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Don Cherry conducts and solos within a large group featuring Frank Lowe, Dewy Redman, Charlie Haden, Ed Blackwell, Charles Brackeen, and other out players associated with the Jazz Composers Orchestra. Weird rhythms and haunting solos throughout, and titles include "Tantra", "Desireless", "Infinite Gentleness", and "Trans-Love Airways".

We've always been a fan of the Beatnuts, or later Ghetto Professionals production, but none of their recordings as the Beatnuts are better than this first EP. Includes "Reign of the Tec" (with the Grand Puba sample), "No Equal", "World's Famous", "Psycho Dwarf." 6 full-length tracks plus 5 interludes.

The Beatnuts continue the gimme-the-cash theme (see "Find That Sh*t", "Do You Believe In God") on the third single from the Stone Crazy LP, but this time its the its hidding assets from the IRS trick. Nice guest vocals from Big Punisher and Cuban Links.

Produced by the Beatnuts.

3rd LP by the man who put Chicago on the map as a hip hop center. 2 LPs strong, and with a lot of guest appearances by folks like De La Soul, Q-Tip, Chantay Savage, Erykah Badu, and Cee-Lo. No I.D. produced most of this, and a few tracks were done by Doug Infinite. Includes "1 '2 Many", "Reminding Me Of Sef", "My City", "Real Nigga Quotes" and "Retrospect For Life".

In 1994 when everyone seemed to be turning hardcore, Common Sense wasn't having it. Introspective tales of growing up and living on the South Side that fit perfectly with No I.D.'s mellow production and spiced up with two guest appearances by Y-Not aka Twilight Tone. Classic LP, solid all the way through. Being in Chicago, people always ask us for this one, but the original is impossible to find, even here. Now back in print with original cover art. With "I Used To Love H.E.R.". "Book Of Life", "Chapter 13 (Rich Man vs. Poor Man)", "Nuthin' To Do", "In My Own World (Check The Method)", "Maintaining", "Communism", "Watermelon" and seven more.

Features the amazing non-LP b-side "Can-I-Bust" that's got all the energy of the tracks from the "Soul By The Pound" LP and even better vocals plus a dope, rare, appearance by Twilight Tone aka Y-Not with this three-mansions-and-a-yacht rhyming style. Plus a nice and mellow remix of "Soul By The Pound".

Fat Joe's first LP – a very strong slice of east coast early 90s gangsta that's way stronger than the 14-year-olds who listened to Joe in the 00s will probably ever know. With quality production all the way through by The Beatnuts, Diamond D, Showbiz and Lord Finesse and scratches by Rob Swift and Rock Raider (Roc Raida). Features guest appearances by Grand Puba (that to our ears anyway, sound better than his solo stuff from that time), Diamond D, Kool G Rap, Apache, and King Sun. With the hits "The S**t Is Real", "Watch The Sound", "I'm A Hit That", "Flow Joe", "You Must Be Out of Your F***in' Mind" and eight more.

10 tracks, including "Puerto Rico/Black People", "Feel The Vibe", "You & You & You", "Boriquas On Da Set" (original and remix), "The Cypher Pt 3", "Know Da Game" and "Pay Ya Dues", featuring an all start cast of rappers, including Heltah Skeltah, Lost Boyz, Sadat X, Fat Joe, Craig G, Roxanne Shante, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, Mobb Deep, Kool G Rap, Keith Murray, Busta Rhymes and the Cocoa Brovaz.

The legendary first EP! We've always been a fan of the Beatnuts, or later Ghetto Professionals production, but none of their recordings as the Beatnuts are better than this first EP. Includes "Reign of the Tec" (with the Grand Puba sample), "No Equal", "World's Famous" and "Psycho Dwarf." 6 full-length tracks plus 5 interludes.

The hot sh*t: 2 cuts from the now classic Beatnuts debut EP "Intoxicated Demons".

Remixes and new versions of some of the Beatnuts hits, including "Get Funky", "Psycho Dwarf II" featuring Nogoodus, "Props Over Here", and "No Equal" – plus a new track, "Treat$", featuring Rawcotiks, A.L., and Nogoodus.

Nice one! Hard to get original pressing of this first full LP by the great Common from Chicago – back when he was still known as Common Sense. The record has the full "Common Sense" name on the inner and outer label, and it's one of the toughest originals you'll find from the early 90s. This one's a little more uptempo and overall less serious than "Ressurection", but still a few cuts that are as good as anything on that LP. Production by Twilight Tone, Immenslope, and the Beatnuts. With "Soul by the Pound", "Take It Eazy", "Breaker 1/9", "Two Scoops of Raisins", "Blows To The Temple" and eight more.

A modern hip hop classic, the rhyme that really put Common on the map, that should need no introduction or explanation from us.

3 versions of one of our favorite tracks from the Represent LP.

The first full-length Beatnuts album – pressed on 2LP for the first time ever! Street Level is designed to succeed on, well, street level – but it's actually pretty damn diverse in retrospect! One of those more-is-more 90s albums with lots of tracks and some stellar production. Includes "Props Over Here", "Psycho Dwarf", "Hellraiser", "Ya Don't Stop", "Are You Ready" featuring Grand Puba, "Hit Me With That", "2-3 Break", and 10 more.

Original pressing of this one – the front says "Common Sense", too – not "Common", as do the current reissues. Solid all the way through. Even here in Chicago, you rarely see the original of this now classic, mostly produced by No ID. With "I Used To Love H.E.R.". "Book Of Life", "Chapter 13 (Rich Man vs. Poor Man)", "Nuthin' To Do", "In My Own World (Check The Method)", "Maintaining", "Communism", "Watermelon" and seven more.

13 tracks (plus 5 interludes) on 2 LPs produced by DJ Honda with vocals by Mos Def, De La Soul, Black Attack, KRS, Beatnuts, Al Tarik, Problems, No ID, and Syndicate, with tighter production than his first US LP. The best cut here is "Travellin Man" by Mos Def. It has a sprawling, orchestrated track with Mos Def singing the chorus of Jerry Butler's melancholy "Memories Don't Leave Like People Do" – worth the price of the LP all by itself.

This former member of the Rena Rama group steps out in a loving tribute to Don Cherry – who was himself an importance force on the Swedish scene at the same time as Aberg's earlier fame! The album's got a slow-building quality that reminds us a fair bit of the Cherry of later years – a great sense of space and sound, and one that really benefits from an expanded lineup of musicians on the set. Some tracks are quite laidback and atmospheric, but the best ones are fuller and more driving – and apart from drummer Peter Erskine, Palle Mikkelborg also plays the role of Cherry on trumpet on a medley of tracks from Don's Relativity Suite! Titles include "Arthur", "Rain", "Amarone", "Kashmir", "Folkvisa", "In Memoriam", and "Tantra/Mali Doussn'Gouni/Desireless".

Early 70s greatness from Don Cherry – a double album's worth of profoundly spiritual soundscapes paired with lots of weird effects – and a very laidback groove overall! Tracks are written by Cherry, Terry Riley, Pharoah Sanders, and Nana Vasconcelos – and include performances by Don on trumpet, voice, and harmonium. Lots of cool percussion elements by the group, with some tabla and other Indian instrumentation. Titles include "Elixir", "Relativity Suite (Parts 1 & 2)", "Terry's Tune", "Hope", "The Creator Has a Master Plan", and "Resa".

Early 70s greatness from Don Cherry – a double album's worth of profoundly spiritual soundscapes paired with lots of weird effects – and a very laidback groove overall! Tracks are written by Cherry, Terry Riley, Pharoah Sanders, and Nana Vasconcelos – and include performances by Don on trumpet, voice, and harmonium. Lots of cool percussion elements by the group, with some tabla and other Indian instrumentation. Titles include "Elixir", "Relativity Suite (Parts 1 & 2)", "Terry's Tune", "Hope", "The Creator Has a Master Plan", and "Resa". In a cool, trippy gatefold, too!

A really strong debut from Iomos Marad of the Family Tree/All Natural family! Fans of J-Live, Talib Kweli, Relativity-era Common and Stakes Is High-era De La Soul should find much to love here. Like the best of other records from the All Natural and Molemen teams, the production style is timeless hip hop; it's stable, thumping soul beats and scratches that provide a firm back end for out front rhymes that actually have something to say. Features production from the should-be-huge Dug Infinite, plus nice work from All Natural's Capital D, G (riot), UNI, Memo from the Molemen and others. 16 tracks including "I Stand Alone", "I Confess", "Anotha Late Night", "Show & Prove", "Tight", "The Steele", "Deep Rooted", "Elevate", "Wildstyle", "Appetite To Ride" featuring J-Live, "Free" with Chicago soul chanteusse Tanya Reed and more.

In case you don't recognize him from his beard on the cover, Sam Samudio is Sam The Sham – of Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs fame – stepping out here in a badass mix of rock and soul, all served up in a heady brew that's more early 70s Capricorn than straight Atlantic Records! The album was recorded at Criteria Studios with the Dixie Flyers, The Memphis Horns, and The Sweet Inspirations backing Sam up – but the overall sound is much more of a rootsy rock one than the soul you might expect from the setting. But that's actually ok with us, given the soul in Sam's earlier work – as coming out with a rocking mode is actually much more of a departure in some ways. Tracks include "Goin Upstairs", "Sweet Release", "Lonely Avenue", "Let's Burn Down The Cornfield", "Homework", and "Relativity". Real Gone CD version includes a bonus cover of "Me And Bobby McGee".