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The first proper Aesop Rock album in a few years – and his first for Rhymesayers – a logical next step for his uncompromising, darkness-tinged sounds and distinctive rhyme style of his early work for Def Jux! Aesop hasn't missed a step, and the sound is as dystopian, breathless and creative as ever. Hanni El Khatib plays guitar on a few tracks, as does Allyson Baker, with appearances by Rob Sonic and Kimya Dawson. Includes "Leisureforce", "ZZZ Top", "Cycles To Gehenna", "Zero Dark Thirty", "Crows 1" with Kimya Dawson, "Homemade Mummy", "Crows 2" with Rob Sonic, "1,000 Clock", "Saturn Missiles", "Tetra", "Gopher Guts" and more.

Two great new tracks from Gyedu Blay Ambolley – both reworks of older Afro Funk classics! "Mumunde" features sharp arrangements from Ebo Taylor – and a tight groove that has the vocals wrapped firmly around the tune's infectious rhythms – a blistering blend of bass, guitar, and percussion – topped with a bit of chorus vocals as well. "Fa No Dem Ara" is even better – a really funky track with some great organ in the middle, and a groove that's almost more James Brown than Afro Funk!

A pretty sweet set of retro futurist synth from Chrome Canyon – which is essentially the solo project of Morgan Z and guests – and a mix of late 70s Krautrock-era synthy bombast and early 80s electro soundtracky styles! Overall, it's got sort of a Euro disco-tinged soundtrack vibe – think Giorgio Moroder, Wendy Carlos and 80s soundtrack-era Tangerine Dream – along with more starkly minimal tones and key, though used to maximum effect! There's also some twists and turns – like the cosmic post-fusion sax on the title track, bits of guitar, drums and other instrumentation. It's a very well structured batch of instrumentals – with a focused, song-based approach – as opposed to looser synthy experimentation. A leftfied win for Stones Throw! Includes "Beginnings", "Pluze", "Legends", "Branches", "Elemental Themes", "Cave Of Light", "Generations", "Chasing The Dead", "Sacred Mountain", "Signs From An Old World", "Carfire On The Highway" and more.

The long-overdue return of Coultrain – an artist we've been digging right from the start, when he dropped off a pile of handmade CDs as freebies to give away in our store! Since that time, Coultrain has emerged to become one of the freshest talents of the underground – through work with the Platinum Pied Pipers and Hawthorne Headhunters, and work on other projects as well. But we've always loved the man himself out front of the spotlight – sharing his really unique vision of cosmic soul music – a sublime blend of inventive sounds, creative beats, and songwriting that will take you way way way past the usual! This album's been well worth the wait, and shows that our faith in Coultrain has certainly been well-placed – a beautiful set that features the tracks "A Gem Iza Jewel", "Gazelle's Dance", "Y Not", "Deception", "Sassyphrass", "Wanted", and "Asherah Le Chameleon".

A pair of action soundtracks from Georges Delerue – both mighty darn nice! Cent Mille Dollars Au Soleil is from a cool early 60s thriller with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Lino Ventura – done by Delerue with music as bold as the action in the story, but balanced out nicely with some leaner, more evocative passages that hint at the direction Georges would take in years to come. The main theme recurs often, creating a nice sense of elliptical energy in the music – and tracks include "Quartier Arabe", "Mitch Mitch", "L'Enlisement", "Une Nuit Marocaine", and "L'Appel Du Desert". Next is a film from 20 years later – Les Morfalous – but also starring Belmondo, and scored by Delerue with surprisingly subtle touches – far less of the schlocky electronic music that was often used in other 80s thrillers. A few tunes are a somewhat bold, but mostly the style is spare and tense – orchestrations held back to a minimum, and some nice accordion lines that step out gingerly to feel the space of the music. Titles include "Objectif GMC", "C'Est L'Aventure", "Helene", "Piege Au Cimetiere", and "Les Morfalous".

Beautiful! Joao Donato has long been one of our favorite-ever Brazilian songwriters, and this tasty series from Lumiar finally pays him the rich tribute he deserves! The series, like the others on Lumiar, features some of Brazil's greatest artists ever, paying tribute to Donato with loving renditions of his best songs. This third volume features "Lugar Comum" by Leny Andrade, "Minha Saudade" by Gilberto Gil, "Everyday" by Ed Motta & Joao Donato, "Luo Dourada" by Os Cariocas & Joao Donato, "Fonta Da Saudade" by Elza Soares, "A Paz" by Rosa Passos, "Depois Do Natal" by Djavan & Joao Donato.

We have to admit we find these records to be a lot of fun, but no one could possibly buy the spiel in the liner notes about their "effect on the imagination and subconscious of the listener". Two extended soundscapes here: side one is "The Psychologically Ultimate Seashore", side two is the "Optimum Aviary". As the notes say, play at any speed, for different psychological effects.

Do yourself a favor, and buy this album – you won't be disappointed! The record is a gem all the way through – a really unique mixture of LA soul jazz and African rhythms, with a sound that's almost like Hugh Masekela sitting in with the Jazz Crusaders! Of course, there's a lot of Jazz Crusaders in the set – as Wilton Felder plays electric bass on the album, giving it a fantastic loping groove – but there's also plenty of unique albums on the record, especially its way of approaching the rhythms with a sly, syncopated groove that's immediately infectious! Duke's trumpet solos are great, and they're augmented by tenor work by Chester Washington and trombone by George Bohannon – all nicely grooving on the album's brilliant blend of jazzy tracks. Titles include "Jungle Funk", "Afrikaloo", "Akagruge", "Like It Is", "Mafam", and "Peace Brother". Somebody put this one on CD – and do us all a treat!

Do yourself a favor, and splurge on this album – you won't be disappointed! The record is a gem all the way through – a really unique mixture of LA soul jazz and African rhythms, with a sound that's almost like Hugh Masekela sitting in with the Jazz Crusaders! Of course, there's a lot of Jazz Crusaders in the set – as Wilton Felder plays electric bass on the album, giving it a fantastic loping groove – but there's also plenty of unique albums on the record, especially its way of approaching the rhythms with a sly, syncopated groove that's immediately infectious! Duke's trumpet solos are great, and they're augmented by tenor work by Chester Washington and trombone by George Bohannon – all nicely grooving on the album's brilliant blend of jazzy tracks. Titles include "Jungle Funk", "Afrikaloo", "Akagruge", "Like It Is", "Mafam", and "Peace Brother". Somebody put this one on CD – and do us all a treat!

A festival of samba from mid 70s Brazil – a set that's packaged with an unassuming title and cover, but which contains a host of excellent samba tunes throughout! The artists' names are slightly submerged in the presentation – but the record smokes like some of the best music from the bigger samba acts of the time – and feels more like a single-artist set on 70s RCA Brazil, than some of the second rate material that you'd usually find in such a package. Titles include "Vira Vira" by Coro, "Terra Boa" by Lumumba, "Mangueira Em Tempo De Folclore" by Eni, "Dim Dim Dim" by Coro, "Rosa Maria" by Lumumba, "A Festa Do Divino" by Eni, "Vira Vira" by Coro, "Boi Da Cara Preta" by Lumumba, and "Rei Da Franca Na Ilha Da Assombracao" by Eni.

A really rich new chapter in the music of Otto – an artist we've loved right from the start, but one who's blowing us away all over again with this sweet set! There's a fullness here we've never heard from Otto – not a sound that's slick, just an approach that's more thought out and fully-composed – with some classic elements on the backings that take us back to 60s sounds from Beatles to Motown at times – yet served up in ways that all still retain the freshness of Otto's earlier work. Other sounds are a bit more contemporary, yet still have this feeling of timelessness that really stands out – something we might never have said about Ottos' music before. The electronics are kept to a minimum, and tunes are straightforward and less abstract – in a way we never expected, and which shows Otto to really be a great songwriter after all these years. The set was done with heavy collaborations from producer Pupillo, who co-wrote most tracks – and also features assistance from Kassin and Catatau too. Titles include "The Moon 1111", "Dia Claro", "Ela Flava", "O Que Dira O Mundo", "DP", "Hideus", "Miss Apple E Ze Pilantra", and "Selvagens Olhos Nego".

Probably the most hyped hip hop album by rock critics of the last decade – but don't hold that against Stankonia, because these ghetto grooves from planet P-Funk were exactly what world needed in 2000! The millenium blowout party jam feel throughout is surely a nice change of pace from all the doom and gloom out there, but they still manage to spit out enough reality to keep things feeling true – particularly in the playful battle of the sexes showdowns. Dre, Big Boi and Organized Noize continue to innovate, even if they are at the top of the charts – and we can't wait to see where they take it all next! Tracks include "Gasoline Dreams", "So Fresh, So Clean", "Ms. Jackson", "Spaghetti Junction", "I'll Call Before I Come" featuring Gangsta Boo & Eco, "B.O.B.", "Xplosion" featuring B-Real, "We Luv Deez Hoez", "Humble Mumble" featuring Erykah Badu, "Red Velvet", "Gangsta Sh*t", "Toilet Tisha" "Slum Beautiful", and "Stankonia (Stanklove)".

Probably the most hyped hip hop album by rock critics of the last decade – but don't hold that against Stankonia, because these ghetto grooves from planet P-Funk were exactly what the world needed in 2000! The millenium blowout party jam feel throughout is surely a nice change of pace from all the doom and gloom out there, but they still manage to spit out enough reality to keep things feeling true – particularly in the playful battle of the sexes showdowns. Dre, Big Boi and Organized Noize continue to innovate, even if they are at the top of the charts! Tracks include "Gasoline Dreams", "So Fresh, So Clean", "Ms. Jackson", "Spaghetti Junction", "I'll Call Before I Come" featuring Gangsta Boo & Eco, "B.O.B.", "Xplosion" featuring B-Real, "We Luv Deez Hoez", "Humble Mumble" featuring Erykah Badu, "Red Velvet", "Gangsta Sh*t", "Toilet Tisha" "Slum Beautiful", and "Stankonia (Stanklove)".

Two of the funkiest cuts from Ohio's legendary Kenny Smith! "Skunkie" is a wicked little groove that's every bit as great as you might guess from the title – an instrumental that's filled with heavy snapping drum bits, as well as a mad triplet piano bit that really gives the tune a fantastic edge – lots of hard piano that gets all dark and sinister before the other instruments start doing their thing! "Everybody Knows" is more of a soul track, but still plenty darn great – soaring and groovy, with a really catchy vocal bit!

Even more experimental than the first album from The Swell Maps – a set that features some longer songs and a bit more tunes, but also a lot more weird sounds as well! Instrumentation is often slightly more conventional here, but usually taken to some very unusual places – odd tones and phrases that really mark the Maps as a key link between pre and post-punk sides of the British scene – and which give this record a timeless quality that's kept it essential for years! Epic Soundtracks serves up loads of cool instruments along with his drums – including some toys, violin, typewriter, and even a bit of mumbling – and Nikki Sudden drives the whole thing home with his droney guitar and great vocals. Titles include "Let's Buy A Bridge", "Robot Factory", "Big Maz In The Desert From The Trolley", "Mining Villages", "Collision With A Frogman Vs The Mangrove Delta Plan", "Whatever Happens Next", and "The Helicopter Spies".

Even more experimental than the first album from The Swell Maps – a set that features some longer songs and a bit more tunes, but also a lot more weird sounds as well! Instrumentation is often slightly more conventional here, but usually taken to some very unusual places – odd tones and phrases that really mark the Maps as a key link between pre and post-punk sides of the British scene – and which give this record a timeless quality that's kept it essential for years! Epic Soundtracks serves up loads of cool instruments along with his drums – including some toys, violin, typewriter, and even a bit of mumbling – and Nikki Sudden drives the whole thing home with his droney guitar and great vocals. Titles include "Let's Buy A Bridge", "Robot Factory", "Big Maz In The Desert From The Trolley", "Mining Villages", "Collision With A Frogman Vs The Mangrove Delta Plan", "Whatever Happens Next", and "The Helicopter Spies".

A surprisingly great little record from Clark Terry – filled with warmth, humor, and some really great grooves! The core of the album is the track "Mumbles", one that's based around Terry kind of slurring a scat vocal to a jazzy 60s groove. The track was a minor hit at the time, and Mainstream recorded a whole album around it – using the arranging talents of Joe Cain, who runs through a lot of elements that really make the set cook – from Latin percussion, to Hammond organ grooving, electric guitar, and an overall sound that's got a hip Verve Records feel. Players include Vinnie Bell, Willie Bobo, Grady Tate, and Jerome Richardson – and Cain really makes the record groove in ways that we've never heard on another Terry session. Titles include "Mumbles", "Rum & Mumbles", "Big Spender", "The Mumbler Strikes Again", "El Blues Latino", and "The Cat From Cadiz".

Not jazz in any American sense of the music – but some wonderful Tanzanian grooves from the late 70s, often inflected with some really freewheeling work on guitar! The music here is heavy on percussion at the bottom, but has a really sprightly feel overall – perfect for the dancefloor, where this group was quite popular on the East African scene – but with a complexity that also makes the whole thing pretty compelling for a more cerebral listen as well! Interweaving melodic lines really hold things together wonderfully – as the vocals cascade over guitars, all sewn together with these basslines that seem to step along at a slower pace than everything else. The set brings together some of the group's hits, some more obscure recordings, and features full notes in English. Titles include "Lela", "Gwe Manetu Fii", "Heka Heka", "Koka Koka #1", "Magdalena", "Gubu La Mume", "Pili Nihurumie", "Salima Utakujajuta", and "Utatugombanisha".

A killer assortment of funky leftfield grooves from the late 70s and early 80s – groundbreaking work that goes way beyond conventional club, funk, and disco! The music here was light years ahead of its time, and still sounds pretty darn fresh today – a weird mix of arty, punky, and experimental modes – but all filtered down into a groove that's still catchy and compelling enough to cross over to fans of mainstream club. Many cuts here had a huge influence on house and techno modes of the mid 80s, and continue to have impact today on some of the younger, more influential groovemakers around the globe – and this single CD set is sort of a re-casting of the previous Disco Not Disco collections on Strut Records, which themselves were influential enough at the start of the current decade. CD features the tracks "Mind Your Own Business" by Delta 5, "Crunch Cake" by Isotope, "Your Life (party mix)" by Konk, "Launderette" by Vivien Goldman, "My Spine Is The Bassline (12" edit)" by Shriekback, "Contort Yourself (August Darnell rmx)" by James White & The Blacks, "Love Tempo (rmx)" by Quando Quango, "Sharevari (inst)" by A Number Of Names, "Silent Street/Silent Dub" by Maximum Joy, "Shake It Right" by Six Sed Red, and "Los Ninos Del Parque (12" mix)" by Liaisons Dangereuses.

Massive sounds from the Dopebrother Studio – home to some of the funkiest Kenny Dope productions of the past few years! The grooves here are mostly older nuggets from the 70s – rare funk, soul, and club numbers – mixed by Kenny and the Undercover Brother in ways that really bring up the funkiest energy of the tunes – lots of hard drums, great breaks, and crisp instrumentation that actually sounds way more dope than if you were spinning a copy of an original funky 45! Most tracks on here have only ever been issued as singles, so the full length collection makes for a great way to dig into all these massive grooves in one place – at a price that's pretty damn hard to beat. Plus, there's even a few unreleased tracks on here too – sure to please even the folks who already own a few of the singles! Titles include "How You Gonna Do It (Undercover Brother edit)" by Lenis Guess & The Raw Soul, "Foxfire (Dopebrother rmx)" by Kenny Smith & The Fox Fire Band, "Party & Get On Down (Undercover Brother edit)" by BAB, "Creative Happiness" by Steve Marshall, "I Can't Dance (Undercover Brother edit)" by Jimmy James Thomas, "We Got To Get Together" by The Masterminds with Lady Bianca, "Your Chicken Ain't Funky Like Mine" by Dirty Red Morgan Group, "Skunkie (Undercover Brother edit)" by Kenny Smith & The Maximum Feeling, "Waiting At The Station" by Jimmy James Thomas, "Do What You Like (Undercover Brother edit)" by 400 Years Of What, and "It's Over Now (Undercover Brother quiet storm mix)" by Manzel.

Some of the most enigmatic pop recorded for the Cherry Red label in the early 80s – all by artists who never really put out full LPs, and who are collected here in one great set of rarities! The set's got a mumber of great tracks by Jane & Barton – featuring singer Jane, an ex-member of Tracy Thorn's Marine Girls group, and a sweet-voiced vocalist with a really great approach. There's also a number of tracks on the set by Grab Grab The Haddock – a group that features Jane and the other member of the Marine Girls – recording in a style that's a lot like The Marine Girls, even without Tracy Thorn's vocals. Last up is In Embrace – a vastly under-appreciated pop group with a dark edge, some great guitar, and more lovely female vocals. It's sweet and simple 80s Brit pop all around – with 19 tracks that include "It's A Fine Day", "Of All Leaves Were Falling", "I Want To Be With You", "There Is A Man", and "You Are Over There" by Jane & Barton; "Last Fond Goodbye", "Wan But Smiling", "I'm Used Now", and "That Day" by Grab Grab The Haddock; and "Shouting In Cafes", "Chocolates For Breakfast", and "This Brilliant Evening" by In Embrace.

Sitar-heavy psych from the late 60s to early 70s – each track a prime example of how sublimely Eastern string buzzes worked in the psychedelic era – and a straight-up excellent set of rare international singles! What's so great here is that it's a pretty diverse mix of styles – electric and acoustic psych-stepped rock, pop and folk. Some of sunny and some dark – some pop hook-filled, some tripped out – and all of it is hypnotic and worthy checking out! Includes "Eight Miles High" by The Folkswingers, "Many Times Jimbo" by Click, "Water Boy" by Shocking Blue, "Face In The Clouds" by Family, "Real Life Permanent Dream" by Tomorrow, "All Your Ambition" by Saffron, "Love" by The Virgin Sleep, "Spinning Wheel" by Blonde On Blonde, "Ask For Nothing' by Galliard and more. 28 tracks in all!

Oscar Peterson's trio is augmented here by a famous guest – trumpeter Clark Terry, whose horn adds a nice bit of punctuation to the set, and makes the record a strong standout in the 60s catalogs of both players! The addition of Terry to the record is a great one – as Clark's rising fame at the time merges nicely with the popularity of the Peterson group – and since both players share a talent for mixing earthy moments with tighter playing, the whole thing comes off pretty darn nicely! Peterson's piano is supported by rhythm work from Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – and Terry not only plays trumpet and flugelhorn, but also vocalizes a slight bit too – sometimes at the same point he's playing his horn! Titles include "Mumbles", "Mack The Knife", "Jim", "Blues For Smedley", "Brotherhood Of Man", and "Incoherent Blues".

Sweet Latin grooves from Bronx River Parkway – two great numbers back to back! "Aqua Con Sal" has a soulful stepping bassline at the bottom – one that sets the groove with almost a bit of early 70s west coast Latin – in contrast to the more New York-sounding horns on the top! Vocals are held to a minimum, and the cut's also got a nice percussion bit in the middle! "Me Toca" is nice and mellow too – slowly snapping timbales, bits of bass and keyboards, and a Malo-styled soulful vocal in Spanish!

Have guitar, will travel – and back in the day, Bo Diddley was going pretty darn far with great material like this! The album's a real standout, even in the classic Chess catalog of the early years –no filler, no covers, just all original material by Bo Diddley – done in that unique Diddley blend of fast riffing guitar, playful vocals, and odd rhythms that often chug along at a really frenetic pace, especially in these pre-funk years! A key influence on funky music for many years to come, and a record that explodes from the very first note – on a set of original tracks that include "Run Diddley Diddley", "Mumblin Guitar", "Say Man, Back Again", "Come On Baby", "Dancing Girl", "She's Alright", and "Cops & Robbers".

A really great album by Billy Eckstine – much more swinging and upbeat than some of his other 50s sessions, and with a strongly pronounced jazz flair overall! The album's supposedly recorded live in Vegas in the wee hours of the morning, and features Billy blowing a bit of trumpet as well as singing – all set to some nicely thumping orchestrations by Bobby Tucker, who really knows how to hit the right groove for this sort of a set. Titles include "Lady Luck", "Have A Song On Me", "Deed I Do", "Without A Song", "Moonlight In Vermont", and "Lush Life". CD features a huge amount of previously unissued bonus tracks – titles that include "Prelude To A Kiss", "Fools Rush In", "I Apologize", "Little Mama", "Prisoner Of Love", "Alright Okay You Win", and "In The Still Of The Night".

One of the greatest New York groups of the early 80s – and a key link in the post-disco, post-punk, and no wave scenes of the time! Konk had an incredible sound that featured a stripped down blend of bass, live percussion, and horns – all grooving together in a style that sat somewhere between Kid Creole and ACR – but without the kitsch of the former, or the darkness of the latter! The bass dominated on most tracks – rolling out amidst the drums and congas, and setting a pace that was picked up strongly by the group's tight work on horns. Most tracks are acoustic, save for the bass – and the vocals are kept at a minimum to allow for the strongest focus on the tunes rhythmic progressions! As usual, Soul Jazz have done a tremendous job of recounting the group's history in a wealth of notes, interviews, and photos – and this well-done package is the first ever proper reissue of the group's work! Titles include "Machina Jam", "Baby Dee", "Elephant", "Soka Loka Moki", "Love Attack", "Konk Party", and "Your Life". Plus, the set also features bonus tracks "Konk Party (DJ tools)" and "Baby Dee (live)".

A spacious mid 70s set from Yusef Lateef – with some numbers showing his more soaringly spiritual bent – and others hewing towards a more bluesy or loosely funky vein. Tracked live in San Francisco, some numbers were later augmented with overdubbed strings and vocals – there's some nicely thumping elements of earthy percussion, loose moments, and quiet passages that sometimes build slowly, and at others change abruptly for maximum impact. The set features several longer selections, including the suite divided "Samba De Amor" in three sections, plus "Yusef's Mood" and "I Be Cold" – all approach or crossing the 20 minute mark – plus nice takes on "But Beautiful" and " A Flower". The group features Kenny Barron on piano and cowbell, Bob Cunningham on bass and bells, Albert Kuumba Heath on percussion and flute, and Bill Salter on bass – alongside Lateef whose working with tenor sax, flutes, oboe, thumb piano and percussion.

One of the weirdest recordings we've ever heard from Timothy Leary – a 1966 set that features mostly shorter spoken bits on a variety of topics – done by Tim in a very odd sort of style – almost like he's a bit shy in the recording studio! There's a slightly self-conscious feel to the record that's actually kind of nice – Leary kind of mumbling, as if he's getting up the courage to share his ideas – or maybe he was just stoned at the time of the session! Titles include "My Problem", "Elevation Of Human Consciousness", "Sensory Paradise", "The Taking Of LSD", "The Oldest Law", "One Final Word", "Every Baby That Is Born", "Lesson Number One", and "A Message To Young People".

An all-star effort from Sergio Mendes – one that follows nicely on the comeback energy of his previous Timeless set! Like that one, this album has Mendes dipping heavily into contemporary soul modes – picking up a bit of R&B, bits of hip hop, and bits of a few other styles – then folding them back into music from his Brazilian roots! The blend is almost a 21st Century update of the mix of soul and bossa that Sergio forged in the 70s after his initial Brasil 66 work on these shorts – and the balance struck here is surprisingly strong – possibly even better than the sound of Timeless. Guests include Will I Am, Siedah Garrett, Ledisi, Carlinhos Brown, Vanessa Da Mata, Gracinha Leporace, Natalie Cole, and Lani Hall – and titles include "Catavento", "Morning In Rio", "The Look Of Love", "Dreamer", "Lugar Comum", "Odo-Ya", "Waters Of March", and "Funky Bahia".

Lost genius from trumpeter Lee Morgan – a session recorded for Blue Note in 1967, but not issued until the late 70s – and even then, only for a very short time! The session has Morgan moving into that wonderful last stage of his career – working in tight formation towards a sound that still had that groovier hardbop styles of earlier recordings, but which also unfolds towards a more ambitious spiritual jazz mode. The writing on the session is superb – original tunes that crackle with energy in a surge of dark notes and shadowy moods, inspiring the soloists to express themselves at levels that rank with their best work of the time! The group features David Newman on tenor – sounding completely different, and far more righteous, than on his Atlantic sides of the 60s – plus Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. A great sound overall – right up there with Tom Cat or The Gigolo for lyrical modernism – and with titles that include "Sneaky Pete", "The Mercenary", "Sonic Boom", and "Mumbo Jumbo".

Lost genius from trumpeter Lee Morgan – a session recorded for Blue Note in 1967, but not issued until the late 70s – and even then, only for a very short time! The session has Morgan moving into that wonderful last stage of his career – working in tight formation towards a sound that still had that groovier hardbop styles of earlier recordings, but which also unfolds towards a more ambitious spiritual jazz mode. The writing on the session is superb – original tunes that crackle with energy in a surge of dark notes and shadowy moods, inspiring the soloists to express themselves at levels that rank with their best work of the time! The group features David Newman on tenor – sounding completely different, and far more righteous, than on his Atlantic sides of the 60s – plus Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. A great sound overall – right up there with Tom Cat or The Gigolo for lyrical modernism – and with titles that include "Sneaky Pete", "The Mercenary", "Sonic Boom", and "Mumbo Jumbo". Plus, the album is expanded here by 6 more tracks – all recorded in 1969, and only briefly issued on a 2LP late 70s album called The Procrastinator. These tunes have a slightly different, almost sadder feel – with a group that includes Julian Priester, George Coleman, and Harold Mabern – on more wonderful originals that include "Cla Til Da", "Uncle Rough", "Mr Johnson", and "The Stroker".

A pretty sweet 70s session from Michal Urbaniak – done in the same heavy funk style as his bigger label recordings of the time, with a solid blend of electric rhythms and some nice trippy solo work! The core of the group is Urbaniak on violin and lyricon, Urszula Dudziak on voice and percussion, and the great Zbigniew Namyslowski on alto sax and flute – and Kenny Kirkland adds more than a few nice touches on Fender Rhodes and mini moog. Jamming is at a minimum, and the tunes really keep a strong rhythmic pulse – making for a good set that's filled with jazz funk groovers! Titles include "Stray Sheep", "Always Ready", "Jasmine Lady", "Strife", and "Tie Breaker".

An amazing live performance from the legendary Joao Donato – captured here at the height of his 70s revival years, but with a spirit that hearkens back to his classic work of the bossa generation! The setting is spare and stark – classic Ensaio footage from TV, with a strong focus on Donato's face and hands as he sings and plays piano – and even a bit of accordion on a few tracks too! Tunes are a mix of older bossa compositions and some of the new grooves Donato was cutting in the 70s – but all tracks are done in this spare mode that's really wonderful – and quite different from Joao's studio work of the period. Titles include "A Ra", "Carangue Jo", "Ate Quem Sabe", "Lugar Comum", "Chorou Chorou", "Outra Vez", "Mini", "Levanta Poeira", "Flor De Maracuja", and "Que Besteira".

A pretty great record from one of the coolest school teachers you could ever hope to have – the lovely Miss Rita Abrams, a hippie who was teaching in Marin County at the start of the 70s! The set's a project done by Abrams with her fourth grade class – a set that mostly features original tunes penned by Rita, filled with joy, hope, and the sort of optimism that characterized the Marin County scene of the post-Haight years – and performed with a cool blend of acoustic instrumentation next to Abrams keyboards – with some larger arrangements from Ed Bogas, who'd later work on hip soundtracks for Fantasy Records, across the Bay. There's nothing hokey about the set at all – as the tunes are great, and the kid-quality of the vocals is really kept to a minimum – more used to underscore the warmth in Rita's lead, and surprisingly never cloying at all – a lot like some of the best singer/songwriter projects on Reprise at the time, especially given Rita's cool electric keyboards. Titles include the cool single "Mill Valley" – plus "Floating Away", "Wonder", "Building A Heaven On Earth", "Running In The Green Grass", "Sweet Summertime", and "I Never Asked". CD also features three bonus tracks – "Sad Night", "The Happiest Day Of My Life", and "America Let's Get Started Again".

The hard to find 2nd album by this great Afro-Cuban group from New York – recorded as part of Salsoul's early committment to straight Latin grooves, and with a nice raw sound! Henry Fiol sings vocals, and co-leads the group with bassist William Millan,a nd the rest of the lineup includes piano, trumpet, timbales, conga, and additional percussion. Tracks include "Paso Fino", "Viejo Canuto", "No Me Llores Miseria", and "Clavo Saca Clavo".

A treasure box of early 60s R&B 45s – a top shelf collection of singles cut for the King & Federal labels from 1960 to 1964 – amazing numbers from Hank Ballard, Freddy King, The Drivers, Little Bobby Moore, Willie Dixon & The Big Wheels, Johnny Guitar Watson, Carol Ford, Little Willie John and more. Early 60s soul and rollicking R&B sides to rival the best and most exciting sounds of the era – compiled by DJ Mr Fine Wine, most of which have never been reissued before now! Includes "Gibble Gobble" by Willie Wright & His Sparklers, "Broadway" by Hank Ballard, "What Makes You So Cold" by Lulu Reed, "My Nerves" by Little Willie John, "The Slummer The Slum" by The 5 Royales, "I Don't Know About You" by Lloyd Nolan, "Where You At Jack" by Little Mummy,, "That's It Man" by The Valentines, "Mind Your Own Business" by Eugene Church, "Regardless" by Charles Brown, "Texas Oil" by Freddie King", "One Zippy Zam" by Roy Mildton & His Orchestra, "Mom, Won't You Teach Me To Monkey" by Little Emmett Suttoon, "Hog Killin Time" by Eddie Kirk and more.

The first proper Aesop Rock album in a few years – and his first for Rhymesayers – a logical next step for his uncompromising, darkness-tinged sounds and distinctive rhyme style of his early work for Def Jux! Aesop hasn't missed a step, and the sound is as dystopian, breathless and creative as ever. Hanni El Khatib plays guitar on a few tracks, as does Allyson Baker, with appearances by Rob Sonic and Kimya Dawson. Includes "Leisureforce", "ZZZ Top", "Cycles To Gehenna", "Zero Dark Thirty", "Crows 1" with Kimya Dawson, "Homemade Mummy", "Crows 2" with Rob Sonic, "1,000 Clock", "Saturn Missiles", "Tetra", "Gopher Guts" and more.

A tremendous tribute to the tenor talents of Paul Bascomb – pulled together here from rare 78rpm sides for United Records – including more than a few that were never issued at the time! Bascomb's got a rich and soulful tone – easily one of the best of the postwar generation, even though Paul never got the same sort of due as tenorists on big labels like King, Chess, or Savoy! The set features most of the same players on all tracks – Bascomb on tenor, Eddie Lewis on trumpet, Frank Porter and Tommy Waters on alto, and Duke Jordan on piano – and Porter sings on a few tracks too. Titles include "Mumbles Blues", "Blues & The Beat", "Black Out", "Nona", "Love's An Old Story", "Liza's Blues", and "Soul & Body". 17 tracks in all!

We've always loved the music of Paula Morelenbaum, but this time around she's really got something special going on – thanks to keyboards and vocals from the legendary Joao Donato! Most of the tunes in the set are Donato numbers – themselves already a treat, but given a little something extra when handled by the master – as Donato's playing both electric and acoustic piano on the set! But maybe even more special are Joao's wonderful vocals – heartfelt and nicely wizened with age – making for a warm contrast to the more youthful modes of Paula. The arrangements are in that perfect Donato mode – light and lively, but never too wispy – and titles include "A Ra", "Cafe Com Pao", "A Paz", "Tudo Tem", "Entre Amigos", "Mentiras", "Ahie", and "Lugar Comum".

Lost genius from trumpeter Lee Morgan – a session recorded for Blue Note in 1967, but not issued until the late 70s – and even then, only for a very short time! The session has Morgan moving into that wonderful last stage of his career – working in tight formation towards a sound that still had that groovier hardbop styles of earlier recordings, but which also unfolds towards a more ambitious spiritual jazz mode. The writing on the session is superb – original tunes that crackle with energy in a surge of dark notes and shadowy moods, inspiring the soloists to express themselves at levels that rank with their best work of the time! The group features David Newman on tenor – sounding completely different, and far more righteous, than on his Atlantic sides of the 60s – plus Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. A great sound overall – right up there with Tom Cat or The Gigolo for lyrical modernism – and with titles that include "Sneaky Pete", "The Mercenary", "Sonic Boom", and "Mumbo Jumbo".

Amazing sounds from the 70s Italian scene! Giusto Pio was a contemporary and colleague of Franco Battiato, and this excellent recording was produced by Battiato, and it's got the same sort of fragile, beautiful, minimal sound that made his classic works so great! The CD contains two long pieces – "Motore Immobile" and "Anata" – both of which are slow modal progressions with a minimum of instrumentation. "Motore Immobile" has organ, violin, and voice; and "Anata" has only piano and organ. Both pieces are fragile soundscapes, hung together as much by the space between the notes as by the actual playing. More fantastic stuff from Italy, and at a very nice price!

A great issue with Roctober's double-flip format – one side printed right side up for the music content, the other upside-down for the comics! The double-cover issue has features on PJ Proby, ONO, Skafish, Klaus Nomi, Lenny Bruce, The Mummies, Sly Stone, Sun Records saxophonist Martin Willis, and Pedro Funkadelic Bell – plus Heavy Metal cartoonist Serge Clerc, and comix by Plastic Crimewave, Archer Prewitt, Matt Madden, King Merinuk, Rob Syers and MORE!