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The first solo album by Rita Lee – cut back when she was a member of the groundbreaking Tropicalia trio, Os Mutantes! The album's got a very different feel than her work with that group – and has Rita stepping out as a sophisticated pop singer, almost in the way that Nico did on the Chelsea Girl album, after leaving the Velvet Underground. Arrangements have a weird twisted edge – as Rita makes her way through a set of originals and a few covers, in an almost deadpan, ice-blond mode that reminds us of some of Jane Birkin's early work. Arrangements are by the great Rogerio Duprat, and titles include "Sucesso, Aqui Vou Eu", "Prisioneira Do Amor", "Hulla Hulla", "Tempo Nublado", "Precisamos De Irmaos", and "Calma" – plus a nice cover of "And I Love Him".

The rare 3rd album by Gilberto Gil, and a key piece of the Tropicalia puzzle – one of the most wildly experimental albums from those years, and Gil's last before going into exile! The sound is much more electric than his other albums from the late 60's – and the production, songwriting, and instrumentation get very crazy at times – but never too crazy to cover up Gilberto's excellent singing, which is still as filled with feeling as ever. Arrangements are by the mighty Rogerio Duprat, who does as great a job here of balancing Gil's sensitivities as he does on Gal Costa's sublime efforts from 1969 – and the instrumentation is a weird and wonderful mix of Bahian rhythms, fuzzy guitar, and crazy electronics – all heartfelt one minute, freaked out the next. Tracks include "Cerebro Eletronico", "Volks Volkswagen Blue", "Futurivel", and "2001", which was written by Tom Ze and Rita Lee – plus the wild cut "Objecto Semi-Identificado", which is sort of a John Cage-esque track of found radio and electronics, with vocals by Gil!

One of the hardest rocking albums ever cut by Os Mutantes – a record that's got a slightly ironic take on rock and roll styles of the time – still performed with the sense of drama and humor that always made the band so great! Rita Lee and Arnaldo Baptista are still in the group at this point, and they're working amidst a heavy wave of guitars that echo out with a bit of keyboards and some rhythms that are chunky enough to almost be called funky at times, but sweet and dreamy at others – all produced with a flanged-out finish that makes the whole thing sound great! Titles include "Balada Do Louco", "Todo Mundo Pastou II", "Cantor De Mambo", "Dune Buggy", "Rua Augusta", and "Posso Perder Minha Mulher, Minha Mae, Desde Que Eu Tenha, O Rock and Roll".

The second set of madness from the legendary Os Mutantes – and like the first, an album done in close collaboration with arranger/producer Rogerio Duprat, whose talents add a new level of genius to the record! The album's got a compelling mix of styles that strikes out on the very first tune – a playful pastiche that's partly postmodern, partly psychedelic, and still tremendously powerful decades later – even if you can't understand most of the lyrics! Styles are just about impossible to pin down, but that's what makes the record so unique and essential – and if you ever needed one album to convince you of the mindblowing energy taking place during the Tropicalia years, this one may well be it! A few tracks are written by Tom Ze, and titles include "Dom Quixote", "Dia 36", "Magica", "Rita Lee", "Algo Mais", "Qualquer Bobagem", and "Fuga No II".

The music of Paul McCartney – not only given a Brazilian twist, but a feminine one as well! The set features a host of fresh reworkings of Paul's best compositions – mostly Beatles' tunes, and really done in some compelling new versions – hardly covers at all, and more like completely new ideas that are formed from the original songwriting! Some tracks are vintage, and a lot more are more recent recordings – and all are pretty darn great – hardly what you'd expect at all on an album like this. Titles include "Eleanor Rigby" by Cassia Eller, "I Will" by Erika Martins, "And I Love Him" by Rita Lee, "My Love" by Leila Pinheiro, "Girlfriend" by Liah, "I Am Your Singer" by Hevelyn Costa, "Suicide" by Twiggy, "Here There & Everywhere" by Gal Costa, and "Ob La Di Ob La Da" by Pato Fu.

Zeze Motta sings songs by Rita Lee, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and Chico Buarque. Arrangements were done Liminha. Songs include "Baba Alapala", "Pecado Original", and "Trocando Em Miudos".

The music of John Lennon, but handled by a host of different Brazilian artists – on this cool set of tracks pulled together from albums of the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s – plus a few tracks from more recent years too! The set shows a really lasting influence of this Beatle's music on Brazil – from early takes that echo a more direct relationship to Lennon's recordings, to later MPB reworkings that have things really running deep, and coming out in rich new ways! Titles include "Come Together" by Wilson Das Neves, "Because" by MPB4 & Quarteto Em Cy, "Norwegian Wood" by Milton Nascimento, "Love" by Ivan Lins, "How Do You Sleep" by Kadu Mota, "Meu Bem" by Ronnie Von, "Demais" by Veronica Sabino, "My Life" by Leila Pinheiro, "Child Of Nature" by Daca, and "In My Life" by Rita Lee.

A landmark album – not just in Brazilian music, but in all modern music in general! The set's a legendary manifesto for the Tropicalia movement in Brazil – and features key works by all the leading musical luminaries in the movement – including a few later stars who are heard here at their most edgey! The work is as groundbreaking today as it was at the end of the 60s – a brilliant testament to the power of artists to really break down boundaries in art and music, and find a way to mix the political with the popular at the same time. Titles include a fantastic version of Gal Costa and Caetano Veloso singing "Baby", the "Tres Caravelas" duet between Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, Gil's great reading of "Bat Macumba" with Costa and Veloso, Nara Leao singing "Lindoneia", Os Mutantes performing "Panis Et Circenses", Gilberto on "Geleia Geral, Caetano doing "Coracao Materno, and Rita Lee, Gal Costa, and Caetano Veloso singing "Enquanto Seu Lobo Nao Vem".

A landmark album – not just in Brazilian music, but in all modern music in general! The set's a legendary manifesto for the Tropicalia movement in Brazil – and features key works by all the leading musical luminaries in the movement – including a few later stars who are heard here at their most edgey! The work is as groundbreaking today as it was at the end of the 60s – a brilliant testament to the power of artists to really break down boundaries in art and music, and find a way to mix the political with the popular at the same time. Titles include a fantastic version of Gal Costa and Caetano Veloso singing "Baby", the "Tres Caravelas" duet between Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, Gil's great reading of "Bat Macumba" with Costa and Veloso, Nara Leao singing "Lindoneia", Os Mutantes performing "Panis Et Circenses", Gilberto on "Geleia Geral, Caetano doing "Coracao Materno, and Rita Lee, Gal Costa, and Caetano Veloso singing "Enquanto Seu Lobo Nao Vem". Brand new remastering – approved by Caetano Veloso himself!

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".

One of the hippest records ever to come out of Chicago – the sole recording by Boscoe, a group who was even more obscure and experimental than contemporaries like The Pharoahs or Artistic Heritage Ensemble! Like those groups, Boscoe has a very unique, very visionary approach – one that's not content just to echo the standard post-Coltrane modes that other spiritual jazz groups around the country were hitting – but which instead moves into territory that touches on the darker sides of funk, soul, and spoken word of the time – all with a message that's incredibly powerful, and conception that's wonderfully fresh throughout! The group's lineup features tenor, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, and drums – but they way they're put together is often far different than other funky combos – and it's clear that the group had as much of a sensibility about the overall sound of their record as they did their freer grooves. At times, there's a righteousness here that recalls the best of the early Westbound Records scene from Detroit – but there's an even higher agenda too, which is more in keeping with the spiritual aspriations of their Chicago contemporaries, and which really show up in the lyrics. The whole album's a masterpiece from start to finish – unlike anything that we can think of, still ripe for rediscovery today, and just the kind of set that makes us prouder than ever of our Chicago heritage! Titles include "We Ain't Free", "Money Won't Save You", "Now and Den", "He Keeps You", "I'm What You Need", and "Writin' On The Wall".

A rare and beautiful treasure from Chicago's Phil Cohran and his legendary Artistic Heritage Ensemble – material recorded at the end of the 60s, but only issued here for the first time ever! The sound on the record is amazing – much deeper, and more forceful than anything else we've ever heard from Cohran – almost in Sun Ra Arkestra territory at times, given the group's out-there playing, and bold collective action! The lineup is similar to other Cohran recordings from the time – Phil on cornet, Henry Gibson on congas, Pete Cosey on guitar, Louis Satterfield on bass, Charles Williams on alto, Don Myrick on tenor, Charles Handy on trumpet, Willie Woods on trombone, and Aaron Dodd on tuba – a group that's a wonderful bridge between the two important Chicago generations headed by Sun Ra and Earth Wind & Fire. Armageddon is an extended piece, divided up into five different musical acts – conceived by Cohran in the late 50s, and recorded here in 1968 – with some great help from The Spencer Jackson Family on the leadoff track "Motherless Child". Other titles include "Creation Of The Beast", "The Warning", "The Window", and "Armageddon" – a clear reference to the power of the atom bomb!

Great lost work from the legendary Phil Cohran and his Artistic Heritage Ensemble – a composition that was recorded during the group's late 60s years on the Chicago scene – but which has never been released until now! The album stands beautifully alongside the group's self-titled classic and their tribute to Malcolm X – and like those amazing records, this one has a feel that's all its own – an exploration of Moorish elements in Spanish culture – which comes off as a Latin-inflected sound with African roots! The lineup here is similar to other Cohran classics – Donald Myrick on baritone sax, Charles James Williams on alto, Eugene Easton on tenor, Charles Handy on trumpet, Willie Woods on trombone, Aaron Dodd on tuba, Pete Cosey on guitar, Henry Gibson on congas, and Louis Satterfield on bass – a mix of musicians that includes members with Sun Ra and Earth Wind & Fire listed in their resumes! Cohran's vision in the suite is wonderful – and the music has all the depth and righteous energy of his self-titled record, but a bit more Latin fire too – a beautiful blend that really makes us appreciate his genius even more than before, and which finally gives us another record of his to love after all these years.

A brilliant tribute to the late Malcolm X – served up by Chicago's legendary Artistic Heritage Ensemble! The record's got an even farther-reaching sound than the group's self-titled effort – a flowing style that unfolds as their tribute to Malcolm rolls on – starting spare and earthy at first, then picking up a fuller, prouder, much more righteous groove as things really get going! As before, there's plenty of heavy percussion at the bottom of most tracks – topped by complicated horn passages that often verge on the exotic – and which have a tremendously captivating sound. The ensemble's led by the great Phil Cohran, who played with Sun Ra for a bit, and also plays cornet on the record – the rest of the group includes Charles Williams, Don Myrick, Louis Satterfield, Pete Cosey, Henry Gibson, Willie Woods, and Aaron Dodd – a lineup of players who also worked with Sun Ra, The Pharoahs, and Earth Wind & Fire! The LP's a suite of 4 tracks dedicated to Malcolm X, each capturing a period of his life, "Malcolm Little", "Detroit Red", "Malcolm X", and "El Hajj Malik El Shabazz".

That's Paul Williams, lost amidst the whiteness of the cover – kind of fuzzy around the edges, just like the warm feelings in his music! The album's got all the best elements that Williams had to offer in the 70s – some incredible songs that are instantly more personal and more upfront than most of his contemporaries, sung by Paul in that weird, raspy style that really makes you know he's not making any of this up – no false bravado, or pop star cockiness – just that up-close element that made this lil' ol' short guy a surprisingly strong singer in the 70s. Arrangements are by Kenny Ascher, and are some of the best that Williams got at the time – and titles include "Sunday", "Margarita", "Sleep Warm", "A Little Bit Of Love", "The Family Of Man", "California Roses", "She Sings For Free", and "Sad Song".

One of the best compilations of New Orleans funk we've ever seen! Sure, the reissue market is always filled with stuff from the Crescent City – but so many New Orleans compilations are cheapo knock-offs, designed to cash in on the drunk Jazz & Heritage crowd, or they're simplistic sets with the same 10 tracks over and over again. This wonderful batch of tunes was put together by the folks at Soul Jazz – legendary for their work in putting together serious compilations to please the novice and expert alike – and it's got some of the best overall work we've ever seen in trying to pin down New Orleans funk. Sure, there may be a few cuts on here that you've got on other sets – but there's also a lot that you won't have, and the quality of the production makes even the familiar material sparkle again. Titles include "Hercules" by Aaron Neville, "Big Chief (part 1)" by Professor Longhair, "Tell Me What's On Your Mind" by Cyril Neville, "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further" by Lee Dorsey, "Hand Clapping Song" by The Meters, "Here Come The Girls" by Ernie K Doe, "Free, Single, & Disengaged" by Huey Piano Smith, "Dap Walk" by Ernie & The High Notes, "Mama Roux" by Dr John, "Love Lots Of Lovin" by Lee Dorsey & Betty Harris, "I've Got Reasons" by Mary Jane Hooper, "Gatur Bait" by The Gaturs, "Hip Huggin" by Robert Parker, and "Can I Be Your Squeeze" by Chuck Carbo. 24 tracks in all!

Hard to deny the lasting power of this crucial album from The Beatles – a set that unleashed some of their trippiest sounds and most tender moments too! The mix of wit and honesty is wonderful – and the sonic range is dynamic as the archetypal cover image – a package that's had an undeniable impact on modern music for the past few decades! Titles include "With A Little Help From My Friends", "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", "She's Leaving Home", "Lovely Rita", "When I'm Sixty Four", "A Day In The Life", and "Fixing A Hole".

Amazing work from the legendary Phil Cohran – and a much-needed collection of his rare singles on the Zulu label! The work here is contemporary to the sides issued by Phil's Artistic Heritage Ensemble on their two famous records – but the sound is often a bit tighter, and funkier too – kind of the 45 distillation of sounds the group was working out in larger format on the full albums! As with those classics, the approach is amazing – a hip blend of jazz, soul, and African elements – very much in the spirit of Sun Ra, Cohran's predecessor on the Chicago scene – but often with a lot more groove, and a lot less avant garde elements. Players on the set include Charles Williams on alto, Don Myrick on baritone, Charles Handy on trumpet, Louis Satterfield on bass, Pete Cosey on guitar, and Henry Gibson on timbales and conga – all working at a level that easily rivals the best from Ra, Salah Ragab, Mulatu, and other space jazz legends from the time! Titles include "The African Look", "Loud Mouth", "New Frankiphone Blues", "Frankiphone Blues", "Detroit Red", "El Hajj Malik El Shabazz", and "Black Beauty".

Sublime early 70s work from Jimmy Heath – a record that shows that he was really stretching out with a new sound in the decade – even away from his better-known sides with The Heath Brothers! Jimmy plays tenor, flute, and soprano sax beautifully on the record – with a tone that's incredibly soulful, and even better-blown than his recordings of the 60s – a style that's got a new sense of spiritualism in the post-Coltrane years, one that really stretches out magnificently on the longer tracks in the set. The group's great too – and features Kenny Barron on both acoustic and electric piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Tootie Heath on drums, and Mtume on percussion. Heath plays flute, soprano, and tenor – with a group that includes Kenny Barron, Bob Cranshaw, and Mtume. The group performs Mtume's "Alkebu-Lan (Land Of The Blacks)", plus "Heritage Hum", "Angel Man", "Sound For Sore Ears", and "Gap Sealer".

The amazing full length debut of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – a cool combo from the Chicago scene who've been making some big waves around the world over the past few years! The brass-heavy group have a family legacy that links them to the Artistic Heritage Ensemble of Phil Cohran – and an approach to their music that mixes spiritual jazz, deep funk, and elements of New Orleans music too – a really unique style that has earned the group's rare singles some tremendous praise – and which is finally ready to step out fully in this wonderful album! The horns are even harder and heavier than before – honed through some touring around the globe, and brought into focus here beautifully – bristling with energy from the very first note. The set features guest appearances from Malcolm Catto, Tony Allen, Flea, and Damon Albarn – but the real strength of the record lies in the group's amazing horns and rhythms – on titles that include "War", "Gibbous", "Alyo", "Ballicki Bone", "Jupiter", "Marcus Garvey", "Party Started", "Sankofa", "Satin Sheets", "Hypnotic", and 2 versions of "Rabbit Hop".

One of the best compilations of New Orleans funk we've ever seen! Sure, the reissue market is always filled with stuff from the Crescent City – but so many New Orleans compilations are cheapo knock-offs, designed to cash in on the drunk Jazz & Heritage crowd, or they're simplistic sets with the same 10 tracks over and over again. This wonderful batch of tunes was put together by the folks at Soul Jazz – legendary for their work in putting together serious compilations to please the novice and expert alike – and it's got some of the best overall work we've ever seen in trying to pin down New Orleans funk. Sure, there may be a few cuts on here that you've got on other sets – but there's also a lot that you won't have, and the quality of the production makes even the familiar material sparkle again. Titles include "Hercules" by Aaron Neville, "Big Chief (part 1)" by Professor Longhair, "Tell Me What's On Your Mind" by Cyril Neville, "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further" by Lee Dorsey, "Hand Clapping Song" by The Meters, "Here Come The Girls" by Ernie K Doe, "Sissy Walk" by Sonny Jones, "Free, Single, & Disengaged" by Huey Piano Smith, "Garden Of Four Trees" by The Explosions, "Mama Roux" by Dr John, "Love Lots Of Lovin" by Lee Dorsey & Betty Harris, "I've Got Reasons" by Mary Jane Hooper, "Gatur Bait" by The Gaturs, "Hip Huggin" by Robert Parker, and "Can I Be Your Squeeze" by Chuck Carbo. 24 tracks in all!

One of the most beautiful records we've ever heard from the legendary Phil Cohran – a previously-unissued performance from 1993, and one that's every bit as wonderful as his rare albums of the late 60s! The set was recorded at the planetarium in Chicago – and for the date, Cohran comes up with a really cosmic sound – a small combo that's heavy on string sounds from guitar, bass, and harp – layered together beautifully to create these Alice Coltrane-like undercurrents – over which the group solos with flute, trumpet, and trombone! There's less players here than on some of Cohran's older Artistic Heritage Ensemble sets, but the sound is exactly like those records – right down to some key moments in which Phil plays his amazing Frankiphone – an electrified kalimba with a tremendous tone. Titles include "White Nile", "Cohran Blues", "The Dogon", "Sahara", "Kalahari", and "Kilimanjaro".

A rare and beautiful treasure from Chicago's Phil Cohran and his legendary Artistic Heritage Ensemble – material recorded at the end of the 60s, but only issued here for the first time ever! The sound on the record is amazing – much deeper, and more forceful than anything else we've ever heard from Cohran – almost in Sun Ra Arkestra territory at times, given the group's out-there playing, and bold collective action! The lineup is similar to other Cohran recordings from the time – Phil on cornet, Henry Gibson on congas, Pete Cosey on guitar, Louis Satterfield on bass, Charles Williams on alto, Don Myrick on tenor, Charles Handy on trumpet, Willie Woods on trombone, and Aaron Dodd on tuba – a group that's a wonderful bridge between the two important Chicago generations headed by Sun Ra and Earth Wind & Fire. Armageddon is an extended piece, divided up into five different musical acts – conceived by Cohran in the late 50s, and recorded here in 1968 – with some great help from The Spencer Jackson Family on the leadoff track "Motherless Child". Other titles include "Creation Of The Beast", "The Warning", "The Window", and "Armageddon" – a clear reference to the power of the atom bomb!

The amazing full length debut of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – a cool combo from the Chicago scene who've been making some big waves around the world over the past few years! The brass-heavy group have a family legacy that links them to the Artistic Heritage Ensemble of Phil Cohran – and an approach to their music that mixes spiritual jazz, deep funk, and elements of New Orleans music too – a really unique style that has earned the group's rare singles some tremendous praise – and which is finally ready to step out fully in this wonderful album! The horns are even harder and heavier than before – honed through some touring around the globe, and brought into focus here beautifully – bristling with energy from the very first note. The set features guest appearances from Malcolm Catto, Tony Allen, Flea, and Damon Albarn – but the real strength of the record lies in the group's amazing horns and rhythms – on titles that include "War", "Gibbous", "Alyo", "Ballicki Bone", "Jupiter", "Marcus Garvey", "Party Started", "Sankofa", "Satin Sheets", "Hypnotic", and 2 versions of "Rabbit Hop".

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

Smooth and funky fusion from Lee Ritenour – top-shelf all the way, and handled with a really soulful groove, thanks to production from the legendary Skip Drinkwater! Lee's all over the top of the guitar in true "Captain Fingers" style, and Skip makes sure he's got plenty going on underneath, too – with an all-star assemblage of players that includes Harvey Mason on drums, Patrice Rushen on keyboards, Dennis Budimir on guitar, Alphonso Johnson on bass, and Ernie Watts on saxes. The keyboards groove as nicely as the guitars (thanks Patrice!), and titles include "Margarita", "Fly By Night", "Dolphin Dreams", "Captain Fingers", and "Sun Song".

Maybe the deepest set so far in the excellent Funk Experience collection – and one that's got a surprising amount of great grooves we've never heard before! We've dug the 60s and 70s Scandia scene for years – as there's some massive gems from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark that often get overlooked by US crate diggers – rare jazz, funk, and soul numbers that are often some of the most unusual European grooves of the time! But we've honestly never heard most of the cuts here – a great surprise to our ears, and a rich treasure trove of musical gems that really stand out – even in a world of other great compilations. All tracks are from the vaults of EMI Records – and are brought together here with a great ear for the way they sound next to each other – a massive lineup that includes "Taboo" by Max Leth, "Memphis Underground" by Modern Sound Quintet, "Mr Minor" by Staffan Abeleen Quintet, "Mas Que Nada" by Bob Azzam, "Big Band Felicidade" by Bernt Rosengren, "La Folia" by Solar Plexus, "Stone Free" by Claes Goran Fagerstedt, "Horrorscope" by Ralph Lundsten, "Bubble Sex" by Tommy Seebach, "Standing In The Way" by Charles Williams, "Ari's Tune" by Ted Curson, "Naat Vain Silmin" by Carita Holmstrom, and "Nica's Dream" by Bo Warmell – plus the classic "You Never Come Closer" by Doris, maybe the one track here you will already know.