Hi friends!
This week’s 5 selections are:
gratitude - Cassie Kinoshi's seed. (International Anthem Recording Company, 2024)
#Contemporary Jazz
Together with her ensemble seed., members of the London Contemporary Orchestra, and turntablist NikNak, Cassie’s live performance at the Purcell Room in the Southbank Centre is truly moving. When I listened to it, the word that came to mind was: peace. Later, as I read about the album, I discovered that the alto saxophonist composed it while meditating on gratitude—using it as a path to healing.
Dream Tool - Space Ghost (Peace World Records, 2024)
#Deep House
The Bay Area producer launches his brand-new label, Peace World Records, with an EP that’s sure to warm up any dance floor or living room. Featuring four spacious tracks with his signature elements: atmospheric pads, warm, bouncy basslines, vintage drum machine sounds, and magical keys—a very dreamy vibe.
Slow Traffic to the Right - Bennie Maupin (Mercury, 1977)
#Jazz-Funk #Jazz Fusion
After playing with legends like Miles Davis (Bitches Brew), Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, and Pharoah Sanders, Bennie Maupin released his critically acclaimed The Jewel in the Lotus. Slow Traffic to the Right is his often-overlooked follow-up and features Patrice Rushen and Eddie Henderson among other virtuosos. On this album, the multi-instrumentalist explores a more funk-rooted sound, showcasing his mastery of eight different instruments and even contributing background vocals.
Universal Love - MFSB (Philadelphia International Records, 1975)
#Disco #Soul
Philly soul at its finest. Universal Love by MFSB delivers rich arrangements, tight grooves, and that unmistakable soulful sophistication the band was known for. My pick here is “K-Jee,” a funky, discotheque anthem that has been sampled and reimagined by countless house and nu-disco producers like Dave Lee and Montego Bay.
Busts Love - Hekura (Tokonoma Records, 2023)
#Ambient #Jazz
This album crafted by Ernest Pipó and Edu Pons could sit comfortably among many sought-after Japanese ambient records. Its carefully crafted mix of wind instruments, guitars, and synthesizers—combined with an array of diverse sounds—creates a truly immersive experience. It feels “a voyage that evokes daydreams inspired by the everyday, shifting in surprising ways, like old slides revealing forgotten objects that once held meaning.”
That was all for this week. I hope you liked the selections :D
Stay groovy,
Dudier
