Hardly any ragtime here – despite the title – and instead, the album's one of the greatest ever from drummer Beaver Harris – cut with his ultra-hip 360 Degree Music Experience group! The title is somewhat accurate in that the record brings together a long history of jazz-based expression – almost a century's worth of music, served up by Harris and the group members with the same fluid sensibility as Jaki Byard in his best work, although Byard was never this ambitious! The ensemble is somewhat large, but really comes together well – with an impressive range of artists who include Doc Cheatham on trumpet, Marshall Brown on trombone, Dave Burrell on piano, Keith Marks on flute, Cecil McBee and Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Maxine Sullivan and Bill Willingham on vocals. The album's sort of a mini-history of jazz, but one that's hardly hokey at all – and which usually veers towards Harris' more righteous modes of the 70s, even when hitting older styles. Sullivan is especially great – singing here as a sophisticated soul jazz diva of the 70s, and hardly the older-styled singer we might expect. A few moments are stripped down and percussive – and other odd instrumentation includes a bit of sitar and steel drums. Titles include "It's Hard To But We Do", "I Wish I Knew", "Can There Be Peace?", "Down In Brazil", "African Drums", and "Round Trip". LP, Vinyl record album

Earl Klugh's second album for Blue Note – and like the first, a nicely stripped-down album that we like a lot better than his later work! Klugh's sound and tone are still very pure here – set up in some nice small group arrangements by Dave Grusin, and recorded in a way that brings out all the sweetness in Earl's approach, without falling into the cheesy qualities that it inspired in so many other, weaker players. Part of the charm of the set is the strong use of acoustic guitar on the sessions – played by Klugh in a manner that has some strong Brazilian references, and which provides a nice contrast to the other electric instrumentation used on the record. If anything, Klugh's style is stronger and more confident than on his first outing – on titles that include "Kiko", "The April Fools", "Captain Caribe", "Felicia", and "Living Inside Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a legend – and the very first album by Sergio Mendes' Brasil 66 group, proudly brought to the world through the godlike talents of a young Herb Alpert! Sergio was no stranger to the recording studio by the time of this set, but the record marked a real shift in his music – a change from the mostly-instrumental bossa modes he first forged back in Brazil, and a shift to warmer, sweeter pop with a nice sunny California finish – done through unique production techniques and the group's trademark two-lady lead vocals! The sound is tremendous, and is possibly heard in its purest form here – simple, focused, and given that near-perfect A&M sound through Herb's production skills. Titles include the classics "Daytripper", "Aqua De Beber", "O Pato", "Berimbau", "Mas Que Nada", and "The Joker". LP, Vinyl record album

A drum-heavy spectacular – recorded with a really rootsy feel! The first half of the material was recorded in Africa – not credited especially well, but done with a stripped-down sound that's very heavy on drums and other odd percussion instruments – recorded in that rough, loud Folkways style that really makes the music sound nicely bombastic. The remaining tracks on the set are from a variety of North and South American locales – Brazil, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, and even the US – as Baby Dodds turns in a solo on the final track! Titles include "Ceremonial Drums", "Dance Drums", "Stamping Tubes", "Salute To A Chief", "Sit Log Talking Drum", "Djuka Dance Drums", "Lucumi", "Jumping Dance Drums", "Cuminia Drums", "Rhythms For The Deity Ogoun", and "Jazz Drumming". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the loveliest of all the bossa singers is caught here in some superb arrangements by Oscar Castro-Neves! The set's got a wonderful feel – with moments that are rootsier than your average bossa diva record, and others that are baroque enough to hint at the direction Nara would take a year later with Rogerio Duprat. Production is excellent, and Edu Lobo even guests on the track "De Onde Vens". Other tracks include "Lancha Nova", "Inspiracao", "No Corado Da Saideira", "Camisa Amarela", and "Se Voce Quiser Saber". Fantastic cover, too! LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous little record, and one of the funky 70s sets that Ramsey Lewis recorded with Earth Wind & Fire! Well, not Earth Wind & Fire entirely – but the Kalimba Productions team of Maurice White and Charles Stepney that gave the group its sound – plus a nice sprinkling of other players that were often associated with sessions by the group! Ramsey's own combo here includes Steve Cobb on drums and vocals, and Derf Reklaw on reeds and vocals as well – and the overall sound has bits of African and Brazilian influences, worked into a soulful fusion groove that sounds a lot like the instrumental backings EWF were using at the time. Titles include "Brazilica", "Slick", "Rubato", "Salongo", and "Seventh Fold". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique collaboration between fluteman Herbie Mann and soul singer Tamiko Jones – a vocalist who's always a really special talent, and who has an equally great ear for jazz as well! That style works perfectly here – as the vibe is somewhere between Herbie's Latin and Brazilian-styled sets for Atlantic, and some of the groovier jazz of the 60s – particularly the styles influenced by hip soundtracks of the time. Arrangements are very fresh, and even make familiar tunes pop nicely – thanks to work on the charts from Joe Zawinul, Melba Liston, and Jimmy Wisner. But the really special talent here is Tamiko – who sometimes sings lyrics, sometimes works wordlessly in a really cool mode – on titles that include "A Man & A Woman", "O Barquinho", "It's Time That You Settled Down", "Sidewinder", "Day Tripper", "Sunny", and "How Insensitive". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Maria Bethania's first albums, and a beautiful set of live recordings – with a vibe that's a lot more uptempo and swinging than some of her later work! The style here almost has traces of bossa – a lighter, groovier feel at times than some of the more emotive modes that Bethania became known for during her run of 70s MPB. Backing here is by the bossa-esque Terra Trio, and they accompany her deep rich voice nicely on tracks like "Marina", "Carinhoso", "Marginalia II", "Ele Valava Nisso Todo Dia", and a great version of Caetano Veloso's "Baby". Very cool cover, too – with a trippy painting that has Maria's nude torso covered with flowers and bugs! LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful live set from 1971, featuring a very stripped down set of stuff. Gal comes in at first accompanying herself on guitar, then the band slowly joins in, but never really gets in the way of her voice. The sound is spare, and the production rough, and this one has a dark moody feel to it that you don't always get with her LPs. Tracks include "Falsa Baiana", "Coracao Vagabundo", "Como 2 e 2", and "Hotel Das Estrelas". LP, Vinyl record album

A sort of a lost Larry Heard record, from the late 80s, when he was briefly basking in the spotlight in England and Europe. The set here has a stripped down sound, with Fingers' warm keys over nice bubbling mid tempo rhythm tracks, most with a laid back clubby approach, but others with a very soulful or slightly hip hop sound creeping in. 10 tracks in all, including "In This Place Called Nowhere", "Endless Journey", "Brazilian Love Dance", 'When Will We Learn", "On Top Of The World (the It Theme)" and "Never Let You Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic soundtrack recorded in the immediate post-Tropicalia years – featuring some of the best early 70s work by Chico Buarque, Nara Leao, Maria Bethania, and others! The cover has a mad image with Buarque, Leao, and Bethania in top hats and shiny uniforms – and the music follows up with a similarly lively spirit – samba-esque, with other touches of rock and jazz production that give the work an expansive and trippy feel. Roberto Menescal handled the arrangements – and titles include "Cacada" by Chico Buarque, "Mais Uma Estrela" by Nara Leao, "Soneto" by Orquesta De Cordas, "Soneto" by Nara Leao, "Partido Alto" by MPB-4, "Formosa" by Nara Leao & Maria Bethania, "Baioque" by Maria Bethania, and "Cantores De Radio" by Chico, Naria, and Maria together! LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful stuff from the lovely Quarteto Em Cy – but aren't they always wonderful? The record's got a spare stripped-down instrumental style, and was recorded live with bossa backing – so that the girls' voices are right out front, free and clear, doing the main work of the songs. The harmonies are as heavenly as always, and tracks include "Samambaias", "Resistindo", "Canta, Canta Mais", "Funeral De Um Lavrador", and "Dorme, Meu Menino, Dorme". LP, Vinyl record album