We are excited to present the second single from the album UMOJa „Into the Light of Love“, by the celebrated Italian spiritual jazz master, DJ, producer, guitarist and bandleader Nicola Conte. Co-produced with Alberto Parmegiani and Myles Sanko.
Umoja, which expresses unity and harmony in Swahili, brings together universal feelings through the multifaceted global music that Conte has spent his life studying and researching.
Umoja’s music draws inspiration from the deep spiritual sounds of 1970s indie and free jazz, the soul records of the private press, and the African and Afro-Caribbean rhythms of Conte’s collection. But he also acknowledges his debt to many of the decade’s most celebrated musical icons, such as American cosmic jazz masters Lonnie Liston Smith and Gary Bartz, and Afrobeat originators Fela Kuti and Tony Allen.
Proudly revivalist, Umoja was recorded directly to analog tape, with only two takes for each track. „In search of a spontaneous, almost improvised feel,“ Nicola made sure that the few overdubs were also transferred to tape to preserve the color and warmth of the analog sound. „Very little post-production or editing has been added, so what you hear is very much what happened in those magical live sessions.“
Label @farout_recordings
Album artwork by @mzwandilebuthelezi_art
Nicola Conte photo by @giojoland