A completely different side of Colombian music than you'd know from Discos Fuentes and some of the other mainstream outlets from that scene – as the tracks here are all from the contemporary underground, and represent a really rich flowering of creative grooves and soulful modes! In truth, most of this work might hail from any hip spot in the global underground – save for the fact that the lyrics are often in Spanish, and many tunes have some slight reference to older musical modes – sometimes an acoustic element mixed in with more electronic instrumentation, sometimes a more direct reference! The quality of the tracks is wonderful – a really strong surprise to our ears, as we never would have discovered this music otherwise – and it represents a really great alternative so some of the more staid, often boring attempts to create a global fusion of elements in the mainstream. Titles include "Cada Paso" by Liannia, "Cumbia Lobina (ext mix)" by Dragao featuring Nidia Gongora, "Aquazero" by Systema Solar featuring Pedro Ramaya, "Oyele" by Jimena Angel, "Cuando Canto Grito" by Cerrero featuring Lucia Pulido, "El Leopardo" by El Leopardo, "Mujer Divina" by Salsangroove, "Gualayo" by Radio Rebelde Soundsystem, "La Negra Y El Fantasma" by Bareto, "Nunca Termina" by David Caneva Akle, "Manana Sera" by Ruzto, and "De Donde Vengo Yo" by Los Transatlanticos featuring Pilar Matarola. (New Grooves, Global Grooves) CD

A record that's every bit as groovy as you might guess from the title – served up by one of the most unique combos to record for Colombia's Discos Fuentes in the 70s! Afrosound certainly have plenty of rhythms and sounds that resonate with their contemporaries at the top of the South American scene – but they also use rootsier percussion, and served up a rawer sound too – definitely bringing back some West African modes, after that scene had an earlier influence from the world of Afro-Cuban music! There's some especially cool keyboards that get all weird and distorted – like electric guitar on some Peruvian records – balanced with plenty of live, loud percussion – on titles that include "Banana De Queso", "Baila Felipe", "Negua", "Ponchito De Colores", "Carruseles", "Zaire Pop", "Rapsodia Del Chinito", "Me Voy De La Vida", "Salsa Con Tabaco", and "La Negra Saramuya". (Latin, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

A dozen heavy groovers from the legendary Discos Fuentes – pulled from a time when the Colombian label was really finding its sound and strengths – mixing together older strands of Afro Cuban inspiration with a special vibe that would soon make their scene rival the Latin music power of New York and Puerto Rico! The percussion is pretty darn heavy on most of these tracks – almost a fusion of the rootsier modes of early years with some of the more sophisticated musical elements developed in the small combo years of the New York 60s Latin scene – but also touched with some styles that are completely Colombian, yet still in a formative early moment that's never predictable or commercial at all. Titles include "Atiza Y Ataja" by Los Supremos, "El Vidriero" by Fruko Y Sus Tesos, "Coco May Ma" by Combo Las Vegas, "Cumbia En Do Menor" by Lita Barrientos, "Manue" by Michi Sarmiento Y Su Combo Bravo, "Cumbia Loca" by Conjunta Miramar, "Safari Safari" by Tita Duval Y El Nuevo Ritmo De Bobby Ray, and "La Pluma" by Peregoyo Y Su Combo Vacana. (Latin, Global Grooves) CD

A really incredible compilation, and one that's a great reminder of why we love the Analog Africa record label so much! Sure, there's been collections of Congolese music before – but this one's got that special something extra that Analog Africa can bring to play – an ear for just the right tracks that have enough funk and soul to open the ears of listeners who might not normally be digging deep into African music – yet will also pack plenty of punch to listeners who do! You can dive right into the collection and listen – the music will take you on a mighty great journey, even if you know nothing about the scene. But, in the best tradition of the label, there's also plenty of notes inside, should you want to learn more – as you're digging fantastic tunes that include "Mfuur Ma" by Groupe Minzolo Ya Zaire, "Tembe Na Tembe Ya Nini" by Orchestre Celi Bitshou, "Nganga" by Les Freres Soki, "Ngantsie Soul" by Les Bantous De La Capitale, "Fiancee Laya" by GO Malebo, "Sungu Lubuka" by Petelo Vicka Et Son Nzazi, and "MBT's Sound" by MBTs. CD

A really incredible compilation, and one that's a great reminder of why we love the Analog Africa record label so much! Sure, there's been collections of Congolese music before – but this one's got that special something extra that Analog Africa can bring to play – an ear for just the right tracks that have enough funk and soul to open the ears of listeners who might not normally be digging deep into African music – yet will also pack plenty of punch to listeners who do! You can dive right into the collection and listen – the music will take you on a mighty great journey, even if you know nothing about the scene. But, in the best tradition of the label, there's also plenty of notes inside, should you want to learn more – as you're digging fantastic tunes that include "Mfuur Ma" by Groupe Minzolo Ya Zaire, "Tembe Na Tembe Ya Nini" by Orchestre Celi Bitshou, "Nganga" by Les Freres Soki, "Ngantsie Soul" by Les Bantous De La Capitale, "Fiancee Laya" by GO Malebo, "Sungu Lubuka" by Petelo Vicka Et Son Nzazi, and "MBT's Sound" by MBTs. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the hippest sounds we've ever heard from Guadeloupe – served up by Erick Cosaque – a singer, percussionist, and key figure in the gwo-ka genre – yet an artist who works in a special space that's all his own! The tunes here definitely have the heavy percussion of gwo-ka, but they also bring in plenty of elements of funk and soul – the latter from Erick's amazing vocal style, which has this really deep flow that's wrapped around a set of French and Creole lyrics, but which has amazing power even if you can't understand the language! There's lots of great elements on keyboards and electric bass, which further helps underscore the funkier part of the music – and the whole thing is the kind of wonderful blend we've always loved from the criss-crossing of cultures in Guadeloupe, but also in a mode that's head and shoulders above most of the rest. Titles include "Joue Zizipan", "Donatien", "Embawgo", "De Chate Cole", "De Ti Mo Pawol Cweol", "L'Heureux Noir", "Jean La Line La Clere", and "Desere Nou De May". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer compilation of late 60s & 70s tunes by Peruvian cumbia combo Los Destellos – leaning on the psychedelia inspired sounds from their earlier years! The sound is rooted in cumbia rhythms and electric guitar – but it nimble and spindly of heavily fuzzed out – with a more varied Latin instrumental ensemble mode that deftly layers in elements of psych beat, garage rock and other hard grooving styles. 20 tracks on 2LPs, including "Guajira Sicodelica", "Natalia", "La Fatidica", "Frenetica Guajira", "Pasion Oriental", "El Oasis", "Constellation", "A Patricia", "Boogaloo De Los Destellos", "El Marcianito", "Linda Chiquilina", "Cumbia Del Desierto", "Volando Alto" and more. (Latin, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest African collections we've seen in years – a beautiful assortment of untapped grooves from the 70s, put together with a massive booklet that sets a whole new standard in packaging! The grooves here are different from other Afro Funk collections of the time – definitely more in the raw and psychedelic territory promised by the title, and filled with hard-edged vocals that surely know how to scream! There's still plenty of funk in the rhythms, but the execution is often quite unusual – less directly influenced by American soul, and very much off in its own direction. Lots of choppy guitar, too – and the set comes with a massive 42 page booklet filled with full color images and loads of notes. Titles include "Gbeti Madjro" by Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo De Cotonou, "Mi Ma Kpe Dji" by Picoby Band D'Aborney, "Mi Kple Dogbekpo" by Lokonon Andre & Les Volcans, "Oya Ka Jojo" by Les Volcans De La Capital, "Ou C'Est Lui Ou C'Est Moi" by Vincent Ahehehinnou, "Wait For Me" by Roger Damawuzan, "Leki Santchi" by Napo De Mi Amor Et Ses Black Devils, "Ye Nan Lon An" by Orchestre Super Jheevs Des Paillotes, and "Houiou Djin Nan Zon Aklumon" by Discafric Band. LP, Vinyl record album

A smoking third volume in this mighty look at the Peruvian cumbia scene of the 70s – music that often shares the same blend of guitar, percussion, and keyboards that makes some of the chica grooves from that time so great! The music here maybe owes a bit more to Latin sounds from up north, but the overall execution is very strongly in the modes put forth by Peruvian labels and producers at the time – often with great use of echo, especially in the guitar lines and keyboards – which make things sound very different than anything coming from Colombia or New York at the time! Yet there's also plenty of salsa elements at play here, too – the kind of percussive interplay that might be driving a Cuban or Puerto Rican combo – but nicely different in this setting too. Titles include "Chola Ingrata" by Los Ecos, "Manzana Verde" by Los Tantos, "El Saltamontes" by Silvestre Montez Y Sus Guantanameros, "La Manzanita" by Los Gitanos, "Descarga Oriental" by Los Orientales De Paramonga, "Larga Espera" by Los Sanders De Nana, "Lamento Moyobambino" by Sonido Verde De Moyobamba, and "La Narajadita" by Grupo Siglo XX. CD

A jazz record, but one with a vibe that's all its down – and a sound that definitely echoes some of the tropical elements hinted at in the title and on the cover! Laurent Bardainne is a saxophonist who blows with a really rich sound – nicely soulful, and with a raspy, laidback quality that's really seductive – set up here amidst a mix of acoustic and electric elements, including great percussion, occasional keyboards, and just the right electric basslines to trip things along in a sweet midtempo groove! The mix of jazz soloing and nods to global elements takes us back to similar French albums of the 80s – and most of the set is instrumental, although there are occasional vocals from guests, next to great use of outside sound recordings too. Titles include "Singing", "Eden", "We Try", "Serpent Kaa", "Gobules Rouges", "Dance For Eternity", "Welcome", and "Meilleur". (Jazz, Global Grooves) CD

A surprising slice of work from the 70s – three different albums all released under various guises by Armenian American reedman Souren Baronian – all put out on his own Carlee label, and done in a very cool mix of styles! Baronian blows both familiar American horns and more exotic instrumentation – sometimes with snakey qualities that echo both Egyptian music and Klezmer, other times with different inflections depending on the setting – and that setting varies here depending on the different records – as they each have a slightly different vibe! These are the sort of sets that would have easily been missed otherwise – either thought of as some 70s knockoff, or watered-down material for the crowds at a tourist spot – but they're wonderful throughout, with a depth of expression that really holds on throughout all the albums. The set brings together the records Middle Eastern Soul by Bob Tashijan & Souren Baronian, The Exciting Music Of The Nor-Ikes by The Nor-Ikes featuring Souren Baronian, and Hye Inspiration by Bob Tashijan & Souren Baronian with The Oud Of John Tarpinian. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible early experimental album from Art Blakey – one of the first to feature him in expanded percussion format! Side one of the album features the extended "Drum Suite" – a set of 3 tracks ("The Sacrifice", "Cubano Chant", and "Oscalypso") that has Blakey and Jo Jones on drums, joined by Sabu Martinez on bongos and Charles Wright on tympani and gong. Ray Bryant snakes some soulful piano through the set and Oscar Pettiford is on bass and cello – and the overall feeling of the side is similar to some of Blakey's work in the format for Blue Note – like the albums Afro-Drum Orgy or Holiday for Percussion. Side two has straight hard bop, played by Blakey's 1957 combo that included Jackie McLean and Bill Hardman – and the group grooves hard on a classic reading of "Nica's Tempo", plus the cuts "D's Dilemma" and "Just For Marty". (Jazz, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully fuzzy work from Amanaz – one of the trippiest, headiest groups of the Zamrock scene of the 70s! The guitars here are very full and present – not at a hit you over the head jamming label, but with this rich sonic element that has lots of bassy undercurrents – at a level that makes the album a head-nodding gem all the way through – poised perfectly between some of the more psyche styles of the African scene of the time, and some of the more thoughtful singer-songwriter material. The group have a quality that's surprisingly deep – very soulful, and with a subtle power that comes through strongly – thanks to a mostly-English batch of lyrics (although a few tunes here are in their native Bemba.) No cuts are all-out funky, but all have this great slow-funk sort of charm – and titles include "I Am Very Far", "Sunday Morning", "Khala My Friend", "Green Apple", "Africa", "Making The Scene", "Easy Street", "Big Enough" and "Kale". 2CD package features a full bonus "reverb mix" of the album – even trippier! CD

Wonderfully fuzzy work from Amanaz – one of the trippiest, headiest groups of the Zamrock scene of the 70s! The guitars here are very full and present – not at a hit you over the head jamming label, but with this rich sonic element that has lots of bassy undercurrents – at a level that makes the album a head-nodding gem all the way through – poised perfectly between some of the more psyche styles of the African scene of the time, and some of the more thoughtful singer-songwriter material. The group have a quality that's surprisingly deep – very soulful, and with a subtle power that comes through strongly – thanks to a mostly-English batch of lyrics (although a few tunes here are in their native Bemba.) No cuts are all-out funky, but all have this great slow-funk sort of charm – and titles include "I Am Very Far", "Sunday Morning", "Khala My Friend", "Green Apple", "Africa", "Making The Scene", "Easy Street", "Big Enough" and "Kale". LP, Vinyl record album

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 play at the time – including a fair bit of influences from American soul! Some cuts have a rootsy groove, while others move into tighter dancefloor territory – never in a commercial style at all, but with traces of boogie and other 80s modes in the mix. Vocals are sometimes in English, which furthers the global appeal of the music – and the set brings together tracks from 4 different albums by Fisher. Titles include "Say The Truth", "Asa Sa", "Iye Ye Mu Elediamemisise", "No Way", "Let Love Free", "WTFS", "Beautiful Dancer", "Happy Blue Night", "The Beginning Ishan", "Ehimedede", "Babajoo", and "Ebi Lolo". 2LP set features 12 tracks in all. Note: The music on the whole set is great, but there are a few tracks that suffer sound-wise from some distortion in the masters used. Most of the other tracks are fine, though. LP, Vinyl record album

Music at the crossroads – as Roger Bekono takes an older style of rural expression, and forges it with some of the more electric modes that were bubbling up on the global scene at the time – all in a set of extended groovers that feature a very lively interplay of vocals and rhythms! The tunes bubble long with keyboard parts that seem to take over from older highlife modes, while the electric rhythms have a gentler approach than the heavier modes used in American dance or soul – so that the vocals flow nicely over the tops of the tunes, rising and falling with a warm sense of inflection. Titles include "Etom Mot", "Jolie Poupee", "Enying Moni", and "Ye Wo Kombel". CD

A pair of great albums back to back – both rare albums from a percussionist who worked with Sun Ra! First up is Mora volume 1 – a legendary early set from percussionist Francisco Mora Catlett – and a really sublime blend of spiritual jazz and Latin rhythms! Mora's percussion is definitely at the core – but the set also features wonderful contributions from Vincent Bowens on tenor and soprano sax, Jerome LeDuff on berimbau, Alberto Nacif on quinto, and Detroit jazz legend Kenny Cox on piano! There's a balance here that really matches the best Strata East energy of the 70s – an open, flowing approach that's completely sublime, and very righteous too – even more so than anything Mora's done since the 70s – making this record one of his greatest achievements ever. Tersa Mora sings a bit of vocals at times – and titles include "Afra Jum", "Five AM", "Rumba Morena", "Samba De Amor", and "Cultural Warrior". Mora 2 is a set recorded in Detroit, but one that's got a globe's worth of elements in the mix – originally recorded in the mid 80s, but not released until a brief CD issue in the early part of the 21st Century! Despite that history, the album's a really timeless record that encompasses a world's worth of elements in jazz! Francisco Mora Catlett's at the height of his powers here – leading the group with a sense of righteous majesty that takes us back to some of the most ambitious heirs of the post-Coltrane generation, but with perhaps an oddly rhythmic twist as well – such as you might find in some of the 70s classics of Bobby Vince Paunetto. Echoes of Latin, Afro, and spiritual jazz come together as one – soaring to the skies on soulful waves of sound – brought together with a sense of focus and spirit that really moves us a lot. Players include Marcus Belgrave and John Douglass on trumpets, Sherman Mitchell on trombone, Vincent Bowens on tenor and flute, Alex Harding on baritone and bass clarinet, Kenny Cox on piano, and Rodney Whitaker on bass – and titles include "Samba/Conga De Amor", "Amazona Prelude/Dawn", "Old Man Joe", "Por Que Paro", and "Afra-Jum (parts 2 & 3)". (Jazz, Global Grooves) CD

A magnificent set from the Chicago Afrobeat Project – the kind of group that makes us plenty proud we live in the Windy City! The record's got a quality that's a bit more ambitious than you might guess – a complicated style that's still plenty grooving, but which really features some sophisticated instrumentation overall – mostly in familiar Afrobeat modes, but served up with a freshness that we really love! The group's quite large – with instrumentation that's heavy on horns and percussion, but also features some killer keyboards too – snaking through the mix with a soulful vibe that really hits home, especially on the more righteous numbers in the set. Ugochi sings on one track, but the main focus is instrumental – and the great Bobby Broom also plays guitar on one cut too! Titles include "Superstar (part 7)", "Chupacabra", "Carcass", "Fix & Release", "Media Man", "Cloister", and "BSCG2". CD

The music of Lebanon never got much global exposure during the 70s – but it's clear that Ferkat Al Ard was bringing plenty of the globe's influences to play on this amazing record – mixing together bits of electric funk, Brazilian jazz, and soulful strings at a level that completely transcends the boundaries of language! The set's a bit like the classic self-titled set by Arthur Verocai from the 70s – music that's completely in a space that's all its own, and which has legendary properties, but also opens up to the listener with charms of its own that require no history or introduction at all – a set that's both personal and majestic at the same time, and which has charms that are impossible to put in words, but which grab you the moment you first give the set a listen. Titles include "Matar Naem", "Juma'A 6 Hziran", "Oghneya", "Matar Al Sabah", "Entazerni", and "Lahnon Lemra'Ati Wa Beladi". CD

Kind of hard to put a finger on the style of Jho Archer – which is probably why they used the phrase "many talents" in the title of this one! Jho's got a bit of Caribbean in his vocals – traces of calypso and Haitian soul, inflected with a hipper French approach to the backings, which are handled by H Rostaing, in a manner that reminds us of some of those used on the recordings of Henri Salvador. Jho sings in English and French – and the best cuts are nicely swinging. Titles include "Work Song", "Le Condamne", "The Peanut Vendor", "Cousin", "Ibo Lele", and "Sky Boat Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A strangely beautiful set of African-tinged folksy soul – with a sound that's pretty darn tough to describe! Birigwa plays guitar and sings – and he's got a breezy style that sounds a bit like Letta Mbulu on some tracks – but a bit more folksy on others, given the largely acoustic setting of the album. The rest of the instrumentation here includes a range of percussionists, plus flute, tenor, piano, flugelhorn, and bass – the last of which is played by Phil Morrison of Stark Reality. Many of the tracks are short, personal, and poetic – but the album also features one longer cut titled – "Yelewa" – which has a jamming Afro jazz sort of groove! Other tracks include "Lule Lule", "Okusosla", "Njabala", and "Obugumba". CD

A very cool set from the 70s – one that's part reggae, part sweet soul, and part funky jam – all served up with a nicely mixed up vibe that really makes the whole thing shine! The group hail from Barbados, and there's some great Caribbean funk on the record at times – especially on the instrumental moments, which have qualities that echo American funky 45s, but with a nice twist on the styles! The sweet soul vocals are great too – not heard often, but a nice feature when they appear – as is some of the more unusual organ and guitar expressions over reggae styled rhythms. A great record, with a strong sense of depth and variety – on titles that include "What A Life", "Don't Blame This Joint", "Sella", "Stop Leaning On The Shoulder Of Your Brother", "Let Me Get Stoned", "You're The Match", "I Just Can't Reach You", and a remake of "The World Is A Ghetto". (Reggae, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy Nigerian funk from the great Segun Bucknor – an artist who was working during the same Afro Funk revolution as Fela Kuti & Africa 70, but one who never fully got the exposure he deserved on a global level! By the time of these cuts, Segun had already been working hard in a variety of different groups – and he emerges at the start of the 70s with a bold new vision in music – one that draws on the same American soul and funk inspirations that you'll hear on the records of Geraldo Pino, but which also has some moodier elements at times too – a heady current that's clearly inspired by the psych generation, and taken to some more message-oriented lyrics at times. The blend is wonderful, especially when most cuts have these deeply funky rhythms at the bottom – and this 2CD package is a fantastic introduction to his music, with 16 long cuts that include "Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow", "Poor Man No Get Brother", "Dye Dye", "Only In My Sleep", "Adanri Sogbasogba", "Baby Get Your Thing", "Love And Affection", "Son Of January 15th", "La La La", "Gbmojo", "Ayinde Ogo", "Who Say I Tire", "You Killing Me", "Adebo", and "That's The Time". CD

A soulful set of work from the scene in Cape Verde – done with a bubbling groove that's got strong ties to Caribbean work of the time, but done with a slightly different flavor as well – given that the lyrics are all in Portuguese! Instrumentation is lean and sharp – plenty of organ and keyboards from Paulino Vieira, who worked on the album's arrangements with Jose Casimiro – on grooves that have a nice raw production style, which makes the drums come out great alongside percussion, and also keeps a nice edge on the sax and trumpet lines too. Titles include "Problema Di Namorado", "Joana", "Es Nha Sofrimento", "Sabura Dja Nfrontam", "Pico Sor Domundo", and "Odja Modi Bu Sta". LP, Vinyl record album