Bringing together four especially skilled vocalists from either side of the Atlantic, Phantom Lover’s tailor-made productions for Sarah White, Nicholas Ryan Gant, Fatima, and Jesse Boykins III individually compliment the singers’ talents. Impeccable harmonic marriages, it’s hard to pick a favourite song. Although Nicholas Ryan Gant’s “Ghetto Falsetto” charms have prompted the most reloads in the stunning ‘Change (Show Me How)’.

DOWNLOAD AT: phantomlover.bandcamp.com

Thanks to NDM for the tip.

When was the project conceived?
In April a label called Kilawatt approached me to do a project saying they wanted me to work with musicians to re-play some of my tracks. Unfortunately we couldn’t work out an agreement. Fortunately however we were so keen I was like well if you give all the proceeds to charity then I will do it. Simon the label owner was more than happy to make it happen.

Why Save the Children?
For the last 6 years I have been working with young people and children leading workshops and mentoring through music. This experience has given me the chance to see how important young people are to all of our futures. We wanted to choose an international charity that help children and young people who suffer from poverty and who help can help them get a better quality of life. You never know who they can become because of some support, they could be the next Dilla or Einstein!

How did you link with the artists?
All the artists involved are first and foremost friends. As musicians and artists, I’m a fan of all of them. When I told them about the project everyone was willing to help and support in any way possible. This was the same with the studio, engineer, mastering, designer, illustrator and photography! Was great to see people come together and give up their time and incredible talents to a cause that will hopefully make a difference. We obviously hope that this project will generate some support for Save the Children however I also hope this inspires others to think about ways of using their talents to help others.

How were the songs assembled?
We had one day in the studio to lace 3 tracks. Unfortunately we only managed to finish 2. We were really pushed for time but everyone seemed to have a great time and I think a lot of long lasting relationships were made that day. Everyone played their position and I pieced it all together.

Now you’ve created a madly-talented London super-group, what next?
I know that everyone enjoyed the feeling of being together in a really nice studio environment. Some of the artists and musicians had never met before and got on really well. I hope everyone can get the chance to work together more in this way because to me it makes perfect sense.

More photos here or in video montage below

The Team:

Drums: The PSM
Guitar: Ben Jones
Bass, Piano: Akwasi Mensah
Flute: Finn Peters
Synthesizers: Floating Points (although unfortunately not on the finished tracks)
Vocalists: Rahel, Fatima, Sarina Leah, and Szjerdene
Engineer: Blue May
Photography: Lily Lau
Design: Ashkahn
Illustration: T.S Abe
Studio: Fish Factory
Mastering: Fluid Mastering

Available digitally for a paltry minimum donation of £2, purchase Eric Lau & Friends – See & Under Standing (Reprise) at: kilawattmusic.bandcamp.com

www.savethechildren.org.uk

Benji B warmed up room one with songs to please the soul crowd in attendance, including Stevie’s ‘Too High‘, Yam Who’s long percussive edit of ‘Skyy, Can You Feel Me?‘, and Nas’ ‘Get Down‘. Eager to get a spot for the first of two live sets people edged towards the stage, before long Fatima and band began.

‘Higher’ opened the show, although it was in the second track (‘Lil’ Girl‘) when things really got going. Taking a backing role on keys, Floating Points’ solo in Shafiq Husayn’s composition demonstrated his terrific piano playing, skills often overlooked when he’s leading the show. Adding the final ingredient to a well-balanced line-up (others members being on drums, bass, guitar, and three backing vocalists) FunkinEven ghosted on to man his MPC and red microKORG XL, chatting into the vocoder to signal the start of ‘Kleer’.

Midway through, ‘Mind’ commenced. The most complete song to come so far from the Floating Points Ensemble, it’s one where Fatima seems to always excel, “What’s the use of running? When noone’s waiting at the finish line…”. Without the live strings of previous shows, super-crisp rimshots helped the fine rendition have necessary clout.

Charming as ever and witty in her on-stage talk, Fatima introduced ‘Warm Eyes’, a driving-with-the-top-down groove produced by Dam-Funk. ‘Soul Glo’ followed, complete with a brief cameo from Alex Nut that fell a bit flat but amusingly attempted to recapture the vibe in the video. ‘On the Go’ closed the show, though sadly the vocal harmonies were muddy in the mix. For Fabric to compete as a live venue these technicals need tightening. Minor hiccups didn’t distract from the overall quality of the performance; it’s a treat to see a  performer as talented and humble as Queen Fatima in such an ambitious set up. Another extraordinary Eglo production.

As Ronnie Herel DJed the crowd packed in even further, squeezing in tight during Jill Scott’s ‘Gimme‘. Shortly after midnight the main event arrived, Bilal with a 4-piece band.

Dressed in suit jacket and shades, it wasn’t long before ‘Something To Hold On To’ had spines tingling. The lead-in song from the album that never was (Love For Sale), it was one of many older tracks to send the crowd loopy. Cuts from 1st Born Second pleased Dilla heads, notably ‘Reminisce’. A breath-taking rendition of ‘Love Won’t Let It’ offered evidence on why Bilal’s vocals are so revered.

Weaving in material from the forthcoming Plug Research album, Airtight’s Revenge. The 88-keys produced ballad, ‘Think It Over‘ cooled the mood before ‘Restart’ showed how his new material has a rock-element, bridging soul with prominent electric guitar and crashing drums. Tight from their time touring the band backed Bilal brilliantly.

‘Sometimes’ was a joy to hear live, a 21st Century soul classic. Equally emotive, the new take on ‘All Matter’ contrasts to the Robert Glasper version but the familiar vocal means it still packs as much of a punch. Especially when audiences cry back “What is it?” to Bilal’s call of “What is love?”.  The delicacy of his voice never ceases to astound, as heard in the falsetto passages of ‘White Turns To Grey‘. Every bit as hair-raising as the recording, ‘All for Love’ showed his ability to ease through octaves.

Clocking in at almost two hours, Bilal fans could not ask for more. A wine-swigging encore finished with a female eruption when the man from Philly asked where his “Soul Sistas” were. Leaving the stage professing his love for London Bilal can rest assured that the feeling is reciprocated.

Fatima’s second outing with her band is at 8pm Saturday 17th July for Flomotion Live at London’s Royal Opera House.

Bilal’s European dates continue with shows in Oslo tonight, Saturday at the Dour Festival, and finally in Rotterdam Sunday.

Thanks to Ashes57 for the photos.

FULL SCREEN
The Sounds of VTech / Bilal: LEVELS

Phil Ranelin. Image: Simon Green/eventful

Dancers. Image: Simon Green/eventful

Dwight Trible. Image: Simon Green/eventful

Fatima. Image: Simon Green/eventful

When I looked through the London Jazz Festival’s schedule a couple of weeks back I was thrilled to see the incorporation of Build an Ark and IG Culture within its list of performances. Bands like this, who offer a more leftfield interpretation of jazz, don’t often seem to get the recognition they deserve within big festival schedules. It is hardly surprising that Karen P is to be thanked for widening their exposure. Her promotional work with Broad Casting has been responsible for putting on high quality nights in London for some time now and this is no exception. The night is impeccably managed to the point that the projection of Red Bull Music Academy’s real-time video makes it feel like you are immersed in vintage jazz footage.

Sets from Karen P, IG Culture, and Kindred Spirits/Rush Hour’s Antal set the tone with African rhythms and jazz old and new, and, suddenly, the venue is filled. When IG Culture’s Zen Badizm Workshop band take to the stage, the prevailing aesthetic of the night is indicated: behind the musicians, IG Culture’s album cover is projected onto a screen, featuring a large silhouette of Africa shaped by the faces of Marcus Garvey, Sun Ra, and J-Dilla amongst other figures. The artwork conveys a strong sense of historical Pan-Africanism suffused with contemporary urban culture. The music also reflects this feeling, as Zen Badizm revisits the conscious sounds of Tribe, Impulse!, and Strata East through a London Soul lens. Though I’m usually sceptical of stage adaptations of producer-led albums, IG Culture has clearly thought this one through. This is a consolidated performance of an exciting live project that IG has stylishly arranged and that is held together by an impeccable rhythm section formed by Richard Spaven on drums, Kaidi Tatham on keys, Akwasi Mensah on bass, and IG himself on percussion. The band is tight and meticulous, and it doesn’t take long for the dancers to assemble in front of the stage as a result. The routines of Jerry IDJ, Gary Nurse, Sean Graham and others burst with energy and animate the audience. On top of this, Fatima’s loose soulful voice and jagged hip hop delivery makes for a particularly fresh rendition of Maiden Voyage. But my highlight of the set is Eric Appapoulay’s elegant and discreet guitar, which integrates perfectly with Tatham’s sparse chords and the relentless groove held by Spaven and Mensah. The Zen Badizm project is growing and I can’t wait to see what shape it takes on next.

With the likes of Phil Ranelin and Dwight Trible in the band, the transition from Zen Badizm to Build an Ark feels, perhaps inevitably, like a move from the inspired to the inspiration. Build an Ark are visually imposing, for a start. The band’s frontline, composed of Ranelin and Trible, as well as reedman Tracy Wannomae and singer Waberi Jordan, evokes an era in which robes, beads, and cosmic consciousness were the norm. Their new album on Kindred Spirits, Love Part 1, is also a substantial proposition that continues to spread the message of unity – “we must extend a hand of peace to all mankind”, sings Trible – which the band, and the label more widely, have been communicating for some time now. Build an Ark’s live performance integrates elements from African music, readings of mystic Sufi poetry, and a whole lot of love. Like much of the spiritual jazz that they take their cues from, Build an Ark discard conventional head/solo/head form to inspire a stream of incandescent energy and organic growth. The freedom provided by this simple approach is used intelligently, constructing extended, textured, and colourful compositions with shaded latin pulses. Though solos are on the economical side, the result is a heavy sea of sound that gradually envelops the audience and holds it in raptures throughout the performance.

The vocal rendition of A Love Supreme’s Acknowledgement takes on the incantation style of Coltrane’s epic version. The sparing collaboration between Tribe’s deep baritone voice and the gossamer flutterings of Wannomae’s soprano capture the sense of disparate higher spiritual powers that inspired Coltrane. Trible’s intense ululations, based around the original suite’s mantra, emphasise the piece’s wondrous bass motif and feel like a giant slowly stepping up a mountain. Perhaps the tribute lacks a certain authoritative toughness, but Wannomae and Ranelin’s subsequent ‘speaking in tongues’ solos bring a welcome edge to Build an Ark’s performance. Whilst Wannomae’s fiery tenor possesses an unruffled quality reminiscent of an early Gato Barbieri, Ranelin’s warm and dignified trombone is simply lush. Ranelin shatters the calm with raucous vibratos, yet his phrasing is carefully controlled. You can sense a mild reverence towards him in the group dynamic, and this is totally justifiable: his performance evinces his depth of experience and his position as an original trombone stylist. If this playing does not deserve to be in the jazz festival I struggle to know what does.

Build an Ark’s new anthem-in-the-making, Sunflowers in my Garden, conveys a sense of peace after the storm. As this gentle song plays I notice that Build an Ark’s overpowering message of love is starting to scratch at my cynicism. Nevertheless, I decide to let it wash over me for a while, as there is no denying the energy, sincerity, and talent with which it is communicated. In fact, Carlos Niño, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, and Build an Ark possess a real communicative quality that makes the whole evening feel like a celebration of transatlantic community. This feeling is only heightened when the set closes with Pharoah Sanders’ You’ve Got to Have Freedom, one of the most iconic tunes of the early days of the British jazz dance scene. Though the strong symbolic references made by the two bands to past musical traditions and African and Eastern cultures suggest a yearning for an imaginary world more congenial than the current L.A. and London, the enthusiasm displayed by the musicians, DJs, dancers, and punters make of the evening something not short of an uplifting commemoration of the two cities. This atmosphere is beautiful to witness.

John M. Gómez

For those that could not be there as well as those who want to be transported back you can now listen to live recordings of the gig at Red Bull Academy Radio.

IG’s Zen Badizm workshop coming to London town Thursday 19th November for a special Broad Casting!

Thanks to nutriot.com for spreading the word about the clip.

Photos by Marlon Ruddock (except the first one, please tell us if you know who the mystery snapper is).

For more check the Boglewaltz Facebook page.

Splicing genes by day, beats by nights, Floating Points is a scientist of sound, molecularly breaking it down.

Riding a meteoric wave through the underground scene, his hit song ‘Love Me Like This’ has accumulated tens of thousands of hits via various online portals. The response at London hotspots Deviation and Nonsense was unlike any other: crowds went wild, reloads were demanded, crowds went wild again. Initially available as a free download, it later got reworked with live parts and made available on vinyl via R2 Records, as it continues to supercharge dancefloors.

Juggling his musical making with a PhD in Molecular Genetics —specifically an interest in the neuroscience of pain at a molecular level — Sam has developed a distinct, signature sound using component parts in ways that go beyond the instruction manual: he has previously captured sounds as seemingly drab as a toilet seat or kitchen door and reconfigured them into a bass or snare drum! Another factor in his distinctive sound is the way Floating Points songs tend to move around a central tone or tonic. “Certain aspects of harmony at the moment really get to me.” he expains “Especially a lot of altered stuff, a lot of Modal stuff. And the French Impressionists, Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, Duruflé, Les Six, but most  importantly Messiaen. Messiaen is every day, the most important to me.”

French choral traditions aren’t a typical muse for electronic musicians, yet Sam’s schooling [at Chetham's School of Music] grounded him in some epic Chamber compositions. Olivier Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time) is treasured by Sam, a work he “doesn’t listen to lightly”. Penned in 1940-41 when Messiaen was a prisoner of war, the piece premiered to 400 POWs and guards, prompting its composer to later say “Never was I listened to with such rapt attention and comprehension”. Sam explains the structure in the opening movement (‘Liturgie de cristal’) “It’s all loops! He has a rhythmical loop, and a harmonic loop on the piano; seventeen rhythms and twenty-nine harmonies. At the end, it stops in its tracks, gazing into eternity”.

Such insight casts light on the remarkable rhythmic and harmonic patterns which frequent Floating Points music. “I turned to writing dance music because it’s quite immediate, you can sit at your PC, then a week later play it in a club. Writing Classical music is hard! It’s slow, you can’t always find an orchestra!”

Read about the Floating Points Ensemble and all other things eglo,  including talk with Alex Nut, FunkinEven, Fatima and Shuanise, in SHOOK 006.

myspace.com/floatingpoints

soundcloud.com/floatingpoints