NEWS
New Albums from Orgone + Jed & Lucia now available for Pre-Order
We now have Orgone's upcoming instrumental album "Killion Vaults" and Jed & Lucia's "SuperHuman Heart" available for Pre-Order. Save 15% on your order when you type in the coupon code: EARLYBIRD
NEW IN STORE: MID-SEASON TEES, TOTE-BAGS AND ARTWORK
We have 5 brand new shirts, at a mid-season deal price of only $19.99: The Eugene Blacknell shirt is part of our Green Series tee's and is designed by Ohmega Watts. Music Is My Medicine was designed by Christian Borstlap who also made the recent Clutchy Hopkins video. Heard the new Orgone? Seen them on tour? Cop the new shirt! Make music your business with the new shirt by Kei Abe, and pick-up our limited edition collabo-shirt designed by Rachel Konte of Guerilla Cafe in Berkeley to celebrate our on-going art exhibit.
Spend $50 and we'll ship your order for free!
Also ready for pre-order*: 2 new tote-bags priced at $19.99, printed on recycled cotton canvas. And a Music is My Medicine (13" x 20") silkscreen print also at $19.99, limited to 50 only, each one hand-numbered.
For the first 50 customers who spend $75 or above we'll hook you up with a customizeable Music Is My Medicine compilation. Place your order first, we'll email you back with notification that you get to pick 10 tunes from the Ubiquity, Luv N'Haight and CuBop catalog. Pick your tracks and we'll send you a link to download your compilation, simple as that.
*Shirts are ready to ship, pre-ordered prints and bags will ship August 2nd.
Shawn Lee on KCRW + Rare California Live Dates
Shawn Lee recorded a live set on KCRW's 'Morning Becomes' Eclectic this past week. The radio appearence was a starting point for a handful of live shows that will be happening in Orange County and Los Angeles this week.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2010
SHAWN LEE'S PING PONG ORCHESTRA @ GRAND STAR JAZZ CLUB / SOUL SESSIONS
LOS ANGELES, CA
www.soulsessionslive.com
SUNDAY, AUGUST 29, 2010
SHAWN LEE'S PING PONG ORCHESTRA @ AMOEBA RECORDS
LOS ANGELES, CA
www.amoeba.com
TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2010
SHAWN LEE'S PING PONG ORCHESTRA @ COMMONWEALTH LOUNGE
FULLERTON, CA
www.commonwealthlounge.com
KCRW - MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC feat. SHAWN LEE'S PING PONG ORCHESTRA
STREAMING AUDIO HERE
DEE EDWARDS - WHY CANT THERE BE LOVE (PILOOSKI EDIT) (LIMITED EDITION WHITE LABEL 12'')
ONLY 500 COPIES
Dee Edwards “Why Can’t There Be
Love?” has a raw Motown flavor befitting one of Detroit’s finest soul
vocalists. It was originally released on 7” single by Guido Marasco on
his Bump Shop label, so named because Marasco ran a car bump and paint
repair shop. The track is featured on the Gilles Peterson Digs America
Volume II compilation.
Prolific French producer Pilooski takes
the original Dee Edwards version and squeezes it through his magic
re-edit machine adding a nasty dose of bump n’grind. If you haven’t seen
the version used by Adidas in their Celebrating Originality campaign
you may have been living under a rock. The version on this 12” is
extended, is longer than the TV commercial, and has never been made
available before.
On the flip the mysterious S.L.P.P.O. drop an
Afrobeat track inspired by Bob Azzams club favorite “Batucada Por Favor”
and a little World Cup fever. While the Azzam track is a batucada
rhythm track that gains speed as it plays, “Accelerate” does the same,
but using an Afro-beat rhythm that gets faster and faster. One version
is percussion-based, the other features a fully-stocked band.
NOW AVAILABLE: SHAWN LEE - SING A SONG
In addition to
showcasing a love for 1960s and 1970s soul, Shawn Lee also steers
his latest musical mystery tour into psychedelic and cinematic
territory over the course of 12 brand new cuts. Sing a Song
is like a breezy summertime mixtape, packed with catchy motor city
licks and space age songs that Lee built from scratch with each
collaborating vocalist in mind. Inviting vocalists from as far
afield as Kansas City, Los Angeles, London, Detroit and New York,
Lees’ latest album features Princess Superstar, artist Paul Fryer,
and blind street performer Robert Bradley. During recording Lee had
to be admitted to hospital for an emergency appendix operation, just
a few days after his wife gave birth to their second girl. But the
musical drive in Mr Lee is so strong there’s always time to Sing
a Song.
Shawn Lee and his Ping Pong Orchestra will be in the USA this Fall
to play their first ever gigs, including a stop at Bumbershoot in
Seattle…hold tight for more gigs.
BUY SHAWN LEE "SING A SONG" TODAY!
OUT NOW: LORD NEWBORN & THE MAGIC SKULLS
Lord Newborn and the Magic Skulls is the collaborative project of esteemed sound scientists Money Mark, Shawn Lee, and Tommy Guerrero. Last winter they locked themselves away in Money Marks Los Angeles-based studio for two weeks. A tasty three-way meeting of the minds resulted in this funk-inflicted collection of beats n’ breaks, wrapped-up in a sunny West Coast musical tortilla that’s smothered in as much jazz and prog-rock as it is in soulful psychedelia.
OUT NOW: NUCLEAR EVOLUTION: THE AGE OF LOVE
Nuclear Evolution: The Age of
Love, The SA-RA Creative Partners blend next-level production with a unique
and unconstrained blend of street wit, tall stories, and intergalactic
sounds. Musically adventurous, and even more evolved than anything they’ve done
before, Nuclear Evolutionshows a
controlled, polished, and in-the-pocket side to their work. It is an album on
which they shine as the innovative musical force they promised to be when the
cult hit “Glorious” first shattered bass bins and minds worldwide.
the glorious Nuclear Evolution finally realizes their
potential...a panorama that throws you into dark nightlife, then lifts you out,
invigorated, into a new day." - Spin
"SA-RA's psychedelic soul 2.0 arrives at a time when the power elite have been unsettled and we're in a new terrain without maps"- The Wire
Fans
of Erykah Badu will know SRCP as her associate producers, having written,
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 the track “Dirty Beauty.”
Legendary saxophonist Gary Bartz also appears on the album alongside a crew of
up n'coming talent whose contributions help make this album a super soulful
smash for the summer of 2009.
NOW AVAILABLE: ORGONE - TIME TONIGHT 12''
Orgone are back with a new single, including an
exclusive extended funky dub mix, as a taster from their forthcoming
Cali Fever album.
FREE ORGONE
MEGAMIX DOWNLOAD CODE AVAILABLE ON EVERY 12''
ORDER TIME TONIGHT 12'' TODAY!
LIMITED EDITION TWILIGHT ALBUMS NOW AVAILABLE
Still Loving You, by Twilight, was originally released in 1981. Housed in a low-fi generic album cover, this very polished, professionally produced record sounds like it was made by a super talented band. Strains of Earth Wind and Fire, George Duke and Roy Ayers, flow through a collection of tunes that effortlessly blend soul, disco, funk, Latin and Brazilian vibes. But looks, as evident with the LP cover, can be deceptive. Twilight was not a band. In fact, with the exception of a guest horn section and one guest vocal, Twilight was, and still is, Lawrence Ross; one man with a clear vision of what his music should sound like, and how he would make it on his own.
Look out for
the companion Twilight album, Pains of Love, released in 1986, and
also available on Luv N’Haight.
OUT NOW: KINGS BALLAD
Slicing pop n’lock-friendly funk with gospel and gracious soul Georgia Anne Muldrow is a true West Coast original. Her trademark scattershot beats and adventurous deep jazz melodies have grown to become the backbone for fully crafted songs on Kings Ballad. With aspirations to become a modern-day Quincy Jones, Muldrow is truly a renaissance musician who is always looking to take her craft to a higher ground. Playing all her own instruments, and writing and performing her own songs, everything you hear on Kings Ballad is handcrafted.
"She’s incredible. She’s like Flack, Nina Simone, Ella, she’s something else. She’s like religion. It’s heavy, vibrational music. I’ve never heard a human being sing like this.” - Mos Def
"Kings Ballad is a G-funk-obsessed slab of summery West Coast funk chock-full of banging beats and poignant guest raps." - Prefix
"There's so much to love on this album: her unique sense of swing; her incredible hooks on keyboards; her spacey but assured vocals" - Exclaim
“Her output in the last few years has been nothing short of amazing … You're bound to be overwhelmed, if not consumed, by her productions and words.” – Okay Player
Georgia Anne Muldrow
Kings Ballad
(Ubiquity)
LISTENxORDER
Order Today - Handmade Kalimbas by NOMO
NOMO bandleader Elliot Bergman has just completed a second set of beautiful electric kalimbas that we are happy to offer for sale. This limited edition of 20 (for 20 years of Ubiquity!) was handcrafted in Bergman’s workshop out of Alowood, a beautiful hardwood that is sustainably grown in the Pacific Northwest. These instruments sound great acoustically, but they really shine when plugged in to an amplifier or PA system. The kalimbas use piezo pickups to amplify the sound, and are fitted with a standard 1/4 jack so you can plug in to any guitar, keyboard or bass amp. Each electric kalimba is carefully tuned to a minor pentatonic scale, and can easily be retuned to any tonality by adjusting the tines. Bergman attests that this is his best batch of instruments to date, and that each instrument plays and looks great.
Bergman’s creations contribute heavily to the sound of NOMO, and they have been featured in several NPR segments over the past few years.
OUT NOW: CLUTCHY HOPKINS - THE STORY TELLER
"While we can’t say for sure who is responsible for the music, we can declare with certainty that whoever it is makes damn good music. 4/5” - URB Magazine
Fact or fiction? Is Clutchy Hopkins an alias? Or is this the true name for a reclusive musical powerhouse? Are his recordings vintage, new, or a mix of both? Some may wonder about these things, along with why some dudes have a long pinky nails or whatever happened to myspace, others may ask if any of this really matters? While the mystery surrounding the artist is no longer news, the music only gets better, maturing like a fine wine.
It’s the most varied Hopkins album to date encompassing lots of vocal textures, and a dash of worldly vibes. Check the Brazilian-psyche-like “No Contact…Contact,” and the mad spooky science of “Miles Chillin,” or the shuffling “Thinkin’ of Eva” which would sound perfectly at home playing in a Parisian café. It’s an album influenced by Hopkins time in jail, where, while in the courtyard, he met many international prisoners waiting to be deported. Lo-fi, acoustic, finger- snapping, hand-clapping, whistle-and-hummed jam sessions gave Hopkins the ideas which he later put to tape. The album booklet will include the entire story, unfiltered.
CLUTCHY HOPKINS
THE STORY TELLER
(Ubiquity)
LISTEN x ORDER
FRANCISCO AGUABELLA 1925-2010
It is with great sadness that we announce the spiritual transition of Latin drum legend, Francisco Aguabella.
Ubiquity has had the honor of working with Mr. Aguabella on our Cubop label. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to his family and friends.
Los Angeles Times Obituary
If you would like to attend ceremonies for Francisco Aguabella:
Holy Cross Cemetary and Mortuary
5835 West Slauson Avenue
Culver City, CA 90230-6500
(310) 836-5500
www.holycrossmortuary.com
Thursday May 13, 2010
Viewing
3pm - 8pm
Friday May 14, 2010
Services
1pm
Condolences and correspondence:
P.O. Box 9562
Glendale, CA 91206
NEW ADIDAS ADVERT FEATURES DEE EDWARDS
Airing on TVs throughout Europe, and throughout the world on YouTube (WATCH IT HERE) is a brand new Adidas commercial that uses a Pilooski edit of the Dee Edwards track “Why Can’t There Be Love” originally re-issued on Gilles Peterson Digs America II. There are 2 versions of the commercial (only one airing at time of writing, the other soon) which collectively feature cameos from David Beckham, Snoop Dogg, Daft Punk, Ciara, Noel Gallagher and many others. Massive! If you haven’t picked up Gilles Peterson Digs America II, do it while we have it in-stock!
PURCHASE GILLES PETERSON DIGS AMERICA 2 HERE!
OUT NOW: DOOBIE DOWN
Before we drop the Georgia Anne Muldrow's album Kings Ballad in February, get a taste of what it'll sound like with this digital EP which also features exclusive instrumentals.
Georgia will be performing live in New York following her LP release.
2/3 NEW YORK, NY @ SOB's
Georgia Anne Muldrow
Doobie Down
(Ubiquity)
LISTENxORDER
OUT NOW: INTO THE WIND
Into the Wind by Guzheng performer/composer Bei Bei He and Ubiquity producer Shawn Lee marries a unique blend of ancient tradition with studio trickery. This uplifting, genre-bending sound clash, recalls the afro centric harping of Dorothy Ashby and hypnotic spiritual jazz of Alice Coltrane. With Lee adding equal doses of hip hop, electric jazz, and soul sensibility to the backing tracks, the captivating sound of Bei Bei’s Guzheng comes alive on peaceful mellow joints as much as it does on Kung-Fu flavored funk tunes.
Swapping notes with each addition and change, they made their way through eleven tracks. The title track was the last track to be completed, and also became the opening track on the album. “Shawn was inspired by some of the traditional music that I play,” she explains. “It took both of us being committed, fully self-expressed, inspired, connected to make this album happen, “ she adds.
Bei Bei & Shawn Lee
Into The Wind
(Ubiquity)
LISTENxORDER
NOW AVAILABLE: SPRING/SUMMER '10 T-SHIRT COLLECTION
Our Spring / Summer 2010 line is now available and
celebrates the 20th Anniversary for the Groove Merchant Record
Store, the launch pad for our 3 record labels - Ubiquity, Luv N'Haight,
and CuBop.
The line features a special guest design from
legendary Bay Area designer, musician, and skateboarder Tommy Guerrero, plus
limited edition 20th Anniversary shirts, and two Luv N'Haight legacy
t-shirts featuring old super-soul heroes Darondo and Betty Padgett.
These designs are printed on shirts made of a blend of recycled materials
and organic cotton. In addition the line includes exclusive work by designers:
Matt Dent, Ashkahn, Jessica Straw, Dan Severson, Derek Dudek, Christopher David
Ryan, and Ubiquity MC/producer Ohmega Watts.
CLICK HERE TO SEE NEW DESIGNS!
OUT NOW: ADROIT ADVENTURES
The first release from our man in Austria, The Clonious fearlessly blends supernatural funk and adventurous sci-fi soul. While he draws on beat generation hip hop production, his bursts of jazz break through the machinery and tracks bounce into new corners of the musical galaxy. Imagine, if you will, a Radio Citizen, Hudson Mohawke, and Theo Parrish sandwich. Tasty.This EP features upcoming DC vocalist/producer Muhsinah and an exclusive remix from Clonious cohort Dorian Concept. Limited to 1000 pieces, catch it while you can. Watch out for the full-length this Fall.
The Clonious was recently featured on Mary Anne Hobbs BBC Radio 1 radio show, with a special guest mix that includes sneak peaks of the forthcoming album. More info here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/maryannehobbs/
The Clonious
Adroit Adventures
(Ubiquity)
LISTEN x ORDER
FREE SHPPING ON ORDERS OVER $50
For domestic customers only, we're offering FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50 for the next two weeks. OFFER ENDS MAY 13, 2010.
OUT NOW: ON A CLOUD - BEST OF 2009 COMPILATION
On A Cloud features our favorite tracks from the past year, and one exclusive joint from the upcoming Georgia Anne Muldrow album.
In true end-of-the-year-mixtape fashion the album is packed with all-winners, and no filler. Reaching out across genres to bring you reels of only the best, we’ve included the Motown-infused sound of PPP’s “On A Cloud”, the cosmic vibes of SA-RA and NOMO, and Lord Newborn’s uptempo-psychedelia. Continuing the eclectic outernational selection are the futuristic visions of Austrian-based The Clonious and UK remixer Floating Points whose works sit next to the old school sound of Betty Padgett and the heartbreaking dusty soul of Nino Moschella and Fanny Franklin.
This is music from the heart, for good times and tough times, and forever. We hope you dig it, and come back for more in 2010.
EXCLUSIVE MP3 WITH EVERY AFRICAN GAME T-SHIRT PURCHASE
Purchase our "African Game" T-Shirt and get an exclusive MP3 download of "Accelerate (Percussion Mix)" by S.L. P.P.O. Offer available while supplies last!
NOW AVAILABLE: ORGONE - CALI FEVER (CD, LP & Digital)
Orgone are back with Cali Fever, their second album for Ubiquity and a giant step from anything they have ever released in the past. This is a band in ascendancy, with more focus and purpose, and gigging like their lives depend on it.
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ORDER ORGONE 'CALI FEVER' TODAY!
