Hard to get work by Clifford Brown – 1953 recordings originally done in Europe for the Vogue label! On the first record, Brown's working in front of a Parisian trio that features Henri Renaud, Pierre Michelot, and Benny Bennett. There's 11 tracks in all, including "I Can Dream, Can't I?", "The Song Is You", "You're A Lucky Guy" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine" plus "It Might As Well Be Spring" and "Blue & Brown". On record 2, Brown's working here with Gigi Gryce in a sextet that features Henri Renaud, Pierre Michelot, and Benny Bennett – plus some big band material too. LP, Vinyl record album

Clifford Brown only recorded a handful of sides for Blue Note – but all of the best ones are included in this excellent album – a full length set that culls together Brown's material from the 10" years, issued as a memorial to his early death in 1956! Side one features Brown with the modernist Gigi Gryce on flute and alto sax – plus Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a lineup that has a strong sense of soul, balanced with a dose of modernism – on titles that include the classic "Hymn to the Orient" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Easy Living", "Cherokee", "Wail Bait", and "Minor Mood". Side two features an equally sharp group – with Lou Donaldson on some excellent alto, and the great Elmo Hope on piano – on titles that include "Brownie Speaks", "De Dah", "Cookin", "You Go To My Head", and "Carving The Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

Clifford Brown only recorded a handful of sides for Blue Note – but all of the best ones are included in this excellent album – a full length set that culls together Brown's material from the 10" years, issued as a memorial to his early death in 1956! Side one features Brown with the modernist Gigi Gryce on flute and alto sax – plus Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a lineup that has a strong sense of soul, balanced with a dose of modernism – on titles that include the classic "Hymn to the Orient" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Easy Living", "Cherokee", "Wail Bait", and "Minor Mood". Side two features an equally sharp group – with Lou Donaldson on some excellent alto, and the great Elmo Hope on piano – on titles that include "Brownie Speaks", "De Dah", "Cookin", "You Go To My Head", and "Carving The Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

A lasting tribute to Brownie! The album was released some years after Brown died, and is comprised of songs from his 1955 album Clifford Brown With Strings, plus a few tracks from other recording sessions from that year before his death. The players include Richie Powell (Bud Powell's brother who also died in the crash with Brown),piano; Max Roach on drums and Harold Land and Sonny Rollins on tenor sax. Brown's original composition "Sandu" and Richie Powell's own "Time" are included as well as "Yesterdays," "Cherokee (Indian Love Song)," "Willow Weep for Me" and an unusual version of "Take the A Train." LP, Vinyl record album

Absolutely burning live recording of Brownie's group co led with Max Roach, and also featuring Sony Rollins. This set features some the group's best playing, limited only by the mediocre sound quality of the recording. Great extended takes on "I'll Remember April", 'What's New", "Daahoud", "Lover Man" and "52nd Street Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

(Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

There's no waiting for Zion here – as A08 deliver the goods right from the start – a very righteous blend of reggae, West African, and other styles – but all served up with a lean approach that takes the influences very far past their roots! The group were previously known as Africaine 808 – and maybe the condensing of their name is a reference to the way the styles are condensed here – brought down to just their basics, but then topped with contributions from an array of different guests from a variety of global sources. Titles include "Water", "Pomplemousse", "I Want More", "Kisumu Bound Bus (Nyatiti mix)", "Sunset", "Bubbles", "Life", and "Yamahaica". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a whole new chapter – with "Shoot To Thrill", "Rock & Roll Ain't Noise Pollution", "Hells Bells", "Back In Black", and "Given The Dog A Bone". LP, Vinyl record album

Filled with classics – including "Girls Got Rhythm", "Highway To Hell", "Shot Down In Flames", "Touch Too Much", and "If You Want Blood". LP, Vinyl record album

George Adams and Don Pullen knock it out of the park on this one – finding great company in each other's presence, and really moving things forward in the process! The set begins with a long track titled "Mingus Metamorphosis", and that really sums up the spirit of the record – an 80s reworking of all the ideas that the players had learned from Mingus, but with an individual, personal sense that's all their own – and very different than some of the more standard modes of the Mingus Dynasty group that continued the legacy in a more direct manner. Adams is bold one minute, lyrical the next – and plays both tenor and flute – alongside Pullen on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums. Titles include "Mingus Metamorphosis", "Samba For Now", "City Gates", "Thank You Very Much Mr Monk", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful music from Chicago, set to another Chicago-themed project – a film based around the Roy stories of writer Barry Gifford! Yet that literary reference aside, the music here has fantastic merits of its own, even if you've never read Gifford at all – a very different, more compositional side of the spectrum from vibist Jason Adasiewicz, yet still music that has a loose small combo vibe as well – serve dup by a cool quintet that features Jonathan Doyle on saxes, Josh Berman on cornet, Joshua Abrams on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums! There's a mix of new tones and modern ideas that take us back to that late 50s time on the Chicago scene when Sun Ra's Arkestra was still in town – and the tunes penned by Adasiewicz are not only superb, but a perfect showcase for his incredible tones on vibes. Doyle is a real revelation too – a player we don't know well at all at this point, but whose sense of timing and presence really makes the whole record sparkle – as does the work of the rest of the better-known players in the group. Titles include "Ballad For Kitty", "River Blindness", "Walkin To Clinton", "Rudy's Basement", "Sand", and "Blue People". LP, Vinyl record album

A key early album from the young Cannonball Adderley – an a set that crossed over big, thanks to a mix of strong jazz solos from the leader and very inventive rhythms in the arrangements! The group here is larger than Adderley's usual quintet/sextet lineup – and includes reed work from Oliver Nelson and Jerome Richardson, trombone from Melba Liston, piano from Wynton Kelly, and even a bit of congas from Ray Barretto – all working under the hip leadership of Ernie Wilkins, who crafts these great charts for Cannon to solo over the top! A key moment of genius is the title track – a beautiful reading of Galt MacDermott's "African Waltz" – and other tracks include "Blue Brass Groove", "Something Different", "The Uptown", and "Letter From Home". LP, Vinyl record album

(Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

A great session from 1959 – one that features John Coltrane playing tenor in a combo that's billed as being led by altoist Cannonball Adderley – but which is really more of a Miles Davis combo, without Miles! The set was recorded in Chicago when both were stopping through the city with Miles Davis' combo at the time – and since the rhythm section includes Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – the album's essentially a Kind Of Blue-era Miles album, recorded without Miles on trumpet, and grooving in a slightly more soul-based Adderley mode! Given the presence of Coltrane, there's a bit less of the gutbuckety soul jazz that Cannon was cutting in his own Quintet – but that's more than ok with us, as the Coltrane solos more than make up for that difference! The set's got 2 great originals by Coltrane – "The Sleeper" and "Grand Central" – plus the cuts "Wabash" and "Limehouse Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A great session from 1959 – one that features John Coltrane playing tenor in a combo that's billed as being led by altoist Cannonball Adderley – but which is really more of a Miles Davis combo, without Miles! The set was recorded in Chicago when both were stopping through the city with Miles Davis' combo at the time – and since the rhythm section includes Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – the album's essentially a Kind Of Blue-era Miles album, recorded without Miles on trumpet, and grooving in a slightly more soul-based Adderley mode! Given the presence of Coltrane, there's a bit less of the gutbuckety soul jazz that Cannon was cutting in his own Quintet – but that's more than ok with us, as the Coltrane solos more than make up for that difference! The set's got 2 great originals by Coltrane – "The Sleeper" and "Grand Central" – plus the cuts "Wabash" and "Limehouse Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful early work from Cannonball Adderley – and a record that's quite different than most of his better known sets from the time! The album's more spare and stripped-down than usual – with Cannon's alto in a quartet alongside Bill Evans on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. The style is almost more that of Evans than it is Cannonball – lightly lyrical, with a good sense of space – in a way that has Adderley playing out front very strongly, cutting some beautiful lines with his solos, in a really unfettered way! Titles include versions of two of Evans' tracks – "Waltz For Debby" and "Know What I Mean?" – plus nice moody takes on other material, like John Lewis' "Venice", Clifford Jordan's "Toy", and Gordon Jenkins' "Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful early work from Cannonball Adderley – and a record that's quite different than most of his better known sets from the time! The album's more spare and stripped-down than usual – with Cannon's alto in a quartet alongside Bill Evans on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. The style is almost more that of Evans than it is Cannonball – lightly lyrical, with a good sense of space – in a way that has Adderley playing out front very strongly, cutting some beautiful lines with his solos, in a really unfettered way! Titles include versions of two of Evans' tracks – "Waltz For Debby" and "Know What I Mean?" – plus nice moody takes on other material, like John Lewis' "Venice", Clifford Jordan's "Toy", and Gordon Jenkins' "Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

(Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing trumpet in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style on alto sax – also different than the sound of his brother Nat, who was Adderley's more frequent partner on records. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", "Autumn Leaves", "Love For Sale", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". LP, Vinyl record album

Like so many Milestone 2-fers from the 70s, this set combines two excellent 60s hard bop LPs into one nice set! Both sides feature Adderley's trademark soul jazz hard bop hybrid, but in contexts that add a twist to the settings you might otherwise have heard Cannonball in. The first album's a quintet side featuring brother Nat, Wynton Kelly, Victor Feldman, Sam Jones and Louis Hayes with Feldman playing vibes on the tracks that feature Kelly, piano on the ones that don't – and includes "Arriving Soon", "New Delhi", "Winetone", and "Lisa". Cannonball's soulful alto meets the cerebral piano of Bill Evans in a more stripped down setting, with the group filled out by Percy Heath and Connie Kay, for a set that's filled with surprises, and some nice modal moments. The set includes versions of two of Evans' tracks – "Waltz For Debby" and "Know What I Mean?" – plus nice moody takes on other material, like John Lewis' "Venice", Clifford Jordan's "Toy", and Gordon Jenkins' "Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

Almost everything soulful at Capitol Records in the mid 60s – packed together in one sweet little place! The set's a winner in a great line of Cannonball Adderley live dates from the time – produced by David Axelrod, and done with that great mix of angular, slightly electric groove the combo was virtually pioneering – thanks to help from Joe Zawinul on electric piano, and Nat Adderley on cornet! Cannon also plays some great soprano sax – an instrument that he was taking off beautifully with at the time – and sets fire to a few great tunes with the instrument. But as if that's not enough, Lou Rawls joins in on vocals on a few cuts, and Nancy Wilson comes in on a few more – and the album alternates singing with instrumentals in a really great way. Titles include two very nice extended tracks by Joe Zawinul – "Rumplestiltskin" and "The Scavenger", both of which are over 10 minutes long, and which have the group stretching out in a nice live vein – and other cuts include "The Scene", "Somewhere", "Sweet Emma", and "Zorba". LP, Vinyl record album

With a record like this, it's hard to believe that Christian Scott started out in more standard jazz – as Chief Xian Atunde Adjuah is a very different artist altogether, one who wraps together worlds and eras of musical heritage – working here in a set that's very heavy on percussion, vocal refrains, and other elements you never would have heard in his earlier music! The leader works a whole host of percussion along with other members of the group, but also adds in some larger production elements too – always in a way that's nicely subtle, and preserves the acoustic energy at the core – yet which really enriches the proceedings too! The album's overflowing with righteous power – and titles include "On To New Orleans", "Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lighting", "Xodokan Iko Hu Na Ney", "Trouble That Mornin", "Blood Calls Blood", "Ashe Chief Donald", "Golden Crown", and "Shallow Water". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool Ethiopian record, but not the sort you might expect – as most of the instrumentation here is heavy on electric elements, which includes a fair bit of 80s keyboards, synth, and drum machine lines! The group were actually exiles, living in the Washington, DC area during the early 80s – and the record is almost a fusion of Ethio roots with more familiar American styles – a bit like the work that Mulatu created during his early time in the US, but with a very different vibe! There's lead vocals on one track, but most of the set is instrumental – and filled with plenty of sweet keyboard lines and guitar riffs – jazzy, electro, and plenty charming – on titles that include "Kalatashew Waga", "Anchi Bale Game", "Tez Alegn Yetintu", "Bahta's Highlife" and "Samba Shegitu". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really compelling blend of jazz and electronics – served up here in a way that's very different than any other project of its nature! This isn't one of those records where reed improvisations mix with free analog electronics, yet it's also not one where electric rhythms provide the base for jazz samples – as Konrad Agnas criss-crosses all sorts of lines and styles with the record – sometimes reveling in the acoustic warmth of the saxophone work of Per Texas Johanssen, other times letting rhythms get crisp and crackling from his own drums, informed with work on an OP1 synthesizer! Torbjorn Zetterberg provides some amazing bass – almost funky at times, and certainly some of his most soulful work on record – and the group also features Hammond B3 and piano from Johan Graden. Titles include "Manech Och Vargen", "Bismillah", "Half Year Song", "Siwa", "Untitled 1972", "Don Rythmicon", "Rite Of Passage", and "Arthur & Jeremiah". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best albums ever by this legendary Chicago trio – a great example of the way that records on the Nessa label can really get to the heart of artists' intentions! The trio of Henry Threadgill on reeds, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Steve McCall on percussion have never sounded better – and have this intimate, soulful interplay that's sometimes missing from other efforts – that special kind of energy that makes the AACM so great when it's really clicking this well – as deeply spiritual as it is freely expressive! Threadgill plays alto, tenor, bass flute, and the compelling hubkaphone – and titles include "I'll Be Right Here Waiting", "No 2", "GvE", "Subtraction", and "Keep Right On Playing Thru The Mirror Over The Water". LP, Vinyl record album

(Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Airto – recorded after his 70s years on bigger labels, but a set that almost tops all of them in the end! There's a wonderful mix going on here – a blend of rootsy and electric, and Latin and Brazilian – the former clearly from the placement of the record on New York's Montuno label – an imprint that did plenty of great sessions filled with Latin jazz! The shift makes for a fresh one for Airto – still plenty of room to show off his famous percussion impulses, yet in a slightly different way – often grooving in a Latin fusion mode that's a nice maturation from the CTI years. The set's filled with all-star players – including Jorge Dalto on electric piano, Raul De Souza on trombone, Joe Farrell on flute, Alphonso Johnson on bass, and Oscar Castro Neves on keyboards, guitar, and cavaquinho – and the lovely Flora's also on board to sing a bit on the set. Titles include the extended jammer "Tombo", plus "Aqui Se Pede", "Jump", "The Return", "Sin Salida", and "Anatelio". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning celebration of one of the greatest pairings in Brazilian music – and in American music as well, given that both Airto Moreira and Flora Purim recorded plenty of these cuts up in our neck of the woods! Airto's percussion is the stuff of legend – a key force in Brazilian recordings in the late 60s, and then equally important in American jazz – in famous recordings with Miles Davis and other artists, and plenty of great records on his own! Flora's vocals are equally crucial – a soaring, fluid approach that forever changed the way that female singers approached jazz – bred in 60s bossa, but instantly something new by the time the 70s came along – especially when Airto was supporting her with great grooves! This huge package brings together material that both artists recorded – often under the name of one or the other, but often with the other artist present on the recording – with a heavy batch of work from the 70s and 80s, but also crucial cuts from other years too! 5LP set features 37 tracks and a really great package – with titles that include "Love Lock", "The Happy People", "Hungry On Arriva", "The Road Is Hard", "Samba De Flora", "O Canto Da Sereia", "Jeito Bom De Sofrer", "Papo Furado", "Xibaba", "Back Streets Of Havana", "Vera Cruz", "Flora's Song", "When Angels Crie", "Celebration Suite", "Casa Forte", "Black Narcissus", "A Secret From The Sea", "O Cantador/I Just Want To Be Here", "Jump", and "Hot Sand". LP, Vinyl record album

A gently beautiful record from trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire – one driven by a desire to create open space, which Ambrose does wonderfully in the company of Bill Frisell on guitar and Herlin Riley on drums! All players have a great sense of timing and work with a "less is more" sort of approach – a quality you'll certainly know from some of Frisell's music, but which is delivered here with a warm balance that's also nicely different than those recordings too! In the wrong hands, the set could have the coldness of an ECM recording, but instead there's a much more sensitive approach going on here – but also one that's never sleepy or too laidback. Titles include "Mr Frisell", "Owl Song 2", "Weighted Corners", "Grace", "Mr Riley", "Henya", and "Flux Fuelings". LP, Vinyl record album

(Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a sound library record from one of the all-time greats – and maybe one of the few artists who gave his equal all, whether he was cutting a full film soundtrack, or just a discreet batch of tracks like these in the studio! The music is as groovy as groovy can be – sometimes funky, sometimes slinky – and done in this blend of heavy electric bass, nicely snapping drums, riffing guitar, and some great use of wordless vocals – maybe no surprise, since Alessandroni was the man behind the legendary I Cantori Modern! There's a great sense of variety all the way through – all killer, no filler – and titles include "Vocalisation", "Spiagge Azzurre", "Aliante Giallo", "Ciclamino", "Arioso Spirituale", "Cielo Verde", and "Marmittone". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from pianist Monty Alexander – a live date recorded for MPS in the mid 70s, and a set with even more fire than his studio sides for the label! The sound here is quite freewheeling at times – not funky, but in a very romping, gutbuckety mode that marks Alexander as a clear heir to Oscar Peterson in such a setting – but one who's also possibly bringing a bit more groove to the table! Rhythm is from John Clayton on bass and Jeff Hamilton on drums – who are perfect accompanists for Monty's nicely rolling style on the keys! Titles include "Drown In My Own Tears", "Feelings", "Work Song", "Nite Mist Blues", and "Satin Doll". (Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album from Lorez Alexanderia – one of her two excellent sessions for Impulse! The record was cut after Lorez recorded some great sides for the Argo label – and it works off the strength of those sides, taking her unique vocal approach, forged in R&B, but smoothed by jazz, into a whole new level of expression! The backing is great – small combo, with featured musicians who include Bunk Shank and Paul Horn on reeds, and Victor Feldman and Wynton Kelly on piano – all working with moody, soulful arrangements that are a perfect accompaniment to Lorez' beautiful voice. Includes the cuts "Get Me To The Church On Time", "Satin Doll", "Show Me", "The Best Is Yet to Come", "I'm Through With Love", and 5 more! LP, Vinyl record album

A really great take on the music of Studio Ghibli – one that presents the sounds with very much the jazz promised in the title! The sound is very lean and stripped-down, with a small combo style on most numbers – all instruments handled by Tomoo Nogami, who mixes piano, bass, and drums with some other elements thrown into the mix – maybe more of an easygoing version of the clubjazz style of the Tokyo scene! Yuriko Kuwahara of Cosmic Home fame handles the vocals – all in Japanese, and again with a jazz-based approach that's nicely different than the originals. LP, Vinyl record album

A really great take on the music of Studio Ghibli – one that presents the sounds with very much the jazz promised in the title! The sound is very lean and stripped-down, with a small combo style on most numbers – all instruments handled by Tomoo Nogami, who mixes piano, bass, and drums with some other elements thrown into the mix – maybe more of an easygoing version of the clubjazz style of the Tokyo scene! Yuriko Kuwahara of Cosmic Home fame handles the vocals – all in Japanese, and again with a jazz-based approach that's nicely different than the originals. LP, Vinyl record album

With sidemen that include Buster Bailey, Hilton Jefferson, Pee Wee Irwin, Chu Berry, JC Higginbotham, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

(Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

A tribute to a lost side of the creative powers of the legendary Sun Ra – his work in prose and poetry, presented here on record by a variety of different voices – all in a production that features some cool electronics from Marshall Allen as well! The instrumental work of Ra and the Arkestra have an undeniably righteous power and spiritual message – and those qualities are presented here in a more focused, more direct style through his pen – ideas that are clear and forthright, and which show very powerful concepts of life, music, politics, race, and the cosmos – all at a level that really showcases the depths of Ra as a philosopher! EVI electronics are played by Allen, who also speaks a bit on the record – alongside others who include Carl Hancok Rux, Zakia Sewell, Abioudun Oyewole, Melanie Charles, Jive Poetic, Tara Middleton, L'Rain, Saul Williams, and Mahogany L Browne. Titles include "When Angels Speak", "The Invisible Giants", "Sun-Day", "Nothing Is", "The Melody of Air", "The Void", "The Neglected Plane Of Wisdom" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the records that really helped establish the legend of Mose Allison as one of the most unique talents in jazz – an early effort that still has Mose working mostly as a pianist, but which also features key vocal performances of "Parchman Farm" and "Lost Mind" – and a spot of trumpet on "Trouble In Mind"! Allison is joined by Addison Farmer on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – and the instrumental sides include "Crepuscular Air", "Mojo Woman", "I'll Never Be Free" and "Ain't You A Mess". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary debut of The Allman Brothers – and a set that maybe set the tone for countless southern rock albums to emerge in the following decade! Yet even at the start, the Allmans are still set apart from the rest – a fiercely jamming band who created the structure for most of the tunes by working together with an almost jazz-like inspiration – blending the guitars of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts with organ and vocals from Gregg Allman, driven by the massive bass of Berry Oakley, and held strong through the percussion efforts of Jai Johanny Johanson and Butch Trucks. Titles include the classic "Whipping Post", plus "Dreams", "Every Hungry Woman", "Don't Want You No More", "Black Hearted Woman", "Trouble No More", and "It's Not My Cross To Bear". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary debut of The Allman Brothers – and a set that maybe set the tone for countless southern rock albums to emerge in the following decade! Yet even at the start, the Allmans are still set apart from the rest – a fiercely jamming band who created the structure for most of the tunes by working together with an almost jazz-like inspiration – blending the guitars of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts with organ and vocals from Gregg Allman, driven by the massive bass of Berry Oakley, and held strong through the percussion efforts of Jai Johanny Johanson and Butch Trucks. Titles include the classic "Whipping Post", plus "Dreams", "Every Hungry Woman", "Don't Want You No More", "Black Hearted Woman", "Trouble No More", and "It's Not My Cross To Bear". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

With Bob Magnusson on bass and Jeff Hamilton on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Guitarist Laurindo Almeida returns to a bit of his roots here – but he also shows off a lot of the jazz experience he's picked up along the way! The album features Almeida working solo on acoustic guitar – although possibly overdubbed alongside himself at times – and while the set begins with the serious title composition, things never get too much in the realm of classical guitar – and instead have Almeida skirting many different styles, including a bit of bossa guitar – and working with this uniquely echoey recording style that makes each note resonate with a richly expressive sound! Titles include "Cool Cat Keeps Coat On", "Holiday For Strings", "Songs From Black Orpheus", "The Summer Knows", and "Star Dust". LP, Vinyl record album

Herb Alpert's definitely Going Places by the time of this set – and his trademark Tijuana Brass sound proves itself to be a great fit for just about any sort of number! The album kicks off with the wonderful "Tijuana Taxi", a sublimely jaunty tune that almost takes Herb into Bacharach territory – and which is followed up by the even-greater "Spanish Flea" – an ear-popping anthem that's one of the greatest bits of 60s instrumental pop ever recorded! And over and above those two tunes, the album's still got plenty more to offer too – a wonderful array of tracks all given the Tijuana touch, with titles that include "More & More Amor", "Mae", "Walk Don't Run", "Felicia", and "Cinco De Mayo". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark set from the freer side of the British jazz scene at the end of the 60s – a relatively open-ended session cut by alto saxophonist Trevor Watts with his Amalgam trio – a great group that features John Stevens on drums and Jeff Clyne on bass (although Barry Guy also sits in on bass for one of the tunes!) The sound here is somewhere between the original trio formation of the ESP groups of the mid 60s and the more freely expressive groups of the FMP years – but is also touched with a good deal of that sense of sadness and depth of emotion that colored some of the best modern British jazz sessions of the period. Watt's work on alto is incredible throughout – dominating the record more than most players we could imagine on the instrument in such a setting – and titles include "Tales Of Sadness", "Judy's Smile I", "Judy's Smile II", and "Prayer For Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from guitarist Oren Ambarchi – a little more expansive than his preceding effort on Drag City, thanks to larger group and a wider range of instrumentation, while building on what loved about it! The style is tough to pin down in the best kind of way, with strains of improvisational jazz and hypnotic minimalism, but a unique melodic drive that's as compelling as it is tough to cleanly categorize. Collaborators this time include returning Swedish jazz bassist Johan Berthling, drummer Joe Talia, a second guitarist in Julia Reidy, Sam Dunscombe on bass clarinet – and for extra otherworldly, yet melodic atmosphere is some synth by Jim O'Rourke and pedal steel by BJ Cole on a couple of tracks. The whole Shebang is a 4 part set – each track running long, to give it a nice amount of space to build up, settle down, and flow into the next – and numbered 1 to 4. LP, Vinyl record album

Guitarist Oren Ambarchi is joined here by two players we know and love from the Swedish jazz scene – bassist Johan Berthling and drummer Andreas Werliin – both coming here along with Oren's guitar lines in a session that's got a very unique vibe! The album's not entirely jazz, but it's also not like some of the more introspective guitar sessions from the acoustic underground – as there's a very strong rhythmic pulse to the record, even when mellow – pushed forward by those wonderfully round, full bass notes that we've always dug in Berthling's playing – wonderful in a jazz setting, and equally great here! Tracks are all nice and long – and the album features four different selections, numbered 1 to 4. LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album from this very hip trio – and like the first, a set that's got a vibe that's very different than most other work of its nature! Sure, it's a guitar trio album – Oren Ambarchi on guitar, Johan Berthling on bass, and Andreas Werliin on drums – but the way the instruments relate is often very different – especially the use of guitar from Ambarchi, which often has this sort of subtle sonic energy rather than tautly plucked notes – qualities that get a lot of resonance next to the always-fantastic basswork of Berthling, a player we've really come to love for fresh ideas in music! Titles include "Tre", "TVA","Fyra", and "En". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal sounds from this legendary group – a combo who feature a young Ted Nugent on some complete amazing guitar, but in a way that's very different than Ted's big arena rock albums of the 70s! The Amboy Dukes have a way of combining the rawness of garage rock with the headiness of psych, all while also reaching a bit into blues roots to really let the guitars speak loudly – one of those really important 60s records that twisted up different rock genres at once, and helped pave the way for a unique generation to come! Singer John JB Drake is pretty great too – and titles include great versions of "I Feel Free", "Let's Go Get Stoned", "Baby Please Don't Go", and "It's Not True" – plus the originals "Young Love", "Colors", "Down On Philips Escalator", and "Gimme Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from Ted Nugent – working here as the searing lead guitarist of the mighty Amboy Dukes! The Nuge doesn't sing on the set, but his guitar is definitely in the spotlight on most numbers – ripping out with a rawness that beats his later superstar work, and which is free to freak out nicely in this set of psyche-heavy sounds from the Mainstream label at the height of their late 60s greatness. Side one features a number of shorter Nugent-penned tunes, and side two is a slightly more complicated offering – a bit of a concept piece, with tracks that form a story over the side of the record. Titles include "Flight Of The Byrd", "Mississippi Murderer", "Dr Slingshot", "Scottish Tea", "I'll Prove I'm Right", "Conclusion", "Why Is A Carrot More Orange Than An Orange", and "Ivory Castles". (Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

A contemporary project, but one that was initially intended for the legendary KPM Sound Library – and one that has Emil Amos serving up instrumentals that offer up his own take on classic sound library modes from years back! There's definitely more of a 21st Century vibe going on here at times – as 80s elements get more of a twist through production learned from the beathead generation – all of which almost makes for a more industrial take on sound library styles! Titles include "Bad Night At Cowboys", "Theme From A Personal Prison", "Moving Target", "Interloper 1", "Zone Bleu", "Red Palms", and "Jealous Gods". LP, Vinyl record album

A group who really live up to their name, as they have a way of reaching back in time and space with this very righteous vibe – blending the sorts of horns you might hear in Sun Ra's Arkestra with more majestic strings that might come from a Carlos Nino/Miguel Atwood Ferguson project – but all with a style that's got a lighter, more cosmic approach! There's strong use of harp on the albums at times, echoing a bit of Alice Coltrane – but the group definitely take off in all their own directions too, especially as they shift the focus on key instruments from track to track – in a lineup that includes flute, alto, oboe, tenor, bass clarinet, and baritone – next to light strings, piano, percussion, and bass. All the music was composed by Ozzy Moysey, and a few tracks feature a vocal group to help lift up the spirits of the tunes – equally cosmic and righteous, and a great addition to the sound of the set. If you've dug the Matthew Halsall recordings on the Gondwana label, you'll find plenty to love here – on titles that include "Rejoicing", "Niyama", "Equanimity", "Arc Of The Sun", "River Of Light", and "Pharoah Sings". LP, Vinyl record album

Ernestine Anderson at the height of her powers – caught during a very successful run at Concord Records, where she was easily one of the hippest things going down at the time! The group here is a trio, and very tight – Hank Jones on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Jeff Hamilton on drums – all shifting easily to fit the mood and personal demeanor of Anderson's performance, which is a fair bit more dynamic than other jazz singers of the period. In a way, the record's got a similar feel to Lorez Alexandria's albums from the time – hip soul jazz vocals at its best, with just the right twists, turns, and rhythmic impulses to keep things interesting – but not enough to goof things up too much! Titles include "Big City", "Welcome To The Club", "All Blues", "All I Need Is You", "Spring Is Here", and "I'll Never Pass This Way Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A really beautiful solo album from Jon Anderson – best known as the lead singer of Yes, stepping out here with a set that matches the solo projects of Chris Squire and Steve Howe from the same time! Yet unlike those efforts, this one is truly a solo recording – as Anderson not only sings, but handles all the instruments himself – keyboards, guitars, and everything else – folded together in a sound that's very faithful, thanks to work from Mike Dunne, who'd handled a lot of the sound for recordings by Yes! Given that Anderson's not an instrumental virtuoso, like some of his bandmates, the record is a nice change from some of the side-long power jams of mid 70s Yes – tunes that together tell a story, but which have a lyrical, personal vibe that also really suits the charms of Jon's vocals. The set feels nicely like a mid 70s side-chapter of Yes – in ways that are different than the solo records by Howe and Squire – and titles include "Ocean Song", "To The Runner", "Flight Of The Moorglade", "Solid Space", "Dance Of Rampart/Olias", and "Meeting/Sound Out The Galleon". LP, Vinyl record album

(Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique album from Yugoslavian group Angel's Breath – one recorded in Brazil, which might come as no surprise, given that one of the members of the duo is Mitar Subotic Suba – who you'll also know from his groundbreaking album Sao Paulo Confessions! Suba got his start in Serbia, but was crucial in the Brazilian advances in the 90s before his too-early death in 1999 – and the record's definitely got some of the same appeal as the best music of the scene from Chico Science or Arnaldo Antunes – especially in the way it uses offbeat guitar lines, crispy electronics, and unusual rhythms next to lyrics that often feel as poetically experimental as they are tuneful! The whole thing's very difficult to describe, but that really gives it a hell of a lot of charm – and if it were not for the turmoil in Yugoslavia at the time, the set might have seen bigger global attention from the same cultural scene who were embracing Brazilian experiments of the period. Titles include "Madalena", "Velvet", "Caura", "Assassino", "Aplauzi", "40 Seconds Of Love", and "Metak". LP, Vinyl record album

The amazing second album from Annexus Quam – a record that's almost as much of a jazz session as it is a Krautrock classic – given that the record is full of really long tunes that spin out plenty of solos, some of which almost verge on free improvisation in their approach! The group features wonderful work on reeds from Ove Volquartz – who blows tenor, soprano sax, and flute – and there's also this amazing trombone work from Hans Kamper, a player who seems to resonate with the music of Albert Mangelsdorff at the time – mixed with all sorts of cool contributions from Harald Klem, who plays tablas, electric zither, echo guitar, and a whole host of other unusual instruments too. Titles include "Leyenburg 1", "Dreh Dich Nicht Um", "Leyenburg 2", and "Trobluhs El E Isch". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". Features a great 16 page booklet with extensive liner notes and photos! LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet little double-length set from British jazz rock genius Neil Ardley – one that has him working off the vibe explored on the Greek Variations album, but hitting a sound that's a fair bit funkier overall! As with other efforts, Ardley draws here on some really top-shelf talents for his ideas – soloists who include Ian Carr on trumpet, Ken Shaw on guitar, and Tony Coe, Barbara Thompson, and Brian Smith on saxes! The tracks are all quite longish, and unfold in a really organic way – building over an immediate rhythm at some points, or letting the soloists set the main vibe at others. There's nothing overly-obtuse about the record at all, and Ardley never lets anyone dominate too much – making the album a strong group effort with a really unified vision – but one with plenty of space for the feeling of the individual players. Titles include "Rainbow One", "Rainbow Two", "Rainbow Three", and so on. LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record from the groundbreaking Landsdowne series of UK jazz recordings at the end of the 70s – an ambitious effort directed by composer Neil Ardley, cut very much in the mode of the best work by the Ian Carr/Don Rendell group of the time! As the title might imply, the tunes are all of Greek mythological inspiration – but not in a hokey sort of style, or one that has any overdone "battle of the gods" feel. Instead, there's a warm, intimate approach to the work – almost in the mode of the best sophisticated jazz soundtracks of the late 60s – with a real concern for color, shadings, and tone – ultimately in a style that has less to do with mythology than you might think, but which is pretty darn impressive nonetheless! Carr plays trumpet and flugelhorn, Rendell plays saxes and flutes – and other players include Jack Bruce on bass, Chris Spedding on guitar, and and Barbara Thompson on reeds. Titles include "The Greek Variations", "Farewell Penelope", "Persephone's Jive", "Veil Of Ino", and "Siren's Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet session of 70s electric jazz – 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! Bernhardt's keyboards are pretty good too – stepping out with a spacious, fluid feel that's never jamming – and more in the open-ended Bob James side of the spectrum, although his overall sound is a lot different than Bob's! Titles on this second volume include "Candles", "Cloud Motion", "Uptowned", "Love Play", and "A Funky Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

A haunting bit of jazz from the Venezuelan scene of the early 70s – one of those great records from a time when the nation was really riding high, yet one that's hardly ever gotten much exposure on a global scale either! Pianist Virgilo Armas leads the group, and the whole thing has the fluid complexity of bossa nova record – really modern in approach, yet moving along in a very organic way – as Virgilo's piano mixes with the work of Domingo Moret on flute, Rodolfo Buenano on bass, Guillermo Tariba on drums, and Tata Guerra on percussion. Yet the vibe is nicely different than Brazilian jazz too – opening up with all these great currents and inflections, on titles that include "Barlovento", "Tamanaco", "Sobre El Orinoco", "Nery", "Caracas Moderna", "Moliendo Cafe", and "Canaima". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic second set from keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones – a musician we first came to love in the UK-based Ezra Collective, and one who's now effortlessly bridging a space between jazz and soul! The record's got a vibe that's as cosmic as its cover – but one that comes not just through creative keyboard work, but from a great overall conception of the songs – so that Joe's music flows out with a warm style that embraces our ears, then takes us on a journey to the heavens! This isn't the usual keyboard jazz, with references heavy on the past – as Armon-Jones is as forward-thinking as his best contemporaries on the London scene. The set features great guest vocals from Georgia Anne Muldrow on the tune "Yellow Dandelion" – and other guest appearances by Nubya Garcia, Jehst, and Obongjayar – on titles that include "Try Walk With Me", "Gnawa Sweet", "Icy Roads", "To Know Where You're Coming From", "The Leo & The Aquarius", and "Self Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more beat-heavy records we've ever heard from keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones – thanks to a range of live drums and programs from Maxwell Owin – a really great partner who helps Joe's music take off in all these new directions! The record's still coming from a jazz perspective, but also has a heavy influence from hip hop and more contemporary genres – especially on the vocal cuts, which feature contributions from Fatima, Rocks Foe, and Lex Amor. Yet there's also some great instrumentalists who join the proceedings too – and the set features guest bass clarinet from Shabaka Hutchings on one cut, and guest harp and flute from Marysia Osu and Yuis. Titles include "Pedal Bike", "Grief", "Ode To Reverbe", "4Seasons", "Don't Tip Me Over", "Do I Keep Going", "Rago's Garage", and "Ikigai". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure album of southern funky soul from Chuck Armstrong – an artist we know from his earlier funky 45 work in Chicago, but who sounds quite different on this set! The album was produced by George Kerr in New Jersey, but it's got a rolling, vamping approach on most cuts – a sound that's somewhere between Muscle Shoals and the nascent Jackson style of the 70s – a bit smoother than 60s deep soul, but still with a mighty nice edge – and handled perfectly by Kerr! Chuck's vocals are well-suited to the set, and a few numbers bear traces of his earlier more northern sound – and the whole thing's the kind of rare soul killer that only turns up once in a blue moon. Titles include "Sweet Foxy Woman", "You Got To Deal With It", "Shackin Up", "Goodness Gracious", "I'm A Lonely Man", "She Had The Right", and "Nightmare". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set of British soul by PP Arnold – LA native, and a onetime member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue who ended up staying behind in the UK after a mid 60s tour! The album's got a very interesting approach that's quite a bit more sophisticated than the sound of the Ike Turner group – with production by Andrew Loog Oldham, and rich arrangements by Tony Meehan that float in bits of Brit easy, and full-styled 60s pop orchestrations, alongside more righteous straighter soul backings – all for a mix that's great, and which makes this mod treasure a very different album than American soul of the period! Titles include "Letter To Bill", "Dreamin", "Eleanor Rigby", "As Tears Go By", "To Love Somebody", and a great version of "God Only Knows". LP, Vinyl record album

Steve Arrington's got a long long legacy in soul music – one that goes back to his late 70s work on Slave – but he also sounds completely contemporary here, working in collaboration with a whole host of producers who were no doubt influenced by his creations of the past, and help Arrington find a whole new vibe in his music! Tunes are often spare, and served up in a blend of vocals, beats, keyboards, and guitar – yet all elements are given some cool, crispy twists and turns through a host of hip hop elements and other contemporary modes – but all at a level that only seems to bring new live to Arrington's music, and not overwhelm it. The set features work from Mndsgn, Gifted & Blessed, J Rocc, Knxwledge, Devin Morrison, and others – and titles include "Love Knows", "Keep Dreamin", "Soulful I Need That In My Life", "Make A Difference", "Joys Of Love", "It's Alright", "Make Ya Say Yie", "You're Not Ready", "Good Mood", and "Work On It". LP, Vinyl record album

The Art Ensemble at the height of their powers – really letting loose on the Parisian scene of the late 60s, where they found a great audience for all the new ideas they'd been brewing up back home! The album's definitely one that has the group's unique ethos coming into focus – that sense of spontaneous collective creativity spawned by their AACM contemporaries, but delivered with the special sort of playful energy of the group – as they effortlessly shift instruments, switch modes, and find a way to resonate wonderfully as a group without sacrificing their individual voices! Everyone plays percussion and other instruments – with Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell on reeds, Lester Bowie on trumpet, and Malachi Favors on bass – on titles that include "Song For Charles", "Ericka", "A Jackson In Your House", and "Get In Line". LP, Vinyl record album

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago – and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer – and plays with a creative tightness that you'll be hard pressed to find on other record. Some tracks are almost straight jazz – but there's all these wonderful little breakdowns and burst of creative energy that keep the AACM spirit alive and true. The centerpiece of the album is the massive "Theme De Yoyo", a righteous powerful groover that features vocals by Fontella Bass (wife of Lester Bowie of the group), and which has become an all-time jazz dance classic! Other tracks have a sparer soundtracky feel, and a few more are in the experimental vein of the Art Ensemble's other Paris work at the time. Wonderful overall though – and an incredibly righteous album filled with power and imagination! Titles include "Theme De Celine", "Proverbes", "Theme Libra", and "Variations Sur Un Theme De Monteverdi". Very hard to find original French pressing – with different cover image! LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly great little album – recorded on the occasion of the Ensemble's third decade in music, and a record that sounds a lot better than we remember! At the time of release, we kind of "pooh poohed" this one because of its divergence from some of the group's other styles – some tracks are straighter, more composed, and less improvised; others use a larger sound palette, and go for themes that are almost sentimental and nostalgic at times. Yet somehow, going back to this one, we're stunned at how interesting we find the whole thing – as each track seems to offer up a new surprise, and the series of musical visions expressed shows how much the group had grown during their time together. Includes the wonderful "Prayer For Jimbo Kwesi", the percussive jammer "Third Decade", the sonorously-wonderful "Bell Piece", and the tracks "Walking In The Moonlight", "Zero", and "Funky AECO". LP, Vinyl record album

A prog rock masterpiece from Ash Ra Temple – a set that still has the group in very pschedelic, jamming, and improvisational territory – as they serve up two album-length tracks that really soar to the skies on wings of sound! The group here still features lots of great keyboards and electronics from Klaus Schulze, but on side one most of the energy comes from the core interplay between the fantastic guitars of Manuel Gottsching, bass of Harmut Enke, and drums of Schulze – players who really take their combination of instruments in very different directions than UK trios of the time! Side two definitely has some spacier moments that let the keyboards dominate a bit more, alongside cool vocals from Rosi, used in very light ways – but there's plenty of jamming too – on titles that include "Freak N Roll" and "Jenseits". LP, Vinyl record album

A real moment of genius, even though we hate to admit it! At the time of its release, we hated this record – but have really come to respect it as a way of condensing and refining energy from the prog rock generation, and finding it a way to have new life in the 80s! The lineup is an all-star one, with roots in Yes, King Crimson, and other key groups – John Wetton on vocals and bass, Geoff Downes on keyboards, Steve Howe on guitars, and Carl Palmer on drums – on titles that include "Heat Of The Moment", "Only Time Will Tell", "Wildest Dreams", "Sole Survivor", "One Step Closer", and "Here Comes The Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent bit of UK Afro-Funk – recorded at the beginning of the 70s by a group that included members of the legendary South African jazz combo The Blue Notes – Dudu Pukwana on reeds, Mongezi Feza on trumpet, and Louis Moholo on drums! The record's quite different than you'd guess from those players – thanks to some kickass help from the rest of the group – who really push things into a tripped-out version of Afro Funk – a bit in the mode of Demon Fuzz at the time – a group who also lent a member to this project! There's some great horn work on the record – with the kind of "out" soloing you might expect from the group, laid out over heavy drums and good bass-heavy funk – on titles that include "Hey Jude", "Irin Ajolaway", "Akasa", "Telephone Girl", "Beka", and "Cocoa". LP, Vinyl record album

A strong debut effort from one of the finer British roots acts – the mighty Aswad, a group who were big on the UK shores, but never got the same sort of international circulation as their peers Steel Pulse! Like many UK groups of the time, Aswad are nicely self-contained, different than the producer-driven aesthetic of Jamaican music – playing and writing their own material, and really coming across with a unified vibe as a result! Vocals and instrumentation are excellent throughout – and titles include "Can't Stand The Pressure", "Ethiopian Rhapsody", "I A Rebel Soul", "Natural Progression", "Red Up" "Ire Woman", and "Back To Africa". Features two bonus tracks – "Three Babylon", and "Three Babylon (dub mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

(Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

Funky African work from Fred Fisher – a Nigerian trombonist who crafted his own unique groove at the end of the 70s! Fred both sings and plays trombone – the latter with a Fred Wesley-like soulfulness – and his rhythms here are really wide-ranging, and embrace a host of new styles coming into play at the time – including a fair bit of influences from American soul! Some cuts have a rootsy groove, while others move into tighter dancefloor territory – never in a commercial style at all, but with traces of boogie and other 80s modes in the mix. Vocals are sometimes in English, which furthers the global appeal of the music – and the set brings together tracks from 4 different albums by Fisher. Titles include "Say The Truth", "Asa Sa", "Iye Ye Mu Elediamemisise", "No Way", "Let Love Free", "WTFS", "Beautiful Dancer", "Happy Blue Night", "The Beginning Ishan", "Ehimedede", "Babajoo", and "Ebi Lolo". 2LP set features 12 tracks in all. Note: The music on the whole set is great, but there are a few tracks that suffer sound-wise from some distortion in the masters used. Most of the other tracks are fine, though. LP, Vinyl record album