{"title":"Strut","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrut is a British independent label founded by Quinton Scott. From 1999 to 2003, Strut was at the forefront of unearthing forgotten dance music gems, covering a wide range of genres from hard funk and underground disco to Nigerian Afrobeat and old skool hip hop. Their releases not only featured killer dancefloor tracks but also provided a comprehensive context for the music, delving into the stories behind the tunes, the clubs, and the scene of that time. With meticulous attention to detail, Strut's albums were mastered from original tapes whenever possible and included extensive sleeve notes written by respected journalists, rare photographs, and memorabilia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn January 2008, Strut was reactivated and became part of the *K7 label group. Since then, their releases have been primarily based in Europe unless there is an exclusive retailer in another territory.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"afro-futuristic-dreams","title":"Afro Futuristic Dreams","description":"\u003cp\u003eIdris Ackamoor and The Pyramids are back with their first major new studio album in over 3 years, an epic, sprawling new work exploring the future, the past and the urgent reality of the present, \u003ci\u003eAfro Futuristic Dreams\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecorded between San Francisco and London and brought together by the genius of Malcolm Catto at his analogue Quatermass Studio, the new recording represents another bold step in Ackamoor’s ever-evolving journey in jazz, adding full, intricate scores including string sections and choral elements to the Pyramids’ trademark spiritual Afro-jazz sound; Driven by the core Pyramids members Ackamoor (sax, keytar, organ), Margaux Simmons (flute), Sandra Poindexter (violin) and Bobby Cobb (guitar), tracks range from hard-hitting commentaries about police brutality (‘Police Dem’) to celebrations of the ancestors and departed loved ones (‘Requiem For The Ancestors’, ‘Re-Memory’) and hazy cosmic journeys, including the album’s title track and the sparkling, experimental closer, ‘Nice It Up’.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This album has been many years in the making,” explains Ackamoor. “Back in late 2020, I set out to compose the first in a series of scores to take The Pyramids sound into brave new territory. All of the tracks involve issues that the core band is passionate about and the recording was a complex process involving many musicians and vocalists across two different time zones.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50383486550347,"sku":"2047010","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50383486255435,"sku":"2047009","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Afro_Futuristic_Dreams_5c315377_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726270887"},{"product_id":"remind-me-the-classic-elektra-recordings-1976-1984","title":"Remind Me - The Classic Elektra Recordings 1976-1984","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut present the first definitive retrospective of an icon of 1970s and ‘80s soul, jazz and disco, Patrice Rushen, covering her peerless 6-year career with Elektra \/ Asylum from 1978 to 1984.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJoining Elektra after three albums with jazz label Prestige, Patrice had shown prodigious talent at an early age and had first broken through after winning a competition to perform at the Monterrey Jazz Festival of 1972. By the time of the recordings on this collection, she had become a prolific and in-demand session musician and arranger on the West coast, appearing on over 80 recordings for other artists. She joined the Elektra \/ Asylum roster in 1978 as they launched a pop \/ jazz division alongside visionaries like Donald Byrd and Grover Washington, Jr. “The idea was to create music that was good for commercial radio \/ R\u0026amp;B,” Patrice explains. “We were all making sophisticated dance music, essentially.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eDrawing on some of the leading musicians in L.A. like saxophonist Gerald Albright, drummer “Ndugu” Chancler and bassman Freddie Washington and keeping an open minded approach from her training in classical, jazz and soundtrack scores, Patrice’s music was a different, more intricate proposition to many of the soul artists of the time. “L.A. musicians were not so locked into tradition,” she continues. “None of us were accustomed to limitation and the record label left us to take our own direction.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEarly classics like \u003ci\u003eMusic Of The Earth\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eLet’s Sing A Song Of Love\u003c\/i\u003e were among Patrice’s first as a lead vocalist before her \u003ci\u003ePizzazz\u003c\/i\u003e album landed in 1979, featuring the unique disco of \u003ci\u003eHaven’t You Heard\u003c\/i\u003e and one of her greatest ballads, \u003ci\u003eSettle For My Love\u003c\/i\u003e. “Although ballads make you feel more vulnerable as an artist because they are often personal, I think listeners relate to that sincerity,” she reflects. By now, Patrice’s records were supremely arranged and produced as her confidence as an all-round writer, producer, arranger and performer grew. Slick dancefloor anthem \u003ci\u003eNever Gonna Give You Up\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003ePosh\u003c\/i\u003e album in 1980 led to her landmark album \u003ci\u003eStraight From The Heart \u003c\/i\u003etwo years later. Receiving little support from her label, Patrice and her production team personally funded a promo campaign for the first single from it, \u003ci\u003eForget Me Nots\u003c\/i\u003e. It went on to peak at no. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the album was later Grammy-nominated, while the track became a timeless anthem and popular sample, inspiring Will Smith’s theme for the film \u003ci\u003eMen In Black \u003c\/i\u003eand George Michael’s \u003ci\u003eFastlove.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePatrice’s final album for Elektra, \u003ci\u003eNow\u003c\/i\u003e kept the bar high with sparse, synth-led songs including \u003ci\u003eFeel So Real\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eTo Each His Own.\u003c\/i\u003e It concluded a golden era creatively for Patrice which remains revered by soul and disco aficionados the world over.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eRemind Me\u003c\/i\u003e features all of Patrice Rushen’s chart singles, 12” versions and popular sample sources on one album for the first time. Formats included a 3LP set and 1CD fully remastered by The Carvery from the original tapes. Both formats include an exclusive new interview with Patrice Rushen and rare photos.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LPx3","offer_id":50384413327691,"sku":"2191471","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50384412770635,"sku":"1066512","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50384413000011,"sku":"1066513","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/02caa4e7-9cf5-4e23-8872-0d74dc7822bb_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726298383"},{"product_id":"pata-pata","title":"Pata Pata","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eStrut presents an all-time classic of South African music, the definitive remastered edition of Miriam Makeba’s \u003ci\u003ePata Pata\u003c\/i\u003e, her first album recorded for Reprise in 1966. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe album marked a significant international breakthrough for Makeba. Moving to the US after the anti-apartheid film \u003ci\u003eCome Back, Africa \u003c\/i\u003egained international attention and staying there in exile, she quickly built her career in New York during the ‘60s, mentored by Harry Belafonte. Signing with Reprise after a period with RCA, she returned to one of her older songs: “I wrote ‘Pata Pata’ back in 1956, back in South Africa,” remembered Makeba in her autobiography. “It was a fun little song and I was thinking of a dance that we do at home (“pata” means ‘touch” in Zulu and Xhosa).” Originally a hit in South Africa with her early vocal harmony group the Skylarks, the new recording, produced by Jerry Ragovoy, brought a lighter uptempo R’nB arrangement, adding some English lyrics. “It was my first truly big seller. All of a sudden, people who never knew I had been in America since 1959 were asking me to be on their television shows and play at their concert halls during 1967. In the discotheques, they invented a new dance called the ‘Pata Pata’ where couples dance apart and then reach out and touch each other. I went to Argentina for a concert and, across South America, they are singing my song.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe track peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at no. 12 and the album. Other songs on the album included a version of the traditional Xhosa classic, \u003ci\u003eClick Song Number One\u003c\/i\u003e (‘Qongqothwane’), the atmospheric \u003ci\u003eWest Wind\u003c\/i\u003e, later famously covered by her friend Nina Simone, and a version of Tilahun Gessesse’s \u003ci\u003eYetentu Tizaleny\u003c\/i\u003e which Makeba learned on a trip to Addis to perform for Haile Selassie at the Organisation Of African Unity. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMastered by The Carvery from the original reel to reel tapes, \u003ci\u003ePata Pata\u003c\/i\u003e is released in its mono and stereo versions for the first time. Physical formats feature brand new sleeve notes alongside rare photos from the time of recording and session details. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP | x2","offer_id":50386211995979,"sku":"1069083","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50386211569995,"sku":"1069081","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/248847a7-3e8f-413f-b8ee-acc8c810bb02_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726322492"},{"product_id":"space-time-dreamtime-the-four-dimensional-music-of-lori-vambe","title":"Space-Time Dreamtime: The Four-Dimensional Music Of Lori Vambe","description":"\u003cp\u003eOccasionally, you find music outside the commercial mainstream, outside of everything – the music of visionaries, eccentrics, inventors, loners, the keepers of secrets, the path-finders. Moondog, Daphne Oram, Harry Partch are from this mould. And so too is Lori Vambe. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNew on Strut, the first ever reissue of Vambe’s privately pressed original albums from 1982, \u003ci\u003eDrumland Dreamland\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eDrumgita\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eSolo\u003c\/i\u003e. A self-taught drummer, inventor, and sonic experimentalist, Lori Vambe is a unique figure in British music. Creator of his own instrument, the drumgita (pronounced ‘drum-guitar’) or string-drum, Vambe intended to create a kind of music that had never been made in order to pursue access to the fourth dimension. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVambe was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and his father, Lawrence Vambe, was a noted Zimbabwean journalist and author. Moving to London in 1959, Vambe immersed himself in the Brixton squat movement of the early 1970s, teaching himself to drum and creating a short-lived performance group, The Healing Drums of Brixton (Vambe, the sculptor Alexander Sokolov and outsider musician Michael O’Shea). Vambe later had a dream-vision involving a feeling of ecstasy while playing an unknown instrument that extended from his own umbilical cord; the instrument would manifest itself as the drumgita. In 1982, he privately produced a pair of home recordings, the diptych set Drumgita Solo and Drumland Dreamland, releasing them on his own label Drumony. On these records, he rejected any commercial aesthetic and employed tape effects, temporal shifts, reversed sound and overdubbing to investigate space-time and access the fourth dimension. Combining layered drums with the rhythmic throb of the drumgita and, on \u003ci\u003eDrumland\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eDreamland\u003c\/i\u003e, an improvised piano performance by Brazilian concert pianist Rafael Dos Santos, the albums are both hypnotic and perturbing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoth albums were cut at Portland Studios by Chas Chandler and stand as a concealed monument of Black British experimental music. 500 copies of each record were originally pressed, and both were released together. The albums were never performed live.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor this first ever reissue of \u003ci\u003eDrumland Drumland\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eDrumgita Solo\u003c\/i\u003e, Strut presents the two albums in their original artwork, housed in a deluxe slipcase including an additional 8-page 12”-sized booklet featuring unseen photos, liner notes and an interview with Lori Vambe by The Wire magazine writer Francis Gooding. Both albums are fully remastered by The Carvery.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50389426733387,"sku":"2048329","price":42.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50389426635083,"sku":"2048328","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/c17252cc-5548-d0ce-54e3-7413e815f354_c06de8ad_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726360486"},{"product_id":"disques-debs-international-volume-one-an-island-story-biguine-afro-latin-and-musique-antillaise-1960-1972","title":"Disques Debs International Volume One - An Island Story: Biguine, Afro Latin and Musique Antillaise 1960-1972","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut present the first ever compilation series to access the archives of one of the greatest of all French Caribbean labels, Disques Debs out of Guadeloupe. Set up by the late Henri Debs during the late ‘50s, the label and studio has continued for over 50 years, releasing over 300 7” singles and 200 LPs, covering styles varying from early biguine and bolero to zouk and reggae. Debs played a pivotal role in bringing the créole music of Guadeloupe and Martinique to a wider international audience. Volume 1 of this series marks the first decade of the label’s existence and takes in big band orchestras, home-grown stars, touring bands and a new generation that would emerge at the end of the ‘60s. Early releases were recorded in the back of Henri’s shop in Pointe-a-Pitre, from his own sextet playing percussive biguines to young saxophonist Edouard Benoit, leader of Les Maxels and regular arranger for Debs bands. Other artists ranged from big bands like Orchestre Esperanza and Orchestre Caribbean Jazz to poet and radio personality Casimir “Caso” Létang and folkloric gwo ka artist Sydney Leremon. Debs also capitalised on recording foreign touring artists visiting Guadeloupe during the early ‘60s including Haitian trumpeter Raymond Cicault and Trinidadian bandleader Cyril Diaz. Compiled by Hugo Mendez (Sofrito) and Emile Omar (Radio Nova), \u003ci\u003eDisques Debs International\u003c\/i\u003e is released in conjunction with Henri Debs Et Fils and Air Caraibes. The package features a host of rareand unseen photos from the Debs archive with both formats featuring extensive sleeve notes and interviews with Philippe Debs and Max “Maxo” Severin of Les Vikings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCD - Digipack with 20 Page Booklet. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2LP - Double LP in Single Sleeve with 4 Page 12\" Booklet. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50389832368459,"sku":"1036139","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"2LP - Black","offer_id":56778679517515,"sku":"1036140","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_e877d154_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1728977132"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-arkestra-meets-salah-ragab-in-egypt","title":"Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab In Egypt","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut present the final instalment in their series of reissues of Sun Ra’s historic recordings in Egypt with The Sun Ra Arkestra meets Salah Ragab in Egypt plus the Cairo Jazz Band, originally released on Greek label Praxis in 1983.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSalah Ragab first encountered the Arkestra at a concert at the house of Goethe Institut ex-pat Hartmut Geerken during the Arkestra’s first visit to Cairo and Heliopolis in December 1971 and, although Ra and Ragab did not meet in person on that occasion, they did meet and bond together when Ra returned to Egypt in 1983, resulting in these recordings. The Arkestra had been touring Europe in March 1983 and made their way to Cairo, playing a number of concerts during April at the Il Capo \/ Il Buco venue before recording the two superb studio versions of Ragab compositions, ‘Egypt Strut’ and ‘Dawn’, at El Nahar Studios in Heliopolis in May, featuring Salah Ragab on congas.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKostas Yiannoulopoulos, organiser of the Praxis festival in Greece, released the recordings as the A-side of this album, with three tracks by Salah Ragab and the Cairo Jazz Orchestra on Side B. ‘Ramadan’ and ‘Oriental Mood’ were first heard on the Cairo Jazz Orchestra album Egypt Strut released in 1973 while ‘A Farewell Theme’, received its very first release on this record, written following the death of Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1970; the piece was played at the much-loved President’s funeral. This first ever official reissue of the album features previously unseen photos and memorabilia alongside brand new liner notes by Hartmut Geerken and Paul Griffiths. The album is released in its original artwork and is fully remastered by Technology Works.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP | x2","offer_id":50390022947147,"sku":"1149271","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/6111c3cc-04a7-46ac-bd06-ac50e322bb7f_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726379940"},{"product_id":"singles-10","title":"Singles","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut present the definitive collection of singles released by Sun Ra across his illustrious career, spanning 1952 to 1991. Released prolifically during the 1950s and more sporadically thereafter, primarily on the Saturn label, the 45s offer one-off meteorites from Ra’s prolific cosmic journey, tracing the development of his forward-thinking Space-Bop and his unique take on jazz and blues traditions. The collection is hugely varied, ranging from Ra’s spoken word recitations and his early work with Chicago vocal groups to the different phases of his Arkestra, small group and duet recordings. The singles are also unpredictable vehicles for Ra’s music, combining different tracks from different sessions and occasionally making available music which was recorded many years beforehand. As with his LPs, most 45s were only pressed in small runs and have since become extremely rare and sought after. Only a small handful of copies of \u003ci\u003eLove In Outer Space\u003c\/i\u003e b\/w \u003ci\u003eMayan Temple\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Blue One\u003c\/i\u003e b\/w \u003ci\u003eOrbitration In Blue\u003c\/i\u003e have ever been seen; some have only been discovered in physical form in recent years; some were planned and pencilled but allegedly never made it to vinyl (including \u003ci\u003eSaturn \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eVelvet\u003c\/i\u003e from the \u003ci\u003eJazz In Silhouette\u003c\/i\u003e LP) and some appeared as limited one-off magazine singles and posthumous releases, including \u003ci\u003eHell #1\u003c\/i\u003e aka \u003ci\u003eOut There A Minute\u003c\/i\u003e. The set is the most comprehensive collection of Ra’s singles to date. Sleeve note writers Francis Gooding and Paul Griffiths brilliantly illustrate the role of the single within Ra’s career and break down each release with detailed track by track notes. Working with Sun Ra LLC and Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson, Strut has also assembled the best possible master sources for each track. \u003ci\u003eSingles\u003c\/i\u003e features fully remastered tracks, rare photos, original 45 artwork, Francis Gooding’s extensive sleeve notes, an interview with Saturn Records founder Alton Abraham by John Corbett and detailed track by track and session notes by Paul Griffiths. First definitive collection of Sun Ra singles, including all Saturn releases, planned singles, posthumous releases and magazine giveaways. Remastered by Technology works including exclusive tape transfers from the Sun Ra archive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3CD - Triple Vinyl Set.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3LP - Triple Vinyl Set.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e10x7\" - 10 x 45 7\" Boxset in Flip Top Box with 32 page bound booklet. 45s box sets include many singles reissued on 45 for the first time since their original release. Presented in their original label artwork. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD | x3","offer_id":50391012114763,"sku":"1001612","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50391013556555,"sku":"1001613","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/0d465ecd-dd70-434e-b6cd-0fbb080e17d7_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726396468"},{"product_id":"freedom-fables","title":"Freedom Fables","description":"\u003cp\u003eNubiyan Twist return with their brand new album Freedom Fables on Strut, the follow-up to the acclaimed \u003ci\u003eJungle Run\u003c\/i\u003e from Spring 2019.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWoven around soul searching, cautionary tales and parables for modern life, the new album is the most accomplished yet by the Leeds \/ London collective, effortlessly fusing different soul, jazz and global styles with great musicianship and lyrics. \"Freedom Fables reflects on the power of narratives. Each vocalist on this record explores their own memoirs, a freedom of expression underpinning our belief that music is the ultimate narrative for unity,” explains Tom Excell. “The record references a lot of music that we all loved during our formative years; you can hear touches of broken beat, blunted hip hop, highlife, Latin, jazz and UK soul running through the tracks.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe album is also packed full with illustrious guest appearances: regular collaborator Cherise features on the brilliant \u003ci\u003eTittle Tattle\u003c\/i\u003e, calling out gossip through acerbic nursery rhyming, the loping \u003ci\u003eFlow\u003c\/i\u003e dealing with the ebb and flow of anxiety and the epic Brazilian jazz workout, \u003ci\u003eKeeper\u003c\/i\u003e; UK jazz saxman Soweto Kinch brings a burning alto solo and rhymes to the determined \u003ci\u003eBuckle Up\u003c\/i\u003e alongside the band’s own vocalist Nick Richards as the track aims to “find the door to peace” among life’s challenges. “Soweto is a trailblazer of the UK scene both as an alto player and as a rapper with a unique flow and important lyricism,” reflects Tom Excell. “It was really important for us to invite him to contribute to the album.” Richards continues the “dust yourself off and find hope” theme on the rousing \u003ci\u003eWipe Away Tears\u003c\/i\u003e; Ghanaian great Pat Thomas voices a gorgeous Accra meets London highlife jam; massive new vocal talent Ria Moran (a contemporary from the band’s time at Leeds College Of Music) steps up on the sensual \u003ci\u003eMorning Light\u003c\/i\u003e tackling delicate complexities of the heart and long time friend of the band, KOG, brings his trademark full strength Afro dancefloor energy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShaping up to be a modern classic and a priority for Strut in 2021, \u003ci\u003eFreedom Fables\u003c\/i\u003e is set to catapult Nubiyan Twist even further into the limelight and cement their position as one of the UK’s leading soulful collectives of the current generation. The album was produced by Tom Excell at Henwood Studios in Oxfordshire and mixed by Oli Barton Wood and Tom Excell at The Premises. Artwork comes courtesy of Emma Rodriguez aka Mooncrab. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Green | LP | x2","offer_id":50391016276299,"sku":"1103812","price":26.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Black | LP | x2","offer_id":50391019553099,"sku":"1103811","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50391020372299,"sku":"1103809","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/f982a6ce-9110-46b0-89b4-5b1174fceb98_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726396524"},{"product_id":"hometown-detroit-sessions-1990-2014","title":"Hometown - Detroit Sessions 1990 - 2014","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut and Art Yard present the first compilation bringing together the modern era recordings of Tribe, Detroit’s acclaimed independent jazz collective. Tribe began as a musical ensemble in 1971 co-founded by Saxophonist Wendell Harrison and trombonist Phil Ranelin that soon expanded into a broad amalgam including a live collective and independent record label. Ignored by the mainstream, many African American jazz artists in Detroit and across the US began creating their own small imprints and Tribe emerged alongside other cultural entities to express self- determination goals in the city: saxophonist Ernie Rodgers with his sessions at Rapa House; John and Leni Sinclair’s Artist Workshop; Bruce Millan’s Repertory Theater; the Hastings Jazz Experience and the Strata Corporation led by Kenny Cox. Harrison’s ideas of independence, self-determination and education were central to the Tribe ethos: “I might be possessed with a drive to get the knowledge out,” explained Harrison, “because I see this as sustaining the future of the jazz diaspora, the jazz tradition.” Tribe album releases like Harrison’s \u003ci\u003eAn Evening With The Devil\u003c\/i\u003e (1972) and Harrison and Ranelin’s \u003ci\u003eA Message From The Tribe\u003c\/i\u003e (1973) became early ‘70s milestones in Detroit jazz. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 1977, Harrison teamed up with pianist \/ composer Harold McKinney to form Rebirth Inc., aided by Detroit cultural warrior John Sinclair, a continuation of the Tribe community ethos. Musically, it formed a link with radio station WDET and began an outreach program to teach children and to publish Harrison’s jazz instruction books. Harrison continue to record extensively as a leader with his own labels, WenHa and Tribe, documenting the collective through sessions led by Phil Ranelin, Harold McKinney, Pamela Wise and more. The \u003ci\u003eHometown\u003c\/i\u003e compilation places the spotlight on this later era of Tribe and Rebirth Inc., with rare and previously unreleased recordings from Harrison’s WenHa \/ Rebirth Studios and the SereNgeti Gallery And Cultural Center. Among many highlights, Harold McKinney and his “McKinfolk” family of musicians contribute the pulsing \u003ci\u003eWide And Blue\u003c\/i\u003e and dance celebration \u003ci\u003eJuba\u003c\/i\u003e; Phil Ranelin re-works his classic \u003ci\u003eHe The One We All Knew\u003c\/i\u003e; Poet Mbiyu Chui (Williams Moore), pianist Pamela Wise and percussionist Djallo Djakate spark on the uncompromising \u003ci\u003eOde To Black Mothers\u003c\/i\u003e and the rallying cry of \u003ci\u003eMarcus Garvey\u003c\/i\u003e: “If we ever get together we will astound the world.” Harrison himself evokes the power and majesty of juju on \u003ci\u003eConjure Man\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Hometown’ comes as a 2LP gatefold and 1CD digipak fully remastered by Technology Works from the original session recordings. 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It caught the attention of Strut Records and the label presented an open offer for the musicians to create a new, completely freeform project.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eGathering together at The Fish Factory in London Summer 2020, the approach was to try something fresh. \"I wrote texts as scores for the session and the emphasis was on breathing and listening to each other\", explains Bex Burch. \"Improvisation is composition in itself, so although the music was freely improvised, we sometimes chose to stay on form and rhythm, repeating melodies and groove.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eTracks include the pulsing, searching opener ‘Expand’, the taught soundscape ‘Prepare To Let Go’ and the frenetic, urgent ‘Bold Dream’. 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Strut present a repress of the influential first volume of \u003ci\u003eDisco Not Disco\u003c\/i\u003e compiled by Joey Negro and Sean P as part of the label’s 20th Anniversary.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eDisco Not Disco\u003c\/i\u003e was a perfectly timed compilation back in 2000. Released when interest in the myths, history and playlists of original New York clubs like Paradise Garage and The Loft was at its peak, the album drew on the outer limits of leftfield disco championed by Levan and Mancuso, bringing together unlikely dancefloor anthems by rock acts like Yoko Ono and Ian Dury, obscurities from cottage labels like BC and Splash and selected oddities from the unique mind of avant-garde hero, Arthur Russell. It was essentially a celebration of the sonic melting pot in New York during the early ‘80s, an era when punk had burnt itself out and disco had become commercial and saccharine; in its place, the post-punk movement threw up brilliant oddities which tore up the accepted rulebook.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSince its release, the compilation title has become a by-word for a whole genre of music and remains a landmark collection of its time. With original copies now changing hands for €100+, this new pressing is a welcome return for an essential celebration of disco’s difficult cousins. 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Both would become a mainstay of the '70s and '80s Ghanaian highlife, afrobeat and afro-pop scenes, hitting big with the Ghana Cocoa Board-sponsored Sweet Beans band.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFela Kuti\u003c\/strong\u003e's bandleader, drummer \u003cstrong\u003eTony Allen\u003c\/strong\u003e, would record a session with Sweet Beans in Kumasi in 1975 (as yet unreleased). \"\u003cem\u003eHighlife was our music\u003c\/em\u003e,\" \u003cstrong\u003ePat\u003c\/strong\u003e remembers. \"\u003cem\u003ePeople like Ebo and I modernized it, made it more relevant to our day. We took the Kwa music of Kumasi and other local styles and added Western elements\u003c\/em\u003e.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith his distinctive flowing vocal style, sung in Fanti and Ashanti Twi dialect, \u003cstrong\u003ePat\u003c\/strong\u003e became established as one of Ghana's biggest musical draws. During the '80s, \u003cstrong\u003ePat\u003c\/strong\u003e continued to stay close to highlife and, by the middle of the decade, had become the biggest star in the emerging 'burger highlife' scene involving recordings produced in Berlin and Hamburg and exported to Ghana.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTogether with guitarist \u003cstrong\u003eGeorge Darko\u003c\/strong\u003e, his output added to the rich mix of cultures making the global reach of highlife possible. Recorded in Accra and mixed at Lovelite Studios' analogue HQ in Berlin, \u003cstrong\u003eThomas\u003c\/strong\u003e's new album marks over 50 years making music and reunites him with old friends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEbo Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e provides horn arrangements, \u003cstrong\u003eTony Allen\u003c\/strong\u003e contributes drums to several tracks, \u003cstrong\u003eOsei Tutu\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eHedzolleh Sounds\u003c\/em\u003e) plays a memorable trumpet solo and prolific 1970s bassist \u003cstrong\u003eRalph Karikari\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eThe Noble Kings\u003c\/em\u003e) also features. Younger generation stars appearing include bassist \u003cstrong\u003eEmmanuel Ofori\u003c\/strong\u003e, percussionist 'Sunday' Owusu and \u003cstrong\u003ePat Thomas\u003c\/strong\u003e's daughter Nanaaya, an acclaimed vocalist in her own right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe album features new full band arrangements of original '80s \u003cstrong\u003eThomas\u003c\/strong\u003e classics '\u003cem\u003eGyae Su\u003c\/em\u003e', '\u003cem\u003eOdoo Adada\u003c\/em\u003e' and '\u003cem\u003eMewo Akoma\u003c\/em\u003e'. Abarbanel-Wolff explains: \"\u003cem\u003eBy the mid-1980s, Ghanaian music had started to use digital production and the heyday of the 'golden era' was over. 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The album marks a significant evolution for the group as they welcome Sheffield based vocalist Aziza Jaye to the forefront, adding a fresh dimension of Patois and RnB to their sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe heady, sun-drenched release is peppered with impressive collaborations, including musical legends Nile Rodgers and Seun Kuti who bring their trademark disco and afrobeat mastery to tracks ‘Lights Out’ and ‘Carry Me’ respectively.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmbracing the roots of UK sound system culture, \u003ci\u003eFind Your Flame\u003c\/i\u003e takes dynamic turns, from the frenetic broken beat of the title track to reflective lyricism and lo-fi beats in 'Reach My Soul' and ‘Battle Isn’t Over’. Nubiyan Twist venture into grime and hip hop territory with 'Woman' and 'Pray for Me (Part 1)' featuring rising UK-based MC NEONE the Wonderer. The exploration continues into highlife and soukous with 'Pray for Me (Part 2)' featuring long-time Ghanaian collaborator K.O.G. and neo-soul with the sensual vocals of Ria Moran. The exceptional Corto Alto from Glasgow features on 'You Don't Know Me’. \u003ci\u003eFind Your Flame\u003c\/i\u003e culminates in a sublime collaboration with ex-Salif Keïta backing singer Mamani Keïta, paying homage to traditional Malian music and the roots of the genres elegantly woven throughout the album.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“As with the creation of all our albums, it’s a snapshot of our collective influences and journeys throughout the time it was made.” Explains bandleader \u0026amp; producer Tom Excell. “A catharsis for our struggles, yet a vessel for our joy. Navigating through COVID, the magic of becoming a new parent, undergoing a vital leg amputation, recovering from car accidents, losing loved ones and forming new friendships have all shaped this music. 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Produced by Tom Excell and mixed by Oli Barton Wood and Paulo Germano, the album features artwork by Max Bloom and is mastered by Peter Beckmann.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Purple LP | Rough Trade Exclusive","offer_id":50412975391051,"sku":"2178745","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50412974440779,"sku":"2178744","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50412972736843,"sku":"2178743","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Nubiyan_Twist___Find_Your_Flame_1400x1400_28533020_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726670101"},{"product_id":"jungle-run","title":"Jungle Run","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut proudly present the brand-new studio album from Nubiyan Twist, \u003ci\u003eJungle Run\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNow one of the leading lights in the UK’s new generation of soulful, genre-fluid artists, the Leeds-born and now London-based 12-piece collective have created their finest recordings to date, effortlessly weaving together elements of jazz, soul, hip hop, African styles, Latin, dub, hip hop and electronics in a flow of thought-provoking and life-affirming music.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecorded at the band’s own self-built Henwood Studio in rural Oxfordshire, the album effortlessly moves through different voices from the band’s circle. The inimitable, timeless vocals of Nubiya Brandon lead the way on the album’s title track about breaking preconceptions and promoting equality, “Where you from? I’m from wherever I be.” Saxophonist Nick Richards vocals the killer first single from the album about inner turmoil and a search for the truth, \u003ci\u003eTell It To Me Slowly\u003c\/i\u003e while rising Ghanaian star K.O.G. appears on the Afro jams \u003ci\u003eBasa Basa\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThey Talk\u003c\/i\u003e. Percussionist Pilo Adami (Nina Miranda \/ Afrosamba) voices the infectious bossa-jazz jam \u003ci\u003eBorders\u003c\/i\u003e. The band also draft in two African legends for guest duties with the original Afrobeat maestro Tony Allen on \u003ci\u003eGhosts\u003c\/i\u003e and Ethio jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke contributing vibes on the sinuous \u003ci\u003eAddis To London\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LPx2","offer_id":50414772093259,"sku":"1051915","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50414771863883,"sku":"1051914","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/e846358f-00f6-4bc4-8e1d-6a2f573528d4_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726685546"},{"product_id":"shaman-1","title":"Shaman!","description":"\u003cp\u003eInfluential jazz collective Idris Ackamoor and The Pyramids return with an epic new opus,\u003ci\u003e Shaman!\u003c\/i\u003e, featuring a fresh line-up including original 1970s Pyramids member Dr. Margaux Simmons on flute Bobby Cobb on guitar, long-term associate Sandra Poindexter on violin, Ruben Ramos on bass, Gioele Pagliaccia on drums and Jack Yglesias on percussion. The band transitions from the political and social commentaries of 2018’s acclaimed \u003ci\u003eAn Angel Fell\u003c\/i\u003e into more introspective themes. “I wanted to use this album to touch on some of the issues that we all face as individuals in the inner space of our souls and our conscience,” explains Ackamoor. “The album unfolds over four Acts with personal musical statements about love and loss, mortality, the afterlife, family and salvation.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvolving around Ackamoor’s intricate compositions, the album takes us effortlessly across moods and emotions through a series of expansive, extended pieces. Starting with ritual, soul-searching, and masculine vulnerability on the title track, the band explores timeless existence on \u003ci\u003eEternity\u003c\/i\u003e and mourns the sudden loss of loved ones in the prescient \u003ci\u003eWhen Will I See You Again?\u003c\/i\u003e, a track which gains new relevance amidst the current COVID-19 crisis. Ackamoor pays tribute to his mentor Cecil Taylor on the angular \u003ci\u003eTheme For Cecil\u003c\/i\u003e and renders homage to the ancestors on \u003ci\u003eSalvation \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Last Slave Ship\u003c\/i\u003e, recalling the last ship to bring slaves to the US from Africa, the Clotilda. The superb \u003ci\u003eVirgin\u003c\/i\u003e is an anthem of forgiveness, new beginnings and self-healing.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50417060610379,"sku":"1094404","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50417060675915,"sku":"1094405","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/b6f69319-1a64-4322-8f6a-cbb229192728_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726715346"},{"product_id":"mulatu-of-ethiopia","title":"Mulatu of Ethiopia","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut presents the first official reissue of a landmark album in the field of African music, \u003cem\u003eMulatu Of Ethiopia\u003c\/em\u003e from 1972. Recorded in New York, the album arrived at a time when \u003cstrong\u003eMulatu Astatke\u003c\/strong\u003e had begun to master the delicate fusion of styles needed to create Ethio jazz.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e“I left the UK for America and studied at Berklee College in Boston. I learnt the technical aspects of jazz and gained a beautiful understanding of many different types of music. That’s where I got my tools. Berklee really shook me up.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJourneying regularly to the Big Apple to play and watch live shows at the Cheetah, the Palladium, and the Village Gate, Astatke met producer Gil Snapper on the circuit. “Gil was a nice and very interesting guy. He produced music and worked with all kinds of musicians.” The meeting would lead to a series of albums on Snapper’s Worthy label.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe first, ‘Afro Latin Soul’, documented Astatke’s new-found directions. “Mulatu has created a new sound,” enthused Snapper on the album jacket. “He has taken the ancient five-tone scales of Asia and Africa and woven them into something unique and exciting; a mixture of three cultures, Ethiopian, Puerto Rican, and American.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA second volume of ‘Afro Latin Soul’ followed before Astatke began to hone his sound further, infusing funk and cultural influences into the mix. Returning to a downtown Manhattan studio with Snapper and working with some of the city’s top young jazz and Latin session players, \u003cem\u003eMulatu Of Ethiopia\u003c\/em\u003e began to take shape. “We rehearsed for 3-4 weeks,” remembers Astatke. “It took them a while to get the right feeling in the music.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe resultant album represented the first fully formed document of Astatke’s trademark Ethio jazz sound. 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Crafted by the forward-thinking technological innovator and rocket scientist, Bill Sebastian, during the mid-1970s, the Outer Space Visual Communicator (OVC) stood as a groundbreaking invention. Instead of producing traditional sound, this keyboard-triggered \"instrument\" harnessed the power of light, casting mesmerising kaleidoscopic, multicoloured patterns onto a screen suspended above performers on stage. Ra first performed with the idiosyncratic fractal light projector in the late ‘70s  and, in 1986, two grainy VHS tapes surfaced featuring Ra performing ‘Calling Planet Earth’ and ‘Sunset On The Nile’, both accompanied by the OVC’s radiant light painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I was curious about the performances,” explains Irwin Chusid, administrator of the Sun Ra catalogue. “I couldn't locate these terrific versions and wondered from where they originated. I discovered that not only was Bill Sebastian alive but he was still in Boston developing advanced iterations of the OVC, which by then incorporated Virtual Reality (VR) technology.” Sebastian and Chusid embarked on the intricate task of assembling the session tapes sourced from Sebastian's archives. These recordings, which took place on August 25, 1986, at Mission Control studios in Westford, Massachusetts, were originally spontaneous and never intended for a formal album release. Although the tape transfers yielded remarkable material, the recordings remained in an unmixed state, prompting Chusid to collaborate with engineer Joe Lizzi. Together, they embarked on the journey of reconstructing each track with painstaking precision.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe end result is nothing short of a revelation, featuring exceptional performances by the Arkestra. This release unveils previously unheard renditions of Sun Ra classics such as 'Love In Outer Space,' 'El Is A Sound Of Joy,' and 'Calling Planet Earth.' Additionally, it offers a complete performance of 'Discipline 27-II,' making it a musical gem for fans and collectors alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe package features stills from the original OVC videos, extensive liner notes and a full interview with Bill Sebastian. The album is fully remastered from the original reel to reel tapes by Joe Lizzi and Peter Beckmann.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50423571513675,"sku":"2196948","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/CS1004230-01A-BIG_89c71290_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726769668"},{"product_id":"drum-message","title":"Drum Message","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut return to the rich archives of Black Fire Records for the\u003ci\u003e Drum Message\u003c\/i\u003e album by Ghanaian master percussionist Okyerema Asante from 1977.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eAfter playing a short spell early in his career with Ebo Taylor’s Blue Monksband at Tip Toe’s in Accra, Asante joined the fledgling Hedzoleh Soundz during the early ‘70s at their Napoleon Club residency in the city. After playing Fela’s Shrine, Fela recommended them to Hugh Masekela as an ideal backing band and Hedzoleh joined Masekela on a US tour in December 1973. Sharing the same management company, Charisma, Asante first met Plunky and Oneness Of Juju during an East coast tour with Masekela, starting a relationship with the band that has endured until today.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eRecorded at Arrest Studios in Washington D.C. in October 1977 and featuring musicians from Oneness alongside Gil Scott Heron cohort Brian Jackson on piano, Drum Message represents an important milestone for Asante: “This album really came from my heart. I wanted to project the African spirit in the music and come out with some unique African jazz. To be able to record it on Black Fire was extra special.” The album also involved some serious physical graft: “The studio was up on the 14th Floor and the elevator was often broken down. I showed up with a van full of African drums and Jimmy Gray from Black Fire and myself had to carry them all the way up there, each day!”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThe resultant album was well worth the sweat. ‘Adowa’ adds jazz arrangements to a traditional Asante rhythm and Oneness classic ‘Follow Me’ is skilfully re-worked (“I used the bass drum in place of the bass guitar so it was all based on rhythms.”). New versions of Asante dancefloor favourite ‘Sabi’ sit alongside the mellow groove of ‘Asante Sana’ (“I wanted something cool like reggae or highlife on that track, a similar vibe. So, I went inbetween.”).\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eDrum Message only previously surfaced on a Black Fire CD in 1993. Now receiving its first full international release and its first ever vinyl issue, the album has been fully remastered by The Carvery. Package features unseen photos and a brand new interview with Okyerema Asante tracing the ups and downs of his career in music. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP | x2","offer_id":50424914968907,"sku":"1129140","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50424915591499,"sku":"1129138","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/c32cdd36-1395-4625-8a0f-d61d00356eff_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726784296"},{"product_id":"singles-the-definitive-45s-collection-vol-2-1962-1991","title":"Singles - The Definitive 45s Collection - Vol 2 : 1962 - 1991","description":"\u003cp\u003eFollowing 2016’s definitive collection of singles released by Sun Ra from across his illustrious career, Strut present the second volume of the vinyl edition on 3LP format which focus on Ra’s later 1962-1991 period. Released sporadically during the three decades and primarily on the Saturn label, the 45s offer one-off missives from Ra’s prolific cosmic journey, tracing the development of his forward-thinking “Space-Bop” and his unique take on jazz and blues traditions which remains unlike anything else from the period. As with the first volume vinyl editions, the collection is hugely varied, ranging from Ra’s spoken word recitations and some of his R\u0026amp;B recordings to alternative versions of Arkestra staples like \u003ci\u003eLove In Outer Space, Enlightenment and Rocket No. 9\u003c\/i\u003e. The singles are also unpredictable vehicles for Ra’s music, combining different tracks from different sessions and occasionally making available music which was recorded many years beforehand. As Francis Gooding describes them, “they are answers to questions that albums won’t answer, and questions that can’t be asked or answered elsewhere.” As with Ra’s LPs, most 45s were only pressed in small runs and have since become extremely rare and sought after. On the volume 2 vinyl editions, it features tracks that have only ever been seen via a small handful of copies including \u003ci\u003eLove In Outer Space b\/w Mayan Temple \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Blue One b\/w Orbitration In Blue\u003c\/i\u003e; some were planned and pencilled but allegedly never made it to vinyl and some appeared as limited one-off magazine singles including Ra’s very last single release, the reflective \u003ci\u003eI Am The Instrument\u003c\/i\u003e. Sleeve note writers Chris Trent and Paul Griffiths brilliantly illustrate the role of the single within Ra’s career and break down each release with detailed track by track notes. Working with Sun Ra LLC and Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson, Strut has also assembled the best possible master sources for each track. \u003ci\u003eSingles Vol. 2\u003c\/i\u003e features fully remastered tracks, rare photos, original 45 artwork, Chris Trent sleeve notes and detailed track by track and session notes by Paul Griffiths.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3LP - Triple LP Set.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e10x7\" - 10 x 45 7\" Boxset in Flip Top Box with 32 page bound booklet. 45s box sets include many singles reissued on 45 for the first time since their original release. Presented in their original label artwork.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"LPx3","offer_id":50425061671243,"sku":"1008959","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/57078365-cdbe-4ae2-ac59-bdddfdf44bbf_thumbnail_4096.png?v=1726786252"},{"product_id":"kampire-presents-a-dancefloor-in-ndola","title":"Kampire Presents: A Dancefloor in Ndola","description":"\u003cp\u003eDebut compilation by one of East Africa’s leading new generation DJs, Kampire. Mix of African classics and rarities spanning 1970s – 1990s from Congolese soukous, South African bubblegum and Zambian kalindula. Shining the spotlight on women in African music Pembey Sheiro, Feza Shamamba and Princesse Mandisa M’bila. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrut introduces a pioneering new compilation \u003ci\u003eA Dancefloor In Ndola\u003c\/i\u003e, curated by revered East African DJ, Kampire. This release marks an evolution in Strut's approach to compilations, showcasing emerging DJ talent from across the world and embracing an innovative approach to musical discovery from the next wave of selectors. Forging her reputation through memorable sets for the Nyege Nyege Festival in Uganda over the last decade, Kampire now tours worldwide and is celebrated for her brilliantly curated sets spanning the full range of African music styles from the ‘70s and ‘80s to the present day. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough born in Kenya to Ugandan parents, Kampire spent her formative years in Ndola, Zambia. ‘A Dancefloor In Ndola’ is inspired by artists and songs that formed part of her soundtrack during that time. “It is important for me to continually reference Africa’s own musical history,” she explains. “At 17, I didn’t pick up on my Dad’s music but now I love and collect those records. I’m constantly referencing them in my music sets today. I love that feeling of shared nostalgia where people recognise a song they haven’t heard in a long time. It is a touchstone for me when I’m playing.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe compilation flows through different East African and South African genres from Congolese rumba and soukous to 1980s township bubblegum and the rich guitar-led sounds of Zambian kalindula. “There are styles of music on the compilation which are often considered unsophisticated from rural areas. I and other contemporary African artists and DJs draw inspiration from them; it is part of what makes us ourselves.” Kampire also shines the spotlight on many incredible women in African music from the ‘80s, including Congolese legends like Pembey Sheiro, Feza Shamamba and Princesse Mansia M’bila to V-Mash and Di Groovy Girls from South Africa.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1. Princess Aya Sarah – O Wina Tienge \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2. Meta and Feza – Mivé Temoin \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3. The African House Party Project Feat. Splash, Patricia Majalisa \u0026amp; Dalom Kids – P-Coq \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4. V-Mash – Naughty Boy \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e5. Di Groovy Girls – Ririmi Rotsombela (Kampire Dance Edit) \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e6. Tshala Muana – Djepué \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e7. Lady Isa – Djambo \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e8. Pembey Sheiro – Sala Ni Toto \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e9. Princesse Mansia M’Bila – Ngoma Mansia \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e10. Samba Mapangala And Orchestra Virunga – Mashariki \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e11. International Zaistars \u0026amp; Nene Tshaku – Je T’Aime Au Pluriel \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e12. M.D. Shirinda \u0026amp; Gaza Sisters – Mabazi (Kampire Dance Edit) \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e13. “Bwaluka” Founders Band – Kimbera \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50426385596747,"sku":"2200679","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50426385400139,"sku":"2200678","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/d3b9dd86-8b94-0134-f9cf-9edb413fd1fd_58cb29d8_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726808634"},{"product_id":"free-yourself-3","title":"Free yourself","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut presents an exclusive reissue of Experience Unlimited’s 1977 debut album,\u003ci\u003e Free Yourself\u003c\/i\u003e, featuring a brand new interview with bandleader and co-founder ‘Sugar Bear.` This seminal recording blends soul, jazz, and funk-rock, laying the foundation for Washington D.C.'s go-go scene. Experience unlimited had originally started out in 1973 when they met at Ballou Senior High School in South-East D.C. and came to the attention of Black Fire Records’ Jimmy Gray after winning a school talent competition. “Jimmy saw that we had a lot of potential and he put us into the studio,” remembers bandleader Gregory “Sugar Bear” Elliott. “That was our first experience recording - I remember that he just told us to be ourselves and we just gathered together and played. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e  We were young kids then saying what we felt.” Free Yourself is a free-flowing album, full of positive messages and infectious grooves. “We could play any style, ” continues Sugar Bear. “The album has a lot of different songs and feelings – from ‘Peace Gone Away’ to ‘Funky Consciousness’ which features some heavy guitar work and ‘Free Yourself’ where you can hear early stylings of go-go – it’s all in one. We just wanted to record where we were at.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Experience Unlimited would go on to score the huge hit ‘Da Butt’ in 1988 which featured in the Spike Lee movie School Days and would add their unmistakeable rolling rhythms to Grace Jones’ ‘Slave To The Rhythm’ and Kurtis Blow’s ‘Party Time’ This new reissue of \u003ci\u003eFree\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eYourself\u003c\/i\u003e features full original artwork including the cover painting by Malik Edwards. It is remastered by The Carvery and includes a brand new interview with bandleader and co-founder Gregory “Sugar Bear” Elliott alongside rare photos.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50426525417803,"sku":"2215138","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Free_Yourself_e6faf52b_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726812062"},{"product_id":"el-hal-the-feeling","title":"El Hal \/ The Feeling","description":"\u003cp\u003eElectric Jalaba comprises six accomplished musicians with an empathy that feels telepathic and a groove that immerses. In Arabic, the mother tongue of Moroccan-born singer and guimbri player Simo Lagnawi, a leading practitioner of Gnawa music in Britain, they call this indefinable quality, “El Hal” – “The feeling”.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It’s the feeling that comes when we’re playing and totally forgetting where we are,” says producer and bassist Olly Keen. “The feeling of being grabbed by the music and lost in the groove.” \u003ci\u003eEl Hal \/ The Feeling\u003c\/i\u003e is the new third album from Electric Jalaba and their first release in five years. It’s a multi-faceted work that finds the band tighter than ever, deploying a vast cache of influences across nine tracks improvised and developed in their south London studio then deftly produced by Keen. Some tracks pay homage to the origins of Gnawa music, whose repertoire of Arabic-language praise songs contains remnants of West African dialects – Bambara from Mali, Fulani and Hausa from the Sahel region – that point to a centuries-old migration.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The trance-inducing effect of Gnawa was what hit us first. It was visceral, heart stopping,” continues Olly, whose siblings – producer \/ keys player Henry Keen, guitarist \/ multi-instrumentalist Nathaniel Keen and singer \/ multi-instrumentalist Barnaby Keen – make up Electric Jalaba alongside revered Anglo-Italian kit drummer Dave De Rose and Simo on vocals, krakeb and guimbri. “Simo selected the chant from the traditional song suites and, as a band, we extended these short pieces of ceremonial music and experimented with sound and structure,” explains Olly. Tracks include the Juno-led dancefloor single ‘Cubaili Ba’, ‘Agia Hausa’, a multi-layered wig-out that partly takes its inspiration from Senegal’s fiercely percussive mbalax rhythms and ‘Daimla’, a gloriously dubby ode to Allah and iconic maalems including the late Mahmoud Guinea. “There’s a very strong rhythmic element within the band but because of our different perspectives but the melodic components are really unique as well,” says Henry. That feeling of being outside of yourself but totally within yourself at the same time… That’s what all of us, collectively, are striving for.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50426724843851,"sku":"1113088","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/7bb50f5d-b640-4205-9e9f-7036bfd177d2_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726816386"},{"product_id":"dolphin","title":"Dolphin","description":"\u003cp\u003eRecorded remotely during 2021-2022 the album took shape in the form of mutual compositions, gradually developed and embellished online. Final recording sessions took place at the majestic Chale Abbey Studios on the Isle Of Wight with Moses Boyd (drums), Tom Herbert (bass) and Siobhan Cosgrove (flute, clarinet) adding elements to several pieces. Tracks include the reflective, wistful single ‘Viento Calido’ and drifting ambient piece ‘Sabena’, a beautiful tribute to Gigi’s wife who sadly passed away during 2022.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGreg Foat has recorded prolifically in recent years including acclaimed albums \u003ci\u003eSymphonie Pacifique\u003c\/i\u003e (2020) and \u003ci\u003eThe Mage\u003c\/i\u003e (2019).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBest known for his 1986 ambient masterpiece Wind and as a member of Gaussian Curve, Gigi Masin has enjoyed a revival in recent years through his Calypso album on R\u0026amp;S’s Apollo label and renewed touring. Dolphin represents Greg and Gigi’s first landmark recording collaboration together. “I first heard Gigi’s album Wind in 2016,” remembers Greg. “I was living in Miami and I heard it playing one Summer evening. Since then, it has always been in my mind to be able to record together.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50426777141579,"sku":"2022068","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Clear LP","offer_id":50426780975435,"sku":"2022069","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50426776682827,"sku":"2022067","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/GREG_FOAT__GIGI_MASIN_-_DOLPHIN_-_STRUT311_-_PACKSHOT_4a67637e_thumbnail_409.jpg?v=1726817463"},{"product_id":"space-jungle-luv-2","title":"Space Jungle Luv","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut presents an exclusive reissue of Oneness Of Juju’s classic 1976 album \u003ci\u003eSpace Jungle Luv\u003c\/i\u003e, an essential addition to the Black Fire Records reissue series. When bandleader James “Plunky” Branch created Oneness Of Juju in 1975, he had spent five years working on both the West and East coasts of the U.S. The group’s previous ncarnation, Juju, had become a fixture within New York’s avant-garde jazz scene. Upon moving to Richmond, Virginia, Plunky re-grouped with a new set of musicians, fusing African percussion with funk and R\u0026amp;B. The band recorded two of their most celebrated albums during 1975 and 1976, African Rhythms and Space Jungle Luv.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis change of direction ushered in the most successful era yet for the band. Plunky connected with distributor, publicist and DJ Jimmy “Black Fire” Gray, and African Rhythms scored a huge local success. Plunky recalls, “A year later, with Space Jungle Luv, I moved from R\u0026amp;B into a more mellow, spiritual direction. The music featured a smooth progressive sound that was perfect for our singer Lady Eka-Ete’s mesmerizing, soulfully sweet vocals.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat album also introduced guitarist Melvin Glover to the group; his songs broadened our repertoire by adding celestial, harp-like tones and textures. ” The pianist from Pharoah Sanders’ band, Joe Bonner, also guested on the sessions. “With Space Jungle Luv, I was making a Pharoah kind of record, ” continues Plunky. “I wanted to deliver a spiritually uplifting message; artists like George Clinton and Sun Ra had explored the theme of space and people were looking towards the future and new technology. We were also describing the album – space music, jungle music, love songs. Among the tracks, ‘River Luvrite’ describes positive people as constituting a flow, a continuous spirit. With ‘Follow Me’, we were just saying,‘come along with us and find new places together.’”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis new reissue of \u003ci\u003eSpace Jungle Luv \u003c\/i\u003efeatures the full original artwork, including the cover painting by Muzi Branch. It is remastered by The Carvery and includes a brand new interview with bandleader James “Plunky” Branch alongside rare photos. The release also includes brand new liner notes by James “Plunky” Branch.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50427107115339,"sku":"2215139","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Space_Jungle_Luv_a45ea0f0_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726821766"},{"product_id":"chapter-two-nina","title":"Chapter Two: Nina","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut presents a brand new reissue of Juju’s powerful Afrocentric album \u003ci\u003eChapter Two: Nia\u003c\/i\u003e from 1974, originally released on Strata East.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e  Juju formed in San Francisco and moved to New York in July 1972. \"We were avant-garde artists and revolutionary agents for change,\" explains bandleader James “Plunky” Branch. \"We played venues like Slugs, the East, and Ornette Coleman’s loft on Prince Street; we also met and hung out with the greats, from Pharoah Sanders to John Gilmore.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e By 1974, Plunky and the band had relocated to Richmond, Virginia. \"New York’s cost of living was high, and I thought Richmond could be a fresh creative environment. We stayed in the home of my oldest and best friend, which we dubbed the Juju Raga Artist House. We lived upstairs and converted the downstairs into the first black arts gallery and performance space in the state.\" In June 1974, Juju recorded their second album for Strata-East, Chapter Two: Nia, at Eastern Recording Studios in Richmond. \"The music was Afrocentric,\" continues Plunky, \"and we included black nationalistic poetry written and spoken by Ngoma Ya Uhuru, a high school friend who had spent time with Amiri Baraka’s Spirit House. \" The album also featured a remarkable freeform cover of Pharoah Sanders’ classic ‘Black Unity.’ \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Juju became the local Virginia exponents of progressive ideas that were being expressed nationally and internationally, attracting a small, active group of artists and supporters. However, being in the South, Richmond's black music audience leaned towards blues, gospel, and soul. After much consideration, Juju decided to incorporate trap drums and a backbeat, blending these rhythms with electric sounds, and rebranded as Oneness Of Juju. With a new lineup and renewed energy, the band began a new chapter, releasing their classic African Rhythms album a year later.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50427111342411,"sku":"2215137","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Chapter_Two_Nia_a2d2fb40_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726821805"},{"product_id":"bow-to-the-people","title":"Bow to the People","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut presents one of the most in-demand and significant albums from the archives of Jimmy Gray’s Black Fire Records, \u003ci\u003eBow To The People\u003c\/i\u003e (1976) by theatre collective Theatre West, based out of Dayton, Ohio.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFounder Clarence Young III was a US Air Force Vietnam Vet who had been part of a theatrical troupe entertaining soldiers in 15 countries during his tour. When he returned home in 1969, he started Theatre West in Dayton, Ohio as an outlet for inner city youth to come together and express themselves. At its height, the company involved around 27 members. “Everybody played everything and did everything,” recalls bassist Sigmond Dillard. “We all had to sing, dance and act all the time. If someone messed up, you came in. It was a tight unit and we were constantly helping each other out.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“There were so many talented and gifted people in our troupe,” continues Dillard. “Rita Brown went on to New York, starring in the film Disco Godfather during the late ‘70s. Bruce Davis went on to work regularly on Broadway in Chicago, All That Jazz and more. Our Musical Director was Delbert Taylor and he also played with Gil Scott Heron’s Midnight Band and with Slave afterwards in the early ‘80s. Vibes player Ben Wilson and I also played regularly with Gil.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecorded at Arrest studios in Washington in ’76, \u003ci\u003eBow To The People\u003c\/i\u003e brought together songs from several of Theatre West’s best known plays including Bow To The People, The System and Black Love and unflinchingly explored serious issues around drug addiction, mental health and cultural awareness. “The whole idea of Bow To The People was to honour our black forefathers,” explains Dillard. “It was important to do that for the kids that didn’t know.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShelved following the original recording, the \u003ci\u003eBow To The People\u003c\/i\u003e album eventually surfaced on a limited CD on Black Fire in 1993. Now receiving its first full international release, the album features the previously unreleased tracks ‘Man Of Many Means’ and ‘I Don’t Know Much About Love’.\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50429381542219,"sku":"1123665","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/9e012534-f616-4a89-b59c-ca1b8d1d2cc0_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726839131"},{"product_id":"malik-2","title":"Malik","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut proudly presents the first official remastered reissue of Lafayette Afro Rock Band's elusive funk\/Afro original album, \u003ci\u003eMalik\u003c\/i\u003e, originally released in 1974. In 1971, an undocumented seven-member Afro-American ensemble known as the Bobby Boyd Congress made a transformative journey from the United States to France. Bandleader Frank Abel recollects, \"We sensed that the soul and funk market was saturated back home, and our original plan was a brief 6-month stint in Paris. Surprisingly, we ended up staying for a decade.\" Upon lead singer Bobby Boyd's return to the U.S., the group rebranded as Ice and crossed paths with independent producer Pierre Jaubert, a seasoned studio professional with credits on groundbreaking recordings alongside Charles Mingus, John Lee Hooker, and Archie Shepp, among others.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing inspiration from Motown's work ethic, Jaubert initiated regular rehearsals with Ice. He recalled, \"I didn't want to mimic Berry, but with seven talented musicians collaborating daily, something unique emerged. \" The band, residing in Paris and immersed in the African-dominated Barbesse district, began infusing African elements into their music frequently performing with Paris-dwelling Camaroonian and legendary composer Manu Dibango.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnder the new moniker Lafayette Afro Rock Band, the group's music transitioned to predominantly instrumental compositions, featuring a denser Afro-funk sound. Their inaugural recording with the new name, 'Soul Makossa, ' included a compelling rendition of Dibango's classic and the impactful break in 'Hihache.' The subsequent release a year later, \u003ci\u003eMalik\u003c\/i\u003e, refined their sound with the percussive Afro party jam 'Conga, ' the atmospheric vocoder and piano-led piece 'Djungi,' and the robust funk of 'Darkest Light.' \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite a limited impact upon its initial release, \u003ci\u003eMalik\u003c\/i\u003e found appreciation as hip-hop culture flourished in the '80s, establishing itself as a rich source of samples and riffs. 'Conga' was featured in the 'Ultimate Breaks And Beats' series, while the opening horn line from 'Darkest Light' became a pivotal hip-hop motif, employed by Jay-Z, Public Enemy, Wreckx 'N' Effect, and many others.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis remastered reissue, the first of its kind, meticulously crafted by The Carvery from the original tapes, showcases the album in its entirety and includes the full original artwork.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50433289191755,"sku":"2201492","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue LP","offer_id":50433288241483,"sku":"2180731","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/aa43f223-3981-c242-4023-79a5e89a5465_03820fb7_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726878574"},{"product_id":"inside-the-light-world-sun-ra-meets-the-ovc-rsd-2024","title":"Inside The Light World: Sun Ra Meets The OVC - RSD 2024","description":"\u003cp\u003e\n                            This product is a Record Store Day exclusive title and is not available to pre-order.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n                            To buy in-store: 8am, 20\/04\/2024 (Record Store Day).\u003cbr\u003e\n                            To buy online: 8pm, 22\/04\/2024. (Subject to availability).\u003cbr\u003e\n                            Don’t forget: Click 'Notify Me' to be the first to know about its availability online. It also helps us to place accurate orders so that we can please as many of you as possible on the day.\u003cbr\u003e\n                            \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDouble vinyl LP pressed on black vinyl, housed in a deluxe sleeve featuring stills from the original OVC videos, extensive liner notes and full interview with Bill Sebastian. \/ Introducing the inaugural release of \"lost\" sessions from 1986, where Sun Ra encountered the OVC. These remarkable recordings were, until now, confined to two tracks exclusively available on VHS videos.\n These recordings have undergone a meticulous process of full remastering, executed by Joe Lizzi and Peter Beckmann, directly from the original reel-to-reel tapes. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFeatures remarkable, previously unheard versions of Ra classics ‘Calling Planet Earth’, ‘Sunset On The Nile’ and ‘Theme From The Stargazers’. Featuring captivating images sourced from Sun Ra and Bill Sebastia's videos. Additionally, the RSD release includes comprehensive sleeve notes and an in-depth interview with Bill Sebastian, providing valuable insights intothis extraordinary moment in time.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LPx2","offer_id":50441455010123,"sku":"2181416","price":37.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/SUN_RA_-_INSIDE_THE_LIGHT_WORLD_SUN_RA_MEETS_THE_OVC_-__665d8cb6_thumbnail_4.jpg?v=1726980156"},{"product_id":"the-fish-factory-sessions-rsd-2024","title":"The Fish Factory Sessions - RSD 2024","description":"\u003cp\u003e\n                            This product is a Record Store Day exclusive title and is not available to pre-order.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n                            To buy in-store: 8am, 20\/04\/2024 (Record Store Day).\u003cbr\u003e\n                            To buy online: 8pm, 22\/04\/2024. (Subject to availability).\u003cbr\u003e\n                            Don’t forget: Click 'Notify Me' to be the first to know about its availability online. It also helps us to place accurate orders so that we can please as many of you as possible on the day.\u003cbr\u003e\n                            \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Fish Factory Sessions\u003c\/i\u003e is pressed on translucent sky blue vinyl housed in an untreated card sleeve with spot varnish.\nMastered by Mark Ashfield at Cosmic Audio, and cut by The Carvery.\nPresenting a captivating live studio session by the dynamic duo of Greg Foat and\nGigi Masin. Featuring two brand-new compositions and two reimagined versions of tracks from\ntheir previous album, “Dolphin\" Recorded at the beloved Fish Factory Studios, London.\nFeaturing Moses Boyd on drums, Tom Herbert on bass.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Blue LP","offer_id":50441531949387,"sku":"2181171","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/greg-foat-gigi-masin-the-fish-factory-sessions-strut343_a8e65149_thumbnail.jpg?v=1726981971"},{"product_id":"new-york-addis-london-the-story-of-ethio-jazz-1965-1975-1","title":"New York - Addis - London - The Story Of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975 CD","description":"\u003cp\u003evibraphone and keyboard player, master arranger and bandleader, mulatu astatke is one of the all-time greats of ethiopian music and the creator of his own original music form, ethio jazz. through the acclaimed ethiopiques album series and through featuring on the soundtrack to the jim jarmusch film 'broken flowers', his music has belatedly reached a global audience and a new, younger generation of fans. in november of last year, he recorded an inspired new album with london psych jazz band the heliocentrics for strut's 'inspiration information' studio collaboration series. now, strut are proud to present, for the first time anywhere, the definitive mulatu career retrospective covering his landmark '60s and '70s recordings. mulatu is a true pioneer of african music. he was the first ethiopian musician of his generation to travel extensively and to record abroad - he studied in the uk in wales and at trinity college of music in london, cutting his teeth on the buoyant london jazz scene of the early '60s. he became the first african student to attend harvard and he lived and recorded in new york, developing a unique sound that fused western jazz with traditional ethiopian melodies. as mulatu says, \"it took a long time to get the balance, to let the colours and the feelings of the ethiopian modes shine through.\" returning to 'swinging addis' during the late '60s, he became a pivotal figure, arranging for many of the country's top vocalists and developing rich, dense textures in his own music during the final years of selassie's reign and the mid-'70s rule of the derg communist military junta. tracing the progression of his ethio jazz experiments with full access to all of the labels for whom he recorded, mulatu astatke: new york-addis-london is the essential mulatu. covering his first recordings in the uk during 1965, his groundbreaking fusions for the small worthy label in new york and his key '70s recordings back in addis on amha, phillips and axum, the album features comprehensive sleeve notes by miles cleret, boss of the excellent soundway records imprint, and rare, previously unseen photos from mulatu's personal archive.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50442563223883,"sku":"318217","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/The_Story_of_Ethio_Jazz_1965-1975_New_York_-_Addis_-_2faa1f99_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727000895"},{"product_id":"ost","title":"(OST)","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut repress a classic from 2010, The Heliocentrics’ groundbreaking studio collaboration with Lloyd Miller, \u003ci\u003e(OST). \u003c\/i\u003eRecorded following their award-winning collaboration with Ethio jazz pioneer, Mulatu Astatke (Mojo magazine Top 50 of the year 2009, Sunday Times World Music Album of the year), pioneering UK collective The Heliocentrics resurfaced with another fascinating jazz enigma, ethno-musicologist, jazz maestro and multi-instrumentalist, Lloyd Miller. Learning various instruments and immersing himself in New Orleans jazz through his father, a professional clarinet player, Lloyd Miller first trained himself in the styles of George Lewis and Jimmy Giuffre and cut his first Dixieland jazz 78 rpm record in 1950. During the late ‘50s, his father landed a job in Iran and Miller began to develop a lifelong interest in Persian and Eastern music forms, learning to play a vast array of traditional ethnic instruments from across Asia and the Middle East. Emerging from an acoustic jazz session in 2007 set up by Jazzman, the Heliocentrics collaboration was recorded at the band’s Quatermass Studios in East London during January and February 2010, a fresh, freeform mix of Eastern arrangements, jazz and angular psychedelics. The recordings involved a number of ethnic instruments that Miller played and studied throughout his career including the oud, Phonofiddle, Indian santur, Chinese shawm and wooden flute.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50442571776331,"sku":"328797","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/24b343e7-d132-4acd-bd38-e7ecf70a06df_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727001025"},{"product_id":"live-at-131-prince-st","title":"Live at 131 Prince St","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut continue their in-depth archive reissues from the Black Fire label with a definitive edition of JuJu’s \u003ci\u003eLive At 131 Prince Street,\u003c\/i\u003e recorded in 1973 at Ornette Coleman’s gallery in New York and featuring a previously unheard recording of the Pharoah Sanders composition \"Thembi\".\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter forming in San Francisco while working on the Marvin X theatre piece ‘The Resurrection of the Dead’, JuJu began to hone their uncompromising fusion of Afro-Latin rhythms with free and spiritual jazz before signing to Strata-East for the \u003ci\u003eA Message From Mozambique\u003c\/i\u003e album in 1972. “We moved to New York and became part of the avant-garde community on the Lower East Side and Greenwich Village,” remembers bandleader Plunky Branch. Following a high profile live show at the Lincoln Center, Ornette Coleman invited JuJu to his gallery and loft at 131 Prince Street to perform there and to stay on while he left on tour. “That was life-changing for us,” continues Plunky.“ It was fabulous. The recordings you hear on this album are in close proximity to each other, maybe across one day or a weekend at the gallery. “Alongside tracks written by the JuJu band members, like the 5\/4 tempo ‘At Least We Have A Horizon Now’, they play choice covers from their peers. Plunky explains, “‘Thembi’ is a Pharoah Sanders piece which he wrote for his wife in 1971 and it’s one of my favourite pieces by him. ‘Azucar Pa Ti’ was written by Eddie Palmieri; we loved him too and enjoyed Latin music in general. Here we play ‘Mozambique’, based on an Afro-Cuban rhythm and we regularly played that for 10 minutes before morphing into ‘Azucar’. ‘Out Of This World’, written by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen, was inspired by John Coltrane who recorded a version of it on his ‘Coltrane’ album in ’62.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJuJu’s\u003ci\u003e Live At 131 Prince Street \u003c\/i\u003eis remastered by The Carvery from the original reel to reel tapes and including full sleeve notes based around a new interview with bandleader James “Plunky” Branch.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP | x2","offer_id":50445511754059,"sku":"1112570","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/6d0be533-7b60-4f45-9e39-d470deab9741_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727039782"},{"product_id":"horizon-reissue","title":"Horizon (Reissue)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis release comprises recordings made by Arkestra member Thomas “Bugs” Hunter made in December 1971 in the streets around the Mena House Hotel, Giza, from a concert held at the house of Goethe Institute ex-pat Hartmut Geerken in Heliopolis, from a live Cairo TV channel broadcast and a concert at the Ballon Theatre in Cairo.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe impact and significance of these few weeks upon Sun Ra can be measured by the growth and development of his output over the next few years; the immediate post-Egypt period included new studio and live recordings on the Saturn, Blue Thumb, Atlantic and Impulse labels and the \u003ci\u003eSpace Is The Place\u003c\/i\u003e movie. Ra also edited the three LPs of the \u003ci\u003eLive In Egypt\u003c\/i\u003e series which were subsequently released on his Saturn record label and its affiliated twin, Thoth Intergalactic: \u003ci\u003eDark Myth Equation Visitation, Nidhamu\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eHorizon\u003c\/i\u003e. These three albums are now reissued as single LP editions in their original artwork.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50445693256011,"sku":"1103666","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/ed29d0b1-8e2b-4cef-a6ba-3199a97e06e3_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727043451"},{"product_id":"son-du-balka","title":"Son Du Balka","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut present the first ever compilation of Balka Sound, bringing together their influential 1980s recordings, Hailing from Congo-Brazzaville and led by revered vocalist and ngonfi player, Nkibi “Lusialala” Albert, Balka Sound created their own unique musical world, re-imagining traditional Congolese Balka rhythms with electric guitars, electric bass and drums, alongside the traditional 5-string ngonfi.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNkibi Albert had risen to fame in 1972 with his solo hit ‘Ah Lusialala’ and Balka Sound was created to bring the sound of Balka, a folk style from the Beembe people, to modern life and an international audience. With its roots in slavery and colonialism rumba was dominating the music scene in Congo while the philosophy of Balka Sound was to find its inspiration directly in local country life, to associate the modern and the traditional and to revive folk traditions that were dying. Founder member Henri Nsika Nkaya explains, “it was intended to be an update, a unification and an internationalisation of Congolese cultures.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1979, during a festival organised by the Centre Culturel Français, the band won a recording deal to release their first album: Le 1er son du Balka, Lusialala et ses amis, recorded in just one take. Their success led to a second LP, Tu Kine Balka, recorded in Kinshasa in 1982. A third album in 1984, Afro Musik Creation, featured a more modern studio production sound. Their songs drew from traditional folk tales and parables, life lessons and the damage caused by rural exodus to the cities. By 1985, Balka Sound were working full-time with residencies at Chez Tantine Clara in Brazzaville, a well-known tourist venue, and the Frantel Cosmos Hotel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1991, political tensions were rising in the country; civil disobedience and threats of a military coup were followed by a civil war from 1993 to 1994. The band eventually regrouped and were invited to perform in 1996 at the Palais des Congrès for the Fête National. Unfortunately, on the first day of new fighting in 1997, Balka Sound’s studio was looted and the band were forced to finally disperse.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis first compilation of the band’s music is curated and annotated by Makila Nsika Nkaya in conjunction with Balka Sound and has been fully remastered by The Carvery.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP | x2","offer_id":50445742506315,"sku":"1170211","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50445741818187,"sku":"1170210","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/41b0f0c0-adbd-44c4-a3e0-64d20d4667b7_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727044619"},{"product_id":"try-and-love-4","title":"Try and Love","description":"\u003cp\u003eNew from Strut, a fresh reissue of the classic debut album \u003ci\u003eTry And Love\u003c\/i\u003e from one of Nigeria’s most celebrated Afro-rock bands, Ofege.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFormed by guitarist Melvin Ukachi and bassist Paul Alade while young students at St Gregory’s school in Lagos, Ofege first found their feet borrowing instruments and supporting school band The Groove Makers. Discovering drummer Mike Meme by chance at a school dance and adding Dapo Olumide on keys and Felix Inneh on rhythm guitar, they met EMI’s resident producer \/ A\u0026amp;R man, Odion Iruoje who promptly auditioned them. Sneaking them out of school to record their first sessions (Ofege literally means “breaking bounds”), Iruoje honed the band into a tighter unit and their debut album \u003ci\u003eTry And Love\u003c\/i\u003e was recorded at EMI’s Studios in 1972. “Odion was like a Sergeant Major, explains Ukachi. “He drilled us for the whole day until we became tight.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe album caught the imagination of a young Nigerian crowd fascinated by the new teen band and Ofege joined a fresh wave of homegrown artists coming through in the wake of Fela’s towering influence and other Afro-rock bands like Monomono, Ofo The Black Company and Blo (Blo’s Berkley Jones contributed wild guitar solos to this album and continued working with the band).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eTry And Love\u003c\/i\u003e mixed driving Afro-funk and rock tracks like the instrumental ‘Gbe Mi Lo’ and ‘Whizzy Llabo’ about a fellow student with hair like a wizard. Ukachi also contributed ballads including the title track and ‘It’s Not Easy’, most recently featured in TV series What We Do In The Shadows.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50445858570571,"sku":"2014493","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/unnamed_79c36078_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727047788"},{"product_id":"life-stories-highlife-and-afrobeat-classics-1973-1980","title":"Life Stories - Highlife and Afrobeat Classics 1973 - 1980","description":"\u003cp\u003eGhanaian highlife guitar legend Ebo Taylor teams up with Strut for a long overdue definitive compilation of his seminal 1970s recordings, \u003ci\u003eLife Stories\u003c\/i\u003e. During Ghana's highlife explosion during the 1950s and '60s following wartime highlife pioneers like ET Mensah, Ebo Taylor made his name as a prolific composer, arranger and frontman leading two of Ghana's greatest big bands - stargazers and Broadway dance band. Moving to London to study music in 1962 alongside West African luminaries like Fela Kuti and Peter King, Taylor formed the Black Star highlife band and began incorporating jazz elements into traditional highlife forms. Returning to Ghana, Taylor became an in-house arranger and producer for Dick Essilfie-Bondzie's Essiebons label, working with other major Ghanaian stars like CK Mann and Pat Thomas. Through the '70s, he then recorded a number of solo projects, exploring unique fusions and borrowing elements from regional Ghanaian folk music, afrobeat, jazz, soul and funk. This compilation revisits this heyday of Taylor's work, focusing on his solo albums and some of his lesser known side projects including the dynamite Apagya show band and short-lived Taylor-led combos Assase Ase, Super Sounds Namba and the Pelikans. The selection also touches on his writing and production work for CK Mann and a collaboration recording with fellow member of early '70s nightclub band Blue Monks, Pat Thomas. tracks include the anthemic \u003ci\u003eHeaven\u003c\/i\u003e, sampled by Usher on his hit with Ludacris, \u003ci\u003eShe Don't Know\u003c\/i\u003e, the original version of the poignant \u003ci\u003eLove and Death\u003c\/i\u003e and the rare 15-minute nugget, \u003ci\u003eAba Yaa\u003c\/i\u003e. The package features rare photos, original album artwork and sleeve notes by Soundway records' Miles Cleret.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD | x2","offer_id":50447519318347,"sku":"336732","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50447518859595,"sku":"336733","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/6a7f8d3d-b4d7-4e5f-ae83-2147652895fd_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727079115"},{"product_id":"soul-makossa-4","title":"Soul Makossa","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut proudly presents the first official remastered reissue of the funk\/Afro classic, Lafayette Afro Rock Band's \u003ci\u003eSoul Makossa\u003c\/i\u003e from 1973. In 1971, an undocumented seven-member Afro-American ensemble known as the Bobby Boyd Congress made a transformative journey from the United States to France. Bandleader Frank Abel recollects,\"We sensed that the soul and funk market was saturated back home, and our original plan was a brief 6-month stint in Paris. Surprisingly, we ended up staying for a decade.\" Upon lead singer Bobby Boyd's return to the U.S., the group rebranded as Ice and crossed paths with independent producer Pierre Jaubert, a seasoned studio professional with credits on groundbreaking recordings alongside Charles Mingus, John Lee Hooker, and Archie Shepp, among others. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing inspiration from Motown's work ethic, Jaubert initiated regular rehearsals with Ice. He recalled, \"I didn't want to mimic Berry, but with seven talented musicians collaborating daily, something unique emerged.\" The band, residing in Paris and immersed in the African-dominated Barbesse district, began infusing African elements into their music frequently performing with Paris-dwelling Camaroonian and legendary composer Manu Dibango. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRechristening themselves Lafayette Afro Rock Band, the group's musical direction shifted towards predominantly instrumental compositions, characterized by a weightier, more intricate Afro-funk sound. Their debut recording under this new moniker, \u003ci\u003eSoul Makossa\u003c\/i\u003e, made a powerful impact with a dynamic rendition of Dibango's classic, coupled with the intense break of 'Hihache' and the contagious 'Nicky.' Initially released by Musidisc in France and later in the U.S. via Editions Makossa, the album omitted the title track due to publishing clearance issues.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite modest sales upon its initial release, the album's enduring influence became evident as hip-hop culture surged in the '80s, establishing it as a primary source for samples and riffs. The iconic 'Hihache' break found fame in Biz Markie's 'Nobody Beats The Biz,' and tracks from the album were lifted by LL Cool J, The Beatnuts, Kruder and Dorfmeister, and numerous others.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis remastered reissue, the first of its kind, meticulously crafted by The Carvery from the original tapes, showcases the album in its entirety and includes the full original artwork.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50447578136907,"sku":"2201491","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue LP","offer_id":50447577645387,"sku":"2180732","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/d751c745-1cf8-c8d0-4dc8-5a08bc7e9763_a3c119c6_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727079766"},{"product_id":"we-no-be-machine","title":"We No Be Machine","description":"\u003cp\u003eAfro futurist sensations Onipa unleash their new album, combining Afro grooves, electronics and fierce energy for an effervescent celebration of cultural and musical encounters.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eONIPA means ‘human’ in Akan, the ancient language of the Ashanti people of Ghana. It’s a message of connection through collaboration: from Ghana to London, our ancestors to our children, Onipa brings energy, groove, electronics, Afro-futurism, dance and fire! Born out of deep collaboration between long-time friends K.O.G (Kweku of Ghana of KOG and the Zongo Brigade) and Tom Excell (MD, guitarist and writer of acclaimed jazz\/ soul afrobeat pioneers Nubiyan Twist), the group features KOG on vocals, balafon and percussion, Tom Excell on guitar, percussion and electronics, Dwayne Kilvington (Wonky Logic) on synths and MPC and Finn Booth (Nubiyan Twist) on drums.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe group have worked closely with Ghanaian star Wiyaala who features on three tracks, singing in the Sisaala language from the North of Ghana. The album also features collaborations with South African rapper Spoek Mathambo, Lesotho star Morena Leraba, Ghanaian percussion master Afla Sackey and Tanza\u003ca\u003e\u003c\/a\u003enian sisters Pendo and Leah Zawose, each adding their own flavour to the project. “Through the musical prisms of London and Ghana our influences join together to create, a fundamental thread of traditional African rhythms, instrumentation and storytelling, interwoven with electronics, urban soundscapes and synth bass. We use technology, but it should never use us, our music is live and about deep human connection.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50448656007499,"sku":"1086718","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/2f129848-a778-402a-b479-d6d227f6eb11_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727094667"},{"product_id":"jd-twitch-presents-kreaturen-der-nacht","title":"JD Twitch presents Kreaturen der Nacht","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut present an exclusive new compilation curated by Optimo’s JD Twitch, \u003ci\u003eKreaturen Der Nacht\u003c\/i\u003e, bringd together classics, rarities and oddities from Germany’s original post-punk and DIY scene. It features Die Haut, Sprung Aus Den Wolken, Malaria!, Leben Und Arbeiten, Mania D etc. 1979 to 1984 was an era of particular artistic upheaval in Germany as strong subculture scenes formed in many German cities. Emphasis was placed on expression rather than technical perfection, artistic impact rather than skill. DIY self-organisation prevailed with the establishment of small record labels and independently produced records and cassettes. Bands experimented across genres and consciously abandoned the English-speaking mainstream with German band names and lyrics. “Although we had a small underground scene, it was very vibrant,” explains Gudrun Gut of Malaria! “Bands like Die Haut, my first band Mania D., Malaria!... we organised gigs ourselves or friends would open a gallery and have bands playing. We hung around together in a handful of clubs like Risiko or Dschungel and went to gigs at SO36. West Germany had other regional scenes too: Düsseldorf and Köln around Der Plan and the Ata Tak label and there was the Hamburg side with Abwärts. Germany didn’t have a real music industry like the US or England back then.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis new collection is a personal selection from JD Twitch, built over years of playing the tracks in club sets. “It is not designed to tell a definitive story of what was going on in Germany in this era,” he explains. “Rather, it is simply an arbitrary collection of records I adore from a specific era with a specific attitude that hopefully together sum up some of the musical undercurrents in Germany at that time.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe package features a host of rare and unseen photos from the period along with extensive interviews with artists including Beate Bartel (Mania D.), Christoph Dreher (Die Haut), Michael Hirsch (P1\/E) and Thomas Voburka (Weltklang). All tracks are remastered by The Carvery with artwork by Optimo’s in-house design man Andrew Beltran.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50449189929291,"sku":"1046422","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/77733c6e-9603-48a9-baa7-536543f4e231_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727100054"},{"product_id":"african-rhythms","title":"African Rhythms","description":"\u003cp\u003eEvery purchase online or instore gets a free Rough Trade \/ Republic Of Music 2018 CD sampler.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrut present a brand-new edition of Oneness of Juju’s Afro-jazz classic \u003ci\u003eAfrican Rhythms,\u003c\/i\u003e originally released on Black Fire in 1975 and first reissued on Strut in 2002. For bandleader James “Plunky” Branch, \u003ci\u003eAfrican Rhythms\u003c\/i\u003e marked a significant return to his home town of Richmond, Virginia after a politically charged five years based on the East and West coasts. His personal journey had taken him from activism at Columbia University to San Francisco where Zulu musician Ndikho Xaba used theatre to “resurrect” Afro-Americans with a new African identity. The first incarnation of Plunky’s band, Juju, drew attention to the struggle in South Africa under apartheid, layering heavy Afro rhythms under uncompromising avant garde jazz. Back in Richmond, Plunky tapped into the mid-Atlantic preference for Southern R\u0026amp;B and gospel: “Juju had always been blues-based and it was a natural progression to add R\u0026amp;B and dance rhythms. It didn’t change our message.” Produced by Jimmy Gray of Black Fire Records, the new sessions included the title track (“We wanted a song to dance to with a message – ‘you are dancing to African rhythms’”), the positive message of \u003ci\u003eDon’t Give Up \u003c\/i\u003eand political commentary on \u003ci\u003eLiberation Dues. \u003c\/i\u003eOriginally just a regional hit on the East coast and in Washington DC specifically, the album gradually spread, influencing the nascent DC go-go scene. The UK revived the album during the rare groove era of the late ‘80s and the title track has since become a soul-jazz favourite worldwide. Remastered from the original sessions and featuring rare photos and extensive liner notes, this new repress also features Part 1 and Part 2 of the original 45 version of \u003ci\u003eAfrican Rhythms\u003c\/i\u003e and the previously unheard \u003ci\u003eAfrobeat\u003c\/i\u003e, recently unearthed from the original tapes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50450432885067,"sku":"1042671","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/99899b5e-2dcd-4193-8b80-2e087e0d19d2_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727111889"},{"product_id":"dance-mania-ghetto-madness","title":"Dance Mania - Ghetto Madness","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut return to seminal Chicago house label Dance Mania for 'Dance Mania: Ghetto Madness'. This new installment places the spotlight on the raw, stripped back, hyper BPMs of ghetto house and the rise of the movement's fresh generation of stars during the mid-'90s including DJ Deeon, DJ Funk, Jammin' Gerald and DJ Milton. The album traces the evolution of Chicago's sound during the era as mixtapes circulated through local shops and DJs developed their own underground following, playing local parties in the projects. As DJ Deeon remembers, \"it bridged the gap. It made it OK for guys in the ghetto to like house again and it brought the women onto the dancefloor too.\" It comes fully illustrated by James Wilson featuring caricatures of the featured artists and hand-drawn artwork.CD - 15 track Unmixed CD with a fold-out poster featuring an exclusive James Wilson ghetto illustration.LP - 13 Track Double LP Set.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50451457278283,"sku":"383273","price":26.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50451457802571,"sku":"383272","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/7bf15a4a-d96f-4419-a5a0-7fcc2891baf1_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727126229"},{"product_id":"soul-sok-sega-sega-sounds-from-mauritius-1973-1979","title":"Soul Sok Sega - Sega Sounds From Mauritius 1973 - 1979","description":"\u003cp\u003eFollowing successful excursions into rare tropical and island sounds with the \u003ci\u003eSofrito\u003c\/i\u003e series, \u003ci\u003eHaiti Direct \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eCalypsoul 70\u003c\/i\u003e albums, Strut Records turns its focus to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius for a new compilation, \u003ci\u003eSoul Sok Sega\u003c\/i\u003e. Sega first developed as an insular music and dance form after slaves arrived on Mauritius (then île de France) from East Africa and Madagascar during the 17th to 19th centuries, using Créole language and rhythms played on the large ravanne circular drum, the triangle and the maravanne, a box filled with dried seeds. Sega was essentially frowned upon and marginalised by the Mauritian bourgeois until the 1950s when singer Ti Frere began to play a more Westernised fusion of sega. Through Ti Frere and his contemporaries like Serge Lebrasse, the music began to be popularised during the '60s and became fully accepted after the \u003ci\u003eNight Of The Morne\u003c\/i\u003e event in 1964 as the Creole community asserted ist cultural identity. \u003ci\u003eSoul Sok Sega \u003c\/i\u003edocuments the heyday of sega in Mauritius during the 1970s as a new generation of contemporary artists broke through. Jazz, soul, funk and rock elements all began to be effortlessly infused into traditional sega folk roots to create some inspired fusions. A talented new wave of artists including Jean- Claude, Claudio, Marie Josee and Roger Clency became domestic stars and began to take the music to international stages for the first time. Meanwhile, cult artists like the James Brown-influenced Ti L'Afrique, Coulouce and Christophe all enjoyed a more brief but important moment in the spotlight. Since this era, sega has now been adopted as the national music of Mauritius and the original '70s music is a revelation for any fans of tropical music and world sounds. Strut's album features extensive sleeve notes from long time Mauritian cultural champion, Percy Yip Tong, including new artist interviews, photos and original vinyl artwork. The compilation is by DJ duo La Basse Tropicale (Natty Ho and Konsole), based in the neighbouring island of La Reunion. All formats are unmixed, with all tracks never reissued internationally since they were originally available. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2LP - Double LP with CD Version.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"LP | x2","offer_id":50451463799115,"sku":"396426","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/942f19a7-6d84-4b0e-bb7c-fcdcf3984268_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727126438"},{"product_id":"we-be-all-africans","title":"We Be All Africans","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut are proud to present the brand new studio album from West coast intergalactic jazz mavericks, The Pyramids, led by their inspirational bandleader, Idris Ackamoor. Alto saxophonist Ackamoor first founded The Pyramids alongside fellow students Margo Simmons (flute) and Kimathi Asante (electric bass) in the summer of 1972. The three were students together at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio where one of their teachers was renowned pianist, Cecil Taylor. After founding the band in Paris, performing in Holland and embarking on a \"cultural odyssey\" across Africa, the group recorded three independent albums ('Lalibela' in 1973, 'King Of Kings' in 1974 and 'Birth \/ Speed \/ Merging' in 1976) and became renowned for their striking live shows, mixing percussive, spiritual and space-age jazz with performance, theatre, and dance. After migrating to San Francisco to perform on the Bay Area arts scene, they disbanded in 1977 after a final show at the UC Berkeley Jazz Festival.LP - 180 Gram Vinyl with CD Version.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50451516064075,"sku":"401017","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/9f19bcb1-ce26-4d06-a46d-0eb2dd1024a7_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727128039"},{"product_id":"planets-of-life-or-death-amiens-72","title":"Planets of Life or Death - Amiens 72","description":"\u003cp\u003eFollowing 2014's landmark compilation presented by Marshall Allen, 'In the Orbit Of Ra', Strut and Art Yard join forces for the first release anywhere of Sun Ra's 'Planets Of Life Or Death'. Within their 1973 European tour, Ra and his Arkestra had completed a residency at the Gibus in Paris before travelling North to Amiens to play a visceral, intense Sunday afternoon concert. Tracks include the theatrical 'Enlightenment' as vocalist June Tyson invites the audience to \"be of our space world\" and a rare instrumental version of 'Love In Outer Space', transforming the Arkestra classic into a percussive, ritualistic workout. John Gilmore's sax features on the glistening 'Lights On A Satellite' and the album closes with the epic, chaotic 'Discipline 27-II \/ What Planet Is This': \"If this is a planet of life, why do people die here?\" Recorded direct from the sound board and mastered from first generation reel to reel tape. The release features rare photos from Sun Ra's 1973 European tour by photographer Jan Persson with sleeve notes by the Arkestra's Knoel Scott.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50451526975819,"sku":"388946","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/c14d4d04-a04b-4d40-9dad-2f968816ac91_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727128376"},{"product_id":"haiti-direct-big-band-mini-jazz-and-twoubadou-sounds-1960-1978","title":"Haiti Direct - Big Band, Mini Jazz and Twoubadou Sounds 1960 - 1978","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Caribbean is responsible for so much incredible music, it can be difficult to stay on top of it all. Haitian music in particular seems to have been broadly overlooked on a global scale. This collection 'Haiti Direct' (compiled by Hugo Mendez of Sofrito) aims to offer an entry point to Haiti's musical output of the 1960′s and 70′s, covering a variety of musical styles and interesting fusions. It features Les vikings, Les Animateurs, Scorpio Universal, Raoul Guillaume, Webert Sicot, Orchestre Septentrional and more.Double Vinyl with CD Version.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"LP | x2","offer_id":50451611681099,"sku":"370604","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/357359f2-5794-430a-ae4e-0c83baef3d11_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727131558"},{"product_id":"sofrito-tropical-discotheque-1","title":"Sofrito - Tropical Discotheque","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe gentlemen behind London's Sofrito parties are true crate diggers par excellence, unearthing the finest in Tropical dancefloor fire. Strut is very pleased to have them in the selector's seat for their debut compilation, \u003ci\u003eSofrito: Tropical Discotheque\u003c\/i\u003e. Made up of nearly impossible to find vintage floor fillers, brand new edits, and even an exclusive cumbia from Quantic, the music on here is guaranteed to make your winter feel like summer. It features Banda Los Hijos De La Nina Luz, Les Ya Toupas Du Zaire, Frente Cumbiero, Fair Nick Stars, Mighty Shadow etc.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2LP - Double LP Repressed.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"LP | x2","offer_id":50452360069451,"sku":"335102","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/ae026307-e6ba-4b35-8c24-61e7828194d3_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727149159"},{"product_id":"afro-latin-soul-vol-1-and-vol-2","title":"Afro Latin Soul Vol 1 and Vol 2","description":"\u003cp\u003eBoth albums on one CD. Strut continue their essential work with the “Godfather Of Ethio Jazz”, Mulatu Astatke, with the first official reissues of his early classics \u003ci\u003eAfro Latin Soul’ Volumes 1 and 2\u003c\/i\u003e from 1966, recorded as The Ethiopian Quintet. Arriving after Astatke’s life-changing years studying at Berklee College in Boston, the albums were the first experiments in his pioneering sound, fusing Ethiopian cultural music with Afro Latin and jazz forms. \u003ci\u003eAfro Latin Soul Volumes 1 and 2\u003c\/i\u003e come in their full original artwork and are painstakingly remastered by The Carvery. All formats feature personal liner notes by Mulatu Astatke.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50452408500555,"sku":"1038996","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/8ead560e-cfab-4d05-aa22-ec6df654f07d_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727151668"},{"product_id":"southern-energy","title":"Southern Energy","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut presents the first full international release for another lost classic from the Black Fire Records archives,\u003ci\u003e Southern Energy\u003c\/i\u003e, the only album recorded by R’n’B and jazz collective Southern Energy Ensemble in 1977.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTrumpeter Marvin Daniels had been drafted into the US army in Germany during the mid-‘70s, playing in the military touring band 100% Pure Poison. Upon returning to Virginia State College, he met up with an old friend, saxophonist Al Clarke, and they began to form a new band, pulling together various students from the University including Nat Lee (keys), William “Spike” Johnson (drums and percussion) and Adolphus “Peddie” Maples (percussion and vocals). “As Southern Energy, we started playing the chitlin R’n’B circuit and ended up gigging most weekends at clubs, universities and military bases in Virginia and North and South Carolina,” remembers Daniels.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter meeting Plunky Branch and Black Fire Records MD and producer, Jimmy Gray at a JuJu gig in Richmond, Virginia, Gray signed the band and they recorded some high energy sessions during 1977. “Southern Energy was tight,” continues Daniels. “We had great musicians and great vocalists in Judy Spears and Garrie Wayne, both vocal majors from Virginia State College. The album was all about positive messages and celebrating real people.” Tracks include the storming dancefloor jazz workout ‘Third House’, the optimistic ballad ‘Looking Ahead’ and the extended funk anthem ‘F-U-N-K-Y ‘Til The Day I Die’.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe band would break up soon after the members left college. Daniels moved to Philadelphia to work with Evelyn “Champagne” King in 1978 before co-founding Chops horns who would go on to become one of the most in-demand US session units of the ‘80s, working with Sugarhill Gang, The Police, The Rolling Stones and more. Maples would go on to play on sessions for Oneness Of Juju.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCanned following the original recording, the Southern Energy Ensemble album eventually surfaced on a limited CD and LP on Black Fire in 1993. Now receiving its first full international release, \u003ci\u003eSouthern Energy\u003c\/i\u003e has been remastered from the original tapes by The Carvery. Package features unseen photos and brand new sleeve notes by co-bandleader Marvin Daniels. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50452513718603,"sku":"1123673","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50452513915211,"sku":"1123672","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/72733ce8-aca0-4805-ac57-8dde448eb776_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727154775"},{"product_id":"lanquidity-strut-25th-anniversary-edition","title":"Lanquidity (Strut 25th Anniversary Edition)","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut proudly presents a special edition, deluxe repress of Sun Ra’s classic \u003ci\u003eLanquidity\u003c\/i\u003e, for the 25th anniversary of the label. Originally released in 1978 on Philly Jazz, \u003ci\u003eLanquidity \u003c\/i\u003ewas recorded overnight at Bob Bank’s Blank Tapes studio on 17th July 1978 following a performance on Saturday Night Live. “Most critics felt that it was more of a fusion-inspired record,” explains Michael Ray. “As the name suggests, the album is liquid and languid.” Bob Blank adds, “Musically, it was very ad hoc and freeform. There were horn charts but most tracks came out of improvised jams. Sun Ra just did his thing.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe album \u003ci\u003eLanquidity\u003c\/i\u003e consists of five smooth tracks from the Sun Ra discography. It begins gently with 'Lanquidity,' a spontaneous composition by Sun Ra described by Danny Ray Thompson as reminiscent of an Ancient Egyptian Stargazing Ceremony, plotting the stars and planets. 'Where Pathways Meet' follows, featuring Sun Ra's funky interpretation of an Egyptian march, evoking the image of Pharaoh rallying his troops. 'That’s How I Feel' maintains a relaxed groove, featuring reflective trumpet lines from Eddie Gale and solos by John Gilmore and Marshall Allen, with Allen's oboe described as reminiscent of snake-charming. 'Twin Stars Of Thence' dances around Richard Williams' celebrated elastic bassline, while the haunting closer, 'There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of),' epitomizes \"space music,\" described by poet Mama Nzinga as 'The essence of light. Spirit takes a ride inside the deep dark space of just being.' Start to finish, Lanquidity remains an effortless, psychedelic pleasure and one of the strongest in the Ra 70's discography.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis new deluxe LP edition of ‘Lanquidity’ features the widely distributed version of the album originally released on Philly Jazz and reflects the album’s original packaging with a metallic foil \/ magenta sleeve, housed in a tip-on sleeve with OBI strip and featuring both liner notes and a limited edition poster, to celebrate 25 years of Strut records.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50453211447627,"sku":"2215918","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/STRUT237LPC_-_WITH_OBI_artwork_34fb4ffc_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727169640"},{"product_id":"a-message-from-mozambique","title":"A Message From Mozambique","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe roots of JuJu started in San Francisco after Plunky had met his musical mentor, Zulu musician Ndikho Xaba, helping to form his band Ndikho and The Natives. Three members of The Natives (Plunky, bassist Ken Shabala and vibes \/ flute player Lon Moshe) then joined Marvin X’s theatrical production The Resurrection Of The Dead, joining local musicians Al-Hammel Rasul (keyboards), Babatunde Lea (percussion) and Jalango Ngoma (timbales).When the production ended, the six musicians formed Juju. “We had high-energy rehearsals that lasted for hours and, as a band, we became powerful and began gigging around the Bay Area,” remembers Plunky. Although orientated towards Black Nationalism, the band fed off the Bay Area’s culturally diverse communities as Plunky shaped an inclusive worldview based on collective political, social and artistic activities. During this time, the Soledad Brothers case and Angela Davis were prominent and the band supported Professor Davis and the cause. Juju’s music matched the fire of their activism. “As a band, we blew, pounded and stroked our instruments like there was no tomorrow, like our life’s work was wrapped up in each session. We approached our performances like religious rites and the music mesmerised, informed and awakened people.” The band’s first album, \u003ci\u003ea Message from Mozambique\u003c\/i\u003e, was intentionally political. While the anti-war movement focused on Vietnam, Juju looked towards wars being waged in South Africa, Angola and Mozambique over issues of white supremacy and control of natural resources. A second album, \u003ci\u003eChapter Two: Nia\u003c\/i\u003e would follow before the birth of Oneness Of Juju during the mid-‘70s. 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