SWP Records

11/07/2025

BaMbuti pygmies recorded by Hugh Tracey in 1952 in the Ituri Forest, north-eastern Congo. Apparently no title was given to this dance, so it is called 'Dance' on the original Tracey field card.
All over the internet there are clips of very fast, brilliant, and complicated drumset drumming which, if you watch them too often will make you both blind and deaf! But I love what this single drummer does here, accompanied by a shaker only: the beat is wonderfully open, uncluttered and lucid - the rhythm is floating! It reminds me somehow of Elvin Jones' tumbling style. Good music is so often about the notes you don't play, the gaps you create so that the music can breathe. No this guy/gal can't play three-double-reversed flummariddles incorporating 5 foot pedals, but he/she has a deep understanding of space and time...

The SWP catalogue is full of gems - and prices for both phsyical cds/lps and downloads are cheap and fair. You can listen to most tracks for free via the SWP Records Bandcamp page, so check out our releases!

from the album On the Edge of the Ituri Forest

09/07/2025

The track 'Bontibe-Malende', from the album SWP 048 'SoonSoon' (the cd) and SWP 049 'SoonSoon' (the lp) - composition and all instruments by Michael Baird. (There are 3 guest musicians on this album - David Tronzo, Yvonne Cornelius, Andy Moor - but none of them of this track...). After many field trips in the Zambezi Valley recording the music of the BaTonga, this piece was inspired by two traditional musics: that at a Bontibe (originally funeral music called Budima), which is the first part, and the Malende songs (asking for rain) in the second part. Yes, he sees himself as a contemporary African musician - with one foot in the country of his birth and childhood, Zambia, and one foot in Europe!
Physical albums available through the SWP Records website and via the SWP Records Bandcamp page (also for downloads).

from the album SoonSoon

07/07/2025

Siyemboka music by Silimwa Selected, from Kakenge village, Limulunga district, Zambia. Recorded by Michael Baird in 2018. 2 men played the silimba xylophone, 3 men played 4 drums - and the whole village participated! on SWP 059 'Siyemboka Music', one of four cds in the media book SWP 058 (which also includes a 42-page booklet) - you can download via the SWP Records Bandcamp page...

from the album Siyemboka Music

06/07/2025

This is an earler recording by Michael Baird of the song 'Kalonda' by the Kalonda Band in 1996 - wonderfully honest rural pop music from Zambia's Southern Province!
It was his 2002 recording of the same song by that band that attracted national attention in Zambia a year later and brought Johnny Simubba and friends some success, which alas Johnny could only enjoy for a short time as he died in 2005.
The album SWP 055 'The Complete Kalonda Band Recordings' is one of 4 cds in the media book SWP 053 'Luangwa to Livingstone'. You can download every track separately, or each album separately, or you can buy the whole media book which comprises a 42-page booklet and the 4 cds. Brighten up your life.....

from the album The Complete Kalonda Band Recordings

05/07/2025

SWP 073 'Painless Airwaves' - by Trio CBD, with Rémi Charmasson, Michael Baird, Philippe Deschepper. And the genre is 'Hippie Free-jazz - also for young people'! Cd and digital release in October via https://www.swp-records.com and https://swp-records.bandcamp.com

04/07/2025

Two new albums ready for cd and digital release:
SWP 072 'No Dogmas Allowed' - by Michael Baird, with Michael Moore, Jon Birdsong , Hans Hasebos, Henk Raven.
SWP 073 'Painless Airwaves' - by Trio CBD, with Michael Baird, Rémi Charmasson, Philippe Deschepper.

The first in September, the second in October. Here is the front cover of the first, tomorrow the front cover of the second. Oh yesss!

Some people have already asked us what genre of music is on each album? Well on 'No Dogmas Allowed' it is 'Pleasantly Weird - yet surprisingly diverse', and on 'Painless Airwaves' it is 'Hippie Free-jazz - young music played by 3 old guys'. So there you go.....words to that effect.

05/04/2025

Trio CBD - Michael Baird drums & percussion, Rémi Charmasson electric guitar, Philippe Deschepper electric guitar - recording at La Buissonne studio last Monday and Tuesday. Hippie free-jazz, shaken AND stirred! The album will be SWP 073 in our catalogue and the title has not yet chosen itself...

(Photos by Michel Silvestre)

28/03/2025

This month's cover story in Italy's major world music magazine Blogfoolk is a long interview with Michael Baird - about his music and about SWP Records. And you can click on a button to read the (original) interview in English! But my goodness, Italian is such a beautiful language.....
The review of the double album 'Danceables' after the interview is in Italian only.
Thanks Salvatore Esposito and Ciro De Rosa for the support.

Michael Baird – Danceables (SWP Records, 2024)

07/03/2025

Bandcamp Friday continues - until midnight Pacific Time (09.00 hours CET Saturday morning):
The East Coast Orchestra, led by trumpetist Mohammed Ngala Badi, Mombasa, Kenya, 1952. Tracks 5 and 6 on the cd SWP 031 'Colonial Dance Bands'. They were the resident band at the Britannia Hotel, and were also known as The Eco African Band. They also called themselves The Eco Boys. Good musicians creating an own sound, they played in the colonial era to Europeans, within the limits of self-censorship, but they had an essential role in the development of popular music in Kenya. They were pioneers and for that alone they deserve great respect!
Check them out at https://swp-records.bandcamp.com/album/colonial-dance-bands

07/03/2025

Thanks to those who have already purchased today - and this Bandcamp Friday continues! Lighten up your life with music from our weird but wonderful catalogue.....here is 'Allatatto Al Seno' ('Breastfed'), a percussion duet performed by Michael Baird and Pino Basile!

from the album Danceables

07/03/2025

It is Bandcamp Friday! Started here in Central European Time at 09.00 hours -up to 09.00 hours tomorrow (Pacific Time up to midnight, check out your own time zone...). Support independent record labels, buy some music! Download singles tracks and/or whole albums, buy physical cds and/or lps. If you order 3 lps together the shipping costs are the same as for 1 lp. Brighten up your life with music from the extraordinary SWP Records catalogue - you can first stream for free to help you make choices! Click on the arrow to hear 'Fourth Sequence' on the album 'Resonance Vibration Frequencies'.....

from the album Resonance Vibration Frequencies

06/03/2025

Tomorrow March 7th is a Bandcamp Friday!
Bandcamp Friday is from midnight to midnight Pacific Time, which is 09.00 hours Friday morning to 09.00 hours Saturday morning Central European Time.....check out your own time zone. During a Bandcamp Friday we get 100% of what you purchase, as Bandcamp waives their commission. Check out our whole Bandcamp page where you can listen for free before purchasing downloads of whole albums and/or single tracks, or buying whole physical albums (cds and/or lps). Yes, support your friendly small independent label by buying some wonderfully honest music today - and brighten up your existence!
The link is just one example from our catalogue.....the great xylophonist Crispin Mutanuka, backed by Michael Baird on percussion:

from the album Zam Groove