First up this week is an excellent mix put together by B+ which is completely dedicated to George Duke. B+ was inspired to this mix by the recent Thundercat cover of Dukes ‘For Love I Come Your Friend’. Check the press…

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“ThunderCat’s recent cover of For Love I Come inspired me to have a listen again to the amazing music of George Duke. When most of the records on this mix were made it was an extraordinarily creative time in LA. A family of musicians were bringing new rhythms, new instruments, new humor, new international influences to jazz. CannonBall was an important figure and his partner David Axelrod – but the new arrivals Airto Moreira and Flora Plurim were also instrumental and then George Duke from the Bay Area who had collaborated with Frank Zappa.

George Duke has been an inspiration to hiphop for many many years…… Back in 1991 an album came out called Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest. You may know the name for another reason but anyways on a song called The Infamous Date Rape Tribe sampled Steam Drill by Cannonball Adderley featuring George Duke and we were off to the races. Ice Cube sampled Duke for True to the Game from Death Certificate that same year. Since then many more beat heads have been attracted to Mr. Dukes amazing keyboard playing, sense of rhythm and unique lyrical stylings. Dilla has definitely listened as has Madlib, Pete Rock, Kanye, Karriem Riggins and now well ThunderCat. ThunderCat for all his youth has actually played with George Duke.
Anyways this mix is in tribute to George Duke as it is in celebration of ThunderCat. I think we are in a similarly creative moment now in LA as existed in the mid seventies and it seems fitting to make the link. Good musicians will make you listen again and
ThunderCats For Love I Come surely made me do that. Enjoy. B+

Keeping it on an L.A theme the news of these releases came as great news indeed. All City combine with the afrofuturist Ras G to release a little piece of magic in this the first release on the Views of Saturn vinyl only series. With a release timed for mid-July, the first Views of Saturn sees him recording as Ras G & The Alkebulan Space Program and taking “Nidhamu,” a synth-heavy track from Sun Ra’s ’70s catalog, and turning it into the deliriously spacey “MDU NTR.” The single is currently available for pre-order, but for now you can check below for album art, tracklisting, and a full streaming version. Braaaaaaaap!

1. MDU NTR Listen Now
2. Nidhamu Listen Now

Re-issues save you a lot of money lets face it. This record here is one Iv’e been hunting for a long time and was glad to see it finally get the treatment it deserves. The record is pure gold and is is filled with classics, like the ones below…Timeless music! Not to missed if you have a spare bit of cash lying around…

Check out the bass, ouch! Bowww da pi da pi da bow bowwwwwww

“Seminal jazz funk masterpiece from 1977 reissued for the first time on CD! Every track from start to finish is top notch, featuring beautiful instrumentation and complex arrangements.Stanton Davis was mentored by the great jazz legend George Russell and later formed the Ghetto Mysticism Band in Boston, MA. He and the group performed exciting live shows in the city all throughout the ‘70s.

Brighter Days showcases an array of uptempo jazz funk stylings, from the fast-paced fury of “Things Cannot Stop Forever” to the deep space sound of “Space A Nova I”  featured on Soul Jazz Records ‘Freedom, Rhythm & Sound compilation) to the atmospheric instrumentation of “Play Sleep” to the beautiful vocals of “Brighter Days” and the loose funk groove of “Funky Fried Tofu.” Packaged wonderfully with an 8 page booklet.”

We hope all your summers are going as planned and the holidays are ahead of you, Peace….Summer Madness!

Kool & The Gang – Summer Madness (Extended Roy Ayers Mix) by III Peter Parachi III