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Massively heavy sounds from A Bolha -- a Brazilian group who were previously known as The Bubbles, and backed up Gal Costa during the Tropicalia years -- but who work here in a fuzzy, bassy groove that's totally great -- definitely an heir to the headier sounds of the UK scene at the start of the... read more

Amazing stuff from Ahmed Abdul-Malik -- one of the early 60s most enigmatic jazz talents! Malik was Thelonious Monk's bassist for a few years, but by the time of this record, he was working in a very sophisticated cross-cultural mode -- pulling together many different strands of jazz and Eastern... read more

A whole new kind of trio session for the 70s -- one that has the airy, open lines of guitarist John Abercrombie stretching out nicely in the company of drummer Jack DeJohnette and bassist Dave Holland! The music is archetypal ECM work of the time -- a complete contrast to a guitar trio session... read more

We used to love this single back in the day! Soulful vocals over an electro/seminal house groove, served up here in a radio edits and dub versions.... read more

Abstract Rude's Rejuvenation, produced entirely by Vitamin D -- kind of a laidback, west coast funky vibe in the beats department -- but Rude's rhymes take a busier tack in spots, and interesting counterpart to the more easygoing beats, bass groove and synths in the production. Titles include... read more

A tremendous debut from Ace Spectrum -- a harmony quartet who never cracked the charts as much as some of their east coast contemporaries, but who were every bit as great as the bigger names on the east coast scene! The album's got a soaring sound that's strongly influenced by Philly, but recorded... read more

A masterpiece of east coast harmony soul -- and worth it for the title cut alone! Ace Spectrum are always pretty great, but on this album, they really bust out of the box with some of the most wonderful harmonies they've ever recorded -- set to impeccable arrangements by Patrick Adams, who hits... read more

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One of two albums that Gil Evans cut for World Pacific in the late 50's -- the one with Cannonball Adderley as the main soloist, and a super hip lineup of players that keeps up with Evans evolving modernist ideals nicely. Adderley's still not settled into his soul jazz bag as firmly as in later... read more

Forget the "sophisticated" -- and concentrate on the "swing"! This one swings all the way -- and it features a young Cannon blowing hard with a tight little combo that's kind of a precursor of his hit recordings on Riverside a few years later. Brother Nat's on cornet, and the... read more

Excellent soul jazz material from Cannonball's trumpet-playing brother -- done in a tight short groovy style that's very much in the best Atlantic 60s jazz mode! 5 tracks are played with a larger group that has Nat soloing over the top, and the other 3 are done with a very hip smaller group that... read more

Incredible stuff from the obscure African Music Machine -- a southern funk combo led by bassist Louis Villery -- a legendary lost funk record! The band had a very unique sound that involved a lot of rolling bubbling basslines, spacey organ grooves, tight choppy guitar riffs and punchy horn blasts.... read more

Great work by one of the grooviest groups on the LA 60s scene! The Afro Blues Quintet have a blend of soul jazz and Latin styles that's similar to the best 60s work by Cal Tjader, or to records by small combos like the Quartette Tres Bien or The Latin Jazz Quintet. Lots of grooves have a nice... read more

Sweet keys from 70s Finland -- a great little set that's filled with jazzy work on electric piano and clavinet! Keyboardist Olli Ahvenlahti has a touch that's as warm and soulful as some of his counterparts on the American fusion scene -- an approach that's not nearly as jamming or rock-influenced... read more

A great live document of one of the greatest groups to emerge from the Chicago AACM and reach a larger audience during the 70s -- the mighty trio of Fred Hopkins on bass, Steve McCall on percussion, and Henry Threadgill on reeds! The album's got a soulful and inventive approach that merges their... read more

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One of Airto's greatest records ever -- a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches -- all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of California soul! ... read more

Airto's working with a bit of electronics here, but the album's still got plenty of greatness to offer -- loads of Mr Moreira's trademark percussion, mixed in with with a bit of flutes, cuica, and keyboards too! The production has a somewhat ambitious feel -- spreading Airto's sound out with wider... read more

A touching farewell to Charles Mingus -- a suite of tracks written by Toshiko Akiyoshi on the occasion of his death, performed by the excellent large group led by Akiyoshi and husband Lew Tabackin. Tracks are a bit more complicated and emotive than some of the group's other work -- very Mingus-y,... read more

A great little live set from the glory days of the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Big Band -- a series of performances from Japan, recorded in 1976, all featuring the ensemble at its best! The double-length nature of the record takes the group even farther than usual -- really letting them stretch... read more

The former Beatnut gets produced by his old bandmates on one side of this indie single, and lyrical help from Problemz, A-Massacre, Sean Black and Sk.... read more

A beautiful later set from Lorez Alexandria -- produced by Houston Person, and put together with a sensitivity that really stands out! Although Lorez always sparkles on tunes that swing, she really rises to the occasion even more here on the ballads -- really gentle tunes that are taken in a... read more

Classic Johnny Alf album from the 60s! Unlike some of the other Brazilian bossa artists who made it big in the states (like Jobim and Joao Gilberto), Johnny Alf was a major talent in Brazil, but never really got exported properly. His sound is warm and mellow, and he's sings and plays piano in a... read more

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An amazing array of Afro Funk from the legendary Tony Allen -- 4 of his greatest albums ever, packaged together in a single set! The work here was all recorded hot on the heels of Tony's key years with Fela Kuti -- and shares a very similar approach to the groove -- long, stretched out passages... read more

Incredible stuff -- and Mose Allison at his finest! The record's got a rough and hard-grooving quality that surpasses even Allison's other albums for Prestige and Columbia from the time -- an almost bluesy approach that comes out in the style of the recording -- which features more rougher edges... read more

A whole new level of genius for Herb Alpert -- a record that's light years away from his earlier work with the Tijuana Brass, and which has the trumpeter stepping strongly into the world of smooth jazzy fusion! The title track here went platinum the minute it was released -- and became an end-of-th... read more

One of the few sides led by drummer Altschul, during a period when he was associated with some of the heavier players in the European and American avant scenes! On his preceding Muse LP, Altschul had been joined by some of his cohorts in Circle -- but here only bassist Dave Holland remains,... read more

Very nice record, and one of the rarer sides by Gene Ammons. We can't remember the exact story behind this, but we know that the material was recorded by Jug during the early 60's, when he was violating his contractual agreements with a number of labels, and recording sessions for just about... read more

Rare funk from the Indy scene of the early 70s -- the long-overdue release of material recorded by a really hard-jamming, horn-heavy combo! Amnesty have a sound that's awash in the best large group influences of the time -- a bit of Earth Wind & Fire, a bit of Parliament/Funkadelic, but also a... read more

A mysterious blend of funky edits and vocal samples -- credited as "Anagram Jam"! The a-side takes a pulpy, fuzzed out psych funk guitar bit of a funk beat -- underneath a recognizable comedy figure's funky take on the alphabet! Side 2 takes a different bath, into Bollywood sample funk,... read more

Early work by this important Brazilian jazz singer -- working here with a dream bossa group that includes Milton Banana on drums and Tenorio Jr on piano, in a live setting that shows her at the peak of her powers! The feel of the set is in a hard bossa mode with jazzy touches -- and the crack... read more

Beautiful bossa -- and one of Leny Andrade's best albums! The record was recorded way back in 1965, when Leny was starting her career, years before she went onto become one of Brazil's most famous jazz singers. She's working here with Deodato, who did a beautiful set of jazzy arrangements that... read more

Early work from this overlooked UK post-punk outfit -- a group who've resurfaced in recent years, but who sound especially wonderful here! The style is stark, stiff, and edgey -- very much in the best Rough Trade singles mode from the early years -- and in ways that remind us a lot of some of the... read more

Sharp-edged grooves from Israel -- deep funk at the core, but also cut up with a fair bit of turntable work too! The combo are heavy on the horns -- trumpet, tenor, trombone, and baritone sax -- laid out in full funky frenzy over some very driving drum work on the bottom. These grooves would be... read more

Swingin Brazilian soul from Eduardo Araujo -- a late 60s groover that's steeped in the styles of Memphis and Muscle Shoals, but which also has a unique twist that's all its own! Eduardo's definitely in the "boogaloo" mode referred to in the title, as the album's a blend of the hard sock-s... read more

A lost treasure of Brazilian fusion -- originally released by keyboardist Marcos Ariel on his own tiny label in 1981! The set sparkles with the best of the larger Brazilian fusion scene of the time -- working in a post-Azymuth blend of keyboards, guitar, percussion, and Brazilian instrumentation --... read more

A very soulful batch of fusion tracks from drummer Horacee Arnold -- here leading a group that includes reed talents Billy Harper and Joe Farrell, percussionist Ralph McDonald, guitarist Ralph Towner, and Dave Friedman on vibes and percussion. Tracks are long and spiralling, with a spiritual... read more

Bass heavy funk from Arrington -- picking up where that Slave groove left off, moving into a mode that's also picked up bits of 80s groove and old school rhythms. Titles include "Nobody Can Beat You", "You Meet My Approval", "Speak With Your Body", "Weak At The... read more

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago -- and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer -- and plays with a creative tightness that you'll... read more

Funky African work from Fred Fisher -- a Nigerian trombonist who crafted his own unique groove at the end of the 70s! Fred both sings and plays trombone -- the latter with a Fred Wesley-like soulfulness -- and his rhythms here are really wide-ranging, and embrace a host of new styles coming into... read more

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The stunning debut of Kylie Auldist -- working here with some great help from The Bamboos! Kylie's sung with the group in the past, and the album's produced by Bamboos mainmain Lance Ferguson -- who also plays on the record too -- but the style is much more complicated than that combo's deep funk,... read more

A great batch of bass-heavy funk -- sweet 80s grooving from one of Salsoul's best groups of the time! Steve Washington plays bass, arranges, produces, and heads up the conceptual side of things -- and the group's a good mix of young players, with alternating male and female vocals throughout the... read more

Warm jazzy grooves from Patti Austin -- a perfect blend of 70s soul and the sweetly jazzy style of the CTI label! Patti's singing here with small combo backing on most cuts -- arranged mostly by David Matthews, with some help from Jeremy Wall & The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Team. Players include... read more

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An excellent album by Latin Soul arranger Harvey Averne! This set is miles ahead of Harvey's work from the 60s -- a heavy set of 70s grooves that has a lot of Chicano rock influences, and which mixes together percussion, electric guitar, soulful vocals, and plenty of other tasty instrumental... read more

An excellent album by Latin Soul arranger Harvey Averne! This set is miles ahead of Harvey's work from the 60s -- a heavy set of 70s grooves that has a lot of Chicano rock influences, and which mixes together percussion, electric guitar, soulful vocals, and plenty of other tasty instrumental... read more

A beautiful document of a magical musical moment -- one of the few live performances ever of the work of David Axelrod -- a concert that's presented here in a special vinyl package! Axelrod's 60s albums are the stuff of legend -- orchestral efforts with a funky undercurrent, and longtime favorites... read more

Stunning! This is David Axelrod's rare suite of tracks dedicated to saving the enviroment with a set of jazzy funky grooves! The record's probably his most baroque album ever, with a big group of jazz players that mixes vibes, guitars, and off-kilter reeds -- plus a group of singers who perform... read more

High concept work from David Axelrod -- and following on the same progression that he began with his work for the Electric Prunes, and on some of his Capitol work. The record's a version of Handel's Messiah, but it's done with all the right Axelrod touches -- plenty of subdued funk, nice jazzy... read more

A masterpiece! This is one of David Axelrod's most perfectly realized albums -- and it's a brilliant batch of baroque arrangements, jazzy solos, and slightly subtle funky bits! The album contains the much-sampled song "Holy Thursday", but the whole thing has a very similar feel to that... read more

A great look at the genius of David Axelrod -- the groundbreaking producer who recorded some incredibly hip albums at Captiol during the late 60s, but who's now only finally getting his due! Axelrod brought a whole new sensibility to the studio in his day -- an approach that really stripped down... read more

A great little album from Roy Ayers' early years with Polygram -- often overlooked amidst some of the bigger records in the catalog, but a very soulful set that's got some wonderful funky numbers! There's a really jazzy feel going on here -- Roy's nod back to his older roots in music, touched with... read more

"Don't Stop The Feeling" is a great little groover from Roy -- filled with bass-heavy riffing, in the mode of "Running Away", and tunes from that era -- fast, funky, but not disco!... read more

An archetypal album by Roy -- and one that really shows him at the turning point of his sound! Gone are the trippier jazz funk moments of earlier albums -- and in their place are some tight grooves and wonderfully spacey soul. Roy hits the dancefloor with one of his first up-tempo funk numbers... read more

One of the best early soul albums by Roy Ayers! Roy's working here with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Edwin Birdsong, William Allen, Harry Whitaker, and other hip players -- a perfect crew to forge Roy's unique blend of jazz and soul. This is perhaps the first record to really have Roy stretching out in... read more

It's like a dream come true -- 13 previously unissued recordings by Roy Ayers, all from the height of his glory years on Polydor! Roy's work from this time is some of our favorite ever -- a burning blend of jazz, soul, and funk -- handled with impeccable charm, and a level of soul that few other... read more

A landmark recording -- Albert Ayler's first album for the ESP label, and a record that hit the jazz world like a bullet! Spiritual Unity sets the stage for a format that would become huge in the European avant scene of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even today -- the sax-driven power-trio, tenor against... read more

A landmark recording -- Albert Ayler's first album for the ESP label, and a record that hit the jazz world like a bullet! Spiritual Unity sets the stage for a format that would become huge in the European avant scene of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even today -- the sax-driven power-trio, tenor against... read more

One of the more abstract sets we've heard from Tru Thoughts in recent years -- but a record with some nice organic elements as well! Azaxx has previously turned in work for the label's Shapes series, but gets the chance to really stretch out here -- working with a range of beats and samples that... read more

Proof that Azymuth were one of the few groups who could keep things real at a time when most of their fusion contemporaries were sounding cloying and commercial! The album's got a well-rounded sound that really shows the group's roots in the 70s, and their wonderful evolution over the years --... read more

Excellent American release from the brilliant Brazilian fusion outfit Azymuth. While occasionally they managed to get a bit complicated in their arrangements, the songs and groove never suffered for it, and the crisp modern production complements their tight sound nicely, with warm key washes and... read more

Fantastic! The lost link in the Chicago soul scene of the 60s was Baby Huey -- and he was a pretty darn big link too, if you've ever seen him in pictures! Weighing in at about 300 pounds, Baby Huey was sort of a rockin' soul star who played clubs on both sides of the city, to audiences of all... read more

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Pretty groovy tracks recorded by this enigmatic jazz guitarist in France during the early 60s. The format is trio throughout -- with 2 different rhythm groups: Kenny Clarke & Pierre Michelot, and Daniel Humair & Michel Gaudry. The tracks are short and tight -- with hints of Django, but... read more

A brilliant funky soundtrack -- with great work from a number of different artists! The Buddah soul stable came out in full force for this soundtrack, including Harvy Fuqua, The New Birth, Barbara Mason, and Horace Ott -- as well as the little known group Badder Than Evil! They play on the great... read more

Great stuff from Eryka Badu -- sweet, mellow, soulful, and with a very righteous vibe! The record's got some impeccable production -- and the best cuts have a stripped-down groove that mixes keyboards and vocals in a way that's similar to recent work by D'Angelo and Jill Scott. Eryka's all her... read more

Badu is back with some of the deepest, funkiest and best music of her career -- a mindblowing treatise for a New Amerykah -- and what we'll consider an instant classic whether the world at large catches on or not! Erykah steps up this time with a set that balances the wilder impulses of her... read more

Funky breaks and fuzzy guitars -- one of the most amazing albums to come out of the Turkish scene of the 70s -- and one with a sound that really defies categorization! Although the sweet image of a girl and guitar on the cover might make you think the record's a folk set, the overall production is... read more

Psychedelic folk rock from the Turkish scene of the 70s -- a real criss-crossing of styles, carried off with strong emotive effect by protest singer Selda! There's a powerful sound here that's completely without referent, but immediately gripping -- a blend of familiar and strange elements that... read more

Hardbop albums don't get any better than this -- and although drummer Dave Bailey only recorded for a brief stretch as a leader, this session's one that shows that he was a heck of a force to contend with! The record's got an intensity that easily rivals the best by Art Blakey over at Blue Note... read more

A great later date from CTI -- proof that the label still had its magic going on well into the 80s! The session's a larger group effort headed up by Don Sebesky, and featuring key solos by Chet Baker, Jim Hall, and Hubert Laws -- all of whom get plenty of room to do their thing on the album's... read more

Funky club soul and spacier funk from the Baker Brothers! "Family Tree" features vocals by Vanesa Freeman, and it has a nice uptempo groove, with nice drums, guitar and bass in the mix, kicked up by some funky flute and hand percussion> "Space Funk" brings the funk with... read more

Beats by Biggest Gord and Alchemist, guest rhymes by Timbo King, Killah Priest and Black Jesus.... read more

A lost classic in the funky poetry mode of the 70s -- and right up there with the best work from the time by the Last Poets, Jim Ingram, or Gil Scott Heron! Bama's got a rough-edged voice that works very well with the funkier backings of the set -- handled by a team that includes Bernard Purdie on... read more

No side-stepping these grooves -- as they're right, tight, and very much on the money -- work that shows a real evolution in the sound of The Bamboos, and one that takes them strongly into deep soul territory! These guys have always had a great ear for classic funk, but this time around they're... read more

Seminal funk by one of Brazil's greatest groups! Earth Wind & Fire had nothing on Banda Black Rio -- as the Brazilian combo mixed together smooth jazz funk, soulful vocals, and great production, into a sound that rivaled any of America's best mainstream funk acts of the 70s! This album's... read more

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Classic black rock funk from Stax, by the second version of the Bar-Kays (the first went down in the plane with Otis) with a nice hard sound all the way through. There's plenty of guitars in the mix, ripping away like a buzzsaw over the top of bass-heavy funk rhythms -- ready to bite with the same... read more

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A great soul album from the CTI years on A&M, and one of the few soul records ever on CTI! Barbary's got this spacey vocal style that's really great -- not really falsetto soul, but kind of a tenor with a soft emotive quality. Arrangements by Artie Butler and Horace Ott give his voice a great... read more

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A collection of tracks from Gato's years at Flying Dutchman -- all of which have been issued before, save for the extended 13-minute suite, "El Gato", composed by Oliver Nelson, and a great track with a strident searching jazz feel! The cut's one of Gato's best from the time, and... read more

One of the first albums ever cut as a leader by reedman Gato Barbieri -- and a very sharp-edged session that's quite different than his better-known work in the 70s! Barbieri's tenor here has an incredible tone -- as deeply soulful as Pharoah Sanders or late John Coltrane, and blown with a great... read more

A beautiful record from Gato Barbieri -- almost a return to more traditional forms, but still graced with the searching, burning quality that made most of his early 70s sides so great! The tracks are all long and exploratory -- and have Gato blowing with that tremendous tenor tone -- a mix of late... read more

South Georgia Blues from Cecil Barfield -- mid 70s work recorded by field recorder George Mitchell -- emotive stuff from a blues singer/guitar player who sang the blues from very young edge, but was rarely recorded! The material was recorded in 1976, and released later in the decade with under the... read more

It must have cost Barrabas plenty to make the heart-shaped manhole on the cover of this album -- but given the sound of the grooves, the money was well worth it! The set's a fair bit tighter than their earliest work from Spain -- but also a great direction for their styles -- one that's nicely... read more

An excellent collection of work from Spanish combo Barrabas -- and one that really has a focus on the group's most groove-heavy tracks! Barrabas were as much of a rock group as a funk combo -- but their more soulful sides managed to cross over big here in the US in the early 70s -- and a good... read more

Funky rocking sounds from this hip Spanish group -- with a bit of a tribal sound that's pretty sweet! The bass is pretty thundering, the drums are strong, and there's some cool piano and flute in the mix that give the cuts a bit of a Latin flourish. Most cuts have vocals, kind of in a rock-soundin... read more

A great Ray Barretto album from 1972 -- one that beautifully showcases the master percussionist as he effortlessly shifts between Latin soul and 70's salsa styles! The group's nice and lean -- with Adalberto Santiago on vocals, Papy Roman on trumpet, Louis Cruz on piano, and the great Andy... read more

A nice jammer from the "second wind" period of CTI -- and a strong return to Latin jazz for Ray! The set's a great mixture of smooth CTI electric funk and Latin-oriented grooves -- and it features work by Ray on congas and percussion, plus a list of players that includes Tito Puente,... read more

A beautiful later session from Bill Barron -- one that has him playing both tenor and soprano sax, in a group with brother Kenny on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. The feel here is quite different than Barron's earlier groundbreaking work -- but equally wonderful in its own... read more

A beautiful later session from Bill Barron -- one that has him playing both tenor and soprano sax, in a group with brother Kenny on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. The feel here is quite different than Barron's earlier groundbreaking work -- but equally wonderful in its own... read more

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Amazing, simply amazing! The record is one of the first that Gary Bartz ever cut -- done during a time when he'd been working with Max Roach and a super-hip group of younger soul jazz players who would go onto shape the sound of the 70s. Bartz leads a group that includes Stanley Cowell, Freddy... read more

The 70s Count Basie Band in all their glory -- recorded live in extremely tight formation at the 1977 Montreux Jazz Festival! Despite the live setting, the recording quality here is impeccable -- easily on a par with most of the group's studio dates from the decade, especially in the way that... read more

Funky Shirley Bassey! This is a great set tof Shirley's groove-happy work cut in the late 60s -- hip tunes arranged by UK easy maestro Johnny Harris, best known for his fantastic work on the Stepping Stones record under his own name, forever a beathead classic! Features the great, funky big band... read more