Keith Mansfield~Alan Hawkshaw ‎– The Big Beat

Year : 1969

Label : KPM

Genre : Jazz, Funk/Soul

Style : Beat, Easy Listening, Soul Jazz

KPM is the most famous british music libary label specialized in background music for TV shows, films & advertising. The Big Beat (KPM No. 1044) is among the most popular recording of the KPM 1000 series including various tracks composed by Keith Mansfield & Alan Hawkshaw whose three extracted from The Champ album by the Alan Hawkshaw group's The Mohawks ("Rocky Mountain Runabout", "Beat Me 'Til I'm Blue" & "Senior Thump"). Keith Mansfield is a conductor, arranger and composer in charge of many soundtracks and background music for various British TV's shows. He collaborated with Dusty Springfield, american Jazz songstress Salena Jones or trumpeter Maynard Fergusson. Alan Hawkshaw is a keyboardist best known as former member of The Shadows during the seventies and session musician for David Bowie, The Rolling Stone or French singer Serge Gainsbourg ("Vu De L'Extérieur", Rock Around The Bunker & "L'homme A Tête De Choux"). A lot of KPM materials produced by Mansfield & Hawkshaw have been sampled by U.S. Hip-Hop artists (Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, Madlib, Gnarls Barkley among others) and recycled by cinema such as "Move, Move, Move" (Hawkshaw) in "Nacho Libre" in 2006 or "The Astro Daters" (Mansfield) in "Kill Bill". 

SIDE A : Keith Mansfield - Exclusive Blend / Alan Hawkshaw - Studio 69 / Alan Hawkshaw - Work Out / Alan Hawkshaw - Rocky Mountain Runabout / Alan Hawkshaw - Beat Me 'Til I'm Blue / Alan Hawkshaw - Roving Reporter / Alan Hawkshaw - Senior Thump / Alan Hawkshaw - Tap Footer  

SIDE B : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Travelogue / Keith Mansfield - Teenage Ton Up / Alan Hawkshaw - Delivery Date / Alan Hawkshaw - A Touch Of Nonsense / Alan Hawkshaw - Man On The Move / Keith Mansfield - The Mexican D.J. / Alan Hawkshaw - Debsville / Keith Mansfield - Red Square Stomp

Jimmy Takeuchi & His Exciters - Pops Best 24

Year : 1971

Label : Toshiba

Serie : Drum Drum Drum Series

Genre : Jazz, Rock

Style : Pop, Funk/Soul, Rock&Roll

First volume of three compilation series including cover songs of western Pop hits & Rock 'N Roll standards recorded by Jimmy Takeuchi from the late 60's to early 70's, featuring The Beatles, Simon, & Garfunkel, The Ventures, Elvis Presley, Bill Halley among others. This compilation brings together various songs previously released on others Jimmy Takeuchi's albums of the "DRUM DRUM DRUM" Toshiba series, divided in four cover themes (one for each side) including "Hits Of The Ventures" on side A (SAMPLE), "Hits Of The Beatles" on side B (SAMPLE), "Hits Of Pop" on side C (SAMPLE) and at last, "Hits Of Rock 'N Roll" on side D (SAMPLE). Although not best as the originals, some tracks are definitely worth listening such as amazing variation of jazz standard "Caravan", "Come Together", the Shocking Blue's "Venus", "Be Bop A Lula" and a insane version of "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris. All tracks performed by Jimmy Takeuchi & His Exciters, arranged by Kunihiko Suzuki.

Tom Scott & The L.A. Express - Tom Cat

Year : 1975
Label : Ode Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk

The Last of two albums for Tom Scott featuring The L.A. Express before to continue their own career. The quartet back to the original formation of the "Miles Of Aisles" live performance, as backing band of folk-rock songstress Joni Mitchell, Joe Sample and Larry Carlton leaving the band replaced by Larry Nash & Robben Ford. The influence from the two Crusaders is still being felt on "Tom Cat", including the killer funk "Rock Island Rocket", "Love Poem" featuring Joni Mitchell & the spanish fusion "Rondo".

MUSICIANS : Tom Scott - woodwinds, percussion, keys - Robben Ford - electric & accoustic guitar - Max Bennett - bass - Larry Nash - electric Piano, organ, synthesizer  -  John Guerin - drums, percussion 

Tom Scott And The L.A. Express (Self-Titled)

Year : 1974
Label : Ode Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk

The L.A. Express is a Los Angeles supergroup originally formed in 1973 as backing band for jazz saxophonist Tom Scott, playing crossover jazz featuring the two Crusaders, Larry Carlton & Joe Sample. The band was recruited by Joni Mitchell for her live performance in 1974 (Miles Of Aisles) and later for the studio album, "Hissing Of Summer Lawns" in 1975. Tom Scott is a saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist, former member of the legendary Blues Brothers band, session musician for Gabor Szabo, Quincy Jones, Billy Cobham, George Harrison, Paul McCartney or The Grateful Dead, and composer of famous TV series themes "Starsky & Hutch" and "The Streets Of San Francisco". Titles include four Scott's compositions "King Cobra", "Easy Life", "Spindrift", "Strut Your Stuff" and variation of "Dahomey Dance" by John Coltrane.

MUSICIANS : Tom Scott - horns, woodwind - Joe Sample - keyboards - Larry Carlton - guitar - Max Bennett - bass - John Guerin - drums & percussion

Kazuo Yashiro Trio - Black Nag

Year : 1969
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Takt Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Post Bop, Soul Jazz, Bossa Nova

"Black Nag" is an essential japanese jazz album, one of the most wanted "Takt Jazz Series" recorded by pianist Kazuo Yashiro and mixed by famous engineer Okihiko Sugano, the japanese Rudy Van Gelder. The album is a succession of various styles from Bossa Nova (Carolina, Favela) to Soul Jazz (Black Coffee, Georgia On My Mind) by Ragtime (Marionette Blues, Lady Madonna), including also pop variations (Love For Sale) and up-tempo (Favela) produced by the drums & bass duo, Masanaga Harada and the band leader of The Exciters, drummer Jimmy Takeuchi. The iconic title-track was selected in the "Shibuya Jazz Classics" & "Midnight Tokyo (Club Jazz Music)", two famous compilations, supervised by Sleep Walker & Konishi Yasuharu.

LISTEN SAMPLE

A Day In The Life ~ The Beatles by Various Artists

The popular cover songs from The Beatles performed by the giants of Jazz, Soul & Pop music. The group forever marked the history of music as evidenced these eighteen incredible tracks, recorded between 1966-1974, featuring Ella Fitzgerald, Grant Green, Ramsey Lewis, Sergio Mendes, Jackie Wilson, Sandie Shaw & many more... Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Brazilian Tapestry Vol. 2

More Latin grooves from Pop, Bossa Nova & Jazz Samba performed by various brazilian and american artists, a compilation of 24 amazing songs recorded between 1965-1971 featuring Quincy Jones, Baden Powell, Marcos Valle, Gal Costa, Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Claudette Soares & many others... All tracks compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Jimmy Takeuchi by Be Hard Bop - The Exciting Drumming Beat Pops Vol. 2

Compilation dedicated to the japanese jazz drummer Jimmy Takeuchi & his legendary Exciters group, in a selection of several popular killer tunes released for the famous Toshiba 'DRUM DRUM DRUM' serie, also known for its singular sexy covers. All tracks were recorded between 1968 to the early seventies, include demonstrations of powerful drum technic made of frantic beats & ingenious breaks, speaking in a skillful blend of Japanese Pop, Rock&Roll, Jazz & Soul music. Titles include pop cover songs, classics of Surf Music from the Ventures or the Surfaris and Rock 'N' Roll standards from Elvis Presley, The Beatles or The Animals. Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Jimmy Takeuchi by Be Hard Bop - The Exciting Drumming Beat Pops

Compilation dedicated to the japanese jazz drummer Jimmy Takeuchi & his legendary Exciters group, in a selection of several popular killer tunes released for the famous Toshiba 'DRUM DRUM DRUM' serie, also known for its singular sexy covers. All tracks were recorded between 1968 to the early seventies, include demonstrations of powerful drum technic made of frantic beats & ingenious breaks, speaking in a skillful blend of Japanese Pop, Rock&Roll, Jazz & Soul music. Titles include pop cover songs, classics of Surf Music from the Ventures or the Surfaris and Rock 'N' Roll standards from Elvis Presley, The Beatles or The Animals. Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

A Soul Flavor

Rare Deep Soul & Funk Relics released from 1966 to 1971, featuring Sly & The Family Stone, Spanky Wilson, Freda Payne, Billy Garner, Kool & The Gang, Marie Queenie Lyons, Ann Sexton, Nina Simone & many more... All tracks compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Fabiano Orchestra - Butterfly Island

Year : 2013/1980
Label :  Superfly Records/Franck R. Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Fusion, Créole

Superfly Records reissue of rare French West Indies treasure recorded in Guadeloupe & mixed at Platinium Factory, New York. "Fabiano Orchestra" is a Jazz Créole-Fusion  group based in Guadeloupe featuring drummer/percussionist Jean-François Fabiano surrounded by Caribbean and prestigious american jazz musicians including Bunny Brissett (former chorist for the Sly&Robbie band), Clifford Jordan (flute), Hannibal Peterson (trumpet), Carter Jefferson  from Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers (saxophone). Titles the killer jazz funk tune "Half Moon Bay", "Fo Ça Changé" & "Pointe Des Châteaux", both played in the typical Jazz créole style, the gwoka (Guadeloupe folk) "Créole", and the pure reggae rockers "Rastaman Rock" featuring Bunny Brissett.