Nicola Conte & Gianluca Petrella - People Need People (2021 Schema Records)

New music forms contaminated by various genres characterize our globalized world’s recent history; the intertwining of individual experiences creates new collaborations, as in this specifc case. Sixteen years after the release of “New Standards” (2001, SCEP336) Nicola Conte meets again his friend and colleague Gianluca Petrella, an eclectic Italian jazz scene talent, open to new experiences and collaborations: this encounter let to the publication of three new 12” EP’s in only three years, plus the recent single “The Higher Love” and the release of “Let Your Light Shine On” by Nicola Conte & Spiritual Galaxy.

The exchange between the two musicians / producers takes place not only on a songwriting level but also on a research one: vinyl rarities, the diggin’ activity, the use of samples, sounds, rigorously vintage instruments and sounds deliver a product brave enough to communicate the club culture enthusiasm to conquer a new market capable of soliciting new interests in the nu-soul and jazz scene. From Detroit future dance to afrobeat and spiritual jazz through a nu-disco sound, the unique vibe of “People Need People” drags us in search of deep music in a spiritual and mantric context. In a peculiar historical moment Nicola Conte and Gianluca Petrella send a message of hope, of aggregation and Universal Love.

A feeling of elevation and solidarity is shared Through Raashan’s poetry, something that can predict winds of change for humanity, a feeling that flows from a higher love. “People Need People” is more than just a new album, it’s a collective experience wisely directed by Nicola and Gianluca that sees the participation of numerous artists from different parts of the world: Raashan Ahmad (USA), Nduduzo Makhathini (South Africa), Magnus Lindgren (Sweden), Débo Ray (USA), Bridgette Amofah (England), Abdissa Assefa (Finland/Ethiopia), Teppo Makynen (Finland), together with young Italian promising stars Davide Shorty, Carolina Bubbico, Tommaso Cappellato, Seby Burgio, Marco Rubegni, Pasquale Calò, and the already known Pasquale Mirra and Simone Padovani. “People Need People” is the mature fruit of an unstoppable and constantly evolving work of research and exchange that’s been able to break down every possible distance during its long and complex making-of process.

The songs taken from the previous EP’s have also been further revised, reworked and expanded, with the addition of six new tracks. Looking at the past and fetching sounds, rhythms and instruments typical of tribal / African traditions, soul / spiritual jazz and cosmic music from it, Nicola and Gianluca have performed an operation of strong contamination with modern electronic sounds, disco and hip-hop, creating a completely original hybrid. Their goal is to accompany the listener through a collective spiritual elevation path, guided by the only true universal language: music. In a historical period marked by contrasts, lack of communication and forced social distancing, “People Need People” proves to be even more essential and necessary.

1. Hold On To Your Dreams (feat. Debo Ray) 04:54

2. The Higher Love (feat. Raashan Ahmad) 04:15

3. Imani River (feat. Bridgette Amofah) 04:59

4. Nigeria 05:09

5. People Need People (feat. Davide Shorty & Carolina Bubbico)) 04:19

6. Inner Light (feat. Raashan Ahmad) 06:22

7. New World Shuffle (feat. Bridgette Amofah) 06:39

8. Good Juju (feat. Raashan Ahmad) 03:53

9. African Spirits 06:44

10. Tribes (feat. Nduduzo Makhathini) 06:46

11. Mother Of The Earth (feat. Debo Ray) 05:01

Produced by Nicola Conte and Gianluca Petrella

A1 written by N. Conte, G. Petrella and D. Sciortino

A2 written by N. Conte, G. Petrella and P. Mirra

B2, C1 and D2 written by N. Conte, G. Petrella and R. Ahmad

B1 written by N. Conte, G. Petrella and B. Amofah

A3, B3, C2, D1 and D3 written by N. Conte and G. Petrella

Davide Shorty: Vocals on A1

Carolina Bubbico: Vocals on A1, B2

Pasquale Mirra: Vibraphone on A1

Tommaso Cappellato: Drums on A1, A3, D3

Abdissa Assefa: Congas & Percussion on A1, B3, C2

Débo Ray: Vocals on A2, D3

Pasquale Mirra: Vibraphone & Percussion on A2

Seby Burgio: Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Tiger Electric Organ, Synth on A3

Pasquale Calò: Tenor Sax on A3, B3

Bridgette Amofah: Vocals on B1, D1

Raashan Ahmad: Vocals on B2, C1, D2

Magnus Lindgren: Flute on B2, D3

Nduduzo Makhathini: Fender Rhodes Electric Piano on B3, D2

Simone Padovani: Congas & Percussion on C1, D2, D3

Teppo Makynen: Drums on C2, D2

Marco Rubegni: Trumpet on D2

Recorded in

Bari at Sorriso Studio | Sound Engineer: Tommy Cavalieri

Milan at Blue Spirit Recording Studio | Sound engineer: Francesco Borrelli

Lecce at Sud Est Studio | Sound engineer: Filippo Bubbico

Mastered by Giovanni Versari at La Maestà

Magnus Lindgren appears courtesy of ACT Music

Nduduzo Makhathini appears courtesy of Blue Note Records

Artwork by Mzwandile Buthelezi

Photography by Giovanna Sodano

Layout by Eugenio Crippa

Publishing by Edizioni Ishtar Srl

except A1 publishing by Edizioni Ishtar Srl / Totally Imported Srl

Pre-order

The Afro Soul Prophecy - Heat In The City (2021 Schema Records)

The Afro Soul Prophecy is an atypical musical project, out of time and trends, as evidenced by a several years gestation that has finally ended with the release of “Heat in the City”, an album that includes all the songs ever recorded, some of which have already been published in 2017 on 7” (SC716, “Red Light District / The Game of Love” - SC717, Daddy’s Groove / Let Me Be your Lover”) and 10” records (SCEB002, with three different versions of “The Devil Made Me Do It”). The Afro Soul Prophecy was born thanks to the initiative of Luciano Cantone, co-founder of Schema Records, here also spiritual leader and producer of the project.

“Heat in the City” is an almost completely instrumental album that finds its strength in its simplicity and balance between parts. The songs’ composer is Alex Puddu, well-known especially for his “Golden Age of Danish Pornography” disco-sex-funk triptych, surrounded by a long series of international artists who gave musical life to his ideas: Abdissa “Mamba” Assefa (Ethiopia, drums and percussion), Antti Lötjönen (Finland, double bass), Georgios Kontrafouris (Greece, Wurlitzer and Hammond), Timo Lassy (Finland, saxophone), Gendrickson “Pucci” Mena (Cuba, trumpet), Massimo Martellotta (Italy, guitar) and Morten Grønvad (Denmark, vibraphone).

The Afro Soul Prophecy’s sound and groove are exquisitely black, but so rich of shades that require in-depth listening to be fully assimilated and to understand the overall range of “Heat in the City”, a record that draws inspiration from The Meters, War and Roy Ayers’ downbeat funk, but also indulges in afrobeat (The Devil Made Me Do It), Latin (Let Me Be Your Lover, The Game of Love, Daddy’s Groove) and disco contaminations (Everybody’s Going Uptown, Fire in Acapulco, Mean Street), while “Summer of ’75” and “The Crowd Pleaser” evoke pure urban blaxploitation scenarios.

All these influences are fully rooted in this album, making it almost mystical and visionary, as if the aforementioned music genres scenarios could materialize in front of the listener’s eyes. “Heat in the City” owes most of its qualities to the fundamental contribution of Abdissa Assefa on percussion and Antti Lötjönen on double bass - a particular and atypical instrument in a context like this, as well as to Pietro Ciancaglini’s arrangements. 

The overall result, wide-ranging and full of hidden details, is the ultimate consequence of the multi-ethnic nature of this project, which involved musicians from all over the world; once again, the language of music has contributed to unite different cultures and to erase distances in the creation of “Heat in the City”, an album that needs multiple listenings to be discovered in full.

1. Everybody's Going Uptown 03:50

2. Daddy's Groove (Album Version) 04:52

3. Fire In Acapulco 04:00

4. Heat In The City 03:59

5. Let Me Be Your Lover (Album Version) 04:43

6. Mean Street 04:21

7. Red Light District (Album Version) 04:58

8. The Crowd Pleaser 05:35

9. The Devil Made Me Do It (Album Version) 04:30

10. The Game Of Love (Album Version) 04:01

11. Summer Of '75 05:53

Conceived and produced by Luciano Cantone/The Invisible Session

Arrangements by Pietro Ciancaglini

All tracks written by Alex Puddu

Publishing by Edizioni Ishtar Srl

Recorded in Milan at Edizioni Ishtar/Blue Spirit Recording Studio

in november 2012

Sound Engineer: Francesco Borrelli

Mixed by Luciano Cantone and Francesco Borrelli

Mastered by Giovanni Versari at La Maestà

Abdissa “Mamba” Assefa – drums and percussion

Antti Lötjönen – double bass

Georgios Kontrafouris – Wurlitzer and Hammond

Timo Lassy – tenor saxophone

Gendrickson “Pucci” Mena – trumpet

Massimo Martellotta – guitar

Morten Grønvad – vibraphone

Duane Hobson – backing vocals

Alex Puddu – Moog synthesizer and electric guitar on

“Fire in Acapulco”, “Mean Street” and “Heat in the City”

Picture by Milo taken from a mosaic in Pompei

Design and layout by Eugenio Crippa

Pre-order