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Strong work in Charles' post-Prestige mode – the style in which he turned his keyboard skills to other non-Hammond instruments, like Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and mini-moog. Tracks are a mix of smooth soulful numbers and more jazz funk oriented ones – and the whole thing's got a sophisticated sound that's pretty darn striking, especially when you consider that Charles handled all the arrangements and most of the production. Titles include "Upper Atlantis", "In The Land Of Mu", "Drifting", "Mona Lisa", and "The Great Pyramid".

Rare grooves from Evans Pyramid – a sweet set of cosmic disco from the end of the 70s – recorded with a lean, almost spiritual vibe – quite similar to some of the great tracks reissued in the Soul Cal series! There's a definite ear for the dancefloor here – lots of upbeat rhythms, touched with sweet keyboards riffs, and layered with vocals that are almost an afterthought – yet have their own sort of message at the right moment. The group's the brainchild of Andre Evans, an artist whose huge legacy of music business work includes stints with Dyke & The Blazers, Little Anthony & The Imperials, and Tribe – as well as a host of key album sessions as well – but the sound is unlike any of those references, and has this great stripped-down late 70s club vibe throughout. The rare album is offered here with unreleased bonus tracks – and titles include "Rubber Band", "Never Gonna Leave You", "Dip Drop", "No I Won't", "Soul Petrol", and "Dance A Thon".

Rare grooves from Evans Pyramid – a sweet set of cosmic disco from the end of the 70s – recorded with a lean, almost spiritual vibe – quite similar to some of the great tracks reissued in the Soul Cal series! There's a definite ear for the dancefloor here – lots of upbeat rhythms, touched with sweet keyboards riffs, and layered with vocals that are almost an afterthought – yet have their own sort of message at the right moment. The group's the brainchild of Andre Evans, an artist whose huge legacy of music business work includes stints with Dyke & The Blazers, Little Anthony & The Imperials, and Tribe – as well as a host of key album sessions as well – but the sound is unlike any of those references, and has this great stripped-down late 70s club vibe throughout. The rare album is offered here with unreleased bonus tracks – and titles include "Rubber Band", "Never Gonna Leave You", "Dip Drop", "No I Won't", "Soul Petrol", "I Got A Rush For You", "Dance A Thon", and "Sugar Stop".

Rare material from a little-known group on the Oklahoma City scene of the 80s – most of it so obscure, the reissue had to rescue all the recordings from cassette tapes, since the masters were all lost over the years! Don't let that put you off, though, because the sound quality is great here – as is the music, too – a homegrown blend of boogie and 80s funk, with lots of live instrumentation played by this cool local combo! The drums are mixed with rhythm programs, in a way that keeps things still feeling pretty live on most numbers – and keyboards stand out most strongly in the instrumentation, but there's heavy bass and guitar as well. Vocals are by various male and female group members – and titles on this EP include "Country Cowboy" in both vocal and instrumental versions, "Who's Girl Are You" in vocal and instrumental versions, "CC (alt take)", and "Better By The Minute".

A Spanish group, but one with a sound that's heavy on Afro Funk – served up here in a culturally criss-crossing way that really lives up to the enigmatic title! There's some exotic moments that definitely echo the ancient strains you'd hear in Ethiopian and Egyptian funk – mixed with other elements that show more of a Nigerian influence as well – all filtered together, and served up with some occasional Latin and contemporary touches too! Almost all the instrumentation is acoustic – with lots of percussion and horns – but the group also make great use of riffing guitar and organ too – on cuts that include "Aracnido", "Pajaritos", "La Oportunidad", "Judias Comen Habas", "Rio Niger", and "Que Bonitas Son Las Flores".

A really special record from a really special group – one of two sublime 70s gems from Azteca – a wicked blend of jazz, funk, Latin, and soul – all put together by a young Coke Escovedo! Coke's ostensibly the leader of the group, but there's also a richly collaborative feel going on – a style that brings together jazz players like Tom Harrell on trumpet, Mel Martin on saxes, George Muribus on Fender Rhodes, and Flip Nunez on organ – and Latin players like Victor Pantoja on congas, Coke Escovedo on timbales, and Pete Escovedo on added percussion. In fact, the set's a key early example of the strength of the Escovedo family – and like their best later efforts, the set really stretches out and pushes the boundaries of conventional genres. There's also some great guest work from Lenny White on drums, Mike Nock on keyboards, and Neal Schon on guitars – and vocals are by a range of singers who really keep things fresh. Titles include "Red Onions", "Mazatlan", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Mexicana, Mexicana", and "Love Is A Stranger". CD also features a bonus single mix of "Whatcha Gonna Do".

Two wonderful gems from Soul Brothers Inc – both wicked funky numbers with a very unusual twist! "Pyramid" has these sweet strings next to a Latin-esque groove that moves with a nice bassy bottom – then slides into this warm vocal that's completely heartwarming, in ways that are very different for a groove like this! "Girl In The Hot Pants" is something else entirely – a heavy heavy funk number that begins with a great shouted vocal, then rolls into a fast-chugging groove that's completely outta sight! A stone burner that never lets up – and with a good sense of humor too!

A really special record from a really special group – one of two sublime 70s gems from Azteca – a wicked blend of jazz, funk, Latin, and soul – all put together by a young Coke Escovedo! Coke's ostensibly the leader of the group, but there's also a richly collaborative feel going on – a style that brings together jazz players like Tom Harrell on trumpet, Mel Martin on saxes, George Muribus on Fender Rhodes, and Flip Nunez on organ – and Latin players like Victor Pantoja on congas, Coke Escovedo on timbales, and Pete Escovedo on added percussion. In fact, the set's a key early example of the strength of the Escovedo family – and like their best later efforts, the set really stretches out and pushes the boundaries of conventional genres. There's also some great guest work from Lenny White on drums, Mike Nock on keyboards, and Neal Schon on guitars – and vocals are by a range of singers who really keep things fresh. Titles include "Red Onions", "Mazatlan", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Mexicana, Mexicana", and "Love Is A Stranger".

A Spanish group, but one with a sound that's heavy on Afro Funk – served up here in a culturally criss-crossing way that really lives up to the enigmatic title! There's some exotic moments that definitely echo the ancient strains you'd hear in Ethiopian and Egyptian funk – mixed with other elements that show more of a Nigerian influence as well – all filtered together, and served up with some occasional Latin and contemporary touches too! Almost all the instrumentation is acoustic – with lots of percussion and horns – but the group also make great use of riffing guitar and organ too – on cuts that include "Aracnido", "Pajaritos", "La Oportunidad", "Judias Comen Habas", "Rio Niger", and "Que Bonitas Son Las Flores".

Amazing sights and sounds from the 80s soul underground – rare videos and TV footage from the same sort of groups we've loved in the PPU reissue series! The quality of the images is really striking – lots of over-saturated 80s video that really works well with the electro funky rhythms in the grooves – a stunning portrait of these underground heroes, with work by Glass Pyramid Band, Incredible Rock City Band, Uku Kuut, and California Flight Project – plus some hotel party clips too! The DVD runs for 90 minutes, and is like taking a time machine back to an 80s underground that few of us were ever hip enough to have experienced!

A classic bit of mainstream prog from Nektar – a group who were a big part of the German underground of the early 70s, but who also managed to make some waves on this side of the Atlantic as well! Nektar aren't as full-on or focused as some of the prog acts who cracked the charts at the time, but they do have a tightness that rivals some of the best of the up-and-coming groups to secure a major label contract – particularly deft musicianship that really stands out in its complexity, at a level that might draw some comparisons with Gentle Giant – although probably not as arty or obtuse, given that these guys could be a bit more straightforward. The set's got some especially great mellotron next to other keyboards and guitar – and titles include "Countenance", "Death Of The Mind", "Pupil Of The Eye", "The Dream Nebula", and "Warp Oversight". 2CD version also features a bonus bootleg 1971 recording of the record!

Donny Hathaway's soulful daughter makes a long-overdue return – bringing us her first album in over a decade! The wait's been more than worth it, though – as its clear that Lalah's matured strongly over the years – coming up with a rich, soulful sound that shows that she's got a lot more to offer than just a sweet voice with a famous last name. Of course, the production help is a big part of the the set too – as Lalah's working with talents that include Mike City, Chris Parks, Vivian Sessoms, and Rex Rideout – all of whom help to give the set a sound that's professional, yet laidback and mellow. Titles include "Better & Better", "If U Ever", "In The End", "Your Favorite Song", "Back Then", "How Many Times", and "Boston".

Two offbeat club tracks from DC Larue – one of the more enigmatic talents of the late 70s disco years! "Indiscreet" has a style that's almost soundtrack funk at points – but the vocals have this weird, cold sort of quality – a real change next to the warmer funky groove, almost showing the contrast in the club scene at the time. "Face Of Love" is smoother overall, but still has a slightly offbeat sort of feel – vocals that seem to rush to keep up with the groove – which itself is mighty tight!

A full three albums by the legendary Pyramids – all packaged together in one complete set, with a bonus video too! The Pyramids recorded three key records during the 70s – each of them an underground classic, all served up in a wonderful bit of spiritual soul jazz with a really cosmic feel! The group are heavy on percussion and reeds – blending congas and assorted other percussion instruments with soprano sax, alto, and flute – all in a captivating sound that builds up nicely over the course of the album's two long tracks! The music is very organic – never too forced, nor never too far out – and there's a majestic quality to the whole thing, one that really lives up to the group's name and image on the cover. And although the ensemble hail from Ohio – hardly a spot you'd peg for spiritual jazz in the 70s – they're a key link between the early 70s avant movements in Chicago and St Louis, some of the hip grooves in Detroit's Tribe Records scene, and the growing loft jazz movement in New York. The reeds are especially nice – alto sax from Idris Ackamoor and flute from Margo Ackamoor – and all other group members play percussion, and vocalize too – singing along with some of the tunes in chanting, chorus formation, which adds an even further element of soul to the mix. Includes the full albums Lalibela, King Of Kings, and Birth Speed Merging – with bonus video content of The Pyramids Live On KQED in 1975.

2 rare slices of exotica by Les Baxter – back to back on one CD! The first half of the set features material from the album Ports Of Pleasure – a dreamy exploration of south sea ideals that's got a more lightly drifting quality than some of Baxter's more percussive exotica albums, and which is awash in dreamy soundscapes penned by Les himself! The orchestrations are large and bold throughout – mixing strings and woodwinds almost in a soundtrack-y mode – but always with the light sense of interplay that makes Baxter's work so great. Titles include "Monkey Dance Of Bali", "Pearls Of Ceylon", "Tahiti A Summer Night At Sea", "Hong Kong Cable Car", "Tramp Steamer To Singapore", "Harem Silks From Bombay", and "Sidewalk Cafes Of Saigon". The Sacred Idol is a real standout set from the end of Les Baxter's run at Capitol Records – originally scored for a film that was never released, but a great set of tracks that more than stands strongly on its own! The theme here is a Mexican/Latin American one – explored by Baxter with his trademark blend of larger orchestrations and lighter exotica touches – often swirling around in an extremely evocative mode that makes us wish the film had been issued to the public, and at a few key moments even hinting at the funkier modes that would follow on some of Les' later work for other labels. Titles include "Aqueducts", "Gardens Of The Moon", "Pyramid Of The Sun", "Temple Of Gold", and "Procession Of The Princes".

A double-length live set from the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded in Scandinavia in 1960, almost as a summation of the group's growing genius in the 50s! The tunes are a mix of John Lewis and Milt Jackson originals, plus other songs all given the wonderful MJQ twist – distilled into a sublime blend of piano, vibes, bass, and drums – all delivered with a sense of class, but never too much polish. The album is live, but still has that sophisticated composure that made the group so unique at the time – and the whole thing's a perfect complement to their famous studio albums on Atlantic! Titles include "Pyramid", "It Don't Mean A Thing", "The Cylinder", "Round Midnight", "Bag's Groove", and "Skating In Central Park".

A darkly-grooving killer from pianist Horace Parlan – and one of our favorite Blue Note albums ever! Although Parlan's always a great player on other sides for the label, this album has him stepping out with an extra edge that's really amazing – working with brothers Tommy and Stanley Turrentine to craft some tunes that roll with the propulsive energy of the best Blue Note hardbop sides, but which also have some edgier moments, and almost point the way towards some of the new thing experiments that would transform the work of Jackie McLean! All players are still quite straight, but they've got a way of putting together tones and textures that's really wonderful – heard to famous effect on the album's early version of Booker Ervin's track "Skoochie" – but soaring all the way through on titles that include "On The Spur Of The Moment", "Ray C", "Al's Tune", and "Pyramid".

If you read these pages often enough, you'll know that we're big fans of recordings made by American expatriot players while living in Europe during the 60's. The European rhythm sections often bring out new elements of their playing, and the interaction with European soloists hits modes that we sometimes don't hear on American recordings by the same artists. This series of live recordings from Germany in 1963 brings together an array of players that includes Kenny Clarke, Bud Powell, Jimmy Woode, Lou Bennett, Jimmy Gourley, Joe Harris, and Herb Geller. The record's got a nice organ version of Horace Silver's "No Smokin", plus 2 Bill Smith originals ("Freeway" and "Pyramid"), and a haunting version of "Round Midnight" with Bud Powell and trio.

A sweet set of vintage American blue eyed soul from the 70s & early 80s – a diverse and deep set of it, too – featuring sunny and soulful numbers by Breakaway, 1619 Bad Ass Band, Society Of Seven, Lil' Albert, Jay P Morgan, Life Force and more! There's a pretty broad range styles, but the set flows consistently – with numbers that for the most part share a penchant for laidback, simmering grooves and excellently layered productions. But from there, the styles roll from soft rock arrangements with soul-based vocals, to some sly bits of funk, groovy strings and other sweeter touches. We're hoping to see a Vol 2 after this one! 16 tracks in all: "I Love Music" by Babadu, "Lving Off The Love" by Eric Tagg, "Just For You" by 1619 Bad Ass Band, "SLow Dancer" by Life Force, "Never Gonna Leave You" by Evans Pyramid, "Who Was It This Time", "Coast To Coast" by Tender Leaf, "My Girl Friday" by Lil'Albert, "Thought You Ought To Know" by Jesse McFall & The Funk Elegant Orchestra and more.

The cover's a bit cheesy, but the record's a great one – stunningly spiritual jazz from saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, and a set that really lives up to his soulful fame from the 70s! The record has a similar vibe to some of Ackamoor's recordings with The Pyramids – very well-crafted work that's filled with a rich spirit and lots of freely creative energy – often moved by rhythms that are warm and flowing, and recorded with a sound that's much more 70s than you'd guess from the date of the recording. Idris plays alto sax, and other group members include Art Hirahara on electric piano, Baba Duru on percussion, Destiny Muhammad on harp, and Fred Harris on drums. Some tracks have vocals – sung beautifully, in a really Strata East sort of way – and titles include "Our Voices", "Beckoning", "Libation Song", "Island Dance", "Move Towards The Light", and "Centurian".

10 hip hop instrumentals from one of the originators, DJ Mark the 45 King. Includes a bonus double copy with the same tracks, so you can get busy on the 1's and 2's. Includes "Killer Strings", "Overture", "Mad Fat Beat", "Sexy Lady", "Greedy Beats", "Magic Dust", "Pop Up", "TV Tune", "Coyote" and "Pyramids".

A mid-70s classic from guitarist Pat Martino – a tightly jamming set that features Pat on synthesizer as well as guitar – working alongside keyboardist Delmar Brown, and some very heavy rhythms from bassist Mark Leonard and drummer Kenwood Dennard! The sound is often in that jamming fusion style that brings rock influences into play with jazz – but there's also moments that slide into spacier moments too – sounds that we like even more for their spiritual overtones, and which provide a nice respite from the jams. Titles include "Joyous Lake", "Line Games", "Pyramidal Vision", "Mardi Gras", "M'Wandishi", and "Song Bird".

The breakout album for singer Frank Ocean – the featured voice and name attached to some stellar material by other acts leading up to this career-making set for Interscope! Simply put, Channel ORANGE is the hella rare pop phenomenon that not only lives up to the pre-release hype, it actually transcends it! Ocean has a unique and distinct voice and style, and we hope he's here to stay. Includes "Thinkin' About You", "Sierra Leone", "Sweet Life", "Super Rich Kids", "Pilot Jones", "Crack Rock", "Pyramids", "Lost", "Bad Religion", "Pink Matter" and more.

A killer early session from Sun Ra! Ra plays organ and electric piano, and the band includes Gilmore, Pat Patrick, Marshall Allen, Ronnie Boykins, Art Hoyle, Phil Cohran, and Julian Priester. The group's also got an electric bass, which gives the tracks a nice bottom, and a good spooky feel. Nothing's too out, but the record's got a great off-kilter sound, and lots of original tracks like "Between Two Worlds", "Tiny Pyramids", "Music From the World Tomorrow", and "Angels And Demons At Play".

An amazing live date from Sun Ra & The Arkestra – recorded in Cairo in 1971, with a very transcendent sound overall! Ra and the group are clearly inspired to be working in the shadow of the pyramids – and their music sometimes has Eastern overtones, a bit in the manner of Salah Ragab – their associate in Egypt – yet at other times, things get quite outside and noisy too! The keyboards are especially wonderful – as Ray plays "tiger organ" and moog, in addition to conventional piano – adding in the electronics with really spacey tones that really push the limits of the music. And some of the reeds really help shape the sound of the songs too – stark and soulful at key moments, but also forceful in formation at others – played by John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on flute and alto, Danny Thompson on baritone and flute, Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Danny Davis on flute and alto, Larry Northington on alto, Eloe Omoe on bass clarinet . The group comes together for a tight reading of "Space Is The Place" – and other titles include "3rd Planet", "Horizon", "Starwatchers", and "Shadow World". CD also features tracks not on the original album – "The Satellites Are Spinning", "We'll Wait For You", "Enlightenment", and "Love In Outer Space".

Amazing grooves like you've never heard before – the seminal sides by Salah Ragab and his Cairo Jazz Band! As you can probably guess from their name, the ensemble was an Egyptian one – working at the end of the 60s in an incredible blend of jazz and more traditional Egyptian-styled sounds – a blend that comes across with all the exotic feel of the pyramids at dawn, but which manages to groove like some of the best funky work from America at the time! Instrumentation includes lot of percussion, heavy piano and horns, and some especially great flute on most tracks – all coming together with a sound that's unlike anything else we've heard before. This collection is the first time that this music has been brought together officially, all with the kind of top-shelf production and packaging we've come to expect from the Art Yard label! LP version includes the tracks "Egypt Strut", "Ramadan In Space Time", "Dawn", "Neveen", "Oriental Mood", "Kleopatra", and "Mervat".

A great 70s session by Randy, and one that's really gotten lost in the shifting sands of time! The session is solo piano, played in a beautifully soulful manner, filled with lots of changing lines and rhythms in a cool jazz style that shows a lot of Randy's fascination with African styles of music. Titles include "Sister Gladys", "Three Pyramids & The Sphynx", "Ode To Om Kel Thoumt", and "Monk Steps".

Way more than just a tribute to Cuba – and instead, a set of work that's just about as spiritual and soulful as any of Idris Ackamoor's other recordings! The great Chico Freeman's on board this time around – blowing tenor and soprano sax with Ackamoor's ensemble for the record – a group that features percussion from Baba Duru, piano from Frederick Harris, and vocals from Daria Nile. There's a touch of Cuba in the rhythms, but most of the tunes follow in the same warmly righteous mode as other work by Idris – a groove first forged back in the 70s during his time with The Pyramids, evolved wonderfully by the time of this recording, but still delivered with all the right sort of classic elements. Instrumentation is all acoustic, and production is perfect for the album's warmly-flowing vibe – on titles that include "Guanabo", "Cubana", "Angels Of Cuba", "Santeria", "Ode To The Orishas", "Santiago De Cuba", and "Old Havana".

The long-awaited return of The Pyramids – easily one of the hippest spiritual jazz ensembles of the 70s! This new recording has all the earthy brilliance of the group's classics – with leadership from reedman Idris Ackamoor, who's continued a dedication to righteous sounds on his own during the past few decades – which means he's hardly coming out of retirement here, just re-focusing his ongoing energy towards the classic Pyramids sound! Instrumentation is heavy on percussion and organic elements – and the tunes do a great job of blending freewheeling performance with more focused grooves – an Afro-avant mode that really lives up to the group's legacy, carried off here by players who include Kenneth Nash on drums and percussion, Kimathi Asante on bass, Kash Killion on bass and cello, Bradie Speller on congas and electronics. Titles include "Memory Ritual", "Time Capsule", "What The World Needs Now", "Nebulosity", "Otherworldly", "Boundless Eternities", "Cloud Rider", "Uttering Sacred Words", and "They Came From Chicago".

The long-awaited return of The Pyramids – easily one of the hippest spiritual jazz ensembles of the 70s! This new recording has all the earthy brilliance of the group's classics – with leadership from reedman Idris Ackamoor, who's continued a dedication to righteous sounds on his own during the past few decades – which means he's hardly coming out of retirement here, just re-focusing his ongoing energy towards the classic Pyramids sound! Instrumentation is heavy on percussion and organic elements – and the tunes do a great job of blending freewheeling performance with more focused grooves – an Afro-avant mode that really lives up to the group's legacy, carried off here by players who include Kenneth Nash on drums and percussion, Kimathi Asante on bass, Kash Killion on bass and cello, Bradie Speller on congas and electronics. Titles include "Memory Ritual", "Time Capsule", "What The World Needs Now", "Nebulosity", "Otherworldly", "Boundless Eternities", "Cloud Rider", "Uttering Sacred Words", and "They Came From Chicago".