MIRROR / REFLECT & RISE

Listen: https://youtu.be/rNaUqGmbXLQ A truly unique and inspired collaboration from Alpha Steppa's Steppas Records, beautifully mastered and pressed to heavyweight 180g vinyl. Aketi Ray are an all-acoustic dub-jazz group from London; double bass, drums, upright piano, horns and percussion, playing original compositions grounded in the instrumental music forms of post-independence Jamaica, also drawing from Ethiopian and US jazz, West African percussion traditions, and UK Steppas. London to Kingston, to New York, to Addis Ababa, to Dakar. This first release, comes ahead of their debut album 'From Ever Since', forthcoming on F-Ire Records in early 2017. The tracks featured here are deeply influenced by the music of Alpha & Omega. Mirror is a piece directly influenced by the classic Alpha & Omega track 'Show Me A Purpose'; a piece which explores the difficulty of coming to know oneself. Completing the circle of inspiration, Mirror is released here alongside a deep & spiritual remix from UK-dub pioneers Alpha & Omega. Aketi Ray™s Mikus says šAlpha & Omega have been a foundational influence on our sound, so it is both privilege and honour to share our debut pressing with them.› The second track 'Reflect & Rise' continues in the same key as Mirror, but moves on from a reflective mood into one that™s focussed and resolute, as encapsulated by the rallying horn arrangements of Kevin Robinson. THE LINE-UP Trumpet, Flugel Horn, Flute - Kevin Robinson [Jazz Jamaica All-Stars, Jazz Warriors] Saxophone - Niko Rouger [Addis Quartet, Krar Collective] Piano - Danny White [Matt Bianco] Double Bass - Darren McCarthy [Darren McCarthy Trio] Drums - Virgil Howe [Little Barry, The Killer Meters] Percussion - Rob Shipster [Congo Dia Ntotila] Melodica, Percussion, Production - Mikus Gorecki [Aketi Ray] All tracks written, arranged, and engineered by Mikus Gorecki. Addition horn arrangements by Kevin Robinson. TRACK LISTING: 1 Aketi Ray - Mirror 2 Aketi Ray - Reflect & Rise 3 Aketi Ray - Mirror (Alpha & Omega Remix) 4 Aketi Ray - Mirror Dub (Alpha & Omega Remix)