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hal singer & jef gilson - soul of africa - super sonic jazz - vinyl

New Copy

Genre: Jazz

1. Chant Inca
2. Mother Africa
3. The High Life
4. Libertarian
5. Garvey's Strut

Reissue of the sought after birth act of the Afro- / Jazz-Parisian scene that fascinated so many musicians and music fans throughout the 70s and 80s. Comes in a heavyweight tip-on sleeve.

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Considered as one of the most important Afro-Parisian jazz records of the seventies, Soul of Africa sees Texas tenor sax giant Hal Singer team up with French pianist Jel Gilson, and his Afrocentric, big jazz band. Originally released in 1974 on legendary French imprint French Le Chant Du Monde, and re-issued in 2008 on Dutch imprint Kindred Spirits, Super-Sonic Jazz Records provides yet another opportunity to get ahold of this driving, testament to spiritual, ethno-jazz.

Full of rhythmic modal jazz, Soul of Africa plays off the talents of Singer and Gilson with great panache, all the while supported by the sublime percussive talents of Gilson's finely directed band. During the 60s, Gilson was equal to the likes of Miles Davis, and was responsible for unearthing the talent Henri Texier, one of jazz's unrivaled, brilliant bass players. His music spanned various modes of jazz, and was recognised primarily for his Malagasy works, inspired by his trips to Madagascar. Contemporary music fans will be familiar with his work, after a recent Four Tet project sampled, remixed, and compiled a selection of his work. Hal "Cornbread" Singer who, in his long career, played alongside Duke Ellington, Roy Eldridge, Billie Holiday and far more, and was a Mercury Records' legend whose work with rhythm and blues, and jazz is unparalleled.

Originally re-issued by Dutchman Kees Heus, a.k.a. KC The Funkaholic on his soulful, and eclectic imprint Kindred Spirits, this is another chance to get ahold of the classic release through his latest adventure, Super-Sonic Jazz. Running a parallel event at Amsterdam's Paradiso club, Super-Sonic Jazz sets out to push the boundaries of music, through bringing together eclectic, and global rhythmic luminaries, with more contemporary, genre-agnostic musical forms.

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Super-Sonic Jazz Label Bio

Named after the Sun Ra's acclaimed record from 1956, Super-Sonic Jazz is the label and event series run by Dutchman Kees Heus, a.k.a. KC The Funkaholic. Having already established Super-Sonic Jazz as one the leading nights for jazz, soul, African grooves and more at Amsterdam club Paradiso, it was inevitable Heus would take the next step, in releasing music to share with the community. To date, Super-Sonic Jazz has played host to a plethora of talents from across the world, with hip-swaggering style, and electronic-meets- rhythmic, soulful grooves. If you wanted to see Moses Sumney, Moses Boyd, or the Robert Glasper Experiment, then Paradiso is the place to be.

Prior to Super-Sonic Jazz, Heus was responsible for Kindred Spirits, the Paradiso night and Rush Hour distributed label that specialised in unearthing and sharing the wildest bohemian talents from the Netherlands -- including the likes of Jameszoo, Gallowstreet, Jungle By Night, Rednose Distrikt, and Kid Sublime -- along with records by cult international talents, and a select bunch of sought-after re-issues. Kindred Spirits became the global seal of approval for anything that was authentic, soulful, and slamming, and serves as the perfect platform for what Super-Sonic Jazz has, and will become.

Referring back to Sun Ra, who was responsible for the record from which the label is named after, Heus states; "His music and philosophy is a big inspiration, always pushing the boundaries of music." This philosophy is something constantly running through Super-Sonic Jazz. From the eclectic output, and styles, to the attention to detail and love for honesty, and love for the music, Super-Sonic Jazz is a true testament to one of The Netherlands most discerning of selectors. With select classic, epochal, and era-defining re-issues, to new and progressive, soul and jazz cuts primed for the modern listener, Super-Sonic Jazz is a true taste-maker's label.