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The Solution to weak indie hip hop – courtesy of the veterans 9th Wonder & Buckshot! Producer 9th Wonder and MC Buckshot have been active for quite a while now as a duo – to say nothing of their pre-union pedigrees – so it's pretty safe to assume their skills are quite finely-... read more

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Moody mellow vocals and lots of spare sounds – a really compelling collaboration between singer Greta Aagre and keyboardist Erik Honore! Honore plays a variety of instruments on the record, but his best contribution here is "samples" – bits of sound that are usually filtered... read more

Spare sonic textures and mellow musical moments from Eivind Aarset – a great session for ECM, and maybe one of his most compelling records in years! This ECM album has a feel that's a bit warmer than some of Aarset's previous work for the Jazzland – not in a way that's commercial at... read more

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A hip Afro Funk combo from Brazil – and one who burn just as strongly as some of the other best groups on the global scene! The percussion here is especially great – super-tight, and wrapped up with these infectious basslines that already hook us in before the horns, guitar, and... read more

One of Ahmed Abdul-Malik's hard to find Prestige sides, and not just rare, but a sublime blend of exotic styles with the jazz tradition! Like his other recordings, this set infuses modern jazz with some Eastern influences and exotic instrumentation in a compelling fashion, running through a set of... read more

Vintage work from this overlooked group from the New York scene of the 80s – an all-star lineup that features Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, Marion Brown on alto sax, Billy Bang on violin, Sirone and Fred Hopkins on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums! The tracks are long, and there's a loose,... read more

These guys may not be a household name, but they're a heck of a great group – and one of the best European combos we've heard from the time! Staffan is a pianist, and Lars is a trumpet and cornet player – and it's clear that the group have taken some cues from the classic Cannonball... read more

This former member of the Rena Rama group steps out in a loving tribute to Don Cherry – who was himself an importance force on the Swedish scene at the same time as Aberg's earlier fame! The album's got a slow-building quality that reminds us a fair bit of the Cherry of later years – a... read more

A beautiful second record from Abiah – warmly wonderful material that's as sensitive as a singer/songwriter set, yet also has a deep sense of soul as well! Vocals and piano are wonderfully intertwined – in a mode that has the depth of jazz, yet the focus of soul music as well –... read more

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Ruthless Cali group gangsta from Above the Law – the first and probably their best LP! A benchmark – one of the planks on the bridge between the earlier efforts from NWA, Eazy E and the click and the later Dre & Snoop heyday. Livin' Like Hustlers has a few tracks produced by Dr... read more

Mid 80s soul from Detroit's Colonel Abrams – One of the first artists to take the then burgeoning house sound into the mainstream – paired up with nicely grooving modern soul vibe! Includes the his "Trapped" and "I'm Not Gonna Let", with those bright and bumping... read more

A beautiful date from bassist Josh Abrams – a player who's lent his soulful talents to so many great Chicago sessions over the past decade or two – really coming into his own as a leader! Josh has this deeply spiritual approach to his instrument – a style that, back when he first... read more

One of the most beautiful albums ever recorded by this legendary AACM pianist! The album was a rare Japanese-only session from 1975, but recorded in Chicago – and it features Muhal playing solo – in beautifully warm spiritual tones that are very different from his playing on many other... read more

Some of our favorite albums ever from pianist Muhal Richard Abrams – an amazing run of eight records for the Black Saint/Soul Note label – rich in fresh colors, tones, and new musical ideas! There's a sensitivity to some of these records that you don't always get with Abrams – a... read more

Great rootsy Cajun accordion – a version of the genre that's much grittier than any of the later versions that were spread more strongly through the mainstream – and definitely light years from the touristy sounds heard in more recent years! This set offers up a host of rare small... read more

The cover's a bit cheesy, but the record's a great one – stunningly spiritual jazz from saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, and a set that really lives up to his soulful fame from the 70s! The record has a similar vibe to some of Ackamoor's recordings with The Pyramids – very well-crafted work... read more

Wonderful work from Idris Ackamoor – a great indie set that we'd rank right up there with some of his best recordings of the 70s! The group here is only a quartet, but there's a richness to the sound that's really amazing – a soaringly soulful style that often feels like Idris is... read more

Way more than just a tribute to Cuba – and instead, a set of work that's just about as spiritual and soulful as any of Idris Ackamoor's other recordings! The great Chico Freeman's on board this time around – blowing tenor and soprano sax with Ackamoor's ensemble for the record –... read more

A treasure trove of spiritual jazz from saxophonist Idris Ackamoor – featuring his famous 70s recordings with The Pyramids, solo material, and even some previously unissued titles! The bulk of the collection comes from The Pyramids' albums Birth Speed Merging, Lalibela, and King Of Kings... read more

Barbara Acklin's first album – and a landmark of Chicago soul that firmly established Acklin as one of the city's best writers and new female singers! Acklin had a classy sound that was different than some of her raw soul sisters in the city – but although she was classy, she also didn'... read more

An excellent second album by Barbara Acklin – filled with some wonderful original material, plus a few covers, redone in Barbara's killer Chisoul style! The album includes the great cut "Am I The Same Girl", a loping soul groover that was all set to be a big single for Barbara... read more

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A great group – much better than their name! Forget the "dub" part – because there's no reggae jams, or bargain basement Kingston sounds on here. Instead, the group's a really warm and jazzy combo – a quintet of 5 Japanese musicians, all playing in a lovely, laidback... read more

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Finally – the complete story of The Ad Libs – a group known for their classic singles of the 60s, but one who never issued a full-length album of their own! This great little set more than corrects that fact – by bringing together 9 rare singles for the Blue Cat label, plus... read more

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Some of the greatest albums ever from tenorist George Adams – packaged together here in a sweet set that also features the CDs in tiny LP-styled covers! Much of the music here was done in collaboration with fellow members of Charles Mingus' group – three albums with pianist Don Pullen,... read more

A really great setting for Pepper Adams – a rare European live date that has his baritone sax matched with the mighty talents of the George Arvanitas trio! Arvanitas' piano is always great, but we especially love the rhythm work here by bassist Jacky Samson and drummer Charles Saudrais... read more

An obscure late 50s gem from Pepper – a stripped-down quartet session that has him blowing in a very open-ended mode – quite a difference from some of his more tightly arranged sets! The feel's a bit like Pepper's work with Donald Byrd, but even more openly swinging – played by a... read more

Pepper Adams never fails to blow us away in a small group setting – and here, on a killer quartet date from the early 80s, he really wins us over all over again! The album's one of those great ones from Adams – in which he's really let loose to open up and blow some extended,... read more

Almost an underground groove supergroup – given that the set features work from Earl Zinger (Rob Gallagher of Galliano) at the helm, production from 2 Banks Of 4, vocals from Valerie Etienne, and funky rhythms from Shawn Lee! The combination of talents come together here in a very new way... read more

One of the most amazing players to ever pick up the vibes – an artist with the sort of boundless creativity that Walt Dickerson and Bobby Hutcherson brought to the instrument in the 60s! Jason Adasiewicz has an amazing ear for both sound and music – and manages to balance the two... read more

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Excellent analogue electronics by this groovy modern combo! The record reminds us of some of our favorite late 60s compilations of tracks from the obscure electronic music centers of American universities – with loads of bubbling, fuzzing, and repetitive wave forms. Tracks include "Inev... read more

A triple-header of hardbop albums – a great package that features 3 Savoy Records classics from 1955, with bonus tracks and great notes too! First up is Bohemia After Dark – an excellent hardbop session from the glory days of the Savoy label – easily one of the label's key 50s... read more

Fantastic work from the Cannonball Adderley Quintet – one of their greatest performances from the seminal early 60s years! The band at this time includes Cannon on alto, Nat on cornet, Victor Feldman on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – and although Feldman's not as... read more

Rare work by Cannonball – recorded live in Europe in the early 60s, and only ever issued there until the release of this CD in the US! The set features live material performed by Cannon's amazing group that included Joe Zawinul on piano, Yusef Lateef on reeds, Nat Adderley on cornet, and the... read more

A set that's right on target, right from the start – and one that has the young Cannonball Adderley really coming into his groove! The set's a lot more soul jazz-oriented than some of Cannon's records from a few years before – played by a rock-solid group that includes brother Nat... read more

A totally great set by Cannonball Adderley – one of his funkiest albums ever, recorded live at Operation Breadbasket under the supervision of Jesse Jackson, and a session in which the band is cooking a lot more than on some of their other albums from the time! The set grooves hard with some... read more

Classic funky soul jazz playing by Cannonball and one of his great groups, caught live in San Francisco, with a nice hard groove that you don't always get in their studio recordings. The record includes a stellar 11 minute version of "The Jive Samba", one of Cannonball's greatest track,... read more

Beautiful early work from Cannonball Adderley – and a record that's quite different than most of his better known sets from the time! The album's more spare and stripped-down than usual – with Cannon's alto in a quartet alongside Bill Evans on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay... read more

A classic from Cannoball and producer-partner David Axelrod – truly great stuff and maybe even better than the Zodiac set Cannonball did for Capitol! The formula is similar to that one – with David Axelrod producing, electric keyboards by Hal Galper and George Duke, spacey solos by... read more

A jazzy portrait of Cannonball Adderley in his early soul jazz prime – oddly one that doesn't feature his regular quintet lineup, but which more than makes up for that lack with a batch of players that includes Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Bill Evans on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe... read more

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect... read more

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect... read more

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect... read more

One of the coolest, baddest, funkiest albums Cannonball Adderley ever recorded – a massive suite of tunes based on the signs of the Zodiac, produced to perfection by David Axelrod, and featuring some hip recitations from the mighty Rick Holmes! The double-length set is completely compelling... read more

One of the all-time great ones by Cannonball! This record captures him in the prime of his early soul jazz fame – working with an unbelievably heavy quintet that featured Bobby Timmons on piano (with Barry Harris sitting in on a few tracks), Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and... read more

At this point, things were getting better from Cannonball – as he was getting a lot more of a handle on his style as a soloist, and began sticking to the tight little combo sound that would make him a star in the 60s. This album was recorded slightly before Cannon's classic lineup would... read more

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A massive look at the mighty pairing of Cannonball Adderley and David Axelrod – a partnership that's way more than just jazz musician and producer! Axelrod's talents in the studio are many, but his greatest heights were possibly reached in collaboration with Cannonball – a relationship... read more

A really unique little album from Cannonball's all-great late years at Capitol – a session that features some strong influences from Brazilian music – "The Happy People"! Airto plays on the set, and contributed the great groover "The Happy People" – a long bit... read more

A gem of a record from Nat Adderley – filled with short soulful groovers, and done with an upbeat vibe that rivals some of Cannonball's best of the 60s! Joe Zawinul handled the arrangements, so there's definitely a strong influence here from the Cannon group – and although the players... read more

A strong showcase for young Nat Adderley's talents on cornet – and an album that's got a different feel that his work with his more famous brother's combo at the same time! The style here is simple – Nat blowing with 2 different quartets – one with Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones... read more

A stone killer from Cannonball Adderley's funky brother – one of the best soul jazz sets ever cut by Nat Adderley, and one done with a smoking 60s Atlantic Records groove! Nat's blowing trumpet throughout – and working in 2 different groups – one a larger ensemble with a tight... read more

One of the best-ever Nat Adderley albums, and a damn funky set of tracks that has a tight soulful feel! The session's got a similar feel to some of the other rare late 60s Milestone albums (like the 2 killers by Bobby Timmons!) – especially in that it's got a group that plays with the... read more

When it comes to soul jazz, you can't get any more classic than this! The title was one of the biggest jazz hits of the 60s – covered by countless other artists, but presented here in all its original brilliance in a group led by its composer, a young Nat Adderley! At the time of the record... read more

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One of the most beautiful albums we've ever heard from Mario Adnet – a set done with some great expanded orchestrations – and key help from guests who include Roberta Sa, Monica Salmaso, and Lenine! The tunes have this spacious, expansive feel that really lives up to the Amazon promise... read more

Jazz versions of classics by Antonio Carlos Jobim – all done by a group arranged and directed by guitarist Mario Adnet, and featuring guest work from Joyce, Helio Delmiro, Romero Lumbambo, and others! The sound here is really fresh – not merely just a reworking of Jobim's original... read more

A great follow-up to the first Jobim Jazz set from guitarist Mario Adnet – and in many ways, an even better-conceived version of the project! The difference this time around is that Adnet's been working through the concept in a live setting for a few years – and has come up with... read more

Maucha sings and Helio plays – in a sweet set that makes for a wonderfully warm and stripped down batch of Brazilian vocals! The album's got a sound that's a bit different than the usual bossa outing – given Helio's rich touch on the piano, which isn't afraid to go for bolder notes at... read more

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A lost treasure from Antiono Adolfo – keyboard player, arranger, and one of the greatest Brazilian talents of his generation! Adolfo's sound and style is contemporaneous with the best work of Marcos Valle, Edu Lobo, and others – and like them, he has an approach that mixes together... read more

This is the Aesop album on MUSH records before he got signed to Def Jux. It is a piece of raw, dark, poetic artistry that describes his hometown of NYC and the trials and tribulations in it beautifully. This album is a little rougher and his lyrical style is just a little more advanced on his... read more

The first proper Aesop Rock album in a few years – and his first for Rhymesayers – a logical next step for his uncompromising, darkness-tinged sounds and distinctive rhyme style of his early work for Def Jux! Aesop hasn't missed a step, and the sound is as dystopian, breathless and... read more

Incredible work from the obscure African Music Machine – a southern funk combo led by bassist Louis Villery – a legendary batch of funky singles, finally brought together as a full album! The band has a very unique sound that involves a lot of rolling bubbling basslines, spacey organ... read more

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A killer album of Afro Funk – with a very unusual origin! In the wake of Manu Dibango's big hit (and some kind of failure to register the copyright), many many versions of "Soul Makossa" were recorded and released, some good, some bad. This album is a good example of that... read more

Smoking grooves from an incredible group – the amazing Afro Blues Quintet, a combo with a sound like no other! These guys were never one for stardom, but during the mid and late 60s, they burned up the west coast scene with an incredible blend of vibes, piano, and reeds – often kicked... read more

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They're not kidding with the name of this group – because the set's a masterpiece of 70s Afro Funk – totally great all the way through! The combo has African origins, but they're recording here in London – which makes for a really wonderful criss-crossing of cultural modes –... read more

A great step forward for the Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra – even better than their previous album, and a set that beautifully mixes together jazz, Latin, and African elements into one seamless groove! Percussionist Masta Conga is at the head of the group – leading the ensemble with a... read more

A definite home run from Dutch pianist Rob Agerbeek – a hip set recorded in 1971, and one that's done with a very soulful groove! The group's a quintet, and Rob really sparkles in this setting – pushing the players with a subtle skill that recalls Horace Silver at his Blue Note best... read more

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Classic Cuban jazz material from the group of trumpeter Rolando Aquilo – done in a style that's a bit tighter than some of the other Jam Session albums from the time, but still plenty darn great! Rolando's trumpet is firmly in the lead on most tracks, but the overall presentation is still... read more

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Singer Cyrille Aimee gets help from some great "friends" here – a tight quintet with Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Joel Frahm on tenor, and Spike Wilner on piano – really helping set up her vocals with a solid instrumental footing! Aimee's got a slight Billie Holiday quality to... read more

One of their early classics, and still one of the greatest groups with roots in the Chicago AACM scene. Henry Threadgill, Fred Hopkins, and Steve McCall play modern experimental versions of compositions by Jelly Roll Morton and Scot Joplin – plus Threadgill's own "Paille Street".... read more

One of the best albums ever by this legendary Chicago trio – a great example of the way that records on the Nessa label can really get to the heart of artists' intentions! The trio of Henry Threadgill on reeds, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Steve McCall on percussion have never sounded better... read more

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... read more

An overlooked gem from Airto – recorded after his 70s years on bigger labels, but a set that almost tops all of them in the end! There's a wonderful mix going on here – a blend of rootsy and electric, and Latin and Brazilian – the former clearly from the placement of the record... read more

One of the greatest Airto records ever – a really overlooked record cut for the mostly-Latin Montuno label in the 80s! The album's quite spare, and almost more in a Latin mode at times – given the harder percussion on the set, and the firey recording style given to the set by Montuno... read more

One of Airto's most polished records, and an album that we've really grown to love over the years! There's a pretty strong modern soul/R&B component to the album – but at the core, there's still a strong feeling for Brazilian rhythms, and the record's got a wonderfully warm Brazilian... read more

Very righteous work from percussionist Pheeroan Ak Laff – even more hard-edged than some of his other important recordings of the late 70s – and that's saying a lot! Allthough Pheeroan lent his talents to many other musicians, this is one of the few albums he cut under his own name... read more

The first ever compilation of Indonesian psychedelia from AKA is a great one – fuzzy prog and funk steeped jams that the group tore up throughout the 70s – as cool as any single artist global rock compilations we've seen in quite a while! The group formed in Surabaya, East Java and... read more