Baltic Jazz Recordings Featuring Smith & Liddle
Maybe In Time
Smith & Liddle and award-winning producer Steve Levine have come together to
create this blend of authentic sweet 60s soulful psychedelia. On first meeting each other,
they discussed their shared love of music that could potentially inspire their new
collaboration. After talking about bands like Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66, The 5t
Maybe In Time
Smith & Liddle and award-winning producer Steve Levine have come together to
create this blend of authentic sweet 60s soulful psychedelia. On first meeting each other,
they discussed their shared love of music that could potentially inspire their new
collaboration. After talking about bands like Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66, The 5thDimension, & Fleetwood Mac, they decided to get straight to work on Maybe In
Time.
The pair say: “It was a surreal experience working with Steve. We talked about creating
Beach Boys-esque harmonies on the track and Steve would tell us exactly how the band
recorded their harmonies. We’re working with an actual Beach Boys producer!”
Lyrically the song describes someone searching for something they deem “better” than
what they have, a desire or need for wanting
more. When ultimately, they already have what
they need to begin with.
After working on a couple of rough song ideas,
Billy picked up the Danelectro Longhorn bass
and played a mid-60s inspired bass line which
would be the first thing you hear in Maybe In
Time. Elizabeth then began to lay down some
electric keys chords which created this smooth
sailing groove you can hear throughout the
track. Adding instruments like vibraphone,
fuzz guitars and Spanish percussion really gave
it that ‘Sergio Mendes’ feel.
Steve on the writing experience with Smith & Liddle
“It really was most enjoyable, and particularly creative as all three of us were able to
play different instruments and interact with each other as the writing process
developed. Collaborating like this helped us to develop ideas quickly - we had created a
really lovely feel which then instantly inspired the melodic structure. Subsequent
overdubs of drums, percussion and a fabulous Danelectro bass sound - intentionally
distorted to create that late 60s early 70s Northern California soul sound. Two other
trademark sounds on the recording are Elizabeth’s electric piano - It’s a piano sound
which was played through a reclaimed distorted speaker which really added a bite to
the sound. Then Billys lead guitar was put through a vintage fuzz pedal.
Their vocal harmony balance really adds a unique flavour and colour to the melody.
Their love of many harmony groups such as Fifth Dimension, The Association and Beach
Boys are all from that era but with a modern twist. We feel we have created a superb
track with a strong lyrical message that what you want sometimes is right there and
you don’t need to look any further.”
Contributors / Musicians
Lead & Backing Vocals
Billy Smith & Elizabeth Liddle
Drums & Percussion
Billy Smith & Steve Levine
Dan Electro Bass & Electric Guitars
Billy Smith
Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Prophet 5, ARP 2600 & Korg Mini 700 Synthesiser
Elizabeth Liddle
Additional Synthesisers
Steve Levine
Horns & Flute
Arranged and Performed By Paul Von Mertens
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and Mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
Mastered By Mike Hillier at Metropolis Mastering London
Smith & Liddle are from Teesside
and County Durham. Following
years of swapping records and
building a transcendent musical
connection, the duo (comprised of
Elizabeth Liddle & Billy Smith)
craft songs that echo the spirit of
the 1970s with their homage to soft
rock. Raised on the sounds of
Laurel Canyon and the British
Invasion, (Billy) Smith &
(El
Smith & Liddle are from Teesside
and County Durham. Following
years of swapping records and
building a transcendent musical
connection, the duo (comprised of
Elizabeth Liddle & Billy Smith)
craft songs that echo the spirit of
the 1970s with their homage to soft
rock. Raised on the sounds of
Laurel Canyon and the British
Invasion, (Billy) Smith &
(Elizabeth) Liddle grew up 25 miles
away from each other in small towns but only met when Billy was on the lookout for a
vocalist. The chemistry between the pair was instant, and over time their intertwined
musical sensibilities evolved into something unique. Although both Billy and Elizabeth
initially hesitated to use their last names, a late-night session listening to Buckingham
Nicks on vinyl sealed their decision to name their artist project Smith & Liddle,
embracing simplicity and timelessness.
The first record Billy ever gave Elizabeth was Deja Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash &
Young. This was the first of many the pair bought for each other. Before their recent gig
in Hamburg, the duo had a spending spree in a local record store and bought records that
Steve recommended like Changing Times by The Four Tops and Age of Aquarius
by The 5th Dimension. A record that resonates with them all the time is Home by
Delaney & Bonnie.
Jess Edie
Jess Edie RE:SURGENCE EP
1 Let Me Introduce Desire
2 Break In 2
3 Same New Game
‘Let Me Introduce Desire’ is a song with so much passion and power. It’s a reminder of the strength that
resides within us – a strength we often forget we possess. It reflects the journey of facing hardship and
emerging on the other side, stronger and more resilient
Jess Edie RE:SURGENCE EP
1 Let Me Introduce Desire
2 Break In 2
3 Same New Game
‘Let Me Introduce Desire’ is a song with so much passion and power. It’s a reminder of the strength that
resides within us – a strength we often forget we possess. It reflects the journey of facing hardship and
emerging on the other side, stronger and more resilient. But it’s also about embracing life’s beauty, even
in the midst of challenges, and finding ways to live fully, despite the obstacles.
‘Break in Two’ was written from the perspective of someone who’s lived through the highs of young
love, only to watch it slowly lose its spark. The song captures that universal feeling of wanting to hold
onto something important, even as it begins to slip away. It’s a message many can relate to—the
struggle to preserve what you once had, even when the road gets tough.
‘Same New Game’ is a song that holds a piece of my heart, it’s written with a close friend in mind, but
with a message a lot of people can relate to. It’s about a friendship that began in the simplicity of our
younger years, only to fade as time pulled us in different directions. Yet, life has a way of bringing
people back together when they need each other most. When we reconnected after all those years, we
discovered we were both fighting similar battles, unaware that the other was going through a similar
experience. This song is a celebration of the power of human connection
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and Mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
Manchester-born singer-songwriter Jess Edie will release her much-anticipated debut EP on 29th May
with Baltic Jazz Recordings. The three tracks are a heady collection of neo-soul tracks that blend classic
influences with a fresh twist, the EP introduces audiences to Edie’s rich, soulful voice and deeply
personal songwriting.
From her earlies
Manchester-born singer-songwriter Jess Edie will release her much-anticipated debut EP on 29th May
with Baltic Jazz Recordings. The three tracks are a heady collection of neo-soul tracks that blend classic
influences with a fresh twist, the EP introduces audiences to Edie’s rich, soulful voice and deeply
personal songwriting.
From her earliest memories humming along to Corinne Bailey Rae and Stevie Wonder, Jess Edie has
always lived and breathed music. A former soul choir soloist and Halle Choir member, she honed her
craft on stages across Manchester and Leeds while studying Music. Today, her sound draws on the
influence of Erykah Badu, Olivia Dean, Jill Scott, ELIZA and Sasha Keable, creating a space and world of
her own
“Music has gotten me through so much in my life,” says Jess Edie “No matter what I’m going through, I
have it to turn to and express myself. I want to bring people together, share positivity, and create
something true. I’m at the beginning of my journey, but I’m so excited to see where it leads.”
When Jess’s early Leeds demos landed on the desk of producer Steve Levine, the collaboration began.
Their shared vision for the tracks saw the relationship click straightaway, and the lyrics and creative
ideas of Jess were met with Steve’s studio wizardry and the unique working environment he creates
with musicians. The result is a stunning EP that explores love and human connection through
introspective lyrics and soulful grooves.
So Glad
MÆVEY "So Glad " Ft MT Jones
Instagram @___maevey___
@jazzbaltic
X @___maevey___ @jazzbaltic @mrstevelevine
Bluesky @mrstevelevine.bsky.social
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and Mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
‘Meavey has released the new single ‘So Glad’, featuring MT Jones via Baltic Jazz Recordings. The track is an international production, recorded in Liverpool at producer Steve Levine’s BJR base whilst the horns were laid down in Chicago by Paul Von Mertens at his studio.
The track is blissed-out, sonic perfection. The vocal from Maevey is
‘Meavey has released the new single ‘So Glad’, featuring MT Jones via Baltic Jazz Recordings. The track is an international production, recorded in Liverpool at producer Steve Levine’s BJR base whilst the horns were laid down in Chicago by Paul Von Mertens at his studio.
The track is blissed-out, sonic perfection. The vocal from Maevey is silky smooth whilst the backing from MT Jones and Steve Levine creates the perfect base for her to shine. It adds up to another spellbinding addition to the burgeoning Baltic Jazz Recordings catalogue, in keeping with their ethos of taking classic influences and bringing them bang up to date with thrilling and unique productions.
Maevey talks about the track:
‘So Glad’ came out of a session in the studio with MT Jones and Baltic Jazz Recordings. We had decided that we would like to write a song together and it just happened in this magic sort of way when all moments align. Mikey said he wanted to write a 6/8 song - a sweet little love shuffle. There’s something that I have noticed in the studio with MT and Steve and that is a word/ hook appears from a moment of play, and it becomes the seed. Once it’s planted, the knowledge of what the song is fully blooms. ‘So Glad’ is a song that knows it’s a love song. It’s nostalgic, tender, honest and so full of heart.
MT Jones writes:
Writing ‘So Glad’ I found some chords and hummed the chorus section of the tune, with some murmuring of the "I’m so glad that we made it” line. Then we added a sample beat to start with and I built a chord progression around that. Maevey worked through the lyrics while me and Steve built up the track.
Steve Levine adds:
“The basic songwriting actually did come together relatively quickly once we had the shape of the song and the story ideas. Then it was time to bring in the live musicians - the drums & congas played by Vidar Norheim and this really added to the overall vibe of the track. We kept many of the elements from the original sketch demo, including a couple of the very earliest vocal ideas from both Maevey and MT. I think it’s one of Maevey‘s finest vocal performances to date.
Baltic Jazz Recordings is a new label set up by the Grammy and Brit Award-winning producer Steve Levine. Based in Liverpool, they are bringing a fresh, modern take on jazz, neo-soul, classic pop and lo-fi beats. ‘So Glad’ follows recently released tracks ‘Forever And A Day’ and ‘Futuristic’, singles that are cementing BJR as one of the most exciting merging labels in the UK right now.
Futuristic
MÆVEY "Futuristic"
Baltic Jazz Recordings Featuring
Mama Terra
On the track the featured artists explain how it came together -
Maevey -
Working with Baltic Jazz Recordings takes me to exciting realms as a writer and singer. Any pressure about what to bring vanishes, opening endless possibilities. That feeling hit me when I heard the demo b
MÆVEY "Futuristic"
Baltic Jazz Recordings Featuring
Mama Terra
On the track the featured artists explain how it came together -
Maevey -
Working with Baltic Jazz Recordings takes me to exciting realms as a writer and singer. Any pressure about what to bring vanishes, opening endless possibilities. That feeling hit me when I heard the demo by Marco (Mama Terra) and Steve, sparking the idea to add vocals. The collaboration was natural and joyous. They captured something complex yet absorbing, and I knew how to shape my voice to create a delicate, determined overlay on the adventurous sounds of Mama Terra & Baltic Jazz Recordings.
Marco -
“This collaboration with Baltic Jazz & Maevey was born out of a few joyous days I had at Steve's Liverpool studio, playing his beautiful Rhodes and keyboards, tapping into Herbie's Sunlight phase, George Duke & Casey Benjamin (Robert Glasper) sounds. Bringing Maevey onboard was an inspired choice from Steve, where we took it home together with the lyrics and the iconic vocoder sound to accompany Maevey's gorgeous soaring voice.”
Steve Levine -
“I've admired Marco's work as a solo artist and with Mama Terra. When I reached out for a collaboration with Baltic Jazz Recordings, he immediately agreed. His keyboard playing on my Rhodes and synthesizers added energy to our session, elevating my production. Together, we crafted a track that clearly shows the range of Jazz, Funk, and Soul Baltic Jazz Recordings explores.”
Baltic Jazz Recordings is a new label set up by the Grammy and Brit Award-winning producer Steve Levine. Based in Liverpool, they are bringing a fresh, modern take on jazz, neo-soul, classic pop and lo-fi beats. Recent collaborations include the new EP with Maevey, ‘Re:Vealed’ as well as records with Lois Levin and Ni Maxine. Baltic Jazz Recordings put out their debut long-player last year, Re:Visioned. It featured some of the most exciting emerging talent from the north-west and beyond, with fresh takes on classic and lesser-known tracks, brought to life with thrilling effect at BJR’s Liverpool studio.
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and Mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
‘Futuristic’ is a pitch perfect record, with spacey synths and Maevey’s distinctive vocals add a lyrical depth to the record that kick starts 2025 for the artists involved. Mama Terra is the work of Glaswegian pianist and composer Marco Cafolla. Maevey is based in Liverpool and is originally from West Wales.
Baltic Jazz Recordings - the b
‘Futuristic’ is a pitch perfect record, with spacey synths and Maevey’s distinctive vocals add a lyrical depth to the record that kick starts 2025 for the artists involved. Mama Terra is the work of Glaswegian pianist and composer Marco Cafolla. Maevey is based in Liverpool and is originally from West Wales.
Baltic Jazz Recordings - the brainchild of legendary producer Steve Levine - has been making a name for itself with previous collaborations, most recently with Maevey and MT Jones. ‘Futuristic’ continues this red hot run of releases from BJR, as it cements its burgeoning reputation. Steve taps into his wealth of studio knowledge whilst working closely with these emerging artists to amplify their potential and the results are fresh and thrilling additions to his sparkling CV.
MÆVEY "I'd Like You For Christmas"
Baltic Jazz Recordings Featuring
Meinir Gwilym
Released 27:11:24
Instagram @___maevey___
@meinirgwilym @jazzbaltic
X @___maevey___ @jazzbaltic @mrstevelevine
Bluesky @mrstevelevine.bsky.social
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and Mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
Featuring MT Jones
Baltic Jazz featuring MT Jones "Forever & A Day"
Released 06:09:24
MT Jones Web - mt-jones.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mtjonesmusic/
X - https://x.com/mtjonesmusic
Tiktok - @mtjonesmusic
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mtjonesmusic/
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and Mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
Mastered by Mike Hillier at Metropolis Mastering London
Featuring MÆVEY
MÆVEY GATEKEEPER - MAYA YENN REMIX
Released 23:08:24
Maya Yenn
Instagram @Maya.Yenn
X (formally twitter) @MayaYenn
Instagram @___maevey___
X (formally twitter) @___maevey___
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Remix Maya Yenn
BALTIC JAZZ RECORDINGS
MÆVEY Debut EP RE:VEALED Stripped Back
Released 30:08:24
Instagram @___maevey___
X (formally twitter) @___maevey___
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and Mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
BALTIC JAZZ RECORDINGS
MÆVEY Debut EP RE:VEALED
Released 16:08:24
Instagram @___maevey___
X (formally twitter) @___maevey___
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and Mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
Mastered by Mike Hillier at Metropolis Mastering London
MÆVEY EP recording sessions
“Baltic Jazz’s commitment to detail from the very first moment we got in the room is something special.
Everything you hear on the tracks has been crafted and cared for with sheer excellence - It’s music for
people who see life in technicolour”.
Mævey 2024
The debut EP RE:VEALED features superbly crafted songs, powerful lyrics and a sophisticated production.
It’s about being vulnerable, it's about relationships, it’s about being a woman, about accessing those places
where standing in one's inner strength becomes paramount.
In the past, fear has dominated my mind and I have found myself being swayed by opinions of men in
power, buying into the fiction that I am incapable and insufficient on my own. I choose courage now, I
choose to be brave and that's what these songs mean to me.
Stole Me From The Sky - This song is about innocence being misused and the whirlwind of drama. I have
been very naïve on occasion and believed in sharks - How can I still honour the innocent part whilst being
more clear with my boundaries? How can I be curious that the pain I have felt is a compass to letting go?
How can I let go when these situations are haunting? So many questions and yet, not many answers.
Plain Sight - This was one of those songs where the lyric comes like a flash. This idea that someone you
have known in one particular way is then seen as something entirely different. It happened for me that when
I worked through some of my own patterns of relationship, something really amazing happened. I stopped
running away from vulnerability and melted into it.
Gatekeeper - The message is pretty clear for this one - I'm not sorry, I'm a Woman on the terms I choose to
be. A song for my resilient sisters!
BALTIC JAZZ RECORDINGS
Baltic Jazz Recordings Announces Next Release
Baltic Jazz Recordings is pleased to announce its next release from MÆVEY. Mævey is a Liverpool based singer-songwriter hailing from the landscapes of West Wales. Growing up in a large family, she and her sisters were encouraged to nurture their creativity. She has always been curious about the complexities and challenges of life and has used music and writing as a vehicle to explore the vulnerable parts of herself. Working with the live musicians on this recording session has allowed her to experiment more with her vocal performance. Her voice is reminiscent of glamorous figures with the softness and allure of many of the heartbreaking jazz icons that have inspired her music. Mævey’s style of blending elements of jazz, neo-soul, pop and electronica, for a world of dark and atmospheric sensibilities has resulted in this, her debut release for Baltic Jazz Recordings / EMI north The Mævey Baltic Jazz sessions “Baltic Jazz’s commitment to detail from the very first moment we got in the room is something special. Everything you hear on the tracks has been crafted and cared for with sheer excellence - It’s music for people who see life in technicolour”. Mævey 2024
Plain Sight - This was one of those songs where the lyric comes like a flash. This idea that someone you have known in one particular way is then seen as something entirely different. It happened for me that when I worked through some of my own patterns of relationship, something really amazing happened. I stopped running away from vulnerability and melted into it.
Maevey Debut Single "Plain Sight"
Released 10:07:24
Instagram @___maevey___
X (formally twitter) @___maevey___
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and Mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
Mastered by Mike Hillier at Metropolis Mastering London
Dolby Atmos
"Plain Sight" available in Dolby Atmos
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
Dolby Atmos Mix Django Holder @ Feel The Noize Studios London
Dolby Atmos Mastering by Mike Hillier at Metropolis Mastering London
BALTIC JAZZ RECORDINGS
"Baltic Jazz Recordings Presents"
Pheromones featuring Lois Levin
Taken from “REVISIONED EP”
Searchlight Remix
A soulful remix has been created by Searchlight -Searchlight features two successful Irish drum and bass artists, Zero T and Beta 2, moving away from the heavy beats and bass and into the world of jazz and soul. The band was developed with guidance from Goldie for his boutique Fallen Tree 1Hundred label. Having been commissioned to remix Lois Levin for Baltic Jazz Recordings, Searchlight decided to use the vocals from the original track and build a whole new song around it. While the original Pheromones track has a classic, trad-soul sound to it, with horn sections and hammond organs, the remix loads up the synthesisers and disco beats to turn it into a dancefloor groover
Stripped back Version
Lois recently performed this song at a couple of live events, the feedback was so positive we decided to record a version with the same stripped back arrangement . Cut totally live in the studio without any overdubs with three of the original musicians who played on the single, Jesse Eigen on Acoustic Bass, Jack Hymers, Rhodes Electric Piano and Joseph Smithson onElectric Guitar, Lois Levin on Vocals of course – we also filmed the session so you can watch this superb performance.
Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
Remix By Searchlight
Mastered by Mike Hillier at Metropolis Mastering London
BALTIC JAZZ RECORDINGS
"Baltic Jazz Recordings Presents"
REVISIONED EP featuring Lois Levin
“REVISIONED EP” new upcoming release from Baltic Jazz Recordings. available 13th October 2023
EP Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
Mastered by Mike Hillier at Metropolis Mastering London
BALTIC JAZZ RECORDINGS
"Baltic Jazz Recordings Presents"
The Album REVISIONED
“REVISIONED” is the debut Album release from Baltic Jazz Recordings.
This album comes off the back of the success of the singles ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go? featuring vocalist Lois Levin, “Changing Everyday” features Ni Maxine and “São Paulo” This instrumental track highlights the talents of some of the musicians involved in the project. These tracks have achieved significant air play and all been play listed on Jazz FM.
Album Produced By Steve Levine
for Baltic Jazz Recordings Ltd
Recorded and mixed at Steve Levine Recording Liverpool
Dolby Atmos versions mixed by Jonny Solway at Dean Street Studios London
Mastered by Mike Hillier at Metropolis Mastering London
Track by Track
with comments from the album’s producer
01 Super Strut - Featuring Paul Von Mertens & The Air Horns
Writer Eumir Deodato De Almeida
“I first heard the Deodato 2 the album that contains the track Super Strut on its original release 1973. I had just received a portable cassette recorder as my christmas gift, it was quite a thing to have back then.
I used to listen to it every night on headphones and so I had to include it here, it’s one of my all time favourite Deodato tracks”
02 Sao Paulo Featuring Paul Von Mertens & The Air Horns
Writers Bernard Edwards, Kenny Lehman, Nile Rodgers
“I’ve always loved this Chic album track, I have very fond memories of when I heard it on my very first trip to Los Angeles, just after the albums initial release. It’s never as far as I know, been a single. It’s also the least “Chic” sounding Chic record. The classic Nile Rodgers guitar style is absent and indeed so are the normally very funky bass lines from Bernard Edwards . The song always evokes in me the sound of summer, I think we have captured that same feeling on this new arrangement”.
03 Should I Stay Out Should I Go Featuring Lois Levin
Writers Joe Strummer, Mick Jones
“As a Tape Op & Junior engineer I worked at CBS studios in London with Simon Humphrey, we recorded all the Clash songs up to White Man in Hammersmith Palais. I’ve alway been fond of their lyrics and thought what if I could …..”
04 Luv Pact Featuring Paul Von Mertens & The Air Horns
Writers Jussi Halme, Mika Kurvinen
“I was driving home from the studio when I heard this track on a random Lo-Fi Jazz Spotify playlist, I loved the tune instantly. It sounded to me like they had used lots of samples on their version and I thought perhaps I could try it it with my musicians rather than samples.
I’ve never heard of this act or of the writers before and haven’t found much about them. The track Itself is only a couple of years old but I’ve given it a make over and I’m thrilled with our version…hope it’s well received! “
05 Changing Everyday - Featuring Ni Maxine
Writers George O’Dowd, Roy Hay, Micheal Craig, Jon Moss
“This is one of my favourite Culture Club tracks. I produced the original multi platinum Album Colour By Numbers 40 years ago, I was keen to see if I could push it even further into a Jazz arrangement , it was always one of the band’s more ‘jazzier’ tracks. I Know the band are thrilled with the way it has turned out.”
06 P.C.M. Interpolation
Writers Steve Levine, Ian Ritchie
“Originally the B side of ‘Believin’ it all’ in 1984 I’ve always thought there should be a new version. I’ve taken the 80’s version and re-visioned everything to a more contemporary production to fit into the style of the album.”
07 Spiral Featuring Paul Von Mertens & The Air Horns
Writer Joe Sample
The Crusaders were always on my car cassette machine when originally released. Driving to the sound of The Crusaders always make me think of California even if I’m in the UK.
08 Never Be The Same Featuring The Air Horns
Writers Ronnie Laws, Mike Cavanaugh, Roland Bautista
“Pressure Sensitive" is one of my all time favourite Albums and in my opinion one of the best Ronnie Laws albums.
I really remember when CBS studios mastering engineer Tim Young first played it to me as an import… I had to have a copy immediately ! I’ve chosen this track as it’s one that doesn’t get as much attention as the more famous tracks on the album ”i feel we have captured a great vibe on this new arrangement. The Alto Sax, played by Mike Smith from the Air Horns, is so sweet and soulful sounding, it pays great respect to the original”.
BALTIC JAZZ RECORDINGS
'São Paulo'
Released 19th June 2023
“São Paulo”, is the third release from Baltic Jazz Recordings, ahead of the album launch in early August.
Baltic Jazz Recordings is a new record label, created to showcase jazz and neo-soul artists primarily based in the North West.
“São Paulo” comes off the back of the success of its first two releases ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go? featuring Lois Levin and “Changing Everyday” that features the vocal talents of Ni Maxine. These tracks have achieved significant air play and both have been play listed on Jazz FM.
This track highlights the talents of some of the instrumental players involved in the project.
Saxophone and Flute performed by Paul Von Mertens, best known for his work with Brian Wilson with additional brass & woodwinds courtesy of the Air Horns a North West based session Horn Section, with an impressive CV!
“São Paulo” is a cover of the Chic song, an album track that appeared on their debut Album CHIC.
Steve Levine, the track’s producer commented, “I’ve always loved this Chic album track, I have very fond memories of when I heard it on my very first trip to Los Angeles, just after the albums initial release. It’s never, as far as I know, been a single. It’s also the least “Chic” sounding Chic record. The classic Nile Rodgers guitar style is absent and indeed so are the normally very funky bass lines from Bernard Edwards . The song always evokes in me the sound of summer, I think we have captured that same feeling on this new arrangement”.
NI MAXINE
'CHANGING EVERYDAY'
Released 3rd April 2023
Hailed a ‘Black Woman at the forefront of the UK Jazz Scene’, Ni Maxine is a Neo-Jazz Singer-Songwriter; a Black British woman sparking intergenerational conversations for change, exploring themes of home, identity, self-esteem and belonging.
With main stage performances, a ‘2022 Highlight’ BBC Introducing Merseyside session under her belt and her debut single ‘Strange Love’ played across Jazz FM, Radio 1, 1Xtra and Selector Radio (internationally) Ni Maxine is one to watch.
Teaming up with Baltic Jazz Recordings, Ni Maxine features on this 2023
reimagining of Culture Club’s iconic ‘Changing Every Day’, 40 years on from its original release, with a heartfelt vocal giving the song an all-new perspective and meaning. Effortlessly cool, this new rendition of the timeless classic is sure to find a place in your so.
LOIS LEVIN
'SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?'
Released 27th February 2023
Baltic Jazz Recordings new release from Lois Levin.
‘Should I stay or should I go?’, produced by Steve Levine expertly brings The Clash classic to a whole new audience with a sultry vocal performance from Lois. Mixed with a gorgeous arrangement that’s a blend of soul and jazz, the all-live instrumentation creates a vibe of attitude and sensitivity.
LOIS LEVIN - available on Apple Music
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO ? Dolby Atmos Mix
Ni Maxine - available on Apple Music
Changing Everyday Dolby Atmos Mix
Videos
LOIS LEVIN -Should I Stay Or should I Go - on vevo
Director: Kris McDonald
Keyhole Video Productions
LOIS LEVIN - Pheromones (Stripped Back Version) on vevo
Live studio performance of Pheromones
filmed, directed and edited by Kris McDonald - Keyhole Video Productions
