All Categories — All Formats  

60s cookers from Dizzy Gillespie – back to back on a single CD! New Wave is a lost bossa jazz classic from Dizzy Gillespie – recorded at a time when Lalo Schifrin was working in his combo! The record's got a cool, laidback kind of groove – one that's miles away from Gillespie's earlier bop work, and which shows him opening up his rhythmic conception strongly in the 60s. Rhythms are percolated by the piano of Schifrin, guitar of Bola Sete, bass of Chris White, and some well-chosen added percussion work – and the overall groove is one of the best American takes on the bossa jazz sound of the time, delivered with wonderful horn work from Dizzy on trumpet, Leo Wright on flute and alto, and Charlie Ventura on tenor! Even familiar tunes are transformed by the sound – and titles include "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town", "Careless Love", "Taboo", "One Note Samba", "Pergunte Ao Joao", and "Chega de Saudade". On The French Riviera isn't really French, but actually a killer batch of Latiny tinged tracks from Dizzy & Co – with with great arrangements by Lalo Schifrin! There's a wonderful 10 minute version of "Chega De Saudade", done as "No More Blues" to start it out, and it's got a great loping Latin vibe, in the manner of Dizzy's best sides from the 60s. Lalo's on piano, and the great Leo Wright is on flute and alto, with Tzigane Elek Bacsik on guitar, Chris White on bass, Ruby Collins on drums and Pepitoo Riestria on percussion. Other nice ones include "Long Long Summer", "Desafinado", and "Pau De Arara". A great album, and one not to pass up!

A lost bossa jazz classic from Dizzy Gillespie – recorded at a time when Lalo Schifrin was working in his combo! The record's got a cool, laidback kind of groove – one that's miles away from Gillespie's earlier bop work, and which shows him opening up his rhythmic conception strongly in the 60s. Rhythms are percolated by the piano of Schifrin, guitar of Bola Sete, bass of Chris White, and some well-chosen added percussion work – and the overall groove is one of the best American takes on the bossa jazz sound of the time, delivered with wonderful horn work from Dizzy on trumpet, Leo Wright on flute and alto, and Charlie Ventura on tenor! Even familiar tunes are transformed by the sound – and titles include "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town", "Careless Love", "Taboo", "One Note Samba", "Pergunte Ao Joao", and "Chega de Saudade".

No, not the New Wave of French cinema and not the new wave of post punk pop errata in the late 70s and early 80s – this New Wave is a pretty great, yet poorly remembered LA soft rock group 'circa '67 – with laidback vocals and warmly soaring arrangements by the great Gene Page! The vocals are soft and harmony laden, with groovy 60s west coast songs lushed up with vibes, harpsichords, oboes, strings and lightly layered psych flourishes!

Live material from a Village Gate performance that included the leading lights of the East Village free scene in the 60s – John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, Grachan Moncur, and Archie Shepp! The set's a great counterpart to some of the full artist releases on Impulse at the time – and features key material that's not out there elsewhere! A really standout track is from a unique group that never got much recording time – one featuring Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, James Spaulding on alto, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – on a killer version of Monk's "Brilliant Corners". Other titles include an Alber Ayler-led version of "Holy Ghost", a Grachan Moncur reading of "Blue Free" with Hutcherson on vibes, a Coltrane quartet take of "Nature Boy", and Archie Shepp doing "Hambone" in a group with Marion Brown on alto and Virgil Jones on trumpet.

No, not the New Wave of French cinema and not the new wave of post punk pop errata in the late 70s and early 80s – this New Wave is a pretty great, yet poorly remembered LA soft rock group 'circa '67 – with laidback vocals and warmly soaring arrangements by the great Gene Page! The vocals are soft and harmony laden, with groovy 60s west coast songs lushed up with vibes, harpsichords, oboes, strings and lightly layered psych flourishes! This great Now Sounds UK CD features the group's original self-titled Canterbury album in both the original stereo and mono versions in full – plus 5 bonus tracks! Includes "Little Dreams", "The Shade Of The Sun", "Live For Today", "Not From You", "Where Do We Go From Here" and more – with bonus tracks "Tightrope", "Kiss The Mountain", "You Never Said I Love You" and 2 more.

An eye opening, fast paced and frenetic collection of electronic dance music from South Africa – recorded in the latter half of the 00s at Nozinja studio in Soweto – primitive electronics and electronic percussion blended with passionate, fairly traditional sounding vocals for a quickly moving, exciting dance music any like anything we've heard! The music here was all made at the small home studios of Nozinja (aka Dog) and a roster acts including BBC, Tshetsha Boys, Tiyiselani Vomaseve, and Zinja himself. Urban dance music unlike any we've ever stocked! Titles include "Ngunyuta Dance – The Shake Your Behind Dance" and "Ngozi – Danger" by BBC, "Nwampfundla – Pfundla's Daughter" and "Uya Kwihi Ka Rose – Rose, Where Are You Going?" by Tshetsha Boys, "Vana Vasesi – My Sister's Children" by Mancingelani, "Ntombi Ya Mugaza – Shangaan Woman", "Thula – Quiet" and more by Zinjma Hlungwani. 12 tracks in all.

The second compilation in the L'Anthologia series from Italy's Cramps label – following up the funky first anthology with an incredible set of rare punk, post punk and new wave from the late 70s Italian scene! We can't speak for the world on the subject of Italian punk and new wave scene(s) of the period, but to us, this set makes a great case for the need to dig deeper nto it. The sounds range from raucous punk rock at it's most feral and raw, to more electronics textured, to the javant azz & clubby influences that also ran through some of the No Wave era's finest. Truly cool stuff – we hope they do another one like this in the series! 21 tracks in all: "Io Sono Un Autonomo" by "Skiantos", "Mano Armata" by Decibel, "Nevadagaz" by Gaznevada, "Intoxication" by Rancid X, "Europe" by "NOIA", "SW Digestian" by The Stupid Set, "Desire Crazy Desire" by Mixo, "Basta Basta" by Kaos Rock, "UFO Dictatator" by Tampax, "Informations Of Death" by Neon.

The major label debut of Amuzement Park – almost more obscure than the indie set that preceded it, and kind of in a different mode altogether! There's still a boogie groove to most of the set, but the group are also funking things up a bit more – possibly following a Minneapolis influence, and bringing some new wave basslines and sharper-edged keyboards into the tunes. Tracks are catchy, and often a bit poppy – and titles include "Gotta Dance", "Music Makers", "This Love", "APB", "Didn't You Know", and "Squeeze Me".

A couple of lost proggy and surprisingly funky early 80s albums by keyboardist Tony Carey – his Explorer and Yellow Power LPs – together in cool 2LP gatefold set from Medical Records! Just a few years earlier, Carey was playing with Ritchie Blackmore in Rainbow – but the sound of this solo material is a world away! It carries a bit of a late era Euro disco vibe – mixed with some starker, more walloping sounds that are more indebted to new wave. It's got hypnotic keyboard grooves, compelling beats and cosmic atmosphere to spare – the kind that'll be welcome to connoisseurs of artists as varied as Giorgio Morodor, Alexander Robotnick, John Carpenter and Devo! Explorer is the slightly sparer record and Yellow Power is the more polished one -which features alternate versions of the majority of the Explorer songs and some completely different titles, too– and it ultimately serves as a more fleshed out version of the preceding LP. Both were recorded in 1982 at Hotline Studios in Frankfurt. Really cool, mostly instrumental grooves! Explorer includes "Enjaw J", "Transit To Nowhere", "Megawar", "Blue Fusion", "No. 8", "No. 14", "Rabbits" and more. The Yellow Power LP includes "Hai Samurai", "Tojo", "Queen Of Scots", "Blue Fusion", "Peking Duck", "Radio Tokyo", "Dynamite" and more.

Quirky Brazilian rock from the late 70s – a bit arty at times, and more straightforward at others – almost post-glam sliding into new wave, if we can bludgeon about so many terms so loosely! There's probably a fair bit of wit in the lyrics here – which we can't get due to our lack of Portuguese – and lead singer Billy Bond seems to be a fairly flamboyant and dynamic type, almost reminding us a bit of the more dramatic New York rockers in the pre punk years. Titles include "O Rape", "Sao Paulo By Day", "Mandrake", "Boeing 723897", "Golden Acapuldo", and "Aeroporto De Congonhas".

The final third of Jackie DeShannon's legendary run for Imperial Records in the 60s – a smashing batch of singles that really represent some great musical growth at the time! On these sides, Jackie's even more soulful than before – definitely taking inspiration from the generation of singers who were singing her songs – and from the growing wave of girl vocalists who were working with more soulful styles too – especially those from the Brill Building scene. The result is a great blend of New York uptown and LA sunshine – a superb batch of tunes that really sums up the unique place that Jackie DeShannon had in modern music. Many tunes are originals by Jackie – and the set also features great tunes penned by Jimmy Holiday and Bobby Womack too – titles that include "Changin My Mind", "I Keep Wanting You", "What Is This", "Nicole", "Nobody's Home To Go Home To", "You Keep Me Hangin On/Hurt So Bad", "Brighton Hill", "Christmas", "Keep Me In Mind", "Bird On The Wire", "What Was Your Day Like", "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "Always Together", and "Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown".

It's been many years since we've last heard from keyboardist Xaver Fischer – but it's been well worth the wait! Fischer's got a sweet way with a keyboard like that few others can match – and this set smokes like the best of the 70s – maybe even more so at times, given that the trio setting is a lot more stripped-down than most keyboards were using back in the day! All music is played live – with bass and drums alongside the keys – and that gives the whole thing a spontaneous, loose sort of energy that's quite different than other keyboard records of this nature. A few rhythms show a new love of 80s modes, but these are nicely placed amidst some earlier modes – and as before, there's a great mix of spacey and warm throughout. Titles include "Dumdidum", "Concerto For Square Wave", "The Day Before Tomorrow", "Surf N Turf", "Nemo's New Portable Organ", "Saws & Noises", and "The Last Blues".

A new wave crossover classic from The Flying Lizards – one of the quirkiest groups of their era! The group were European, but have a sound that resonates strongly with the most playful post-disco work of the New York scene of the time, particularly the acts on Ze Records – a groove that mixes equal part punky and clubby rhythms, often topped with lyrics that are cold, but clever, done in the same ironic arty style of Cristina, or Devo. This album's the group's standout opus – and features their classic covers of "Summertime Blues" and "Money" – as well as originals "The Flood", "TV", "The Window", and "Russia". CD also features "Money (single edit)".

5th volume in this set of production tools, featuring drums solo-ed up, all the way through, with tight rhythms for you to work with. This one's called the "Hard Rock" set, so ithe beats are pretty stripped down, but suprisingly the production doesn't make the drums pop like you might expect. Still there's some good tones and fills, and even a couple of funky tracks. Like the other volumes, this set has a spoken intro at the very beginning. 11 beats in all, including "Fast Punk Rock", "New Wave Shuffle", "High Energy British Rock", "Double Time Push Rock", "Louisiana Funk", "Southern Punch" and "Syncopated Hard Rock".

Two early 70s gems from The Impressions – back to back on a single CD! Preacher Man is heavy soul from the early 70s version of the group – put together with all the same depth as Curtis Mayfield's work of the time! This time around, Rich Tufo is at the helm on production and arrangements – but he continues to wave the Curtom flag high with some wonderfully put-together backings that mix swirling strings and heavy funk, all in support of some very message-oriented lyrics! Tufo also penned most of the tracks on the set, and has a great ear for bringing the new politics of the 70s into play with the sweeter soul harmonies of the group's earlier years – still carried strong by original group members Sam Gooden and Fred Cash. Titles include "Find The Way", "Preacher Man", "What It Is", "Simple Message", "Thin Line", and "Color Us All Gray (I'm Lost)". Finally Got Myself Together is a great little album by The Impressions – possibly their best of the 70s! The record's got a very solid harmony soul approach, and Lowrell Simon wrote and produced a number of tracks with Rich Tufo – giving the album the same sweet sexy sound that he brought to his best solo records, and his late work with The Lost Generation! The best example of this is the fantastic soul cut "We Go Back A Ways", a sweet mellow groover in the Leroy Hutson vein, and one of their standout cuts in the post-Curtis days. Ed Townsend worked on a number of other cuts, too, and he brings a real tightness to the songwriting – especially on the cuts "Guess What I Got", "Try Me (One More Time)", and "I'm A Changed Man".

Led Zeppelin's final album of the 70s! The band was conscious as ever of modern studio sounds by the this point – and they find a way to deliver their hard blues-inspired heavy rock with some new wave synth and other late 70s touches. It works pretty well, and with songs as great as "Fool In The Rain" and "All My Love" on the record, they really couldn't go wrong. Other titles include "In The Evening", "South Bound Suarez", "Carouselambra", and "I'm Gonna Crawl".

One of our favorite records ever from ESP – a set that's got even more soul and spirit than we usually hear from the label! The album's one of the first (and few) from saxophonist Frank Lowe as a leader – and it's a unique date that also features alto and soprano sax from Joseph Jarman, who's really blowing beautifully here away from the Art Ensemble of Chicago! The set's got a vibe that's almost like the shift towards the loft jazz years the New York scene took after the initial avant wave documented by ESP in the 60s – informed with some of the spiritualism of the post-Coltrane generation on Impulse Records. Other players include a young William Parker on bass, Joseph Jarman on soprano and alto, and The Wizard (aka Raymond Lee Cheng) on violin, and Rashid Sinan on drums. Side one's got a beautiful long track called "In Trane's Name", and side two has "Brother Joseph" and "Thulani".

A classic! Where would electronic pop be without Gary Numan's "Cars"? Alongside Kraftwerk's classic 80s albums and Yellow Magic Orchestra's first LP, this album by Gary Numan ranks as one of the most essential synth driven LPs. Brilliant pop numbers that awash with robotic tones that will forever vindicate 80s new wave. Includes "Airlane", "Metal", "Complex", "Films", "ME", "Tracks", "Observer", "Conversation", "Cars" and "Engineers".

Ray Parker steps out here with the other woman – with a groove that's somewhat different than his earlier sound with Raydio! There's a slightly sharper edge than before – almost a rockish influence in some of the instrumentation, which is a key factor in helping Parker's crossover in the 80s – one that had undeniable impact on the sound of other mainstream soul. At times, it's almost as if there's a slight hint of new wave inspiration in the rhythms and instrumentation – used very sparingly, but quite different than earlier Raydio funk and soul. Parker's vocals are more pronounced than before too – almost with a bite on the upbeat numbers – but warmly soulful on the mellower cuts, which we still like best. Titles include "Stay The Night", The Other Woman", "Street Love", "Let's Get Off", "Stop, Look Before You Leave", and "Let Me Go".

A full album of Canadian disco from the mighty Suzy Q – an album that follows nicely on her hit of the same name! The tunes here almost have a slightly new wave feel at times – still disco mostly, but with some angular touches that almost hint at the artier side of the clubs – but without the indulgences of New York. Titles include "Get On Up & Do It Again", "Get On Up", "With Your Love", "I Can't Give You More", and "Tonight".

The fun fun soundtrack to Rock 'N' Roll High School – that gloriously, knowingly trashy Roger Corman produced movie vehicle for the Ramones! Of course The Ramones are all over he soundtrack, but it's got a bunch of 70s new wave and hard rock from Devo, Eno, Nick Lowe, Todd Rundgren and more. Includes "Rock N Roll High School", "I Want You Around", a medley of "Blitzkrieg Bop", "Pinhead", "California Sun" and more by The Ramones, "Come Back Jonee" by Devo, "Energy Fools The Magician" by Eno, "So It Goes" by Nick Lowe, "School Days" by Chuck Berry, "School's Out" by Alice Cooper and more.

2 amazing albums from Elis Regina – back to back on a single CD! First up is Elis Como Et Porque – one of our favorite albums ever from the incredible Elis Regina – a record that really has her hitting new levels in her style – moving past simple bossa into a realm of music that's all her own! The backings are arranged by Roberto Menescal, who also moves into some great new territory here – a soaring, spacious mode that's way different than his gentler bossa – and which really has some of the growing complications that were showing up in Brazilian music at the end of the 60s. There's a fair bit of jazz in the mix, but also a fair bit of majesty too – and the tunes soar out with a much livelier feel than some of Regina's later albums. Titles include amazing renditions of "Canto De Osssanha", "O Barquinho", "Giro", "O Sonho", "Casa Forte", and "Vera Cruz" – plus a tasty version of Michel Legrand's "Recit De Cassard", from Umbrellas Of Cherbourg. On Elis Regina In London, Elis hits the London scene of the late 60s – with amazing results that make the album one of her best from the early years! The style here is still quite bossa-oriented, but backings are done by Peter Knight – who'd worked with Scott Walker and some of the other hip British singers at the time – so the sound's a bit different than Elis' Brazilian records, too. Knight's quite sensitive to Regina's way of interpreting a tune – and he nicely follows the soaring, jazzy vibe that Roberto Menescal had given her at home. But the groove's also a bit more open and fluid too – with some slight Brit Easy touches that Really send the whole album home! Titles include a great version of "Upa Neguinho", plus "O Barquinho", "Zazueira", "Giro", "A Volta", "Corrida De Jangada", "Watch What Happens", and "Wave".

The Rittor Music Japan Bible Of Extreme Metal – a discography book that covers brutal music in a beautiful way! The cover art is extremely metal – but the book actually covers more than just "extreme metal" – it spans the metal genre from it's origins to today – and in exhaustive detail! The text is mostly in Japanese, with the exception of the chapter titles, band names and album titles – but the appeal of the book is largely visual! It assembles the album cover art of key titles in a bunch of categories – including the precedent-setting early legends, the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, Thrash, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Grindcore, Gothic Metal, Hardcore and more. Paperback, 252 pages.

Roctober 32 Hip Hop Issue! Interviews with Jimmy Castor, Katey Red (the first out gay rap star), Busta Rhymes (interviewed by Nardwuar), Mystic, DJ Assault and more. Also, a lengthy critical reassessment of the Fat Boys, previously unpublished Funkadelic album art and an ultra-extensive compendium of Blacks in punk/New Wave/hardcore from 1976-1983. Plus The Biz, Snoop, 2 Live Crew. Rapperz N Da Movies and more.

New wave opera space elf Klaus Nomi (Bowie collaborator), remembered by friends and fans. The story of Sylvester ("Mighty Real", "Do Ya Wanna Funk"), with listeners guide, bibliography and amazing fotos. Esquerita centerfold. Chicago r&b eccentric Bo Dudley interviewed. Mayo "Red Crayola" Thompson talks at length. Shonen Knife interviewed. Acid jazz legends Pharaohs tell it like it is. Sammy Davis Jr. Chili mix reviewed by Mark Robinson. Plus: Eazy E, Fountains of Wayne, eight shining Shebrews, Ricky Wilson, Queen, Peter Allen, Liberace.

A great late 60s gem from pianist Horace Silver – and a great bridge between his earlier soul jazz for Blue Note, and some of his more righteous work to come in the 70s! At one level, the sound here steps off from classics like Serenade To A Soul Sister or The Jody Grind – but at another level, there's a more open approach to the music – one that has Horace sliding into new tones and colors, with a slightly lyrical undercurrent as well. As on some of his later dates, the mellower moments are often the most compelling – showing a newly mature side of Silver's talents, and a new love of space between the notes that really helps to break the mode of previous recordings! The group here features the great Bennie Maupin on tenor and flute, Randy Brecker on trumpet and flugelhorn, John Williams on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums – and titles include "Lovely's Daughter", "Risin Sun", "You Gotta Take A Little Love", "Down & Out", and "Brain Wave".

A beautiful, beautiful little record – as righteous and soulful as some of the best spiritual jazz classics of the 70s – and arguably even rarer, as it was only issued on a tiny label from Atlanta! Solar have a sound that uses 3 female lead vocalists in chorus formation – one that comes across with the righteousness of Roy Ayers' best use of such a style, but which is taken even further in a wave of soul jazz expression – in a mode that reminds us a lot of the work of Dee Dee Bridgewater or Jean Carn singing together on key early records by Norman Connors, Carlos Garnett, or Mtume! The vocals share equally with the instrumentation on the set – delivering a message that's rich and positive, but never cliched or hokey. Instrumentation includes flute, soprano sax, piano, and some great percussion – and playing is inside, but exploratory – definitely in a post-Coltrane vein. Titles include "Rejoice", "Vanity", "Living For The Most High", "Faith For My Mind", and "It's A New Day". Really great stuff – and right up there with the classics of spiritual soul jazz!

A beautiful, beautiful little record – as righteous and soulful as some of the best spiritual jazz classics of the 70s – and arguably even rarer, as it was only issued on a tiny label from Atlanta! Solar have a sound that uses 3 female lead vocalists in chorus formation – one that comes across with the righteousness of Roy Ayers' best use of such a style, but which is taken even further in a wave of soul jazz expression – in a mode that reminds us a lot of the work of Dee Dee Bridgewater or Jean Carn singing together on key early records by Norman Connors, Carlos Garnett, or Mtume! The vocals share equally with the instrumentation on the set – delivering a message that's rich and positive, but never cliched or hokey. Instrumentation includes flute, soprano sax, piano, and some great percussion – and playing is inside, but exploratory – definitely in a post-Coltrane vein. Titles include "Rejoice", "Vanity", "Living For The Most High", "Faith For My Mind", and "It's A New Day". Really great stuff – and right up there with the classics of spiritual soul jazz!

Amazing electronics from Laurie Spiegel – a set that's wonderfully on the cusp of analogue expression at the end of the 70s – tuneful, not noisy – rich in texture, yet never too dark – and warm, but never in a mellow sort of new age way! At some level, a record like this sits atop all the earlier experiments from Universities, electronic labs, European prog records, and other sources – and manages to draw all the best elements from them, and avoid any of the electronic pitfalls to come in an equally wide range of scenes. The balance here is perfect – and perfectly lovely at points – and titles include "Patchwork", "Pentachrome", "Old Wave", and "The Expanding Universe". This amazing 2CD set really expands past the original album – with 2 long CDs worth of music, and 15 previously unissued tracks!

A near-perfect album from the great John Surman – recorded at the crossroads of the British jazz scene as it stepped into the 70s, and done with a fullness and focus that Surman hardly matched again! As with some of the other Deram sessions of the time, the album's overflowing with great players from the cream of the British new wave of jazz – including Barre Phillips on bass, Tony Oxley on drums, Alan Skidmore on tenor, Harry Beckett on trumpet, and John Taylor on piano – but despite strong work from the entire ensemble, Surman's work on baritone, soprano, and bass clarinet are a tremendous highlight here – poised between some of Eric Dolphy's most inventive modes on the instruments, and some of the greater changes to come in the European free scene of the 70s! There's a cohesiveness here that's really wonderful – a sound that's never too free, nor too overindulgent – but also not as tightly arranged as on work by some of Surman's contemporaries. Titles include "Caractacus", "Galata Bridge", "Premonition", and the long suite "Event".

Way more than just a simple reissue – because there's so many tracks on here, it's more like spending a day in the vaults of Sirocco Records! The core material here comes from Voyage 3 – a soaring third set from Voyage, – and one with a bit of a post-disco groove, as you might guess from the new wave look of the cover! The tunes still step out with plenty of clubby rhythms and keyboards, but also bring the guitars up a bit more – and almost give them a sharp edge at times – seeming to go for a crossover style that really works well with the lyrics. But the best cuts, as before, are mostly instrumental – and have that soaring, spacey sound that really lives up to the "voyage" name – a cool Euro-disco groove that works perfectly, even when the vocals drop out. Titles include "I Love You Dancer", "I'm Only Human", "Do It Again", "I Don't Want To Fall In Love Again", and "All The Way". Yet there's way way more, as promised – including 7 more tracks from Special Instrumental No 3 – an all-instrumental version of the album that's almost even better. Then, you also get the Sylvia Mason album – a project with a soulful singer fronting the same production lineup of Marc Chantereau, Slim Pezin, Pierre Alain Dahan, and Roger Tokarz! Sylvia's vocals really bring in a lot more soul than usual for Voyage material – sounding great on cuts that include "Shadow In The Sun", "Hello Superduper Star", "You're Like A Silent Movie", "Afraid Of Love", and "We've Gotta Dance". CD also features lots of bonus tracks too – including "I Love You Dancer" in 12" and 7" mixes, "We've Gotta Dance" in 12" and 7" mix , "I Don't Want o Fall In Love Again (7" mix)", and "Discotch" in 12" and 7" mixes!

Mindblowing music from the legendary Scott Walker – a set that's even darker and more powerful than Drift – but which also shows a new sort of sensitivity as well! Walker's musical journey has been amazing – from teen idol to crooning poet to country singer, new wave experimentalist, and the incredibly artistic and reclusive talent of recent decades. Yet Bish Bosch is something completely new entirely – a record that bursts out with noise one minute, then shifts to sparely expressive passages the next – all in ways that kind of recapture the poetic charm of the initial Walker solo records, while wrapping it up with all the fiercely artistic energy of the later ones. There's a very abstract vibe to the record at points – not rock, never pop, and not even anything close to the vocalizations you'd hear from anyone except the most experimental or avant artists – yet somehow still in that amazingly deep tone that Walker could craft when singing for a mainstream audience. These contradictions, and many others, are what really make the record sparkle – and tracks include "See You Don't Bump His Head", "Corps De Blah", "Phrasing", "The Day The Conducator Died", "Tar", "Dimple", and "Epizootics".

Gina Watson and Alfred Beasley sport a very new wave look on the cover of this one – and the album, although mostly a soul set, certainly echoes with some of the crossover touches that worked big at the time – heavier guitars, a harder sound in the rhythms, and lyrics that are a bit colder than the usual soul set. A few tracks here bounce with a nice 80s groove – including the standout "Don't Let Your Chance Go Bye" – and other titles include "Breakaway", "Darlin I", "Body Free", "Helpless", and "What's On My Mind".

A crucial look at the Chicago scene in the 1980s – and the first collection to really get at the roots of that city's legendary house music scene! Although later labels – like Trax or DJ International – became known as global forces for dance music in the 80s, the big wave of new sounds from the Windy City was really started by a much smaller company – the tiny Mitchbal label, and related Chicago Connection Records! This wonderful package really does a great job of bringing the Mitchbal contribution to light – with lavish notes, almost Numero-style, that fully detail the way the label mixed unique strands on the scene – British imports, new wave rhythms, and a younger generation of soul musicians still looking for an outlet in the post-disco years. These forces, and more, all came together to make the mighty sound of Mitchbal – featured here in a collection of the label's rare singles, some unreleased tracks, and other essential bits. 3CD package features a full bonus mix CD, plus a whopping 24 tracks that include "Fantasy (inst)" by Z Factor, "Shake Your Body" by Jeanette Thomas, "When I Hear The Music" by Mitchbal & The Housemasters, "The House Is On Fire" by Dezz & Grant, "Do Dat Stuff (dance mix)" by Mitchbal & Larry Williams, "I Am Music (inst)" by Libra Libra, "That's The Beat" by Risque Rhythm Team, "Fast Cars" by Z Factor, "More Than Just A Dance (backyard mix)" by Rique Rhythm Team, "I Got Broke Breakdancing (inst)" by MC Ghee, and "I Can't Forget" by Mr Lee.

A crucial look at the Chicago scene in the 1980s – and the first collection to really get at the roots of that city's legendary house music scene! Although later labels – like Trax or DJ International – became known as global forces for dance music in the 80s, the big wave of new sounds from the Windy City was really started by a much smaller company – the tiny Mitchbal label, and related Chicago Connection Records! This wonderful package really does a great job of bringing the Mitchbal contribution to light – with lavish notes, almost Numero-style, that fully detail the way the label mixed unique strands on the scene – British imports, new wave rhythms, and a younger generation of soul musicians still looking for an outlet in the post-disco years. These forces, and more, all came together to make the mighty sound of Mitchbal – featured here in a collection of the label's rare singles, some unreleased tracks, and other essential bits. 2LP package features some of the best club cuts – 8 tracks that include "Fantasy (inst)" by Z Factor, "The Jackin Zone" by Risque Rhythm Team, "Fast Cars" by Z Factor, "I Got Broke Breakdancing (inst)" by MC Ghee, "Shake Your Body" by Jeanette Thomas, "I Am The DJ (jazzy mix)" by Z Factor, "Do Dat Stuff (dance mix)" by Mitchbal & Larry Williams, and "I Like It (club)" by Libra Libra.

They might well call this a Beginners Guide To Blue Note Jazz Funk – given that most of the tracks here are from the hip 70s run at Blue Note Records! The vibe is wonderful – funky and soulful, but definitely with jazz at the forefront – as older soloists were finding new ways to reach their audiences through electric grooves – and younger players were making a huge name for themselves through a very inventive approach to their work! The 3CD set is a hell of a deal for the money – with 33 tracks that include loads of Blue Note gems, plus some 70s Capitol funk and soul tracks too – titles that include "As" by Gene Harris, "Dominoes" by Donald Byrd, "The Genie" by Bobby Lyle, "Down The Way" by John Lee & Gerry Brown, "Chicago Damn" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Sassy Soul Strut" by Lou Donaldson, "Think Twice" by Donald Byrd, "Tidal Wave" by Ronnie Laws, "London Town" by Light Of The World, "Windy C" by 100% Pure Poison, "Daisy Mae" by Raul De Souza, "Movin" by Brass Construction, "Prance On" by Eddie Henderson, "Music Is My Sanctuary" by Gary Bartz, "Abdullah & Abraham" by Chico Hamilton, "Cheshire Cat" by Ronnie Foster, "Funky Sneakers" by Willie Bobo, "Sunshine" by Nancy Wilson, "People Make The World Go Round" by Bobby Hutcherson, and "Sky Islands" by Caldera.

A reimagined version of the legendary Yellow Pills compilation on Numero – 20 songs from the original compilation, plus two bonus tracks, new liner notes, and lots of cool sleeve scans, photos, and more! Forget everything you know about rock music in the late 70s – all the punk rock and new wave that's been immortalized over the years – and get ready to discover a whole new world of power pop! At the time, the power pop underground was as important to some ears as the artier and angrier work coming out of the east coast and UK – and the power pop world was one that could co-exist a bit more peacefully with mainstream rock, while still offering a great opportunity for bands on various local scenes. The work here has echoes of more famous acts of the time – like The Cars, The Kings, or The Knack – but it's also got a bit more of a home-grown, punk rock edge – one that comes through beautifully in the guitar parts, vocals, and unabashed hooks of the tunes. The set's a follow-up to the original Yellow Pills set by zine publisher Jordan Oakes – and it delves deeper than even that one, with a real focus on work from the end of the 70s, and acts that never had great chart success overall. Titles include "High School" by Tommy Rock, "She's Hi Fi" by The Trend, "There Goes My Heart Again" by The Kids, "Not My Girl Anymore" by The Bats, "All I Want" by The Colors, "Domestic/Imported" by The Toms, "Sunshine USA" by Randy Winburn, "One In A Million" by Luxury, "She's The Girl" by The Tweeds, "Rave It Up" by Colors, and "Hey Little Girl" by The Kids.

Hip hop, street soul, and lots lots more – a really revolutionary selection of music from the legendary Celluloid Records – a label that was virtually a genre unto itself! Celluloid was a key force tying together the New York downtown scene at the start of the 80s, and the postcolonial music world of Paris – and as a result, they always operated with a culture-crossing style that few other companies of the time managed to hit – merging together sounds in really unlikely ways, and often coming up with fresh new styles in the process! The label's known for crate-diggers for its hip hop releases – and to world music fans for its electric Africa work – but they also were on the forefront of New York No Wave, avant jazz, and post-punk – and somehow found a way to integrate both young new talents, and older experimentalists who still had plenty to offer. This package finally does Celluloid justice – and goes way past the few simplistic comps of the label's work over the years – training the skilled Strut ear to the whole thing, and also serving up the full story of the label in the process. Titles include "I'm The One" by Material, "Day Tripper" by Shockabilly, "Tele Apres La Meteo" by Fredinand, "Disco Rough (long version)" by Mathematiques Modernes, "Electrique Sylvie (full length version)" by Modern Guy, "Mean Machine Chant/Mean Machine" by Last Poets, "Abele Dance ('85 rmx)" by Manu Dibango, "Change The Beat (French & English)" by Fab 5 Freddy, "The Escapades Of Futura 2000" by Futura 2000 with The Clash, and "Downing Street Rock" by Winston Edwards & Blackbeard. 26 tracks in all!

Hip hop, street soul, and lots lots more – a really revolutionary selection of music from the legendary Celluloid Records – a label that was virtually a genre unto itself! Celluloid was a key force tying together the New York downtown scene at the start of the 80s, and the postcolonial music world of Paris – and as a result, they always operated with a culture-crossing style that few other companies of the time managed to hit – merging together sounds in really unlikely ways, and often coming up with fresh new styles in the process! The label's known for crate-diggers for its hip hop releases – and to world music fans for its electric Africa work – but they also were on the forefront of New York No Wave, avant jazz, and post-punk – and somehow found a way to integrate both young new talents, and older experimentalists who still had plenty to offer. This package finally does Celluloid justice – and goes way past the few simplistic comps of the label's work over the years – training the skilled Strut ear to the whole thing, and also serving up the full story of the label in the process. Titles include "I'm The One" by Material, "Day Tripper" by Shockabilly, "Tele Apres La Meteo" by Fredinand, "Disco Rough (long version)" by Mathematiques Modernes, "Electrique Sylvie (full length version)" by Modern Guy, "Mean Machine Chant/Mean Machine" by Last Poets, "Abele Dance ('85 rmx)" by Manu Dibango, "Change The Beat (French & English)" by Fab 5 Freddy, "The Escapades Of Futura 2000" by Futura 2000 with The Clash, and "Downing Street Rock" by Winston Edwards & Blackbeard.

Recent grooves, but often done with a richly classic feel – one that recalls the waning years of the Chicago Soul scene at the start of the 80s! The package is an effort from the re-activated Chi-Sound label – and it takes up where Carl Davis modern soul imprint left off – a smooth, mellow approach to contemporary R&B that's served up with plenty of class, and pointed directly at the new wave of dancefloor steppers in Chicago! Vocals here are by a variety of different singers, but there's a unified feel to most of the music – an approach that stays mostly in the mellower side of the spectrum, but still maintains a good sense of groove – one that comes from gently stepping beats, warm keyboard parts, and some slight jazzy touches to class things up a bit. Titles include "Soul" by Barry J, "Steppin All Over The World" by Gold Boy, "1st Fruit" by Stephen Dawson, "Steppin Into Darkness" by Paris, "Hang Time" by Kozii, "Better Step Up "by Theresa Davis, "High Steppin" by Sherry Scott, and "Time & Time Again" by Nicole Steel.

The brilliant follow up to the first Congotronics album – and a set that goes even deeper than the initial groundbreaking work by Konono! This album follows in a very similar spirit to Konono's Congotronics set – and like that one, focuses on musicians with a unique electro/acoustic approach to African rhythms! Groups on the set all hail from the Kinshasa scene, like Konono, they retro-fit older styles with homemade amplification – in a way that electrifies the grooves, but often with a sound that's highly distorted – creating great fuzzy tones and noises alongside the rhythms! Konono appear on one track in the set, but the real strength comes from these other groups working in a similar mode – as they bring new instruments, sounds, and modes of expression to the format – showing that the style is not just a happy accident, but a powerful new wave of music from the urban African scene! Titles include "Mulume" by Basokin, "Bosamba Ndeke" by Bolia We Ndenge, "Kiwembo" by Sobanza Mimanisa, "Wa Muluendu" by Masanka Sakayia & Kasai Allstars, "Soif Conjugale" by Kisanzi Congo, "La Laboureur" by Masanka Sakai, "Koyile/Nyeka Nyeka" by Kasai Allstars, and "TP Coleur Cafe" by Konono No 1.

The title definitely gets it right – as the set's filled with post-Motown gems from Detroit – a wealth of wonderful sounds from the Hot Wax/Invictus labels – almost all of it produced by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team! The music here represents the next evolution of Detroit soul in the years after the initial wave of Motown – music that still carries a lot of the spirit of before, and some of the style (given that HDH were working for the company) – but which also pushes things forward with a prouder, more righteous sound as well! The CD features a heady 23 tracks in all – with titles that include "Trapped In A Love" by Barrino Brothers, "Something New About You" by Silent Majority, "Let's Change The Subject" by Satisfaction Unlimited, "Tighten Him Up" by Eloise Laws, "Nothing Sweeter Than Love" by 100 Proof, "Only Time Will Tell" by General Johnson, "Deeper & Deeper" by Freda Payne, "Just As Long" by The 8th Day, "You've Made Me So Very Happy" by Honey Cone, "Two Can Be As Lonely As One" by Danny Woods, and "Bright City Lights" by Satisfaction Unlimited.

The music of the French New Wave – brought out beautifully in an overstuffed 3CD set! The late 50s shift in French cinema is arguably one of the most important film moments in the 20th century – and although the movies are best remembered for their directors, stars, and striking images – most of the films also had some pretty amazing music as well! In fact, we've always felt that the music was integral to the Nouvelle Vague – from famous jazz scores, to lovely lyrical passages, to bold orchestral arrangements that also ended up having a huge impact on wider European music as well. This package is the first we've ever seen to really dig deep into the New Wave – and it brings together 80 tracks from dozens of films – a really wide variety of music, provided by artists who include Michel Legrand, Georges Delerue, Paul Misraki, Pierre Jansen, Miles Davis, Maurice Jarre, Jean Constantin, Martial Solal, Michel Magne, Antoine Duhamel, Alain Romans, and others – from movies that include 400 Blows, Jules & Jim, Hiroshima Mon Amour, Les Bonnes Femmes, Une Femme Est Une Femme, Breathless, Weekend, Lola, Cleo De 5 A 7, Le Bonheur, Alphaville, and many others! Some films are represented by a few tracks, others by famous themes – and the package also features a booklet with notes in French and English too.

Totally great – an amazing collection of music from the Tamil Film Industry in India – also known as Kollywood in some circles, and home to sounds that are quite different from more familiar Bollywood modes! The styles here are great – often a lot more offbeat and less straight pop than you'd know from more familiar Indian soundtracks – still done with the mix of a playback singer and composer, but often set to weird rhythms that bring in some nice touches from the 80s – used in ways that are pretty great and groovy overall! There's less of the full-on dance numbers at some points – and with the use of electronics, we'd almost be tempted to call some of this stuff more arty or new wave-styled Indian film music at times – especially on the two very moogy numbers included. The package is great – with notes on the music, scene, and singers – and titles include "Vikram Vikram", "Passing Out Parade (part 1)", "Love Theme", "Raaja Rajathi", and "Chittu Kuruvi" by Illaiyaraaja; "Cola Cola Coca Cola" by Shankar Ganesh, and "Nallavan Nallavan" by Hamsalekha,

Excellent compilation of Disco Not Disco style new wave tracks, on the awesome Ze imprint, with a great meeting of downtown new wave and disco sensibilities. 6 tracks in all: material "Busting Out", Was (Not Was) "Wheel Me Out", Christina "Drive My Car", Gichy Dan "Cowboys & Gangsters", Don Armando's 2nd Ave Rumba Band "Deputy Of Love" and Coati Mundi "Que Pasa/Me No Pop I".

Amazing stuff from No Wave legends DNA – 32 tracks from long out of print singles, EPs and live recordings – many on CD for the first time ever! DNA was one of the most uproarious acts in that increasingly legendary NYC scene – featuring Arto Lindsay's scratchy guitar and haggard banshee wail of a lead vocal presence, those primitive Bowery funk keyboards by Robin Krutchfield, and thumping, metronomic bass and drums by Tim Wright and Ikue Mori. The band's songs rarely marched past the 2 1/2 minute mark or so, getting in-and-out for a quick catharsis. These tracks trace the range of the under-recorded group perfectly, from the raw punk squall of the early singles to the funkier, sinister post disco sound later on. Amazing, awe inspiring stuff from a scene that keeps on belching greatness! Great notes and photos, here too! Includes "You & You", "Egomaniac's Kiss", "Not Moving", "Size", "New Fast", "New New", "Young Teenagers Talk Sex", "Police Chase", "Cop Buys A Donut", "Nearing", "Low", "Brand New", "Horse", "Forgery", "A New Low" and tons more!

Amazing stuff from No Wave legends DNA – a vinyl set that features material that wasn't on the CD collection of the same name! DNA was one of the most uproarious acts in that increasingly legendary NYC scene – featuring Arto Lindsay's scratchy guitar and haggard banshee wail of a lead vocal presence, those primitive Bowery funk keyboards by Robin Krutchfield, and thumping, metronomic bass and drums by Tim Wright and Ikue Mori. The band's songs rarely marched past the 2 1/2 minute mark or so, getting in-and-out for a quick catharsis. These tracks trace the range of the under-recorded group perfectly, from the raw punk squall of the early singles to the funkier, sinister post disco sound later on. Amazing, awe inspiring stuff from a scene that keeps on belching greatness! Great notes and photos, here too! Includes "You & You", "Egomaniac's Kiss", "Not Moving", "Size", "New Fast", "New New", "Young Teenagers Talk Sex", "Police Chase", "Cop Buys A Donut", "Nearing", "Low", "Brand New", "Horse", "Forgery", "A New Low" and tons more! 37 tracks in all – with vinyl-exclusive tunes "Pompeii", "Shrinking Thing", "Drinking Water", and 2 live titles from CBGBs.

One of our favorite Walter Wanderley albums ever – and a record that moves past the more familiar bossa trio style used on his hits for Verve, into groovier new territory with added players who include Dom Um Romao on drums and Marcos Valle on guitar! And not only is the lineup expanded, but the styles are too – as Wanderley moves away from the straighter bossa and samba jazz of his roots, into the world of more unusual, more complicated rhythms that were showing up in the Brazilian scene at the end of the 60s. Marcos Valle's contribution is felt strongly here – as the album includes a fantastic instrumental take on his classic "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" (aka "Os Grilos") – plus other Valle compositions that include "Ainda Mais Lindo", "Batucada", and "E Preciso Cantar". Other tracks include "Wave", "So What's New", and "O Barquinho".

One of the greatest Art Blakey albums from the days when the Jazz Messengers lineup included Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, and Bobby Timmons! The whole set's a perfect example of the blend of lyricism and fire that Blakey and this group could craft – from the magical poetry of their interpretation of "Like Someone In Love", to the wealth of original tunes like "Noise In The Attic", "Giantis", "Johnny's Blue", and "Sleeping Dancer Sleep On" – all of which went onto be the blueprint for the sound of the second wave of hardbop at Blue Note! Pure magic – and one of the greats!

A bassy bassy classic from Tyrone Brunson – a heck of a great player on many other folks' albums at the time – and a darn compelling leader on his own! The set crackles with all the street soul vibe you might expect from the cover – breaking bits mixed with electro elements – yet also often given some jazzier warmth, too – in ways that really set the record apart from some of the similar work of the time – a tightness, and top shelf-ness that really holds together strongly over the course of the set. In addition to heavy work on bass, Brunson also sings a bit – and gets background help from vocalists Veronica Martin and Ethel Beatty. Titles include the classic "The Smurf", plus "Sticky Situation", "I Need Love", "Go For It", "Don't You Want It", "Hot Line", and "New Wave Disco Punk Funk Rock". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "The Smurf (single version)", "I Need Love (single version)", "Sticky Situation (inst)", "Hot Line (7" inst)", "Hot Line (single version)", "Hot Line (12" inst)", and "Sticky Situation (single version)".

Heavy electro work from Suzanne Ciani – an artist who peaked a bit later than some of her sound library contemporaries – which means she was able to contribute music experimental films, record productions, and video games – and not just the usual mainstream outlets! Ciani's electronics here are a great mix of modes – both analogue and digital – and her sounds often have a darkness that's really compelling, especially when you consider the ways some of them were used in areas that reached some larger audiences – really cool little spooky bits that underscore the more potent ways that electronic sounds were often used in the 70s generation. The music is light years beyond the playfulness of Perry & Kingsley – and has none of the softness of Ciani's later new age sides – a great revelation that will hopefully get her the recognition she deserves. Titles include "Atari Video Games Logo", "Princess With Orange Feet", "Paris 1971", "Live Buchla Concert 1975", "Sound Of Wetness", "Eighth Wave", "Liberator Atari TV Spot", "Pop & Pour Coca Cola Logo", and "Lixiviation".

It's been many years since we've last heard from keyboardist Xaver Fischer – but it's been well worth the wait! Fischer's got a sweet way with a keyboard like that few others can match – and this set smokes like the best of the 70s – maybe even more so at times, given that the trio setting is a lot more stripped-down than most keyboards were using back in the day! All music is played live – with bass and drums alongside the keys – and that gives the whole thing a spontaneous, loose sort of energy that's quite different than other keyboard records of this nature. A few rhythms show a new love of 80s modes, but these are nicely placed amidst some earlier modes – and as before, there's a great mix of spacey and warm throughout. Titles include "Dumdidum", "Concerto For Square Wave", "The Day Before Tomorrow", "Surf N Turf", "Nemo's New Portable Organ", "Saws & Noises", and "The Last Blues".

Pre-electric Jamal, but with the spiralling spiritual lyricism that he would later bring to his Fender Rhodes recordings. Tracks are very open-ended – a continuing growth of the lyrical exploration he first forged in the late 50s, expanding out to embrace the new freedom of the 70s, but still with a beautifully soulful swing. The album's recorded with Jamil Nasser and Frank Gant, and the tracks are long and loping, with very sensitive keyboard work by Ahmad – and titles include "The Awakening", "I Love Music", "Patterns", "Wave", and "Dolphin Dance".

Groundbreaking work from the legendary Ahmad Jamal – not just in his own career, but in live jazz in general! The album's a classic recording of Jamal's trio with Israel Crosby on bass and Vernell Fournier on drums – captured at the Pershing Lounge on the south side of Chicago, where Jamal was clearly wowing the crowd with his amazing talents on the piano. The groove here is sublimely fluid and soulful – clearly the next wave of expression on the piano in the 50s, and as important to the Chicago scene as Bill Evans was to that of New York at the time. The recording quality is wonderful – clear enough to capture the subtleties of Crosby's amazing bass, and the lightly tippling sound of Fournier's drums – and titles include a classic extended reading of "Poinciana", plus "What's New", "But Not For Me", and "No Greater Love".

An overlooked bit of crossover funk from Chas Jankel – best known both as the musical force of Ian Dury & The Blockheads during the late 70s, and as the composer of "Ai No Corrida", which was covered more famously by Quincy Jones! This set's got a surprisingly great feel that's ripe for new discovery – a tightening up of the kinds of tunes that Jankel was doing with Dury (who still contributes lyrics but not vocals here), and a warmly gliding style that's halfway between the New York Ze Records mode of the time, and some of the growing wave of British imports. Titles include the great club track "Glad To Know You", plus "3,000,000 Synths", "Questionnaire", "109", "Now You're Dancing", "Boy", and "Magic Of Music".

A real standout from Ray Davies and crew – heavy-hitting here with guitars that seem a bit more amped up than usual, and a slight post-punkish groove that's almost a reinvention of the group's sound for an 80s new wave market! The album's a surprisingly hard rocker in parts, and has a darkness that's a nice change from some of the late 70s Kinks material – but also shows Ray still able to come up with some more tender numbers in just the right spots. Tracks include "Add It Up", "Destroyer", "Yo Yo", "Art Lover", "Better Things", "Killer's Eyes", "Around The Dial", and "Give The People What They Want".

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)".

From the heady days when punk, funk, disco and new wave were all mixing it up. Not a world changing single, but one that works nicely in a retro dico-not-disco/Danceteria kind of a set.

Led Zeppelin's final album of the 70s! The band was conscious as ever of modern studio sounds by the this point – and they find a way to deliver their hard blues-inspired heavy rock with some new wave synth and other late 70s touches. It works pretty well, and with songs as great as "Fool In The Rain" and "All My Love" on the record, they really couldn't go wrong. Other titles include "In The Evening", "South Bound Suarez", "Carouselambra", and "I'm Gonna Crawl".

An excellent jazz soundtrack from Piero Piccioni – captured at a great early point in his film career, when he was still mixing in lots of elements from his work in jazz as well! The style here echoes some of the French jazz soundtracks of the new wave – and the tunes often sport breakout solos with plenty of fire – tenor, trumpet, and lots of piano – the latter of which has an especially great feel on some of the more mellow, moody tunes. Rhythms are great too – sometimes slow and loose, sometimes more vibrant and boppish – and together, the tunes work together to offer up a vibrant version of the movie that's almost as striking as the images on the screen! CD features a total of 26 tracks in all – over 70 minutes of music, including a number of unreleased tracks.

Here begins the period that Prince went from a fascinating, genre defying hitmaker to an unstoppable cultural force – bringing a bit of a new wave pop punch to the funky synth soul – and somehow crafting some of the most irresistible singles of the 80s! We can't imagine anyone being able to convince us that 2 better singles than "Little Red Corvette" and "1999" came out of the 80s, and both of those are on here – enough said. Titles include "Let's Pretend We're Married", "Lady Cab Driver", "All The Critics Love U In New York", "International Lover", "DMSR", and "Delirious".

The second great set from The Specials – music once billed as "revival ska" – but which has arguably gone onto have a bigger impact than the first wave of the genre! There's a rough edged quality to the music that's totally great – a rude boy aesthetic filtered through the post-punk generation – perfect for the spare, earthy Two Tone production – and just right for a post-colonial London, looking for new ways to express itself! The studio work is as great as the core grooves from the band – lots of odd echoes and cool effects – kind of a Brit take on Kingston dub, served up beautifully to abstract the tunes. So many others ruined this approach in later years with weaker work – but here's a chance to hear it perfectly in an original conception! Titles include "International Jet Set", "Enjoy Yourself", "Stereotypes", "Holiday Fortnight", and "I Can't Stand It".

A vision of the future of avant garde jazz – recorded in 1966, and one of the most groundbreaking titles on the legendary ESP label! Saxophonist Marzette Watts is a player who hardly ever gets his due – but was part of the key new wave of younger players on the east coast scene of the 60s – fitting well in a lineage of Albert Ayler, Archie Shepp, and other important forces in avant jazz at the time. This album's one of the few he ever recorded – along with an important session for Savoy – and is mindblowing right from the start – a fresh blend of new thing ideas with the freer, looser modes of the ESP scene – handled perfectly by a well-chosen group that features Byard Lancaster on alto and flute, Clifford Thornton on trombone and cornet, Sonny Sharrock on guitar, Karl Berger on vibes, Juni Booth and Henry Grimes on bass, and JC Moses on drums. Watts plays tenor, soprano, and bass clarinet – and titles include "Backdrop For Urban Revolution", "Ia", and "Geno".

David Bowie back in costume at the end of the 70s – but informed enough from his Berlin trilogy that he's coming at things quite differently here! The album's a great summation of the sounds on Low, Heroes, and Lodger – taken almost back to some Ziggy Stardust and Space Oddity territory, but in ways that are a bit leaner, and more focused. Even more impressive, though, is the near-complete absence of other 1980 elements in the set – hardly any influences from punk or new wave, no post-disco dancefloor elements – just deeply unique Bowie all the way through, and proof that he could always find his own space in music when he wanted! Titles include "Up The Hill Backwards", "Teenage Wildlife", "Scream Like A Baby", "Because You're Young", "Scary Monsters", "Ashes to Ashes", "Fashion", and "Kingdom Come".

Although Jerry Butler got his start singing some of Curtis Mayfield's early work, the geniuses at Vee Jay had the sharp idea of shopping for a few songs in New York, and they managed to come up with these two gems, both of which are classics from Jerry's second wave of hits! Believe it or not, "Moon River" was the first pop version ever recorded (according to Mancini himself), and it's delivered here perfectly with fab Riley Hampton arrangements.

Rare soundtrack work from Parisian guitarist Henri Crolla – best known as a straight jazz artist, but sounding plenty darn great here in a cinematic setting! The CD brings together 3 soundtrack sessions from Crolla – two shorter dates that feature orchestrations by Hubert Rostaing, and one longer set with especially great charts from Andre Hodier! First up is Cette Sacre Gamine from 1955, a quartet of tracks that have Crolla's guitar alongside Rostaing's clarinet – cutting warmly graceful lines on tracks that include "Boidi Boidi Boidi Boi", "Jardin Dans La Nuit", "Des Filles Sensass", and "Dans Ma Tete". Next are four more tracks from Une Parisienne, recorded in 1957 – again with Rostaing, who plays alto sax here, in a larger, jazzier group that also include Martial Solal on piano and Roger Guerin on trumpet, as well as some great scat vocals from Christine Legrand on one number! Legrand sings on the dynamic "Paris BB", and other titles include "Valse Du Roi", "Duo Du Balcon", and "La Parisienne". Last up is the full score for Saint Tropez Blues – co-written by Crolla and Andre Hodier, and featuring an array of players that includes George Arvanitas and Maurice Vander on piano, Michel De Villers on baritone sax, Raymond Guiot on flute, Nat Peck on trombone, Roger Guerin on trumpet, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Jean-Pierre Drouet on vibes. Crolla's guitar isn't nearly as prominent as on some of the other tunes, but the soundtrack is still a great one – and some of the best numbers have the vibrant jazzy feel of some of the better-known scores from the French New Wave. Titles include "Piano Mechanique", "Pot Pourri", "La Ponche", "Petit Mambo", "Blues Pour Flute", "Mambo", "Barbecue 1", "Paris Saint Tropez", and "Tumbleweed" – which features vocals by Marie Laforet.

A sweet overview of work from the second stretch of the career of Gilberto Gil – and a set that's worth it alone for two of the five albums in the package! The set begins with Refazenda and Refavela – both fantastically funky albums that have Gilberto Gil hitting a soulful style that's very different than before – a mode that's more Jorge Ben than any of Gil's previous work – yet still with some of the sharper, more creative edges that always made him one of the leading lights of 70s MPB! Realce manages to capture a lot of the warmth and imagination of Gil's earlier work. The production's a little smooth in parts, but Gil's beautiful voice and guitar playing are still right out front, especially in some of the more stripped-down tracks. Raca Humana is pretty compelling stuff – almost a new wave album of sorts, recorded with lots of tight guitar work by producer Liminha, and plenty of catchy tunes that sparkle like some lost gems from early 80s radio. And Kayangandaya is a real surprise – an album of reggae tracks, mostly by Bob Marley, recorded in Kingston at the Tuff Gong Studios, with help from the Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt, Sly & Robbie, and others. The record's actually pretty nice – a good blend of the dub-heavy sounds of Jamaica, with some of the rougher soul stylings that Gil was crafting in earlier years – a combination that shouldn't work, but which does nicely.

The glorious return of Os Mutantes – a recent live performance that marks the group's first new album in many many years! The show was recorded before a very enthusiastic audience in London – at a time when the city was in the throes of a recent new wave of interest in Tropicalia – clearly the inspiration for the group's performance here, which is heavy on work from their best years! The lineup features Zelia Duncan in place of Rita Lee on vocals – alongside founders Arnaldo Baptista and Sergio Dias – and the overall sound is pretty great, with some very focused and full-on guitar work throughout. Titles include "Don Quixote", "Ave Gengis Khan", "Tecnicolor", "Virgina", "Cantor De Mambo", "Baby", "El Justiciero", "Balada Do Louco", and "Ave Lucifer".

Landmark work from the Finnish scene of the 60s – one of those ultra-rare European jazz records that collectors have dug for decades! The set's got a stark, modern sort of feel – but also a nice soulful swing, too – a balance that few of the other Scandinavians hit so well at the time – as they were either hanging between farther-out progressions, or more inside, tightly arranged jazz! Drummer Christian Schwindt's vision here is exceptional – full of rich feeling, deep tone, and careful construction of the tunes – with a sensibility that almost reminds us of Ted Curson and Bill Barron working together – in ways that we'd state from the comments above. (And we've also been told that he's had some great help on conceiving the record from trumpeter Otto Donner – whose playing here is great too!) The whole thing has a quality that you'd find in a rare few albums – maybe some of the best French new wave soundtracks, an early solo Booker Ervin record, or a few other treasures in your collection. Players include Heikki Sarmanto on piano, Otto Donner on trumpet, Erik Danholm on tenor and alto, and Tapani Tamminen on bass – on titles that include "D Day", "My Next & Only Love", "Helsinki At Noon", "Miniature", and "Claudine". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Karibaldi", "Nepa", and "Sexus".

The second great set from The Specials – music once billed as "revival ska" – but which has arguably gone onto have a bigger impact than the first wave of the genre! There's a rough edged quality to the music that's totally great – a rude boy aesthetic filtered through the post-punk generation – perfect for the spare, earthy Two Tone production – and just right for a post-colonial London, looking for new ways to express itself! The studio work is as great as the core grooves from the band – lots of odd echoes and cool effects – kind of a Brit take on Kingston dub, served up beautifully to abstract the tunes. So many others ruined this approach in later years with weaker work – but here's a chance to hear it perfectly in an original conception! Titles include "International Jet Set", "Enjoy Yourself", "Stereotypes", "Holiday Fortnight", and "I Can't Stand It".

A wonderful collection of some very cool jazz recordings – all of them made for French films of the New Wave era, and rarely, if ever, reissued! The package is the 4th in this excellent Jazz & Cinema series within the larger Jazz In Paris line – and it's actually the rarest of the bunch, with work that we'd never heard before on CD. Most tunes were originally issued only as singles or short 7" eps – a common format for French soundtracks, and the reason that many of them were rarely issued as albums – and although the sources are different, there's a really unified feel to the material. Titles include "Touchez Pas Au Grisbi" and "Grisbi Blues" by Jean Wetzel, from the film Touchez Pas Au Grisbi; "No Hay Dinero Caballo", "Va Ya Pa'Ti", and "L'Espionnage" by Gonzalo Fernandez & Martial Solal, from the film Les Ennemis; "Sentimental Slow" by Martial Solal from the film Le Proces; "Cora", "Patricia", and "Amanda" by Alain Gourager from the film Le Piege; and "Generique", "Le Ciel C'Est Toi", and "Cha Cha De Cullera" by Michel De Villers from the film Le Saint Mene La Danse.

Heavy electro work from Suzanne Ciani – an artist who peaked a bit later than some of her sound library contemporaries – which means she was able to contribute music experimental films, record productions, and video games – and not just the usual mainstream outlets! Ciani's electronics here are a great mix of modes – both analogue and digital – and her sounds often have a darkness that's really compelling, especially when you consider the ways some of them were used in areas that reached some larger audiences – really cool little spooky bits that underscore the more potent ways that electronic sounds were often used in the 70s generation. The music is light years beyond the playfulness of Perry & Kingsley – and has none of the softness of Ciani's later new age sides – a great revelation that will hopefully get her the recognition she deserves. Titles include "Atari Video Games Logo", "Princess With Orange Feet", "Paris 1971", "Live Buchla Concert 1975", "Sound Of Wetness", "Eighth Wave", "Liberator Atari TV Spot", "Pop & Pour Coca Cola Logo", and "Lixiviation".

The icy cool second album from German avant electronics gurus Der Plan – a great batch of raw electro pop from the nascent new wave of the German scene! Some of the darker touches of the earlier album give way to some quirkier grooves here – with tunes that largely carry a skewed pop sensibility – but done with a spare, kind of haunting sound! Great stuff with some early use of samples and many other touches that pave the way for myriad pop experimentalists to come. Titles include "Lebdoch", "Renate", "Meine Freunde", "Ich Bin Eien Computer", "Robot Bolero", "Eenerale Essen Erdbeereis", "Kleine Schlager-Revue", "Sie Hat Mich Verlassen", "Pausen-Sassa" and many more from the original release – plus a healthy bunch of bonus tracks – "Wat's Dat?", "Rot Grun Tod", "8 1/2 B", "Film Noir 1979" and more.

Recent grooves, but often done with a richly classic feel – one that recalls the waning years of the Chicago Soul scene at the start of the 80s! The package is an effort from the re-activated Chi-Sound label – and it takes up where Carl Davis modern soul imprint left off – a smooth, mellow approach to contemporary R&B that's served up with plenty of class, and pointed directly at the new wave of dancefloor steppers in Chicago! Vocals here are by a variety of different singers, but there's a unified feel to most of the music – an approach that stays mostly in the mellower side of the spectrum, but still maintains a good sense of groove – one that comes from gently stepping beats, warm keyboard parts, and some slight jazzy touches to class things up a bit. Titles include "Soul" by Barry J, "Steppin All Over The World" by Gold Boy, "1st Fruit" by Stephen Dawson, "Steppin Into Darkness" by Paris, "Hang Time" by Kozii, "Better Step Up "by Theresa Davis, "High Steppin" by Sherry Scott, and "Time & Time Again" by Nicole Steel. DVD is an older instructional DVD on stepping – with the original 8 count instructional video from 1999, plus more!

A dark little soundtrack that we'd pitch right up there with The Wicker Man or Rosemary's Baby – and one with a sound that's somewhere in between those two classics! The work was penned for an obscure early 70s film in the Czech new wave – and features music that's sometimes a bit folksy, sometimes a bit spiritualist – served up in a blend of light orchestrations, occasional choral passages, and eerie isolated instruments that include flute, harpsichord, organ, and bells! There's a darkly brooding quality that really reminds us of Komeda's last great moments for Polanski – but the overall sound is a bit freer, and more illustrative as well – little snippets of poetry in sound, created with a feel that's as evocative as the images they were designed to accompany. CD features 23 tracks in all – titles that include "The Magic Yard", "Talk With Grandmother", "The Letter", "The Sermon", "Sacrifice", "Questions & Answers", "Homeless", "Puppets", "In Flames", "Brother & Sister", "Forgiveness", and "And The Last".

Komeda soundtrack work from the early 60s – his legendary score for Roman Polanski's Knife In Water – plus a bit of his work from the earlier Innocent Sorcerers and other jazzy material from the period! Knife In The Water Is a wonderful score that echoes with the modern tones and phrasing first explored in French cinema during the new wave! Komeda plays piano, and there's wonderful saxophone lines on nearly every track in the score – stretching out with stark edges and bold colors, and sounding a bit like Barney Wilen on some of his best soundtrack work! Titles on this version are "Ballad For Bernt", "Crazy Girl", "Typish Jazz", "Cherry" and "Roman Two". This CD on El also pulls together some similarly jazzy Komeda work from the film Innocent Sorcerers, some Warsaw festival recordings and other bits. 18 tracks in all – with titles including "Niewinni Czarodzieje" (in three parts), "Get Out Of Town", "Stella By Starlight", "For Heaven's Sake", "Three Little Words" and more.

Mindblowing music from the legendary Scott Walker – a set that's even darker and more powerful than Drift – but which also shows a new sort of sensitivity as well! Walker's musical journey has been amazing – from teen idol to crooning poet to country singer, new wave experimentalist, and the incredibly artistic and reclusive talent of recent decades. Yet Bish Bosch is something completely new entirely – a record that bursts out with noise one minute, then shifts to sparely expressive passages the next – all in ways that kind of recapture the poetic charm of the initial Walker solo records, while wrapping it up with all the fiercely artistic energy of the later ones. There's a very abstract vibe to the record at points – not rock, never pop, and not even anything close to the vocalizations you'd hear from anyone except the most experimental or avant artists – yet somehow still in that amazingly deep tone that Walker could craft when singing for a mainstream audience. These contradictions, and many others, are what really make the record sparkle – and tracks include "See You Don't Bump His Head", "Corps De Blah", "Phrasing", "The Day The Conducator Died", "Tar", "Dimple", and "Epizootics".

Amazing electro from the early 80s – a host of rare and wonderful tracks that even surpasses the greatness of the first Minimal Wave Tapes compilation! The set's awash in great keyboards, spare drum parts, and brooding basslines – all with a spare, stark quality that recalls the best moments of the Sheffield and Manchester scenes – with a dose of Italian Cosmic and German new wave thrown in as well! Most of the tunes here are totally new to us – and that's saying a lot, because back in the day, we were heavily into sounds like this – which means our hat's off to compilers Peanut Butter Wolf and Veronica Vasicka for doing such a great job with the collection – unearthing this secret history of electronica that bubbled in the global underground of the post-punk, post-disco years. Tracks include "Fire" by Ruins, "Cinnamon Air" by Antonym, "HSTA" by Das Ding, "What Happened To You" by Subject, "The Drum" by Ohama, "The Sleep Room" by Geneva Jacuzzi, "Japan Japan" by Felix Kubin, "Out Of Line" by Class Info, and "Dirty" by Hard Corps.

A musical document of an amazing moment in the New York scene – the late 80s/early 90s wave of vogue balls – which were almost a collision of club culture with high fashion! There was a particularly rich gender-bending element to the vogue scene – and the music that accompanied it was a key part of that activity – tracks that had already risen to fame in crossover clubs from previous years, taken to new heights by DJs who provided music along with the voguing activity – in a great array of grooves from the disco years through early house music, brought together in ways that made 80s musical evolution make a heck of a lot of sense! The compilation album is a companion to the excellent book of the same name – also by Soul Jazz – and this 3CD version features tracks that include "Moment Of My Life" by Inner Life, "The Ha Dance (Ken/Lou mixx)" by Masters At Work, "Just Like A Queen (share the throne mix)" by Ellis D, "Is It All Over My Face" by Loose Joints, "Body Drill" by 2 Body's, "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross, "The Witch Doctor (dark ages mix)" by Armand Van Helden, "Break 4 Love (Spanish fly mix)" by Raze, "Din Daa Daa" by George Kranz, "X (Sound Factory mix)" by Junior Vazquez, "Love Is The Message (Tom Moulton mix)" by MFSB, "Cunty (party mix)" by Rageous Projecting Keven Aviance, "Love Thang" by First Choice, "This Brutal House" by Nitro Deluxe, "Ooh I Love It (Love Break)" by Salsoul Orchestra, and "Deep In Vogue (Banjie Realness mix)" by Malcolm McLaren. Also includes a limited bonus mix CD by Junior Vazquez – and a booklet and cool set of postcards!

An incredible package – and one that features three of the most important records ever cut by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago! All three albums were recorded at the Saravah Studios in the summer of 1969 – during a time when the Art Ensemble of Chicago were making big waves on the Parisian scene (including their work in the film Les Stances A Sophie) – and finding a way to refine their new Chicago sound in the world away from the Windy City! These were the albums that really put the Art Ensemble on the map – letting them find new freedoms, and reach new heights in expression – in a mode that even surpassed previous recordings by individual members back home. The lineup is very heavy on reeds – with a variety played by Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman – and features bold trumpet from Lester Bowie, warm basslines from Malachi Favors, and a range of percussion and other instruments by all members of the group! The set comes in a nice book-like cover, with a booklet inside – and titles include "Reese & The Smooth Ones (parts 1 & 2)", "Rock Out", "Brain For The Seine", "Dexterity", "Jackson In Your House", "The Waltz", and "Song For Charles".

Perhaps the most heavenly of all the Chi-Lites albums, with soaring harmonies leaping all over beautiful Chicago soul production, and loads of great heartbreaking stories unfolding as the whole thing spins away! A true masterpiece from the Chicago scene – and filled with loads of wonderful moments that almost seem to be the group's answer to some of the growing wave of harmony soul coming from the east coast at the time. Includes the excellent title track, plus "Just Two Teenage Kids", "Too Late To Turn Back Now", "Someone Else's Arms", "You Smiled The Same Old Way", "My Heart Just Keeps On Breakin'", and "Love Comes In All Sizes". Nice cover, too, with a skyline shot of Chicago around the same time that Bob Newhart was working there as a shrink!

Don't pass this one up! Although lots of other albums by Eddie Lockjaw Davis are laidback quartet and quintet sessions, done in a soul jazz organ/tenor mode – this session features Eddie working with stunning bigger band backings, in a searingly soulful sound that's simply incredible! The leadoff track, "Trane Whistle", has Lockjaw really working new waves of sound into his tenor sax – screaming the horn in a way that you thought you'd never hear, and playing with tones that are a lot darker than usual! The set moves on from there in a nice batch of material that includes "Whole Nelson" and "Stolen Moments", two fantastic originals by Oliver Nelson, who also arranged the album – and takes a great deal of responsibility for the strength of the set. The record shows a whole new side of Davis' talents – one that was barely if ever recorded like this again – and which is made even better by the presence of freshly modern players that include Eric Dolphy, Richard Williams, Melba Liston, and Roy Haynes. Great stuff!

More amazing work from the legendary Bob Downes – the British reedman/arranger/composer who's getting really rediscovered these days – represented here in a host of previously unissued tracks! Bob put together the package from his vaults, and we've got to say that the music here is every bit as wonderful as anything Downes released back in the day – and is perhaps overall maybe even more striking, as most of it is played by a trio that features Bob on flutes, tenor, alto, and soprano saxes, with Barry Guy on bass and Denis Smith on drums! There's a great groove on many numbers – kind of a modal, soulful bounce that really has us appreciating Guy's bass work from a whole new direction – especially since we've mostly known him as a more avant player. And Downes is as creatively as compelling as ever – even playing "simultaneous saxes" at one point in the record! Titles include "Seashore", "West Eleven", "Walkin Runnin Man", "Funky Groove (parts 1 & 2)", "Brasilian Beauty", and "Wavelength".

The best yet from Flying Lotus – who we keep allowing ourselves to believe has hit an insurmountable peak with each new record – but he just keeps getting better! Where the preceding Cosmogramma upped the stranger, spacier and more abstract textures, Until The Quiet Comes is a bit more inviting – and to his credit, Flying Lotus keeps things as innovative as ever, while still giving this one just a bit more immediately appealing atmosphere. There's nearly always a compelling beat, whether it's abstract boom bap or bubbly and synthy, with heavy bass and thick waves of sound floating over. An incredible roster of guests contribute, too – including string-arranger Miguel Atwood Ferguson, vocalists Erykah Badu, Laura Darlington and Radiohead's Thom Yorke, keyboardist Dorian Concept, and others – but there's little doubt that this is purely the Flying Lotus show. Greatness! Titles include "All In", "Sultan's Request", "See Thru To U" with Erykah Badu, "DMT Song" with Thundercat, "The Nightcaller", "Only If You Wanna", "Electric Candyman" with Thom Yorke, "Hunger" with Niki Randa, "Phantasm" with Laura Darlington, "Dream To Me" and more.

The best yet from Flying Lotus – who we keep allowing ourselves to believe has hit an insurmountable peak with each new record – but he just keeps getting better! Where the preceding Cosmogramma upped the stranger, spacier and more abstract textures, Until The Quiet Comes is a bit more inviting – and to his credit, Flying Lotus keeps things as innovative as ever, while still giving this one just a bit more immediately appealing atmosphere. There's nearly always a compelling beat, whether it's abstract boom bap or bubbly and synthy, with heavy bass and thick waves of sound floating over. An incredible roster of guests contribute, too – including string-arranger Miguel Atwood Ferguson, vocalists Erykah Badu, Laura Darlington and Radiohead's Thom Yorke, keyboardist Dorian Concept, and others – but there's little doubt that this is purely the Flying Lotus show. Greatness! Titles include "All In", "Sultan's Request", "See Thru To U" with Erykah Badu, "DMT Song" with Thundercat, "The Nightcaller", "Only If You Wanna", "Electric Candyman" with Thom Yorke, "Hunger" with Niki Randa, "Phantasm" with Laura Darlington, "Dream To Me" and more.

An obscure little quartet session from Red Garland – recorded with Les Spann on both guitar and flute, caught at a time when he was just starting to make waves on the New York scene! The presence of Spann gives the record a decidedly different feel than most of Garland's work on Prestige – as the hollow-body guitar tones bring some much bluesier inflections to some of the tunes, offset by more chromatic runs that really illuminate others. Red's own piano is still wonderfully soulful, and presented here with a pointed sense of economy on some numbers – and rhythm is by Sam Jones on bass and Frank Gant on drums. Titles include "Marie's Delight", "This Can't Be Love", "Blues For News", "I Just Can't See For Looking", and "Solar".

A wicked album that's one of Stan Getz's best from the 70s! The record features Stan reunited with Chick Corea, whose warm lyricism was the lynchpin in Getz's landmark Sweet Rain – the stunning session from 1968 that is perhaps our favorite-ever Getz album. Corea plays electric piano here, but with none of the indulgence that he was lapsing into at the time. His blocky chords stake out a stark new territory, into which Getz solos beautifully, into a range yet untapped at that time in his career. Tony Williams augments the group on drums, giving the whole thing a sense of freedom, but also a nice tight swing. Tracks include "La Fiesta", "Five Hundred Miles High", "Times Lie", and "Day Waves".

A brilliant collaboration between vibist Bobby Hutcherson and reedman Harold Land – the first Blue Note album to feature the talents of the pair together, and a stone classic from the very first note! Hutcherson had already been making big waves for the label with his earlier sides – some avant, some soulful, all great – but adding Land's magical tenor and flute to the mix really opens his sound up a lot, and unlocks a lyrical quality in Bobby's music that really points the way to his flourishing years in the 70s! Yet all is not totally sweet – as both Land and Hutcherson maintain an edginess on the record that makes it more of a progression from the "new thing" years than a break – and pianist Chick Corea is on hand, moving through a very similar path in his own music too. Other players include Reggie Johnson on bass and Joe Chambers on drums – and the tracks are nice and long, with that free-wheeling soulful sound that Land seemed to nicely bring to Hutcherson's playing. Titles include "Herzog", "Same Shame", "Maxtrix", "Total Eclipse", and "Pompeian".

A mindblowing moment from the trio of Dieter Moebius, Hans Joachim Rodelius, and Konrad Schnitzler – an incredible studio exploration that initiated a rich generation of German experimentation! The trio are much harder and darker here than on any of their later recordings – especially solo sides – coming up with new sounds, powerful tones, and waves of sonic energy that never fail to amaze us, even after all these years! The original notes call the music the sound of the machine – which is definitely true, but in ways that are even more abstracted – and, dare we say, more powerfully resonant than any later work from the industrial generation. Each song spans a side of a record – and titles include "Kluster 1(Electric Music Und Texte)" and "Kluster 2 (Electric Music)".

A wicked set from reedman Azar Lawrence – one of the few albums issued under his own name, and a great example of the waves he was making on the 70s west coast scene! There's a depth here that goes beyond most of the other Fantasy Records sessions of the time – a sound that would be right at home on Strata East, or in some of the more righteous Cobblestone sessions – no surprise, given that the ensemble here is filled with key spiritual jazz players, including Woody Shaw on trumpet, Hadley Caliman on flute, Joe Bonner on piano, Billy Hart on drums, Mtume on congas, and even Jean Carn on a bit of guest vocals! Most tracks are longish, and a perfect setting for Azar's exploratory reed work on soprano sax and tenor – and titles include "Warriors Of Peace", "Forces Of Nature", and "The Beautiful & Omnipresent Love".

Pure insanity from the mighty Mulatu – one of his few American albums from the 60s! The record's an incredible blend of New York Latin and some of the more Afro-styled grooves Mulatu explored more freely on his Ethiopian recordings – served up in a jazzy style that has plenty of vibes in the mix, and lots of percussion at the bottom! The record is a treasure throughout – other-worldly, yet still very hip and swinging – a mysterious bridge between Latin America and Africa, suspended on waves of wonderful sound! Titles include "Shagu", "Mascaram Setaba", "Almaz", "Mulatu's Hideaway", "Askum", "Playboy Cha Cha", and "One For Buzayhew".

One of the coolest, grooviest cats who ever cut a record – an an artist with a really unique conception at the time of these recordings! Roy Porter got his start as a drummer during the bebop years, and worked hard on the LA scene of the R&B and soul scenes of the 50s and 60s – but to us, his crowning achievement is these amazing funk sides of the early 70s – amazingly complex, but right on the money too – and a whole new kind of music that's impossible to describe in words! Roy mixes funky drums with lots of cool jazzy changes – keyboard lines, horn parts, and bass bits that have the frenzy you might find in fusion, yet come across with the down-to-earth vibe of a funky 45 – a killer blend that goes way past jazz, and even most straight funk too – as you'll hear in this sweet little set. The package brings together all the best tracks from these key Porter years – and titles include "Jessica" and "Panama" in both vocal and instrumental versions, plus "Wow", "Funny Feelin", "Funky Twitch", "Love You", "Hense Forth", "Out On The Town Tonight", "Givin Me The Blues", "Waver-ing", "Party Time", and "Hip City".

A lengthy discussion with Chris James of the stellar seventies sweet soul act The Natural Four, Nardwuar vs Queens of the Stone Age, interviews with the last living brother of The Maddox Brothers and Rose, Mark Ridlen of 70s/80s Texas punk/psych band Lithium Xmas (also a member of Rapid Fire, the evil band from Ron Howard's "Cotton Candy"), New Orleans musical eccentric Quintron on his return to his ravaged city, Brazilian guitar legend Toquino, and Beach Boys' biographer Domenic Priore. Also, the scrapbook of Black punk legend Neon Leon, a Clancy Eccles tribute, hundreds of novelty celebrity records profiled, and a history of Diabolik. Plus, lots of great comix, including Freaky Bear by Plastic Crimewave, an incredible recreation of R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" starring Batman by K. Thor Jensen, and lost comics and 70s rock writing by Funkadelic's Pedro Bell.

Killer trio work from pianist Bobby Timmons – a set that opens up with a lot more fire and freedom than some of his earlier dates for Riverside! When Timmons made the shift to Prestige, something really clicked in his playing – a new sense of energy, rhythm, and space that's all heard perfectly here! The album's a great little cooker that goes beyond some of the cliches that Bobby was hitting in his earlier days – cliches that weren't really a problem, given his strength as a player and musical vision – but which were a bit more apparent as everyone else was grabbing his bag. Here, he opens up into whole new territory – working with bassist Sam Jones and drummer Ray Lucas – really riding some great waves of sound on tracks that include "Little Barefoot Soul", "Cut Me Loose Charlie", "Walkin Wadin Sittin Ridin", "Ain't Thinkin Bout It", and "Little One".

Forget the silly cover on this one – and go straight for the grooves! The album's a wonderful bossa session from the 70s – recorded live by pianist Luiz Carlos Vinhas, best known for his groundbreaking work with the group Bossa Tres! Vinhas plays acoustic piano in trio format – in a mode that's similar to his classic work of the 60s, but with a style that's more complicated, more far-reaching, and which shows that his lyrical powers had only increased with time. The tunes flow along very nicely in combinations of bossa and American tunes – wrapped together with pianistic magic by Vinhas, and recorded with a very lively feel! Titles include "Minha/Fotografia/Waves", "Zazueria/Asa Branca", "Festa/O Barquinho/Surfboard", and "What's New/This Guy's In Love/Que Maravilha/Nao Tem Solucao".

Chicago house music really takes off – in this massive collection that really documents the most experimental years in the Windy City club scene! By the mid 80s, Chicago house had already had a few years under its belt – stepping strongly forward as a revolutionary new mode of club music – stripped-down from disco, borrowing some electronics from overseas, and giving the world a fresh new vision of dancefloor sounds that would have a huge influence for decades to come! And by the end of the decade, folks were really starting to play with the format – bringing in lots of older analogue electronic sounds, dubbed "acid" for the way they burned and tweaked – and garnering the city even more interest from the UK and European scenes – who thought the name referred to drug usage, and took the cue to ignite their own waves of house-based parties on the other side of the Atlantic. While back home, Chicago artists were spurred on to experiment even more – and things went from warm and clubby to downright sci-fi – an aesthetic that's really captured strongly in this set from Soul Jazz. LP part one features the cuts "Can You Feel It" from Mr Fingers, "Hallucinate" by Acid Wash, "151" by Armando, "The Jacking Zone" by Risque Rhythm Team, "I Can't Understand" by Pleasure Zone, "Rabbit Trax 1" by James Jack Rabbit Martin, "Freedom (Factory mix)" by The Children, "Ecstasy" by Mr Fingers, and "I Believe" by A Black Man, A Black Man, & Another Black Man.

Chicago house music really takes off – in this massive collection that really documents the most experimental years in the Windy City club scene! By the mid 80s, Chicago house had already had a few years under its belt – stepping strongly forward as a revolutionary new mode of club music – stripped-down from disco, borrowing some electronics from overseas, and giving the world a fresh new vision of dancefloor sounds that would have a huge influence for decades to come! And by the end of the decade, folks were really starting to play with the format – bringing in lots of older analogue electronic sounds, dubbed "acid" for the way they burned and tweaked – and garnering the city even more interest from the UK and European scenes – who thought the name referred to drug usage, and took the cue to ignite their own waves of house-based parties on the other side of the Atlantic. While back home, Chicago artists were spurred on to experiment even more – and things went from warm and clubby to downright sci-fi – an aesthetic that's really captured strongly in this set from Soul Jazz. LP part two features the cuts "Washing Machine" by Mr Fingers, "The Night Calls" by Bizzy B, "Go Wild Rhythm Trax No 3" by Virgo, "World Turns Around" by Cool McCool, "House Nation" by The Housmaster Boyz, "Love Trak" by Acid Wash, "Strength Of Bass" by Devotion, "Abstract Expressionism" by The Unknown, "No Way Back" by Adonis, "Choice Of The Underground" by Rocky Jones, and "The Juice" by Mr Fingers.

A very cool relic from the post-punk scene of the early 80s – the first-ever album on Les Disques Du Crepuscule, originally issued as a cassette, and featuring a really wide range of wonderful music! The collection features some key bits by British artists – including some Factory Records stalwarts – plus other more arty and experimental songs thrown in as well, all wrapped up with a booklet of artwork that further underscores the higher concept leaning of the project. Some of the best tracks are atmospheric instrumentals, and titles include "Stranger" by Repetition, "Children On The Hill" by Harold Budd, "Sleep Will Come" by Durutti Column, "The Music Room" by Martin Hannett, "Cat" by The Names, "Airwaves" by Thomas Dolby, "The Shadow Garden" by Bill Nelson, "Armoury Show" by Richard Jobson, "A Walk Through H" by Michael Nyman, "White's SS" by Gavin Bryars, "Meine Freunde" by Der Plan, "Twist Up" by Gilbert & Lewis, and "Haystack" by Kevin Hewick & New Order.

Some of the best funky singles of recent years released on one CD! The Soul Fire label is probably the most dedicated flag waver around for the classic funk sound – producing limited edition funky 45s by classic artists and newbies working in a classic mode – artists like Sugarman Three, Lee Fields, and Detroit Sex Machines. Many of the singles are now out of print on vinyl forever – and they are collected here, and on Grazing In The Trash Volume 1, with both the a & b sides! Titles include "Don't Think. . .Do" and "Get Up In Your Hot Pants" by Bama & The Family, "Soul Dig Part 1" and "Soul Dig Part 2" by Soul Diggers, "Solid Funk" and "Funky Moon" by Sugarman Three, "Soul Dynamite" and "Ain't It Funky Now" by Lee Fields & The Explorers, "Funky Crawl" and "Rap It Together" by Detroit Sex Machines, "Get Down" and "Moon Mission" by Joseph Henry & The Soul Command, and "In The Raw" and "The Bastard" by Whitefield Brothers.

Nothing rough here – as the set's one of the smoothest we've ever heard in this legendary series – a tight collection of vintage tracks that really serve up an African take on the sound of American disco! Rhythms are tight and quick, but the overall approach is still very much in the best spirit of the 70s Afro Funk generation – lots of live percussion keeping things kicking, tight instrumental solos on keyboards and guitar, and mighty soulful vocals all around! Titles include "Dance The Body Music" by Osibisa, "Brand New Wayo" by Mixed Grill, "Kazet" by Mahlathini & The Mahotella Queens, "Be Africa" by Bibi Tanga & The Selenites, and "Oh Yeh Soweto" by Teaspoon & The Waves.