Tramp Germany Vinyl & CDs

Review: Lucky Brown continues his relentless quest to keep the spirit of deep funk alive with this latest LP drop on his spiritual home of Tramp Records. The Seattle funkateer has been credited with keeping authenticity and gritty flair at the heart of his sound and that comes through by the bucketload on this essential record from the archives of his band The Funk Revolution. Pulled from the heady, spiritual living room sessions from which his 2011 Tramp debut was compiled, this is the first half of a veritable feast of hot and heavy jams from a band locked into something just beyond their comprehension, like all the best funk should be.

Review: Movements Vol.12 fills a bag of rare rhythm & blues, mod-jazz, and mid '70s funk. Launching on a note of obscure rhythm and blues from the 60s, most of the tracks heard thence were sifted from "hopelessly obscure" 7" singles; hopelessly obscure, that is, until now, when many a ravenous compilation curator seek to restore their honour. With most of the tracks doused in vocal reverb, and coming filled with oodles of commonsensical wisdom and everyday tootling advice, we segue from deepfunk to big band to mood jazz and then back to funk, the most impressive in the lattermost category having got to be the 4 Dimensions' 'Hipper Snapper' and Gus Brendel's 'Sax On The Rocks'; the instrumental side of the record is especially great.

Review: Frederic Rabold's career, spanning over six decades, is celebrated in this deluxe double gatefold vinyl LP, which captures the essence of his significant contributions to modern jazz. Born in Paris in 1944, Rabold transitioned from violin to trumpet, influenced early on by his jazz musician father and the vibrant French jazz scene. His formative years included playing alongside his father and later establishing his own band, the Frederic Rabold Crew, in 1968. The Crew gained prominence within the German jazz landscape, leading to performances at major festivals and extensive tours through Eastern Europe. This collection features key tracks from Rabold's extensive discography, including rare recordings and previously unseen photographs. Notable highlights include 'Noon in Tunisia' and the 1970s album 'Flair.' Throughout his career, Rabold collaborated with jazz luminaries like Gunter Hampel and Lester Bowie, reflecting his versatility and deep-rooted passion for modern jazz.

Review: Tiny but big-hearted German label Tramp Rec. share Praise Poems, their latest journey deep into the heart of funk music. A curators' comp like few others, Tramp's tracking-down and selection efforts are little-matched here, and their assurances are comparably thorough. For example: "this album needs time and patience to be fully understood. Be prepared to listen to this album in tranquillity. If you do not do so you will most likely rate this release one out of five stars." The mystification of a records by the issuer prescribing how one might listen to it is an old and well-known trick, but we think it may genuinely apply in this case: Gemstones' 'Cold Soul', Cookie Thomas' 'Black Velvet Soul' and Lee Stone's 'What Is Life' are all examples of soft-spoken rarities. All the tracks here, in fact, were recorded courteously and dynamically, and not bombastically; such was characteristic of the best Latin and North American blues, jazz and funk of the 70s.

Review: Tramp Records presents the first all-German edition of The Peace Chant series here and includes liner notes in German and with English translation. Focused on rare recordings from German musicians of the mid-70s to mid-80s, this collection reveals an experimental era where artists blended jazz, rock, pop, electronic and world music, birthing what would later be known as.... krautrock. Unlike conventional compilations, The Peace Chant highlights lesser-known musicians who took a "spiritual advisor" role, infusing jazz and pop influences into the movement. Thanks to Tramp Records, these obscured yet impactful sounds now find new light.