Leonardo Pavkovic, the man behind Moonjune Records, has decided that he is going to make all of the catalogue available digitally, and to assist in the promotion of this event he has put together a 60 song 7 hour long compilation which is available until 12th December for just $1 US. Yep, you read that tight, just one solitary buck. Okay, if you live in NZ like me then it is more than $1 NZD, but if you live in the UK it is well under 1 GBP – that in itself should be enough to get you all interested. I mean, if there was just one song you enjoyed out of all of this then it would still be a bargain, right? Having been through everything on the compilation I am amazed at just how diverse the catalogue has become, and if you even remotely like jazz then there is going to be something here for you, whether it is fusion or supreme guitar, ethnic jazz, free jazz, or even an astounding acoustic version of “White Room” by Yagull that has to be heard to be believed. D.F.A blow the mind, as does the one and only Allan Holdsworth while both Soft Machine and Soft Machine Legacy are simply stunning. And as for Boris Salvodelli’s take on “Crosstown Traffic”, well Zappa would be proud. Actually Zappa would enjoy this album immensely, and I think he would have been particularly taken by Copernicus who is a cross between Beefheart, Waits and Olivier. His spoken word command over the music is awesome – it is an acquired taste to be sure, but it is strangely compelling and the compilation finishes with six songs of his taken from different albums. Then the master Elton Dean is here as well, and Hugh Hopper, and Phil Miller, and..well you get the idea.
With all of this incredible music on offer, the time was right to have a quick chat with the man himself and ask Leonardo a few questions.
Before forming MoonJune Records what had you been doing in the music industry?
I was involved only peripherally with the music industry, and the year before starting MoonJuneI worked with two other partners in a jazz label, but our investors left us dry in the last moment, focusing on something else. Before that I had been a partner since 1991 in the legendary graphic design and advertising parlor from New York City's Downtown, Studio T led by Brazilian designer and photographer Fernando Natalici since 1973. Half of our clients were in the music business: all music promoters, from small to giant, many jazz and independent labels, musicians so you can say that I have actively lived the New York "music scene" in 90's through graphics and advertisement. Atone point we serviced almost 75% of the performing music business in the city, and among labels our clients were Blue Note, Dreyfus, Knitting Factory Records, Celluloid, Stern's Africa, and many others.
Why did you decide to form the label?
I am still asking myself the same question. It happen organically without precise planning, with no budgets, no distribution, no entertainment lawyer, no capital, simply, it happened and here I am, still alive after 11 years. While I am not making my living from the label, I do other things within the music industry.
What is your musical policy in artists?
Intellectual and artistic freedom, camaraderie, and music that I like. I have complex and multiple taste in music, and my label represents in part my taste.
What is the label's proudest achievement to date?
To be still around after 11 yearsand to have our 50th release next month in January (Marbin’s new album ‘Last Chapter of Dreaming’). Also, releasing Indonesian artists makes me proud and happy, exposing to the world some amazing musicians such as RizaArshad of simakDialog, guitar virtuosos TYohpati and AgamHamzah and soon, the Indonesian ultimate guitaristDewaBudjana. Additionally I am proud to be involved with Allan Holdsworth who is an extra-terrestrial guitar genius. I am his worldwide booking manager and one of his best friends.
What made you concentrate so much on Indonesia?
My love and passion for that country which I have visited 14 times, and where I have so many friends in so many different circuits, not just in the musical circuits. Indonesia is the 4th most populous country in the world, culturally and musically extremely rich and still, not so many people know about Indonesia. Also, the country is experiencing tremendous economy growth, becoming not just a regional economic power, but also able and capable to be a world class player in terms of economy and business, due also to its own potential, and parallel, the Indonesian culture and music is gaining a momentum and Indonesia is about to happen, full time.
What's next?
Looking forward to celebrate my 100th release, which I hope will be in about 5-6 years, I plan to release 10-12 albums per year, but you never know, I might start releasing more. 15-20 of my next 50 releases should be Indonesian.
Below are the details of the release, and if you even remotely like jazz or jazz-influenced music then you owe it to yourself to not only support this release and discover some great artists that you may not have heard of before, but then go out and support the label itself. The Bandcamp link to get all of this for just $1 is http://moonjunerecords.bandcamp.com/album/1-for-7hrs-of-music
1. Marbin - Burning Match 05:10
2. Doubt - Jalal 07:16
3. Boris Savoldelli - Crosstown Traffic 04:02
4. Slivovitz - Fat 05:03
5. Allan Holdsworth - Blues For Tony 11:12
6. The Wrong Object - Sonic Riot At The Holy Palate 02:52
7. Ligro - Paradox 07:10
8. Mahogany Frog - Message From Uncle Stan: Green House 03:48
9. simakDialog - One Has To Be 13:34
10. D.F.A. - Flying Trip 07:53
11. Hiram Bullock, BireliLagrene&Contrafarsa - Three Views Of A Secret 09:11
12. Phil Miller In Cahoots - Conspiracy Theories 07:09
13. Hugh Hopper - NumeroD'Vol 09:21
14. TohpatiEthnomission - BedhayaKetawang (Sacred Dance) 08:30
15. simakDialog - TakJauhPertama 07:41
16. Alex Maguire Sextet - Psychic Warrior 09:17
17. TriPod - Trip The Light 04:09
18. Soft Machine Legacy - 12/12 10:20
19. Allan Holdsworth - Low Levels, High Stakes 09:05
20. Arti&Mestieri - Strips 04:26
21. TohpatiBertiga - I Feel Great 06:41
22. D.F.A. - AscendenteScorpione 04:33
23. Soft Works - Elsewhere 08:01
24. SH.TG.N - Eyjafjallajökull 03:17
25. Soft Machine - Land Of The Bag Snake 05:07
26. Jason Smith feat. Gary Husband and Dave Carpenter - Follow Your Heart 08:01
27. Dennis Rea - Kan Hai De Re Zi 03:43
28. Elton Dean & Mark Hewins - Merilyn's Cave 14:21
29. Soft Machine Legacy - The Nodder 07:03
30. Barry Cleveland - You'll Just have To See It To Believe 05:22
31. Elton Dean & The Wrong Object - The Unbelievable Truth 11:45
32. Iron Kim Style - Adrift 07:44
33. Machine Mass Trio - Hero 10:15
34. Soft Machine Legacy - Kings And Queens 09:14
35. Allan Holdsworth - None Too Soon Pt. I / Interlude / None Too Soon Pt. II 07:4
436. D.F.A. - Space Ace Man 09:52
37. Doubt - Cosmic Surgery 06:45
38. Mahogany Frog - Lady Xoc& Shield Jaguar 08:54
39. Geoff Leigh &Yumi Hara - The Siren Returns 05:38
40. Moraine - Manifest Density 03:55
41. Boris Savoldelli& Elliott Sharp - Nostalghia 04:21
42. D.F.A. - Ragno 12:04
43. Soft Machine Legacy - Chloe & The Pirates 07:27
44. Slivovitz - DammiUnBesho 06:16
45. Moraine - The Okanogan Lobe 07:39
46. Finisterre - Canto Antico 11:3
047. BeppeCrovella - Slightly All The Time 09:33
48. Delta Saxophone Quartet - The Tale Of Taliesin 01:54
49. Boris Savoldelli - Io 02:10
50. Soft Machine - Pigling Bland 04:44
51. Hugh Hopper &Yumi Hara - Futa 04:26
52. Yagull - White Room 04:51
53. Sashasonia - Dark 04:11
54. Copernicus - The Sound Of The Mind 05:03
55. Copernicus - Humanity Created The Illusion Of Itself 06:57
56. Copernicus - Free At Last 05:16
57. Copernicus - Atomic Nevermore 04:13
58. Copernicus - They Own Everything 03:19
59. Copernicus - Joe Meets Copernicus 05:50
60. Copernicus - Victim Of The Sky 04:17
This has to be the best value for money set I have ever seen. This is quality music being played by musicians who have a real love for the genre and a great deal to offer. By getting this you are supporting someone who is doing what he is doing not for money, but to help these artists have their music heard.
