Fantastic Album that has been running on my player for a long time. I'm really disappointed this album received little, to no attention. Oh well, that's why I run this blog, bringing you the overlooked albums. Wagon Cookin released 2 Faces back in 2007 on Compost Records. Who is Wagon Cooking you ask?
Wagon Cookin’ was born from the deep passion of two brothers for good music and delicious food.
Besides their affections Javier and Luis Garayalde share also the experience of living together in a genuine railway wagon which once ran on the great Trans-Eurpope-Express at the beginning of the 20th century and now is situated near Madrid in the foothills of Sierra De Gredos. Thus originates the name Wagon Cookin!
Enjoying a musical education at the conservatory from childhood on, both are skilled musicians playing several instruments like Piano, Bass, Double Bass, Basson, Drums and percussion. Along with their father, the scholar and saxophone player Javier Garayalde, they have been part of various jazz bands before developing an interest in electronic music, acid jazz and house in the 1990s.
After attracting worldwide attention by releasing their first tracks on Chris Duckenfield’s label Odori they formed their own imprint Appetizers in 2001. With another series of 12” on their own label they gained more respect which led to collaborations with people like Rainer Trüby, Gilles Peterson and Masters At Work.
In 2002 the two groove gourmets served their first longplaying dish also called Appetizers. With an album in the baggage they went on tour playing concerts in Cologne at Popkomm, in Cannes at Midem and even four consecutive nights at the mythical Blue Note in Tokyo, sharing the stage with legendary Eddie Palmieri, Azymuth, Marcos Valle and Chic Korea.
The admiration of latin music made them pack their pots and pans in 2003, leaving Madrid behind to travel across the Atlantic ocean and settle down in their new kitchen, located in Salvador de Bahia (Brazil) to create the band project Everyday Life. While the main ingredients of their aural meals remained the same, their efforts to merge electronic dance music with classical bossa and latin jazz were now flavoured by a whole bunch of talented live musicians giving the Wagon Cookin sound an enchanting deep and warm feeling. The Everyday Life album came out in 2004.
After appearing on Rainer Trüby’s “Glücklich Vol.5” Compilation some years ago Javier and Luis returned to Compost Records in 2006 with a contribution to the acclaimed Black Label Series – foreshadowing more to come: the new album 2FACES - a double CD that shows the two different faces of Wagon Cookin. On one hand the style that always has been identified with them: a fusion of jazz, soul, latin, brazil, funk and house. And on the other hand some pushing club bangers, electronic disco dubs that will satisfy every state of the art DJ… in 2008 they offering their remixes album “2Faces Remixed” features big names in the current electronic music scene who reinterpret and give a new aroma to their songs:
Osunlade, Llorca, Atjazz, Sasse, Christiam Prommer, Nacho Marco, Shape, Inverse Cinematics, Isaac and Trotz, Motor City Drum Ensemble.
