{"title":"Junius Paul","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"makaya-mccraven-feat-ben-lamar-gay-junius-paul-nick-mazzarella-highly-rare","title":"Makaya McCraven (feat. Ben LaMar Gay, Junius Paul \u0026 Nick Mazzarella) - Highly Rare","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003eHighly Rare is a new mixtape produced \u0026amp; arranged by Makaya McCraven.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt’s titled Highly Rare not only for the format of its initial release (a limited-edition run of cassettes packaged in screen-printed, string-sealed, firecracker red envelopes), but foremost for the context of the source material’s capture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe sounds were recorded to four track cassette tape at a DIY show packed into the confines of Chicago dive Danny's Tavern, a place definitely not known for having live bands, let alone live recordings. It's a place known to vinyl heads both locally and globally as a legendary hub in the crate digger diaspora. It's the place where Jeff Parker learned how to DJ. It's the place where Dante Carfagna held down a rare soul party for over a decade, where he first dropped public needles on 45s that would eventually make compilations he curated for Numero Group and Chocolate Industries. It's the place where DJ Shadow still does sets on the low when he rolls through town.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd on one highly rare night in November 2016 Danny's was the place where we invited an \"International Anthem All Stars\" type of improvising ensemble (Makaya McCraven, Junius\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ePaul, Nick Mazzarella and Ben Lamar Gay) to play in support of DJ sets by LeFtO, who was in transit from Belgium, hitting local spots under the direction of Chicago scene sage King Hippo. Damn-near 0 degrees and just days after the death sentence of the American presidential election, the sounds the musicians conjured were thick with the bitter cold darkness that hung heavy in the air, punctuated with moments of joyful determination – the kind that can only be accessed when such impending doom triggers passionate adrenalized bursts by creators in survival mode.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCogent as the cultural context of that November night at Danny's is the compositional prowess that Makaya exercised in post to make Highly Rare the impressive final piece it is. Demonstrating a deeply attuned development of the production approach he forayed in the creation of his 2015 breakout In The Moment, Makaya again took stereo mixes of the full band improvisations into his lab to edit, loop, layer and arrange the tracks, tediously constructing a vivid new slate of sounds that tell an infinitely more colorful tale than the straight takes ever could. The rough and raw edges of low fidelity cassette recording combine with the elegance and wit of Makaya McCraven's production touch to make Highly Rare a highly relevant artifact in the ever-unfolding history of Chicago style creative music.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003ca\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"credits-label\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased November 17, 2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMakaya McCraven – drums, producer \u0026amp; arranger\u003cbr\u003eJunius Paul – bass guitar\u003cbr\u003eNick Mazzarella – alto saxophone\u003cbr\u003eBen Lamar Gay – cornet, diddley bow, voice\u003cbr\u003ewith cameos by\u003cbr\u003eGira Dahnee – background voice\u003cbr\u003eLeFtO - turntables\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded to Tascam 424MKIII cassette 4-track by Scott McNiece at Danny's Tavern, Chicago, Illinois, November 20th, 2016. Mixed by Dave Vettraino and Scott McNiece at Dave's house, November 23rd, 2016. Edited by Makaya McCraven December 2016 - March 2017. Restored and Mastered by Timothy Stollenwerk April - June 2017. Cassette Package Design by Dante Augustus Scarlatti. Cover Photo by Jesse Ponkamo. Design \u0026amp; Layout by Craig Hansen. Executive Production by Scott McNiece, with Associate Production by Alejandro Ayala and David Allen.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"license-label\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"license\" class=\"info license\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cc-icons commercial\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eall rights reserved\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"International Anthem","offers":[{"title":"Classic Black Vinyl LP","offer_id":53918414274901,"sku":"IARC0013LP","price":22.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1049\/0419\/6437\/files\/a1953903881_10.jpg?v=1779451426"},{"product_id":"junius-paul-ism","title":"Junius Paul - Ism","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003ePolychromatic low tone poems,\u003cbr\u003efree form funk flight\u003cbr\u003e\u0026amp; Great Black Music\u003cbr\u003eturn the page to a brand new chapter in the Chicago sound.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLiner Notes by Ayana Contreras:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIsm opens audaciously with the spiritual mic-check “You Are Free To Choose,” a track that features Junius Paul alongside Vincent Davis (drums), Justin Dillard (piano), and Corey Wilkes (horns).\u003cbr\u003eThis is by no accident. In many ways, “You Are Free To Choose” captures the spirit of Junius Paul’s artistic roots. Corey, Justin, and Vincent were among the multigenerational cadre of Chicago musicians present when Junius chose to follow his own path of creative discovery at the storied Velvet Lounge on the South Side of the city back in October of 2002.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThough the origins of his craft go back to playing in church, his creative instrumental voice really developed during jam sessions at clubs like The Velvet alongside members of the AACM, or Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. It was iron sharpening iron, the most natural form of knowledge transfer. He explained Velvet’s vibe in 2018: “It’s like in Africa.... If you had\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ethis society of diviners or medicine people, or you know, sages… The Velvet stuff is not secret; but there are certain aspects of it… if you weren’t there, you weren’t there.” The Velvet Lounge closed in 2010.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“It was very much like church. I had some unbelievable spiritual experiences there. You can feel this thing inside of you. There were moments at the Velvet Lounge that were so magical that I’d get scared. I remember a night with Vincent Davis. It was like, oh my God. He can play with that intensity for that long. The Velvet Lounge was the first time I experienced anything like that. I didn’t think that people could do that. And it scared me. You think you’ve heard [some things]… and then you hear something that completely destroys anything that you thought you knew.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBack in the sixties and seventies, Chess Records’s Ter-Mar Studios was just a few blocks away from where The Velvet sat beginning in 1983. Chess was where some of Junius’s idols (like guitarist Pete Cosey and producer Charles Stepney) recorded some of his favorite albums. He sees himself as a part of that lineage. “I come from that... It’s special to be a part of that magic.” Junius still drives back to the club’s former location. “Every time I pass there” he notes, “the memories flood back.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Fred Anderson and a Half” and “Ma and Dad” were both were recorded at the first of two June 2016 sessions Junius led at Comfort Station (a historic trolley stop turned art gallery on Chicago's Northwest side). They both were also named in tribute to people who helped form him. “Fred Anderson and a Half” for the musician and proprietor of The Velvet, and “Ma and Dad” for his parents, who helped guide his musical journey from an early age. Both of his parents are musical, his father was at one time a DJ. Meanwhile, his stepfather was instrumental in introducing Junius to deep cuts by artists like Miles Davis and Jackie McLean, helping to shape his musical worldview. All of these influences are clear in the Comfort Station recordings. “For a while, I wanted [these sessions] to be the album,” Junius adds. “They are very unique,” and come “from the Velvet Lounge family,” featuring Junius alongside Tomeka Reid and Isaiah Spencer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Spocky Chainsey Has Re-Emerged” was recorded live one summer evening in 2016 at the Polish Triangle (the busy Chicago intersection of Division, Ashland and Milwaukee Avenue). The cut takes up a whole side of the LP, but stays lean, slinking and swinging for its duration. Junius notes that “the familiarity [of the players] showed itself… from playing together all of those years,” relationships that trace back to the Velvet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn “Georgia,” a sexy, smoky bop featuring Junius’ casual slap bass technique and Justin Dillard’s lounge-bred organ is flipped digitally by drummer and friend Makaya McCraven.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Baker’s Dozen,” featuring Isaiah Spencer on drums, Rajiv Halim on sax and Jim Baker on his outrageous ARP synthesizer, was recorded live at the second of the two Comfort Station sessions and flipped by Makaya McCraven, who highlighted the crunchy Funkadelic meets Water Babies funk of that session to great effect. Jim was a last-minute addition to the set, providing the backbone of what Junius calls an “unassuming headbanger.” Jim is also part of the Velvet Lounge Family.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut, of course, the spirit of the Velvet Lounge is not dead. “Tune No. 6,” recorded live at the Co-Prosperity Sphere in Chicago, is a sweet interlude here to remind us that jazz is alive and bristling with what’s yet to come.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Paris” is another stand out track. It was born at The Hideout in Chicago, but developed (or “chopped”) by Makaya in Paris. The pair were working on a different project during the day, would head to a bistro for a meal (Junius favors duck confit and wine), then would work on edits at night. Junius notes that “Paris” is one for the clubs: “I want a 12” [extended DJ] cut!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs Junius pushes forward as a creative musician, he is careful to carry with him the spirit and the knowledge he’s gathered from those who have come before him. He is very literally a bridge between generations of the Chicago vanguard, currently playing in Makaya McCraven’s combo and in the Art Ensemble of Chicago, in addition to fronting his own band.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne morning on tour with the Art Ensemble in Australia, Roscoe Mitchell called Junius’s hotel room and asked if he was coming to breakfast. He was. “That will never get old,” he shared with me on the other line. To play in the Art Ensemble of Chicago is the culmination of “a dream.” One that started at The Velvet Lounge nearly twenty years ago while watching his heroes. “What they taught me is that you can be yourself, as long as you’re badass at it.” Ism is a testament to Junius Paul’s journey towards himself. And he’s graciously invited us along for the ride.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003ca\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"credits-label\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased November 22, 2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTracks 1, 8, 9, 10 \u0026amp; 16 recorded January 9th 2019 at Decade Studios, Old Town, Chicago, featuring Junius Paul, Vincent Davis, Justin Dillard \u0026amp; Corey Wilkes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTracks 2, 3 \u0026amp; 4 recorded June 30th 2016 at Comfort Station, Logan Square, Chicago, featuring Junius Paul, Isaiah Spencer, Jim Baker \u0026amp; Rajiv Halim.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTracks 5, 6 \u0026amp; 7 recorded August 23rd 2016 at the Polish Triangle, Wicker Park, Chicago, featuring Junius Paul, Vincent Davis, Justin Dillard \u0026amp; Corey Wilkes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTrack 11 recorded December 20th 2016 at The Hideout, Goose Island, Chicago, featuring Junius Paul, Makaya McCraven \u0026amp; Marquis Hill.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTrack 12 recorded April 2nd 2018 at Co-Prosperity Sphere, Bridgeport, Chicago, featuring Junius Paul, Vincent Davis, Justin Dillard \u0026amp; Corey Wilkes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTrack 13 recorded July 26th 2016 at The Polish Triangle, Wicker Park, Chicago, featuring Junius Paul, Shanta Nurullah, Isaiah Spencer, Scott Hesse, Irvin Pierce \u0026amp; Makaya McCraven.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTracks 14 \u0026amp; 15 recorded June 2nd 2016 at Comfort Station, Logan Square, Chicago, featuring Junius Paul, Tomeka Reid \u0026amp; Isaiah Spencer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTrack 17 recorded December 13th \u0026amp; 20th 2016 at The Hideout, Goose Island, Chicago, featuring Junius Paul, William Kurk, Xavier Breaker \u0026amp; Makaya McCraven.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProduced by: Junius Paul \u0026amp; Makaya McCraven\u003cbr\u003eRecorded \u0026amp; Mixed by: Dave Vettraino \u0026amp; David Allen\u003cbr\u003eEdited by: Makaya McCraven\u003cbr\u003eSequenced by: Scott McNiece\u003cbr\u003eMastered by: David Allen\u003cbr\u003eExecutive Production by: Scott McNiece \u0026amp; Makaya McCraven\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCover Photos by: Fabrice Bourgelle\u003cbr\u003eCover Design by: Raimund Wong\u003cbr\u003eLiner Photos by: Andrea Falcone\u003cbr\u003eLiner Notes by: Ayana Contreras\u003cbr\u003eLayout \u0026amp; Liner Design by: Craig Hansen\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"license-label\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"license\" class=\"info license\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"cc-icons commercial\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eall rights reserved\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"International Anthem","offers":[{"title":"Black Vinyl Gatefold Double LP","offer_id":53918417289557,"sku":"IARC0028LP","price":25.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD - Compact Disc","offer_id":53918417092949,"sku":"IARC0028CD","price":12.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1049\/0419\/6437\/files\/a1687092525_10.jpg?v=1779793326"}],"url":"https:\/\/international-anthem.k7store.com\/collections\/junius-paul.oembed","provider":"International Anthem","version":"1.0","type":"link"}