“When Stereo Deluxe asked us to compile the next
edition of their ‘Coming Home’ series we were delighted for two reasons. First
of all because we could reunite with the label which released our first ever
records, secondly we really love the idea behind this compilation to create
your personal mixtape and share it with your fans, “ Ralf Droesemeyer and Mark
Wetzler aka Mo’ Horizons explain. “So for us selecting these tracks was not
only about digging some hip and groovy music, but also to put our own history
into a new perspective.”
How could you find a smoother way to open “Coming
Home” than the mighty Southern soul voice of Mighty Clouds Of Joy singer Clay
Hammond with his rare Ronin 7inch “You Threw Out Your Lifeline”? Betty Everett
follows closely with her fancy popcorn dancer, the P.F. Sloan written “Someday
Soon” which blends smoothly into the sublime timeless rhythms of Mishal Moore’s
“Oh Lord”, a seriously overlooked release on the Italian D:Vision label
produced by Kenny Dope. Mo’ Horizons very own “Yes Baby Yes” in its original
1999 version sounds as fresh today as it did when it was released more then 10
years ago. “’Yes Baby Yes’ was a milestone for us,” both of them remember, “It
was the opener of our first album and put us on the international music map.”
The Latin influence was already there, as were the crystal-clear trademarks
beats and a profound sense for authentic sounds. So it comes as no surprise to
have Omara Portuondo next. The Buena Vista Social Club singer released “Donde
Estabas Tu” at the age of 70, still full of Cuban fire.
Back to the present with the Sugarloaf Gangsters.
Mastermind Mark Robertson has been around with Spiritual South on labels like
Afro Art and Raw Fusion, his G.A.M.M. release “Avant Le Jazz” melts electric
bossa into dancefloor madness. Speedometer then add some spice to the menu,
“Lover And A Friend” from their 2010 album “The Shakedown” on Freestyle Records
is a fresh piece of gritty funk. Some 40 years before Speedometer Donny
Hathaway released his seminal “Everything Is Everything” album. It is not “The
Ghetto” which Wetzler chose to be included here, but the equally moving “Sugar
Lee”: “Here we have it: Jazz, funk, gospel and soul in perfect harmony,” he
explains his choice. “Hathaway’s ability of translating spirituality into a
serious groove is blinding.” Keeping with the theme of spirituality Gregory
Porter and Paul Weller are natural choices. Grammy nominee Porter’s “1960 What”
is destined to be a modern jazz classic, while Weller’s Brit Award decorated
“Wild Wood” already is a modern standard embracing all decades from the Sixties
to the Nineties and creating a modern fusion of folk and rock on the way.
With Weller relocating “Coming Home” on British soil
Droesemeyer selects Treaure Isle recording artist Phyllis Dillon’s Duke Reid
produced reggae version of “Perfidia”, later released on Trojan Records. Jehro
from Marseille keeps up with the Caribbean vibe while adding a healthy shot of
French folk and sending his “Why Me” on the hippie trail. “Why Me” has your
heart dancing, your feet will inevitably follow during Mo’ Horizons “Cowboy
Bossa” in a Fab Samperi styled trademark remix. The unquestionable
down-to-earthness and songwriter genius of Mose Allison seems to be custom-made
for this edition of “Coming Home”. “I’m Not Talking” is taken from his 1964
album “A Word From Mose”. Some call it Post Bop, but whatever you call it,
first of all it is simply beautiful music.
Bopping right into the 21st
century is The Hidden Jazz Quartett straight out of North Germany with their
superb London style Acid Jazz revival tune “His Footlocker”, released on Mo’
Horizons own “Agogo Records” label which they run together with their soulmate
Ralf Zitzmann.
When the Argentinian king of the swing guitar Oscar
Aleman arrives with his 1943 recording of “Besame Mucho” we know that Mo’
Horizons are true global travellers, as are Agogo Records labelmates Una Mas
Trio with their “Latin Brother”. Southern England beatsmith TM Juke teams up
with the Jack Baker Trio for “That Gut Feeling” and here we have it again: The groove
and the global vibe. It is Sir Mack Rice who walks away with honour of closing
this “Coming Home” session. His 1964 Lu Pine single “Baby I’m Coming Home” set
as many Northern Soul floors alight over the years as it perfectly rounds up
“Coming Home”: “It’s all in there: Soul, rhythm, melody, passion and a feeling
of actually arriving where you really belong,” Droesemeyer closes. “That is
what you expect when you are coming home.”

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Tracklisting
01 Clay Hammond – You Threw
Out Your Lifeline
02 Betty Everett – Someday
Soon
03 Misha Moore – Oh Lord
04 Mo’Horizons – Yes Baby
Yes (12” Remix Edit)
05 Omara Portuondo – Donde
Estabas Tu?
06 Sugarloaf Gangsters –
Avant Le Jazz
07 Speedometer – Lover And A
Friend
08 Donny Hathaway – Sugar
Lee (LP Version)
09 Gregory Porter – 1960
What? (Edit)
10 Paul Weller – Wild Wood
11 Phyllis Dillon – Perfidia
12 Jehro – Why Me
13 Mo’Horizons – Cowboy
Bossa (Fab Samperi Remix – Radio Version)
14 Mose Allison – I’m Not
Talking (LP Version)
15 Hidden Jazz Quartett –
His Footlocker
16 Oscar Aleman – Besame
Mucho
17 Una Mas Trio – Latin
Brother
18 TM Juke & The Jack
Baker Trio (Feat. Andreya Triana) – That Gut Feeling
19 Mack Rice – Baby I’m Coming Home (2007
Remastered Single Version)