Strut-Records Podcast

Mulatu Astake- The Way To Nice Live in Sao Paulo

Tue, 19 April 2011 00:00:00 +0200

Shot live in Sau Paulo, Brazil, legendary Ethiopian Jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke performs music from his album 'Mulatu Steps Ahead' on Strut Records. A new compilation featuring unreleased material is due on Strut in the later half of 2011. For more info visit: www.strut-records.com

Mulatu Astatke- Motherland Live in Sao Paulo

Tue, 19 April 2011 00:00:00 +0200

Dennis Coffey Tells The Story of His New Self-Titled LP

Fri, 01 April 2011 00:00:00 +0200

Legendary Detroit guitarist and member of the original Motown 'Funk Brothers' backing band, Dennis Coffey, discusses his new self-titled solo album for Strut. 'Dennis Coffey' features guests Mayer Hawthorne, Paolo Nutini, Mick Collins of the Dirtbombs, Rachel Nagy of Detroit Cobras, Kings Go Forth and more.For more info visit: www.polyrythmo-cotonouclub.com

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo 'Cotonou Club' Album Preview

Wed, 22 March 2011 00:00:00 +0200

Before entering the studio to record their first album of new material in over 20 years, Benin's Orchestre Poly-Rythmo toured the world, playing many countries for the first time in their decades-long career. Get a taste of the band's muscular live performance, as well as some of the music from their new album Cotonou Club, in the preview above. For more info visit: www.polyrythmo-cotonouclub.com

The Story Behind Sofrito: Tropical Discotheque

Wed, 01 December 2010 00:00:00 +0200

One of London's most respected warehouse party series, DJ Hugo Mendez and his Sofrito crew have built a name for themselves as top quality purveyors of Tropical sounds of all sorts. While putting together their debut compilation for Strut, we sat down with Hugo as well as artist / designer Lewis Heriz to hear the story of how Sofrito came about, how it grew, and how it's amazing poster artwork has developed. For more info visit: www.sofrito-tropicaldiscotheque.com

Video Collage For Leo Zero's Disconnect Mix By Mox

Fri, 19 November 2010 00:00:00 +0200

Ninja Tune VJ Mox creates a video collage set to a minimix of tracks from Leo Zero's Disconnect album on Strut. The video mixes in news images from the UK during the late '70s and '80s, from a rubbish collection strike in 1979, the mayhem of a Celtic vs Rangers on-pitch invasion in 1980 and the Brixton riots of 1981 to a bizarre '70s attempt to smuggle vinyl-shaped pot cakes in record sleeves from Jamaica. Images of Leo's work throughout his career pepper the visuals including his celebrated days as a resident at Soulsonic in London to his work as a member of A Mountain of One. For more info visit: www.leozero-disconnect.com

On The Road In Ghana With Ebo Taylor

Tue, 26 October 2010 00:00:00 +0200

Shot by Tom Bass during January 2010 over a set of Ebo Taylor performances with Afrobeat Academy, this film provides an interesting look on and off stage at a Ghanaian music legend. The title track of his new album "Love And Death," recorded with Afrobeat Academy, figures prominently. For more info visit: www.ebotaylor-loveanddeath.com

Dennis Coffey - F**k You

Wed, 13 October 2010 00:00:00 +0200

DENNIS COFFEY is back in the studio recording a brand new album, signed up to Strut for release in 2011. As a teaser, he gathered together a crew of Detroit friends and associates for a video to his cover version of Cee-Lo's hit, inspired by the Motown sound in which Coffey played a key role. For more info visit: www.denniscoffey-thealbum.com

Ebo Taylor's Journey Through African Music

Mon, 13 September 2010 00:00:00 +0200

A musician since the age of six, Ebo Taylor is one of the most achingly honest voices in African music. His songs have a timeless quality to them, and continue to reach new audiences worldwide. On the eve of his first internationally distributed solo album, Ebo Taylor sat down with the Strut crew to speak about his entrance into the professional music circuit, his interaction with African legends like Fela Kuti and CK Mann, and how he hooked up with Berlin outfit Afrobeat Academy. For more info visit: www.ebotaylor-loveanddeath.com

Danny Krivit Discusses His Editing Process + New Compilation For Strut

Thu, 19 August 2010 00:00:00 +0200

Danny Krivit is a master of the subtle art of the disco edit. With over 30 years of DJing in NYC and around the world, and an incomparable knowledge of records, his selections and edits exemplify taste and precision, designed with the dance floor in mind. In this video, he discusses his introduction to the editing process, some of his favorite re-works, and his general philosophy of editing. For more info visit: www.dannykrivit-re-edits.com

Disco Pioneer Walter Gibbons Remembered By Danny Krivit + Tony Smith

Tue, 03 August 2010 00:00:00 +0200

Walter Gibbons made an impact on disco music and DJ culture that is somewhat at odds with his relative obscurity today. Strut aims to remedy that with Jungle Music, a retrospective of some of his most notable work. Legends in their own right, Danny Krivit and Tony Smith recount their memories of Walter, and muse about what made him so unique. For more info visit: www.lloydmiller-and-theheliocentrics.com

An Instruction In International Instruments From Dr. Lloyd Miller

Thu, 01 July 2010 00:00:00 +0200

The renewed interest in Lloyd Miller's music has spawned this new collaboration with The Heliocentrics, a freeform mix of Eastern arrangements, jazz and angular psychedelics and represents the Heliocentrics' most accomplished work to date. For more info visit: www.lloydmiller-and-theheliocentrics.com

Lloyd Miller Plots His Musical Evolution

Tue, 01 June 2010 00:00:00 +0200

Mulatu Astatke Breaks Down The Tracks On Mulatu Steps Ahead

Fri, 26 March 2010 00:00:00 +0200

Revered Ethiopian jazz musician Mulatu Astatke has become an icon to music lovers of all stripes based on the appeal of his musical hybrid "Ethio-Jazz." For his first solo album in over 20 years, Astatke carefully refined his formula, delivering a sublime set of sounds. Here he explains the influences and process for the tracks on the album. For more info visit: www.mulatu-steps-ahead.com

Breakestra - Come On Over

Tue, 23 March 2010 00:00:00 +0200

"Come On Over" is the first video from Breakestra's "Dusk Till Dawn Album," out now on Strut Records. For more info visit: www.breakestra-dusktilldawn.com

Bob Blank On The Making of Fonda Rae's "Over Like A Fat Rat"

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0200

Still moving butts on contemporary dancefloors (and the source of the bassline to Eric B. and Rakim's "Eric B Is President"), Fonda Rae's "Over Like A Fat Rat" is one of the most enduring classics of the disco era. The track was written by Leroy Burgess (of Inner Life, Universal Robot Band, Logg, Phreek, etc.) a man whose own contributions to the time period are legendary themselves, and is an instantly recognizable slice of modern soul perfection. For part two in a series of interviews, producer Bob Blank discusses the making of the track, its unique arrangement, and just what it means to be getting "over like a fat rat." For more info visit: www.theblankgeneration-blanktapes.com

Bob Blank On The Origins of NY's Legendary Blank Tapes Studio

Thu, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Part 1 of 4, Legendary producer and disco architect Bob Blank discusses his Blank Tapes studio, which produced classics from Arthur Russell, Kid Creole, Fonda Rae, Sun Ra and many more. The first anthology of his work, The Blank Generation: Blank Tapes 1975-1985 is out February 2nd 2010 on Strut Records.For more info visit: www.theblankgeneration-blanktapes.com

Mulatu Astatke - Ethio Jazz Retrospective

Thu, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Vibraphone 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. 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. Watch here the trailer to the Mulatu Astatke Restropective album "New York - Addis- London - The Story of Ethio Jazz" For more info visit: www.mulatu-ethiojazz.com

Jimi Tenor / Tony Allen - Inspiration Information 4 Feature

Thu, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Strut’s Inspiration Information series moves on from the critically acclaimed Mulatu Astatke / The Heliocentrics collaboration with the fourth album in the series, a mouth-watering head to head between Finnish maverick Jimi Tenor and Afrobeat drumming legend, Tony Allen. For more info check: www.inspiration-information-4.com//

Mulatu Astatke / The Heliocentrics - Inspiration Information 3

Thu, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0200

The third in Strut’s Inspiration Information studio collaboration series brings together an intriguing pairing between one of Africa’s great bandleaders, Mulatu Astatke, with the next level musicianship of The Heliocentrics collective from the mighty roster of Stones Throw / Now Again. Mulatu Astatke / The Heliocentrics - Inspiration Information 3, album coming in April 2009! for more info check: www.inspiration-information-3.com

Grandmaster Flash - The Bridge Interview feature

Thu, 07 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Watch the filmed Interview feature with the legendary Grandmaster Flash speaking about the creation and idea behind this album. for more info check: www.grandmasterflash-thebridge.com

Grandmaster Flash - The Bridge

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Grandmaster Flash - The Bridge, album coming end February 2009! for more info check: www.grandmasterflash-thebridge.com

Inspiration Information 2 - Hoarce Andy & Ashlee Beedle

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The second in the new Inspiration Information studio album series on Strut pairs up Studio One reggae legend and Massive Attack collaborator Horace Andy with revered UK producer and remixer Ashley Beedle (X-Press 2 / Ballistic Brothers / Warbox / Black Science Orchestra) for a new and unique soundclash. .

For more info and a free download track please check the microsite: www.strut-records.com/inspirationinformation

Inspiration Information 1 - Amp Fiddler / Sly & Robbie

Mon, 15 September 2008 00:00:00 +0200

This Autumn brings the launch of a priority new series on Strut as the label takes a break from its schedule of funky compilations and moves into new studio recordings for the first time. Entitled Inspiration Information, the series brings together current artists and producers with their musical heroes for a mouth-watering one-off collaboration. With each album centred around an intensive five-day writing and recording session, the emphasis is on spontaneity, musicianship and an open A&R brief. The series kicks off with Detroit soul maverick Amp Fiddler in a head-to-head with reggae legends, Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare. “This is monumental for me,” says Amp. “I discovered Sly & Robbie through their Compass Point productions with Wally Badarou, all the Grace Jones records, ‘Boops’ too. I loved the way they experimented with a more ambient direction.” .

For more info and a free download track please check the microsite: www.strut-records.com/inspirationinformation