Sights and Sounds: Poolside and Drama, Jazz pianist Hasaan Ibn Ali, Clint Roberts

 Here is a roundup of some recent music news updates I wanted to share...Robert Kinsler

POOLSIDE AND DRAMA SHARE NEW COLLAB "I FEEL HIGH"

Poolside and DRAMA are kicking off 2021 with a new collaboration entitled "I Feel High." "I Feel High (with DRAMA)" is a lean, up-tempo dance record that features vocals from DRAMA’s Via Rosa including spoken word passages plus additional percussion, synths and production from DRAMA’s Na’el Shehade. In a world filled with chaos, "I Feel High" aims to remind us to still focus on the ecstasy of simply being alive. LISTEN TO "I FEEL HIGH (WITH DRAMA) Poolside’s Jeffrey Paradise says of the collaboration, “DRAMA transformed the song from a classic laid back Poolside vibe into a banger for the club that is essentially a celebration of this ecstatic and sometimes reckless thing we call life.”  In speaking about the theme of the song, DRAMA says, “It’s all about that invincible feeling you get when you’re young, and out with your friends. In the moment you have this undeniable sureness that no matter what ‘this is not how I die’.” DRAMA continues, “And in that you fuel each other you become fearless and confident. When I was younger me and my friends would sneak back into the house after a night of partying, the first thing we’d ask each other before going inside is ‘do I look high?’ And although I really felt the need to incorporate that into the song for ‘personal nostalgia’ I think everyone has experienced that reality.”

The song arrives with a companion animated video by Michael McAfee.

Jazz pianist Hasaan Ibn Ali's 'Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album' has been found and will be released March 5, 2021 on Omnivore Recordings

Never-before-issued 1965 recording by this contemporary and colleague of John Coltrane includes liner notes by Alan Sukoenig and Lewis Porter

Restored from long-lost acetate copies of the sessions

Hasaan Ibn Ali (Photo by Larry Fink)

NEW YORK, N.Y. – “He had ideas as deep as the sea. I mean I never heard anybody, even today, play like that,” said tenor saxophonist Odean Pope of Hasaan Ibn Ali.

 

In 1964, drummer/composer Max Roach convinced Atlantic Records to record him with producer Nusuhi Ertegun at the helm. Sessions were held in December of 1964 and the resulting album, The Max Roach Trio Featuring the Legendary Hasaan, was released three months later. Atlantic invited Ali to record again in August and September of 1965, but before mixing sessions could turn the recorded material into a releasable album, Ali had become incarcerated on a narcotics possession. Atlantic shelved the album. Thirteen years later, that tape went up in flames in an Atlantic Records warehouse in Long Branch, N.J. For years a rumor circulated, that a copy of the sessions had been made, but attempts to locate it never turned up a source ... until recently.

  

Omnivore Recordings is proud to present this long-thought lost piece of jazz history, restored and mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer Michael Graves from a tape copy of long-lost reference acetates of the sessions, and with notes from producer Alan Sukoenig and author/pianist Lewis Porter. Street date for the package, titled Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album, and available on CD and Digital, is March 5, 2021.

 

The project, co-produced by Sukoenig and Grammy Award-nominated producer Patrick Milligan, and Grammy Award-winning producer Cheryl Pawelski, features the seven surviving tracks from the album sessions along with three surviving alternate takes. Packaging includes photos from December of 1964 by notable photographer Larry Fink, who refers to Ali as “the Prokofiev of jazz.”

 

Personnel on the August 23 and September 7, 1965 sessions that took place at Atlantic Studios in New York City were Hasaan, piano; Pope, tenor sax; Art Davis, bass; and Kalil Madi, drums. All are profiled in the liner notes.

 

From the liner notes: “The pianist, Hasaan Ibn Ali, whom saxophonist Odean Pope calls ‘the most advanced player to ever develop [in Philadelphia],’ had practiced intensively with John Coltranein the early 1950s and is thought, by Pope and others, to have been the influence behind Coltrane’s so-called sheets of sound as well as the harmonic approach that underlay Coltrane’s breakthrough Giant Steps, and also, with Earl Bostic, one of the two role models behind Coltrane’s strict work ethic. Yet he was rarely employed, even by musicians who respected his playing and his knowledge, thus leaving him with little chance to develop an audience. When he sat down at the piano at the Woodbine, an after-hours club in Philadelphia, all the horn players would leave the stand for they were unable to play with him, so unfamiliar were his harmonic concepts.”

 

Track Listing:

1. Atlantic Ones
2. Viceroy
3. El Hasaan
4. Richard May Love Give Powell
5. Metaphysics
6. Epitome
7. True Train
8. True Train (Short Version) [Bonus Track]
9. Viceroy (Short Version) [Bonus Track]
10. Atlantic Ones (Short Version) [Bonus Track]

Pre-sale link: www.omnivorerecordings.com/shop/metaphysics 

Clint Roberts' 'Rose Songs' out Feb. 26, 2021 via Carry On Music

Debut full-length album produced by Ben Fowler

 

 

Raleigh, NC (January 6, 2021) – Americana singer/songwriter and musician Clint Robertswill release his debut full-length album, Rose Songs, February 26 via Carry On Music. Pre-orders are available HERE. Recorded at Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios, the 12 song record was produced by Grammy Award Winning producer/engineer Ben Fowler (Sara Evans, Jameson Rodgers, Kip Moore) and is already receiving critical acclaim.

“…a roots-rock sound that should appeal to fans of Bruce Hornsby and Bob Dylan alike…”–Rolling Stone Country

 

“Roberts is a distinctive talent with the ability to capture emotion and offer insightful commentary on the human condition and the times we struggle with…”

“…deeply enjoyable…”  

–Cowboys & Indians

 

“Roberts emanates authenticity of Americana music with the boldness of roots-rock.”

–American Songwriter

 

In addition to Roberts’ (vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica), the album features a variety of renowned musicians including Gordon Mote (Piano, B3 Organ), Dan Dugmore (electric and steel guitar), Fred Eltringham (drums/percussion), Brian Sutton (acoustic guitar) and Mark Hill (bass).

 

Of the album, the Western N.C. native comments, “In some senses, this record is the end, symbolically, of some things in my past, but it’s also very much the beginning.” “There’s an elation that comes with this being my debut record, for all these years to be put into this craft, and all of these songs being a culmination of my efforts and experiences in the world. I really love this album and I hope that everyone else does, too.”

 

In anticipation of Rose Songs, Roberts released two tracks off the record—“Nero’s Waltz” and “The Drifter.” Listen HERE. 

 

Roberts is the first artist to sign both a label and management deal with Carry On Music — a partnership between the artist and the global music and management community. 

 

ROSE SONGS TRACK LIST

1. Nero’s Waltz

2. The Drifter

3. Nothing Left To Say

4. Just Like Heaven

5. Medicine

6. Annabelle

7. Amarillo

8. Broken Horns

9. Chrysalis

10. Carolina Moon

11. Nero’s Waltz (Acoustic)

12. The Drifter (Acoustic)

 

 

About Carry On Music

Carry On Music is a partnership between the artist community and a global music and management company led by music industry veteran Tom Lipsky. Carry On’s executive team has achieved success with such iconic artists as Rush, Neil Young, Robert Plant, Kiss, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Widespread Panic, The Steve Miller Band, and many more. With representatives in Raleigh, New York, Los Angeles and Nashville, Carry On Music represents a diverse roster of established artists, as well as developing new artists through its record label and artist management divisions. Carry On Music LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of CHNL Holdings, Inc. (NY).

Richard Pryor's first two albums - 'Richard Pryor' and 'Craps' (After Hours) - restored and expanded by Omnivore Recordings

I once was honored to see the late great Richard Pryor come on stage in a surprise and unannounced performance at a comedy club in Hollywood back in the mid-1980s. A true comedy legend, this is very exciting news...

Richard Pryor's first two albums - Richard Pryor and 'Craps' (After Hours) - restored and expanded by Omnivore Recordings, coming on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021

New editions of legendary comic's early albums contain 25 bonus tracks, including outtakes and sketches

Both packages have new liner notes from Scott Saul, author of "Becoming Richard Pryor"; 'Craps' (After Hours) features an introduction from award-winning writer Larry Karaszewski (Dolemite Is My Name)

Naming him the #1 stand-up comic of all time, Rolling Stone wrote of Richard Pryor: “Pryor was untouchable ... If [George] Carlin is the brain and conscience of comedy, Pryor is its guts and heart, and it’s unlikely the man referred to as the ‘Picasso of our profession’ — by no less than Jerry Seinfeld — will ever be topped.”

 

On February 26, 2021, Omnivore Recordings will release expanded editions of Pryor’s first two recordings, Richard Pryor and ‘Craps’ (After Hours). Both will be available on CD and Digital.

 

Scott Saul, author of Becoming Richard Pryor, wrote in his liner notes for the Richard Pryor reissue: “What you hold in your hands is something precious: both the landmark debut that was, and the piece of cultural dynamite that might have been. In its original form, Richard Pryor alerted the world that Pryor had stepped out of Bill Cosby’s long shadow and developed a style — surreal, nervy, improvisational — that was all his own.”

 

Richard Pryor, originally released in 1968, featured cover art (shot by legendary photographer Henry Diltz) that should have let the buyer know this was not your average comedy record. Pryor was at a career crossroads that year, when the album was recorded at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. He’d already become a regular on The Merv Griffin Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, and was signed to the same agency that handled the Beatles and the Supremes. But it wasn’t just his love of artistic freedom that pulled him toward what many looked at as defiance. Pryor wanted to not only change comedy, but how we look at ourselves and those around us.

 

Richard Pryor’s original eight tracks make up the first disc of this new edition, while the second disc contains 21 tracks from the out-of-print Evolution/Revolution: The Early Years (1966-1974) collection — originally co-compiled by producer Reggie Collins, who helms this new set along with Jennifer Lee Pryorand Grammy®-winning producer Cheryl Pawelski. Remastering is by Grammy®-winner Michael Graves.

 

In his introduction to the ‘Craps’ (After Hours) package by Larry Karaszewski (Golden Globe^® and Emmy^®-winning co-writer of Dolemite Is My Name, The People vs. Larry Flynt, American Crime Story, and more) writes: “This fascinating collection chronicles how Richard Pryor evolved from 1960s nightclub comedian to being the voice of his generation. The performances capture the moment where Richard Pryor stopped being polite. Where he took off his suit and tie and gloves. Where Pryor began to reflect what was happening in the streets and in the counterculture.”

Originally released in 1971, ‘Craps’ (After Hours) arrived on a new label, Laff Records. It also came from a tumultuous time in Pryor’s personal life. But this new arrangement and Pryor’s need to create saw him — for the first time since his earliest days in Peoria — performing in nightclubs that drew an almost entirely black audience. In these lively black clubs, he could say anything he wanted. and those parts of himself that had been buried, by shame or censorship, could now serve as his creative fuel.

 

The original 32 tracks from ‘Craps’ (After Hours) are now teamed with four bonus tracks from the out-of-print Evolution/Revolution: The Early Years (1966-1974) and No Pryor Restraint: Life In Concertcollections. Production and remastering credits are the same as for Richard Pryor.

 

Track listings:

Richard Pryor

DISC 1

1. Super Nigger
2. Girls
3. Farting
4. Prison Play
5. T.V. Panel Show
6. Smells
7. Army Life
8. Frankenstein

DISC 2

1. Peoria [Bonus Track]
2. Improv, Pt. 1 [Bonus Track]
3. Heart & Brain [Bonus Track]
4. Taxi Cabs & Subways [Bonus Track]
5. Playboy Club [Bonus Track]
6. Rumpelstiltskin [Bonus Track]
7. Slippin’ In Poo Poo [Bonus Track]

8. Birth Control [Bonus Track]
9. Nigger Babies [Bonus Track]
10. Faith Healer [Bonus Track]
11. Black Power [Bonus Track]
12. I Feel [Bonus Track]
13. Jail [Bonus Track]
14. Directions [Bonus Track]
15. Movie Stars In The Bathroom
16. War Movies [Bonus Track]
17. The Army [Bonus Track]
18. Hippy Dippys [Bonus Track]
19. Hank’s Place [Bonus Track]
20. Improv, Pt. 2 [Bonus Track]
21. Mankind [Bonus Track]

 

Craps (After Hours):

DISC 1

1. Gettin’ High
2. F**k From Memory

3. Big Tits
4. Gettin’ Some
5. The President
6. Ass-Hole
7. The Line-Up
8. Masturbating
9. Religion
10. Black Preachers

11. Being Born
12. Blow Our Image

13. Blackjack
14. I Spy Cops
15. Sugar Ray
16. White Folks
17. Indians
18. Ass Wupin’
19. Get A Dollar
20. Pres’ Black Baby
21. Dope
22. Wino Panthers
23. After Hours
24. 280 Pound Ass
25. Crap Game
26. Insurance Man
27. Black And Proud
28. Gettin’ The Nut
29. F**k The Faggot
30. Jackin’ Off
31. Snappin’ Pussy
32. Fartin’
33. Whorehouse, Pt. 1 [Bonus Track]
34. Whorehouse, Pt. 2 [Bonus Track]
35. Wino & Junkie (Alternate Version) [Bonus Track]
36. Attica (Behind Those Walls) [Bonus Track]

Pre-sale links:

http://omnivorerecordings.com/shop/richard-pryor-richard-pryor/
http://omnivorerecordings.com/shop/richard-pryor-craps-after-hours/

Catching up on 2020: Morrissey, Other Lives, Lettuce, Elbow

In this column I feature a handful of essential 2020 titles I didn't get to last year but are definitely worth exploring.

Artist: Morrissey

Title: I Am Not A Dog On A Chain (BMG)

You might like if you enjoy: Morrissey, the Smiths

Tell me more: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is an adage that Morrissey smashes to pieces on his aptly-titled album I Am Not A Dog On A Chain. The iconic English singer-songwriter delivers a batch of songs that find his biting appraisal of humanity (including himself), emotional isolation and comedic jabs wrapped up in an expanded soundscape including touches of electronica, blues, soul and other styles new in his work on his 13th solo release. My favorite tracks are the propulsive electronica-rock opener "Jim Jim Falls," dreamy sarcasm-aimed "Knockabout World," reflective "Once I Saw The River Clean," uplifting "Bobby, Don't You Think They Know," the latter featuring Morrissey's signature baritone  blending splendidly with the voice of 74-year-old R&B great Thelma Houston. Information: MorrisseyOfficial.com.

Artist: Other Lives

Title: For Their Love (ATO Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Radiohead, Phosphorescent, DeVotchKa

Tell me more: Other Lives offers up melancholy amidst experimental moodscapes on its outstanding fourth album For Their Love. Band leader Jesse Tabish and company have returned for the first time since 2015's Rituals and the long wait has come with a spirited collection of songs that defy categorization while somehow bridging the art rock of Radiohead with winning alternative Americana of Phosphorescent. The soaring "Cops," edgy "Lost Day," symphonic opus "All Eyes - For Their Love," beautiful "Dead Language," and evocative "We Wait" are among the standouts on the 10-track album. Information: otherlives.com.

Artist: Lettuce

Title: Resonate (Round Hill Music)

You might like if you enjoy: Steely Dan, Tower of Power, Project Tru

Tell me more: Blending funk and jazz with a masterful touch, virtuoso six-member troupe Lettuce returned in early 2020 with the intoxicating Resonate. Delivering a mostly-instrumental serving of original tunes, the funky romp "Blaze," fiery "Good Morning Mr. Shmink," immersive "Mr. Dynamite," shimmering "Silence Is Golden" and soulful "Remember the Children" are among the killer cuts on the disc. Jungle Boogie and Big Tony guest on the grooving "Checker Wrecker"; later Indrajit  Banerjee adds his imaginative Sitar playing on the driving "Moksha." Information: LettuceFunk.com.

VINYL REISSUES

Artist: Elbow

Titles: Asleep in the Back; Cast of Thousands; Leaders of the Free World; Dead in the Boot (Polydor Records / UMC)

You might like if you enjoy: Peter Gabriel, Radiohead, Doves

Tell me more: I discovered Elbow when I caught the English band perform an incredible set at Coachella in April 2011. I subsequently caught the group's headlining performance at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles later that year and am a true fan of Elbow's acclaimed discography. Led by lead singer and lyricist Guy Garvey, Elbow's sound is at once very familiar and very unique. Blending the sensibilities of prog rock greats such as Peter Gabriel-era Genesis and Porcupine Tree with the experimental craft of Radiohead, Elbow is one of rock's modern-day treasures. In addition to Garvey, the band includes Craig Potter (keyboards, piano, backing vocals), Mark Potter (guitar, backing vocals) and Pete Turner (bass guitar, backing vocals). Original drummer Richard Jupp was replaced by session drummer Alex Reeves in 2016.

Now Polydor Records has reissued Elbow's early albums on heavyweight vinyl and they sound amazing; the band's wonderful 2001 debut Asleep in the Back, impressive 2003 sophomore follow-up Cast of Thousands and seminal third disc Leaders of the Free World (2005) were issued on Sept. 25, 2020 and are worth adding to your collection. The additional good news is that this now means all eight of Elbow's full-length studio albums are on vinyl. In 2008, Elbow won the Mercury Music Prize for their fourth album The Seldom Seen Kid and they followed up that honor in 2009 by winning the Brit Award for Best British Group. Information: elbow.co.uk.

Robert Kinsler

New Year's Day Roundup: Andrew McMahon's 'New Year Song,' Barry Gibb and Dolly Parton collaboration, Yusuf / Cat Stevens releases new video

 Happy New Year's everyone! Hoping this year is better than last...Let's hope 2021 brings better days - Robert Kinsler

Listen to wonderful Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness track "New Year Song" available now with arrival of 2021

Singer-songwriter Andrew McMahon has unveiled a brand new song and it's worth sharing today on this first day of 2021. Here is the announcement from McMahon about the song:

"I’ve been on this earth a fair amount of years, most of them I’d count myself lucky while a handful have been quite challenging. If I’ve learned anything, they sneak up on you, the hard years, and this one was no exception. I won’t bore you with my story, since so many of our stories overlap these days. What I will say, is that in a year where I’ve spent more time behind a laptop than a piano, I woke up a couple weeks ago with a little hope in me and a song. I recorded it on my favorite piano at 4th Street in Santa Monica and had the amazing Suzy Shinn produce it a few days later in hopes of finding some speakers in time to wish you all well. Wherever this song finds you in life, whether you feel inclined to skip it or listen on repeat, I send it on with the sincere hope that whatever hardships and beauty you’ve encountered this year. you find half the hardship and twice as much beauty in the next."

Listen to McMahon's poignant "New Year Song" HERE.

BARRY GIBB AND DOLLY PARTON COLLABORATE ON “WORDS” OUT TODAY 

NEW ALBUM GREENFIELDS: THE GIBB BROTHERS SONGBOOK, VOL. 1 OUT JANUARY 8

THE BEE GEES: HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART DOCUMENTARY OUT NOW ON HBO MAX

Photo credit: Becky Fluke 

January 1, 2021—Two legendary artists—Barry Gibb and Dolly Parton—join forces on a new version of the beloved Bee Gees’ song, “Words,” out today. Listen/share HERE. 

“Words” is the third and final song unveiled from Gibb’s anticipated new album, GREENFIELDS: The Gibb Brothers Songbook, Vol. 1, which will be released next Friday, January 8 on Capitol Records (pre-order/pre-save). Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb, the record finds Gibb realizing his long-time dream of working with some of the artists he admires the most. In addition to Parton, the album features collaborations with Alison Krauss, Brandi Carlile, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (listen to “Butterfly”), Jason Isbell (listen to “Words of a Fool”), Jay Buchanan, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Olivia Newton-John, Sheryl Crow and Tommy Emmanuel. Watch the album’s official trailer HERE. 

Gibb continues to receive widespread attention ahead of the release, including an extensive profile at The New York Times, who praises, “Gibb’s voice on ‘Words of a Fool’ is strong but also spectral…Nearly six decades after he first sang on a record, it remains one of the most otherworldly instruments in popular music.” He was also recently featured as part of Rolling Stone’s “Musicians On Musicians” issue speaking with Jason Isbell and, last month, was a guest on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

In addition to the new album, Gibb is the subject of an acclaimed new documentary, The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart, directed by Frank Marshall. Out now on HBO Max, the Washington Post heralds, “magnificent…thorough and beautifully appreciative,” while The Hollywood Reporter calls it, “a warm blast of musical nostalgia” and the A.V Club asserts, “a fascinating, unprecedented story.” Watch the trailer HERE. 

photo credit: Desiree Prieto // album cover

Of recording GREENFIELDS, Barry Gibb shares, “From the first day we stepped into RCA Studios in Nashville (the very place where Elvis, Willie, Waylon, Roy, the Everly Brothers and so many other legends made their magic) the album took on a life of its own. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to work with Dave and all the artists who stopped by. They were all incredibly generous with their time and talent. They inspired me more than words can express. I feel deep down that Maurice and Robin would have loved this album for different reasons. I wish we could have all been together to do it…but I think we were.”

Dave Cobb comments, “It was truly an honor to work with one of my heroes. The Bee Gees’ first album has always been a staple for me and it was surreal to get to witness the genius of Barry Gibb in the studio—he’s one of the greatest of all time!”

With a career spanning more than five decades, Sir Barry Gibb stands as one of the most renowned and celebrated musicians of the modern era. As co-founder and creative leader of the Brothers Gibb—better known to the world as the Bee Gees—Barry with his brothers, Maurice and Robin, represent one of the most successful vocal groups in rock and roll history, having sold more than 200 million albums to date. With nine #1 singles as a performer, Barry is also amongst the most successful songwriters of all-time (with sixteen #1 singles) and is seventh on the list of most successful producers (with fourteen #1 singles). He is also tied with John Lennon and Paul McCartney for most #1 singles in a calendar year with seven. Among his many awards and honors are eight Grammy Awards, the Grammy Legend Award and, most recently, the 2015 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He is also the recipient of the American Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award, the BMI Icon Award, four BMI Songwriter of the Year Awards, four BMI Song of the Year Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2004, Barry received one of Britain’s highest honors when the Bee Gees were made Commanders of the British Empire and, in 2018, was Knighted “Sir Barry Gibb” by Prince Charles for his services to music and charity.

GREENFIELDS: THE GIBB BROTHERS SONGBOOK, VOL. 1 TRACK LIST 

 1. “I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You” with Keith Urban

   2. “Words of a Fool” with Jason Isbell

   3. “Run to Me” with Brandi Carlile

   4. “Too Much Heaven” with Alison Krauss

   5. “Lonely Days” with Little Big Town

   6. “Words” with Dolly Parton

   7. “Jive Talkin’” with Miranda Lambert, Jay Buchanan

   8. “How Deep Is Your Love” with Tommy Emanuel, Little Big Town

   9. “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” with Sheryl Crow

   10. “To Love Somebody” with Jay Buchanan

   11. “Rest Your Love On Me” with Olivia Newton-John

   12. “Butterfly” with Gillian Welch, David Rawlings

YUSUF / CAT STEVENS RELEASES MUSIC VIDEO FOR NEW VERSION OF “TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN,” OFFERING POIGNANT MESSAGE OF HOPE AND OPTIMISM FOR 2021

WATCH HERE

 

FROM NEW ALBUM, TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN², THE ACCLAIMED REIMAGINING OF HIS CLASSIC RECORD FOR ITS 50^TH ANNIVERSARY 

LISTEN HERE

 

 

Yusuf / Cat Stevens has shared a new music video for “Tea for the Tillerman” in a poignant message of hope and optimism for 2021. Watch Here

 

The new video arrives following a 2020 that saw spectacular celebrations for the 50^th anniversary of Cat Stevens’ classic era-defining album, Tea for the Tillerman. Reimagined, the newly recorded Tea for the Tillerman² saw Yusuf recast the same 11 songs for a new age with dramatic results.

 

Described as “a statement of intent, as pertinent today as it was when it came out in 1970” by GQ (UK), “a powerful way to track the passing of time" by the NME and a “fascinating project” by Forbes, the album received glowing reviews across the US and UK where it debut at #4 in the UK albums chart, marking Yusuf’s ninth UK top 10 album and highest charting studio release in over 40 years. Rolling Stone enthused, “The new renditions of the 11 Tea for the Tillerman tracks are not note-for-note recreations. In many cases, they are lusher than the sparse originals and some take surprising left turns, like a funkafied ‘Longer Boats’ featuring guest vocals from rapper Brother Ali. ‘Wild World,’ meanwhile, now sounds almost like a waltz. That said, Yusuf worked hard to maintain the same spirit of the originals.” Billboard exclaimed, “The reinvention upends many of the familiar arrangements, while staying blessedly true to the mission of the album—to explore life and oneself fearlessly” while American Songwriter declared, “the unmistakable, rich, booming voice of Yusuf / Cat Stevens is in fantastic form.” 

 

The new music video for ‘Tea for the Tillerman²’ bookends a series of striking new visual collaborations. “Where Do The Children Play?” saw Yusuf and acclaimed director Chris Hopewell, with Black Dog Films, exploring the possibilities of waste free music video production, with 90% of props and scenery made from recycled materials. The brilliantly eccentric “Wild World” combined elements of Wes Anderson, “Casablanca” and Bugsy Malone as child actors played out a Blackjack gambling duel. “On The Road To Find Out”’s journey of self-discovery recalled sci-fi classics such as “Star Wars,” “Dune” and even “Mad Max,” with an added touch of magic realism, and “Father & Son” saw a stunning stop-frame animation, again partnering with Hopewell, relocating the narrative into a modern, emotive suburban setting.

 

Following the widely acclaimed release of Tea for the Tillerman², December 2020 saw the 50th anniversary celebrations continue. Released only seven months apart in 1970, the two albums that first established Cat Stevens as his generation’s premier acoustic troubadour, then lifted him to international superstardom, Mona Bone Jakon and Tea for the Tillerman received Super Deluxe Collector’s Edition anniversary box set releases. Described as “joyously overwhelming" by Record Collector, and Uncut confirming that “half a century on, the naked intimacy of the songs still sounds fresh and alluring,” each are filled with unheard studio material, unreleased tracks, and a host of other rarities from this era.

 

A virtual festival celebrating the music of Yusuf / Cat Stevens closely followed. Over 40 artists including Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, HAIM, Feist, James Morrison, Brandon Boyd of Incubus, Passenger, as well as a host of rising talent, performed songs from across Yusuf’s entire catalogue, broadcast live to thousands of fans in an evening truly representative of the unity and spirit of inclusion that is an essential aspect of Yusuf’s perennial message of peace. Watch here.