Takeo Moriyama
Live At Lovely

Christian Reim (b. 1945) has played jazz since the late 50’s, his merits list is long but how many can price themselves with having played both bass and piano with Dexter Gordon?That was back in the day but with this new release, different generations meet over Christian’s colorful, deeply personal lyricism.The first four songs were recorded in the autumn of 2001 in two sets, one with Harald Johnsen (b.1970 – d.2011) on bass and Jarle Vespestad (b. 1966) on drums. Two years later, in the summer of 2003, it is Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (b. 1971) on bass and Håkon Mjåset Johansen (b. 1975) on drums. The recordings were made in Christian’s home studio at Frogner in Oslo with Martin Abrahamsen as the sound engineer.The repertoire of 9 songs consists mostly of Reim’s own songs, but also the famous jazz version of Norways national anthem ‘Ja, Vi Elsker’ The traditional christmas song ‘O Jul med din Glede’ and an interpretation of Ennio Morricone’s ‘Once Upon A Time In America’

Sharp-Flat Records presents the long-awaited restoration of The Broadway Quintet's cult classic Amalume – a hypnotic concoction of traditional Zambian sounds and jazz-rock grooves with a twist of 1970s African psychedelia.Emerging to serve the entertainment needs of Zambia's United National Independence Party (UNIP) in the early 1960s, The Broadway Quintet gathered seasoned talent from Lusaka's best hotel bands to fashion its esteemed lineup. Starting as a quartet and later evolving into a quintet, the group's career spanned over twenty years as favourites on the cabaret circuit and boasted a myriad of prestigious collaborations.The Broadway Quintet's jazz sensibilities set them apart from the rock sound that dominated the music landscape of the 1970s. Yet the formula behind Zamrock, fusing indigenous Zambian sounds with Western pop, shaped their one and only 1976 long-player. Featuring modern arrangements of traditional songs, Amalume blended congas with sax sounds, folk lyrics with electric keyboard shenanigans and show business staples with jazz guitar noodling. With its psychedelic fever dream illustrated cover, it was an explosive package of "originality and electrifying beauty" as the album's liner notes rightly attested.Released on the Zambezi label, Amalume joined an exceptional run of mid-1970s offerings alongside WITCH, Ricky Banda and Crossbones. Officially licensed, carefully restored and beautifully reproduced, Zambia's most requested reissue has finally returned for everybody to enjoy.

Deeper Roots by Roots

This 1975 album is one of a kind in lots of ways. First, it's keyboardist Roland Haynes' only album. But more importantly, Second Wave has a sound'and line-up'unlike pretty much any other jazz fusion album to come out before or since. Anchored by a fantastic rhythm section of Carl Burnett (Cal Tjader, Vince Guaraldi and most notably Gene Harris and The Three Sounds) and Henry 'The Skipper' Franklin (leader on a couple of Black Jazz titles still to come, plus Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, Hugh Masekela, and many others), the album features dueling Fender Rhodes tickled by Haynes and Kirk Lightsey, who played with everyone from Chet Baker to Pharoah Sanders to Sonny Stitt, not to mention a bunch of Black Jazz dates. The cascading sound of the two electric pianos, one (Lightsey's) often driven through a wah-wah pedal, gives Second Wave a special vibe all its own; there are not horns or guitars getting in the way of these mindblowing keyboard jams. Some folks might hear a little '70s-era Miles Davis when Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and/or Herbie Hancock were in the band, and Hancock's own Head Hunters album comes to mind (as well later fusion dudes like Jan Hammer and Bill Bruford), but Second Wave is sui generis. Our Real Gone reissue is remastered for CD and vinyl by Mike Milchner at Sonic Vision, with LP lacquer cutting by Clint Holley and Dave Polster at Well Made Music, and features new liner notes by Pat Thomas, author of Listen, Whitey! The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975, that include a couple of quotes from drummer Burnett and bassist Franklin. First ever time reissued on vinyl!