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A unique account of the oft-told history of Chess Records by author Rich Cohen – focusing on the business acumen the the Chess Brothers, and the brazen approach that brought the music of juke joints to the mainstream. Cohen doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the exploitational side of the Chess story, telling the story of the Chess Brothers and the artists that changed music forever, with a focus on the facsinating and complicated business behind it. Hardcover, 220 pages.

Solid jazzy hip hop from Buffalo's Pseudo Intellectuals – the trio of Tone Atlas, DJ Cutler and Nick Zero – rocking jazzy soul beats & samples behind ample group rhymes – really ramping up the tightly thumping jazz accents in the manner of classic hip hop productions from coast to coast! Tone handles the beats, Cutler handle the cuts, and the whole group raps – and the rock it like Tribe Called Quest, early-ish Gangstarr, and the jazzier elements of the Cali scene, ala early 90s Hieroglyphics – but they have a unique perspective afforded by cloudy, blue collar Buffalo that's way nicer than you'd probably expect! Kind of in the throwback vein, but hey, we still love that stuff – and you should, too. Titles include "Resourceful Illlery", "Septemberfest", "No Money, Mo Problems", "Autumn Leaves", "Abide", "Novemberfest", "Uptown Wednesday Night", "Lullaby Of Lyndale", :The Impudent Date Rap", "Decemberfest" and more.

Malian singer Rokia Traore is on the cover – talking about her new John Parish-produced Beautiful Africa – plus features on kora player Bllake Sissoko, Sarawak, Borneo's Rainforest Festival, the musical communities-bridging Nile Project, Alex Wilson and Kishon Khan's collaboration at the Songlines Encounters Festival, the nominees for this year's Songlines Music Awards and more! Also includes a free CD with 10 tracks from Songlines-praised new releases and 5 more selected by Jocelyn Pook. Includes tracks by Rokia Traore, Tim O'Brien & Darrell Scott, Airileke, Emma Sweeney, Natacha Atlas, Los Piranas, Boban Markovic and more.

Early genius from Eddie Higgins – a pianist who was a big thing on the Chicago scene of the 60s, but is probably best known to most folks for his revival records of the past decade or two! The younger Higgins has more of an edge than the later one – and this self-titled debut is a cooker of a hardbop album – thanks not only to work from Eddie's core trio, but also some great horn interplay from Frank Foster on tenor and Paul Seranno on trumpet! Eddie wrote some of the best cuts on the record – some really fresh numbers – and he gets rhythmic help from either Richard Evans or Jim Atlas on bass, and Marshall Thompson on drums. Higgins titles include "Foot's Bag", "Zarac The Evil One", and "AB's Blues" – and the album also features versions of "Blues For Big Scotia" and "Falling In Love With Love".