ELLIOT BERGMAN (NOMO) MAKES NEW BATCH OF ELECTRIC KALIMBAS FOR UBIQUITY.
NOMO bandleader Elliot Bergman has just completed a set of beautiful electric kalimbas that we are happy to offer for sale. This limited edition of 20 (for 20 years of Ubiquity!) was handcrafted in Bergman’s workshop out of Alowood, a beautiful hardwood that is sustainably grown in the Pacific Northwest. These instruments sound great acoustically, but they really shine when plugged in to an amplifier or PA system. The kalimbas use piezo pickups to amplify the sound, and are fitted with a standard 1/4 jack so you can plug in to any guitar, keyboard or bass amp. Each electric kalimba is carefully tuned to a minor pentatonic scale, and can easily be retuned to any tonality by adjusting the tines. Bergman attests that this is his best batch of instruments to date, and that each instrument plays and looks great.
Bergman’s creations contribute heavily to the sound of NOMO and they have been featured in several NPR segments over the past few years.
UBIQUITY gears up for 20th Anniversary
As tweeted by Gilles Peterson: “Best US Record Label Of The Decade: Ubiquity Records (incorporating Luv N’Haight).”
The dawn of new decade means that 20 years have passed since the Groove Merchant record store opened up on Haight Street in San Francisco. Once the launch pad for the Ubiquity family of labels, the store is now run by renowned collector, DJ, and producer Chris Veltri. We’ll be celebrating our anniversary in multiple ways, including a new Groove Merchant compilation put together by Chris.
In the meantime we invite you to email us your top 20 tracks (across any of our 3 labels – Ubiquity, Luv N’Haight, CuBop.) We’ll take all submissions and compile a 20 Year Anniversary release. One customer, picked at random, will win 20 FREE albums for their submission.
Email your picks to 20@ubiquityrecords.com
In addition to the 20 year and Groove Merchant compilations, we’re looking forward to a special Record Store Day celebration release, a new Spring/Summer clothing line (hold-tight for the World Cup 2010 shirt!), we’ve collaborated on sneakers with the awesome folks at Feiyue, and will soon have some limited edition NOMO-built kalimbas amongst many other bits n’pieces available at www.ubiquityrecords.com
GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW - KING’S BALLAD (CD x LP) WORLDWIDE RELEASE ON FEBRUARY 9, 2010
“She’s incredible. She’s like Flack, Nina Simone, Ella, she’s something else. She’s like religion. It’s heavy, vibrational music. I’ve never heard a human being sing like this. Her voice is wildly, finely expressive. It’s so singular. It’s hip-hop, the way that she approaches it rhythmically, she’s got so many jazz influences. It’s something else and you can just feel it. With “Georgia Anne Muldrow Presents Ms. One (Someothaship) she’s like J. Dilla, the legendary producer. She makes her own beats, she rhymes, she sings, and she plays. If people love Amy Winehouse, they’re going to get their minds blown when they hear Georgia Anne Muldrow.”
- Mos Def (in a New York Times interview.)
SA-RA: Love Czars II / Serato Tone 12” + Limited Editon Package
Using “Love Czars” from their Nuclear Evolution album (Voted by Spin Magazine as one of the best albums of 2009,) as inspiration, the SA-RA Creative Partners create “Love Czars II” exclusively for this release.
This is not a remix (the music is completely different), and in a clash of heavyweight new schoolers, it features red hot MC/producer Jay Electronica and Ta’Raach on the mic. Also included is “Powder Bump”, a SA-RA track previously unavailable on vinyl.
Please note that this is a very special limited release with the music on one side and the Serato tone on the flip of Electric Indigo vinyl! This is an official Serato Control Vinyl release which works as a conventional 12” release on Side A, and is a Serato Control Vinyl release on Side B. Available November 3.
Order the special limited edition pack with matching slipmats!
25 lucky customers who purchase the double pack will be randomly picked to win a SA-RA 12″ previously unavailable anywhere outside of Japan. Those who’ve already placed their orders for the limited edition pack have been automatically entered. CLICK HERE OR ABOVE IMAGE TO ORDER.
Sa-Ra Nuclear Revolution update and more
Shafiq Husayn has recently completed his full-length album called Shafiq En’ A-Free-Ka, (already causing a huge buzz), plus work on the new Erykah Badu, Bilal and Sleepy Brown LPs.
Om’Mas Keith is currently producing and writing for P. Diddy’s upcoming album (Last Train to Paris), and co-stars in his new MTV reality show, “Making His Band”. He’s also been serving as MD for rapper Jim Jones, lecturing with the Red Bull Music Academy, managing fresh musical talent and pursuing his acting/voice-over career.
Taz Arnold has finished his solo album on Ti$a Records which is set for release in the Fall. The first single, “South Side Blood Cuzn” will be out late July with accompanying video. He’s been producing and funding his own projects, i.e. “Vote Obama” and “Ti$a Mission Statement”, amongst other joints he’ll drop in the following weeks. Check the Ti$a commercial out on YouTube - more insight on the album and movement.
And if you haven’t already. Here’s the first leak of SA-RA’s “Nuclear Evolution - “Bitch Baby”.
http://www.ubiquitypodcast.com/podcast/S ARA_BitchBaby.mp3