easy listening

Ok, here’s a mix by Cenk Akyol, which was for the Valentine’s, yet I forgot to publish it as always.
“I decided to upload a selection of mellow tunes from past and present. File under easy listening although more focused on jazz and bossa nova. Enjoy the most sentimental moments…”

Here we are with part 2 of the Downtempo Selection. First up is a song by guitarist Duminie DePorres on Sound Signature and features powerful social commentary by Last Poet, Umar Bin Hassan over Duminie’s guitar soloing in the distance. Next up is Mamaluke’s “The Pant“, from the highly respected Mezzanine De L’Alcazar series, (also released as a single by Tru Thoughts), there’s some lovely guitar work here highly contrasting Duminie’s wailing solo guitar with a cheerful vibe that’d pick you up if the words of Umar made you feel uneasy.

[youtube n5kRnxF6bxQ]
Hip teens don’t wear blue jeans

Heading onto a different vibe, Frank Popp’s six piece outfit makes sugar pop flavoured with 60’s dances, soulful vocal chorus’ and organ work by the man himself. This one is off a 2005 split single on Milano downtempo label Record Kicks. Another sample laced jazzy beat track is by the Swede Red Astaire once again on Tru Thoughts. Do I smell a new fanboy here?

Next up The Juju Orchestra asks “What is Hip?” with a retro hipshake from their latest album with Carolyn Leonhart and Terry Callier who’s going to play a concert in Istanbul next wednesday.

“Is it something that you earn?
or do you have to wait your turn?”

Next is Austria’s Parov Stelar reshaping Germany’s Nekta on Infracom with jazzy broken beats over retro brasswork, similar to the sounds of Frank Popp but with less organs! Finally we finish up with one of the foremost hardbop drummers & composer Max Roach’s timeless Plus 4 album with Kenny Dorham on the trumpet and Sonny Rollins on tenor sax from 1956.

Duminie - Dark Matters
Mamaluke - The Pant
Nekta - Guess Who (Parov Stelar Remix)
Frank Popp Ensemble - Leave Me Alone
Red Astaire - Move yo Ass
The Juju Orchestra - What is Hip
Max Roach - Woody ‘N You