Image used courtesy of Ruby Woo, Docuphonic

GUESTMIX002 | Tamar Osborn (Collocutor) (March 2014) by Soul-Identity Music on Mixcloud

We first came across the name Collocutor, when On The Corner Records boss Pystol Pete passed us a cheeky test press of an Emanative remix of the track ‘Instead’. The tune was as it happened super nice, the kind of low-slung electronic masterpiece more people should get excited about but probably won’t without some serious prompting (consider this a nudge). As it happens, the person behind Collocutor is Tamar Osborn, a saxophonist who for the past five years been performing with Dele Sosimi’s famed Afrobeat Orchestra as well a number of other Afro inspired outfits including Emanative’s live collective (check the Sun Ra inspired  ‘Love In Outer Space’ for a taster of that particular vibe). Collocutor is her first solo project, created with it’s primary focus to showcase her original production work. Needless to say having played the tune out a couple of times on a BIG system, we wanted to find out a little more about Tamar and her plans.

Digging a little deeper (as we do) it turns out that there’s a full album in the works (to be produced by that man Nick ‘Emanative’ Woodmansey and to be released through On The Corner this summer) and the first proper single to be culled from that collection is ‘Archaic Morning’. We got a sneak preview and in its original form, the track in question is a rather dreamy Middle-Eastern flavoured modal jazz tune, not too unlike something you would have picked up on Atlantic Records by Brother Yusef Lateef back in the late 60s, early 70s or (if you weren’t alive back then) perhaps even the late 90s! Clocking in at just over seven and a half minutes, the track is a masterful take on classic deep jazz, beginning as it does with a little loose percussion which when paired with the bass, slowly unravels into a hypnotic groove upon which flute, tenor sax and trumpet combine to produce the intoxicating lead melody.

Also included in the package is a more housier remix which is conducted by a newcomer to our ears, Antoine Abayomi. Not much is known about this gentleman aside from his location of Paris by way of West Africa but one thing is for certain, he can certainly produce a tropical banger, channelling as he does the original’s Eastern promise into a fully functioning warehouse ready drum track. Stripping the original right back to it’s bare bones, gone is the wistful sound of congas and triangles and instead a great big rolling bassline, reminiscent of late 00’s UK Funky, takes centre stage. A simple but effective percussive take on dance music that is sure to be heard on the more adventurous dancefloors in coming month.

Stream both tracks in their entirety below and if you’d like to have both delivered to your inbox on their release March 24th, there’s a handy pre-order option on the On The Corner Bandcamp site.

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Tamar very kindly left us with the first part of a two-part inspirations mix. As you can imagine it’s heavy on the jazz (which we certainly are not afraid of!) as well as touches of Afrobeat, Brazilian and other assorted worldwide flavours. If you are in need of something soothing to listen to this afternoon you can stream the mix above or via our Mixcloud page. Also look out for the second part to drop next week on our sister site The Jazz Meet along with a full Q&A with the saxophonist.

TRACKLIST

Miles Davis – Solea (LP, Sketches of Spain [Bonus Tracks])
Abdullah Ibrahim, Cecil McBee, Roy Brooks – Ishmael (LP, Banyana)
Charles Mingus – Fables Of Faubus (LP, Mingus Ah Um)
Wallias Band – Muziqawi Silt (LP, The Very Best Of Éthiopiques [Disc 1])
Bassekou Kouyate / Ngoni Ba – Jonkoloni (LP, Segu Blue)
The Headhunters – Mugic (LP, Survival Of The Fittest)
Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood Of Breath – Do It (LP, Brotherhood)
Steve Reich And Musicians – First Movement [Fast] (extract) (LP, The Desert Music)
Fiium Shaarrk – We Advance Covered (LP, No Fiction Now!)
Elis Regina – Yê Melê (LP, Brazilian Beats 5)
Jessica Lauren Four – The Name Of Fela Will Always Stand For Freedom (LP, Jessica Lauren Four)
Dr. John – I Walk On Guilded Splinters (LP, Gris-Gris)
Krar Collective – Ende Eyerusalem (LP, Ethiopia Super Krar)
Dele Sosimi – Omo Mo Gba Ti E (LP, Identity)
Wayne Shorter – JuJu (LP, JuJu [Japan])
Éder Quartet – Shostakovich: String Quartet #8 – Allegretto (LP, Shostakovich: String Quartets #1, 8 & 9)
Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics – Chik Chikka (LP, Inspiration Information)
Polar Bear – Held On The Tips Of Fingers (LP, Held On The Tips Of Fingers)
Herbie Hancock – Ostinato (Suite for Angela) (LP, Mwandishi)
Josephine Davies – Paranoid Dementia (LP, Elation)