Donald Strachan Alexander & the Freedom Ensemble - Soul Translation - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

London Jazz Classics originally came out in 1993 - the first album ever to be released on Soul Jazz Records. The album brought together rare and obscure dance tracks in a unique mix of jazz dance and fusion, funk, Brazilian and Latin grooves. // The album was ironically titled - none of the music was from London, none of the music was traditionally classified as jazz, and all of the tracks were at the time practically unknown to most people. Instead, these were tracks that were filling dancefloors in a nascent jazz dance scene in London being created by a small group of DJs - Paul Murphy, Gilles Peterson, Sylvester, Patrick Forge and a few others. // As demand for these rare groove jazz tracks grew, previously unknown records such as Alive's 'Skindo Le Le', Doug Richardson's 'Salsa Mama', Carlos Franzetti's 'Cocoa Funk' and Emilio Santiago's 'Bananeira' became sort after and even-harder-to-find items with original copies going for £100s of pounds. // These tracks became part of the soundtrack to this jazz dance scene which has now spread across the world. This music paved the way for the arrival of many of the UK's new wave of current artists such Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia and Ezra Collective who today offer a uniquely London sensibility of fusing jazz with wide-ranging cultural influences - everything from afrobeat to soul. // London Jazz Classics was the first album to bring this jazz dance music featured here to a wider audience. More than 30 years since it's initial Soul Jazz Records are releasing this new 2026 edition, bringing the music once more to a new generation of listeners. Album Tracks 1. Alive! - Skindo Le Le 2. Emilio Santiago - Bananeira 3. Carlos Franzetti - Cocoa Funk 4. The Robin Jones Seven - Atlas 5. Airto Moreira - Jump 6. Antonio Adolfo - Cascavel 7. Hannibal - Mother's Land 8. Doug Richardson - Salsa Mama

On his second Criss Cross leader date, Prelude to Real Life, drummer Donald Edwards picks up where he left off with the next installment of an autobiographical narrative in notes and tones. Whereas in his debut, Evolution of an Influenced Mind, Edwards conveyed the story of his formative years as a musician with eleven original compositions, here he addresses themes of love, family and fatherhood with an engaging suite comprising six kinetic, diverse originals of his and one by Alex Sipiagin, two personalized standards (Thelonious Monk's Skippy; Benny Golson's Stablemates); and three textural drum interludes. Rejoining him from the first date are pianist Orrin Evans and tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, both Criss Cross veterans, guitarist David Gilmore, while rising star Luques Curtis assuming the bass chair. Edwards' old friend Nicholas Payton plays keyboards on three tracks, and eminent New York singer Vivian Sessoms lends her voice to three selections. Album Tracks 1. Taking Shape 2. Incantation 3. Hop Scotch 4. Apple Street 5. Way to Her 6. King 7. Queen and the Princess 8. Stablemates 9. Beautiful Intuition 10. Thought for the Day 11. Skippy 12. Prelude to Real Life

The latest on Soul Jazz Records is a fantastic new album of disco, modern soul and boogie from 1978-82. This album is released to coincide with the massive new 360-page deluxe hardback book DISCO - AN ENCYCLOPEDIC GUIDE TO THE COVER ART OF DISCO, featuring over 2,000 album cover designs as well as over 700 12' sleeves, including sections on roller disco, disco instruction albums and more. There are also interviews and introductions by Tom Moulton, Nicky Siano, Mel Cheren (West End Records), Ken Cayre (Salsoul), Marvin Schlachter (Prelude) and more. This album here is an amazing collection of rare and independent tracks from Disco's halcyon period - 1978 to 1982 - expertly compiled by Disco Patrick, who also compiled the new deluxe book. Blurring the musical lines between disco, modern soul and boogie this double album features many exclusive and hard to find records from the era. Included here are in-demand classics such as the Fantastic Aleems featuring Leroy Burgess, John Gibbs and the US Steel Orchestra, rare Patrick Adams and Peter Brown productions, Jessie G, the Eaton Assassin (a 12' given out free at boxing matches!) and much more!The album comes as a double CD, two separate volumes of heavyweight double-album vinyl (with free download codes) and worldwide digital . Album Tracks 1. Hooked on Your Love (John Morales Mix) 2. Superfunk 3. That's Hot 4. The River Drive 5. The Easton Assassin 6. Trinidad (Special Disco Mix) 7. Disco Madness 8. Sweet Lady (Dance with Me) 9. Dance to the Beat Freakout 10. You Know What I Like 11. Movin' to the Beat 12. Sexy Lady 13. Get Up (Let's Rock) 14. Skateboard 15. Turn This Disco Out 16. When Your Jones Come Down 17. My Man Is on His Way 18. Fast Freddie the Roller Disco King 19. Wave