Nostalgia77

… sticky meters …

ben — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:28:16 +0000

It’s been a while in the making but the forth nostalgia 77 LP is now off the board and on it’s way to be mastered. All this in spite of a sticky meter. More on this as soon as i know what’s happening with the release, all i can say is there’s some new songs with a great new singer along side a lot of regular faces in the nostalgia 77 line up. I’m working on cover’s with the mysterious Mr Kenny and may be even a video. Most importantly I’m really pleased about the music and excited about getting out and playing a new set of shows. Beware the sticky meter but we are stronger!

…recent recordings to recommend…

ben — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:52:14 +0000

As well as work on a new nostalgia 77 LP (more on that soon) I’ve been busy working in the studio with some great bands and artists. James Allsopp’s Golden Age of Steam record is out now on the Babel label . It’s a great trio with Kit Downs & Tim Giles, both who’ve done some nostalgia 77 gigs from time to time. Also coming soon on Babel will be records by Twelves Trio & Outhouse in the coming months. Riaan Vosloo’s Twelves Trio is actually a quartet with guitar, very groovy & abstract. Outhouse also featured a guitarist on their record, the amazing & enigmatic Hillmar Jensen. This Sunday we go in to do a final days tracking for Rory Simmons’s project Fridge Magnetic - the first days tracking was great and the mixes I’ve heard coming back are sounding great too. Also just of the desk is an LP for guitarist, singer songwriter Kaz Simmons. Beautiful songs by kaz and great arrangements by RIaan Vosloo. I hope you enjoy tracking down some on this music, once everything’s released I’ll be getting some clips up on the site, as always expect the best tracked jazz records since way back when!

…museum & the black arts library…

ben — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:41:25 +0000

A little while ago when I first started making music I was part of a collective called museum. We all started learning production together and co produced a compilation called Museum. My productions were under the name of the Hermit. It’s a name which some friends condone but which confound many others, however regardless of how suitable people find it, everyone seems to find it entertaining which I take some small comfort in. The other inmates where 3rd Party, Keno1, the Contortionist & Art and Craft. Art and Craft now runs a site called the black arts library, and low an behold you can now download the original museum compilation free of charge there. He asked me to tell you so please have a look here….

…100 club in May…

ben — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:27:57 +0000

This May 8th I’m happy to say a version of the Nostalgia 77 band will be performing music from the new LP Smile by my Skeletons project. To help me celebrate we’re going to have Larry ‘ stonephace ‘ stabbins on board for a few of our tunes and he’s promised to bring some of his own Stonephase tunes for us to play. We’re also happy to announce we’ll also be joined by Jeb Loy Nichols. I was lucky enough to help Jeb produce his recent LP, Strange Faith and Practice. As such some of his songs feel close to my heart and I think will fit right in along side the skeleton’s and stonephase’s repetoire. Expect some dark psychedelic jazz and spirited story telling.

Support on the night comes from DJ Natural Self who will be diggin jazz for us in between our show and a warm up appearance by Lizzy Parks in an acoustic duo.

Check out a free download from the LP on the skeletons bandcamp page.

Tickets are available from ticketweb. It’s an AGMP concert.

…new skeletons project out now…

ben — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:38:08 +0000

I’ve just released a new CD and LP under the name Skeletons. The LP’s called smile and to celebrate we’re doing 300 vinyl copies each with a hand letterpress printed cover by the brilliant Stephen Kenny at a two pipe problem. You can check out samples, buy a CD or place an order for one of the records at etchshop, plus there’s audio clips and lots more info on this and other releases coming up over at the impossible ark website.

The record combines my long running interest of recording jazz musicians with influences from around the work, african highlife and afrobeat, latin american rhythms, North American funk & soul and Jamaican production. There’s some great performances from faces you may recognise from previous nostalgia 77 records. A long overdue reunion with Alice Russell on the track Adam and Eve and some new talented faces.

Here’s a taster of a tribute to the master of the Ethiopian sound on his eponymous track Mulatu.

…afro funke this thursday…

ben — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:50:28 +0000

…dj tour north american dates…

ben — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:29:29 +0000

…st georges, bristol cancelled…

ben — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:03:39 +0000

Hi All, just a quick note to say that due to the snow St Georges in Bristol have postponed the planned show for tomorrow, Thursday 14th January. We’re all disappointed, please stay posted for a new date as soon as we have one. This was going to be our first outing to Bristol so we’re determined to see it come through when the snows have cleared. Stay safe and warm.

…ghetto istanbul…

ben — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:04:10 +0000

This Friday 4th December 2009 I’m traveling to this magic city to play a set at Ghetto, Istanbul. More live dates closer to home in the new year. If you happen to be in Istanbul see you there.

…drey, fink, bonobo…

ben — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:12:02 +0000

I spent a day in the studio last week recording and mixing three acoustic tracks for Andreya Triana supported by Finn (Fink) and Simon Green (Bonobo). Needless to say it didn;t look like this - i found this on internet! Anyway I just heard that a week later and they’re on the Peterson show. Good tunes, good Nostalgia 77 sound. You can listen again here >> Tracks are about half way through the show. Thank you Andreya for a nice day in the studio.