A really unique project from Philippe Samiguel – recorded in Bamako, where Samiguel has worked as a producer for many years – during which time he's pulled together ideas from all sorts of different projects, and forged them into a new groove of his own! Samiguel's worked most famously with Samba Toure – who's here on the record alongside other artists who include Hugo Race, Mariam Kone, Mamadou Sidibe, and others – working on music that has roots in Malian blues, Tuareg guitar, and other west African modes – but which has a quality that's also very much all its own. There's an experimental nature to the project that takes us back to some of the best global experiments from the early days of the Crammed label – and titles include "Are U Satisfied", "The First Tone", "Minamba", "Heaven Sands", "Mad Girl Lament", "Quicksand Blues", and "Golden Cage". CD

A really unique project from Philippe Samiguel – recorded in Bamako, where Samiguel has worked as a producer for many years – during which time he's pulled together ideas from all sorts of different projects, and forged them into a new groove of his own! Samiguel's worked most famously with Samba Toure – who's here on the record alongside other artists who include Hugo Race, Mariam Kone, Mamadou Sidibe, and others – working on music that has roots in Malian blues, Tuareg guitar, and other west African modes – but which has a quality that's also very much all its own. There's an experimental nature to the project that takes us back to some of the best global experiments from the early days of the Crammed label – and titles include "Are U Satisfied", "The First Tone", "Minamba", "Heaven Sands", "Mad Girl Lament", "Quicksand Blues", and "Golden Cage". LP, Vinyl record album

A repackaged version of the album Que Mango – a later album, but one that still features Les doing some great Latiny bits – heading up the 101 Strings ensemble, for a sweeping and groovy kind of sound! The whole album's very similar to some of Les' Capitol work from the early 60s, but has a slightly more modern twist – including the use of electric bass underneath the arrangements, which creates a really nice gently loping groove! One of Les' best – despite the late date – and with tracks that include "Jungle Montuno", "Que Mango", "Bocha Chica", "Affair In Aruba", and "Tropicando". Very groovy, baby! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first international collections to showcase the genius of Francisco Fellove Valdes – a singer and percussionist who first rose up on the scene in Havana in the 50s, but who made an undeniably strong contribution to the Mexican scene of the late 50s and early 60s – with the sort of material showcased in this set! Fellove's got a very unusual style of singing – influenced a bit by scatting in jazz, but also given more of the prouder, louder calls that you'd hear on an Afro Cuban jam session – a great balance with the heavy percussion and jazzy instrumentation used on these tracks, almost all of which were recorded for RCA down in Mexico. The track selection is wonderful, and the notes do a great job of introducing the world to this sometimes-overlooked figure in Latin music – presented here with 21 tracks that include "Mango Mangue", "Baile Mi Rumba", "Te Quiero Corazon", "El Yoyo", "San Jose", "Alejate De Mi", ""Mata Siguaraya", "Baile El Minuet", "Baila Mi Guapacha", and "Guapacheando". CD

Earthy vocals and plenty of percussion – a wonderful set of parranda tracks from Betsayda Machado, who works here with a tight combo that really sends her vocals over the top! On her own, Betsayda would be enough – a singer with the expressive qualities of older giants, such as Omara Portuando – but backed here with lots of percussion and chorus vocals from the other members of the group, the tunes have this raw energy that grabs the listener right away – and keeps burning strong with a very timeless vibe throughout! Titles include "Gaviota", "Alae Alao", "Sentimiento", "Oh Santa Rosa", "La Situacion", "Borracho De Aguardiente", and "Pueblo De Fiesta". LP, Vinyl record album

A later album, but one that still features Les doing some great Latiny bits – heading up the 101 Strings ensemble, for a sweeping and groovy kind of sound! The whole album's very similar to some of Les' Capitol work from the early 60s, but has a slightly more modern twist – including the use of electric bass underneath the arrangements, which creates a really nice gently loping groove! One of Les' best – despite the late date – and with tracks that include "Jungle Montuno", "Que Mango", "Bocha Chica", "Affair In Aruba", and "Tropicando". Very groovy, baby! LP, Vinyl record album

Clubby tracks with a bit of a Caribbean influence – recorded in New York, with some really great instrumental touches on keyboards! The tracks mostly feature chorus vocals by a group of singers that includes Luther Vandross, Gloria Covington, and Lani Groves – but the best part of the set is the overall instrumentation, which gets a chance to break out on the longer tunes. Titles include "Discocide", "Get On Up Get On Down", "Tonight's The Night", "Manhattan Fever", and "Lightning Striking Twice". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little set of rocksteady and early reggae tracks – featuring 16 gems recorded in the late 60s by producer Leslie Kong. Titles include "Monkey Man" by The Maytals, "Rivers Of Babylon" by The Melodians, "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker, "Monkey Girl" by The Maytals, "Freedom Street" by Ken Boothe, "Peeping Tom" by The Maytals, "Samfie Man" by The Pioneers, "Night Flight" by Ansell Collins, and "Gave You My Love" by Delroy Wilson. CD

A seminal set from Linton Kwesi Johnson – the record that maybe pushed him over the top, and really marked him as one of the strongest new voices in reggae at the end of the 70s! Linton's a poet, not a singer – but his style is also more focused and clear in comparison to some of the dee jay material of the generation, which not only helped to get his messages across very strongly, but also open ears to his music that might not have otherwise been listening to material of this nature. Of course, it also helped that the set was issued by Island Records at a time when it seemed they could do no wrong – but the record is definitely Johnson's own, as he wrote both the words and music, and produced with some great help from Dennis Bovell on mixing. Titles include "It Noh Funny", "Sonny's Lettah", "Independent Intavenshan", "Fite Dem Back", "Reality Poem" and "Forces of Vicktry", plus "Want Fi Goh Rave", and "Time Come". This set features a bonus LP of dubs and mixes, and added artwork too! LP, Vinyl record album

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Featuring Ini Kamoze, Half Pint, and Yellowman. LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Fire", "Next To You", "Confidential", "Hang On Baby", "Old Fire Stick", "Love Won't Leave Me", "Dancing On My Own", and "Just Can't Take It". CD

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A rock-solid record – kind of a later version of the Five Stairsteps, heard here in groove that's much more grown up! The album's got a feel that really shows the evolution of the Burke family – way past their kiddie soul roots, and even some of their offshoot projects of the 70s – into a style that's pretty complex at times, and which really shows a mature approach to rhythms. The vibe is hard to describe accurately – because while there are some clubby elements, the overall sound is deeper and more complicated too – showing some of the quirkier elements of the Island Records contemporaries alongside which the group were placed for this debut. The feel is quite different than the second album from the group – which is much more straight ahead – and titles include "9 Times Out Of Ten", "Full Moon", "All Night Thing", "Rent Strike", and "Love Can't Come/Love Has Come". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest mainstream 70s efforts from Lee Scratch Perry – a wonderful collaboration with Jah Lion – who serves up rhymes of knowledge and wisdom over some dubby genius from Scratch himself! The album skews towards the roots side of the spectrum, but has a looser, more open vibe too – as Jah Lion (aka Jah Lloyd) really lets his words space out amidst the fantastic production – really waiting his time for the rhythms to flow, then letting his vocals come in right on the money! The whole thing is great – virtually a blueprint for the entire On-U Sound label – with titles that include "Wisdom", "Dread In A Jamdong", "Flashing Whip", "Black Lion", "Fat Man", "Black Lion", "Little Sally Dater", "Hay Fever", and "Colombia Colly". LP, Vinyl record album

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A great batch of roots from one of the best singers of the mid 70s golden age of reggae, Jacob Miller, all tracks cut with Inner Circle. 12 tracks in all, inclduing "Shaky Girl", "Tenement Yard", 'Suzy Wong", "Sinners", "Healing Of The Nation", "80,000 Careless Ethiopians", "I've Got The Handle", "Tired Fe Lick Weed In A Bush", "Roman Soldiers Of Babylon", 'Standing Firm", "All Night Till Daylight" and "Forward Jah Jah Children". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set from one of the original kings of the dancehall, nicknamed for his sweet vocal style! While "River Jordan" and "Hard Time Pressure" were big singles in a singles-driven genre, this set's solid all the way through, with great backing harmonies from Don Carlos & Lacksley Castell among others, supporting Minott's groovy lead, that wouldn't be out of place on a Windy city soul side from the 70s. The rhythms are laid out by a crack young band including Gladdy, Bingy Bunny, Steelie & Horsemouth Wallace at Channel One, under Minott's crisp production, with half of the finishing touches laid on by Barnabas at Channel One and the other half by Jammy at Tubby's. 10 tracks of prime early 80s reggae representing the best of a key transitional period fro Jamaican music, including "Mankind", "Jail House", "I'm Gonna Hold On", "Opressors Oppression", "Two Time Loser", "Black Roots", "Clean Runnings" and "Mr Babylon Man". CD

A mini-LP, but one that packs more punch than most full length sets – thanks to a top-shelf lineup all the way through! The set's a project put together by Sly & Robbie, and recorded at Compass Point Studios – all with a groove that's kind of a dubbier take on the sound of New York dancefloors a the time – nicely bassy, slightly beaty, and topped with some really wonderful vocals from Gwen Guthrie! Larry Levan mixed the whole thing to perfection, giving it a real Paradise groove – and instrumentation is by Wally Badarou on synth, Harry Whitaker on keyboards, Darryl Thompson on guitars, and Jimmy Maelin on percussion. The set's kind of a mini-suite, based around a few key musical themes – and titles include "Padlock", "Hopscotch", "Seventh Heaven", "Peanut Butter" and "Getting Hot". CD also features 6 more bonus tracks – "Hopscotch (Larry Levan rmx inst)", "Getting Hot (original 12" version)", "Padlock (album mix of Portrait)", "Seventh Heaven (album mix of Portrait)", "Hopscotch (album mix of Portrait)", and "Peanut Butter (original 12" version)". CD

A later effort from perhaps the least prolific of the solo Wailers. Bunny does nice later interpretations of Wailers classics, with a generous helping hand from Sly & Robbie, and adds a nice rendition of Curtis Mayfield's "Keep On Moving" to the set. A favorite album of ours from the twilight of the original roots era, with 10 tracks in all, including "Dancing Shoes", "Mellow Mood", "Rule This Land", "Burial" and "I'm The Toughest". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections by JC Lodge, Coco Tea, Patra, Dean Fraer, Hugo Barrington, Brian Tony Gold, Tiger, Home T, Johnny P, and Admiral Tibet. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Owen Gray, Derrick & Patsy, the Wailers, Prince Buster, Delroy Wilson, Bob Andy, U Roy, Niney, the Heptones, Culture, Tenor Saw, Tiger, Shaggy & more. CD

King Sunny Ade's first major label LP, that helped him bring his juju music to the world. The blueprint of juju's laid down hear, with loads of intertwining guitar lines and tallking drums chattering away in a driving but never-too-busy fashion underneath. Includes "Sunny Ti De Arya", "Ja Funmi" and "365 Is My Number/The Message". CD

Fantastic work from King Sunny Ade – one of his first truly global releases, and an album that marked a whole new sound in his music! Sunny had been issuing lots of his own records back home in Nigeria – but this set has the juju master working in London, with really fantastic production that pushes his sound in really great ways – echoey waves of basslines and percussion, subtle but powerful vocals, and percolating guitar that takes on a whole new sonic sensibility in the setting! There's a richness to the texture that's amazing – almost as if Brian Eno produced – and titles include "Synchro Feelings Ilako", "Mo Ti Mo", "Penkele", "Maajo", "Synchro System", "E Saiye Re", "Tolongo", "E Wele", and "Synchro Reprise". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of groundbreaking records from King Sunny Ade – both of which represent a new wave of interest in African music after the initial burst of the Fela Kuti generation! First up is Synchro System – fantastic work from King Sunny Ade – one of his first truly global releases, and an album that marked a whole new sound in his music! Sunny had been issuing lots of his own records back home in Nigeria – but this set has the juju master working in London, with really fantastic production that pushes his sound in really great ways – echoey waves of basslines and percussion, subtle but powerful vocals, and percolating guitar that takes on a whole new sonic sensibility in the setting! There's a richness to the texture that's amazing – almost as if Brian Eno produced – and titles include "Synchro Feelings Ilako", "Mo Ti Mo", "Penkele", "Maajo", "Synchro System", "E Saiye Re", "Tolongo", "E Wele", and "Synchro Reprise". Next up is Aura – a crucial record in the early days of the global scene in the 80s – a set that lifts the music of King Sunny Ade from its roots in Nigeria, and mixes it up with some fresh elements that really open things up for a world's worth of ears! The approach isn't commercial – at least not in the modes of the later world music years – but there's occasional elements that echo the beat culture rising up in New York and London, mixed with the warmer sounds that were always at Sunny's music – especially that way of making the acoustic percussion and basslines come together in flowing waves of completely sublime sound! All tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Gboromiro", "Oremi", "Ire", "Iro", "Ogunja", and "Ase". CD

A really cool record, and one that uses the Cuban tres in a style that's nicely different than more traditional modes – often blending it with some of the hipper small combo Latin elements that had popped up on the New York scene in the mid 60s, which gives the instrument a very different energy overall! Mita handles the tres wonderfully here – electrified on most cuts, which almost creates the same sort of feel as those cool boogaloo records that Arsenio Rodriguez recorded in the 60s – not faithfully traditional at all, which is really the appeal! As with so many Mag Records productions from the period, there's all sorts of wonderfully offbeat elements going on – yet they never get in the way of the burning Latin grooves of the set, as you'll hear on cuts that include "Mango Mangue", "Arecibo", "Compay Chifuco", "Mita Descarga", "No Aguanto Mas", "Descarga En Botella Y Huiro", and "El Yo Yo". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album on Fania Records – and a massive album that showcases Pacheco's new style – a shift from his earlier charanga grooves to a more solidly percussive style, with lots of timbales and trumpet! The album's a key turning point in 60s New York Latin – and still crackles with all the youthful energy it had back in the mid 60s. Pete Rodriguez is on vocals, and tracks include "El Kikiriki", "Fania", "Dakar, Punto Final", and "Como Mango". Nice cover, too – with Pacheco playing timbales in front of a big cannon! LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album – and a real surprise in the catalog of Harold Vick, one of those players who just gets hipper the more you listen to him! Harold's working here with a really great group that includes Bobby Hutcherson, Blue Mitchell, Montego Joe, Walter Booker, and Mickey Roker – all of whom perform the extended "Carribean Suite", a long Latin-tinged piece written by Kenny Graham – the famous 50s British leader who's work with Afro-Cuban jazz was as important to the London scene as the work of Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo was to that of New York! The album's filled with fire and some very unusual twists – and titles include "Letitia", "Dance Of The Zombies", "Haitian Ritual", "Beguine", "Mango Walk", "Bongo Chant", and "Wha Hupp'n". CD

A record that's not only a landmark in Jamaican music – but also a set that was to reggae what Curtis Mayfield's Superfly was to 70s soul! In other words, the set not only raised the bar for all the competition, it also ended up in a lot more record collections than most of them too – maybe in part because it was a soundtrack, as was Superfly – but also because it has this global power that makes it a defining album of the genre! Jimmy Cliff is obviously the mainman here, but there's help from other key players in the growing reggae scene – and titles include Jimmy's classic "You Can Get It If You Really Want", in two versions – plus two takes on "The Harder They Come", "Many Rivers To Cross", and "Sitting In Limbo" – plus "Sweet & Dandy" and "Pressure Drop" by The Maytals, "007" by Desmond Dekker, "Johnny Too Bad" by The Slicers, "Draw Your Brakes" by Scotty, and "Rivers Of Babylon" by The Melodians. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic sounds from the years before reggae became the international sound of Jamaica – music from the island nation's jazz scene, which was at the crossroads of so many different styles of music – jazz from the north, Latin rhythms from Cuba and Puerto Rico, and a fair bit of other Caribbean sounds too – all of which filter through the wonderful collection of music on the set! The title breaks down the different genres featured – but there's often a surprisingly unified feel to the whole record too – one that stands partly as a testament to the musical strengths of all the performers involved! In the days before Trojan and Studio One, Federal Records was an important Jamaican label – and did an especially great job of capturing some of the sounds that were part of that nation's club culture and resorts in the 60s. Titles include "Angelima" and "Like Falling In Love" by Ernest Ranglin, "Profile Cha Cha" and "Rhumbina" by Cecil Lloyd & The Starline Troubadors, "Estrellita" and "I Love Paris" by The Lennie Hibbert Combo, "Tis Wonderful" by Eric Grant, "Linstead Market" by Baba Motta & Ernest Ranglin, "Wheel & Turn Me" by Bertie King, "Go Fife Go" by Count Owen, "Mango Walk" by Bertie King & Ernest Ranglin, "String Of Pearls" by Auldey Williams & His Orchestra, "Solas Market" by Baba Motta, and "Monday Monday" by Winston Turner Quintet. LP, Vinyl record album

Features Pierre Dorge on guitar, Tibetan trumpet, arco cumbus, and vocals in a group that features various reeds, trombones, piano, bass, and plenty of percussion. Tracks include "Fullmoon For A Rhino", "Jubee Jubee", "Skorping After Dark", "Give Me A Break", "Ritus Russulu Huju #2", "Mango For Mingus", and "Enigmatic Bird". CD

Late 70s solo effort from this founding member of the Wailers, self-produced on his own Solomonic label and then licensed to Island for worldwide distribution. A solid roots effort from one of the most significant moments in Jamaican music history, this album maintains Livingston's nicely crafted take on the heavily political roots rock that was both his and the Wailers' signature sound, and features backing from much of the Wailers band, though Robbie Shakespeare takes Family Man's bass spot. Includes a nice version of the Wailers' classic "Get Up, Stand Up", plus "Johnny Too Bad", "Follow Fashion Monkey", "Who Feels It", "Scheme Of Things", "Quite Trying", "Wanted Children" and "Moses Children". LP, Vinyl record album

A tight little "best of" set from Mandrill – featuring a great batch of tracks from their famous funky albums for Polydor! Titles include "Symphonic Revolutions", "Hang Loose", "Children Of The Sun", "Mandrill", "Ape Is High", "Fencewalk", "Cohelo", "Mango Meat", and many more! Nice and funky – with some good LA Latin touches! CD

Really tremendous work from Mandrill – an instant funky classic, and a set that has the group furthering the sublime sound they crafted on their seminal Composite Truth! The record has all these wonderful twists and turns – not just the usual 70s funky styles, but inflections from a globe's worth of influences – all filtered down and used here in fresh new ways to really keep the sound interesting – with a tightness that's never slick, and which instead has this really visionary approach that may well top some of Mandrill's higher-charting contemporaries! Instrumentation has plenty of jazz inflections, which really keeps things interesting – and the percussion has so many different styles going on, it's hard to keep track! Titles include the massive sample cut "Fat City Strut" – plus "Never Die", "Two Sisters Of Mystery", "She Ain't Lookin Too Tough", "Interlude", "Mango Meat", "Afrikus Retrospectus", and "Aspiration Flame". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of hard-to-find work by Monday Michiru – featuring mixes and covers that have been issued as singles in the past, and which fit together surprisingly well as a full LP! If you know Monday's work, you know that her singles often feature versions of tracks that are quite different than the LP versions – recrafted with the help of some of the best NuSoul producers and remixers, like Joe Claussell, Masters At Work, Shinchi Osaway, and Bluey, all of whom contribute work to this set. The package is great – and with a total of 11 tracks in all, it will save you a lot of time (and money) tracking down those expensive import 12" singles! The set's mixed together – but not strongly, so that all the songs are very much intact – and titles include "I Wanna Be Where You Are", "Lovin You (acoustic live version)", "Double Image (live at Manic One rmx)", "Chasing After The Sun (Banda Black Lero mix)", "Yellow Bird (Incognito Capoeira mix)", "Tomorrow's Sunrise (Murphy meets Titomaxx)", "Love Flow (Mango margarita mix)", "Mysteries Of Life (Ananda Project Black Tail dub)", and "Higher (higher dub)". CD

A mid 70s cracker from Pacheco – salsa with a mix of traditional influences, in a mode that follows shifts of other Latin acts at the time, yet still keeps things in the lean grooves you'd expect from Pacheco! The album is is first in many without Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez on vocals – but that aspect's more than taken care of by lead singer Hector Casanova, who follows Pacheco well into this slightly shift in a new direction. Many tracks on the set are upbeat and lively, and titles include "Mango Mangue", "Prestame Los Guantes", "Las Muchachas", "El Chivo", "Simani", and "El Faisan". LP, Vinyl record album

A 2CD tribute to the mighty Eddie Palmieri – one that's filled with some of his best work from the 60s and 70s! The 30 track collection features work from Eddie's key early years at the Alegre and his amazing mid period years on Tico – plus a few standout tracks from other labels like Coco and Barbaro, which stand as proof that Palmieri was always improving his groove as the years went on. The musical portrait here is a really amazing one – an evolution of sound that few other Latin musicians can match, served up with a great package that includes writings on Eddie's career and music. Titles include "Chocolate Ice Cream", "Ay Que Rico", "Palo De Mango", "Justicia", "Tema La Perfecta", "We've Loved Before", "Resemblance", "Cuidate Compay", "Azucar", "Cafe", "Si Echo Palante", "Lazaro Y Su Microfono", "Nada De Ti", "Una Rosa Espanola", "La Verdad", and "La Malanga". CD

Great work from our favorite Japanese soul star – a nice batch of remixes, filled with guest appearances by the likes of Incognito, Basement Jaxx, Shinichi Osawa, Soul Society, Byron Wallen, Rob Playford, and others – all packaged in an extremely captivating cover with great graphics! Titles include "You Make Me (Shin Shin's Mix)", "Yellow Bird (Incognito Capoeira Mix)", "Cruel 2 Be Kind (Basement Jaxx Nite Dub)", "Change Of Scenery", "Double Image (Live At Manic One Remix)", "Love Flow (Mango Margarita Mix)", and "Freed Or Bound (Reconsideration Mix)". Very nice stuff, with more focus on the dancefloor side of Monday's work, than the pop-hook sort of side. A mixture of jazzy bits, drum and bass bits, and lots more! LP, Vinyl record album

First volume in Verve's LP collection of Parker's work recorded by Norman Granz, with a mix of tracks that includes some quartet and small group material, some recorded with strings and a couple recorded with Machito & His Orchestra. 15 tracks in all, including "April In Paris", "What Is This Thing called Love", "Lover Man", "Back Home blues", "Passport", "My Little Suede Shoes", "Mango Mangue", "In The Still Of The Night" and "Old Folks". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set of mellow fusion tracks from saxophonist Herman Riley – recorded with a quintet that includes Milcho Leviev on keyboards, Ron Eschete on guitar, and Paul Humphrey on drums. The set's not that funky overall, but it's got a number of long tracks that open up with some strong and soulful solos. Titles include "Jewel", "Muffer", "Mango Jam", and "MPH". CD

A fab set of James Bond tunes – performed by Brit easy maestro Roland Shaw, in a style that's arguably groovier than the original soundtracks themselves! There's some nice instrumental touches on a few of these that push the mood of the set in a good way – and Shaw's also chosen a lot of less-familiar numbers that have a more dramatic feel to them, getting past the obvious cliches of other albums of this type. Titles include "Kingston Calypso", "Thunderball", "Death Of Goldfinger", "Miami", "Spectre Island", "Underneath The Mango Tree", "Tania Meets Klebb", and "Arrival Of The Bomb & Countdown". LP, Vinyl record album

You might know these guys under their previous name of Kutimangoes – one that's dropped maybe in part because there's a shift in the music here to a slightly different style! Where Kutimangoes explored a heavy dose of Afro Funk on their records, Sunborn take off from the roots and move things into a much more fluid sense of expression – often percolating rhythms that have both acoustic and electric elements, in support of a superb hornline that moves with a sense of majesty that really makes the album stand out – giving the whole thing an instant sense of power and pride! Guests include Caio Marcio and Bigyuki – and titles include "Mankind", "Apple Blossom", "Night Sweats", "Dancing In The Dark", "Metropolis", "Beach Chase", "Echoes", and "Under The Same Sky". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's no mistake – both in its pluralization and its acclaim for Kai Winding – as the leader here is working with a brace of additional trombones, all in a groove that's one of his most fluid on record to date! The style builds nicely from the sound that Kai and JJ Johnson forged in the 50s – but it's served up here with a sound that's slightly more modern, filled with colors and tones that really deepen the sound of Winding's music! Other trombonists include Jimmy Knepper, Tony Studd, Paul Faulise, and Johnny Messner – playing differently pitched trombones – and rhythm players include Ron Carter on bass, Bill Evans on piano, and Al Beldini on drums – plus some guest conga by Olatunji. Titles include "Speak Low", "Love Walked In", "Mangos", "Michie", "Impulse", and "Black Coffee". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure early trio session cut by pianist Gene Harris – one of his first ever sessions! The session's got a surprisingly soulful groove – as this Gene also has a strong left hand, even this early in the game – which is augmented by the presence of bassist Ben Tucker in the trio, who's romping contributions really give the tunes a nice sort of pulse – even when the material is more standard. British drummer Kenny Harris completes the trio – and titles include the Harris originals "There's A Genie In My Soul", "That's Oona", and "I Wanna Go Where You Are" – plus "Mangos", "Love For Sale", "Cool Mix", and "Tune Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from Sonny Rollins – a record that really lives up to its title, as it shows the maturing tenorist really finding his own voice in jazz – a sound that's unlike any other! Rollins' Riverside work sometimes seems to get overlooked sometimes in light of his freer late 50s playing on other labels – but this album's a real standout that shows that even with familiar material, Sonny can make magic happen in the way he phrases a tune and places a solo. Sonny's working here with a group that includes some hard-edged piano from Sonny Clark and some wonderfully inventive rhythm from Roy Haynes on drums – but Rollins is the real star in this quartet setting – shining throughout, in a mode that's incredibly economical, yet which speaks volumes with every note! Titles include "Mangoes", "Cutie", "Just In Time", and "Every Time We Say Goodbye". CD features one bonus track. CD

The American debut of an African group who recorded most of their work in France during the 70s. This set's a French one, but has been spruced up a bit at Sigma Sound, where it received a US mix from Tom Moulton – ostensibly to give it a bit more of a dancefloor groove. The tracks have a style that's kind of smoother Afro Funk – almost in the mode of Manu Dibango's work from 1976. Titles include "Black Soul Music", "Moog Melody", "Dakar Sound", "Mangous", "Africa Africa", and "Black Brothers". LP, Vinyl record album

2 lesser-known gems from a young Maynard Ferguson – back to back on a single CD! First up is Plays Jazz For Dancing – a record that hones the usual Ferguson groove a bit more for the dancefloor, yet still keeps in plenty of room for the sorts of solo space that Maynard first forged earlier in the 50s! The lineup here features some great work from Willie Maiden on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Jimmy Ford on alto sax – as well as performances from Maynard himself on trumpet, valve trombone, and even a bit of euphonium. Titles include "Hey There", "Where's Teddy", "Soft Winds", "Tis Autumn", "Secret Love", "I'll Be Seeing You", and "If I Should Lose You". Let's Face The Music & Dance follows in very similar form – a well-crafted batch of big band numbers from Maynard Ferguson, with more than enough swing and sway for the dancefloor, but also that stronger sense of personality and power you'd expect from Maynard. As usual for the time, the lineup of players is totally great – a surprising batch of hipsters that includes Jaki Byard on piano, Slide Hampton on trombone, Joe Farrell on tenor and clarinet, and Willie Maiden on tenor and flute – plys some great drum work from Rufus Jones, who really keeps a nice punch in the rhythms. Titles include "Let's Do It", "Spring Is Here", "Teach Me Tonight", "Let's Face The Music & Dance", and "Mangos". CD