Dexter Gordon at his European best – working at his very familiar haunt, the Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen – a city that welcome Dexter Gordon with welcome arms in the 60s, as Dex left America to take care of himself and renew his energy overseas – expanding his sound and styles in ways that made him a much more revolutionary tenorist than during his earlier time on the US scene! The group features Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pederson on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – and tracks are all nice and long. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent document of two key players on the west coast scene of the late 50s – both of whom passed away at too far young an age! Trumpeter Joe Gordon was one of the most soulful players on the LA scene of the period – almost a Lee Morgan in his sense of timing and space – and Scott LaFaro was hailed by many as one of the most revolutionary talents on the bass at the time, and had a huge influence on the scenes on both coasts, despite his few short years in the jazz business. The set features LaFaro working with Shelly Manne's group that included Joe Gordon, Richie Kamuca, and Russ Freeman – in a long, open, and exploratory approach to jazz – one that's very similar to the excellent live recordings made by the Manne group at The Blackhawk. Kamuca's tenor work is extremely imaginative on the album's longer tracks – at a level that's far far different than most of his LA work of the 50s – and Gordon's solos are a delight throughout, with a voice that is heard here as strongly as on any of his few recordings. The set features 3 long tracks – "Summertime", "Poinciana", and "Our Delight", which is offered in an incomplete take. Plus, the session also features a quartet recording of "It Could Happen To You" by a group with Kamuca, LaFaro, Victor Feldman, and Stan Levey – from 1958. CD

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Produced by Kutmasta Kurt and AG, scratches by DJ Revolution, guest rhymes by AG. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Tenorist Steve Grossman's a hell of a player in so many different settings – but we're especially fond of the mid 80s stretch in which he made this record – a time when Steve had learned from all of his bolder, more dynamic moments of the 70s – and was able to fold them back into some soulful, old school tenor work that's really amazing! Case in point is this cooker – a record with the simple, subtle title of Standards – and which features Grossman making his way through a host of familiar tunes – yet at a level that's really breathtaking – a classic sense of individual phrasing and interpretation – beholden to none, and maybe all the more revolutionary in the way it's never trying to overstate its own existence. Yet that quality is also what makes it even more exciting – maybe more so than some of Steve's more experimental sessions – and Grossman holds us rapt throughout, in a quartet that also features Fred Henke on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Masahiro Yoshida on drums. Titles include "Time Was", "Just In Time", "Autumn Leaves", "Half Nelson", "Easy Living", and "When I Fall In Love". CD

Detroit's Guilty Simpson teams up with Philly producer Small Professor – with appearances by Boldy James, Statik Selektah, AG, Castle & Euclid – plus remixes by DJ Revolution & Zilla Rocca. Production wise, it's got a lot a dense beats and off-kilter, though walloping percussion – with eerie synths and other elements giving it a foreboding vibe. It's a nice fit for Guilty's tough, no nonsense flow, and the titles include "Get That Pay (Scooby Mix)", I'm The City" feat Boldy James & Statik Selektah, "It's Nuthin" feat AG, On The Run" feat DJ Revolution, "Go" feat Castle & Elucid, "Get That Pay (OG Mix)", "The Easiest Way (Remix)" and the vinyl bonus track "Go (Zilla Rocca Remix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Early Krautrock hugeness from Guru Guru – their epic debut, and a record that was one of the key calling cards of the German scene at the start of the 70s! At first glance, the elements are familiar – but there's a few nice touches in the studio too – yet the real energy of the group come from their fantastic musicianship, spun out on long tracks that make the core bass, drums, and guitar sound far more revolutionary than work from the UK scene at the time. That core is one that so many other groups were using with a blues rock into hard rock mode – but Guru Guru are already into something new and their own here – stepping out on long cuts that include "Stone In", "Girl Call", "Next Time See You At The Dalai Lhama", and "Der LSD – Marsch". CD

Beautiful work from the man who revolutionized Greek music in the 60s! LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a cover that references the Beatles, but a sound that's very different overall – as Japanese combo Happenings Four take the tunes in lots of weird and wonderful directions! The record's maybe much more psychedelic than the original recordings by the fab four – lots of fuzz and distortion at times, and some especially cool use of piano – which gets jazzy at times, but with offbeat twists and turns that further keep things interesting – as does the use of organ on a few of the cuts! The arrangements are great – hardly respectful of The Beatles' originals at all, and really opening up the tunes – to serve up fantastic unusual versions of "Drive My Car", "Don't Let Me Down", "Lady Madonna", "Fool On The Hill", "Ticket To Ride", "She Loves You", "Penny Lane", "Yesterday", and "Revolution". LP, Vinyl record album

Donald Harrison on alto saxophone, Max Moran on acoustic bass, Joe Dyson on drums, and Zaccai Curtis on piano. CD

A fantastic mix of heady sounds and heavy funk from The Heliocentrics – and a record that continues the vibe of their previous set – in which the team of Malcolm Catto and Jake Ferguson were joined by the lovely vocals of Barbora Patkova! Patkova's presence is just what the group needs to really ground their sound – a female singer up front, but one who's as equally comfortable with distortion, fuzz, and echoey spaces as the two instrumentalists – a trio who continue that unique tradition of psychedelic funk that we first loved in Catto's early work on Mo Wax! Titles include "99% Revolution", "Hanging By A Thread", "Nonsense (part 1)", "Light In The Dark", "People Wake Up", "Burning Wooden Ship", and "Elephant Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

Great experimental work from Holger Hiller – a set that was issued on the important German new wave label Ata Tak, but which was maybe even more revolutionary than most other records on the imprint at the time! Hiller bridges so many different worlds here – earlier German electronic experimentation at an academic level, some of the spacier sounds of the prog generation, and the really creative exploration of earlier ideas in a more personal level that marked the new wave of the post-punk years – using some elements here that would be right at home on a cold wave recording, but with modes that are sometimes more playful, and almost in territory that Holger Czukay would explore on some of his solo work of the decade. The mix of keyboards, vocals, and analog elements is great – and titles include "Jonny", "Hosen Die Nicht Aneinander Passen", "Mutter Der Frohlichkeit", "Das Feuer", "Ein Hoch Auf Das Bugeln", and "Budapest Bukarest". CD

Great experimental work from Holger Hiller – a set that was issued on the important German new wave label Ata Tak, but which was maybe even more revolutionary than most other records on the imprint at the time! Hiller bridges so many different worlds here – earlier German electronic experimentation at an academic level, some of the spacier sounds of the prog generation, and the really creative exploration of earlier ideas in a more personal level that marked the new wave of the post-punk years – using some elements here that would be right at home on a cold wave recording, but with modes that are sometimes more playful, and almost in territory that Holger Czukay would explore on some of his solo work of the decade. The mix of keyboards, vocals, and analog elements is great – and titles include "Jonny", "Hosen Die Nicht Aneinander Passen", "Mutter Der Frohlichkeit", "Das Feuer", "Ein Hoch Auf Das Bugeln", and "Budapest Bukarest". LP, Vinyl record album

What can we say – an undisputed classic! "Popcorn" was the track that revolutionized electronica forever – and this is the great hit version that popped up on charts all over the world. Great drums, great strings, and a wonderful popping moog that won't lay down! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A once lost gem! Hudson's voice as a producer remains one of the most unique and idiosyncratic of his era, and this first LP issued under his own name stands as a shining document of his genius. Cut very near the time of his classic dub side Pick A Dub, this album shares the haunting mood that runs through the best of Hudson's work, all the while delivering a resounding roots message. The rhythms are fierce, laid down by Leroy Sibbles, Fully Fullwood, Santa Davis, Count Ossie and Augustus Pablo, a dozen mighty tracks in all: "Hunting", "Flesh Of My Skin", "Blood Of My Blood", "Testing Of My Faith", "Fight Your Revolution", "Darkest Night", "Talk Some Sense (Gamma Ray)", "Treasures Of The World", "My Nocturne", "I Shall Be Released", "No Friend Of Mine" and "Stabiliser". CD

The Charlie Hunter quartet offers their take on Bob Marley's groundbreaking album Natty Dread – taking the original Jamaican grooves of the set, and performing them in a laidback jazz funk style! The lineup includes Charlie on 8-string guitar, plus alto sax, tenor sax, and drums – on titles that include "Rebel Music", "So Jah She", "Revolution", "Talkin Blue", "Lively Up Yourself", "No Woman No Cry", and "Natty Dread". CD

The album that rocked a million dorm rooms back in the 60s – and for good reason, too – given that the title track is a side-long, totally jamming monster – the kind of track that was really revolutionary at the time, and which still has a hell of an impact all these many years later! "In A Gadda Da Vida" was shortened to a single – with the big hook intact – but this classic album version runs for 17 minutes in length, and has the group doing all these cool jams with their instruments – all the animals in the garden of Eden talking to each other (or at least that's what our addled teenaged minds always thought!) Shorter tracks are mighty nice too – a heady, heavy brew of Hammond and fierce guitar from Erik Brann, on cuts all penned by group leader Doug Ingle. Titles include "Termination", "My Mirage", "Flowers & Roses", and "Most Anything You Want". Cassette

The album that rocked a million dorm rooms back in the 60s – and for good reason, too – given that the title track is a side-long, totally jamming monster – the kind of track that was really revolutionary at the time, and which still has a hell of an impact all these many years later! "In A Gadda Da Vida" was shortened to a single – with the big hook intact – but this classic album version runs for 17 minutes in length, and has the group doing all these cool jams with their instruments – all the animals in the garden of Eden talking to each other (or at least that's what our addled teenaged minds always thought!) Shorter tracks are mighty nice too – a heady, heavy brew of Hammond and fierce guitar from Erik Brann, on cuts all penned by group leader Doug Ingle. Titles include "Termination", "My Mirage", "Flowers & Roses", and "Most Anything You Want". CD

The album that rocked a million dorm rooms back in the 60s – and for good reason, too – given that the title track is a side-long, totally jamming monster – the kind of track that was really revolutionary at the time, and which still has a hell of an impact all these many years later! "In A Gadda Da Vida" was shortened to a single – with the big hook intact – but this classic album version runs for 17 minutes in length, and has the group doing all these cool jams with their instruments – all the animals in the garden of Eden talking to each other (or at least that's what our addled teenaged minds always thought!) Shorter tracks are mighty nice too – a heady, heavy brew of Hammond and fierce guitar from Erik Brann, on cuts all penned by group leader Doug Ingle. Titles include "Termination", "My Mirage", "Flowers & Roses", and "Most Anything You Want". LP, Vinyl record album

The album that rocked a million dorm rooms back in the 60s – and for good reason, too – given that the title track is a side-long, totally jamming monster – the kind of track that was really revolutionary at the time, and which still has a hell of an impact all these many years later! "In A Gadda Da Vida" was shortened to a single – with the big hook intact – but this classic album version runs for 17 minutes in length, and has the group doing all these cool jams with their instruments – all the animals in the garden of Eden talking to each other (or at least that's what our addled teenaged minds always thought!) Shorter tracks are mighty nice too – a heady, heavy brew of Hammond and fierce guitar from Erik Brann, on cuts all penned by group leader Doug Ingle. Titles include "Termination", "My Mirage", "Flowers & Roses", and "Most Anything You Want" – plus live and single versions of the title track. CD

Gregory Isaacs kicks back with a spliff on the front cover – earning himself some well-earned relaxation after turning out this tasty set of tracks from the 70s! The record's not a collection of earlier singles, and instead features new recordings all arranged by Alvin Ranglin – with laidback backings from The Revolutionaries, whose gentle groove is just the right match for that magical flow that Isaacs brings to his righteous vocals! The whole thing is homegrown, but in the best warm underground Kingston way – with titles that include "Willow Tree", "Special Guest", "Look Before You Leap", "Freedom", "No Speech", "Tear Drops", and "My Number One". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic early material from Gregory Isaacs – captured here early in his career, and working in a deep roots reggae mode – recording at Channel One with great direction from Ossie Hibbert! The set's laidback and righteous, in ways that let all the soulful qualities of Isaac's vocals still come through – but in a very different way than on his later hits! The rhythms are provided by the Revolutionaries – a perfect choice for the record – and titles include "Slave Master", "Story Book Children", "Get Ready", "Set The Captives Free", "Hand Cuff", "Storm", "Sacrifice", and "Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

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Soul Vibrations and eclectic hip hop groove from J Boogie's Dubtronic Science – featuring a stellar crew of guest MCs – J-Boogie's full length debut and another high quality album from Om Records! Soul Vibrations features a diverse roster of guests – including Lyrics Born, Zumbi of Zion I, The Rebirth, Crown City Rockers, Jrod Indigo, Jennifer Johns and more – on tunes that range from hazy Cali toasted hip hop soul, Latin, soul & jazz inflected numbers, dubbier funk, and elements of Afrobeat. Nice stuff with laidback beats, keys, often with horns in the mix – and the vocal guests bring their a-games. Titles include "Sweet Music" feat Tony Moses, "Revolution" feat Lyrics Born & The Mamaz, "Que Pasa?" feat Deuce Eclipse, "For Your Love" feat Zumbi of Zion I & Rothma, "Leave It Behind" feat The Rebirth & Aima The Dreamer, "Alive" feat Crown City Rockers & Jrod Indigo, "14U" feat Ohmega Watts & Regen Fykes, "Out To The Bay" feat Capital A & Aima The Dreamer, and more. CD

An incredible relic of the early days of experimental radio – a series of sound collages from the Berkley-based Music and Folklore program by Henry Jacobs! Henry Jacobs was a real pioneer in audio collage – stringing together bits of jazz, folk music, sound effects, and spoken bits in a style that was years ahead of similar late 60s radio experimentation. The approach is sometimes jarring, sometimes comical – but always fascinating – and the note do a wonderful job of telling Jacobs' full story, and uniquely revolutionary views on sound. Titles include "Informal Rhythm Session", "Comments On The Indian Raga", "Loop 2 Channel Rhythms", "Audio Collage", and "Sonata For Loudspeaker". LP, Vinyl record album

60s Ahmad Jamal in the studio is already pretty darn great – but live, his group is even more amazing – as the pianist is able to stretch out more, and take a lot more chances too – not just in the way he's striking the keys of the piano, but also working with the fantastic rhythms of Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums! The trio have a legendary way of working together – sensing space as much as moments of music – and their work here on this series of unreleased tracks is completely sublime – and maybe one of the best recorded demonstrations of why Jamal was so revolutionary at the time! The mix of new ideas and soulful swing is incredible – and tracks here are mostly nice and long, filled with bold energy throughout – on versions of "Naked City", "Mr Lucky", "Where Is Love", "Dance To The Lady", "Fantastic Vehicle", "Gloria", "Misty", and "Autumn Leaves". CD

60s Ahmad Jamal in the studio is already pretty darn great – but live, his group is even more amazing – as the pianist is able to stretch out more, and take a lot more chances too – not just in the way he's striking the keys of the piano, but also working with the fantastic rhythms of Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums! The trio have a legendary way of working together – sensing space as much as moments of music – and their work here on this series of unreleased tracks is completely sublime – and maybe one of the best recorded demonstrations of why Jamal was so revolutionary at the time! The mix of new ideas and soulful swing is incredible – and tracks here are mostly nice and long, filled with bold energy throughout – on versions of "Naked City", "Mr Lucky", "Where Is Love", "Dance To The Lady", "Fantastic Vehicle", "Gloria", "Misty", and "Autumn Leaves". LP, Vinyl record album

60s Ahmad Jamal in the studio is already pretty darn great – but live, his group is even more amazing – as the pianist is able to stretch out more, and take a lot more chances too – not just in the way he's striking the keys of the piano, but also working with the fantastic rhythms of Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums! The trio have a legendary way of working together – sensing space as much as moments of music – and their work here on this series of unreleased tracks is completely sublime – and maybe one of the best recorded demonstrations of why Jamal was so revolutionary at the time! The mix of new ideas and soulful swing is incredible – and tracks here are mostly nice and long, filled with bold energy throughout – on versions of "Naked City", "Mr Lucky", "Where Is Love", "Dance To The Lady", "Fantastic Vehicle", "Gloria", "Misty", and "Autumn Leaves". LP, Vinyl record album

A bizarre postwar effort from composer Gordon Jenkins – and one of the first full concept albums ever recorded! The record tells the tale of "seven dreams" experienced by narrator Bill Lee – set to lush orchestrations by Jenkins, and delivered with lots of lively vocalizations by members of the entire musical cast. Despite the very trippy cover, the dreams themselves aren't as surreal as you might expect – although the overall presentation of the material in recorded music format definitely is revolutionary for the time – kind of a mini-movie in sound, balanced oddly between it's own high concept and some more familiar vocal modes used to deliver the tunes. Dreams include "The Professor", "The Conductor", "The Nightmare", "The Girl On The Rock", "The Cocktail Party", and "The Pink Houseboat". LP, Vinyl record album

Time will tell whether the sophomore LP Late Registration will prove to be as revolutionary of a commercial force as College Dropout turned out to be – but it's a better album! We loved the debut as much as the rest of the world did, but this one's an easier listen from beginning to end. The production is tight, the guests earn their spots, and the whole thing's furiously soulful. Much is being made of LA hipster/orch pop troubadour Jon Brion's co-production, but this is Kanye's show. On one level Kanye can rock a subject as cliched as "Gold Digger", and still come out with a fresh perspective that runs deeper than it sounds on the surface, then deliver a serious track about the evils of the diamond trade that still rocks the ice. And those are just the first singles. Another great one! Tracks include "Wake Up Mr West", "Heard 'Em Say", "Touch The Sky" feat Lupe Fiasco, "Gold Digger" feat Jamie Foxx, "Drive Slow" feat Paul Wall & GLC, "My Way Home" feat Common, "Crack Music" feat Game, "Roses", "Bring Me Down" feat Brandy, "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" (rmx) feat Jay-Z, "We Major" feat Nas & Really Doe, "Gone" feat Consequence & Cam'Ron and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Kendrick Lamar takes wider creative left turns than ever before on To Pimp A Butterfly – with a funk steeped production style that filters tried-and-true P Funk influences through leftfield modern beatcraft styles, inspired by cats like Madlib to Thundercat, the latter of whom is an official contributor. Fresh material from an increasingly pivotal figure – who may not be revolutionizing the game on the level of the heavy critical praise he's heaped with, but he's certainly marching to his own beat, rather than chasing hits! Includes "Wesley's Theory" with George Clinton & Thundercat, "King Kunta", "These Walls" with Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat, "Aright", "For Sale?", "Institutionalized" with a Slick Rick-homage of a guest verse by Snoop Dogg (sign us up for any record that gives props to The Ruler...and extra points for transplanting that style of flow to Compton), "Momma", "Hood Politics", "The Blacker The Berry", "How Much A Dollar Cost" feat James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley, "Mortal Man" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Oki Kim is a really great saxophonist – a spiritual avant player who's not gotten much exposure on our side of the Pacific, but one who's cut some fantastic material in Korea – including this really wonderful album! Kim composed the material, and leads a group that also features flute, piri, bass, and percussion – often used in these really earthy, personal sort of ways – so that his tenor comes across with even more soulful power than it otherwise might! There's definitely a few edgier tracks, as Oki knows how to do some really great things with his reeds – and the album also features a bit of voice from time to time. Titles include "A Game Played In The Land Of The Moon", "Song Of Dongmyo Shrine", "The Great Root", "Brothers Of May", "The Thief", and "Solitary Revolution". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that revolutionized the concept of jazz vocals in the 50s – thanks to famous performances by Annie Ross and King Pleasure! The tracks on the LP include Ross' early interpretations of Wardell Gray's classics "Twisted" and "Farmer's Market", and the King Pleasure set includes classics like "Red Top", "This Is Always", "Sometimes I'm Happy", and his great duet with Jon Hendricks, "Don't Get Scared". A landmark LP of jazz vocal sides, and one that no fan of vocalese should be without. LP, Vinyl record album

A record that revolutionized the concept of jazz vocals in the 50s – thanks to famous performances by Annie Ross and King Pleasure! The tracks on the LP include Ross' early interpretations of Wardell Gray's classics "Twisted" and "Farmer's Market", and the King Pleasure set includes classics like "Red Top", "This Is Always", "Sometimes I'm Happy", and his great duet with Jon Hendricks, "Don't Get Scared". A landmark LP of jazz vocal sides, and one that no fan of vocalese should be without. CD reissue includes 4 extra bonus tracks! CD

Titles include "Zooming At The Zombie", "Front And Center", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Undecided", "Prelude For Trumpet", "Revolutionary Etude", and "Blue Skies" – 22 tracks total. CD

Amazing work from Kool & The Gang – from a period when they were pushing past their tight early funky sound, into a super-dope mix of electronics and spacey jamming that is still pretty darn revolutionary today! Although you might think the album would be a bit disco by the date, it's not – and instead has the group moving more towards a style of cosmic righteousness that was undoubtedly influenced by the early work (and success) of Earth, Wind, & Fire. The album has a few live cuts - including an amazing 8 minute long live version of "Summer Madness", with an extended keyboard solo that's just great! Other titles include "Cosmic Energy", "Do It Right Now", "Universal Sound", and a remake of "Hollywood Swinging". CD

Amazing work from Kool & The Gang – from a period when they were pushing past their tight early funky sound, into a super-dope mix of electronics and spacey jamming that is still pretty darn revolutionary today! Although you might think the album would be a bit disco by the date, it's not – and instead has the group moving more towards a style of cosmic righteousness that was undoubtedly influenced by the early work (and success) of Earth, Wind, & Fire. The album has a few live cuts - including an amazing 8 minute long live version of "Summer Madness", with an extended keyboard solo that's just great! Other titles include "Cosmic Energy", "Do It Right Now", "Universal Sound", and a remake of "Hollywood Swinging". CD

Amazing work from Kool & The Gang – from a period when they were pushing past their tight early funky sound, into a super-dope mix of electronics and spacey jamming that is still pretty darn revolutionary today! Although you might think the album would be a bit disco by the date, it's not – and instead has the group moving more towards a style of cosmic righteousness that was undoubtedly influenced by the early work (and success) of Earth, Wind, & Fire. The album has a few live cuts - including an amazing 8 minute long live version of "Summer Madness", with an extended keyboard solo that's just great! Other titles include "Cosmic Energy", "Do It Right Now", "Universal Sound", and a remake of "Hollywood Swinging". LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty of rock stars have walked the walk and talked the talk over the years – but few have been through the trenches as much as Wayne Kramer – the revolutionary guitarist whose work was a key part of the MC5 and their importance in music! Even after decades, Kramer is still highly regarded for the small number of albums the group gave the world – albums that were soon followed by years of excesses in drugs and then crime – leading Wayne to spend a few young years behind bars in a federal prison, before emerging to play a surprisingly important background role in scenes on both the coasts. Part of that life was some time as a music writer – which really helped shape Kramer's prose here, and create a book that's a very riveting read – honest and upfront, but not in the braggy way that some musicians sometimes treat their personal tragedies in projects of this nature. Softcover volume is 310 pages, with some black and white images. Book

A rare early slice of work by the quartet of Rolf & Joachim Kuhn – a set originally intended for release on Atlantic Records in the 60s, but unissued until now! The album's far more modern than most of the group's other work from the time – very angular and exploratory – with tracks that have a stop/start sort of quality, letting Rolf stretch out sparely on clarinet lines that are arguably as revolutionary as Jimmy Giuffre's work on the instrument – as Joachim's piano strikes out in bold colors that clearly mark him as one of the best mainstream modernists of the 60s. Titles include "The Sound Of Cats", "Turning Point", "Golem", "Don't Run", and "Flowers In The Dark". CD

The first album by the second group to call themselves the Last Poets – and as fierce a document of their rich talents as you'll ever find – bursting forth with anger and righteousness at a level as tight as Gil Scott-Heron's first album! The group here is the key second lineup of the ensemble of wordsmiths – comprised of Abiodun Oyewole, Alafia Pudim, and Omar Ben Hassan, plus the percussionist Nilaja – and most cuts feature only spare percussion backing over the spoken protest poetry – delivered with a brutal edge that really sums up the righteous politics of the time. Titles include "Run, N****r", "On The Subway", "When The Revolution Comes", "Jones Comin' Down", "Black Thighs", "N*****s Are Scared Of Revolution", and "Wake Up, N*****s" – all of which should give you a good picture of what's going on with the record! CD

The first album by the second group to call themselves the Last Poets – and as fierce a document of their rich talents as you'll ever find – bursting forth with anger and righteousness at a level as tight as Gil Scott-Heron's first album! The group here is the key second lineup of the ensemble of wordsmiths – comprised of Abiodun Oyewole, Alafia Pudim, and Omar Ben Hassan, plus the percussionist Nilaja – and most cuts feature only spare percussion backing over the spoken protest poetry – delivered with a brutal edge that really sums up the righteous politics of the time. Titles include "Run, N****r", "On The Subway", "When The Revolution Comes", "Jones Comin' Down", "Black Thighs", "N*****s Are Scared Of Revolution", and "Wake Up, N*****s" – all of which should give you a good picture of what's going on with the record! LP, Vinyl record album

Scientist spins out on a dub-driven power boat – scanning the swamps to drive out the vampires and a host of other ghouls too – all while reinventing Jamaican music in the process! The record's filled with lots of cool electric elements – those weird production effects and electronic doodles that make the music of Scientist so revolutionary – especially when spun out over a still-familiar backdrop supplied by Roots Radics, with a core essence that's very much from the pre-digital world of Jamaican music. Rhythm tracks were done at Channel One, and Scientist mixed the set at King Tubbys – a host of dub mini-masterpieces that include "The Voodoo Curse", "Dance Of The Vampires", "Blood On His Lips", "Cry Of The Werewolf", "the Mummy's Shroud", "The Corpse Rises", "Night Of The Living Dead", "Your Teeth In My Neck", "Plague Of Zombies", and "Ghost Of Frankenstein". 2CD version features a full bonus record of vocal versions – by Wailing Souls, Wayne Jarrett, Johnny Osbourne, and Michael Prophet! CD

Scientist spins out on a dub-driven power boat – scanning the swamps to drive out the vampires and a host of other ghouls too – all while reinventing Jamaican music in the process! The record's filled with lots of cool electric elements – those weird production effects and electronic doodles that make the music of Scientist so revolutionary – especially when spun out over a still-familiar backdrop supplied by Roots Radics, with a core essence that's very much from the pre-digital world of Jamaican music. Rhythm tracks were done at Channel One, and Scientist mixed the set at King Tubbys – a host of dub mini-masterpieces that include "The Voodoo Curse", "Dance Of The Vampires", "Blood On His Lips", "Cry Of The Werewolf", "the Mummy's Shroud", "The Corpse Rises", "Night Of The Living Dead", "Your Teeth In My Neck", "Plague Of Zombies", and "Ghost Of Frankenstein". 2LP version features a full bonus record of vocal versions – by Wailing Souls, Wayne Jarrett, Johnny Osbourne, and Michael Prophet! LP, Vinyl record album

Pure genius – a lost Nara Leao album from the late 60s, and a key piece in the puzzle of late 60s Tropicalia – a set we'd place right next to equally important records by Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, and Os Mutantes! Although Leao always gets cited as one of the more revolutionary Brazilian artists, her best work is usually incredibly elusive – often obscured by some of her more traditional, or more bossa-oriented records. This one features the lady at her most experimental – singing in this dark mode with great arrangements from Rogerio Duprat – the backstage architect of so many other important Tropicalia albums of the time. The arrangements are wonderful – with a spooky baroque quality that will haunt you long after the Mutantes crazy guitars have died down – the more subtle side of the Brazilian palette during this revolutionary period, and work that arguably had a much longer-lasting effect. Titles include "Mulher", "Infelizmente", "Tema De Os Inconfidentes", "Anoiteceus", and "Quem E". CD

A treasure trove of images from pre-Revolutionary Cuba – posters, flyers, advertisements, and images of other ephemera from a time when US citizens used to pop down for a weekend in Havana! The book is filled with photos of rare objects from famous hotels and nite spots too – glassware, souvenirs, and even cigar wrappers – next to lots of other images that resonate strongly with the classic vibe of the cover! There's some introductory text and other introductions to the images too – the authors clearly know how to present the material – but the book is very heavy on images, and this softcover edition is full color throughout, and 165 pages. Book

John Lewis takes on the music of Gary McFarland – working here in a very cool set of McFarland compositions and arrangements – often with a lot more tone, color, and feeling than usual for a Lewis album! John often punctuates his piano notes, almost as if he's using vibes – and the larger backings have this way of being quite spacious – as in some of McFarland's more modern recordings for Impulse from the same time – very open, and quite revolutionary for the time! Players include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Eric Dolphy on alto, Phil Woods on clarinet, and Benny Golson on tenor – and titles include Tillamook Two", "Night Float", "Notions", "Another Encounter", and "Wish Me Well". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most righteous sounds we've ever heard from Houston legends The Lightmen – recorded at a time when the group was at their most spiritual, and very firmly following a cosmic path set down by drummer Bubbha Thomas! The music here owes nothing to the hippest sounds coming from the coastal cities – and even the undergrounds of Chicago and Detroit in the early 70s – and in fact, there's a vibe here that would be right at home with the Tribe Records spirit of the motor city, as the group balance their freewheeling inclinations with a nice sense of rhythm as well! Players include Doug Harris on some excellent soprano, tenor, and flute – plus Virgil Solomon on flute and alto, James Hensley on trumpet and light whistle, Joe Singleton on trombone, and Marshia Frazier on electric piano. Titles include "Sorrow Bitterness & Revolution", "Hope", "Blue Tip", "On The Road Home", "Song Of Praise", and "Ujimma". 2CD version features the standard stereo mix and the unissued mono version – plus a great booklet of notes! CD

Lil Kim's showing plenty of herself on the cover, and on the record too – just her second set, but one that has the MC grabbing the title of Notorious at a time when it might have been a bit too sensitive for most – and jumping into the fray with all-star help from Mary J Blige, Redman, Grace Jones, and Junior Mafia! Tracks include "Custom Made", "Suck My D**k", "Revolution", "Notorious Kim", "No Matter What They Say", "Queen Bitch Pt 2", "Don't Mess With Me", "Hold On", "How Many Licks", "Off The Wall", "Right Now", and "Lil Drummer Boy". CD

What can we say? This is one of the greatest albums of all time! The record's got a sound that's completely unique – as crack LA garage punk rock meets Hollywood baroque production, and the result is an amazing bit of loud guitar noise backed by strings and horns, all graced by the godlike vocals of the great Arthur Lee. Forever Changes is a milestone in rock – an incredibly bleak document about insanity, escape, and the coming revolution that never happened. Think of all the best moments of Wild In The Streets, Zabriske Point, and Invocation of My Demon Brother rolled into one – and you'll only have a tiny slice of the picture! A record that will haunt us until the day we die – filled with incredible songs like "Alone Again Or", "Old Man", "Daily Planet", "Red Telephone", and "Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark & Hilldale". LP, Vinyl record album

What can we say? This is one of the greatest albums of all time! The record's got a sound that's completely unique – as crack LA garage punk rock meets Hollywood baroque production, and the result is an amazing bit of loud guitar noise backed by strings and horns, all graced by the godlike vocals of the great Arthur Lee. Forever Changes is a milestone in rock – an incredibly bleak document about insanity, escape, and the coming revolution that never happened. Think of all the best moments of Wild In The Streets, Zabriske Point, and Invocation of My Demon Brother rolled into one – and you'll only have a tiny slice of the picture! A record that will haunt us until the day we die – filled with incredible songs like "Alone Again Or", "Old Man", "Daily Planet", "Red Telephone", and "Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark & Hilldale". LP, Vinyl record album

What can we say? This is one of the greatest albums of all time – and it's made even better through the addition of a bunch of previously unissued tracks! The record's got a sound that's completely unique – as crack LA garage punk rock meets Hollywood baroque production, and the result is an amazing bit of loud guitar noise backed by strings and horns, all graced by the godlike vocals of the great Arthur Lee. Forever Changes is a milestone in rock – an incredibly bleak document about insanity, escape, and the coming revolution that never happened. Think of all the best moments of Wild In The Streets, Zabriske Point, and Invocation of My Demon Brother rolled into one – and you'll only have a tiny slice of the picture! A record that will haunt us until the day we die – filled with incredible songs like "Alone Again Or", "Old Man", "Daily Planet", "Red Telephone", and "Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark & Hilldale". CD version also includes "Hummingbirds (demo)", "Laughing Stock", "Wonder People (I Do Wonder) (outtake)", "Your Mind & We Belong Together", and alternate mixes of tracks on the LP. CD

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A really revolutionary album – both at the time it was released, and all these many years later! In a surprising nod to the younger generation, Blue Note opened the door to Madlib – already making a name with his array of great projects at the start of the century – an early part of his legacy of bringing in lots of jazz energy to hip hop production! The album wasn't the first effort of this nature, but certainly set a new standard – one that so many others have tried to match over the years, but never got this right. The set's got a fair bit of live jazz work – in the mode of Madlib's Yesterdays New Quintet project – mixed with all sorts of cool production elements too. We love the vibes of Ahmad Miller especially in the lineup – and titles include reworks of "Montara", "Song For My Father", "Footprints", "Stepping Into Tomorrow", "Peace/Dolphin Dance", "Stormy", "Distant Land", and "Slim's Return" – plus the original "Funky Blue Note". LP, Vinyl record album

A really revolutionary album – both at the time it was released, and all these many years later! In a surprising nod to the younger generation, Blue Note opened the door to Madlib – already making a name with his array of great projects at the start of the century – an early part of his legacy of bringing in lots of jazz energy to hip hop production! The album wasn't the first effort of this nature, but certainly set a new standard – one that so many others have tried to match over the years, but never got this right. The set's got a fair bit of live jazz work – in the mode of Madlib's Yesterdays New Quintet project – mixed with all sorts of cool production elements too. We love the vibes of Ahmad Miller especially in the lineup – and titles include reworks of "Montara", "Song For My Father", "Footprints", "Stepping Into Tomorrow", "Peace/Dolphin Dance", "Stormy", "Distant Land", and "Slim's Return" – plus the original "Funky Blue Note". LP, Vinyl record album

A very well-done collection of famous snippets from Malcolm's best speeches – done officially, in collaboration with Betty Shabazz. The record doesn't feature full speeches, but important passages that include "By Any Means Necessary", "We Want Complete Separation", "You Can't Hate The Roots Of A Tree And Not Hate The Tree", "I'm A Field Negro", and "There's No Such Thing As A Non-Violent Revolution". LP, Vinyl record album

The final album from The Mamas & The Papas – and a set that really makes us wonder how great they would have sounded had they kept on recording into the 70s! There's definitely a shift here from the earlier work – vocals that still have that incredible way of coming together, but with a feel that's warmer and more layered too – maybe Mama Cass tuned down a bit in the mix, but only in a way that opens up the unity of the group overall! The songwriting is more sophisticated and interesting too – material that maybe made sure that this album never got heavy radio play – but in a way that makes the whole thing a fantastic discovery all these many years later! Titles "People Like Us", "Pacific Coast Highway", "Shooting Star", "European Blueboy", "I Wanna Be A Star", "Step Out", "Snowqueen Of Texas", "No Dough", Blueberries For Breakfast", and "Grasshopper". Really great CD version – done from the original masters, with bonus tracks that include "April Annie", "Me & My Uncle", "Fantastic Four (outtake)", "Andy's Talkin Blues (demo)", "Mississippi", "No Dough (alt mix)", and "Revolution On Vacation (alt mix)". CD

A tight little "best of" set from Mandrill – featuring a great batch of tracks from their famous funky albums for Polydor! Titles include "Symphonic Revolutions", "Hang Loose", "Children Of The Sun", "Mandrill", "Ape Is High", "Fencewalk", "Cohelo", "Mango Meat", and many more! Nice and funky – with some good LA Latin touches! CD

A masterpiece of freeform funk from Mandrill – New York group at the start of the 70s, but one who work here with the best longform jamming styles of the Bay Area scene! The combo draw equal influence from jazz, funk, soul, and Latin – using all elements in a unique hybrid that's all their own – and which really favors instrumental passages more than vocal moments on this debut album – with searing lead guitar from Omar Mesa, next to plenty of organ lines, flute, trumpet, and tenor – all carried with heavy bass and percussion, and peppered with lots of surprises along the way! The whole thing's tremendous – a massively funky first statement from the group – with cuts that include the extended suite "Peace & Love", plus other funky goodies like "Symphonic Revolution", "Rollin' On", "Warning Blues", and "Mandrill". CD

A masterpiece of freeform funk from Mandrill – New York group at the start of the 70s, but one who work here with the best longform jamming styles of the Bay Area scene! The combo draw equal influence from jazz, funk, soul, and Latin – using all elements in a unique hybrid that's all their own – and which really favors instrumental passages more than vocal moments on this debut album – with searing lead guitar from Omar Mesa, next to plenty of organ lines, flute, trumpet, and tenor – all carried with heavy bass and percussion, and peppered with lots of surprises along the way! The whole thing's tremendous – a massively funky first statement from the group – with cuts that include the extended suite "Peace & Love", plus other funky goodies like "Symphonic Revolution", "Rollin' On", "Warning Blues", and "Mandrill". LP, Vinyl record album

A full length album that brings together 2 different earlier 10" sessions by Manne – groundbreaking work in a freer mode than most of what was going on in LA during the mid 50s! Side one features material from The Three – a 10" session that featured Manne on drums, Shorty Rogers on trumpet, and Jimmy Giuffre on tenor, clarinet, and baritone. The trio work their way – bass and piano-less – through tunes that include "Pas De Trois", "Flip", "Abstract No 1", and "Steeplechase". Side two features material from The Two – an even freer session, with Manne on drums and Russ Freeman on piano – no other accompaniment, and sounding quite revolutionary for the time! Titles include "Billie's Bounce", "The Sound Effects Manne", "Everything Happens To Me", and "Speak Easy". CD

A 12" LP that brings together 2 different earlier 10" sessions by Manne – groundbreaking work in a freer mode than most of what was going on in LA during the mid 50s! Side one features material from The Three – a 10" session that featured Manne on drums, Shorty Rogers on trumpet, and Jimmy Giuffre on tenor, clarinet, and baritone. The trio work their way – bass and piano-less – through tunes that include "Pas De Trois", "Flip", "Abstract No 1", and "Steeplechase". Side two features material from The Two – an even freer session, with Manne on drums and Russ Freeman on piano – no other accompaniment, and sounding quite revolutionary for the time! Titles include "Billie's Bounce", "The Sound Effects Manne", "Everything Happens To Me", and "Speak Easy". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the greatest album that Teena Marie ever cut – and that's saying a lot, given the strength of the lady's work for Motown! The set's got this bright, positive bounce that grabs you right from the start – but also moves into a depth that's way different than other funk albums of the time – a way with a ballad and a thoughtful track that almost makes Marie the 80s heir to the Minnie Riperton legacy, especially given the strength of her voice on the set – and the fact that Teena wrote and produced the whole album herself! At a time when so many other female soul singers were at the mercy of other folks' talents and ideas, Lady T steps forth boldly with this classic set – brimming over with greatness on cuts that include the stellar "Portuguese Love", plus "Yes Indeed", "Where's California", "Opus III", "Square Biz", "365", "Revolution", and "Ballad Of Cradle Rob & Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from the great Bob Marley – material cut with the initial lineup of The Wailers, at a time before the group would go onto much greater global fame on Island Records! The equally legendary Lee Scratch Perry is at the helm on production – and although the music here has more rough edges than some of the polished commercial work of Marley's classic years, that also makes for a heck of a lot of appeal – and a quality that also links the group's work more tightly to some of the other Jamaican trios of the rocksteady years. A few cuts here were remade later, and titles include "Keep On Moving", "Don't Rock My Boat", "Fussing & Fighting", "Put It On", "Duppy Conqueror (Version 4)", "Kaya", "Memphis", "African Herbsman" "Brain Washing", and "Sun Is Shining". In the original Upsetter mono mix, too! LP, Vinyl record album

A heavier, darker prime era set from Massive Attack – and rightly remembered as a classic! The grooves are still really strong, but the trip hop pioneers are delving more deeply into a bass heavy dub trip with a deep, rumbling bottom running throughout the tracks and some distorted guitar and reverb drenched key and sample bits punctuating the cuts. Stunningly strong to this day – which is no mean feat given the rapid musical evolutions of the 90s onward! Includes "Angel", "Risingson", "Teardrop" (which features vocals by Cocteau Twin Elizabeth Fraser), "Inertia Creeps", "Exchange", "Dissolved Girl", "Man Next Door", "Black Milk", "Mezzanine" and "Group Four". CD

Endearing pop soul from Marilyn & Billy! This warm, friendly self-titled third album –since we're all friends by now, it's first names only, thank you very much – is sweet as can be, though relatively underappreciated all these years later! This one's co-produced by Billy and Steve Cropper, with an ear for the late 70s dancefloor soul revolution that was happening all around them – but they wisely stay true to their hook-heavy tunefulness and sunny co-lead vocal style. It's also notable for featuring the original version of "Saving All My Love For You" – which would become a megahit for Whitney Houston – but not for another 7 years! Titles include "Shine On Silver Moon", "So Many Things For Free", "You Got The Love", "I Got The Words, You Got The Music", "Stay With Me", "I Got Love For You", "Saving All My Love For You", "Carry Me" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible document of late 60s America – composed and conducted by Gary McFarland, in a style that's much more ambitious than any of his other work! The album's fully titled "America The Beautiful: An Account Of Its Disappearance" – and features "movements" with very telling subtitles that include "On This Site Shall Be Erected", "80 Miles An Hour Through Beer Can Country", "Suburbia: Two Poodles And A Plastic Jesus", and our personal favorite, "Due To A Lack Of Interest, Tomorrow Has Been Cancelled". Gary's really wearing his politics on his sleeve here – picturing a late 60s America that's without hope, without revolution, and clearly in danger of falling prey to its own plasticization. The whole thing's a wonderful antidote to the "revolution is coming" side of the 60s that is more popularly pushed – and Gary was one of the few musicians at the time with an eye that was clear enough to see that in the 60s, you could sing "The Times Are A-Changing" – but in reality, the corporations were a-growing! Musically, the album features a larger group of jazz players working in a full, rich style that has lots of soundtrack touches. There's a real Axelrod-like feel to the set – with string passages one minute, funky rhythms the next – and some breakout jazz soloing that really colors the tunes nicely! Players include Jerome Richardson, Eric Gale, Bernard Purdie, and Chuck Rainey – and Gary's mostly doing the conducting on the set. LP, Vinyl record album

A key moment in the career of the legendary Freddie McGregor – easily one of the best-known voices in reggae in the post-Marley years! The set captures Freddie at his youthful best – coming off of time doing vocal group work, but really shining strongly as a lead singer on his own – getting this nicely subtle Studio One backing that are heavy on the roots vibe, which makes a nicely deep rhythmic contrast to the sweetly crackling vocals of McGregor! The set came out at the start of the 80s, but it's got an instant classic vibe that resonates almost more strongly with some of the most soulful Jamaican recordings at the end of the 60s. Titles include "Bandulo", "We Need More Love", "What Difference Does It Make", "Go Away Pretty Girl", "Tomorrow Is Like Today", "Bobby Bobylon", "Wine Of Violence", "Gonna Take Over Now", "Rastaman Camp", and "I Am A Revolutionist". CD

A key moment in the career of the legendary Freddie McGregor – easily one of the best-known voices in reggae in the post-Marley years! The set captures Freddie at his youthful best – coming off of time doing vocal group work, but really shining strongly as a lead singer on his own – getting this nicely subtle Studio One backing that are heavy on the roots vibe, which makes a nicely deep rhythmic contrast to the sweetly crackling vocals of McGregor! The set came out at the start of the 80s, but it's got an instant classic vibe that resonates almost more strongly with some of the most soulful Jamaican recordings at the end of the 60s. Titles include "Bandulo", "We Need More Love", "What Difference Does It Make", "Go Away Pretty Girl", "Tomorrow Is Like Today", "Bobby Bobylon", "Wine Of Violence", "Gonna Take Over Now", "Rastaman Camp", and "I Am A Revolutionist". CD features 8 bonus tracks – including "Come Now Sister (ext mix)", "Freddie", "Homeward Bound", "Little Girl", "When I'm Ready (ext version)", "Rastaman Camp (ext mix)", and "I Man A Rasta (orig 7" mix)". CD

A beautiful set of live improvisations from reedman Joe McPhee – recorded early in his time with the Hat Hut label – at a concert in Willisau, Switzerland – already showing Joe's strong relationship with the European scene! The tracks here are all long, and every bit as creative as McPhee's solo or duo material of the time – but feature a trio with Makaya Ntschoko on drums and John Snyder on electronics and a bit of voice – the latter elements used in very different, unusual ways – very much in keeping with the new sonic spirit that Joe had unlocked in his own music! McPhee is wonderful throughout – blowing both tenor and soprano sax – and with this really revolutionary approach that's neither 70s loft jazz nor European free jazz – but a mode that must have been a huge inspiration to both scenes. Titles include "Voices", "Touchstone", "Bahamian Folk Song", and "Harriet". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work from a revolutionary artist – one of the coolest cats on the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – and a singer who could effortlessly blend together American funk with East African elements! The music here definitely echoes some of the Ethio modes of some of Ayalew Mesfin's contemporaries – and his own vocal style has plenty of the rich inflections that make the language so unique, and so rhythmic, but in a very unusual way – qualities you might have discovered in the music of Mulatu or Mahmoud Ahmed! The rhythms are often bold – sometimes heavier funk, sometimes more fluid – and as with other volumes in this excellent series, this is the first time that Mesfin's music is getting the exposure it deserves on the wider global scene. Titles include "Shuferu", "Anchi Yefikir", "Ayish Ayishina", "Gora Weshebaye", "Libe Dil Temeta", and "Tewedije Limit". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic lost legacy in European free improvisation – the complete works of a group who were first known as Modern Jazz Quintet Karlsruhe, then later as Fourmenonly – presented here in a beautiful 3CD set! First up is the album Trees – issued on a small label in 1968, but a set that matches the groundbreaking energy of the early work on FMP – played by a group that features Helmuth Zimmer on piano, Wilfreid Eichorn on tenor and soprano sax, Claus Buhler on bass, Rudi Thielmann on drums, and Herbert Joos on flugelhorn, Mellophon, piston, and percussion! The group have a melodic vibe at the core – often feeling out the initial space as a unit, then exploding with sound and color – and really making especially great work of the talents of Joos and Eichorn – players who work together with great power, driven on by the others. Titles include "Lonely Time", "Trees", "Schnee Verbrennt", "Change Of Beauty", and "The Devil Is Green Blue Yellow". CD also features a bonus unreleased improvisation too! Next is Position 2000 – a record of even longer improvisations, and one that shows the quintet really developing their sound – strongly aware of the farther reaches, but always beginning in some more colorful passages that almost have a melody, before exploding out with very vibrant energy! The lineup is the same as on the debut – with Herbert Joos on flugelhorn, mellophone, Indian flute, and percussion – and Wilfried Eichorn on tenor, soprano sax, bass clarinet, flute, and percussion – alongside Helmuth Zimmer on piano, Klaus Buhler on bass, and Rudi Thielmann on drums. Titles include "The Sun Is Coming Over", "Position 2000", and "Where Love Forever Shines". CD also features an unreleased improvisation. For the next album, bassist Buhler has departed the group – who are renamed Fourmenonly! Their first record is a brilliant set of free jazz from the German scene of the 70s – very different than other work of the time, in that there's maybe more of a future-thinking balance between sounds and silence, frenzy and fragility – all served up by a quartet that features Herbert Joos on trumpet and flugelhorn, Wilfried Eichhorn on tenor and soprano sax, Helmuth Zimmer on piano and percussion, and Rudi Theilmann on drums and percussion. Titles include "Viridiana/Ich Und Meine Bruder/Compulsion" and "Count Down/Excess". On the album Eight Science Fiction Stories, the Fourmenonly lineup is expanded by trombonist Wolfgang Czelusta – and perform some fantastic work billed as "science fiction stories", all composed by Herbert Joos. The sound is as revolutionary as on the group's earliest material, but also maybe more compact as well – nicely focused, with especially strong emphasis on the interplay between Czelusta on trombone, Wilifried Eichorn on bass clarinet, flute, and oboe, and Herbert Joos on flugelhorn, trumpet, and mellophone. The piano of Helmuth Zimmer is amazing – almost Cecil Taylor-like in intensity at times – and drummer Rudi Theilmann does a great job of moving from passages of full-on power to more spacious percussion. Titles include "Lucifer Is Marching On", "Dead Season", "The Beauty Without A Face", "Departure", "Plastic Happiness", and "Space Wall". CD

Some excellent Monk from the mid 50s – recorded between the early Blue Note sides and the later revolutionary ones for Riverside, all featuring Monk in some pretty heavy tenor company! Side one features Monk playing with Frank Foster, Ray Copeland, Curley Russell, and Art Blakey – on tracks that include "We See", "Locomotive", and "Hackensack". Side two features Monk with Sonny Rollins, Julius Watkins, Percy Heath, and Willie Jones – on two takes of "Think Of One", plus "Let's Call This". LP, Vinyl record album

A really sweet roots set from Pablo Moses – one that's got some cool electric moments at points, including very cool use of Arp – but which also retains all the earthy core to make the righteous currents of the lyrics come out right! Geoffrey Chung arranged and produced, and there's a vibe here that's a nice change from more mainstream work – still all the power that you'd hope for in Pablo's vocals, but a quality that's slightly trippy too – focused, yet willing to open the ears a little bit around the edges. Titles include "Be Not A Dread", "We Should Be In Angola", "Come Mek We Run", "Revolutionary Dream", "Where Am I", "Blood Money", and "Corrupted Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful roots record from Pablo Moses, who came on the scene a little too late for his own good, as he came up during an era when the focus was beginning to shift away from roots and more towards the dancehall. This sophomore LP finds his bright vocal style still sounding solid over excellent modern roots tracks produced with a nice full sound by Geoffrey Chung. Includes "A Song", "Dubbing Is A Must", "Revolutionary Step", "Music Is My Desire", "Each Is A Servant", "One People", "Let's Face It", and "Protect I/A Song (reprise)". CD

One of the first records ever as a leader from funky drummer Idris Muhammad – a set that was cut right at the same time Idris was burning up the kit on his classic jazz funk sessions with other Prestige label players! The groove here is tight, funky, and very much in the mode that Muhammad laid down for other bigger soloists – a solid, socking sound that was the early 70s inheritance of the "Popcorn" funk groove of the late 60s. Players here are all great – and include Melvin Sparks on guitar, Harold Mabern on electric piano, and Virgil Jones on trumpet – and tracks include great covers of "Express Yourself" and "Super Bad", plus "Wander" and "Soulful Drums". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first records ever as a leader from funky drummer Idris Muhammad – a set that was cut right at the same time Idris was burning up the kit on his classic jazz funk sessions with other Prestige label players! The groove here is tight, funky, and very much in the mode that Muhammad laid down for other bigger soloists – a solid, socking sound that was the early 70s inheritance of the "Popcorn" funk groove of the late 60s. Players here are all great – and include Melvin Sparks on guitar, Harold Mabern on electric piano, and Virgil Jones on trumpet – and tracks include great covers of "Express Yourself" and "Super Bad", plus "Wander" and "Soulful Drums". LP, Vinyl record album

2 classics from the legendary Idris Muhammad! Black Rhythm Revolution is one of the first records ever as a leader from funky drummer Idris Muhammad – a set that was cut right at the same time Idris was burning up the kit on his classic jazz funk sessions with other Prestige label players! The groove here is tight, funky, and very much in the mode that Muhammad laid down for other bigger soloists – a solid, socking sound that was the early 70s inheritance of the "Popcorn" funk groove of the late 60s. Players here are all great – and include Melvin Sparks on guitar, Harold Mabern on electric piano, and Virgil Jones on trumpet – and tracks include great covers of "Express Yourself" and "Super Bad", plus "Wander" and "Soulful Drums". Peace & Rhythms is a wonderful departure from Muhammad – and proof that he could do a lot more than just provide heavy breaks for Lou Donaldson and Melvin Sparks! This set is surprisingly spiritual and righteous at points – with a groove that's almost more like Strata East than some of Muhammad's previous work as a sideman on Blue Note and Prestige. Side one features the extended "Peace and Rhythm Suite" – a beautiful cut that's filled with searching, soaring energy – and side two includes two vocal cuts "Brother You Know You're Doing Wrong" and "I'm a Believer", both sung by Sakinah Muhammad – plus "Don't Knock My Love". Players are all great – and a nicely different lineup than the usual Prestige jazz funk gang. CD

An album that was years ahead of its time – and which still stands as one of the boldest statements from the New York jazz underground of the 60s! The revolutionary styles of the scene were documented by bigger labels like Impulse and Blue Note – but this obscure indie set goes even deeper, and opens up to a special side of the generation that would have lasting influence for years to come – players who work here with a formative free jazz mode, one that begins with the energy of the ESP scene, but also hits some of the more open styles of the loft jazz and European recordings to come! The lineup is legendary – drummer Sonny Murray at the head – with Albert Ayler on tenor, Don Cherry on trumpet, and both Henry Grimes and Louis Worrell on drums – working with unbridled imagination and righteous power. LeRoi Jones performs a recitation on "Black Art" – and other titles include "Virtue" and "Justice". CD also features the bonus track "The Lie". CD

An album that was years ahead of its time – and which still stands as one of the boldest statements from the New York jazz underground of the 60s! The revolutionary styles of the scene were documented by bigger labels like Impulse and Blue Note – but this obscure indie set goes even deeper, and opens up to a special side of the generation that would have lasting influence for years to come – players who work here with a formative free jazz mode, one that begins with the energy of the ESP scene, but also hits some of the more open styles of the loft jazz and European recordings to come! The lineup is legendary – drummer Sonny Murray at the head – with Albert Ayler on tenor, Don Cherry on trumpet, and both Henry Grimes and Louis Worrell on drums – working with unbridled imagination and righteous power. LeRoi Jones performs a recitation on "Black Art" – and other titles include "Virtue" and "Justice". CD also features the bonus track "The Lie". CD