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An excellent album of work from this important Czechoslovakian underground group! The set's got some of their best work, and good notes on their history and importance. Titles include "The Wondrous Mandarin", "Look At You, All Sound Asleep", "Past My Window", "Constipation", and "Toxica".

The cover may look a bit goofy, but the music is completely sublime – strong tenor sax lines from Momo Wandel Soumah, mixed with light instrumentation that includes balafon, kora, djembe, and guitar! Soumah doesn't exactly play jazz, but he does have an inventive, personal touch on the saxophone – and uses the instrument with a soulful quality that really crosses boundaries – especially on some of the numbers that feature vocals beyond the comprehension of English speakers. The use of balafon is especially nice, too – as the melodically percussive qualities of that instrument resonate perfectly with the sax. Titles include "Errance A Conakry", "Le Blues Du Chef De Village", "Itinerance", "Signoya Live", "Balade Baga", and a compelling version of "Afro Blue".

Beautiful sounds from Makan Badje Tounkara – a Malian griot who works here on a small-stringed lute with a really evocative style! The recording is contemporary, but the core instrument has a really ancient feel – not surprising, given that its origins go back to ancient Egypt – and Makan mixes his deft passages on the ngoni with spare percussion and guest vocals – which flesh out the record in a very collaborative way. Titles include "Massaya", "Kanda", "Kakolo", "Sodjan", "Tata", and "Togna".

Way better than you might guess from the title, as there's very little noise, and not really any chillout material – and instead a great batch of Ethio-styled grooves, showing the rich influence of Ethiopian music on the contemporary scene in recent years! The package was put together by the folks who compiled the Ethiopiques series – which is fitting, as a large number of groups here have been influenced by those legendary compilations over the past decade – and have taken older Ethiopian styles, and refit them in a range of contemporary funk, soul, and jazzy modes! Tracks are really well chosen – and most of the music here is quite faithful to the roots – with hardly any gimmicky, or too-easy modes – and instead a really deep understanding of the music, handled in a respectful recasting that really opens things up. The double-length package has plenty to offer – 28 titles that include "Etu Gela" by Dereb The Ambassador, "Balague" by Man Bites Dog, "Emnete" by Imperial Tiger Orchestra, "Lantchi Biye" by Jazzmaris, "Addis Polis" by Arat Kilo, "Yezemed Yebaed" by Le Tigre, "Diminished Heaven" by Nubian Ark, "Chik Chikka" by Rattlemouth, "Metche New" by Akale Wube, "Athidebgn" by Zeritu, and "Gellele" by Daniel Techane.

A timeless blend of traditions – music with Sufi religious origins, performed by a contemporary Zanzibar group who are part of the small living legacy of the style! There's a really slow-building and hypnotic feel to the long tracks in the set – a mix of ensemble vocal performances and percussion, layered together in a way that feels very spiritual, especially as the tunes move on – with a swaying sort of energy that clearly embraces the whole ensemble as they perform together! The sound is very unique – quite different than any of the other titles in the Zanzibara series – and represents a wonderful flowering of Islamic cultural elements on the global scene. Titles include "Dua", "Dahala 3", "Dahala 2", and "Dahala 1".

One of our favorite entries so far in the Zanzibara series – a great set of grooves from the late 70s and early 80s – warmly laidback material, with a bubbling undercurrent of funk, and a sound that's somewhat different from other African material we've heard from the time! The rhythms often dip and turn slowly – almost with a watery feel, as the basslines groove up and down in midtempo waves of sound – often woven together with some tighter guitar parts, which also dance along nicely – topped by vocals that have a sweet undercurrent of sadness, too. The package is a great way to sample some of these lesser-heard gems – and it's put together with the same level of care you'd expect from Buda's Ethiopiques series. Titles include "Uzuri Wa Asili", "Baba Anna", "Rufani Ya Kifo", and "Mwana Acha Ujinga" by Dar International Orchestre; "Talaka Ya Hasira", "Nawashukuru Wazazi Wangu", "Taxi Driver", and "Kassim Amefilisika" by Mlimani Park Orchestra; and "Nilitaka Iwe Siri" by Vijana Dance Band.

Ethiopian R&B, jazz and funk from the late 60s to mid 70s – essential numbers by Mahmoud Ahmed, Alemeyahu Eshete, Lemma Demissew, Sefu Yohannes, Bahta Gebre-Heywet, Teshome Metuku and others – all of which are appearing on vinyl for the first time since the incredibly rare original releases! Hasabe works as both a stellar introduction to the adventurously soulful music of Ethiopia during this pivotal period – and as a tightly-focused vinyl sampler of the extensive (27 CDs and counting) Ethiopiques series from Buda Musique. It focuses squarely on the R&B and funkier strains of the diverse Ethiopiques – and as connoisseurs of the series since the beginning – we can honestly tell you that it's impeccably well selected! 10 classic tracks: "Astawesalehu" and "Adrashash Tefabegn" by Lemma Demissew, "Yehagere Sheta" by Tlahoun Gessesse, "Mela Mela" by Sefu Yohannes, "Aynotche Terabu" by Mahmoud Ahmed, "Ayalqem Tedenqo" by Alemayehy Eshete, "Tessaassategn Eko" by Bahta Gebre-Heywet and more.

Mindblowing work from Mahmoud Ahmed – one of the key figures of Ethiopian music in the 70s, and a singer with a voice that's beyond compare! The sound here is extremely hard to describe – at one level grooving with some of the funk and jazz undercurrents of the work of Mulatu, but at another level done with a deeper sense of modernism that makes the tunes come across even more starkly. The album predates Ahmed's seminal Ere Mela Mela album – and on some tracks, is harder and funkier –with rhythms that pulsate in a really hypnotic way! Instrumentation includes some great hazy keyboards, as well as a brace of horns that emphasizes the themes of the tunes – and titles include "Gubelye", "Alemye", "Wogenie", "Etugula", "Belaya Belaya", "Ney Denun Tesesh", and the amazing Tezeta".

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 groovy set from Tommy Vig and family – with a nice version of "SWAT" – plus "In A Persian Market", "The Last Bird From Madrid", "Love Song To A Country", and "On The Budapest Seoul Express".

A deep dip into forgotten, politically-motivated Americana from the impressive diggers at Omni – and a surprisingly strong collection of material from singers who served as the American right's response to the largely left-of-center folk singers of the mid-to-late 60s – and we're not gonna lie to you, reactionary conservatism never sounded so groovy! It's pretty amazing stuff – not only serving as an answer to the left's protest song ideals, but it's full of well-crafted, well-produced, creatively worthy songcraft. It features multiple tracks by 3 artist – pulling together rare songs from 45 EPs by Janet Greene, album and 45 tracks by Vera Vanderlaan, and the rare Cry, The Beloved Country album by Tony Dolan. Given just how far social, political and musical culture has progressed in the decades since, it's easy to listen to these songs, and their warnings of insidious Commie threats and other supposed left wing terrors waiting to happen, as a bit of a novelty item – but on the other hand, there's plenty of contemporary parallels to consider. While some of the songs border on self-parody, others are actually reasonable and pretty fair-minded – and nearly all of it is irresistibly listenable! Includes "Fascist Threat", "Commie Lies", "Poor Left Winger", "Run" and more by Janet Greene; "Abolish, Abolish!", "Cuba Will Be Free", "Cry, The Beloved Country", "Remember Bloody Budapest", "Harry Pollitt", "New York Times Blues" and more by Tony Dolan; "Freedom Is A Hammer", "Hello World", "Stand Up And Be Counted", "Red Fire" and more by Vera Vanderlaan. 29 tracks in all – and it includes a detailed booklet with bios and artist facts, as well as some fascinating right-of-center newsletter stills, shots of rally posters, etc. from the period.

Amazing jazz from the Hungarian scene of the 60s and early 70s – some of the most obscure work from Eastern Europe at the time, as the Hungarian labels never got out to the west as well as those from other nations! Theoretically, the Cold War should have stopped jazz exports to the rest of Europe – but nations like Poland and Czechoslovakia managed to get their artists some good western exposure at the time. But Hungary was another story – and although Budapest is less than an hour from Vienna, most of this work has never made it out to the west before! This volume is a delightful treasure throughout – filled with jazzy modal tunes that share a lot with the Saba/MPS work of the time – all hand-picked by Tom Weiland of Les Gammas, with an ear for the same sort of jazzy grooves as his own work! The set's especially great for piano-driven tunes – which are often pushed along with some excellent warm, round, acoustic basstones – leaping along soulfully on the set's more extended numbers. LP features 9 tracks that include "Theme Of Ahmad Jamal" by Studio 11, "Dalia" by Pege Trio, "Night & Day" by Qualiton Jazz Ensemble, "Afro Cubano" by Balint Ensemble, "Hungarian Folksongs" by LDL Ensemble, "Song For My Father" by Csaba Deseo Ensemble, "Jarom Az Utam" by Grencso Kollektiva, and "Baby Car" by Pege Quintet.

Hammond beat grooves from The Qualitons – representing funky Budapest! The Qualitons are a unique group in the funky organ underground, regardless of region – drawing from a well of influences that range from rave up funk to wild-eyed vintage R&B & garage rock. It's really exciting stuff, and feels no more or less authentic than the influences – generally with a hard driving undercurrent of heavy drums and thick washes of organ. The strains of beat group and garage rock give it them an incendiary edge that we just love, but they slow it down in spots that show quite a range, and these guys can seriously play! The group is armed with a couple vocal tunes and a bunch of great instrumentals. Titles include "C'mon Baby", "Get Heavy With Me", "Overdose", "Ejjel A Sotetben", "Wandering Will", "AC Blues", "Soul Bowl/Kekfeny", "Aua", "More Plutonium" and more.

Amazing jazz from the Hungarian scene of the 60s and early 70s – some of the most obscure work from Eastern Europe at the time, as the Hungarian labels never got out to the west as well as those from other nations! Theoretically, the Cold War should have stopped jazz exports to the rest of Europe – but nations like Poland and Czechoslovakia managed to get their artists some good western exposure at the time. But Hungary was another story – and although Budapest is less than an hour from Vienna, most of this work has never made it out to the west before! This volume is a delightful treasure throughout – filled with jazzy modal tunes that share a lot with the Saba/MPS work of the time – all hand-picked by Tom Weiland of Les Gammas, with an ear for the same sort of jazzy grooves as his own work! The set's especially great for piano-driven tunes – which are often pushed along with some excellent warm, round, acoustic basstones – leaping along soulfully on the set's more extended numbers. CD features a total of 11 tracks that include "Theme Of Ahmad Jamal" by Studio 11, "Dalia" by Pege Trio, "Night & Day" by Qualiton Jazz Ensemble, "Afro Cubano" by Balint Ensemble, "Hungarian Folksongs" by LDL Ensemble, "Song For My Father" by Csaba Deseo Ensemble, "Jarom Az Utam" by Grencso Kollektiva, and "Baby Car" by Pege Quintet.