Monty Alexander’s ‘Love & Happiness’ gets the De-Phazz treatment
The fourth single from De-Phazz’s upcoming album belooped scheduled for release on November 13th, is a reworking of the Al Green classic “Love & Happiness”, based on Monty Alexander’s version. A captivating mix of timeless elegance and Caribbean flair, all infused with that signature De-Phazz urban lounge vibe.
The Jamaican-American pianist Monty Alexander is one of the defining figures of international jazz. For decades, he has been delighting audiences with his unmistakable piano playing, virtuoso swing and a unique fusion of American jazz with the musical traditions of his native Jamaica – from reggae and ska to calypso. The original track appears on the 1974 MPS album Rass!, featuring Ernest Ranglin on guitar.
“There are countless versions of ‘Love & Happiness’, but as a retro lover, I was particularly taken with Monty Alexander’s MPS recording”, says Pit Baumgartner. “The grounded, hip-swinging groove and Ernest Ranglin’s sunny guitar blend wonderfully with the gospel vocals of the Stars of Faith, adding a soulful touch. For me, of course, it’s wonderful when different individual elements come together to create something new. Digging into the MPS treasure trove is always a journey through space and time; the best of the good old days, polished and revamped: longevity at its best”.
With belooped, De-Phazz and Germany’s oldest jazz label, MPS, bring together what belongs together. For this extraordinary project, De-Phazz founder Pit Baumgartner has been granted access to the archives of ‘Musik Produktion Schwarzwald’. With a keen sense for grooves and melodies, the sound architect has carefully restored the work of global stars such as Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald and George Duke, bringing it into the contemporary sound. The result is a musical collage that combines the “Most Perfect Sound” of the 60s to the 80s with the electro-organic vibes of the lounge pioneers, proving that timeless jazz and modern dance floors are no contradiction.
belooped finally brings together what has attracted many hipsters to the dance floors of Hamburg, Honolulu, Munich and Miami over the past decades. On the one hand, there is the tongue-in-cheek playfulness of the lounge export hit De-Phazz, launched in Heidelberg in 1997 by Pit Baumgartner, with its millions of streams on Spotify & Co. On the other hand, there is the archive of the record company MPS, which is cultically revered by DJs and rare groove hunters. Old meets new, digital meets analogue. What remains is the unique atmosphere. As well as the unmistakable sense of grooves and wonderful melodies that connect the MPS productions recorded between the 1960s and 1980s with the electro-organic vibes of De- Phazz.
“Love & Happiness” out on digital download on October 16th 2026 on MPS
