Name: Life Between Islands - Soundsystem Culture: Black Musical Expression in the UK 1973-2006
Brand: Soul Jazz Records Presents

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

LP-SOJR-507

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: Yes

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2022-03-18

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Redeye

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

5026328005072

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Total Cap

3 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

CD-SOJR-507

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Download code: No

5026328105079

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2 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Soul Jazz Records Presents

Genre US

Reggae / Dub

Label US

Soul Jazz Records

Japanese keyboardist, Yoshizawa Hajime, is a prominent figure in the nu-jazz movement. Born in Tokyo in 1965, he gained recognition through his collaborations with jazz drummer Peter Erskine and his involvement with bands like Mondo Grosso and Cosmic Village. With a blend of electronic soulful nu-jazz and straight-ahead jazz, Yoshizawa has released several albums under his own name as well as with Sleep Walker. His diverse range of projects showcases his talent as both a keyboard player and producer.

In addition to his work under his own name, Yoshizawa has also recorded under the moniker Electric Sheep. This experimental project explores ambient sounds and features remixes for artists such as The Jackson 5, Jazzanova, and Riviera. With influences ranging from beat-heavy sounds to more atmospheric compositions, Electric Sheep adds another layer to Yoshizawa's already impressive body of work.

Yoshizawa comes from a family deeply rooted in the arts. His father is actor Takao Yoshizawa, while his mother is former voice actress Nobuko Maki. He also has siblings involved in creative fields - playwright/director Koichi Yoshizawa and pianist Kyoko Yoshizawa. Through his musical endeavors and collaborations, Yoshizawa continues to make significant contributions to the world of jazz.

Compilations of the Year 2022

<a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/us/collection/compilations-of-the-year-2022">Rough Trade Albums of the Year: #4</a>

Soul Jazz Records’ new ‘Life Between Islands’ collection is inspired by the launch of Tate Britain’s exhibition of the same name, exploring the links between Caribbean and British art and culture from the 1950s to now. The album focuses on the most important Black British musical styles to emerge out of the distinctly Caribbean world of sound systems, featuring an all-star line-up including Dennis Bovell, Shut Up and Dance, Cymande, Digital Mystikz, Brown Sugar, Funk Masters, Janet Kay, Ragga Twins – a lightning-rod journey across Roots Reggae, Jungle/Drum &amp; Bass, Jazz-Funk, Lovers Rock, Jazz and Dubstep. Many of the tracks represent how Black British artists defined their own identity, such as Brown Sugar’s righteous ‘Black Pride’ and Tabby Cat Kelly’s powerful ‘Don’t Call Us Immigrants’. Aside from being musically rooted in the distinctly Jamaican-born phenomenon of the sound system, much of this identity is also shaped by the triangular relationship of being British-born, of Caribbean heritage, and with an equal love of African-American Jazz, Funk and Soul, as evidenced with many Lovers Rock reggae covers of American soul tunes. This stateside influence can also be heard in groups such as the Funk Masters whose jazz-funk music successfully crossed over into New York’s clubland, and the great Cymande, whose unique street-funk became staple material for numerous US hip-hop artists. In the early 1990s, jungle and drum &amp; bass artists took the essence of reggae’s soundsystem culture – MCs, dubplates, crews – and applied them to their own music, combining heavy reggae bass lines with intense double-speed drum breakbeats. At the new movement's forefront were Shut Up and Dance, working closely with The Ragga Twins. In the early 2000s, dubstep, spearheaded by Digital Mystikz, became the latest instalment in this ever-evolving soundsystem culture. This collection shows how these many styles were interconnected.

Life Between Islands - Soundsystem Culture: Black Musical Expression in the UK 1973-2006

Music US