will empathize with me!” says Peder. “The album is not a reflection of my mental status, I feel absolutely great. I just love when music, film and art in general takes you and your imagination somewhere else.”

So please, sit back and crank up the gothic, crackly, theatrical, beaten up, and slightly grown-up sound of Peder.

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"Top 10 /// August 2007"
- Spine Magazine

"The Roy Ayers produced group see the light of day again as two previously undiscovered gems rise to the surface.  Punchy soul jazz at its best, as you would expect from the Ubiquity camp."
- DJ Magazine

"When things git too damn fonky over at Ubiquity, thier sister label, Luv N' Haight, is all to glad to take up the throwback slack ... RAMP is set to give yall a taste of what's really good ..."
- XLR8R

Ubiquity Records is delighted to be able to release two previously unreleased tracks by legendary 1970s soul act RAMP!  Both produced by vibes-master Roy Ayers post-release of their 1977 classic 'Come Into Knowledge' album.  These are not new recordings, these are vintage RAMP.  Two tracks previously unheard but rescued recently from a demo the band recorded on cassette.  Newly mastered, eq'd and now ready to rumble.  This single will be available on limited vinyl and as a digital download only.

"The Old One, Two" is a cover of a Roy Ayers track (written by Ayers, William Allen and Edwin Birdsong and originally released on the Roy Ayers album 'A Tear To A Smile'.)  The RAMP version is punchier than the Roy Ayers release.  Powered by a nasty bass line the tune transcends music eras sounding just as contemporary as it did in 1977 and is destined to be a DJ favorite.  On the flipside is the boogie tune "Paint Me Any Color," also written and produced by Roy Ayers but never recorded by anyone else.  These Roy Ayers productions foreshadowed his classic releases to come on the Uno Melodic label from acts like The Eighties Ladies and Ethel Beatty.

For a long time RAMP were one of modern soul music’s biggest mysteries.  What did RAMP mean? (FYI - Roy Ayers Master Production is the answer), How come their album is so damn hard to find?  Why no second album?  What was the relationship with Roy Ayers?  But heavily sampled (most notably on A Tribe Called Quest’s “Bonita Applebum”) and much adored for their sublime version of "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" RAMP maintained a musical presence despite a lack of music and info.  Ubiquity will spill the beans for all online, close to the release date.

Finally RAMP fans are enjoying a long overdue year of revival.  The 1977 RAMP album 'Come Into Knowledge' was recently re-issued in Japan, Wax Poetics magazine have an awesome 5-page piece on the band in their current issue and by way of inclusion on the forthcoming Gilles Peterson Digs America II, this upcoming single, Ubiquity Records will unleash two previously unreleased Ramp tracks this Fall!

Due to renewed RAMP fever the re-united band have scored new shows including an appearance at Central Park SummerStage, New York City w/DJ Spinna.

Watch a recent performance of "Daylight," live in London, at YouTube.

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"This laid-back LP, a collaboration between the Finnish jazzman and a trio of West African musicians, will warm even the coldest heart with the prospect of summer. Similar in tone to Sun Ra at his spaciest and Fela at his funkiest, it's amazing how they managed to create such a sizzline platter in the icy environs of Helsinki."
- Dazed & Confused

"Tenor and Kabu Kabu's unlikely conflation of tropical and cool aesthetics results in a distinctive party-centric disc that could be equally effective at a United Nations soiree or a swinging bachelor-pad seduction scene."
- XLR8R

Joystone is the latest musical excursion by the ever-inventive arranger, composer and musician Jimi Tenor.  On Joystone the super-eccentric Finn teams up with Kabu Kabu, a trio of West-African musicians and ex-Fela Kuti sidemen lead by Nicholas Addo Nettey.  The result is an exceptionally unique and inspired album that joins the dots between dance music, Afro-beat, funk, and pop.

Despite it’s cosmic overtones, Joystone was conceived in Tenor's tiny garage in the city of Lahti in Finland and recorded, mixed and produced entirely by Didier Selin in Helsinki.  Selin is the mastermind behind the award winning 2006 album Keep Reachin' Up by Tenor’s wife Nicole Willis And The Soul Investigators.  Adding spice are the leading players in the budding Finnish jazz scene including trumpeter Jukka Eskola and saxophonist Timo Lassy.  The resulting mash of Scandinavian jazz and polyrhythmic Afro-Beat and Funk is reminiscent of legendary Euro-eccentrics Marc Moulin and Placebo.  However, it is Tenor’s captivating melodies, quirky humor, and genre-defying playfulness that are at the forefront of Joystone.

On “Sunrise”, for which there is a video of Tenor and band running around a forest, he murmurs his sources of inspiration: “Sunrise oh sunrise, my favorite time of the day. I wake up, make some coffee.  Look at the garden and start making some music.  Everyday pretty much the same, and yet so different.” “Hermetic Man” is classic Tenor with loping melodic passages and subtle hints of 1970’s prog jazz.  The sly spacey funk of “Smoking” contrasts the playful uptempo “I Wanna Hook Up With You”, and the album closes with “Dede”, a cinematic 7-minute opus showcasing the halkofon, a one-of-a-kind instrument invented and built by Tenor from sticks of wood used to heat up the Finnish sauna.

Jimi Tenor, was born as Lassi Lehto.  His band Jimi Tenor & His Shamans released it’s first album in 1988, with Tenor’s first solo album dropping in 1994 and delivering "Take Me Baby," his first big hit. He has released albums on Sähkö Recordings, Warp Records and the Kitty-Yo label.  He has recorded with a 55-piece Polish Orchestra and most recently appeared on the “Keep Reachin’ Up” album for his wife Nicole Willis.  Curiously he has been called the “Elton John of jazz” and the “Barry White of Finland,” but we like to think of this mad musical genius, having fun while searching for the missing link between Sun Ra and Fela Kuti.  Joystone finds Jimi Tenor reuniting with the legendary Sähkö Recordings, the label that kickstarted his career back in 1994, and releasing through Ubiquity in North America, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

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Includes all exclusive previously unreleased tracks, and some mixes that will ONLY be found on this compilation.

We’re releasing these sneaky peeks to highlight upcoming releases and it’s also in conjunction with the forthcoming launch of our new limited edition/high end clothing line called Ubiquity White Label. Just as the Ubiquity White Label clothing line features high-end limited edition clothing and accessories, the White Label compilation will include unreleased and exclusive tracks and mixes. The term White Label refers back to the days when VIP DJs were given “white label” 12”s prior to the official release of a record, to test-out, spread the word, and hype-up new music.

Heavyweight soulsters SA-RA Creative Partners and PPP drop brand new exclusives from their highly-anticipated upcoming albums penciled in for release in early 2009. Nino Moschella presents a brand new lo-fi funky song from his awesome upcoming album, while the unstoppable Shawn Lee collaborates with both European soul star Nicole Willis (from his forthcoming “Soul In The Hole” soul-tribute album) and Desert-dwelling mad-genius Clutchy Hopkins (from their collaboration album called Clutch of The Tiger). LA-based soul-boy Damon Aaron is set to release his debut Ubiquity album this Fall, and his call for peace, “Better”, is remixed exclusively for this comp by our own Eric Lau.

Our last release of 2009 will be a “best of” Greyboy called 15 Years of West Coast Cool. Featured in the comp are 3 previously unreleased tracks, including a collaboration with Detroit soulcrooner Jeremy Ellis which is included here. Lastly The Lions drop a nasty dubbed out version of “Cumbia Del Leon” from their Jungle Struttin’ album.

THIS RELEASE IS DIGITAL ONLY!!!

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"Don't sleep on The Lions...or Connie Price and The Keystones, for some big-band sounds done right."
- XLR8R

The brand new Ubiquity EP series features multiple artists, all exclusive tracks - all killer no filler.  Tunes will be one-off collaborations, exclusive mixes, sneak peaks at future Ubiquity albums and new joints collected from artists around the world.  All tunes 100% DJ friendly.  This first EP will debut as a promo at WMC 2007, and will be released just two weeks later.  EPs will be released simultaneously on vinyl, digitally via all the usual channels, with limited edition CD, too  ...  more

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"Featuring yet more one off’s and exclusives, this latest installment picks up from where the last one left off - in stunning form. Pitching the BPMs right down, 4Lux man Miles Benjamin kicks things off in style with a bubbling, bass heavy piece of slo-mo hip hop. Taking it right back up Ohmega Watts, delivers a direct dancefloor hit with the rowdy Afro-funk of ‘Platypus Strut’. There’s even a Hudson Mohawke remix of Radio City’s ‘The Hop’ to contend with too. Brilliant. 4/5"
- DJ Mag

"Crazy future music from the one the call Hudson Mohawke...the world is coming round to this beat...nuts!"
- Benji B (1XTRA, Deviation)

"If you want a bit more funk in your life, be on the lookout for Choices Volume 2...Milez Benjiman sounds like what Mos Def would sound like if he grew up in Minneapolis, and there's even a slide nod to Omar in the way he sings in "All The People"...Ohmega Watts appears here with an incredible hard funk dance jazzy deal called "The Platypus Strut (After School Edit)", which would be suitable in any mix that is flavored with equally funky tracks from Breakin' Bread, Ninja Tune, Jazzman, or Stones Throw..."
- Music For America

The Ubiquity Choices EP series features multiple artists, all exclusive tracks - all killer no filler.  Tunes are one-off collaborations, exclusive mixes, sneak peaks at future Ubiquity albums and new joints collected from artists around the world.  All 100% DJ friendly.  This first EP sold out quickly on 12” single.  Volume II will appear in the new Ubiquity 12” jacket, and will also be simultaneously available for download   ...  more

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Various Artists
California Soul II
Luv N' Haight (LH053)
Release Date:  May 22, 2007
Barcodes:  LHCD053:  780661005322  x  LHLP053:  780661005315  
One-Sheets:  PDF
Liner Notes:  Word Doc.
 

Various Artists
Gilles Peterson Digs America II
Luv N' Haight (LH056)
Release Date:  September 25, 2007
Barcodes:  LHCD056:  780661005629  x  LHLP056:  780661005612 
One-Sheets:  PDF
Liner Notes / CD Booklet:  PDF x Word Doc.