In commemoration of soul singing legend Ural Thomas’s 85th birthday, Cairo Records and The Albina Music Trust present ‘Nat-Ural’! This giant tribute to Ural’s 70 year music career includes an LP, a 7″, a thirty six page 12″ x 12″ full color book, five postcards, a newspaper fold out, a 11″ X 17″ poster and beautiful printed inner sleeves. The LP: these 8-track recordings are from the early ’90s – possibly some begun as early as late ’80s. There are synthesizers, drum machines, a chorus of vocal overdubs, guitars, bass, drums… a full band all Ural, recorded at home and now for the first time on LP. The 7″: two songs Ural recorded in the early 1960s at home with a bunch of kids from the neighborhood. Side A is the avant garde funk masterpiece ‘Fade Away’ – featuring kids blowing into ten foot long bed posts outfitted with trombone slides. Side B is the sweet, simple soulful and life affirming ballad, ‘Smile.’ The booklet: This 12″ x 12″ full color book features a long interview with Ural, interviews with his contemporaries and tons of great photos. It covers his whole career as a soul singing legend. The postcards: five postcards featuring pictures of Ural from various stages of his career. The fold out newspaper: an old article about Ural’s struggles with the city of Portland and a new article about how great Ural is on the other side. The inner sleeves: two large beautiful alternate covers for ‘Nat-Ural’ are printed on the inner sleeves. The poster: full color promo shot of Ural in a mesh outfit hanging out in a birdbath.