Needle Time

  Idris Muhammad - Peace And Rhythm [CR00415 USA 2022 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] It's a Sunday evening, so without further ado, let's continue.... Courtesy of the Jazz Dispensary division of Craft Recordings, pressed in a highly limited of 1000 numbered copies, here is the first ever official reissue of Idris Muhammad's superb Peace And Rhythm since it's debut in 1971. This is a fairly recent release, exclusively distributed by vinyl club, Vinyl Me Please, mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio (him again!) from the original master tape and pressed at RTI in Camarillo onto what has to be the most spectacularly detailed layered metallic gold swirl vinyl you will likely ever see. I've never been a fan of coloured vinyl due to the potential noise issues but this is a piece of art. The two key compositions adorn the A-side, blending conceptual, almost spiritual jazz into a latin percussion masterclass by the late drummer - from about two minutes in on Rhythm if you nee...

  Idris Muhammad - Power Of Soul [MOVLP 738 NLD 2017 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Originally released on Kudu Records in the USA, during 1974, Power Of Soul was the third album by jazz drummer Idris Muhammad in his own right following lengthy spells as stick man for Lou Donaldson & Horace Silver amongst many others. There is no need for me to list the collaborators on this record as they all get a significant credit on the front sleeve. As the title suggests, this is not necessarily a jazz album, artists had developed greatly since the sixties, this record delivers four soulful, jazzy, funky instrumentals as evidence the jazz genre had diversified further, presenting significant sampling opportunities (there are a few on this album) for eighties hip-hop artists like The Beastie Boys. My respect for the Dutch Music On Vinyl label continues to grow, although no mastering engineer or  source material provenance is revealed, this record is carefully pressed by Record Industry and pr...