R.I.P. reggae great R. Zee Jackson, 1954-2026

Sadly, roots reggae great R. Zee Jackson has passed away at the age of 72. He'll be greatly missed. 

R. Zee Jackson, 1954-2026

We are sad to announce that our friend R.ZEE Jackson (also known as Esso Jaxxon) has passed away yesterday (July 24, 2026).  

We had the privilege of collaborating with him on several instalments of the Novelty Engine project and it was always a pleasure to share a stage and moments of life with RZee. He was about to join us once again at Ozora Festival in just a few days.

All of our love and thoughts go to his family and loved ones. 

Fly high, RZee, may you travel gently in the infinite light. 

With love and great respect,

Ajja, Tanya & Novelty Engine

O.Z.O.R.A. Festival

Happy Birthday William Eggleston!

Raising a glass to photographer/composer and filmmaker William Eggleston on his 87th birthday... cheers William!  

LINKS
William Eggleston 512
William Eggleston Musik

Watch the video for "Chasing Shadows" by Nubian Twist feat. Fatoumata Diawara

Here's Mali's Fatoumata Diawara singing "Chasing Shadows" with Nubian Twist and launching her new signature Epiphone guitar. 

Watch a Play and Trade Guitars demo of Epiphone's new Fatoumata Diawara signature model SG right here.  

Col. Tom Parker's Swinging Door w/ Alison MacGregor @ The Cameron, Sunday

Don't miss Alison MacGregor singing 'n' picking with Col. Tom and crew at the Cameron House tonight from 6 pm to 8 pm. 

Steve Briggs' Summer Sundays w/ Fergus Hambleton @ Artful Dodger, July 26

Fergus Hambleton (Sattalites, Goody Two Shoes) joins Steve Briggs at the Artful Dodger (10 Isabella) today from 4 pm to 7 pm.

LINKS

It's Psychedelic Baby Fergus Hambleton interview

Listen to "Waiting For The Moon" by Moonfood cut with Bob & Dan Lanois in 1977 right here.

Whaddya mean you don't know Promised Land Sound

Nashville's Promised Land Sound – inspired by the Flying Burrito Bros, Jim Ford & CAN – deserve much wider recognition. 

Here's the scoop from Paradise of Bachelors...

Promised Land Sound, Nashville’s finest purveyors of febrile root-work psychedelia, chose to begin at the beginning; they named themselves after an immortal road-dogging Chuck Berry jam and proceeded from there. For such a young band—though they’re now all in their twenties, some weren’t even of legal drinking age when they released their debut—they’re remarkably attuned to historical precedents. 

The self-titled first album mined the same red dirt/swamp boogie as the Flying Burritos, Gene Clark, Jesse Ed Davis, Link Wray, the Band, CCR, Dennis Linde, Johnny Darrell, the Stones, et al. But For Use and Delight is the album on which Promised Land Sound finds their distinctive idiom, the distilled articulation of their mutable live performances, during which songs expand and contract, guitars flicker, flame, and gutter, and the rhythm section achieves a full-throttle locomotive choogle that locates the common/contested ground between J.J. Cale and Can. 

You can get Promised Land Sound's recordings directly from their record label Paradise of Bachelors right here. Watch a performance of "Golden Child" below. 

MixTO Festival w/ Orbital Ensemble @ Trillium Park, Saturday

Orbital Ensemble's 7 pm set at Trillium Park today will be a highlight of the MixTO Festival which runs from 4 pm to 11 pm.

For more information about this weekend's MixTO Festival, visit their site. Watch a clip of Orbital Ensemble in action here.