"For a long time, all that most people knew about the late Eugene Blacknell was this retarded open break in the intro to his “Gettin’ Down” single. Thanks to Ubiquity, however, it’s time for the Oakland guitar master to be known to the world. I can’t say enough about Blacknell and his work ... 'We Can’t Take Life For Granted' is Blacknell’s painfully overdue official debut. And remember, I don’t like anything. But this album hit me like a Joe Louis left hook..."
'We Can't Take Life for Granted' compiles the bulk of Blacknell's output, from the hard-shuffling instrumental blues of "Jump Back" to the wildly syncopated, lyrically optimistic funk number "I'm So Thankful," all of it fueled by his staccato, rhythmically propulsive guitar attack."- San Francisco ChronicleOakland guitar ace Eugene Blacknell released multiple singles that ranged in style from raw r'n'b to power house funk. His musical career stretched from the early 1960s to the end of the 1980s and during that time he established himself as an East Bay original, an entrepreneur, an activist, and a family man. With so many accomplishments it’s an irony of fate that he died before releasing an album despite having recorded enough material for several. This is the official Eugene Blacknell debut album, and the story of a Bay Area legend.
Three bonus tracks will be available via from Ubiquity's digital partners
Featuring yet more one off’s and exclusives, this latest installment picks up from where the last one left off - in stunning form. Pitching the BPMs right down, 4Lux man Miles Benjamin kicks things off in style with a bubbling, bass heavy piece of slo-mo hip hop. Taking it right back up Ohmega Watts, delivers a direct dancefloor hit with the rowdy Afro-funk of ‘Platypus Strut’.There’s even a Hudson Mohawke remix of Radio City’s ‘The Hop’ to contend with too. Brilliant. 4/5"- DJ Mag"Crazy future music from the one they call Hudson Mohawke...the world is coming round to this beat...nuts!"- Benji B (BBC - 1XTRA, Deviation)
The second Choices EP includes hard hitting bubbling electric soul from Milez Benjiman, a super DJ friendly extended raucus Afrobeat jam from Ohmega Watts (a version not on the upcoming album), and a mad remix of the Radio Citizen favorite "The Hop" by Hudson Mohawke.
A Hudson Mohawke Instrumental Mix will also be available as a digital bonus.
"The Roy Ayers produced group see the light of day again as two previously undiscovered gems rise to the surface. Punchy soul jazz at its best, as you would expect from the Ubiquity camp."- DJ Magazine"Top 10 /// August 2007"- Spine Magazine
We've got two previously unreleased tracks by legendary 1970s soul act RAMP! Both produced by vibes-master Roy Ayers post-release of their 1977 classic Come Into Knowledge album. These are not new recordings, these are vintage RAMP, previously unheard but recently rescued from a demo the band recorded on cassette. Newly mastered, eq'd and now ready to rumble on loud n'proud 12" vinyl."The Old One, Two" is a cover of a Roy Ayers track (written by Ayers, William Allen and Edwin Birdsong and originally released on the Roy Ayers album A Tear To A Smile). Powered by a nasty bass line, the tune transcends music eras sounding just as contemporary as it did in 1977 and is destined to be a DJ favorite. On the flipside is the boogie tune "Paint Me Any Color," also written and produced by Roy Ayers but never recorded by anyone else. These Roy Ayers productions foreshadowed his classic releases to come on the Uno Melodic label from acts like The Eighties Ladies and Ethel Beatty.
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