Deep in the vaults: 25 Years of Strut Records….

Album: Nigeria 70

This is always a go-to for me in the label’s catalogue. Have still never heard another record quite like it – one of the best basslines in history! Nigeria 70 was a major team effort back in 2001 involving collector Duncan Brooker, Ekostar’s Kayode Samuel, radio producer Sue Bowerman, DJ John Armstrong and more and, for many Western audiences, it was the first deep dive into 1970s Nigerian rare grooves, introducing new audiences to incredible artists like William Onyeabor, Lijadu Sisters and this man, Segun Bucknor. Bucknor came up through Roy Chicago’s band and made some powerful hard-hitting records with his bands the Assembly and the Revolution.

Album: Symphonic Tone Poem For Brother Yusef

Long-time Yusef Lateef collaborator and percussionist Adam Rudolph sent me this beautiful recording with Bennie Maupin in 2022. Had always been a huge fan of their respective work from Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters to Mandingo Griot Society and this tribute to Lateef really encompassed Lateef’s “autophysiopsychic”, approach to music drawing on the physical, mental and spiritual self. It’s a simple recording just using Rudolph’s percussion, synth textures and Maupin’s intricate flute and sax tones but it has such a vibe – meditative but earthy.

Album: Funky Nassau: The Compass Point Sessions

The early ‘80s era at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas led by brilliant engineer Steven Stanley is a constantly fascinating period in music and this project felt so necessary to release as a compilation back in 2008 to celebrate its influence. I loved Sly & Robbie’s comment that M’s ‘Pop Muzik’ was a reference point for the dubby electronic sound they wanted to achieve for Grace Jones and, along with musicians like Wally Badarou, Barry Reynolds and Mikey Chung in the house band, the studio became a magnet for so many looking for that spacious Compass Point “sound”. Photographer Lynn Goldsmith’s recorded her groovy life-coaching project Will Powers there in ’83 and Stanley rinsed out this mesmerising dub for the flip.

Album: The Lost Tapes

Incredible music unearthed by Ion D from Future Nuggets in 2013 from Romania. The late Rodion Roșca made and repaired electronic equipment and began making electronic music with a Tesla 2-track reel to reel before enlisting other musicians and forming his band Rodion G.A. in ’75. Although singles were released on state label Electrecord, Rodion recorded many reels of unreleased music during the Caueșescu era in Romania, a mix of prog, heavy rock and hard-crunching analogue electronics. Always loved ‘Citadela’ from this comp, a soaring dark cosmic gem that moves through different sections and moods.

Album: Music For Dancefloors: The KPM Music Library

Another favourite project from 2000, working with Adrian Gibson (then programmer at the Jazz Café) to shine the spotlight on the peerless KPM music library. All of the composers were amazing characters and worked tirelessly to compose and record these beautifully arranged vignettes during the ‘60s and ‘70s as off-the-shelf music for ad and TV companies. Always loved Alan Hawkshaw’s story on writing the clock-ticking theme for quiz show Countdown: “Channel 4 called me and I had forgotten to do it so I made it up in five minutes while I was sitting on the kazi!” Adrian and I later put on a KPM All-Stars Live concert at Jazz Café with Hawkshaw, Keith Mansfield and others performing their library work with a full big band. Great memories from this one and ‘Incidental Backcloth No. 3’ is prime KPM, an elegant, perfectly formed Mansfield classic.

Album: Lanquidity

One from last year when we had the absolute privilege of reissuing Sun Ra’s classic 1978 album Lanquidity as a juicy deluxe box set. Ra and producer Bob Blank worked on an early mix of the album in New York which was only ever sold publicly at a Ra gig at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The album was then edited (for a louder pressing on vinyl) and re-mixed for the more widely available edition in its iconic foil sleeve. This is the earlier version of ‘That’s How I Feel’ from the box, a sinuous and gorgeously funky slice of music heaven across 12 minutes.

Album: Remind Me: The Classic Elektra Recordings 1978-1984

We were very fortunate to acquire the rights to Patrice Rushen’s incredible Elektra recordings a few years back. Patrice is such an under-rated figure, an inspiring woman and a brilliant musician, composer and arranger whose work has graced countless West coast studio sessions. Her five classic late ‘70s / early ‘80s albums are a timeless joy and, apart from celebrated classics like ‘Forget Me Nots’, ‘Haven’t You Heard’ and ‘Remind Me’, there are many other gems like this one on ‘Now’ from 1984, one of her most poignant songs about the futility of prejudice.

Album: Alefa Madagascar

This one was a beautiful project to work on with tireless Mauritian warrior Percy Yip Tong and La Réunion-based DJ duo la Basse Tropicale (RIP Dinh Nguyen), one of the rare occasions when the family behind Madagascar’s Discomad label opened the hallowed doors to their archives. The island’s music is so rich and unique and you can hear the influences from South Africa and DRC and the other Indian Ocean islands in its 1970s tsapiky guitar music. Love this track from the comp by local legend Charles Maurin Poty, a joyful song with an extended break for the dancers.

Album: New York * Addis * London: The Story of Ethio-Jazz 1965-1975

Among our greatest times at the label has been to witness the rise and rise of Ethio-jazz legend Mulatu Astatke over the last 15 years or so, culminating in an emotional concert at the Hollywood Bowl earlier this year. After the re-discovery of his music thanks to the Éthiopiques compilation series during the ‘90s, we worked with him on a memorable collaboration album with The Heliocentrics and put together an all-encompassing compilation of his own music and his work with some of the golden age Ethiopian singers. The deeply nostalgic ‘Tezeta’ has proved to be one of his most enduring instrumental pieces over the years.

Album: Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band

We have always treasured the new recording work we have done at Strut with some of the legends of African music and they feel today like important albums to have released. After projects with Tony Allen (with Jimi Tenor), Orlando Julius (with The Heliocentrics) and Ebo Taylor, we recorded Ghanaian great Pat Thomas in 2015 with the brilliant Kwashibu Area Band led by Kwame Yeboah and Ben Abarbanel-Wolff. Their killer version of Pat’s highlife hit ‘Gyae Su’ has become one of Strut’s most popular tracks over time and their live show will always remain one of the best live experiences by any African band that we have ever seen. A true powerhouse collaboration.