Now-Again Records

Egon’s Funk Archaeology at RBMA: Reconsidering Modal Jazz

Linked below: Egon’s newest Funk Archaeology post at Red Bull Music Academy’s website, this time focusing on new considerations in modal jazz, which fans of this label’s Spiritual Jazz anthology will certainly find intriguing.

The exclusive download this time around: a second selection from Zambia’s Broadway Quintet, a most unique band from Lusaka who issued one of the only jazz albums in the country’s glorious 70s epoch.

The New Series: Reconsidering Modal Jazz – Egon’s Funk Archaeology at Red Bull Music Academy.
The Old Series: Egon’s Funk Archaeology at NPR.
Download: Broadway Quintet “Nifo Fine.”

Egon’s Funk Archaeology, Now At RBMA: From Russia, With Funk

Egon’s long dormant Funk Archaeology series at NPR has moved to Red Bull Music Academy’s website. This series will continue as the NPR series did: in monthly installments that focus on hard to find, hard to define and, naturally, hard to resist music from the late 60s through the present day.

First up is “From Russia, With Funk,” a journey with Madlib and J.Rocc through the Motherland in search of psychedelic funk gems amidst the hundreds of thousands of records issued by the Soviet-label Melodiya from the 50s through the 90s. With a little help from two Russian record collecting double agents, of course.

And, as usual, we’re offering an exclusive download here: Aleksandr Zatsepin’s “Volki Gonyat Olenya” (“Wolves Chase Deer”) from the OST Between Sky And Earth, circa 1977, featuring the ubiquitous Russian funk-jazz-rock ensemble Ariel.

The New Series: From Russia, With Funk – Egon’s Funk Archaeology at Red Bull Music Academy.
The Old Series: Egon’s Funk Archaeology at NPR.
Download: Aleksandr Zatsepin with Ariel: “Wolves Chase Deer.”

Egon’s Funk Archaeology at NPR: The Shakuhachi Jazz of Minoru Muraoka

The latest post in Egon’s NPR series Funk Archaeology investigates the hard-to-describe music that shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) jazzer Minoru Muraoka recorded in the psychedelic era of the late 60s and early 70s. And, offered as a free download below, the Cut Chemist edit of Muraoka’s masterpiece “The Positive & The Negative” which Egon refers to in his piece.

Link: The Shakuhachi Jazz of Minoru Muraoka – Egon’s Funk Archaeology at NPR
Download: Minoru Muraoka: “The Positive & The Negative (Cut Chemist Edit).”
More: Egon’s Funk Archaeology at NPR.

Egon’s Funk Archaeology at NPR: Digging For $100 A Day

The latest post in Egon’s NPR series Funk Archaeology follows him on a trip to New York as he attempts to find five great records for less than $100. Well, we shouldn’t write “attempts:” since the column has been published, it’s obvious he succeeded. With that in mind, we’re offering an additional download by the Swedish psych-weirdo Prefix below – his altogether mind-blowing “Duke Of War.”

Link: It’s a Buyer’s Market: Digging For $100 A Day – Egon’s Funk Archaeology at NPR
Download: Prefix: “Duke of War.”
More: Egon’s Funk Archaeology at NPR.

Psych Rock Redefined – Egon’s Essential Reissues From 2011 On NPR

In his third annual reissue round-up, Egon discusses five of 2011’s essential reissues at NPR. This year, the focus is on redefining “psychedelic rock,” and includes entries by five record companies – Numero Group, Mr. Bongo, Light In The Attic, Faded Sunshine and Shadoks Music – sympathetic to Now-Again’s cause: finding the nexus between the best of 60s and 70s psych-rock and funk. Plug in, listen and, above all, try to support those imprints boldly going where no-one has gone before.

As a bonus to you, the visitor to Now-Again’s site, we’re offering a free download of WITCH’s “Toloka,” which Egon references in his piece but wasn’t included in NPR’s playlist. This song will be included on the WITCH 4 CD/6LP box set We Intend To Cause Havoc!, due out in May 2012.

Link: Psych Rock Redefined: Egon’s Top 2011 Reissues at NPR.
Download: WITCH “Toloka” from the forthcoming anthology We Intend To Cause Havoc! here.