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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 fashion. The instrumentation includes flute, violin, acoustic guitar, bass, and percussion – and the style is a gentle blend of bossa, jazz, and acoustic swing – really sparkling with a fresh take on all the genres, and coming together with a confidence that's really compelling. A really lovely little record – almost lost in the wash of current work – and packaged here with a bonus CD of remixes! Titles include "Ama No Hamaguri", "Sayonara No Kodoma", "Sabara", "Ham & Egg", "Musik Liebe & Daisy", and "Rensa Hannoh" – plus remixes by Daishi Hisakawa, Takeshi Habu, Gak Sato, and Paine.

The swaggering, hard grooving and hard rocking debut of Aerosmith! While "Dream On" gets as much or more rock radio play than any song should ever need, it's actually pretty easy to overlook just how good the rest of the record is. They may borrow the bluesy swagger of the Stones and heavy riffing of Led Zeppelin, but it's ultimately a heavy, but accessible rock sound that's distinctively all their own. Includes "Dream On", "Make It", "Somebody", "Walkin The Dog", "Write Me", and "Mama Kin".

Aerosmith's second album – and a prime slab of badass mid 70s rock – coming close to, maybe even equalling Toys In The Attic as ultimate Aerosmith badassery! It's got a tighter, puncier sound their debut – courtesy producer Jack Douglas – who would continue to produce Aerosmith in their pre-blowout 70s best. It opens on with one of their staples, "Same Old Song And Dance" and other tracks include their kickass cover of "Train Kept A Rollin'", plus "Lord Of The Thighs", "Spaced", "Woman Of The World" and "Pandora's Box".

Aerosmith at their most classic! At their peak, Aerosmith brought a hard rock edge to the more groove oriented boogie and blues rock influences. Toys In the Attic is most certainly one of their peaks, if not THE peak. Includes the all time greats "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion", plus "Big Ten Inch Record", "Uncle Salty", "Round And Round", "You See Me Crying", "Adam's Apple" and "No More No 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 later work, but all the same, it deserves massive praise here. Tracks include "Commencement At The Obedience Academy", "Drawbridge", "Big Bang", "Garbage", "Basic Cable", "I'll Be OK", "Attention Span", "Spare A Match", "Breakfast With Blockhead", "Fascination", "Skip Town", "How To Be A Carpenter", "The Mayor And The Crook", "Prosperity", and more. 2012 reissue of the out of print, dawn of the 00s classic.

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 later work, but all the same, it gets massive praise here. Tracks include "Commencement At The Obedience Academy", "Drawbridge", "Big Bang", "Garbage", "Basic Cable", "I'll Be OK", "Attention Span", "Spare A Match", "Breakfast With Blockhead", "Fascination", "Skip Town", "How To Be A Carpenter", "The Mayor And The Crook", "Prosperity", and 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 creative as ever. Hanni El Khatib plays guitar on a few tracks, as does Allyson Baker, with appearances by Rob Sonic and Kimya Dawson. Includes "Leisureforce", "ZZZ Top", "Cycles To Gehenna", "Zero Dark Thirty", "Crows 1" with Kimya Dawson, "Homemade Mummy", "Crows 2" with Rob Sonic, "1,000 Clock", "Saturn Missiles", "Tetra", "Gopher Guts" and more.

A modern take on the traditional border badge name tag! These premium labels feature a vibrant screened surface, permanent adhesive backing, and great little details. Perfect for every labeling job, arts and crafts, and any other use you can think of putting them up to!

A modern take on the traditional border badge name tag! These premium labels feature a vibrant screened surface, permanent adhesive backing, and great little details. Perfect for every labeling job, arts and crafts, and any other use you can think of putting them up to!

A sweet funky set from the 70s – originally recorded as a sound library session, but handled by Italian soundtrack maestro Alessandro Alessandroni! You might know Alessandroni's music best from the 60s, and this set is a later updating of the same groove – one that brings in a bit more electric keyboards, some bouncier basslines, and drums that snap nice and hard on the funky numbers – then lay back on the sweet mellow moments. A few cuts have vocals – ala I Cantorni Moderni – and the whole thing has a warm, sexy 70s groove that's right up there with the best Italian work of the scene from the time. Titles include "Femminismo", "Collettivo", "La Metropoli", "Pubblica Informazione", "Prima Eta", and "Ultimo Soggiorno". Very groovy stuff! CD features 5 bonus tracks too – never issued before!

A sweetly dreamy little album recorded by Daevid Allen away from Gong – working here with his drum-less group Euterpe, described in the notes as "an amazing bunch of catalunatics"! The record was recorded in a home studio in Majorca, and has a really relaxed feel – one that's somewhat spare and intimate, but with a lyrically sing-song sort of approach – one that only further pulls out the more playful side of Allen's vocals. Instrumentation includes mandolin, moog, bass, and guitar – and the approach is almost a prog folk move into the territory of Syd Barrett. Titles include "Children Of The New World", "Spirit", "Song Of Satisfaction", "Have You Seen My Friend", "French Garden", and "Wise Man In Your Heart". CD also features the bonus track "Euterpe Gratitude Piece".

A long-awaited full length set – one that finally brings together all of the amazing Tony Allen reworks done by the Honest Jon's label! These "chop up" tracks were originally issued over a range of limited 12" singles, and they're really amazing stuff – not just remixes of Tony Allen's work, but re-recordings and re-interpretations as well – a batch of music that stands amazingly well on its own, even if you're not a fan of Tony originally – and which takes his music into even more exotic territory than just Afro Funk! The choice of artists here is key to the set – as players from other Afro-influenced genres really take a new spin on Allen's music – and are allowed to strongly bring their own sounds to the set. Titles include "Ole (Cairo version)" by Salah Ragab, "Sankofa" by Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, "Kilode (rmx)" by Carl Craig, "Awa Na Re (rmx)" by Bonde De Role, "Mark's Disco Dub" by Mark Ernestus, "Reggae Land Dub" by Wareika Hill Sounds, "Samba" by Son Palenque De Colombia, "Kilode (rework)" by Wajeed, "Ole (rmx)" by Moritz Von Oswald, "Fuji Ouija" by Diplo, and "One Tree (TP's spirit of unity mix)" by Terrence Parker.

Bad Bossa Nova is right – as Gene Ammons really hits a great groove here – one that's not exactly bossa, but which has lots of Latin and tropical touches! The session makes great use of 2 guitars at the same time – using that of Kenny Burrell for soulful rhythm, but also adding in Bucky Pizzarelli for some nice acoustic embellishments – in a mode that's similar to the soul jazz-com-bossa style used on records like Ike Quebec's Soul Samba or Charlie Rouse's Bossa Nova Bacchanal. The overall rhythms are a bit more complicated, and a bit more soul jazz based than those sets – with Hank Jones on piano, Oliver Jackson on percussion, and Al Hayes adding in some sweet extra bongo! Titles include the classic "Ca'Purange" – plus "Anna", "Yellow Bird", "Cae Cae", and "Moito Mato Grosso". Also issued under the title Bad Bossa Nova.

The second wonderful project from this cool collaboration – one that features Arnaldo Antunes, Antonio Pinto, Taciana Barros, Edgard Scandurra, and others – all working together on some completely charming songs for children! These aren't really kids songs – and are more tunes that have a sense of charming naivete, and lots of spare yet playful instrumental touches – almost little messages to the younger generation, but never too prescriptive, and always filled with a great sense of play. Some vocals are by youngsters, others by members of the project – and the whole thing's surprisingly captivating, way more so musically than we can really put into words. Titles include "Todo Dia", "Galaxia", "Mamae Tamo Chegando", "Os Moveis Da Minha Casa", "Lingua Do P", "De Noitinha", and "Fim De Semana".

One of the few ECM sides recorded by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – easily some of the hippest work the label issued at the time, and a key way for the avant collective to get a bit of large audience exposure! The sound is still very much in the best AEC style here – and if anything, ECM's sensitivity to sound has allowed the group to explore some of the farther reaches of their sonic sensibilities – those contemplative moments that could sometimes be lost in the hands of other producers, captured beautifully here in a range of instruments far too many to mention! Some of the bolder tracks have Lester Bowie's trumpet right out front – almost hinting at his own solo association with the label – and titles include "Care Free", "Magg Zelma", "Full Force", and "Old Time Southside Street Dance".

A rare treasure from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – recorded as a supposed third album for Atlantic records in 1974, but unissued for years until the group released it on their own! The session is a live one, recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival – and features the unique addition of Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, making for the group's first session ever with the instrument! Muhal's work nicely colors in the spare spaces on the set – giving a soaring, lyrical quality to a few of the numbers – and really standing in stark contrast to the freer solo work of the other players. At times, Abrams is playing these longer lines that almost have a McCoy Tyner sort of energy – directing the set with a tremendous searching vibe – and at other times, he joins the group in their sparer exploration of sound and space – in a mode that's similar to some of their Parisian recordings. Titles include "Sun Precondition One", "Kabalaba", "Kaba Song", "Mal's Delight", and "Improvization A2".

One of the best early albums from Ash Ra Tempel! Here they bring vocals into to the mix for the first time, though it's still a spacious blend of slow-building atmosphere and spare dynamics that evolve into more feverish and intense maelstroms. The vocals of John L are another instrument, really – with gruff screams and moodier howls that echo the instrumentation impressively. The drums and percussion and incredible, with sax, organ, guitar and electronics. Work that bridges earlier psych to later experimental rock pretty fearlessly! Includes the "Light And Darkness" suite of " A) Light: Look At Your Sun" and "B) Darkness: Flowers Must Die" (originally spanning a side), plus the Schwingungen side "A) Suche" and "B) Liebe".

Some of the biggest singles by British reggae giants Aswad! Don't Turn Around his pretty heavy with material from the mid-to-late 80s period – when they were at a commercial peak – blending Lovers Rock and were crossing over in a major way. Breezy, easygoing stuff – plus some great rootsier material, too. Includes "Don't Turn Around", "Back To Africa", "How Long" feat Yazz, "Three Babylon", "Fire" with Shabba Ranks, "Set Them Free", "Rainbow Culture", "Chasing For The Breeze", "Beauty's Only Skin Deep", "Shy Guy" with Easther Bennett and more.

Seminal ESP work from Albert Ayler – a unique session done as a soundtrack to a short (and weird!) film from experimental director Michael Snow! The lineup is a bit different than some of Ayler's other ESP albums – and features Don Cherry on trumpet and cornet, John Tchicai on alto, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums. At times, the record's got a bit of a "new thing" vibe – a bit more spacious and sonic than some of Ayler's other material – but at other times, it burns with an intensity that's almost harder and freer than any of Albert's trio dates of the 60s. The album features 2 long tracks – "AY" and "ITT" – plus the shorter "Don's Dawn".

A classic session of Italian modernist jazz – led by bassist Giorgio Azzolini, and featuring searing trumpet work by Enrico Rava! Pianist Franco D'Andrea and drummer Aldo Romano complete the group – and the tracks show a definite influence of the free jazz stylings that were sweeping Europe during the late 60s, but still keep one foot firmly planted in a swinging jazz tradition – which means that the solos have plenty of sharp edges, while the band still manages to groove nicely!. Lovingly repackaged by the Rearward label – and including the tracks "Israel", "Beyond The Corner", "Crucial Moment", and "Free Duet".

An incredible live recording by Burt Bacharach – and one that wasn't issued in the US! This early 70s concert is great proof that the Bacharach magic didn't come from any studio tricks – but from the genius of Burt himself – as the maestro's working here in a fantastic larger-than-life setting, one that offers slightly different takes on the magical tunes of his A&M years. The arrangements include a large instrumental group, plus strings and uncredited singers – and Burt himself delivers some wonderful vocals on a few tunes too. Titles include "Promises Promises", "The Look Of Love", "Walk On By", "Come Touch The Sun", "Bond Street", "Close To You", "A House Is Not A Home", and 2 nice medley tracks!

A lost Burt Bacharach treasure – a bit later than classic vintage, but a wonderful album from the mature maestro – and sometimes overlooked, due to its status as a soundtrack! The work here is totally great – that mellow, easy-flowing style that Burt really perfected around the time of Living Together – served up here in a batch of sweet instrumental tracks, plus a few key vocal numbers with lyrics sung by Jackie DeShannon, Libby Titus, and Michael McDonald – all of whom slide down more into the Bacharach ethos than stand out as their usual selves – and we mean that in a good way! Titles include "I Don't Need You Any More", "In Tune", "If We Ever Get Out Of Here", "On The Beach", "I've Got My Mind Made Up", "Find Love", "Luisa", and "I Think I'm Gonna Fall In Love".

An obscure and wonderful chapter in the career of Burt Bacharach – material penned for a 1967 TV musical starring Rick Nelson and Joanie Sommers – all of it perfect 60s Bacharach pop all the way through! The plot of the musical is a bit silly, but the performance isn't – tightly-crafted vocal numbers that often mix Burt's older Brill Building style with a bit more of a Sunshine Pop kind of approach. Although penned by Bacharach, the music is actually conducted by Peter Matz – who does a great job of retaining the maestro's sense of space and timing, but also unlocks some bolder flourishes in the tunes, and manages to get some really amazing vocal performances out of both Sommers and Nelson! There's a sophistication here that goes beyond the roots of both singers – and the record's filld with lesser-known tracks that still sparkle with plenty of Bacharach brilliance – including "It Doesn't Matter Anymore", "They're Gonna Love It", "Juanita's Place Montage", "Try To See It My Way", "They Don't Give Medals", "Fender Mender", and "Juanita's Place".

Joan Baez, back when she was really pretty darn amazing – a young, fresh, powerful force in 60s folk music! The set features Baez on vocals and guitar – with additional electric guitar on a few tracks, a bit of mandolin, and some bass. Includes great readings of Dylan tunes "Farewell Angelina", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue", "Hard Rain's Gonna Fall", and "Daddy You Been On My Mind" – plus Donovan's "Colours".

Joan Baez, back when she was really pretty darn amazing – a young, fresh, powerful force in 60s folk music! The set features Baez on vocals and guitar – with additional electric guitar on a few tracks, a bit of mandolin, and some bass. Includes great readings of Dylan tunes "Farewell Angelina", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue", "Hard Rain's Gonna Fall", and "Daddy You Been On My Mind" – plus Donovan's "Colours".

A very promising single from Brit soul upstart Liam Bailey – a diverse talent with a love for myriad American, British & Carribbean soul music – here with a single on Truth & Soul with a love for stripped down reggae soul! Here Bailey is working with NYC funky soul torch carriers Truth & Soul Records, really letting these songs simmer in an honest, real and raw stew of vocals, organ, drums and bass. Word is that Bailey is working with Salaam Remi for a major label debut, and we're thinking there's major potential for a huge breakout when that comes out – Bailey's got the goods, that's for sure!

One of the most soulful albums we've heard from Schema in many years – a brilliant batch of jazzy tracks from singer Andrea Balducci – served up with backing by a great lineup of players from both the Ricky Tick and Schema worlds! The core approach is jazz, but many of the songs are done with a very soulful approach – a style that's a bit like Mario Biondi, especially given Balducci's use of English throughout, and his raspy vocals – yet more 60s soul in the end, with a unified aesthetic that really holds strong over the course of the album. Players include Jukka Eskola on trumpet, Timo Lassy on tenor, Gaetano Partipilo on alto, and Luca Mannuzta on Fender Rhodes and piano – and titles include "Hurt So Bad", "Spooky", "Within Myself", "Big City", "I Just Dropped In", "Time Will Come", and "The Meaning Of Love".

A brilliant new vision for the legendary Banda Black Rio – the pioneering samba, soul and funk combo that broke so much ground in the 70s and remain vital to this day – led here by William Magalhaes, in a mode that celebrates decades of the best Brazilian music, while fearlessly moving it forward! William's father Oberdan Magalhaes was a driving force behind the original Banda Black Rio, and we couldn't really imagine a more appropriate new vision for the group than his son's. William wrote or co-wrote each track and he sings, plays keys and synth, guitar, bass, drums and more. The expansive group brings a depth of percussion, horns, strings and vocals – delivering timeless and dexterous jazzy Brazilian funk and dancefloor soul. The guest list includes classic and contemporary greats like Seu Jorge, Elza Soares, Marcio Local, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and others! Includes "Louis Lane" with Seu Jorge & Mano Brown, "Super Nova Samba Funk (9 No Samba)", "America Do Sul", "Isabela" feat Elza Soares and Cesar Camargo Mariano, "Samba Nova", "Quem Vem La" feat Marcio Local, "Deixa Estar" feat Aleh, "Lindos Olhos" feat Seu Jorge and Don Pixote, "Paname" feat Pyroman, "Final Feliz", "Irere" feat Gilberto Gil, "Aos Pes Do Redentor" feat Caetano Veloso and more. 16 tracks on the CD version.

A far reaching late 70s set from Gato Barbieri – a record that blends fusiony jazz funk, lush stings, and Latin rhythms and fluid solos on a varied batch of tunes! One of the more interesting things about the production is that those varied approaches often come into play within the same tunes – with clean, lean fusiony bass and percussion underneath swelling string accents, showing Barbieri was unafraid to intermingle myriad influences at the time. Titles include a take on Caetano Veloso's "Odara", plus "Poinciana (Song Of The Tree)", "Latin Lady" (which guest Carlos Santana trading solos with Gato over tropical jazz funk backing), "She Is Michelle", "Where Is The Love", "Evil Eyes" and "Bolero".

A treasure trove of 50s romance comics – brought together in a great-looking package, with helpful framing from author Michael Barson! The core material is great – way more than the soppy romance stories you might think – and instead some really compelling work that really gets at the worries and anxieties of America in the post-war years. Sure, there's certainly tales of gals looking for love in all the wrong places – but you'd also be amazed at how much of this stuff offers up a larger comment on society as well – penned with surprisingly thoughtful prose, and illustrated with relatively mature images too. If we had one complaint, it would be that Barson doesn't give us enough detail about the artists and writers of the material – but that's only because the whole thing's so beautiful, we want to know more! 208 pages, softcover, in full color.

10-track e.p. including three different recordings of "Root Down" from Ill Communication, based on the Jimmy Smith's jazz/funk of the same name – the "Free Zone" mix, LP version and "PP Balloon" mix. Also some live versions of tracks from Check Your Head – "Time For Livin", "The Maestro", "Somethin's Got To Give", plus a live version of "Time To Get Ill" the rock track "Heart Attack Man", the funky instrumental "Sabrosa" and "Flute Loop".

A hip little set from The Beat Boys – an Argetine group working in late 60s Brazil, supposedly with a bit of an influence on the sound of Tropicalia! The sound here is a bit straighter than the work of Caetano Veloso or Os Mutantes – a bit in the Jovem Guarda sound of more mainstream Brazilian rock, but with some hipper influences too – including a strong Beatles influence that makes for some great harmonies on the vocals, and instrumentation that really pushes beyond the standard straight Anglo rock modes of the time. Instrumentation features some fuzzy guitars, which are occasionally a bit tripped-out – plus organ, bass, and drums – all topped by echoey vocals from the group. Titles include "O Meu Tamborim", "A Time For Remembrance", "A Felicidade", "Wake Me Shake Me", "Sempre Esperando", "Aria Para A Corda Sol", and "Era Uma Menina". CD reissue features some great notes on the band, plus some vintage photos – and also includes the bonus track "Canudinho".

A really bold step forward for this cool Chilean combo of the late 60s – a set that still has all the raw garagey energy of their previous work, yet which also has them taking a lot more chances in the studio too! The album has this great core sound that's heavy in twang and fuzz – yet also frequently couches the music in larger ideas around the frame of the songs – not exactly Sgt Peppers material, but with a trippy aesthetic that really echoes the generation! At their core, these guys are still Anglo-inspired rockers, but it's great to hear what they're percolating on their own as well. Titles include "Civilizacion", "Obertura En Sol Mayor", "A Margarita", "La Tierra De Las Noches Largas", "Rodolfo Valentino", and "Postal No 56".

Soulful vocals, synths and orchestral pop from Beauty Room on Far Out! Beauty Room features joint production and songwriting by singer Jinadu and synths maestro Kirk Degiorgio – the latter a Far Out veteran at this point, and an artist whose creative evolution has been a joy to follow! They work in some pretty diverse influences, from classic folk soul to modern avant pop – and an approach that's more about soulful songcraft than exercises in mood and atmosphere. Jinadu's soul-steeped voice has a lot to do with that, but the instrumentation is and production are top notch. Synth, Rhodes, guitars, bass and drums at the core – plus some very nice use of strings, courtesy of the Metropole Orchestra and strings arranger Paul Buckmaster. Includes "We Can't Throw You Away", "Shadows Falling", "All In My Head", "But For Now", "Walking The Fine Line", "One Man Show", "So Far", "The Last Calling", "Heaven Is In Your Mind" and "No Rejections". 11 tracks on the CD.

Great contemporary sounds from Brazil – a collaboration between Nina Becker and Marcelo Callado – done with a really playfully creative feel! Nina's sung recently with Orquesta Imperial, and Marcelo's the drummer in Caetano Veloso's recent group – and the record definitely has echoes of both of those worlds – very creative songwriting, thoughtful interplay between acoustic and electric instrumentation, and a freshly crispy sensibility on the production – which keeps a gentle edge to most of the tunes. Titles include "Cade Voce", "Blues", "Futuro", "Nuvem", "Packing To Leave", and "Essa Menina".

A later MPS session that features some incredibly mellow guitar/bass duets between Gene Bertoncini and Michael Moore. Bertoncini's guitar is at the forefront, and Moore's playing is mostly to back him up as he solos virtuostically on titles like "Pavane", "Pensativa", "Eleanor Rigby", and "Prelude In D Minor".

Wonderful early work from Maria Bethania – an album that's put together with a very sophisticated sound, and a really powerful feel overall! The orchestrations are relatively baroque – sometimes using strings in odd ways, other times bringing in bits of voices – all very much in keeping with the genius that was brewing at the time in albums by Gal Costa or Nara Leao. And oddly, the backings for the album are not credited at all – save possibly to Manoel Barenbein, who's listed as the director of the production – and we're guessing that Maria had a good deal to do with the overall sound of the set, not just the vocals! Titles include a wonderful groover called "Mano Caetano", done as a duet with Jorge Ben, and very much in Ben's best style from the time – and other tracks include "Janelas Abertas No 2", "Jesus Cristo", "Que Me Dera", "Folha Morta", "Mariana, Mariana", and "A Tua Presenca Morena".

The most fully-formed album from Nat Birchall so far – and one that has him definitely going into another dimension in jazz, thanks to a slightly expanded lineup! The shift here is almost that betweeen the 60s spiritual sounds on Impulse Records, and the label's groundbreaking material in the post-Coltrane years of the early 70s – a time when folks like Pharoah Sanders, Marion Brown, Alice Coltrane, and others were really helping to redefine a sense of spiritualism in jazz – yet always at the best moments still hanging onto the core sense of individualism that first got the movement started in the 60s! Nat Birchall is at the head of the group – blowing fantastic lines on tenor and soprano sax – searching and righteous, but always with a sense of gentleness too – a really special blend that makes the album sparkle. Other players include Adam Fairhall on piano, Corcy Mwamba on vibes, and Rachael Gladwin on harp – and there's lots of nice percussion touches that are nestled in on the bottom. Birchall wrote all tracks – and titles include "Ancient World", "Dance Of The Mystic", "Radiant Will", "Peace In Ninevah", and "Sacred Dimension".

A killer debut from Black Slate – one of the leading lights in British reggae at the start of the 80s – and a group with a warmly soulful sound! Black Slate have a great way of sounding smooth, but never too slick – a balance between their laidback energy and the mellow production modes of the set – all of which give them a vibe that's a bit like the best of Third World in the late 70s, although less commercial overall. The album's got a wonderfully warm appeal – and were it on Island Records, would have undoubtedly cracked the charts on this side of the Atlantic too. But it's also that overseas obscurity that makes it a bit more of a gem overall. Titles include "Amigo", "Sticks Man 80", "Boom Boom", "Romans", "Thin Line Between Love & Hate", and "Freedom Time". CD also features bonus tracks – "Black Slate Rock (12" version)", "Amigo (single)", and "Boom Boom (single)".

One of our favorite Black Uhuru albums, when they'd fully matured as a group under the production of Sly & Robbie, with a tight modern reggae sound that few other groups could match from that era. Heavy, heavy grooves saddled with the trios potent lyrics and harmony vocals, including the massive "Youth Of Eglington" and "Sponji Reggae", plus "Puff She Puff", "Rockstone", "Carbine", "Utterance", "Journey" and "Sistren". This CD reissue's been remastered, and adds the discomix version of "Sponji Reggae" and non-album track "Trodding" as bonus tracks.

The follow up to the burning Showcase set and second LP finding the harmony trio of Michael Rose, Puma Jones and Duckie Simpson under the heavy guidance of Sly & Robbie. While it didn't produce as many singular hits as the preceding set or the following Red LP, this album's still solid from top to bottom, with mighty, might Taxi productions grooves throughout. 10 tracks in all: "Happiness", 'World Is Africa", "Push Push", "There Is Fire", "No Loafing (Sit & Wonder)", "Sinsemilla", "Endurance" and "Vampire", plus the added bonus tracks "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner (discomix)" and "Sinsemilla (discomix)", and newly remastered too!

An amazing achievement for Ruben Blades – a full suite of tracks conceived and composed by Ruben as a "disco drama" on wax! The work isn't the disco-styled album you might think from this description – and is more of a mini-opera or concept album by Blades, one that features ambitious arrangements from Louie Cruz, Marty Sheller, and Carlos Franzetti – using strings and more standard Latin backings to expand the tunes tremendously, and make the whole album work with the full drama it requires. There's a few spoken bits on the set, which give way to some great songs – and the album also has a few instrumental passages. Willie Colon produced and supervised the whole effort – and tracks on this second part include "Epilogo", "El Velorio", "Manuela Despues", "El Entierro", "Hay Que Viver", and "Maestra Vida".

An amazing album that has Art Blakey completely reinventing himself for the 70s! Blakey shifts from straight hardbop to kind of a modal soul jazz groove, touched with some of the electric playing of the younger jazz generation, but not enough to qualify as fusion or funk. Instead, he's working with some great younger players – like Carter Jefferson, Woody Shaw, and Michael Howell – hitting a groove that reminds us of some of the best underground soul jazz on labels like Muse or Strata East. Includes the amazing long groovers "Mission Eternal" and "Chant For Bu", a famous Tribe Called Quest sample – plus new electric piano versions of "Moanin" and "Along Came Betty", both of which feature vocals by Jon Hendricks.

Other players include Roswell Rudd on trombone, Carlos Ward on alto and tenor, Michael Mantler on trumpet, Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree on guitars, and Richard Tee on piano and electric piano.

Tried-and-true underground hip hop mixed with more experimental beathead touches from Blu – with collaborations and production by Exile, Shafiq Husayn, Flying Lotus, Dibia$e, Daedalus and more – plus appearances by U-God, J*Davey, Co$$, Pac-Div and more. Titles include "Doin Nothing" with U-God, "Everything OK" feat Ms Jack Davey, "Everybody Nose" feat Sa-Ra & Nola Darling, "Hours", "Annie Hall" feat Chop, Cherry Pop & Tiombe Lockhart, "Tags" feat Exile, "Spring Summer Winter Fall" feat Jimetta Rose, "Down To Earth" feat Donel Smokes, Definite & Double Oh, "Keep Pushinn", "Doin Something" feat Pac Div, U-N-I, J*Davey, Tiron & Ayomari and more.

Early work from easy maestro Phil Bodner – with titles that include "Farewell Blues", "Ol Man River", "Misty", "Sposin", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "In Other Words".

An Arista winner from Angela Bofill – one that has her working strongly with Narada Michael Walden – who helps Bofill on production and songwriting for part of the album, and really helps bring a nicely solid feel to the set! The tunes are more in an 80s soul mode than before for Angie, but never too commercial overall – still with that sense of depth in the background that's always made Bofill one of the more sophisticated singers of her soul generation. Titles include "Too Tough", "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing", "I Can See It In Your Eyes", "Accept Me", "Rainbow Inside My Heart", "Love You Too Much", "Is This A Dream", "You Could Come Take Me Home", and "Song For A Rainy Day".

Soaring work from guitarist Michael Boothman – a record that's probably more in a soul instrumental mode than a jazz one – but which is plenty darn great, thanks to help from a variety of top-shelf talents! Boothman's working here with Leon Pendarvis – who plays keyboards on the record, and arranged the fuller backings for the record – ones that mix Boothman's guitar with some especially great wordless vocals from singers who include Lou Courtney and Edna Holt – singing alongside the strings with a sweetly scatting mode that's pretty great! There's a slightly tropical feel to some of the tunes here – which, mixed with a bit of jazz and the sophisticated backings from Pendarvis, almost puts the record in the territory of Jon Lucien – although obviously with less of a lyrical focus overall. Titles include "Heaven", "Song For My Soul", "Saying It With Music", "Diego Shuffle", and "Scorpio Stew".

An incredible album from the great Brazilian singer who's best known to the world for his work on Milton Nascimento's legendary Club Da Esquina album, but Lo is truly one of our favorite singers that Brazil has ever produced! This record is easily as the Nascimento classic, and has a more rock-oriented sound that's laid down with help from Beto Guedes, Nelson Angelo, Toninho Horta, and Tenorio Jr. The songwriting is amazing – and we rank this one up there with the best work by Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso from the late 60s and early 70s. Wonderful all the way through – and with tracks that include "Cancao Postal", "Voce Fica Melhor Assim", "Nao Foi Nada", "Pensa Voce", "Como O Machando", and "Aos Baroes".

Jesse Boykins on Nina Tune – a surprisingly great combination, and one that seems to give Jesse an even bolder sound than usual! The feel of the record is very much like before – a loose, homegrown set of grooves – sometimes funky, sometimes spacey – definitely aware of hip hop, but not hip hop at all – and instead a very personal blend of lyrics, rhymes, and cosmic jazzy instrumentation! Of course, the contributions of MeLo X are also a key part of the new energy too – but there's also a core vibe to the record that's definitely Boykins continuing on his path from before. The set features guest work by Trae Harris, Mara Hruby, Ango, Christ Turner, Kesed, and Joe Kenneth – and titles include "I'm New Here", "Black Orpheus", "Broken Wings", "Schwaza", "The Perfect Blues", "Searching Her Ways", "Zulu Guru", "Tribe Of Stafa", and "Better For You".

One of Anthony Braxton's first great recordings with a larger group – a really impressive array of sounds and tones that takes his compositional experiments to the next level! Tunes here are all those complicated Braxton formulas from the 70s – carried out by a host of equally-imaginative players who include Dwight Andrews, Vinny Golia, JD Parran, Marty Erlich, and Ned Rothenberg on saxes and reeds; Kenny Wheeler, Leo Smith, and Michael Mossman on trumpets; Ray Anderson, George Lewis, and James King Roosa on trombones; Marilyn Crispell on piano, Bobby Naughton on vibes, James Emery on guitar, Bob Ostertag on synthesizer, Thurman Barker on percussion and marimba, and Braxton himself at the head of the ensemble! The electronics come across with some great tones that really link the freer reed moments – and the sound of the whole album is plenty powerful throughout.

Soulful fusion from The Brecker Brothers – a set that's one of their standout efforts from the 70s – and a record that went onto influence a whole generation of jazz musicians too! The album features the twin horns of Randy & Michael Brecker, along with alto by David Sanborn, keyboards by Don Grolnick, and guitar by Steve Khan – but one of the things that really makes the album great is the vocal arrangements, which were handled by Luther Vandross, who also sings on the album along with Patti Austin! The set's got a great soulful feel – with some wonderful mellow groovers that have a sweet 70s sound – titles that include "Lovely Lady", "Night Flight", "Slick Stuff", "What A Miracle Can Do", "I Love Wastin Time With You", "Keep It Steady", "Grease Piece", and "Dig A Little Deeper". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "If You Wanna Boogie (single version)", and "Slick Stuff (single version)".

Seminal work from The Brecker Brothers – 6 of the group's best albums, plus the two Blue Montreux live albums – packaged together in one very cool set, in tiny LP-like sleeves! The self-titled Brecker Brothers album is the first super effort from the team of Randy & Michael Brecker, whose twin-horn frontline forged a very popular sound in the mid 70s – some really well-crafted numbers, done with a strong smooth approach that still sits well after all these years! Back To Back features the twin horns of Randy & Michael Brecker, along with alto by David Sanborn, keyboards by Don Grolnick, and guitar by Steve Khan – but one of the things that really makes the album great is the vocal arrangements, which were handled by Luther Vandross, who also sung on the album along with Patti Austin. The set's got a great soulful feel – with some wonderful mellow groovers that have a sweet 70s sound! Don't Stop The Music is a stone classic from The Brecker Brothers – working with touches of club and disco grooves to give an even smoother edge to the jazz funk of the pair. And thanks to some solid soloing that's not afraid to go for the easy spots, the album's a lot more solid than an number of sound-a-like copycat LPs to come out at the time! Heavy Metal Be Bop is tight and funky jamming, with a bit more guitar here than on some of their other records – hence, possibly, the title! Keyboards and guitar jam strongly, but Randy and Michael still get in plenty of space for their solos – pushing their jazz licks with the jamming intensity that might normally be relegated to guitar heroes in the rock world. On Detente, the Brecker's are still rooted in jazz, but definitely step out with plenty of soul in the mix too – vocals from DJ Rogers, Carl Carlwell, Luther Vandross, and others – all of whom really add a lot to the set! On Straphangin, the BBs manage to groove with a sharpness and depth that most of their smoother fusion contemporaries just weren't hitting – an edge that reminds us of the deeper roots these guys had before they started hitting the mainstream! Last up are the live fusion classics Blue Montreux Vols 1 & 2 – both recorded as a unique live all-star outing by a group of Arista's best jazz players at the time! The group's an octet, but plays together in differing formations throughout the record – with Warren Bernhardt on keyboards, Michael Brecker on saxes, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Steve Jordan on drums, Steve Khan and Larry Coryell on guitars, Tony Levin on bass, and Mike Maineri on vibes – the last of which really make for some of the best numbers on the album!

A full performance from the 2011 Wels Festival curated by Peter Brotzmann – starring his crucial Chicago Tentet – a modern-day supergroup of giants of avant jazz! The lineup features saxes from Brotzmann, Ken Vandermark, and Mats Gustafsson – plus trumpet from Joe McPhee, trombone from Johannes Bauer and Jeb Bishop, tuba from Per Ake Holmlander, cello and guitar from Fred Lonberg-Holm, bass from Kent Kessler, drums from Paal Nilssen-Love and Michael Zerang – and guest work on trumpet from Toshinori Kondo, koto from Michiyo Yagi, guitar from Yoshihide Otomo, and reeds from Akira Sakata! These added Japanese players really help expand the sound – and memorialize the tragedy at Fukushima, to which the show was dedicated – and part of the proceeds for the DVD will go. Performance is 105 minutes, in color, with special bonus interview material.

Damn, is this a great record! The album's not only one of the best blacksploitation soundtracks ever recorded, it's also one of James Brown's funkiest outings of the early 70s! Nearly every cut's a winner, and James gets some very funky help from The JBs, who groove hard on the best instrumental cuts, plus Lyn Collins, who sings a sock version of "Mama Feelgood" that's worth the price of the record alone! Includes the classic "Down & Out in New York City", plus "Blind Man Can See It", "Sportin' Life", "The Boss", "Dirty Harri", and "Chase".The original on wax, with the split middle gatefold cover! One of James' best records from the 70's, and includes the cuts "Sportin' Life", "The Boss", "Down & Out in New York City", "Blind Man Can See It", and lots more good grooves. This is the original pressing – with a split die-cut gatefold cover in the middle!

An overlooked gem from Chico's mid 80s period – a record filled with strong and subtle songs, often backed by some nicely jazz-tinged arrangements from Cristovao Bastos! The album's not as revolutionary as some of Chico's earlier records, but it more than makes up for that with an incredibly solid quality overall – and a mature, sophisticated approach to songwriting that easily matches some of Caetano Veloso's best work of the same time. Titles include "Pleas Tabelas", "Samba Do Grande Amor", "Mil Perdoes", "Vai Passar", "As Cartas", and "Suburbano Coracao".

A brilliant extension of the Love set from Build An Ark – focusing on some of the more improvisational spirit that's integral to their cosmic groove! Love Part 2 is mix of intimate moments and soaring atmospherics from Carlos Nino, Miguel-Atwood Ferguson and the rest of the stellar ensemble, plus guests and fellow travelers such as vocalists Dwight Trible, Carmen Lundy, Leisei Chen and Mia Doi Todd, violinist Michael White and others. The overall vibe and instrumentation are unpredictable from one movement to the next, but there's always a hypnotic mood at play, be it spun by sparely furnished strings and percussion, earthy global jazz influences or far spacier dynamics! Titles include a lively (and live sounding) string jazz improvisational take on "What The World Needs Now Is Is Love" with passionate vocals and pared down lyrics by Leisei Chen flavored with violin, viola, cello and sitar – plus "Cosmic Tuning", "Nature", "Ginger", "Say Yes!", "Improvisation Day 1", "Improvisation Day 2", ""Improvisation Day 8", "Cadence Of The Love Messengers" and wonderfully unique take on Donny Hathaway's "Tryin Times" with vocals by Carmen Lundy and Dwight Trible.

A spacey Patrick Adams/Greg Carmichael dance classic – and very much in the P&P disco mode! The record's filled with extended club cuts that have a lot of keyboards and electronics, and although the lyrics are a bit silly at times, the groove is rock solid – with that amazing funky disco sound that was sort of a precursor to the house grooves of the 80s. Adams and Carmichael are on keyboards – and vocalists include Donna Green and Leroy Burgess. Nice all the way through – and tracks include "Lady Bug", "I Love You", "Honey Bun", "Space Shuttle Ride", and "I Got A Big Bee".

Charles Burns in a beautiful format – an oversized, nicely-bound edition that makes his work here feel like the glory days of Raw Comics! The story is quite dark – the first chapter of a new story line from Burns – and the images have this really unsettling way of turning a corner just when you least expect it – sometimes without telegraphing their shift – thanks partly to that retro aesthetic that's used throughout. Oversized, full color, and with a great hardcover jacket!

"Scenester" produced by Blockhead. "Left To Us" produced by Camu Tao. Features El-P, Aesop Rock, Tame One & Yak Ballz.

A tremendous solo act from GC Cameron – a singer who first rose to fame in The Spinners, but who really sounds wonderful on his own! GC's moved away from The Spinners here – into a wide range of styles that show him ready to take on most of the rest of the competition! He's working here with the best of the best of Motown – production from Stevie Wonder and Willie Hutch – and arrangements by both, plus Paul Riser, Gene Page, James Carmichael, and Frank Wilson – all of whom really give their best to the record, and show that Motown was putting plenty of effort into making GC one of the next big stars of the 70s. We're not sure why things never took off as strongly for Cameron, but whatever the case, the album's a great step for the solo artist – on cuts that include "If You Don't Love Me", "Tippin", "All In Love Is Fair", "If You're Ever Gonna Love Me", "Come Get This Thang", "I'm Gonna Give You Respect", and "Let Me Down Easy". CD features an insane amount of bonus tracks – 13 more tracks that include "Act Like A Shotgun", "Girl I Really Love You", "I'm Gonna Get You (parts 1 & 2)", "Don't Wanna Play Pajama Games", "You Are That Special One", "Have I Lost You", "Time", "Topics", and "No Matter Where".

The debut from Rafael Cameron – a pretty soulful set for Salsoul produced by Brass Connection's Randy Muller! Cameron's got a nice deep soul sound to his vocals, and although the arrangements are uptempo and clubby on some tracks, they're not there to cover up the singing, and have a nice soulful groove! Muller plays piano, flute and some of the percussion, with some sweet guitar in the mix, and some congas – with nice female backing vocals, too! Cuts are on the longer side, and include the dancefloor groover "Let's Get It Off", plus "Funkdown", "Magic Of You", and "Together" and "Feelin's".

A mid 70s killer from Can – sometimes overlooked next to the early classics, but a record that's filled with equally great charms! Things are still pretty noisy here, and plenty proggy too – thanks to driving drums from Jaki Liebezeit and hypnotic basslines from Holger Czukay and there's a surprising amount of noise in the guitars of Michael Karoli, produced here with a bit more clarity than smaller label records from the German scene – but still never any crisp or commercial qualities either. Irmin Schmidt's keyboards and electronic touches are as wonderful as always – and Czukay's production really helps keep the whole thing on edge throughout! Titles include the long "Unfinished" jam – plus "Full Moon On The Highway", "Half Past One", "Vernal Equinox", and "Hunters & Collectors".

A key chapter in the rich long legacy of Candido on record – a set that pushes the percussion maestro strongly into the disco generation – with wonderful results that are still massively strong all these many years later! Candido had always been one of the funkiest conga players around – especially as his music moved into the 70s – but here, he really takes off with some sublime disco arrangements – full clubby grooves that are some of the best Salsoul sounds of the time, yet which still leave plenty of room for Candi's congas! The congas participate in the rhythms at every level – and often take on a nice solo spotlight too – and all tracks are nice and long, with killers that include a club remake of "Thousand Finger Man", plus "Dancin & Prancin", "Jingo", and "Rock & Shuffle". CD features a massive amount of bonus tracks – more than on the album – with gems from singles that include "Jingo (original 12" version)", "Thousand Finger Man (12" ext version)", "Jingo (Shep Pettibone mix)", "Thousand Finger Man (single)", "Jingo (single)", and "Jingo (inst)".

From the 2nd LP, Yin & the Yang. Features Raekwon. B side features Jermaine Dupri & Da Brat.

Beautiful work from the legendary Hoagy Carmichael – and one of the few albums to feature him singing his own work! Hoagy's name is one that you're more likely to see in the songwriting credits than in the artist slot for a record – but he's actually got a wonderful voice, one that's filled with honest, personal charms – and which has a sometimes broken-down quality that's perfect for the gentle words of his tunes. This wonderful set features Carmichael working with sublime small combo backing – players who include Harry Edison, Jimmy Rowles, and Art Pepper – working with arrangements penned by Johnny Mandel. Titles include "Rocking Chair", "Georgia On My Mind", "Skylark", "Two Sleepy People", and "Baltimore Oriole".

Smoking sounds from this legendary Brazilian flautist – a really stripped-down session that's easily one of the greatest documents of his talents we've ever heard! The performance was done for the TV show Ensaio, and has that wonderfully personal feel of most of the program's recordings – with a very strong focus on Altamiro's amazingly complex, yet melodic lines on flute – and backing by a small and lively samba combo. Titles include "Rio Antigo", "Saudade De Padua", "Aeroporto Do Galeao", and "Lamentos" – plus some longer "Pot-Pourri" tracks.

Mellow magic from Betty – one of her first "comeback" albums for Verve, and an excellent set of tunes that still keeps the same feel as her 80s work on her own label. The group on most tunes is a trio – with Benny Green on piano, Michael Bowie on bass, and Winard Harper on drums – but some tracks feature additional tenor from Don Braden, blowing soulfully next to Betty's incredible voice. Tunes skip around with imagination and a sense of soul in places where you'd never expect it – and titles include "Look What I Got", "The Man I Love", "That Sunday That Summer", "All I Got", and "Just Like The Movies".

The album that very firmly put Clarence Carter on the mainstream soul map – thanks to his brilliant version of the title tune! By the time of this set, Carter was already one hell of a soul singer – and really brought amazing sounds to play with classic production from Rick Hall and the Fame Studios gang. But when he pointed those talents towards the country soul story "Patches", he really found his groove – mixing southern roots from both sides of the fence into one really unique groove – and following it up with a host of other well-chosen tunes that really helped establish Carter's unique place in music. George Jackson co-wrote a number of the best tunes – a few with Clarence – and titles include "Patches", "I'm Just A Prisoner", "Till I Can't Take It Anymore", "Changes", "Say Man", "Willie & Laura Mae Jones", "CC Blues", and "Getting the Bills (But No Merchandise)".

Nothing Fragile here – as Cherrelle comes across with plenty of power on this debut LP – thanks to sharp production from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on some of the best cuts, and an overall groove that's right on the best side of early 80s soul! The Jam/Lewis tracks are heavy on keyboards and beats – but still have a nicely early, un-commercial sort of sound overall – never too poppy, and more in an indie soul club sort of groove. Other production is by Michael Everitt Dunlap and Isaac Suthers – who bring in some slightly softer sounds that show off Cherrelle's more sensitive ballad side. Titles include the hit "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" – plus "When You Look In My Eyes", "I Need You Now", "Who's It Gonna Be", "Like I Will", "Fragile Handle With Care", and "Stay With Me".

Nothing Fragile here – as Cherrelle comes across with plenty of power on this debut LP – thanks to sharp production from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on some of the best cuts, and an overall groove that's right on the best side of early 80s soul! The Jam/Lewis tracks are heavy on keyboards and beats – but still have a nicely early, un-commercial sort of sound overall – never too poppy, and more in an indie soul club sort of groove. Other production is by Michael Everitt Dunlap and Isaac Suthers – who bring in some slightly softer sounds that show off Cherrelle's more sensitive ballad side. Titles include the hit "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" – plus "When You Look In My Eyes", "I Need You Now", "Who's It Gonna Be", "Like I Will", "Fragile Handle With Care", and "Stay With Me". Great reissue – with a book-like cover, lots of notes, and bonus tracks that include "Like I Will (Tokyo mix)", "Fragile Handle With Care", "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On (edit)", "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On (special rmx)", and "When You Look In My Eyes (special version)".