LP

Record Kicks proudly pres. Juno Awards nominee Tanika Charles. Her debut album "Soul Run", produced among others by Slakah The Beatchild - best known for his works with Drake - will be released on Record Kicks next April the 7th.Already filed under "one of the heavy hitter of 2017" and anticipated by its first single, the title track "Soul Run" which is hitting the airwaves all around the globe, Soul Run is the debut album by Edmonton-raised Tanika Charles.The album produced among the others by Slakah The Beatchild (BBE Records), best known as a producer for his collaborations with Canadian rapper Drake, strikes a seamless balance between the warm authentic vintage Motown soul sound, yet contains a contemporary twist to it. A tricky thing to accomplish, however, Tanika has undeniably managed to achieve this, judging by the glowing reviews and support she's currently receiving from all around the globe, including a nomination at the 2017 Juno Awards (the Canadian Grammys) for best R&b/Soul album of year."The most buzzed-about Soul singer in Toronto" according to CBC network, in a few short years has transformed from an emerging solo artist to a commanding performer and bandleader, a staple in the Canadian soul scene, both on stage and off. Her touring career has seen her supporting the likes of Estelle, Haitus Kayote, Lauryn Hill and Macy Gray. Highly impressive, considering she is only just releasing her debut album to the world, after her low-key EP release, 'What! What? What!?', back in 2010.Growing up on a musical diet of Patti Labelle, Jill Scott, Bob James, Stevie Wonder, D'Angelo, Bjork and The Black Crows, Charles' eclectic music taste subconsciously shines through in 'Soul Run', an album's name that came from a tragic part of Tanika's life. Miss Charles presents an immutable charm, at times endearingly abrasive and honest in her vulnerabilities. If Tanika's singing it, she's lived it! Soul Run "is a post breakup album. It's not about a breakup as such, but about finding yourself after hitting the reset button", Charles makes clear. Tanika Charles put a modern, edgy twist on the classic Motown sound, resulting in an album that captures the ears and feet of anyone in a 5 mile radius. Fans of Sharon Jones, Lee Fields, Lauryn Hill and Macy Gray... watch out !!!

Record Store Day 2017 release. Recorded live in the studio by a band of touring musicians that played William Onyeabor's music over the previous few years. Artists on this album include Jamie Lidell, Alexis Taylor, Charles Lloyd, Money Mark, Pat Mahoney and Ahmed Gallab. Album sleeve opens up into a double sided 4-way poster (measuring approx. 24" x 24").

First released in 1992, available for CD only and out of print for many years, Addis 1988 is now remastered and available as limited edition on vinyl for the first time, a stunning reissue 180 grams for audiophiles and collectors.Addis 1988 is the document of a moment in time when Mulatu Astatke was not yet the global Ethiojazz superstar he is today, but a change was gonna come for him, and for the whole world. In Ethiopia, the Derg had started to tumble and fall, Europe saw the wall between East and West gain more and more holes until it came down, Southern Africa witnessed Apartheid taking its final lap before Nelson Mandela was finally set free. With Ofra Haza's Yeminite Songs and Mory Kanté’s ‘Yéké Yéké’ high on the international charts, music of the wider world finally entered the house of Western pop, giving high hopes and deep inspirations for many musicians who were previously excluded. Fuelled by Mulatu Astatke as artistic director, composer, arranger and collaborating musician, Ethio Stars and Tukul Band's Addis 1988 recordings vibrantly sustain the innocence of these musical originators, yet hold up to modern standards with timeless aplomb. The album also helps to fill a gap: the period when Mulatu and his music were largely forgotten outside of his homeland. First released in1992, available for CD only and out of print for many years, Addis 1988 is now remastered and available as limited edition on vinyl for the first time, a stunning reissue 180 grams for audiophiles and collectors.QUOTES: »A fascinating album with a disarming blend of soul, jazz, funk, rock ,reggae and carefully plotted tracks. Great stuff!« fRoots (Aug 1992) »Innovative musicians that deserve greater exposure. The Ethio Stars and Tukul Band work strikingly diverse variations on Ethiopian popular music by performing xperimen-tal sonic surgery on traditional styles and instruments.« SPIN (Feb 1993) »Quality music, capturing the energy and passion of the soul-influenced traditional Ethiopian sounds.« CMJ (Aug 1992)- Mulatu is featured as artistic director, composer, arranger and collaborating musician- Helping to close the gap in Mulatu’s discography between 70s and 90s- A classic – high on the European World Music Charts in 1992- Two very different bands – Ethio Stars & Tukul Band - that emerged out of the cultural melting point Addis- Released for the first time on vinyl- High-quality reissue and remaster for collectors on 180 gram vinyl- Download code included- Released for the first time digitally on all download and streaming services

SJOB Movement's Friendship Train was the second LP by the group and one which saw the group rise to new heights. It's a masterpiece of African music with it's fluid afro beat grooves and spaced out Moog synthesizer sounds. Here is an excerpt from the liner notes written and researched by Uchenna Ikonne:"Prince Bola Agbana might hardly be the most immediately recognizable name in the constellation of Nigerian music stars, but for a significant portion of the last half-century he labored in the shadows, dutifully serving as one of the key movers in its development: An in-demand session musician. An early and respected exponent of funk. A catalyst in the retrofit of juju into a modern pop genre. Most of all, though, he is recognized as the founder, leader, drummer and principal vocalist of the SJOB Movement.SJOB: Sam, Johnnie, Ottah, Bola. For a moment in the mid-1970s, they were le dernier cri in modern Nigerian music, representing the next step in the evolution of afro rhythms, and a new paradigm for the band economy. Their first album, 1976’s A Move in the Right Direction, was a minor sensation and was swiftly followed by Friendship Train in 1977. Then it appeared that the movement stopped moving, and SJOB disappeared from the scene."