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A beautiful take on the music of The Beatles – done in a completely different style than the originals! The tunes here are all famous numbers from the glory days of the fab four, plus a few later solo songs too – but Ze Ramalho performs them all in a mellow, stripped-down setting that often just features his vocals and guitar in the lead, with some occasional extra supporting instrumentation – all at a level that's way more Brazilian than British! A few of the later compositions add in some bigger backings, but never too slick or commercial – and a few others feature some great forro-styled accordion – an instrument that we're not sure the Beatles ever used in their own recordings. And best of all are the vocals – which have all the aging, raspy charm you might expect from Ramalho's image on the cover. Titles include "Golden Slumbers", "If I Fell", "Carry That Weight", "Your Mother Should Know", "Dear Prudence", "Beware Of Darkness", "Isn't It A Pity", "It Don't Come Easy", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "I Need You", and "In My Life".

Vintage live work from this legendary Brazilian rocker – a series of different concerts, all brought together in a very cool 2CD package! The set features material from the shows Atlantida (1973), Um Dia Antes Da Vida (1976), Tres Aboios Diferentes (1974), and Coletiva De Musica Paraibana (1976) – plus one more track from a 1977 show – all with Ze Ramalho on vocals and guitar, working in relatively stripped-down settings with deeply personal inflections! The collection's a great contrast to some of his more produced studio albums – and titles include "O Monte Olimpia", "Avohai", "A Arvore", "Puxa Puxa", "Brejo Do Cruz", "Jacarepagua Blues", "Taxi Lunar", and "Aboio Eletronico".

A collection of two wonderful early 70s albums from Tom Ze, recorded just after the Tropicalia years! Estundando O Samba is one of Tom Ze's best albums ever – a fantastic blend of post-Tropicalia styles – and it features some strange arrangements that perfectly illustrated Ze's insane approach to songwriting. As with much of Ze's music, the actual sound is incredibly hard to describe – and the album bristles with imagination and creative fire. Includes a haunting spare version of "A Felicidade", plus the nutty instrumental "Tom", and the original tracks "So", "Ma", "Vai", "Ui!", "Hein?", and "Mae". Se O Caso E Chorar has a number of tracks with a samba sound at the base – but there's more than enough fantastic material to keep the record fresh, and Tom's writing is as great as ever. There's a vocal group that sings with Ze on many of the tracks on the record – but they also seem to sometimes act as a Greek chorus, in response to breakaway vocal passages that are dominated by Ze. Includes the excellent baroque funky number "Dor E Dor", plus the tracks "Sonho Colorido De Um Pintor", "A Baba", "O Sandalo", "A Briga Do Edificio Italia Com O Hilton Hotel", and "Happy End".

Some of the wildest work we've heard from Tom Ze in years – a set that returns to some of the darker themes of his famous 70s recordings, and one that features a great balance between experimental sounds and more playful modes! The rhythms are especially compelling – fresh sounds learned from some of the younger generations that Ze's influenced over the years, and who've worked with him too – and the instrumentation is really varied from cut to cut, keeping a freshness to the record that really has us digging in more deeply as the set rolls on – held more rapt by Tom's genius than we remember in years. Titles include "Tropicalia Lixo Logico", "Jucaju", "Navegador De Cancoes", "Aviso Aos Passageiros", "Capitais E Tais", "O Motobi E Maria Clara", and "Tropicalea Jacta Est".

A legendary lost album from Brazilian songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Lula Cortes and Ze Ramalho – recorded in Brazil in the mid 70s – blending avant psychedelia, rugged acoustic rhythms, and an enormous free spirit with delicate melodic touches and lilting jazzy elements! As is the case with the work of the best, most adventurous Brazilian artists of the time, it's a difficult sound to describe. It's a very atmospheric blend – sung and chanted vocals are no more or less important than any of the other elements – which include classical acoustic and fuzzy electric guitar, piano, organ, flute, sax and a range of percussion. It's free and psychedelic, but just reigned in enough to keep it tense and exciting. Pure greatness – hopefully bound to achieve some long overdue recognition! Tracks include "Trilha De Sume", "Culto A Terra", "Bailado Das Muscarias", "Nao Existe Molhado Igua; Ao Pranto", "Raga Dos Raios", "Nas Paredes Da Pedra Encantada", "Regato Da Montanha", Trilha De Sume" and more! New reissue version has way better sound than before – and reproduces all the cool graphics of the original cover.

A legendary lost album from Brazilian songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Lula Cortes and Ze Ramalho – recorded in Brazil in the mid 70s – blending avant psychedelia, rugged acoustic rhythms, and an enormous free spirit with delicate melodic touches and lilting jazzy elements! As is the case with the work of the best, most adventurous Brazilian artists of the time, it's a difficult sound to describe. It's a very atmospheric blend – sung and chanted vocals are no more or less important than any of the other elements – which include classical acoustic and fuzzy electric guitar, piano, organ, flute, sax and a range of percussion. It's free and psychedelic, but just reigned in enough to keep it tense and exciting. Pure greatness – hopefully bound to achieve some long overdue recognition! Tracks include "Trilha De Sume", "Culto A Terra", "Bailado Das Muscarias", "Nao Existe Molhado Igua; Ao Pranto", "Raga Dos Raios", "Nas Paredes Da Pedra Encantada", "Regato Da Montanha", Trilha De Sume" and more! New special edition 2 x LP pressing, finished to match the original specifications, now including the 8 page booklet.

A groundbreaking collection of work from the legendary Tom Ze – and a record that really helped introduce his genius to the world outside of Brazil! Although it's hard to understand from the perspective of over a decade – especially one that's seen Tom Ze rise to fame again – when this compilation was first put together, the music of Tom Ze had all but fallen off the musical map of Brazil. Ze was one of the founding fathers of Tropicalia – and unlike other members of that group, who rose to great fame during the 70s, and straightened up their act a bit – Ze always remained a committed modernist, continually inventive well into the 70s and 80s – really coming up with amazing sounds that are always compelling, challenging, and often have a nicely quirky feel as well. The style's incredibly hard to pin down – and in fact, we might describe the recordings as being "anti-style" – but if you've heard any of Ze's work, you know you're in for a treat. The collection brings together material from a number of different labels – and titles include "Ma", "Doi", "Hein?", "Cademar", "Um Oh E Um Ah", "Augusta Angelica E Consolacao", "O Riso E A Faca", "Ui", and "A Felicidade".

Kick ass early work from the great Tom Ze – recorded in the beginning of the Tropicalia years, but with a style that shows Ze sitting on the fence between rock/pop and some of his madder later work! The style's still pretty hard to describe, and listening to the music, you can hear how much of an influence Ze must have had on the styles of Caetano Veloso and Os Mutantes – whose work from 1969 is echoed in many of the songs on the album. There's lots of weird organ, arranged in kind of a swirling psychedelic way that reminds us of songs from the early Mutantes album, or from the Tropicalia Ou Panis et Circensis album from 1968. Ze wrote all the tracks, and titles include "Sabor De Burrice", "Camelo", "Gloria", "Curso Intesivo De Boas Maneiras", "Parque Industrial", and "Profissao De Ladrao". A great cover, and a rare rare relic!

Kick ass early work from the great Tom Ze – recorded in the beginning of the Tropicalia years, but with a style that shows Ze sitting on the fence between rock/pop and some of his madder later work! The style's still pretty hard to describe, and listening to the music, you can hear how much of an influence Ze must have had on the styles of Caetano Veloso and Os Mutantes – whose work from 1969 is echoed in many of the songs on the album. There's lots of weird organ, arranged in kind of a swirling psychedelic way that reminds us of songs from the early Mutantes album, or from the Tropicalia Ou Panis et Circensis album from 1968. Ze wrote all the tracks, and titles include "Sabor De Burrice", "Camelo", "Gloria", "Curso Intesivo De Boas Maneiras", "Parque Industrial", and "Profissao De Ladrao". A great cover, and a rare rare relic!

Funky, soulful, and totally wonderful – a wicked late 70s live set from Jorge Ben – and one of his few post-Philips albums that really holds the energy from earlier years! The date's a live one, and the group grooves in a style that's got plenty of Africa Brasil touches – mixed with some other soulful and funky modes too – always great for Jorge's wonderful vocals, especially on some of the earthier tracks. Titles include "Troca Troca", "Bom Dia, Boa Tarde Boa Noite Amor", "A Banda Do Ze Pretinho", "Denize Rei", "Berenice", "Amante Amado", and "Era Uma Vez Treze".

One of those impossible to find records by Tom Ze from the 70s – and well worth the search! The record has Ze working in a slightly more conventional mode – with a mix of styles that ranges from spare percussive tracks, to others that have a smoother production style, but still a fairly mad lyrical approach. There's a bit more electronics in here than on some of the earlier albums, but trust us, like all musical elements, they're used in the service of Ze's mad vision more than they are in any standard way. Titles include "Amor De Estrada", "Carta", "Morena", "Menina Jesus", "Na Parada De Sucesso", and "Pecado, Rifa E Revista".

Crazy stuff! This is the record with the famous cover of a marble balanced on an asshole (!) – and it further refines Tom Ze's distinctive approach to songwriting with an over the top approach that moves far beyond the experimentation of Tropicalia! The record is incredible, with a mix of amazing songs that piece together hard percussion, spare production, quirky guitar, and some of the strangest vocals ever recorded in Brazil. Includes the tracks "Complexo De Epico", "A Noite Do Meu Bem", "Dodo E Zeze", "Brigitte Bardot", and "O Riso E A Faca".

Ha! This one really takes us back! The set was a massive breakthrough for August Darnell – one of his biggest hits since his day with Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, with an equally appealing approach to the dancefloor. Tracks mix early 80s New York club styles with Darnell's mad retro/exotic take on the world – coming out with a sound that's slightly hokey, but equally catchy! Includes the hits "Annie (I'm Not Your Daddy)", "I'm A Wonderful Thing Baby", and "Stool Pigeon" – plus the cuts "Imitation", "I'm Corrupt", "No Fish Today", and "Loving You Made A Fool Out Of Me".

Cool quirky post-punk work from The Waitresses – a group who maybe were never as big as Blondie or Romeo Void, but shared a very similar space at the time! This album's best known for the classic "I Know What Boys Want" – a naughty little number that got plenty of dancefloor and radio play back in the day – but the whole album's an equally enjoyable romp, with lots of jagged guitars, sharp-edged rhythms, and cool snot-nosed vocals from Patty Donahue! Mars Williams blows some mighty reeds in the group – and titles include "I Know What Boys Want", "Wise Up", "It's My Car", "No Guilt", "Heat Night", and "Go On".

Ho! This one takes us back! We're not as old as you might think here at Dusty Groove, but we're old enough to remember that wonderful period in the early 80s when somewhere on the lower east side, the energy and rawness of punk and post punk were meeting up with the glamour of the glitzed up disco club scene. ZE records was all over the scene, releasing the finest mutated disco from arch scenesters like August Darnell and the not-yet-heavyweight producer Don Was to other greats who might sadly have become sidebars in the history of modern music if not for this compilation, like Lizzy Mercer Descloux and Cristina. Each and every track grooves along with an unstoppable energy, whether it's Kid Creole's sophisticated Latin-esque numbers, Garcons' bubbling synths or Was (Not Was)'s faux R&B. 25 tracks in all, spread out over 2 CDs, with excellent retrospective notes and a nice fold out digipack! Includes: Was(Not Was) "Wheel Me Out" & "Tell Me That I'm Dreaming", Material with Nona Hendryx "Bustin' Out", Kid Creole & The Coconuts "Annie I'm Not Your Daddy" & "I'm A Wonderful Thing Baby", Coati Mundi "Que Pasa/Me No Pop I", James White & The Blacks "Contort Yourself", The Aural Exciters "Emile" & "Spooks In Space", Gichy Dan "Cowboys & Gangsters", Don Armando's 2nd Ave Rhumba Band "Deputy Of Love" plus loads more from Garcons, The Waitresses, Lizzy Mercer Descloux and others!

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".

The madness of Kid's a bit suppressed in this single, but in its place is some very soulful grooving – which makes it no surprise that "I'm A Wonderful Thing" became one of the group's bigger dancefloor tracks of the early 80s. "Table Manners" is a silly one, but it's nicely remixed here, with a cool jangly guitar that sounds great!

A fantastic follow-up to the legendary Mutant Disco compilation on Ze Records – one that's newly put together by the revived label, but which features some of the company's best club cuts from the late 70s and early 80s! The "garage" in the title is a sly reference to the fact that Larry Levan's work at the Paradise Garage helped break some of the best Ze tunes on the New York scene – and overall, there's a definite early 80s downtown groove to the tracks on the package – a wonderful blend of post-disco and punk-funk elements, all served up with the usual Ze sense of style and whimsy! The best part of the package is that it brings together a number of harder to find Ze tracks – including a large number of tunes we haven't been able to track down in years, plus a few more that are making a much-needed first appearance here on CD! 15 tracks in all – with titles that include "I'm An Indian Too" by Don Armando, "Yaya" by Ron Rogers, "Sey Hey" by Coati Mundi, "Man Vs The Empire Brain Building" by Was Not Was, "Maladie D'Amour" by Aural Exciters, "Outlaw (August Darnell rmx)" by Alan Vega, "Dance Or Die" by Sweet Pea Atkinson with Was Not Was, "Techno Freqs" by Junie Morrison, "Read My Lips" by Thousand Points Of Night (Was Not Was), "No Time To Stop Believing In Love" by Daisy Chain, "He's The Groove" by Snuky Tate, and "Dream Baby Dream (long version)" by Suicide.

An overlooked gem from keyboardist Joao Donato – cut in a mid 80s stretch when he was hardly doing any recording at all! The set's almost more of a jazz record than some of Donato's previous work – recorded with a warm vibe that's right up there with the best Brazilian fusion of the time – and by that, we mean the real deal coming from Brazil – not the American variant! Donato's still got a wonderful way of handling the keys – coming up with these subtle turns of phrase and gentle colors that hold us spellbound throughout – alongside other instrumentation that includes Mauro Senise and Ze Carlos on saxes, Serginho on trombone, and Paulinho on trumpet. Joao sings just a bit at a few points, but the overall vibe is instrumental – kind of a nice extension from the mellow cuts on the Quem E Quem album. Titles include "Leila XIII", "Leila VIII", and "Leila VI (Lua Dourada)".

A gem of a record from the same Pernambuco early 70s scene that gave us Lula Cortes, Ze Ramalho, Geraldo Azevedo, and Alceu Valenca! This obscure little set has lots of the earthier tones that showed up in work by the above artists – a style that mixes folksy touches with bits of psychedelia – kind of a north east answer to the growing sound from the Minas Geraes generation around Milton Nascimento. Many of the tunes here are fairly mellow – building slowly with an honest, earthy integrity – and mostly relying on acoustic instrumentation to carry the gentle poetry of the lyrics, but still coming across with enough of an edge to appeal to fans of stronger South American rock. Titles include "Canto Funebre", "O Tempo", "Noite", "Desespero", "Cancao De Outono", "Do Amigo", and "Romance Da Lua Lua".

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)".

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!

A hell of a great record – as you might already guess from the fact that Kassin produced the album, and it also features guest appearances by Chico Buarque and Tom Ze! Yet Thais Gulin is clearly the main draw here – a really lovely, inventive singer with a freshness that comes through on the very first tune – the haunting string of "ooo" sounds in the title, set to sounds that are earthy enough to be earnest, yet gentle enough to sensitively deliver Thais to the public. The rest of the record follows with a similar balance between charm and creative expression – and titles include "Little Boxes", "Encantada", "Cinema Americano", "The Glory Hole", "Agua", "Horas Cariocas", "Se Eu Soubesse", and "Revendo Amigos".

Sublime sounds from the great Tania Maria – a killer blend of jazz, bossa nova, and wonderfully soulful vocals – all served up in a style that takes us back to Maria's best European sides of the 70s! The sound is no surprise, given that the album was partially recorded in Paris – and Tania's vocals get accompaniment from a mostly-acoustic lineup that's heavy on percussion and her own piano – opening up in that freewheeling style that really lets her vocals take off! The groove is great, and most of the set is upbeat, and recorded with a crackle that we haven't heard in Maria's music in years – on titles that include "Samba Do Gato", "Chorino Brasileiro", "Vou Te Amar", "Florzinha", "Carlos Song", "Ze Marmita", "Thanks Mr G", and "Intimidade".

A really rich new chapter in the music of Otto – an artist we've loved right from the start, but one who's blowing us away all over again with this sweet set! There's a fullness here we've never heard from Otto – not a sound that's slick, just an approach that's more thought out and fully-composed – with some classic elements on the backings that take us back to 60s sounds from Beatles to Motown at times – yet served up in ways that all still retain the freshness of Otto's earlier work. Other sounds are a bit more contemporary, yet still have this feeling of timelessness that really stands out – something we might never have said about Ottos' music before. The electronics are kept to a minimum, and tunes are straightforward and less abstract – in a way we never expected, and which shows Otto to really be a great songwriter after all these years. The set was done with heavy collaborations from producer Pupillo, who co-wrote most tracks – and also features assistance from Kassin and Catatau too. Titles include "The Moon 1111", "Dia Claro", "Ela Flava", "O Que Dira O Mundo", "DP", "Hideus", "Miss Apple E Ze Pilantra", and "Selvagens Olhos Nego".

A weird mix of folksy roots and more ambitious sounds – put together by Sergio Ricardo in the 70s, in one of his most compelling projects ever! Sergio handles lead vocals and instrumentation – but the set also features other vocal work from Alceu Valenca, Geraldo Azevedo, and others – who come into the mix with personalities all their own – and in ways that are very different than some of the more warmly collaborative vocal work of this nature at the time. The notes are in Portuguese, but from what we can tell the album is a soundtrack – ostensibly for a higher-concept sort of movie! Titles include "Noite De Maria", "Mutirao", "Festa Do Mutirao", "Meu Nome E Ze Do Cao", "Historia Que Se Conta", and "Pe Na Estrada".

Some of the hippest sounds ever recorded on the Afghan scene – and a great reminder that the nation's got some standout music if you know where to look! The package combines the second and third volumes in Pharaway's look at Ahmad Zahir – a charismatic singer who rose to huge fame in the 70s, but still has a sound that's pretty darn fresh to our Western ears – a mix of psychedelic production, exotic instrumentation, and some surprisingly compelling lead vocals – which tend to hold us rapt, even though we can't understand the language! Instrumentation often features plenty of raw percussion and offbeat reed lines – mixed with keyboards and guitar, to create this pan-generational sound that's really unique. Titles include "Shaady Kunaid Aye Dostan", "Ahange Zindegi, "Az Nazo Che Maykhande", "Baduhait Konam", "Begzaro Ta Begeeryam", "Dil Ze Sowda", "Che Koosh Amadi Safaa Kardi", "Tu Barayem Mogadasi", "Duzdi Eshgam", "Ansiman Begoyed", "Kai Bashad Kai", and "Nay Nay Hargez".

The sound of The Beatles, completely re-imagined by a host of hip acts from Brazil – a stunning lineup that includes some under-discovered talents from the younger generation, plus a few key artists from earlier years as well! As you'd guess from the "69" in the title, most of the tracks here are from the final years of the group – and lots of titles here are from separate solo projects – opened up and given a whole new sort of energy here – showing the rich inspiration the fab four were still able to provide, even at the end! Beatles music has been a crucial influence on Brazil, from the 60s Jovem Guarda and Tropicalia scenes onward – and the work here really shows the range of influences, extrapolated through really creative instrumentation, vocal arrangements, and production techniques. The whole thing's hardly another "tribute to" session – and instead is more like an extended poem inspired by the work of John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Titles on this second volume include "The Ballad Of John & Yoko" by Front, "Old Brown Shoe" by Twiggy & Holics, "Hot As Sun" by Surfadelica, "The Back Seat Of My Car" by Aerocirco, "Another Day" by Ze Ramalho, "Isn't It A Pity" by Hevelyn Costa, "Behind That Locked Door" by Sergio Reis, "Beautiful Girl" by Emmerson Noguiera, "I Found Out" by Saomer Zwadomit, and "I Live For You" by Tantra.

A cool take on the Beatles' White Album – served up by a host of different Brazilian artists who really make the most of the music! The record is easily the most experimental set ever issued by The Beatles – and the artists here definitely keep that fact in mind – shifting their styles nicely from track to track, and taking plenty of chances with the tunes – which makes the whole thing way more than just another cover record or tribute album! Given the huge influence The Beatles had on Brazilian music – from the jovem guarda to the Tropicalia scene and beyond – the set's a great illustration of that power. Tracks include "I'm So Tired" by Dissonantes, "Martha My Dear" by Marcio Greyck, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Manfred, "The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill" by Daniel Tendler, "Wild Honey Pie" by Bacalhau, "Back In The USSR" by Rodrigo Santos & George Israel, "Dear Prudence" by Ze Ramalho, "Birthday" by Pato Fu, "Revolution 1" by Tantra, and "Good Night" by Jerry Adriani & Tantra.

Legendary work from a crucial component of Brazilian culture in the late 60s and early 70s – the International Song Festivals of the time – a very important way of presenting both new talent and new compositions as well! The events were really unique, and often quite striking – from both a cultural and political perspective – as artists used the festivals as a key platform for taking steps forward in their words and music – sometimes steps that were even bolder than their studio work on record! Performances are unique to the records, and usually represent some key non-album tracks from the artists involved. This second volume brings together work from the 1969 to 1972 versions of the Festivals – a really crucial time in Brazilian music, represented here by performances from Clara Nunes, Marcos Valle, Quarteto Forma, Beth Carvalho, Golden Boys, Tiaguara, Evinha, Antonio Adolfo & Brazuca, Maria Odette, Oz Brazoes, Hermes Aquinho, Alceu Valenca, O Grupo, Vox Populi, Martinho Da Vila, Luiza, Som Okey 5, Jards Macale, Os Tres Morais, Tribo, Toni Tornado, Agostinho Dos Santos, Trio Esperanca, Wilson Simonal, O Terco, Som Imaginario, Wanderlea, Silvo Cesar, Osmar Milito, Ze Rodrix, Claudia, Alaide Costa, and many others! Box features the full albums IV Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular Vols 1, 2, & 3 (1969), V Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular Vols 1 & 2 (1970), VI Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular (1971), and VII Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular (1972) – and most albums have bonus tracks too!

A glorious celebration of the Luaka Bop label – the groundbreaking imprint first started by David Byrne as a way to bring older Brazilian music to the American market! Since that initial release – Brazilian Classics 1 – the label's been covering a hell of a lot of ground – a fair bit of the South American scene, bits from overseas, and even some home-grown treasures too – all of which can be heard on this wonderfully low-priced collection. The package comes with a cool fold-out cartoon – telling the story of the label and its relationship with the majors over the years – and the CD features 15 titles that include "Ponta De Lanca Africano" by Jorge Ben, "Aht Uh Mi Hed" by Shuggie Otis, "Fuzzy Freaky" by David Byrne, "Sexy" by Los Amigos Invisibles, "Rio Longe" by Moreno + 2, "Defeito 2 Curiosidade" by Tom Ze, "Whoever You Are" by Geggy Tah, "Baby" by Os Mutantes, "Samba Sem Nenhum Problema" by Marcio Local, "Bacalao Con Pan" by Irakere, "Sweet Melody" by Zap Mama, and "Heart Of Glass" by Nouvelle Vague.

70s psychedelia from the northeastern state of Pernambuco, Brazil – incredible stuff that combines rawly percussive tropical sounds with a world of psychedelic creativity and possibilities – one of the best compilations ever put together by Mr Bongo! Lula Cortes was a pivotal figure in the scene and he's pretty well represented here, including his influential recordings with Ze Remalho. Even more exciting, though, is the stuff we've never been fortunate enough to hear before now – and there's a pretty good deal of it! The fusion of global psych and folk sounds into a distinctly Brazilian sound is nothing short of amazing – regional and traditional percussion underneath sitars, lutes, keyboards and more. It features songs by the great Lula Cortes & Ze Ramalho, Geraldo Azevedo & Alceu Valenca, Marconi Notaro, Flaviola E O Bando Do Sol and The Gentleman. 19 tracks in all: "Sorriso Delvagem" by The Gentlemen, "O Tempo" and "Desespero" by Flaviola E O Bando Do Sol, "Antropologica", "Maracatu" and "Fidelidade" by Marconi Notaro, "Mister Misterio", "Virgem Virginia" and more by Geraldo Azevedo & Alceu Valenca, "Bailado Das Muscarias" and "Maracas De Fogo" by Lula Cortes & Ze Ramalho, "Noite Preta" by Lula Cortes and more.

A fantastically soulful album from Jorge Ben – one of his greatest records ever, and a key part of Brazilian music in the 70s! The album marks an earthier shift for Jorge – a sound that's still rooted in the samba influences of the 60s, but which also takes on a bit more soul at the bottom – thanks to rhythmic contributions from Trio Mocoto, who work here famously to help Ben shape the overall feel of the set! There's still a bit of larger orchestrations at moments, but these are used sparingly just to sweeten the sound – leaving the main force of the music to come from Jorge's guitar, and the cuica, percussion, and tamborim of the trio. The vocals are wonderful too – slightly raspy, and with a bit more feeling than we ever remember Jorge having on record – sometimes a bit intimate, yet always with an undeniable presence throughout. One of those records that still sends chills up our spines, year after year – with tracks that include "Oba La Vem Ela", "Ze Canjica", "Pulo Pulo", "Apareceu Aparecida", "Terezinha", "Mulher Brasileira", "Forca Bruta", "O Telefone Tocou Novamente", and "Charles Junior".

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 HUGE batch of samba-soul grooves from Seu Jorge! Jorge previously knocked around Brazil as a member of the late 90s pop group Farofa Carioca, but his first solo outing is a massive step forward into the upper echelon of the Brazilian scene! Like the best of his contemporaries, Jorge uses the rich history of samba and bossa as a springboard – but it's the pronounced contemporary qualities, such as production and mix work by Beastie Boy producer Mario Caldato – that push Carolina way over the top and make it much more than a genre exercise! The title track echoes the earlier work of Jorge Ben, who actually pens the reggae-inflected tune "Em Nagoya Eu Vi Eriko", and the tracks "Mangueira" and "O Samba Tai" have the classic samba groove and crisp background vocals that would sound right in place on Tom Ze's Se O Caso E Chorar. "Hagua" has a deep reggae thump, and nearly everything here has kind of a 70s soul feel thanks to some bright, almost Kool & The Gang-like horn arrangements! The group includes Azymuth drummer Mamao, Paulinho Black on bass, Banda Black Rio's William Magalhaes on keyboards, and Josimar Monteiro on violin. Another great new solo artist from Brazil, and one that we expect amazing things from in the years to come!

Folksy psychedelia from early 70s Brazil – a wonderful little album by poet/singer Marconi Notaro, done in collaboration with the team of Lula Cortes and Ze Ramalho, with a feel that's similar to their own classic Paebiru! The feel here is quite loose at times – almost improvised percussion and guitar bits jangling together – but a few other numbers get more rock-based and electric, making for weird shifts in mood that continue to keep the record on edge. Everything's quite trippy overall, and made even more so by the production techniques – which are simple, but really effectively used to abstract out some of the best elements. Titles include "Anthropologic", "Ode To Satwa", "Symphony In RE", "I Have No Imagination To Trade Wives", "Oh Greedy Life", and "Desmantelado".

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".

Rosemary's got a sound that's a lot groovier than her look on the cover might imply – a mature female 70s sort of pop – served up in a blend of Brazilian and European influences! The arrangements are by Ze Roberto and Jan Guest – and often have a slightly slinky quality that's really great – a gentle groove with a bit of keyboards, guitar, or flute at the background, all of which offset Rosemary's lightly breathy vocals nicely. There's a slight groove on a few tracks – but a very mellow one – and titles include "Viva Bem", "Quero Ser Sua", "Tema De Adao", "Fechei A Porta", "De Mim P'Ra Voce", and "Uma Nova Vida".

A tremendous set of 70s samba – a rare gem issued on the smaller Tapecar album, and a vivid portrait of some of the best indie talents of the genre at the time! There's a freshness here that really grabs us right away – the kind of sublime sounds that keep us digging for rare samba records over the years – a sparkling, spontaneous sort of energy that comes through in the music right away – as singers, instrumentalists, and percussionists groove together beautifully in an upbeat, soulful, joyous sort of way! Production is nice and crisp – which really preserves the energy of the music – and titles include "Alegria" by Ze Di, "Acalentava" by Candeia, "Poxa" by Gilson De Souza, "Volta Por Cima" by Noite Ilustrada, "Resto De Amor" by Vincente, "Carolina Meu Bem" by Xango Da Mangueira, and "Bloco Da Madrugada" by Noite Ilustrada.

An amazing introduction to one of the most significant cultural movements in the latter half of the 20th Century – the groundbreaking years of Tropicalia in late 60s Brazil! The music and legacy of Tropicalia are referenced often, but hardly ever presented this well – and this package is everything we could have hoped for as an introduction to the movement – filled with key late 60s works from the most important musicians associated with Tropicalia – an great starting point for the movement that's filled with most essential tracks! And even if you have some of this stuff already on individual albums, it really sounds great together – a rich document of this amazing musical moment. Titles include "Bat Macumba" by Gilberto Gil, "Tuareg" and "Sebastiana" by Gal Costa, "A Minha Menina" and "Panis Et Circenses" by Os Mutantes, "Alfo Mega" and "Tropicalia" by Caetano Veloso, "Gloria" and "Jimmy Renda-Se" by Tom Ze, "Procissao" by Gilberto Gil, "Ave Genghis Khan" by Os Mutantes, "Take It Easy My Brother Charles" by Jorge Ben, "Quero Sambal Meu Bem" by Tom Ze, "Lost In The Paradise" by Caetano Veloso, "Bat Macumba" by Os Mutantes, "Domingo No Parque" by Gilberto Gil & Os Mutantes, and "Irene" by Caetano Veloso.

One of our favorite mixing of modes from the old school – a tremendous second album from the legendary Aksak Maboul! The record mixes arty playfulness with some rootsier elements – bits of Eastern instrumentation, jazz, improvisation, and even some post-punk elements – all in a way that makes for one of the most creative recordings of its time – a set that easily provides key inspiration for more recent genre-crossing acts like this! There's a bit of Y or Ze Records whimsy at times – but the end result is much deeper, and much more compelling– as you'd expect from a group that features Fred Frith on guitar, Chris Cutler on drums, Marc Hollander and Michel Berkmans on reeds, and Denis Van Hecke on a range of cool cellos! Each tune has a slightly different flavor, but there's still a really unified feel to the record too – one of those European projects that comes together like nothing you'd hear from the US. Titles include "Geistige Nacht", "A Modern Lesson", "Palmiers En Pots", "Inoculating Rabies", "Cinema", and "Bosses De Crosses".

A wide range of electric Angolan music from the late 60s through early 70s – one of the finest compilations yet on the Analog Africa label! The music is a feverish mix of traditional Luandan island rhythms and other regional and global influences – but ultimately the way this sonic tapestry is woven is unique to Luanda and has a style an energy all its own, and too rarely heard on record and all these years later! There's a lot great electric guitar grooves not unlike what was going on in nearby Congolese recordings at the time, Latin and Caribbean percussion and feverishly rhythmic energy, and mix of vocal numbers and instrumentals. Wonderful stuff that's unique to region, but with recognizable global influences – hypnotic, heavily percussive, perfectly danceable rhythms underneath an incredible guitar sound. 18 tracks in all: "Rei Do Palhetinho" by Mamukueno, "Comboio" by Os Kiezos, "Ilha Virgem" by Jovens Do Prenda, "Pachanga Maria" by Os Bongos, "Mi Cantando Pari Ti" by N'Goma Jazz, "Macongo Me Chiquita" by Ferreira Do Nascimento, "Uma Amiga" by David Ze, "Pica O Dedo" by Africa Ritmos, "Massanga Mama" by Africa Show and more. Analog Africa does the material with reverence and deep respect, with a wealth of notes and photos in the gatefold and on the inner sleeves, offering a much richer perspective.

The swaggering, hard grooving and hard rocking debut of Aerosmith! While "Dream On" gets as much or more rock radio play than any song should ever need, it's actually pretty easy to overlook just how good the rest of the record is. They may borrow the bluesy swagger of the Stones and heavy riffing of Led Zeppelin, but it's ultimately a heavy, but accessible rock sound that's distinctively all their own. Includes "Dream On", "Make It", "Somebody", "Walkin The Dog", "Write Me", and "Mama Kin".

The first proper Aesop Rock album in a few years – and his first for Rhymesayers – a logical next step for his uncompromising, darkness-tinged sounds and distinctive rhyme style of his early work for Def Jux! Aesop hasn't missed a step, and the sound is as dystopian, breathless and creative as ever. Hanni El Khatib plays guitar on a few tracks, as does Allyson Baker, with appearances by Rob Sonic and Kimya Dawson. Includes "Leisureforce", "ZZZ Top", "Cycles To Gehenna", "Zero Dark Thirty", "Crows 1" with Kimya Dawson, "Homemade Mummy", "Crows 2" with Rob Sonic, "1,000 Clock", "Saturn Missiles", "Tetra", "Gopher Guts" and more.

A great step forward for the Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra – even better than their previous album, and a set that beautifully mixes together jazz, Latin, and African elements into one seamless groove! Percussionist Masta Conga is at the head of the group – leading the ensemble with a unique vision that's less of the overdone Afro Funk you might know from other contemporary combos – and more of a classic 60s blend of elements – especially that unique hybrid of Latin modes you'd get from west coast groups – like the Afro Latin Soultet or Afro Blues Quintet – both clear choices of inspiration, given this group's name! Yet there's also some 70s elements moving through the grooves too – thanks to great Fender Rhodes lines, and bits of other keyboards too – often used in these cool spare ways that work perfectly with the mix of funk and Latin in the rhythms, and occasional bits of strings as well. Most tracks are instrumental, although there are a bit of vocals on the set – and titles include "Requiem Pour Un Grooveur", "Petrof Sublimination", "Onze De France", "Gibbon's Dub", and "Dimension 7".

A nice 7" package on Decon – with cover art that folds out into a full-sized poster! Superstar guest, too! Action Bronson joins in on "Artesia" – and The Alchemist guests on "Getaway Car".

A 60s bossa classic from Johnny Alf – a set that really showcases the bluer side of bossa at the time! The set's got a rich, sophisticated sort of sound – right up there with the best Elenco or Forma vocal sessions of the 60s, thanks to orchestrations by Jose Briamonte, which move along with this really dark undercurrent. Alf's vocals and piano contrast nicely, with these oddly-turning notes that are really unique – a distinct approach that made Johnny one of the most standout talents of this new generation. This album's easily one of his greatest efforts – and titles include "Gismi", "Kao Xango", "Cancao Pra Disfacar", "Ceu Alegre", "Eu So Sei", and "Bossa So".

A 60s bossa classic from Johnny Alf – a set that really showcases the bluer side of bossa at the time! The set's got a rich, sophisticated sort of sound – right up there with the best Elenco or Forma vocal sessions of the 60s, thanks to orchestrations by Jose Briamonte, which move along with this really dark undercurrent. Alf's vocals and piano contrast nicely, with these oddly-turning notes that are really unique – a distinct approach that made Johnny one of the most standout talents of this new generation. This album's easily one of his greatest efforts – and titles include "Gismi", "Kao Xango", "Cancao Pra Disfacar", "Ceu Alegre", "Eu So Sei", and "Bossa So". CD features the bonus track "Eu E A Brisa".

A guide to essential Old School Rap & Hip Hop from team at the indespensible All Music Guide – featuring more than 500 music reviews of important records by Grandmaster Flash, Run-DMC, NWA, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy and so much more – plus reviews on soul and funk LPs that were instrumental in the creation of hip hop, from ESG, The Emotions, Gil Scott-Heron, Marva Whitney and many more! The book is divided into 2 parts, The Roots Of Rap and Digging In The Crates, and organized alphabetically. Paperback, 166 pages, with several reviews per page.

A return to Stax by Rance Allen – his first album for the label after a stellar set for Capitol, and a much smoother set than before! Rance has learned from his work with Larry Mizell on Capitol, and is using a warmer glide on his tracks on this set – arrangements mostly done by producer Henry Cosby, used to kick Rance's sound up to a smoother modern soul kind of sound. The overall groove isn't as spacious as his work on Capitol, but the record's still pretty darn nice – and given Rance's always-great vocals, we tend to love just about anything he does. Titles include "Stand Up For Love", "I Belong To You", "Joy", "Security", "California Gold", "I Found A Friend", and "The Wheel Of Life".

A fantastic collection of unreleased material by mid-to-late 60s psych pop songwriter genius Tandyn Almer – who's probably best know for penning the eternally great "Along Comes Mary" for The Association – but we sure didn't know how great of a performer he was on his own! The 15 track record was cut for his publisher Davon Music, who circulated it to insiders at the time, looking to sell the songs – but what they should have done was found a label and released it. Fuzzy guitars, raw drums and great keyboards, excellent background harmonies – and the good-natured, melodic quality that attracted groups like the Association to Tandyn! Sundazed has long been a favorite source of rewarding 60s and 70s reissues, but they really deserve some bigger love for releases like this one – which is a first-ever commercial release. It feels like a complete, finished production for the most part – and not at all like a bunch of demos. Psych pop greatness! Includes "Find Yourself", You Turn Me Around", "Anything You Want", "About Where Love Is", "Face Down In The Mud", "I Get High", "Bring Your Own Self Down" (by The Purple Gang)", "Where Will They Go", "Sunset Strip Soliloquy" and more.

Amalia's future soul full length debut for Tokyo Dawn! On Art Slave, Amalia does a pretty amazing job of showing off a broad range of inspiration, but delivering a record that's fresh and uniquely her own. She's one of more expressive contemporary soul vocalists on the international scene – with a voice that can deliver catchy soul hooks and spacey funk wierdness with equal brilliance – and her range is incredible, too! The production on this set is pretty heavy with spacey electro funk – and titles include "Art Slave", "Welcome To Me", "4 U", "All The Funk I Need", "Bonafide", "Psychoanalyze", "Stop Please", "Zebra Butt-A-Fly", "Luxurious (Ad Bourke Remix)", "Freeze That!", "I'm The Woman" and more.

One of Ammons' classic blowing sessions for Prestige, with an all-star lineup that includes Art Farmer, Jackie McLean, Mal Waldron, and Kenny Burrell. The group plays together on 4 long tracks, and in a tight hardbop vein, with long soulful solos from every player. Titles include "Pint Size", "King Size", and "Funky".

A hard-hitting blowing session, cut very much in the mode of Gene's late 50s sides for Prestige – and with a very accomplished group of soul jazzers that includes Nat Adderley, Frank Foster, Bennie Green, and Frank Wess. The groove has a nice raw late night sound – and tracks are pretty long and open-ended. Titles include "Litty Ditty", "Sermonette", "Juggin Around", and "Jim Dog".

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".

Amazing sounds from one of the best funky combos anywhere – ever! Antibalas have certainly risen to fame in the years since we first heard their Afro-styled grooves – working famously in the Fela musical, and reaching generations of ears with their own brilliant records. Yet throughout it all, they've always stayed true to their sound – and, if anything, are even sharper, tighter, and funkier than before – all extremely adept not only at playing their instruments, but at hitting the right sort of sound to cut through all the BS that was holding back funky Afro grooves for years! Part of that sound comes from superb Daptone production by Gabriel Roth – who really knows how to keep things lean and mean and full of energy. But the core credit really goes to the group – who never cease to amaze us here – and continually come up with fresh sounds on their keyboards and horns – and inventive rhythms to match! Titles include "Dirty Money", "The Rat Catcher", "Ari Degbe", "Ibeji", "Sare Kon Kon", and "Him Belly No Go Sweet".

Groundbreaking Italian prog from Area – the Arbeit Macht Frei, Cautio Radiation Area, Crac!, Area(A)zione, Maledetti and Event '76 albums – all from the crucial early-to-mid 70s years – in a 6CD box set on Cramps! The debut Arbeit Macht Frei features a tripped out blend of lingering 60s psychedelia with jazzier prog and folkish melodies, all done as uniquely as any combo of the time. Includes "Luglio, Agosto Stettembre (Nero)", "Consapevolezza", "240 Chilometri" and more. Cautio Radiation Area is even more impressive – a mad mix of out jazz, hard jamming, and even more experimental touches that include quite a bit of noise. Titles include "Cometa Rossa", "Lobotomia", "Brujo", and "ZYG". Crac! continues on this path, with even more far out vocals and a strangely joyous take on far-reaching 70s prog. Tracks include "Magalopoli", "Nervi Scoperti", "Area 5", "Implosion" and more. Are(A)azone is the group's 4th album – a collection of alternate versions of songs from previous records plus a 15 minute hard jamming tune called "Are(A)zione", and a free jazz interpretation of "The International". Maledetti goes further with the out jazz – and features guest soprano sax work from Steve Lacy. Includes "Evaporazione", "Gerontocrazia", "Scum", "Caos (Parte Seconda)" and more. Event '76 closes with "Caos II Parte (1)", "Caos II Parte (2)" and "Event '76". Comes in a great oversized package with a nice booklet – notes in Italian.

One of the few ECM sides recorded by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – easily some of the hippest work the label issued at the time, and a key way for the avant collective to get a bit of large audience exposure! The sound is still very much in the best AEC style here – and if anything, ECM's sensitivity to sound has allowed the group to explore some of the farther reaches of their sonic sensibilities – those contemplative moments that could sometimes be lost in the hands of other producers, captured beautifully here in a range of instruments far too many to mention! Some of the bolder tracks have Lester Bowie's trumpet right out front – almost hinting at his own solo association with the label – and titles include "Care Free", "Magg Zelma", "Full Force", and "Old Time Southside Street Dance".

Soprano voice and four different saxophones – a really unusual combination, with sparkling musical results! The title's a bit hokey, but the record's got a wonderfully fresh feel – angular lines from this Dutch sax quartet – very much in the best spirit of 80s experiments in the style – but mixed with wonderful lead vocals from Claron McFadden – a singer with an amazing range, and one who sings both lyrics and wordless passages on the record! The voice is often used as a fifth instrument on the record – combining beautifully with the sounds of the reed players, in a mode that works especially well without any piano, bass, or drums. The record's unlike anything we've heard before – and titles include "Aux Anges", "Burns Blues", "Beyonzz", "Breathe In Breathe Out", "Ode To A Mouse", "Karpuz", and "Claron's Song".

A landmark set from the German prog scene – the first amazing utterance of Ash Ra Tempel, and a standard-setting album that few others could ever hope to match! The sound here builds beautifully – coming out of abstract, noisy territory, then finding shape as the record goes on – a perfect blend between the instruments and new studio modes that really help the textures and tones come to the forefront! The group features Klaus Schulze on drums and electronics, Manuel Gotsching on guitar, and Hartmut Enke on bass – and Conny Plank worked the knobs, to help the whole thing come together like magic! Each song takes up a side of the record – and titles include "Amboss" and "Traummaschine".

Fantastic sounds from the Australian scene of the early 80s – spare electronic work from Ash Wednesday and related projects – all a surprisingly great entry in the lost world of minimal wave! Most numbers here are stark and spare, but undeniably tuneful – the core charm we love at the point when groups like Human League or Cabaret Voltaire started getting a bit more focus, yet were still light years from being commercial. Like the music of both of those groups, the styles here lean heavily on the best analogue sounds forged in the decade before, filtered down to a basic essence, and redirected with tuneful lines and some moody vocals. Given that most of what we know from Australia at the time is guitar-heavy rock and noise, the set's a real revelation – and features 20 tracks that include "Psychotic Reaction", "A Circuit Like Me", "Bad Timing", "Sex I", and "A Living Person" by The Metronomes; "Boom Boom Baby", "Eighteen Creature", and "The Galvanized Garden Of Inner Peace" by Modern Jazz; "Useless Information" and "Radiation Injection" by Thealonian Music; and "Love By Numbers" and "Boring Instrumental" by Ash Wednesday.

Some of the biggest singles by British reggae giants Aswad! Don't Turn Around his pretty heavy with material from the mid-to-late 80s period – when they were at a commercial peak – blending Lovers Rock and were crossing over in a major way. Breezy, easygoing stuff – plus some great rootsier material, too. Includes "Don't Turn Around", "Back To Africa", "How Long" feat Yazz, "Three Babylon", "Fire" with Shabba Ranks, "Set Them Free", "Rainbow Culture", "Chasing For The Breeze", "Beauty's Only Skin Deep", "Shy Guy" with Easther Bennett and more.

The title's certainly right on this one – because Atlantic Starr serve up a really brilliant blend of electro funk and mainstream soul – balanced with that near-perfect sound that made them one of the best groups of their generation! Despite the size of the combo, the sound is relatively lean – a very focused balance of basslines, keyboards, and some tightly snapping 80s groove rhythms – served up with vocals that warmly cascade over the tops of the tunes, but usually take a second seat to the extremely compelling instrumentation. The sound is polished, but never too slick – and the group are a great example of how well soul from this time could sound when done just the right way! Titles include "Love Me Down", "Sexy Dancer", "Circles", "Love Moves", "Your Love Finally Ran Out", and "You're The One".

Creative electronics from Uwe Schmidt – aka Atom (TM) and dozens of other pseudonyms! Atom (TM) And Friends make these great pop music pastiches laced with electronic textures – putting modern electronica, classic funk, pop, rock, bossa nova and more in a blender – and coming out with material that's easy to love, but hard to categorize! Includes his tropical clubby cover of "Smoke On The Water" as Senor Coconut, an icy Euro funk takes on James Brown's "Superbad" and Bowie's "Ashes To Ashes" as LB, straight up original soundscapes as Atom and other strange, yet accessible numbers recorded as Erik Satin, The Stereonerds, Los Sampler's, The Rogertubesound Ensemble and more. 17 in all: "Duck Cha Cha" and "Showgirl" as Lisa Carbon, "Mp3 (MoralPovertyThree)", "Suck My Groove", "Bowman Suite" and "Daddy's Song" as Atom, "Music (For The Library Of God)" as The Roger Tubesound Enemble, "Dropshadow Disease" as Dropshadow Disease, "La Vida Es Llena De Cables" as Los Sampler's and more.

A sweet little album of funky instrumental guitar! The record's one of the most obscure on the Westbound label – and it features guitar player Donald Austin going to town on 13 short little cuts with a tripped-out funky groove – sometimes fuzzy, usually funky, and always with that heavier kind of sound you'd expect from Westbound in the early 70s! Austin's guitar is very much in the mode of Eddie Fisher, Eddie Senay, or other kicked-back jazz funk players from his generation – an approach that's probably got a bit of Hendrix somewhere back in the mix, but which is more focused on the tighter side of the funk and soul instrumental spectrum! The album's like finding a stash of rare funky 45s – loads of great short tracks with titles that include "Sex Plot", "Crazy Legs", "You Want It, You Got It", "Side Saddle", "Nanzee", "Pea Shooter", "Do Me Right", and "Shake Your Head".

Two great funky guitar tracks! Both cuts have kind of a slow chugging stoner groove to them – right up there with work by Shuggie Otis or Eddie Senay, and with a similar mix of tripped-out soloing over the top of slow funky beats!

A masterpiece! This is one of David Axelrod's most perfectly realized albums – and it's a brilliant batch of baroque arrangements, jazzy solos, and slightly subtle funky bits! The album contains the much-sampled song "Holy Thursday", but the whole thing has a very similar feel to that track – with lots of sinister strings, rumbling drums, and archly-modern bits of instrumentation. A real killer – and with the cuts "The Smile", "A Dream", "Song Of Innocence", and "The Mental Traveller". William Blake never sounded so funky!

One of the best early soul albums by Roy Ayers! Roy's working here with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Edwin Birdsong, William Allen, Harry Whitaker, and other hip players – a perfect crew to forge Roy's unique blend of jazz and soul. This is perhaps the first record to really have Roy stretching out in this mode – moving more fully away from funky jazz, into a ream of vocal tracks that would make him one of the most unique artists of the 70s. This mid 70s period of Roy's career was remarkably fertile, creatively as well as for sheer productivity – and Tears To A Smile is one of them that shows some the most artistic growth, and also a deeper sense of soul! Features righteous cuts like "2000 Black", "Ebony Blaze", "Time & Space", and "A Tear To A Smile" – plus the mellow "Magic Lady", and a great remake of Earth Wind & Fire's "That's The Way Of The World".

Talk about a meeting of the minds! At the time of this album, Henderson & Ayers were probably the biggest names in the jazz funk business – both with a smooth soulful style that was pushing the genre onto whole new levels, while still keeping firm roots in jazz – a rare blend that few other artists could handle this well! This initial debut from the pair seems to be much more dominated by the spirit of Roy Ayers' work at the time – particularly the mellow jazzed up work he was laying down on albums like Vibrations and You Send Me – a wicked sound that's rooted in modern soul modes, but filled with plenty of warm jazz elements too. The album's got wonderful vibes and electric piano from Roy – and tracks include "Step Into Our Life", "Lovers Should Always Be Together", "No Deposit No Return", "Ooh Baby", and "For Real".

Talk about a meeting of the minds – a pair of ultra-amazing classics from the team of Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson – back to back in a single set! At the time of Step Into Our Life, Henderson & Ayers were probably the biggest names in the jazz funk business – both with a smooth soulful style that was pushing the genre onto whole new levels, while still keeping firm roots in jazz – a rare blend that few other artists could handle this well! This initial debut from the pair seems to be much more dominated by the spirit of Roy Ayers' work at the time – particularly the mellow jazzed up work he was laying down on albums like Vibrations and You Send Me – a wicked sound that's rooted in modern soul modes, but filled with plenty of warm jazz elements too. The album's got wonderful vibes and electric piano from Roy – and tracks include "Step Into Our Life", "Lovers Should Always Be Together", "No Deposit No Return", "Ooh Baby", and "For Real". Prime Time is a funky classic from the team of Roy Ayers and Wayne Henderson – both at the top of their game here, and effortlessly mixing together jazz, funk, and soul! The record really seems to embrace the best of both artists' styles – some of the bassy groovers that Wayne did so well himself, and while producing for other artists – and those snakey, soulful numbers that we love so much in the late 70s work from Roy Ayers – ultra-sophisticated, but still plenty darn grooving – and some of the most sensual soul you'll ever hope to hear. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Weekend Lover", "Thank You Thank You", "Can You Dance", "It Ain't Your Sign It's Your Mind", "You Make Me Feel Like Rockin With Ya", "Have Your Way", and "Million Dollar Baby".

A seminal Albert Ayler session from the 60s – recorded at the legendary Judson Hall with an incredible sound! There's a bold, righteous feel to this record that possibly even tops other Ayler classics for ESP – and the spacious setting makes the notes echo, rebound, and come back together with searing intensity throughout. The group features Ayler on tenor, brother Don on trumpet, Charles Tyler on alto, Sunny Murray on drums, and both Henry Grimes and Gary Peacock on basses – using a unique two-bass approach that only further emphasizes the unique qualities of the record. Call Cobbs plays a bit of harpsichord too – and tracks include "Sprits Rejoice", "Holy Family", "Angels", and "Prophet".

A rare and great one from Luis Bacalov – his soundtrack for Una Questione D'Onore – fleshed out with bonus tracks for a first-time complete release! It's a mid 60s effort that pairs lush strings and grittier, oddball touches – soaring arrangements and stripped town pulpy movements alike. We know little about the film, but it's billed as a period set black comedy, which gives Bacalov plenty of motivation to pull together many of the aspects we love best about his 60s work, all into one soundtrack. Really wonderful stuff. Includes 43 tracks and nearly 80 minutes of music: Variations on the title theme as well as the tracks "Domenica Angela", "West Sardinia", "Modi Loro", "Valzer Per Una Pecora", "La Festa" and many more.

A stunner of a solo acoustic folk guitar record from Daniel Bachman – one that rivals some of the great archival releases on Tompkins Square – though this one was recorded in 2012, and Bachman is a young player just a couple years into his twenties! Raw, string-buzzing immediacy and dexterous playing from young Bachman – and it's incredibly engaging stuff, too! He's also one of the relatively few contemporary folk instrumentalists – along with with Nashville's William Tyler – who truly evoke the spirit of trailblazers like Fahey and Basho for us. Includes "Copperhead", "Seven Pines", "Sun Over Old Rag", "Long Nights I", "Mount Olive Chohoke", "With Signs Following" and '218 To Caledon".

A stunner of a solo acoustic folk guitar record from Daniel Bachman – one that rivals some of great archival releases on Tompkins Square – though this one was recorded in 2012, and Bachman is a young player just a couple years into his twenties! Raw, string-buzzing immediacy and dexterous playing from young Bachman – and it's incredibly engaging stuff, too! He's also one of the relatively few contemporary folk instrumentalists – along with with Nashville's William Tyler – who truly evoke the spirit of trailblazers like Fahey and Basho for us. Includes "Copperhead", "Seven Pines", "Sun Over Old Rag", "Long Nights I", "Mount Olive Chohoke", "With Signs Following" and '218 To Caledon".

A lost album of raw twangy guitar from Mickey Baker – best known as the noisier half of the Mickey & Sylvia team – and even more let loose here on his own! The record is pretty rocking all around – with lots of loud, complex guitar soloing from Mickey – in a manner that would later emerge more in surf recordings, but which is here set in nice jazz-based studio arrangements – of the sort that really lets Baker step out as a bold solo talent on his own, instead of lurking in the background of the countless other sides he cut with other artists. Mickey really wails, and the album's a great lost treasure in the Atlantic catalog – with grooves that include "Midnight Midnight", "Gloomy Sunday", "Baia", "Whistle Stop", "Milk Train", "Baker's Dozen", and "Chloe".

Maybe the best record we've ever heard from Cosmic mainman Daniele Baldelli – and definitely a set that really lives up to the funky side promised in the title! Baldelli's got a much deeper groove here than ever before – a great ear for tight elements on the basslines, mixed with jazzy work on keyboards and guitar – all woven into a groove that's every bit as club-worth as his other music, yet a lot more warm and soulful overall! It's almost like Daniele's going back to discover a disco generation he might have missed the first time around – with a retro style that's hard to distinguish from the original, a lot like Joey Negro and some of his Sunshine Band work. Titles include "Mellow Game", "Good Day", "What Da Funk", "Voltage Groove", "Synthesized Honey", "Break Loose", "Drive Me Crazy", and "Fontainebleau".

One of our favorite Ray Barretto albums of the 60s – a real gem from the pre-Latin Soul years! The album's a clear attempt to cash in on the cash in on the James Bond craze of the time – issued by United Artists, who were releasing the Bond films, but also had Ray under contract during the period too. But despite that simple gimmick, it's a great little set – with a quality level that goes way beyond Bond soundtracks, or the usual from Barretto at the time! The tracks are all hard and groovy, with an excellent jazz feel – and some killer arranging from Ray that's right up there with the work he did for his legendary Charanga Moderna album! You may recognize the song titles – but their versions here are superb, and the album's filled with many many wonderful moments that step out with mad rhythms and great jazzy touches. Titles include "Mister Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", "OO7", "Search For Vulcan", "Thunderball", and "Goldfinger". Nice "spy" shot of Ray on the cover, too!

A treasure trove of 50s romance comics – brought together in a great-looking package, with helpful framing from author Michael Barson! The core material is great – way more than the soppy romance stories you might think – and instead some really compelling work that really gets at the worries and anxieties of America in the post-war years. Sure, there's certainly tales of gals looking for love in all the wrong places – but you'd also be amazed at how much of this stuff offers up a larger comment on society as well – penned with surprisingly thoughtful prose, and illustrated with relatively mature images too. If we had one complaint, it would be that Barson doesn't give us enough detail about the artists and writers of the material – but that's only because the whole thing's so beautiful, we want to know more! 208 pages, softcover, in full color.

Quite an unusual record from New Orleans R&B legend Dave Bartholomew – arranger, producer, and trumpeter – coming off here with more of a jazz sound than on his usual records! Despite the "New Orleans" and "House Party" in the title, the album's actually set of complicated larger group arrangements – wonderful stuff with some strongly pronounced solos, blowing forth in styles that almost evoke some of the best crime jazz soundtracks of the time. Wardell Quezerque joined Bartholomew in putting together the album, and titles include "Sultan's Dream (parts 1 & 2)", "Concerto For Alto Sax (parts 1 & 2)", "Portrait Of A Drummer", and "A Cool One".

Really wonderful stuff – and one of Gary Bartz's greatest albums ever! This double-length live set was recorded around the time of his NTU Troup albums for Milestone – but it's a bit more straightforward than those sides, going back towards a searching soul jazz sound, with some slight touches of electric funk. The group features Hubert Eaves on electric and acoustic keyboards, Stafford James on acoustic and electric bass, and Howard King on drums – and the wonderful bass work of James really creates some great platforms for Bartz and Eaves to stretch out on long long solos. Gary vocalizes a bit on a few tracks – almost in the style of Andy Bey on his NTU albums – and the set list includes "Uhuru Sasa", "Jujuman", "Bertha Baptist", "The Warrior's Song", "Mama's Soul", "Sifa Zote", "I've Known Rivers", "Don't Fight That Feeling", and "Peace & Love".

A fantastic bit of jazz funk fusion – and one of the landmark 70s albums produced by Larry Mizell! This is Gary Bartz's second (and most amazing) collaboration with Larry Mizell – a studio genius who could focus on the best talent of a jazz artist, then expand it using additional keyboards, percussion, and often a sweet bank of chorus vocals to give the tracks an extra soulful sound! By the time of this album, Larry had already worked to great fame with Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, and Johnny Hammond – and the record has him turning his talents towards Gary Bartz to unlock a whole hidden side of soulful expression that would never be matched again! The title cut – "Music Is My Sanctuary" – is a jazz fusion classic in anyone's book, and it features characteristic Mizell keyboards alongside Gary's soulful sax, augmented by a deep vocal chorus that's simply fantastic. Other highlights include "Carnaval De L'Esprit" and "Macaroni" – and the whole album's nice!

Titles include "Promises", "From Now On", "Freeze Thaw", "How Dare You", "Astrud", and "Miles Away".

Titles include "Promises", "From Now On", "Freeze Thaw", "How Dare You", "Astrud", and "Miles Away".

A really wonderful back to basics session for Basie – featuring arrangements by longtime band members Frank Foster, Erick Dixon, Bobby Plater, and Thad Jones! The set also features vocals on 2 tracks by bluesy vocalist Richard Boone – a singer with a really great scatting approach – but overall, the real strength is the horn section, particularly Al Aarons, Dixon, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis – who all get in some very nice solo work. Tracks are mostly older numbers, Basie-ized – and played with a laidback tone that's a real contrast from the higher energy early 60s recordings. Titles include "Squeeze Me", "Frankie & Johnny", "Boone's Blues", "I Got Rhythm", and "Hey Jim".

Early 70s Catalan folk and psyche from Ia Bastiste – plus a bonus EP! The sound is a real kaliedoscope – from orch psyche styled sounds to more of a bottom heavy, fuzzed out rock vibe, to a sound that approach. At its core, the group is the duo of Ia Clua & Jordi Bataste and sing in both of Spanish and English – but the tunes are tripped out with some full scale instrumentation with trippy electric and laid back acoustic guitars, heavy percussion, piano & keys. Titles include "Un Gran Dia", "Max", "Sleeping Rock", "Oliba", "America To You", "Anna", "Morrissong" and more.

The slimmed-down, single LP effort that Capitol issued after the collapse of the legendary Smile album – and a pretty sublime set nonetheless! Sure, some might argue that you can't enjoy Brian Wilson's genius until you've listened to 20 bootlegs of the sessions with dozens of takes on the tunes – but honestly, this slim little set is more than enough to prove to us that the man's a genius – and it's filled with really wonderful tunes that still stand as some of the most incredible moments in 60s pop! Production is amazing, vocals are wonderful, and the quick changes of theme and setting really keep things interesting – all without making us feel like we're getting hit over the head with some cheap gimmicks. Titles include "Vegetables", "Heroes & Villains", "Fall", "Little Pad", "With Me Tonight", and "Wind Chimes".

The slimmed-down, single LP effort that Capitol issued after the collapse of the legendary Smile album – and a pretty sublime set nonetheless! Sure, some might argue that you can't enjoy Brian Wilson's genius until you've listened to 20 bootlegs of the sessions with dozens of takes on the tunes – but honestly, this slim little set is more than enough to prove to us that the man's a genius – and it's filled with really wonderful tunes that still stand as some of the most incredible moments in 60s pop! Production is amazing, vocals are wonderful, and the quick changes of theme and setting really keep things interesting – all without making us feel like we're getting hit over the head with some cheap gimmicks. Titles include "Vegetables", "Heroes & Villains", "Fall", "Little Pad", "With Me Tonight", and "Wind Chimes". Includes the complete album in both the mono and stereo mixes.

The Beatles at their late best – on a self-titled set that's been long immortalized as The White Album! The White Album capped offed a period of intense creativity for the band, with a double set that's as freewheeling as anything they'd ever release. It's got raw rockers with wry lyricism, tender acoustic balladry, psych blues jams and some flat out weird bits. As was always the case, John's and Paul's songs cover the majority of the sides, but The White Album also features what's arguably George's most vital moment as a Beatle with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Other tracks include "Back InThe USSR", "Dear Prudence","Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", "Martha My Dear", "Rocky Raccoon", "Why Don't We Do It In The Road", "Julia", "Yer Blues", "Sexy Sadie", "Helter Skelter", "Revolution 1", Good Night" and more.