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Incredible work from Don Cherry – a previously unreleased live date from the 60s, but every bit as great as any of his better-known records from the decade! The sound here is really amazing – a hip blend of Cherry's trumpet with tenor from Gato Barbieri and vibes from Karl Berger – working here in a piano-less setting that has all three players snaking together beautifully as the tunes unfold – freed up a bit to explore some really bold new territory, yet always held together with the same sense of inherent rhythm you'd find on Cherry's Blue Note albums from the late 60s. Rhythm is by Bo Stief on bass and Aldo Romano on drums – both players who really help the tunes take on some great structures – especially during the group's extended take on "Orfeu Negro", a number taken in very similar ways to Archie Shepp's Fire Music version of "Girl From Ipanema"! Other numbers are great too – and include "Remembrance", "Spring Is Here", "Suite For Albert Ayler", and "Complete Communion", done in a 22 minute take.

A great high-concept composition from Duke Ellington – one that rivals the earlier brilliance of his Liberian Suite! Like that one, vocals are a key part of this long-form work – a special performance done for the Century Of Negro Progress Exposition in Chicago in 1963 – with an all-star cast that includes Jimmy Jones both at the piano and conductor's stand; Joya Sherrill on vocals with the Irving Bunton Singers, Jimmy Grissom, Jimmy McPhail, and Lil Greenwood; Billy Strayhorn on celeste, Juan Amalbert on conga, and other familiar Ellingtonians in the larger group! The tunes have a mix of gospel and folk roots, turned towards more modern Ellington compositional modes – and almost all numbers feature vocals, including one with narration by Ellington himself. Titles include "Will You Be There", "Come Sunday", "David Danced", "Montage", "My Mother My Father", "My People", "The Blues Ain't", and "What Color Is Virtue". CD features 25 tracks in all – the first-ever appearance on CD of the entire performance!

Nearly 3 albums' worth of music from the legendary Tamba Trio – one of the grooviest groups in the 60s bossa years in Brazil! The trio are quite unique – in that they not only play upbeat bossa rhythms, but also harmonize along with their grooves – in a soaringly sublime quality that really electrifies the tunes! Most of their lyrics are jazzy and somewhat scatted – kind of an added layer of music on top of the core jamming of piano, bass, and drums – and the production on these key 60s sides really helps their sound hit just the right level – a heavenly sound that's occasionally augmented by added percussion, flute, or guitar. The CD is one of the best introductions to their work we've ever seen – as it features material from the 60s albums Tempo, Tamba Trio, and Avanco, plus the rare Brasil Saluda A Mexico single – a whopping 26 tracks in all, with titles that include "Reza", "Tamba", "Batida Diferente", "Influencia Do Jazz", "Nos E O Mar", "O Amor Que Acabou", "Tristeza De Nos Dois", "Negro", "Rio", "Yansa", "Moto Continuo", "Barumba", "Danielle", "Pregao", "Boranda", "Consolacion", and "Morte De Um Deus De Sal".

A very different sound here than the first volume in the series – one that goes strongly for a later take on R&B influenced soul jazz! There's a strong groove here for the steppers on the Windy City scene – a blend of jazzy soul and smoother jazz that's set together nicely without the too-slick spots that always clutter up other collections – and which represents the few modern tracks that were able to penetrate the mostly-dusty steppers scene back in the day. Production and overall instrumentation is relatively electric, even in the percussion, but there's always a few nice acoustic touches to round things out on the best tracks. Titles include "Mama Dadu" and "L'Amour" by Vodu 155, "Piano Groove" by Piano Negro, "Can We Try Again" by Braxton Brothers, "Soul Manifesto" by Rodney Jones, "Tik Tok (inst)" by Lorenzo Smith, "Laid Back" by Jerald Daemyon, "Modern Life" by Tom Saviano, "Pacific Love" by David Patterson, "Cycles Of Re-Elevation" by Michael McEvoy, "Forever's A Long Long Time" by Orquestra Wax, "Groovin In The Midnight (inst)" by Maxi Priest, and "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" by Grant Green.

An insane bit of choppy jazz funk – and easily the best record ever cut by this monster combo! The group's a trio of jazz fusion luminaries – with Steve Grossman on tenor, Don Alias on drums and percussion, and Gene Perla on bass and piano – and the best cuts have a raw chopping groove to them that other groups at the time were trying to cop, but could never match! Includes the insane break track "Sweetie Pie", plus Stevie Wonder's "Creepin", "Duet", "King Tut", "Samba De Negro" and "Vaya Mulatto".

An incredible set of Brazilian jazz – one of the few albums that percussionist Dom Um Romao recorded as a leader, and sublime all the way through! The record's got a wonderful blend of funky fusion and Brazilian percussion – and features a group from two continents that includes Sivuca on organ, Dom Salvador on electric piano, Joe Beck on guitar, Jerry Dodgion on alto sax, Lloyd McNeill on flute, and Mauricio Smith on tenor, soprano, and flute. Includes the percussion jammer "Shake (Ginga Gingou)", the modal groover "Wait on the Corner", and the lively scatting tune "The Angels" – but the whole album's great, and other tracks include "The Salvation Army", "Kitchen", and "Lamento Negro".

An incredible set of Brazilian jazz – one of the few albums that percussionist Dom Um Romao recorded as a leader, and sublime all the way through! The record's got a wonderful blend of funky fusion and Brazilian percussion – and features a group from two continents that includes Sivuca on organ, Dom Salvador on electric piano, Joe Beck on guitar, Jerry Dodgion on alto sax, Lloyd McNeill on flute, and Mauricio Smith on tenor, soprano, and flute. Includes the percussion jammer "Shake (Ginga Gingou)", the modal groover "Wait on the Corner", and the lively scatting tune "The Angels" – but the whole album's great, and other tracks include "The Salvation Army", "Kitchen", and "Lamento Negro".

One of the deepest digs we've ever seen into the rich array of grooves from Colombia – a double-length page that covers a much wider range of sounds than you might expect! Colombia's unusual amongst Latin American nations, in that it's got kind of a "crossroads" sort of role – a place where other South American sounds come into contact with music from North America, the Caribbean, and even Africa as well – resulting in some mighty heavy styles that are perfectly summed up on these 2CDs! The package is way more than just an armchair look at Colombia – and is heavy on the sorts of funk and offbeat grooves we've come to expect from the Analog Africa label – a key imprint in bringing the sounds of the globe to Anglo groove diggers like us. Rhythm is definitely at the core – as promised in the title – but the package also has plenty of great notes to help us understand the rich cultural history as well. Titles include "Calambre" by Conjunto Barbacoa, "Lumbalu" by Calixto Ochoa & Los Papaupas, "Schallcarri" by Grupo Abharca, "El Caterete" by Wganda Kenya, "Enyere Kumbara" by Julian Y Su Combo, "Wasamaye" by Wasamaye Rock Group, "Bajo El Troupillo Guajiro" by Sexteto Manaure, "Pegale A La Nalga" by Fuentes All Stars, "Juipiti" by Grupo Folclorico, "Shakalode" by Wganda Kenya, "Santana En Salsa" by Crecencio Camacho, "La Motilona" by Los Alegres Diablos, "Pajaro Madrugador" by Alfredo Gutierrez, "La Bulla" by Los Curramberos De Guayabal, "Busca La Careta" by Andres Landero, "La Cascada" by Pianonegro, "Eco En Stereo" by Sonora Dinamita, "La Veterana" by Peyo Torres, "Lluvia" by Sonora Tropical, and "Agoniza El Magadlena" by Ramiro Beltran. 32 tracks in all – and it comes in a great hardbound package with a 60-page booklet.

One of Hugo Montenegro's best moog albums – and a killer batch of tracks written by Stevie Wonder! Hugo and crew go to town with a host of electric keyboards – including moogs and Arps, backed up by some straight electric piano – and they lay down 10 smooth funky renditions of Stevie Wonder hits from the late 60s and early 70s. The approach is a great one, and it really gives substance to Montenegro's moogy musings – which sometimes can lack direction. Includes great versions of "Living For The City", "Too High", "Superstition", "Higher Ground", "You've Got It Bad, Girl", and "All In Love Is Fair".

One of the deepest digs we've ever seen into the rich array of grooves from Colombia – a double-length page that covers a much wider range of sounds than you might expect! Colombia's unusual amongst Latin American nations, in that it's got kind of a "crossroads" sort of role – a place where other South American sounds come into contact with music from North America, the Caribbean, and even Africa as well – resulting in some mighty heavy styles that are perfectly summed up on this LP! The package is way more than just an armchair look at Colombia – and is heavy on the sorts of funk and offbeat grooves we've come to expect from the Analog Africa label – a key imprint in bringing the sounds of the globe to Anglo groove diggers like us. Rhythm is definitely at the core – as promised in the title – but the package also has plenty of great notes to help us understand the rich cultural history as well. Titles on the first volume include "Santana En Salsa" by Crecencio Camacho, "La Motilona" by Los Alegres Diablos, "Pajaro Madrugador" by Alfredo Gutierrez, "La Bulla" by Los Curramberos De Guayabal, "Busca La Careta" by Andres Landero, "La Cascada" by Pianonegro, "Eco En Stereo" by Sonora Dinamita, "La Veterana" by Peyo Torres, "Lluvia" by Sonora Tropical, and "Agoniza El Magadlena" by Ramiro Beltran.