Week-End Germany Vinilo y CD

Review: Sun Ra Arkestra's bandleader since 1958, Marshall Allen, will always be known for his hyper-effected sax wayfarings; he treats a simple monophonic brass instrument as a vessel for psychic voyaging, onstage and off. Perhaps, however, this has meant he's been too freewheeling in his approach: Somehow, in over 70 years since joining the Arkestra, Allen had never recorded a solo album. That all changed just two days after his 100th birthday, resulting in what you hear here. Now the debut album by a live legend unfolds, like a rogue planet hidden behind a supernova. This proverbial "new dawn" draws on both new beginnings and legacies, waxing gibbous between big band swing, freer-form danceoffs, and even a vocal hoverer with Neneh Cherry.

Review: Making your debut release at 100 years old must be a feat that no-one's ever achieved before. This isn't just a novelty act. Marshall Allen remains a force of nature, and 'New Dawn' proves it. The lead single and title of his debut solo album is a subdued yet powerful statement, showing a different side to the legendary saxophonist who has shaped the Sun Ra Arkestra for over 70 years. Featuring Neneh Cherry, 'New Dawn' unfolds as a contemporary jazz odyssey, balancing Allen's signature cosmic energy with a deep, introspective warmth. His alto sax glides gently over the composition, offering space for Cherry's ethereal presence and the bright young talents surrounding him. On the flip, the instrumental edit allows Allen's playing to shine even more, revealing his intricate phrasing and the emotional depth behind every note. It's not the explosive free-jazz chaos of Sun Ra's wildest moments but a thoughtful meditation on time, legacy and reinvention. For a musician who has always looked to the future, Allen's 'New Dawn' is both a bold continuation and a fresh beginning. A special release for a special artist.

Review: Arthur Russell's "Kiss Me Again," originally released in 1978, is a defining moment in disco's evolution, marking a pivotal collaboration between Russell and Nicky Siano. The reissue by Week-End Records offers a fresh look at this influential track, remastered from the original tapes and accompanied by insightful liner notes from notable figures like David Byrne and Nicky Siano. This reissue captures the essence of Russell's groundbreaking work. The 12" single showcases the extended mix, reflecting the intricate production process where Russell's vision was brought to life. His unique approach to recordingimelding diverse instruments and unconventional techniquesiresulted in a rich, layered sound that defied traditional recording practices. Siano's input was equally crucial; his first-ever production from scratch was instrumental in shaping the track's iconic status. The band, featuring Wilbur Bascomb, Allan Schwartzberg, and other prominent musicians, infused the project with a dynamic energy, making the track a staple of its era. The new edition highlights Russell's innovative spirit and the collaborative magic that defined his work with Siano. It serves as a testament to the track's enduring appeal and its impact on the disco genre, ensuring that 'Kiss Me Again' remains a cornerstone of its era.

Review: Fred Frith is simultaneously a singular musical figure and a collection of musical lifetimes. He's the composer who wrote fragile avant-garde music in the tradition of John Cage and Earle Brown, the innovator who created new concepts of underground rock with his colleagues in the band Henry Cow, and the improviser who developed his very own language on the guitar. The many facets of Frith's musical oeuvre shimmer in vibrant and unique colors, but stand as one rainbow monolith of musical creation, never disintegrating into esoteric eclecticism. Always musically curious and unbiased, he develops his ideas in the moment, demonstrating in real time how his creative process, while free of old hat conventions and tricks, creates an immediate yet unrandom and committed music. At the core is his unique guitar playing, which is on full display across these two records. His debut, Guitar Solos (1974), opened up a space beyond rock and improvised music and now, 50 years later comes Fift (2024), a new solo guitar album that sounds completely different and yet familiar, adding to his monolith of musical creation with another new vibrant color.

Review: Keith Hudson's Playing It Cool & Playing It Right is one of his most widely admired and loved for its soulful take on his dub template. Similar to Bullwackies who he collaborates with here, he was a unique innovator with a deeply rooted classical background. His early studio work involved esteemed musicians like the former Skatalites, and his initial releases produced hits for various reggae artists. However, Hudson's departure from this tradition is distinctive and entirely his own. His mature music ventures beyond Jamaica, and has found resonance in London and New York studio. His experimental style thrives in the LP format which has more time for him to really explore new ground.

Review: 70s and early 80s Jamaican producer Keith Hudson's approach to dub was never about smooth edges or easy rhythms. His productions are dense, disorienting, heavy with delay, bass and drums that sound like they're ricocheting down a well. The Soul Syndicate, his long-time studio band, provide the backbone hereideeply locked-in grooves that Hudson warps into something ghostly. 'No Commitment' staggers forward with stabbing guitar chops that seem to dissolve mid-strike, while 'Ire Ire' loops through warped vocal fragments and echo chambers that stretch into infinity. 'Bad Things' and its dub counterpart pull apart the rhythm until it feels skeletal, each hit landing in the empty space between delay trails. Hudson's use of reverb and tape manipulation isn't just about atmosphere, but about control as well. He shifts and reshapes the mix to turn steady rhythms into something unsteady, always shifting just out of reach. 'Desiree' drifts through flickering hi-hats and cavernous low-end, while 'Keeping Us Together' seems to slow down and speed up in the same breath. There's something darker, more claustrophobic in the way he structures space and silence. Even the brighter moments, like 'Mercy' with its open, rolling groove, carry an unease, as if the music itself is bracing for collapse. Hudson was an architect of mood, twisting familiar elements into something deeply immersive and strangely hypnotic.

Review: Passarinho Urbano (Urban Bird) is the album-length result of a chance encounter between singer and musician Joyce Moreno and producer Sergio Bardotti in Rome, Italy. Thoroughly relaxed and recharged after a long break in the city, Moreno's rejuvenated state of mind lent immediately to a spur-of-the-moment reimagining of some of her favourite classical Brazilian MPB and bossa nova standards, some of whose original composers were leading lights of the underground cultural resistance during the country's military dictatorship by the Brazilian Army during the 1960s. With a soft-spoken, intimate vocal intonation by Moreno, and a composition centring on slow-building, rhythmically deft call-and-response cantos, this album deserves its longstanding status as a secret masterpiece, a status which'll surely be renewed once more by this first-time-worldwide reissue by Week-End Records.

Review: Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Jards Macale's eponymous album gets a special reissue to remind us why it remains such a classic. Originally dropped back in 1972, Macale's debut effortlessly blends Brazilian folk, samba, and experimental rock while showcasing his uniquely eclectic musical vision. The album's raw energy and poetic lyricism reflect the tumultuous political climate of its time and as well as resonating with audiences then it will do so again now. Macale's soulful vocals and innovative guitar work shine throughout, while the arrangements are both intimate and expansive and each track captivates with its depth and emotion.