Kashmere Records/P-Vine (Japan), Early 1970s. (reissue)
When these guys say "stage band", they aren't kidding – as the group's got so many members, there's barely room left on the stage for the instruments! That doesn't stop the record from being plenty darn funky, though – as the sound is right, tight, and outta site – ...
(Soul LP)
Fast Track/Big Pink (South Korea), 1975. Gatefold
A classic indie cooker from Sugar Billy – a bit funky, a bit clubby – and a really great batch of grooves done in a pre-disco mode! The tracks are all pretty darn upbeat – somewhat warmer than the funk of Fatback or Kool & The Gang, but still with a nicely rough-edged feel ...
(Soul CD)
RCA/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1973.
An excellent set from the great Gato Barbieri – one of the gems from his earlier years on record, and an album that's very much in the best spirit of his sides for Impulse in the early 70s! There' definitely some Latin currents in the rhythm – not as strongly stated as on his Latin ...
(Jazz CD)
Pony Canyon/Great Tracks (Japan), 1971. Gatefold (reissue)
A seminal bit of Japanese rock from the early 70s – performed by a group that included Haruomi Hosono, and who has a style that borrows from the best of the LA scene of the late 60s! The tunes are extremely catchy – done in a folksy style that has compressed guitars and spacious ...
(Japanese LP)
Flying Dutchman/Solid (Japan), 1972.
A wild one! After the straight hard funk of some of his earlier recordings as a leader, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie breaks out here in a compelling album of soul jazz tracks done in a number of styles. The approach is sort of big studio funk – with some cuts that have a harder sound, ...
(Jazz CD)
Ace (UK), Late 1950s/Early 1960s.
The offbeat look of the guy on the cover is very fitting for the offbeat sound of this set – a really cool collection of rare and unusual singles that fall between the cracks of more familiar styles from the time – tunes that are very far from the charts and pop hits of the late ...
(Rock CD)
Arista/Culture Factory, 1975. 2LP (reissue)
A 70s soul classic – and the closest that Gil Scott-Heron ever came to having a hit! The album's best known for its anthemic classic "Johannesburg" – one of the first popular tunes to really push the cause of a free South Africa – but the whole album's a winner, filled ...
(Soul LP)
Atlantic/PBT (France), Early 1980s.
A full length set that expands nicely on the original "Garden Of Eve" tune – maybe the biggest song ever from Chicago soul singer Yvonne Gate – a cut that has this nicely snapping boogie groove, and a vibe that should have really sent her over the top! The package features ...
(Soul LP)
Volt, 1969. (reissue)
Standout solo work from Mavis Staples – a set that really expands the Stax sound nicely with a bit of strings to sweeten up the groove! Steve Cropper's at the production helm, and there's still enough grit in the grooves to remind us we're down in Memphis – but the choice of tunes and ...
(Soul LP)
Timeless (Netherlands), 1985.
A beautiful little album from Dutch pianist Cees Slinger – one that features a quartet with Clifford Jordan on tenor, Philly Joe Jones on bass, and the wonderfully-toned Isla Eckinger on bass! The presence of Jordan adds a deep edge to the set that really opens things up – bringing in ...
(Jazz LP)
Mag/Vampi Soul (Spain), Late 1960s/Early 1970s. 2LP
Maybe the coolest collection of work we've ever seen from the legendary Mag Records label from Peru – a really unique imprint that always had a way of serving up a slightly different take on more familiar styles! Here, as you'd guess from the title, the focus is on Latin Soul and boogaloo ...
(Latin LP)
Loma Vista, 2024.
A killer Christmas record from Robert Glasper – even if the cover makes it look like some Busta Rhymes side project from the 90s! Glasper's on keys and at the helm of the whole thing – and the record's more of a soul session overall, with contributions from a great array of guests who ...
(Holiday Music CD)
Rocafort (UK), Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
A tight half dozen cumbia cookers from the Colombian scene – all pulled from the archives of the Codiscos label, and brought together here in a limited 7" package! The set follows strongly on the other two volumes – a really well-selected batch of titles, picked by Dj Bongohead ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
Reprise/Light In The Attic, Late 1960s. Gatefold (reissue)
A definite country record from Nancy Sinatra, but one that's done with heavy production help from the great Lee Hazlewood – which means that the whole thing's got the sharper-than-usual sound that Lee could always bring to a session! Hazlewood always has a bit of a country influence in his ...
(Vocalists LP)
International Anthem, 2024.
A really beautiful record from bassist Ruth Goller – and a set that's nicely different than her last outing for International Anthem! This set's as much a vocal outing as a showcase for Ruth's work on both electric and acoustic bass – instruments that are used here in very unusual ...
(Jazz LP)
PI Records, 2024.
Very spacious work from drummer Tyshawn Sorey – a trio date, with three very long tracks – all of which are also a stunning showcase for the work of Aaron Diehl on piano! The tracks have this sense of blockiness that really builds up over time – very melodic, but with lots of ...
(Jazz CD)
Trio/Solid (Japan), 1978.
Great late 70s work from Art Pepper – a Japanese live performance, and one that has Pepper and the group stretching out in a beautiful way – on the sorts of longer, extended performances the reedman favored so much late in his life! The Michel Legrand reference in the title is maybe an ...
(Jazz CD)
Alfa/Sony (Japan), 1979. (reissue)
Tremendous work from this groundbreaking electro pop trio – a group who seem to compress all the best electric energy on both sides of the planet at the time – creating a leaner, catchier take on some of the hippest German modes, mixing them with their own quirky energy, and paving the ...
(Japanese LP)
Milestone/Craft, 1976. (reissue)
A fantastic set of 70s jazzy grooves, served up with a very unique criss-crossing of modes – as the record was created by brothers Hugo and Jorge Fattoruso, who emerged on the 60s scene in Uruguay with some great work in bossa nova and jazz – recording here with Airto at the production ...
(Brazil LP)
BYG/Solid (Japan), 1969.
One of the most striking early albums from Daevid Allen and Gong – and very well-placed on the BYG label, given that it features contributions from avant jazz musicians – including Burton Greene on piano, Didier Malherbe on flute and soprano, and Barre Phillips on bass! The mix of ...
(Rock CD)
Cherry Tree (UK), 1960s. 8CD
An amazing legacy in music – from a musician who sometimes doesn't always get his due! Davy Graham was part of the same 60s UK scene that gave the world Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, John Martyn, and other acoustic experimentalists – and at some level, he may well be even greater than ...
(Folk/Country CD)
Studio One, 1970. (reissue)
Wonderful work from the very young Dennis Brown – just a teenager at the time he recorded this material, but already singing with a wonderfully soulful style! The youthful qualities in Brown's voice make for a different feel compared to other rocksteady work of the time – and he's ...
(Reggae LP)
Highway Soul/We Are Busy Bodies (Canada), 1976. (reissue)
A killer set from the South African scene of the 70s – a record that features two long tracks, both of which are mighty funky jams! The group's a project of guitarist Almon Memela, known for the Funky Africa album – but the whole group gets in on the action nicely – as the record ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 1950s/Early 1960s.
Fingersnap's the vibe of the groove – tight, short rhythmic bursts that echo the energy of snapping your fingers – which makes for a killer assortment of catchy cuts in a variety of different genres! The music here dovetails nicely with the popcorn groove, and a bit with the mambo ...
(Rock CD)
Soul Jazz (UK), 1974. (reissue)
One of the most unique albums of the 70s spiritual jazz generation – a set that's got ties to other material of the period, but which also really sets itself apart as well! David Lee Jr is a drummer with roots in New Orleans, which he references on the set – but the music itself has ...
(Jazz LP)
Reprise/Domino, 1973.
Beautiful work from John Cale – proof that in his years after The Velvet Underground, he was one hell of a talented solo act! The songs are all wonderfully written, and supported by orchestrations that are light, but which bring some overall depth to the record – a sense of class, but ...
(Rock CD)
Cellar Live (Canada), 2024.
A wonderful tribute to the late Jack McDuff – the favorite jazz organist of Brian Charette, and a huge favorite of ours too! Brian plays the Hammond B3 with a style that doesn't try to copy any of McDuff's modes – which might be too hard anyway, given what a dynamic, flexible player ...
(Jazz LP)
Compendium Records/Norske Albumklassikere (Norway), 1976.
A fantastically frenetic electric combo from the Norwegian scene of the 70s – one who clearly draw inspiration from some of the more dynamic prog acts on the UK scene from a few years before, but who deliver the goods with a vibe that really returns the instrumental energy to jazz overall! ...
(Jazz CD)
Atmospheric, 2024.
A fantastic recent performance from electronics wizard Susanne Ciani – one that has all the depth and imagination of her famous recordings from the 70s – and which also features the legendary buchla synthesizer as well! The original concert must have been amazing to hear in person, as ...
(Sound Library LP)
Haakon Graf/Sveinung Hovensjo/Jon Eberson/Jon Christensen
Blow Out
Compendium Records/Norske Albumklassikere (Norway), 1977.
One of the standout gems on the legendary Compendium Records label of the 70s – an imprint that was as important to Norway as Love Records was to the scene in Finland! Both labels share a fresh approach to jazz – musicians who are working in fusion, but not afraid to move into proggier ...
(Jazz CD)
Polydor/Robinsongs (UK), 1970s. 3CD
Five incredible albums from the legendary Roy Ayers – all presented in a single set! First up is Tear To A Smile – 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 – ...
(Soul CD)
Candid, 1991. 2LP
One of the sharpest Paquito D'Rivera albums of the 90s – thanks to the presence of the great James Moody, who really knocks it out of the park! Moody had been recording some decent albums around the time, but he's really set up here in a back to basics mode that reminds us what a fantastic ...
(Jazz LP)
Sugar/Decca (France), Late 1960s/1970s.
Four great soundtracks from four excellent films that featured the lovely Romy Schneider in the lead! First up is Philippe Sarde's score for La Choses De La Vie – maybe one of our favorite French soundtracks of the late 60s! There's a really special quality to this music – as rich as ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Sdban (Belgium), 1967.
Fantastic lost work from trumpeter Dusko Goykovich – recorded right around the same time that he was making such wonderful contributions to the Saba/MPS label in the late 60s! Dusko was easily one of the hippest, and most original trumpeters to emerge from the European scene in the 60s ...
(Jazz LP)
Reprise/Domino, 1972.
One of the coolest, most unusual albums ever from the great John Cale – a set that draws strongly on his roots in the New York underground of the mid 60s – including time spent with Tony Conrad and other experimentalists! The record is almost all instrumental – and has Cale ...
(Rock CD)
Nentu/Mad About Records (Portugal), 1985. (reissue)
You might know Edward Fisher as Eddie Fisher – the guitarist who cut some great funky jazz albums for Chess/Cadet and Stang Records in his earlier years – working here in a sweet 80s groove that's overflowing with soul! There's plenty of excellent guitar on the set – but Fisher ...
(Jazz LP)
Blacklake (Netherlands), 2024.
The last album in the trilogy of Jazz Sabbath records – albums that are all put together with a bit of a gimmick, but which stand more than strongly enough on their own! As with the other two, this set purports to be lost material from the late 60s – jazz covers of Black Sabbath tunes ...
(Jazz LP)
Blue Note (Japan), 1960.
A tremendous set from Jackie McLean – perfectly poised between his hardbop and modern years, with a set of compositions that are as great as the performances! The lineup on this one's a bit unusual – with Walter Bishop on piano, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art ...
(Jazz CD)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 1950s/Early 1960s.
Fantastic sounds from Johnny Guitar Watson – an artist who's maybe known best for his famous funk records in the 70s, but who was equally on fire on recordings like these from his early years! Right from the start, Watson was as revolutionary a guitarist as other 50s innovators like Chuck ...
(Soul CD)
P&P/Unisono (Germany), 1980. Gatefold (reissue)
A beautiful album from the German scene of the early 80s – one that mixes in some warmer currents from modal jazz and Brazilian music, in a way that reminds us a lot of some of our favorite recordings on the MPS/Saba label! Klaus-Werner Pusch is trumpeter, and he heads up this beautiful ...
(Jazz LP)
Prestige/Craft, 1954. 2CDs
A beautiful set, and one that celebrates a pivotal year in the career of trumpeter Miles Davis – a moment when he really rose to greatness as a leader, thanks to the direction given him by Prestige Records – who set him up with an all-star array of players for these recordings! The ...
(Jazz CD)
De Wolfe/Trunk (UK), Late 60s. Gatefold
A legendary soundtrack from the key years of British gothic horror – music for a film that was creepy enough on its own, but which really got sent over the top with the sounds provided by composer Paul Ferris! Ferris was working with the De Wolfe sound library at the time, but the music is ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Sticky Buttons (UK), Late 1980s. 2LP
They certainly got the title right on this one – as the set's a collection of sweet grooves from Dizzy K Falola – a Nigerian artist who represented a whole new wave of soulful styles coming out of the Lagos scene during the 80s! These tracks are still as funky as any Nigerian music of ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Naya Beat (France), Late 1980s/Early 1990s. 2LP Gatefold
Sweet electro grooves from the Indian scene of the late 80s and early 90s – music that still carries some of the flavors of the Bollywood generation, but with a very different vibe overall! There's plenty of keyboards and beats in the music – and in general, the styles are often a few ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Uniton/Norske Albumklassikere (Norway), 1987.
A sweet 80s fusion set from keyboardist Haakon Graf – one that changes up his sound a bit from the decade before, thanks to a shift in technology on both the keyboards and the way the album was produced! There's a playful vibe to the set that echoes some of the image on the cover – and ...
(Jazz CD)
Stax/Ace (UK), 1974. 2LP
Massive work from Isaac Hayes – a hard and heavy soundtrack that we like even more than his classic work on Shaft! Unlike Shaft, Ike actually starred in the film Truck Turner – which may be one reason why he brought his full game to the table for the record – and scored a batch ...
(Soul LP)
Maus Of Music (Germany), 2020.
A totally great book for fans of vintage Motown – a huge book of full color images, and one that traces the discography of most of the key artists on the label! The book features album discographies of The Supremes, Four Tops, Jackson Five, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, Stevie Wonder, and other ...
(Book)
XL, 2024.
You might know Badbadnotgood as a trio, but they've really expanded their sound here – adding in contributions from guests on guitar, keyboard, trumpet, and percussion – while also keeping things focused on the kind of instrumental interplay they first brought to their work! There's ...
(New Grooves CD)
Atlantic/Soulmusic.com (UK), Mid 1970s. 6CDs
A massive legacy of music, brought together in one great little package – all of which shows just how much the group Blue Magic evolved in the span of just a few short years! At their start, the group were right up there with some of the best east coast sweet soul acts – like The ...
(Soul CD)
Reel People (UK), 2024.
We've been loving the vocals of Angela Johnson for years, and here she gets a nicely fresh groove from Opolopo – an artist you may well know from a host of great singles and remixes in recent years! Opolopo's usually a bit more aimed at the dancefloor – but here, he slows down things ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Les Rhythmes Ruban (France), 2024.
You might recognize the name of Liam Bailey from his work on Big Crown records – and here, he acts as the frontman for grooves laid down by Blundetto – who hits a strongly dubby style that works perfectly for Bailey's vocals! The first half of the set features vocal numbers with a more ...
(New Grooves LP)
Alpaca Park/Drag City, 1996. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
A huge step forward for the great Sean O'Hagan – a set that expands on all the genius he brought to his Gideon Gaye record, and which also shows him really delving into more experimentation in the studio! The whole thing is a sonic delight from start to finish – with the kind of ...
(Rock LP)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 1950s.
The complete run of releases by the short-lived but legendary San Records label – a tiny Tennessee imprint that was right there at the right time when the scene in the state was overflowing with all the best sort of creative energy! San sounds a bit like Sun – and there's definitely ...
(Rock LP)
April (Denmark), 2024.
A tight funky combo, and one who effortlessly mix older jazz and funk instrumental styles with just a touch of influence from Afro Funk – not in the full-on modes that you'd hear from other larger ensembles, but just in the way the rhythms work nicely with the two horns in the group! In ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Blue Note (Japan), 1957.
A wonderful album, and maybe the most straight hardbop of all the Blue Note albums from bassist Paul Chambers – as some of the others featured slightly unusual settings in comparison to the rest of the work on the label at the time! This set has the bass legend working with a totally ...
(Jazz CD)
Three Blind Mice/Sony (Japan), 1975. (reissue)
A very compelling set from Japanese bassist Isao Suzuki – one that draws on the electric traditions being forged at the time by artists like Miles and Joe Henderson – but which is also graced by the warm lyricism that was running through other Japanese jazz sessions of the 70s! Suzuki ...
(Jazz LP)
RCA/Quartet (Spain), 1971.
A groovy little soundtrack from Riz Ortolani – a set of tracks written for a controversial faux-documentary on slavery, done with better musical touches that are more in keeping with the early 70s release of the film! The movie came from the same producers as Mondo Cane – also scored ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Reprise/Light In The Attic, 1967. Gatefold (reissue)
One of the more unusual concept albums put together by the team of singer Nancy Sinatra and genius producer Lee Hazlewood – a package that updates all sorts of older songs from earlier decades, and gives them a mighty sweet 60s spin overall! A big part of the album's strength comes from the ...
(Vocalists LP)
Kashmere Records/P-Vine (Japan), 1970/1971. (reissue)
A great title for this classic early album from the Kashmere Stage Band – a group who come on with plenty of thunder in their sound – both in the funky rhythms at the bottom, and the burning solos on the top! The approach is that of a school band, but the sound here is way way ...
(Soul LP)
Tidal Waves, 1982.
A rare slice of work from the Tribe Records scene in Detroit – a set that features bassist/singer Reggie Fields working with a small acoustic combo at Detroit's variation of the Montreux Jazz Festival! Reggie's got a real way of singing with his bass – so much so that there's an upbeat ...
(Jazz LP)
Cinevox/Mutant, 1978. Gatefold (reissue)
One of the first great horror soundtracks by the legendary Goblin – penned for the wonderful follow-up to Night Of The Living Dead! The music is a wonderful mix of Goblin's cool keyboard lines with some fuzzier guitar bits – those rockish elements that the group virtually introduced to ...
(Soundtracks LP)
RCA/Polysom (Brazil), 1972. (reissue)
An obscure bit of Brazilian folk rock from the early 70s – recorded with an easygoing, laidback style that's really wonderful! The group's working mostly here in a blend of acoustic guitar and percussion – and some of the guitar work is done by Jorge Amiden of O Terco, using a strange ...
(Brazil LP)
Machbeat (Japan), 2023.
Not a set of soundtracks from the legendary Towa Tei, but a record that's maybe not that far off either – as it features all instrumental tracks, in a way that have Towa maybe touching on some of the territory of earlier Japanese artists from the 80s! The mode's not exactly ambient, as there' ...
(New Grooves LP)
Fat Possum, 1994.
The final full length studio set from the legendary Townes Van Zandt – still going strong before being taken from us all too soon! The material here is great – maybe in part because of the space between this set and Townes' last – and the recording quality is nicely focused, ...
(Rock LP)
Brunswick/Mcluhan, 1970. Gatefold (reissue)
One of the most unusual albums ever issued on the Brunswick label – and maybe one of the most unusual ones to come from the Chicago scene as well – a really cool, complicated album that almost comes across like an audio play at times – but one that's overflowing with all sorts of ...
(Rock LP)
Doctor Bird (UK), Late 1960s. 2CDs
A stunning look at the early years of Lee Scratch Perry – a treasure trove of rare singles and a few unissued tracks – all from a time when he was coming on the scene in Kingston as one of the freshest young producers around! The music here isn't the weird and way-out sounds of Perry's ...
(Reggae CD)
High Note, 2024.
Beautifully flowing piano from the great George Cables – always a giant on the keys, yet somehow sounding really reinvigorated on this wonderful set! We're not sure what's going on, but everything here is right on the money – Cables embracing the wide range of the keyboard, in ways ...
(Jazz CD)
ATO, 2024.
The Black Pumas are especially burning here live – working with a bold sense of energy in front of a very friendly crowd – super-enthusiastic followers of the group whose presence on the record almost matches that of the audience on James Brown Live At The Apollo! Somehow, the live ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Def Jam, 1989. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
A real late 80s favorite around these parts – a set that stepped out with all the best qualities the Def Jam label helped pioneer in hip hop at the time – but which also seems to set the tone for so much great work to come from other acts – both in terms of lyrical interplay and ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Grapefruit (UK), 1975. 3CD
A treasure trove of overlooked gems from the UK scene – all music recorded right before the big punk rock explosion to come, and already showing that there were so many different and excellent strands of music coming out on British labels! The box mixes together bits from glam, prog, hard ...
(Rock CD)
Dorado (UK), 1993. (reissue)
A really early album in the wave of neo soul recordings that would break big in the 90s – and maybe the best-remembered album from UK soul singer Jhelisa! The set came out on the Dorado label, at a time when the imprint was one of the hippest of the acid jazz generation – but unlike ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Deram/Esoteric (UK), 1970. (reissue)
The seminal first album from Egg – a legendary trio that featured a young Dave Stewart on organ, piano, and tone generator – and a key force in the Brit jazz rock scene of the early 70s! The album's sound is especially noteworthy in that there's really no guitar at all in the group ...
(Rock LP)
Mercury/Esoteric (UK), Late 1960s/Early 1970s. 3CDs
Three wonderful albums from this overlooked group – plus bonus tracks too! First up is Crossroads Of Time, great work from a group who definitely are in the budding years of the UK progressive scene – but one who also knows how to stick to a tighter combo sound too! The record's got a ...
(Rock CD)
Cellar Live (Canada), 2024.
A killer combo who definitely earn their name – not just because the group is co-led by Eric Alexander on tenor and Mike LeDonne on piano – but also because the rest of the sextet features Vincent Herring on alto, Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, Alexander Claffy on bass, and Kenny Washington on ...
(Jazz CD)
Great Tracks (Japan), 1979. (reissue)
A late 70s charmer from Taeko Onuki – and a set that mixes in some warmly jazzy elements that really make her vocals shine! The album's partly arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto, but we almost prefer the other arrangements, handled by Seo Ichizo – which bring up those jazzy currents, and ...
(Japanese LP)
Mix It Up/P-Vine (Japan), 1996.
An overlooked gem from the hipper side of the hip hop spectrum in the 90s – a record that's very much cut from the same cloth as the best work by Tribe Called Quest – and which has a similar balance of no-nonsense beats and jazzy elements! That quality is maybe best summed up in the ...
(Hip Hop CD)
Polydor, 2024.
Michael Kiwanuka waited more than a few minutes to give us this great album – and it's clear that the time was definitely well-spent, as he emerges here with a quality that's even more open, honest, and mature than his previous work – which is saying a lot, given how much he already had ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Soundway (UK), Late 1970s/1980s/Early 1990s. 3LP Gatefold
A set with an even wider musical range than the previous volumes of Nigeria Special – taking things up from the late 70s through the early 90s, and showing a lot of musical change in the progress! The album's got some of the familiar Afro Funk modes you might expect – but also traces a ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Timeless/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2LP
Gilles Peterson takes on the mighty jazz catalog of Timeless Records – and creates the same magic with their tracks that he's done in the past with other labels like Impulse Records and MPS! The Peterson ear for a gem is very present here – and the set does a great job of digging both ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Jackson Jay Kidder, 2024.
A mighty nice album of Christmas tunes from our fair city of Chicago – one that's served up with some really great original tunes in the mix as well! Jackson Jay Kidder plays bass and sings – and his this wonderfully raspy voice that's full of charms that make both his own tunes ...
(Holiday Music LP)
Blue Note (Japan), 1957.
An obscure little groover from Curtis Fuller – and one of his hardest blowing sessions for Blue Note! Unlike some of the other Fuller sessions, which can have a slightly softer, rounder sound overall – this one's a much more in-the-pocket sort of Blue Note hardbop date – one that ...
(Jazz CD)
Masaru Imada Trio + 1
Maki
Victor/Lawson (Japan), 1970. Gatefold (reissue)
An album that came out right at the start of the 70s, at a moment when the Japanese piano trio scene was really beginning to find its way forward – yet one that's also got a very different vibe than some of the bigger records to come! If you know the work of pianist Masaru Imada, you'll know ...
(Jazz LP)
Canopo (Italy), Early 1970s.
A wicked collection of grooves from the Italian sound library label Canopo – a company related to the better-known Flippermusic, but one whose music hasn't gotten nearly as much exposure over the years! There's loads of mod, jazzy touches here – nice organ lines, wordless vocals, funky ...
(Sound Library LP)
What's New (Japan), 2024.
Decades back, Kenny Burrell cut an album of Duke Ellington tunes with the title Ellington Is Forever – and here, Japanese guitarist Yoshiaki Okayasu gives Kenny the same kind of treatment – by serving up some really wonderful readings of Burrell's own original tunes! Most folks Kenny ...
(Jazz CD)
Heavenly Sweetness (France), Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
A deep dive into the world of South African jazz – music that hardly got much circulation in our hemisphere back in the day, and which still stands as a real revelation in musical modes! The set does a fantastic job of unearthing all these different corners in the scene – and also ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Cellar Live (Canada), 2024.
Irv Grossman's a trumpeter, but he works here in a really wonderful three-horn frontline – next to work on tenor from Sam Dillon and alto from Andrew Gould – two players who fall right in line with Irv's sense of timing and color! This might be the first we've heard from Grossman as a ...
(Jazz CD)
P-Vine (Japan), 2024.
The cover image hides the charms within – a warmly soulful set from Korean singer Otis Lim – working here with a really great set of arrangements that set the whole thing up like a UK soul album from years back! Otis definitely uses a bit of processing on his vocals, but also has a ...
(Neo Soul CD)
A&M/Big Pink (South Korea), 1976.
A beautifully righteous album from the great Letta Mbulu – bolder and more soulful than some of her better-known 60s work – which is really saying a lot, as those records are plenty darn soulful! The music still has some South African currents in the rhythms, but also soars with some ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Think (Japan), 2024.
Davi Fonseca's one of those Brazilian artists who grabs you right away, even if you can't understand his language – a wonderfully captivating singer with a voice that almost feels universal in its appeal – set to a mixture of acoustic instrumentation and occasional keyboards that all ...
(Brazil CD)
Peony Project/P-Vine (Japan), 1985. 2LP (reissue)
A really lovely instrumental album from the Japanese scene of the 80s – a set that's sometimes linked to the ambient work of the time, but a record that's got a lot more going on overall! The songs are shortish, and very tuneful – and there's some nicely exotic currents at times too ...
(Japanese LP)
Blue Note (Japan), 1957.
A landmark session that features two of the greatest tenor talents to emerge from the rich Chicago scene of the 50s – both working head to head here in a fantastic early showcase for Blue Note! The set's less of the "blowing session" promised in the title – at least in ...
(Jazz CD)
Warner/Lawson (Japan), 1982. (reissue)
A classic set of city pop from the Japanese scene of the early 80s – music that's got tight, AOR-styled arrangements and production, but also a stronger current of soul that really keeps things interesting! Yoshino Fujimal sings in Japanese on some tracks, but the album's got a really ...
(Japanese LP)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1970. Gatefold (reissue)
A really far-reaching and dynamic little set from Japanese drummer Akira Ishikawa and his Count Buffalos group – one that definitely lives up to the promise of its Electrum title! As you might guess from a word like that, the sound here is relatively electric – served up with electric ...
(Jazz LP)
Cortizona (Netherlands), 2024.
Brahja is in even deeper territory here than his previous records – working with a slightly large ensemble in shimmering sonic splendor! The music is different than some of the more spiritual projects out there in recent years – maybe outwardly constructed in the same way, but with a ...
(Jazz LP)
Quartet (Spain), 1972/1976.
Two very weird 70s soundtracks, back to back on a single CD – both for very offbeat movies about animals going wild! Elliot Kaplan handles the score for Food Of The Gods, which takes up two thirds of the CD – with music that often makes really cool use of horns with offbeat tones, ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Family Productions/ORG, 1972. (reissue)
Velvert Turner was one of the few cats to study as an understudy with Jimi Hendrix – and you can definitely hear that right in the opening notes of the set – which bristles with raw energy, and wild guitar lines that owe plenty to the recently departed Hendrix! Velvert's working in a ...
(Soul LP)
RGS (Argentina), 1980.
Stan Getz was really coming back strong at the start of the 80s – and you'll definitely hear that here, in a wonderful unreleased live performance from Bueno Aries! The group's a bit unusual, in that it features the guitar of Chuck Loeb next to piano from Mitch Forman, bass from Todd Coolman ...
(Jazz CD)
Alm/P-Vine (Japan), 1988. (reissue)
Beautiful ambient work from Japanese composer Masahiro Sugaya – an artist who uses electric instruments here, but with an organic warmth that's almost acoustic – that special way that Japanese ambient albums from this time often have of evoking nature, even with digital elements that ...
(Japanese LP)
Time Capsule (Japan), Late 1970s/Early 1980s.
A really unique selection of Japanese reggae tracks from back in the day – and work that's very different than sounds from both the underground scene in Kingston, and the big wave of reggae hits on the major labels! The pace of many of these cuts has them moving in almost a lovers rock sort ...
(Japanese LP)
Tapete (Germany), Late 1970s/Early 1980s.
The UK scene often gets the most attention for its post-punk years – but over in Germany, there were maybe some even cooler sounds being cooked up at the time! Part of the strength of German work of the period might lie in the earlier experiments of the prog, Krautrock, and electronic years ...
(Rock CD)
King/Jackpot, 1966/1968/1970. 3LP Gatefold (reissue)
James Brown and Christmas – an amazing combination that yielded some incredible music in the late 60s! This set's the first to ever bring together all the Christmas music that James Brown recorded for King Records at the time – a massive set that features the complete tracks from three ...
(Holiday Music LP)
Bureau B (Germany), 1974.
One of the most experimental records we've heard from the prog era – and that's saying a lot, given the contemporary vibe of the time! Gunter Schickert here creates a marvelous blend of guitar sounds and space – even more stretched out and sonically-directed than any of the work on the ...
(Rock CD)
Maus Of Music (Germany), 2024.
A massive book of Motown – one that serves up images and information on over 3000 different Motown singles and 7" EP releases – not just the American catalog, but rare and unusual releases from around the world! The book is a Motown lover's dream – a way to feast your eyes ...
(Book)
MPS/Wallen Bink (UK), 1973. (pic cover)
Two killer cuts from the early MPS years of the great Peter Herbolzheimer – one of the hippest funky big band leaders on the EU scene, working here with an all-star array on fierce funky grooves! "Babo" has the band bursting out with fantastic energy over a rock-solid groove – ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
MPS/Wallen Bink (UK), 1971. (pic cover)
Two fantastic cuts from pianist Bora Rokovic – both pulled from one of the most obscure MPS albums of the 70s! Bora plays electric piano on "JBW", a tune that builds a slow, sweet modal groove in a great way – with just the right sort of round basswork from Peter Trunk to ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
Sparrows & Wires, 2024.
A beautiful mix of spoken passages and music – words written and presented by Karen Schoemer, who has this voice that's gently powerful – set up next to a mix of guitars, bass, and drums – plus some guest "thunderbroom" from the legendary Mike Watt! The co-leader of the ...
(Rock CD)
Reprise/Omnivore, Early 1970s.
Forget the famous late 50s work of Little Richard – and dive into tracks here from his fantastic comeback years in the early 70s! On a short run of albums, Richard came back with a vengeance, and recorded some great albums for Reprise – all done in a style that was hip, chunky, and ...
(Soul LP)
Blue Note/Lawson (Japan), 2022. 2LP
Legendary drummer Takeo Moriyama joins the Kyoto Jazz Sextet here – and helps find a sound that's even stronger than their previous album for Blue Note! It's been many years since Shuya Okino first started giving us grooves under the Kyoto Jazz banner – and this sextet project is maybe ...
(Jazz LP)
London/We Want Sounds (UK), 1983.
A really unique album from the early years of Ryuichi Sakamoto, especially in contrast to his other albums and his work with YMO – as the set takes a more intimate musical approach, of the sort that Sakamoto would use more in later years – providing a glimpse into the already mature ...
(Japanese CD)
Moving Music (Norway), 1982. (reissue)
We're not sure what "parking bandits" might be – but Pete Knutsen gave them a very groovy sound on this obscure soundtrack from the early 80s! The album's definitely got a vibe that fits the era – keyboards, fuzzy guitar, and upbeat tunes that aren't that different from early ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Blue Note, Mid 1960s. (reissue)
A really unusual album for Dexter Gordon – one that has him working in a quintet with vibes by Bobby Hutcherson! Hutcherson's sound really transforms the session, giving it a shimmering middleground that disperses the dominance that Gordon's tenor usually has – and creating a warm, ...
(Jazz LP)
Past Due, Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2LP
A funky Carolina combo who are dressed like a bunch of spacemen and superheroes on the back cover – and who work here with a sound that definitely matches that vibe! The groove here is from that moment when P-Funk had influenced the scene in a big way, but left it to local groups like this ...
(Soul LP)
Brownswood, 2024.
After the initial harp jazz experiments of Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane, it seemed as if the instrument had disappeared from jazz – but now, it's back, alive and well – thanks to the work of a new generation of musicians that includes Marysia Osu! Osu's got a style that's a bit ...
(Jazz LP)
Rhino, 1971. 3CDs
Really great live work from Chicago – a special set recorded after their first three albums, and which has a sound that's very different than their better-known set at Carnegie Hall! The music is maybe a bit more personal and spontaneous – with a lot of sense of the room, and the ...
(Rock CD)
Tico/Craft, 1972. (reissue)
Strong 70s work from Ismael Rivera – an album that has him working here with his popular Cachimbos group, set to arrangements by Javier Vasquez – in a really unified sound that's mostly salsa all the way through, but also has a few nice twists and turns as well! The album's got one ...
(Latin LP)
Zephyr (Belgium), 2024.
A great tribute to the classic Conglese rumba sound of Franco and OK Jazz – served up here by Dizzy Mandjeku, who once worked with Franco – in a set of two long tracks, each of which are built up from earlier melodies that featured strongly in the work of OK jazz! The sound is lively ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Vinyl Masterpiece (Netherlands), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2CDs
More soul than disco overall – but with more than enough groove to get heavy play on an 80s-styled dancefloor! Once again this great series brings back a host of heavy cuts from back in the days – post-disco numbers from those key early 80s years when soul started to cross over big ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
British Progressive Jazz (UK), 1979.
Very freewheeling live work from the legendary Elton Dean – recorded at a time when he'd already been through a huge 70s run of records in Soft Machine, and a fair bit of his own dates as a leader – and was one of the key saxophonists on the British scene! Here, he works with a very ...
(Jazz CD)
Division 81, 2024.
A strongly message-oriented set, as you might assume from the title – and definitely the strongest work to date from the great Isaiah Collier – one of the most righteous musicians we've had the pleasure of discovering in the past decade or so! There's a rich, vibrant feel to the whole ...
(Jazz CD)
Stax/Ace (UK), Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
An incredible run of music – 19 songs that forever changed the face of soul music, thanks to the genius of Isaac Hayes! In the years before these cuts, Hayes was mostly working as a background talent at Stax Records – part of a songwriting team with David Porter, giving great tunes to ...
(Soul CD)
We Are Busy Bodies, 2024.
A record that's a keyboard lover's delight – especially if you love more synth-heavy sounds – because Rich Aucoin presents the tracks as a mini history of synthesizer sounds and styles – working here with instruments from the collections of the National Music Centre in Calgary, ...
(Sound Library LP)
Opus Jazz/RGS (Argentina), 1972.
A very cool set of 70s Argentine jazz from the Furst brothers – Hector Lopez Furst on electric violin and Ruben Lopez Furst on electric guitar – playing here in a quartet with bass from Carlos Lopez Furst and drums from Norberto Minichillo – all with a vibe that's really wonderful ...
(Jazz CD)
Numero, 1983. (reissue)
An indie soul Christmas album from the 80s – one that few folks grabbed at the time, but which has a lasting sound that really gives it some annual appeal year after year! Joseph – aka Joseph Washington Jr – wrote all the tunes himself, and recorded the album with a homegrown ...
(Holiday Music LP)
RGS (Argentina), 1972.
A heady set from early 70s Argentina – a record that has some of the hard rock elements that were borrowed from the earlier blues rock generation, which you might expect from a group that's a trio – but one that also shades things in with some of the sensitivity that's more common in ...
(Rock LP)
RGS (Argentina), 1955/1974.
Two rare slices of work from this great Argentine pianist – both very different, and both equally striking! The set begins with a live concert reading of "Rhapsody In Blue" – done with a larger orchestra alongside Villegas on the keys, but in a way that has his piano ...
(Jazz CD)
Moserobie (Sweden), 2024.
The image on the cover will give you an idea of how peaceful the piano is going to be here – and honestly, there's not that much piano on the record compared to all the great horn work up front – trumpet from Goran Kajfes, and a range of reeds from the mighty Jonas Kullhammar – ...
(Jazz CD)
Music Hall/RGS (Argentina), 1969. (reissue)
Nicely swirling sounds from the Argentine scene – served up by a quintet who make as much great use of organ as they do guitar, wrapped up nicely in this slightly heady sound that echoes some of the US garage psych modes from a few years before! As with most of the best South American sets ...
(Rock LP)
Heavenly Sweetness (France), 2024.
KOG stands for Kweku Of Ghana – an artist who's got a wonderfully wicked old school vibe, but also delivers his music in a style that's very contemporary too! The groove is West African, but KOG's not tied to overdone Afro Funk modes – as the overall approach is lean, and shifts the ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Jazz Is Dead, 2024.
Unreleased tracks from the fantastic Jazz Is Dead project from Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – never-issued material from the excellent run over the course of the past 20 volumes, presented as a stand-alone set that's every bit as great as any of the previous releases! There's a ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Heavenly Sweetness (France), 2024.
A sweet flute player with a wonderfully warm vibe – working here in a mix of funky jazz modes that takes us back to Bobbi Humphrey in the 70s! Luidivine Issambourg has a very different style of blowing than Bobbi, but she's set up in these great backings that use just the right blend of ...
(Jazz CD)
RGS (Argentina), 1972. 2CD
Never-heard work from Sarah Vaughan – a sweet live set recorded in Buenos Aries, right around the time of her fantastic early 70s comeback records on the Mainstream label! The group here features the great Jimmy Cobb on drums – working with Carlton Schroeder on piano and Robert ...
(Vocalists CD)
Light In The Attic, 1970s/1980s/Early 1990s.
A world of music we never would have discovered otherwise – served up here in a surprisingly rich array of sounds from the Ukraine – and definitely not the sort of music you might expect, as there's a number of jazzy and funky numbers in the collection! There's not one real style or ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Bluesville/Craft, 1961.
Blind Gary Davis is known to most as Rev Gary Davis – the name under which he predominantly recorded, often with a bit of a gospel bent in his music – definitely the case here, although the set presents Davis more in the mode from the earlier part of his career – with a sound that' ...
(Blues CD)
Cherry Red (UK), Late 1970s/1980s/1990s/2000s/2010s. 3CD
The legendary Prince was one of the all-time pop music powerhouses – an artist who seemed to record constantly, so much so that the world is just discovering all the music he left behind – and an equally energetic songwriter, so much so that he didn't always get a chance to record all ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Candid, 1991.
A very ambitious project from reedman Donald Harrison Jr – a real standout in his early career as a solo leader, and one that pays tribute to Harrison's roots in New Orleans! The cover image should give you part of the vibe of the set – heavy on elements from the world of the Mardi ...
(Jazz CD)
Sunset Blvd, Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2CDs
A range of great work from Carmen McRae – some overlooked gems from the late 70s and early 80s! The set begins with the excellent album I'm Coming Home Again – a great smooth soul session from Carmen McRae – an album that's not nearly as well known as her American sides of the ...
(Vocalists CD)
RTV/Holy Basil (Italy), 1970. (reissue)
A wonderful set of sound library grooves from the Italian scene – a special album that brings together two EP releases that were originally done for RTV in 1970, with some rare bonus tracks too! The most of the tracks feature the lovely Nora Orlandi singing wordless vocals on some very cool ...
(Sound Library LP)
Black/We Want Sounds (UK), 1975. (reissue)
Sweet 70s work from Japanese singer Yoshiko Sai – a set that has her standing in the middle of a field on the cover, but which brings in some very urban elements on the arrangements – including some great keyboard parts and guitar lines that are a perfect mix for her wonderfully dreamy ...
(Japanese LP)
Fania/Craft, 1973. (reissue)
A great second session of Christmas music from Willie Colon in the 70s – served up with the same warm spirits and earthy energy as the first! As before, Hector Lavoe's on vocals, Yomo Toro plays cuatro, and the group's got a rootsy sort of feel that recalls Willie's excellent Good Band & ...
(Holiday Music LP)
MCA/London (France), 1984. 2CD
The stunning debut of The Bronski Beat – a record that was one of a number of key releases in a bit wave of UK electro pop in the early 80s – but one that also really stood apart from the rest in the way it managed to mix its personal politics with its grooves! The fantastic Jimmy ...
(Rock CD)
Intervention, 2024. Gatefold
The great Bobby Bradford is alive and well – blowing cornet in a combo here that definitely echoes some of his legendary contributions to the LA jazz underground over the decade! Perhaps the most unique musician in the group is William Roper – a tuba player by origin, but one who also ...
(Jazz LP)
Riverside/Craft, 1957.
A landmark in jazz – easily one of Thelonious Monk's greatest albums ever, and a magical crossroads of talents that brings together a variety of jazz traditions! The work is performed by an ambitious Monk septet that includes both Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane on tenor – and if you' ...
(Jazz LP)
Pravda, 2024.
Tenorist Chris Greene is one of the secret heroes of our scene in Chicago – a player whose work hearkens back to the strong legacy of Windy City reedmen, and an artist who's always deserving of wider recognition on the national scene! Greene seems to get better and better with each new ...
(Jazz CD)
Blank Forms, 1976.
Some of the coolest use of electric harpsichord you'll ever hope to hear – additional tracks from the minimalist masterpiece recorded by Catherine Christer Hennix – sounds that were performed live in Stockholm in 1976, using an oddly-tuned version of the instrument with very cool ...
(Out Sound LP)
Freestyle (UK), 2024.
Sam Nobrega's got roots in Brazil, and currently lives in Portugal – and his music here shares the kind of crossroads in which he lives – definitely steeped in older traditions in MPB, but also served up with a more contemporary vibe that goes beyond some of the usual Brazilian musical ...
(Brazil LP)
Managarm (Germany), Early 1990s.
Weird little vocal numbers from Moondog – tunes that share some of the simple structure of his instrumental music, but which also have some very unusual lyrics as well! Most of the words are pretty basic, and almost have a sing-song sort of quality – somewhere in the territory of Ivor ...
(Out Sound CD)
Smiling C, Early 1980s. 2LP
A fantastic dip into very deep territory in the American underground – very homegrown recordings, but which try strongly to evoke some of the bigger soul, rock, and pop modes of the time – but all with lean instrumentation that echoes the shoestring budgets with which most of these ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
ORG, 2000. 2LP
The legendary Tribe Records scene flourished strongly in Detroit during the 70s – where musicians Phil Ranelin and Wendell Harrison were part of a cultural collective that not only ran its own record label, but also published a magazine as well! And while the famous records from that scene ...
(Jazz LP)
WEA/We Want Sounds (UK), 1980.
A really sweet, keyboard-heavy soundtrack from the early 80s scene – one that's got all the warmth of French film scores from years past, with all sorts of jazzy currents on both acoustic and electric piano! The tunes are mostly short, but work together wonderfully – showing sentiment, ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Tamla/Elemental, 1964. (reissue)
A beautiful early Motown session from Marvin Gaye – with a title that really hints at the open emotion of his later work! The set's one of a few that has Marvin singing standards and jazz tunes – but it's done in a mellow late night way that really sparkles with a lot of soul – ...
(Soul LP)
Rhino, 1983. (reissue)
One of the most righteous albums ever recorded by Peter Tosh – as you might guess from the title and cover! Tosh could be great on other themes – but this set has him picking up even more politics than usual – maybe a bit late in the roots game, but able to find a way to bring ...
(Reggae LP)
Salsoul/Soulmusic.com (UK), Late 70s. 3CD
An insane array of Christmas disco classics – all wrapped up in a single package! The set features both the original 1976 mix and 1992 Tom Moulton mix of the legendary Christmas Jollies set by the Salsoul Orchestra – one of the Salsoul label's biggest-selling albums – originally ...
(Holiday Music CD)
Candid, 1960.
Further rare material from the Charles Mingus sessions for the Candid label in 1960 – work that initially gave the world his two famous albums for the company, both of which were easily some of the most revolutionary work he recorded up to that point in his career! The spirit of the tracks ...
(Jazz CD)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1970. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
Japanese jazz in the 70s was certainly a sensational thing – as you'll hear on this incredible double-length package! The album's a wonderful document of the way that the Tokyo jazz scene really exploded at the start of the decade – and offers up a range of special live performances, ...
(Jazz LP)
ESP, Late 1970s/1980s/Early 1990s.
Almost twenty years' worth of never-issued recordings from the great guitarist Duck Baker – an acoustic player who can occasionally work in territory more tied to the Takoma Records and Kicking Mule scene, but one who's also a hell of an improvising jazz artist – maybe America's answer ...
(Jazz CD)
Favorite (France), 2024.
Bruno Patchworks is at the top of his game here – mixing classic club elements with a range of influences from global points too – all at a level that seems to revive some of the Parisian club modes of the 70s and 80s, but with a more contemporary vibe overall! Where those earlier ...
(New Grooves CD)
No Business (Lithuania), 2024.
Pianist Joel Futterman opens up his inner voice magnificently here – working on a triad of long improvisations that are linked together in a similar spirit – all working as a great reminder of what a genius Futterman can be on the keys! There's moments here that have a Cecil Taylor-like ...
(Jazz CD)
In & Out (Germany), 2024.
The title's a familiar one, but the album's an all-new effort from the contemporary version of the Sun Ra Arkestra – that great ensemble who've carried on his legacy from the 20th Century, still very strongly under the leadership of the legendary Marshall Allen! The vibe here is maybe a bit ...
(Jazz CD)
Big Crown, 2024.
You might know Homer as Homer Steinweiss – the funky drummer who's worked with some of the most important deep soul singers of the past 20 years – a long resume that includes drum contributions to recordings by both Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse! Yet here, he serves up his talents in ...
(Deep Funk CD)
GAD (Poland), 1975.
A killer set of funky tracks from 70s Poland – music that's much hipper and groovier than you might expect – both from the cover art, and from your expectations of that scene at the time! Henryk Debich penned the music, which is then served up by the Polish Radio Orchestra in this ...
(Sound Library CD)
Motown/Elemental, 1964. (reissue)
The first full album from The Four Tops – and a tremendous showcase for their wonderful harmony vocals! The group has an organic quality that's wonderful enough on its own – one of the tightest, most fully-formed of all the Motown groups – but they get pushed strongly over the ...
(Soul LP)
Sire/Rhino, 1977. 4CD
The mindblowing first album by The Talking Heads – a bold statement by a very young band who'd go on to shape the sounds of the left field for generations to come! The sound is spare and very focused – maybe the first layer that David Byrne would then build up when adding more ...
(Rock CD)
Iron Mountain Analog Research (Australia), 1960s/1970s. Gatefold
A really weird and wonderful collection of music – put together by the same folks who've given us the Hillbillies In Hell series – and with themes that follow in very similar territory! Yet as you might guess from the "private" in the title, the work here is much more obscure ...
(Folk/Country LP)
Modern Harmonic, Late 1980s.
Sun Ra and the Arkestra famously recorded a song on a Disney tribute album in the late 80s – and this set follows up on that famous moment by showcasing a whole bunch of other songs from World Of Walt – all done by the Arkestra in a range of wild versions! At some level, the songs are ...
(Jazz LP)
Verve, 1998.
The long-overdue release of a second Crisol project from trumpeter Roy Hargrove – a set that was originally recorded in Guadeloupe in the late 90s, but remained unissued until after Roy's too-early death! The approach here is fantastic – as the core group are augmented by additional ...
(Jazz CD)
Harvest/Esoteric (UK), Late 1960s/Early 1970s. 10CD
A treasure trove of work from Kevin Ayers – all four of his legendary Harvest albums, plus his Island album – all packaged in a massive set with lots of bonus tracks too! The songs here are amazing – easily on a par with the creative height of the early Pink Floyd – a lot ...
(Rock CD)
Vertigo/Wiseraven (UK), 1971. Gatefold (reissue)
A great Vertigo Records debut from a band with a mighty strong pedigree – led by bassist Nick Simper, who was a big part of Deep Purple's sound at the start – and a combo who first started out backing soul singer Marsha Hunt before breaking out and recording on their own! Keyboard ...
(Rock LP)
Four Flies (Italy), 2024.
Very dark-tinged sound library work from Battaglia – a set of tracks that might be perfect for some of the moodier horror films of the early 80s! The music is all electronic, and seems to hang in a space between analog and digital – often pulsating with a real sense of sonic wave, so ...
(Sound Library LP)
20th Century/Big Pink (South Korea), 1973.
One of the coolest records ever from pianist Ahmad Jamal – a set that features Jamal on Fender Rhodes instead of acoustic piano – a shift that initially had the album ignored by many jazz purists – but treasured strongly by listeners like us in a later generation! Jamal solos ...
(Jazz CD)
Greenleaf, 2024.
A stunning blend of jazz and Indian musical roots – served up here by a trio that's headed by violinist Arun Ramamurthy, with just the bass of Damon Banks and drums of Sameer Gupta for support! Ramamurthy plays violin in a style that echoes Indian classical music more than the European jazz ...
(Jazz CD)
GAD (Poland), 1977.
Killer prog from an overlooked group – one who recorded on the Swiss scene of the mid 70s, but who easily rival some of the greats on the UK scene of the time! The vibe here is nicely unusual – as singer Roland Frei has a quality that's maybe as distinct as that of Peter Hammill – ...
(Rock CD)
Kongas/Smiling C, 1983. 2LP
A sweet selection of groovy work from Kumasi – a powerhouse combo on the South African scene of the 80s, and one who do a great job of picking up on the best boogie elements in American club at the time! The arrangements are nice and lean – basslines, keyboards, and beats – and ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Blue Note (Japan), 1968.
A brilliant collaboration between vibist Bobby Hutcherson and reedman Harold Land – the first Blue Note album to feature the talents of the pair together, and a stone classic from the very first note! Hutcherson had already been making big waves for the label with his earlier sides – ...
(Jazz CD)
Candid, 1960.
The legendary (and short-lived) Candid Records label is best known for its groundbreaking work in modern jazz – but during the short time it made recordings at the start of the 60s, it also captured a few great blues performances too! This album's definitely one of them – maybe one of ...
(Blues CD)
Saturn/Strut (UK), Late 1950s. (pic cover, reissue)
Wicked vocal group work from a very strange source – an unusual Christmas single that was put together by Sun Ra for his legendary Saturn Records label! The two tracks here follow strongly in the doo wop Holiday mode made famous by The Drifters and others in the 50s – but the ...
(Holiday Music 7-inch)
Omniverse (UK), 2024.
A great return to form for 4Hero legend Marc Mac – and a set that's maybe the best so far issued under his Visioneers imprint! Back at the start, Marc was really trying to set this work apart from his 4Hero music – but here, it's almost as if he's opened a side door to let in some of ...
(New Grooves CD)
Columbia/J-Digs (Japan), 1971. Gatefold (reissue)
Heavy funk from Japan's Soul Media combo – and one of the group's great 70s outings with the engimatic Sammy on vocals! Sammy's got this raw, raspy style that might owe a bit to Janis Joplin at times – but also nods strongly to the work of the American underground at others – ...
(Jazz LP)
United Artists/Atomhenge (UK), 1972. 5CD
The third album from Hawkwind, and one in which it seems like the group are really beginning to find their groove – maybe in part because Lemmy's in the lineup here, giving them some rudimentary bass parts that seem to push the boundaries even more – while all the spacey sounds and cool ...
(Rock CD)
Hydeout Productions (Japan), 2008.
The poetry of the title's not lost on our ears here – as the set's got this gently flowing groove that's really beautiful – a rising in sound as the set moves on, and a vibe that's maybe even more cosmic than most other Japanese work of the time! Nujabes had a hand in getting the ...
(New Grooves CD)
Giant, 2014. 2LP
The first in a great run of music – the start of Anderson Paak's journey through the southern Cali scene – one in which he also helped to redefine its music in the process! The album's got a vibe that's grittier at times than some of Anderson's later work – but he's also already ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Atlantic, 1969. 2LP Gatefold
Amazing early work from David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young – a live performance recorded just a month after their famous appearance on the stage at Woodstock – and one that captures the group as they're working through new ideas that would emerge more fully on ...
(Rock LP)
Stark House, 2019.
A fantastic look at a fantastic publication – the legendary Manhunt magazine, home to some of the best crime short stories of the 50s! The publication started early in the decade, and picked up where Black Mask left off – but the work featured also followed a lot of the changes that ...
(Book)
Antler/Lantern (Italy), 1984. (reissue)
A set that's got way more than just the trombone on the cover – as Feso Trombone, aka Fesobi Olawaiye, plays here with a very cool combo recorded on the Belgian scene of the early 80s – a group who blend together jazz and funk with slight nods to West African rhythms – all in a ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Audio Fidelity/Real Gone, 1967. (reissue)
A definite freakout party from The Unfolding – a cool group that was possibly just a studio combo put together by Audio Fidelity for this rare 60s set – although we can more than forgive that fact, given the wild sound of the music! The record's got an approach that may well be the ...
(Rock LP)
Regalia/P-Vine (Japan), Mid 1970s.
Sweet disco and soulful jazz – the only album we've ever seen from Copeland Davis, a great talent on the piano, and a mellow soul singer with a clear inspiration from Marvin Gaye! The album's a pretty unusual one – in that the overall groove is instrumental, mostly tight rhythms and ...
(Soul CD)
Soul Jazz (UK), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2LP Gatefold
A great look at some of the more creative work that grew out of the initial punk years in the UK – not the first wave of guys playing guitars on short, sharp, speedy songs – but the second that featured all sorts of really creative music experiments! There's definitely a bit of punk at ...
(Rock LP)
Blue Note, 1965. Gatefold (reissue)
One of Bobby Hutcherson's most important albums ever – and an essential piece of "new thing" jazz that ranks up there with such key Blue note sessions of the genre as Tony Williams' album Life Time, Dolphy's Out To Lunch, and Jackie McLean's One Step Beyond! Hutcherson's sound on ...
(Jazz LP)
Impulse/Verve, 1962. Gatefold (reissue)
A beautiful record – but that's no surprise, since most of the later work of Coleman Hawkins tends to be great! The setting is quite laidback – and Hawkins' time-weathered tenor is placed in a perfect setting with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Major Holley on bass, and Eddie Locke on drums. ...
(Jazz LP)
Four Flies (Italy), 2024.
This second chapter of work from Battaglia is in similar territory to the first, but it's almost more redemptive too – as if the "second season" has the group finding some ways through and solutions to their problems, after the dark despair of the first! As before, the music is all ...
(Sound Library LP)
Blue Note, Early 1960s. (reissue)
A warmly melodic session from Blue Note's greatest guitarist! The sound of the set's as evocative as the title – an idle moment of space between the notes, explored by Green's tight single-note work on guitar – and wonderfully supported by a lineup that includes Joe Henderson on tenor, ...
(Jazz LP)
Studio 16 (UK), 1975. (reissue)
A really mighty combination – the tremendous trombone of Vin Gordon, the production genius of Lee Scratch Perry, and the heady rhythms of the Upsetters – all combined here in an album that may well be one of Gordon's best! Vin gets all sorts of space to solo in the lead – and his ...
(Reggae LP)
Cherry Red (UK), Late 1980s/Early 1990s. 4CD
A set that documents a key moment on the British scene – a point when all the indie energy of the C86 scene was ready to burst strongly into the mainstream – taking the music from the singles pages of the NME to the charts of the bigger radio stations around the globe – all with ...
(Rock CD)
Rita Marley Music/P-Vine (Japan), 1982.
A really fantastic record, and one with a very unusual pedigree – as it was originally produced by Rita Marley, who issued the whole thing on her own label – even though the set is way more 70s soul than reggae in style! The group are tremendous, and have this way of mixing fantastic ...
(Soul CD)
International Anthem, 2024.
Cosmic sounds in a space age setting – as the fantastic Exploding Star Orchestra deliver a special performance at the planetarium in Chicago! Rob Mazurek has always given us fantastic music – but this recent iteration of his ensemble may well be the best ever, and really steps things ...
(Jazz CD)
Hydeout Productions (Japan), 2019. 2LP Gatefold
A great look at the world Nujabes and his hippest Japanese contemporaries – a sweet set that brings together some hard-to-find gems from the Hydeout Productions label – all in a tasty double-length set! Titles on this first volume include the Nujabes cuts "Moon Strut (intro)" ...
(New Grooves LP)
No Paper (Poland), 2024.
A combo who start slow, then really build up with a sense of majestic presence – led by bassist Wojtek Mazolewski, and coming across here with a very spacious vibe! The first two tracks are short, and a bit contemplative, which might take you off guard – as once things get going, there' ...
(Jazz CD)
Impulse/Verve, 1963. Gatefold (reissue)
A beautiful album of dark-hued vocals – sung by Johnny Hartman with a quality that's as smokey as the image of him with a cigarette on the cover! The album set a whole new standard for male vocal jazz in the 60s – and is a distillation and refinement of earlier ideas in music by Billy ...
(Vocalists LP)
Doctor Bird (UK), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2CD
The world of reggae was maybe a bit late to get into the world of Holiday music – at least compared to other genres – but by the end of the 70s, a new Christmas reggae tradition was alive and well – as you'll hear in this great set of four classic albums, plus a few bonus tracks ...
(Holiday Music CD)
Smoke Sessions, 2024.
Trombonist Steve Davis is not only a hell of a player, but a hell of a leader too – one who really seems to have just the right ear for picking the right musicians to do the right thing – then getting them all to perform at a level that's even greater than we might expect! That's ...
(Jazz CD)
Four Flies (Italy), 1975/2024.
A great take on older sound library grooves – a limited single that features one new cut, and one classic track – both penned by the mighty Piero Umiliani! Side one features "As If It Matters", with some soulful female vocals in the lead, amidst some nicely jazzy ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
Light In The Attic, Mid 1960s. 2LP
A long-overdue look at a very early, secretly legendary chapter in the career of Lou Reed – a time when he was slaving away in the studios of the budget-line Pickwick Records label, writing and recording all sorts of music that was released under the names of fake groups who didn't exist! ...
(Rock LP)
Hydeout Productions (Japan), 2023. 2LP Gatefold
A great look at the world Nujabes and his hippest Japanese contemporaries – a sweet set that brings together some hard-to-find gems from the Hydeout Productions label – all in a tasty double-length set! Titles on this second collection include the Nujabes cuts "After Hanabi Listen ...
(New Grooves LP)
Slash/Craft, 1984. (reissue)
Pure greatness from The Violent Femmes – only the trio's second album, but a set that already has them expanding their sound greatly! They've still got all the raw power of their debut – and Gordon Gano's vocals sound nastier than ever – but they've also picked up a lot more ...
(Rock LP)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2024.
A fantastic book from the great Joe McPhee – every bit as amazing as his music, but also presented in a way that's even more personal overall! As longtime listeners know, McPhee's had a hell of a life in music – a sonic journey that began in the 60s, and which has continued to evolve ...
(Book)
Tramp (Germany), 1970s/Early 1980s. 2LP
Maybe one of the coolest entries in this always-great series – as it's got a very unique twist this time around, and features an array of only German artists throughout – but ones who still continue the fantastic spiritual jazz vibe of previous volumes! The music is a great answer to ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Esoteric (UK), 1975. 4CDs
Mid 70s magic from the UK progressive rock scene – cuts from a moment when many of the groups were changing things up a bit – not in a commercial way, but in a mode that has them taking the energy of earlier jams and focusing them a bit more into tuneful music! The approach is a great ...
(Rock CD)
Sound Triangle/Mr Bongo (UK), 1973.
Some of the tightest funky 70s jamming ever – a lost gem from Ray & His Musical Court, a group that perfectly fuses JB/Horny Horns funk with beat-heavy Afro-Cuban groove! Ray and the group are one of the more obscure funky combos of the era, and it's a damn shame, because the group's ...
(Soul CD)
JTI (UK), 2024.
We've been trusting keyboarist James Taylor to give us greatness for many years now – and once again, he delivers the goods, and shows that he's always got an open ear to new ideas and finding fresh ways to serve up his talents! The KPM-styled cover here will give you part of the idea of ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, 1966.
Some of the earliest work ever recorded by the great Joe McPhee – a 1966 performance with The Jazzmen, a Hudson Valley soul jazz combo led by bassist Tyrone Crabb – and a very cool group overall! There's a killer "jazz from the clubs" sort of vibe going on here – the ...
(Jazz CD)
Spiritmuse, 2024.
The title really lets you know what you're in for here – a magical, mystical journey in music – served up by keyboardist Surya Botofasina, at a level that's even more heavenly than his previous record on the Spiritmuse label! The set was produced by Carlos Nino, and you can definitely ...
(Jazz CD)
Red (Italy), 1988.
A really fantastic trio outing from pianist Fred Hersch – working here in a fluid style that really makes the album a standout classic in his career, thanks in part to superb work on bass from Steve La Spina, alongside drums from Jeff Hirschfield! La Spina has this round, warm tone that ...
(Jazz CD)
Funk Night, 2024. 2LP
Laidback funk from a group with a very unique sound – one that comes from small combo instrumentation, but which somehow seems to have a larger cinematic vibe – this great sense of tone and timing that makes the spare sounds on the album resonate with a really great sort of vibe! The ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Red (Italy), 2013. 2CDs
A set that takes on the Art Pepper legacy in sound, but one that does so in a way that really echoes the last few years of the late alto saxophonist – as the tracks here are all very long, and the quartet also features the great George Cables on piano – a player who was one of Art's ...
(Jazz CD)
Yucca Alta, 2024.
If there ever was a record that might be called "punk jazz", this is it – as drummer Chris Corsano lets loose here in a power trio with the great Mike Watt on bass, and SST legend Joe Baiza on guitar – all working together in a burning session of improvised jazz! Baiza was ...
(Jazz LP)
Strut (UK), 2024.
A second fantastic set from this London supergroup – a quintet comprised of members who've all had some amazing work of their own – coming together here in a beautifully bold record – one that's got even more majesty and power than their debut, and we liked that one a heck of a ...
(Jazz CD)
Teranga Beat (Senegal), 1988. Gatefold
A never-issued album from this great Gambian group from the 80s – best known for their debut record, Ndigal, and working here in very similar territory that offers a lean, stripped-down take on older modes from the 70s! The instrumentation features some electro percussion next to live drums ...
(Global Grooves LP)
RR Gems (Estonia), 2024.
A record that's as trippy as its cover – crisp modern jazz at the core, but served up in ways that often have the waves of sonic activity flowing nicely in all these criss-crossing directions – which makes for a sound that's surprisingly dense, but never too dark or murky at all! The ...
(Jazz LP)
Jamaican Recordings (UK), 2022.
There's lots of vintage images and label scans within – next to information from records, recollection from artists, and plenty of history as well – all presenting a really unique way of looking at the Jamaican scene in the late 60s and early 70s! The book is the second volume in the ...
(Book)
United Artists/Atomhenge (UK), 1973. 2LP Gatefold
A seminal set from Hawkwind – a record that virtually defines the term "space rock", and which went on to create a whole genre unto itself! The live setting is perfect for the group – as they open up on long tracks that blend together odd touches, sci fi elements, and some ...
(Rock LP)
Sovereign/Soul Jazz (UK), Early 1970s.
Amazing work from Juliet Lawson – her debut solo album, issued here with bonus tracks too! The core of the package is the amazing Boo record – an overlooked treasure from the UK scene at the start of the 70s – a record that features a very unique singer/songwriter, working in ...
(Rock LP)
Stones Throw, 2024.
Sweet slinky soul from King Pari, but served up in a style that's definitely lo-fi – all these sorts of crispy elements around the edges, and a production style that's almost got this 90s indie rock take on mellow R&B! The sticker on the front cover bills the set as "bedroom ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2CD
A treasure trove of overlooked work from the key years of the German heavy metal scene – a time when the music had moved past its proggy roots, and developed a tightness that made some of the groups of the scene instant contendors on the worldwide scene! And while some of those acts got the ...
(Rock CD)
BBE (UK), 2024. Gatefold
Tamil Rogeon plays violin and viola, but not in a way that sounds like classical music at all – one that instead reintroduces the instrument with the same cosmic currents it had in the best years of 70s fusion, but all with a spin that's very contemporary too! In a generation where the harp ...
(Jazz LP)
Sweet Cheetah/Cultural Society, 2024. 2LP
The last time around, this hip combo gave us eight freedoms – and while they've shortened the number here, they've also really augmented their music in a really great way – almost as if they're merging spiritual jazz expressions with some of the building minimalism of the Steve ...
(Jazz LP)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 1950s/Early 1960s.
A surprisingly groovy set of tracks from pop legend Connie Francis – way cooler than you might expect! We're not normally the first folks to put Connie Francis at the top of our record racks – but when the great Bear Family label comes along and puts together a cool set like this, we ...
(Vocalists CD)
Verve, 1951.
Rare work from the great Charlie Parker – most of it never issued before, and a great addition to the catalog of his work! The association between Parker and Kansas City is nothing new – but the material here is all fresh to our ears – as the set features an unissued single ...
(Jazz CD)
Cherry Red (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s. 4CD
A massive collection of work from the legendary Bridget St John – a singer who just seems to get better and better the more we listen to her music! First up is the album Ask Me No Questions – a set with the same spare, chilling quality as Nico's first album on Verve! Like Nico, ...
(Rock CD)
Isle Of Jura (Netherlands), 1986. 2LP (reissue)
Great takes on a classic Cameroon groove from the 80s – a tune that bubbles and percolates nicely on some electro grooves, but which is also topped with excellent horns, vocals, and keyboards too! The original version has a warmly anthemic approach – very soulful, in a way that made ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Now Again, Late 1970s.
The rare lost legacy of the Music Makers Band – a funky group from Georgia who are best known under their previous incarnation as The Mighty Chevelles – who cut the superb Black Gold album the year before! The work here was never issued at the time, but represents some well-done ...
(Soul LP)
Mosaic, Mid 1940s. 11CD
A really incredible package, and the kind of work that the Mosaic label maybe does better than any thing else – as the whole thing is an archival project that offers a very deep dig into the legendary V-Disc label – a WWII-era imprint that offered up work for the troops overseas, with ...
(Jazz CD)
Saucerman/P-Vine (Japan), 1979.
A later-issued set from the great Weldon Irvine – late 70s material made after his classic jazz/funk albums on RCA – and a set that's every bit as great as that material! Irvine works with some of the key musicians who'd make great funky records for the Arista/GRP label – ...
(Jazz CD)
Timeless/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1984.
One of those overlooked tenor gems from the Dutch scene of the late 70s/early 80s – music from a time when a handful of players were really coming into their own – seemingly taking inspiration from the key American tenorists who'd moved through the scene, but in directions that were ...
(Jazz CD)
Bourbon/Tokuma (Japan), 1977. (reissue)
A TV soundtrack album, but one that's filled with jazzy gems throughout – all sorts of sweet funky fusion numbers that are way different than the sorts of grooves we were hearing on the television screen back here in the US during the 70s! The tunes here aren't short snippets for a score ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Now Sounds (UK), Late 60s. 8CD
A stunning collection of work from one of our favorite bands of the 60s – a group who sprung up on the San Francisco scene of the mid 60s, then evolved with an amazing sound in just a few short years! The set begins with the group's three albums for the Autumn label – Introducing, ...
(Rock CD)
Sad Disco (Japan), 1989.
A sweet, sunny bit of fusion from the Japanese scene – one that has Yuka Noda playing both synth and the Yamaha Electone – the latter an electric piano that was big in the world of Japanese instrumental music in the early 70s, and which is used here in ways that really brighten up the ...
(Japanese CD)
Strata East/P-Vine (Japan), 1974. (reissue)
Sublime spiritual jazz from Strata East – one of the label's rarest recordings, and one of its hippest too! The set has an incredibly righteous feel – a blend of keyboards, saxes, guitar, percussion, and vocals that steps off with a very deep feel – one that's heavy on the best ...
(Jazz LP)
Arctic Rodeo/Cultural Society, 2022. 2LP
Percussionist Zach Barocas leads a really wonderful group here – one who find freedom in spiritual jazz expression, but with instrumentation that's a nice change from the norm! The group's got some occasional sensitive string moments on cello and oboe, both reworked from their more familiar ...
(Jazz LP)
Nederlands Jazz Archief (Netherlands), 1969.
An incredible live performance from the great Clifford Jordan – one recorded overseas, with a batch of non-American player – but a set that already shows the spacious, spiritual territory that he would open up in the 70s! Even when swinging in more familiar jazz territory, Jordan's got ...
(Jazz CD)
Jazzaggression (Finland), 2024.
A funky combo from Finland, and one who really take us back to the genius we were hearing from that scene at the start of this century – a time when we were really surprised that such funky sounds could be coming from a land up north! Here, the Kuja Orchestra blend together small combo funk ...
(Jazz LP)
4AD (UK), 1986. (reissue)
A really fantastic collaboration – and one of the real highlights of the 4AD scene in the 80s – as the label's groundbreaking Cocteau Twins join up with UK experimentalist Harold Budd – all in a set that's got a deeper sound than some of the group's own albums, and a bit more ...
(Rock LP)
Ruination, 2024.
You might know Dave Vettraino's name from the work he's done in the studio for countless great sessions on the Chicago scene – but here, he steps out as an instrumentalist with a really beautiful vibe – a mix of meditative acoustic modes that partly echo some of Vettraino's relationship ...
(Jazz LP)
Now Again, 1994.
A rare gem from the Memphis hip hop scene in the 90s – a set that was originally only circulated on cassette, at a time before the city would rise in rap music fame – and one that may well be one of the most low-fi hip hop albums we've ever heard! Some tracks are incredibly spare ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Three Blind Mice/Sony (Japan), 1975. (reissue)
A sweet little piano trio set from Yama & Jiro – that's Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on piano and Tetsujiro Obara on drums – joined here by Akira Daiyoshi on some mighty warm bass! The set's got that wonderful open, laidback vibe you sometimes get on these Three Blind Mice sessions from the ...
(Jazz LP)
Impulse, 1963. Gatefold (reissue)
A real standout in the early career of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a very unique session that has him working with some larger arrangements in the background – blowing these magical solos over the top, while still hitting a great edge with the rest of the musicians as well! There's a ...
(Jazz LP)
Kashmere Records/P-Vine (Japan), 1970. (reissue)
An early gem from the Kashmere Stage Band – and a record that already has the ensemble burning with plenty of fire! These guys were a one-unit powerhouse in American grooves – one of the few US groups who really got the same sort of funky big band energy that all the better European ...
(Soul LP)
Teichiku/Lawson (Japan), 1971. Gatefold (reissue)
Japanese erotica pop from singer and actress Reiko Ike – recorded around the time of her most popular pink films/sexploitation acting gigs – and a record that really lays the erotica theme on thickly! The sound is late 60s/early 70s seedy soundtrack style – with sultry rhythms, ...
(Rock LP)
ABC/Expansion (UK), 1973.
The only full length album that Bobby Hutton ever issued back in the day – and a killer set that lives up to the soulful genius of his many singles at the time! Hutton's got a great voice – one that soars right from the start, with the class and confidence of a superstar – very ...
(Soul CD)
Audio Fidelity/Culture Factory, Early 1960s. (reissue)
An unusual set from the folk blues scene of the 60s – sounds that are both very different than the electric work being recorded at Chess Records, and some of the more rural material that was being captured in some of the more stripped-down recordings of the time! The vibe here is lean but ...
(Blues LP)
Red Hot, 2024.
Maybe one of the most all-star sets we've seen from the Red Hot organization in a long time – and one that brings together a really unique blend of artists in support of trans rights and identity! Red Hot have always been pioneers in combining musical genius and cultural freedoms – but ...
(Neo Soul LP)
WeJazz (Finland), 2024.
Trumpeter Peter Evans is in very cool territory here – working in an electro-acoustic environment that also includes keyboards from bassist Petter Eldh and electronics from drummer Jim Black! There's a pulsating vibe to a number of tracks here – almost the more jagged edges of ...
(Jazz CD)
Cinema Kan (Japan), 1967.
A legendary film score, done for an equally legendary film – served up as a wonderfully moody jazz soundtrack from Japan – one that mixes spare basslines, trumpet parts, and piano – all in a blend that's almost like Miles Davis' famous score for Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud, but a ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Soul Jazz (UK), Late 1970s/1980s.
A killer package of tracks from the second chapter of Studio One Records – a time long after the label helped to lay some of the cornerstones for reggae, and continued to do some really amazing recordings on its own! There's definitely some later elements of styles at play here – ...
(Reggae CD)
Jennifer Hartman/Touch & Go, 1989.
The legendary full length debut of Slint – a band who didn't last that long as a group, but who made music that would influence generations! At some level, this set represents a key musical crossroads – underground talents from the same Louisville scene that gave the world Squirrel ...
(Rock LP)
Kashmere Records/P-Vine (Japan), 1969. (reissue)
A bold statement from the Kashmere Stage Band – who've definitely got their own "thing" here right from the start – one of the coolest, grooviest, funkiest sounds you'll ever hear from a band of young kids in school! These guys easily match the hippest players in much more ...
(Soul LP)
Perfect Toy (Germany), Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
A great set of work from a space between the genres – music that's often by rock groups, but who have a very soulful sort of sound – serving up tunes that are sometimes their own take on soul hits of the time, sometimes original material – and always with the sort of funk and soul ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Jazzaggression (Finland), 2024.
A beautiful statement from tenorist Jimi Ahlroos – maybe not a name you'll know, but one you'll love after hearing this fantastic record! Jimi's got a rich voice on his horn – one that starts way down at the bottom and brims right over the top – and he blows here in a superb trio ...
(Jazz LP)
Mag/Vampi Soul (Spain), Late 1960s/Early 1970s. (reissue)
Peruvian grooves from Martin Lopez and his combo – music that's got a Latin sound at its core, but which comes off with lots of weird twists and turns as well! As with most Peruvian takes on Latin sounds from up north, there's a nice mixing up of modes going on here that really makes the ...
(Latin LP)
DIW/Super Fuji Discs (Japan), 1988. 2CD
A classic Arkestra live set from the end of the 80s – beautifully recorded, and put together with a lot more dynamic energy than some of the less professional Sun Ra live dates from the time! The set runs for nearly an hour in length, and tracks are long, but often quite focused – ...
(Jazz CD)
Cinema Kan (Japan), Late 1960s.
A really great collection of work from the important 60s films of director Seijun Suzuki – a key force in the transformation of Japanese film at the time, thanks in part to the wonderful music he used in his movies! The tracks here show lots of influence from American jazz and rock and roll ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Ace (UK), Mid 1960s.
A hip little collection, and one that's got a lot more to offer than some of the overplayed hits on other girl group compilations – and the music here really digs deep, and effortlessly blends together soul tracks and rock singles from the 60s – including a few that were never even ...
(Soul LP)
Warner/Matador, 1982. (reissue)
Quite possibly our favorite Gang Of Four album – and the one in which their funk approach really seems to work! The album's got a camp appeal that can't be denied – known famously for it's big post-disco hit "I Love A Man In Uniform" – but overall the whole thing ...
(Rock LP)
A&M/Big Pink (South Korea), 1972.
An overlooked treasure from the glory days of A&M Records – and a set that's got a richness in sound that you might not guess from the cover! Renee Armand has this airy vocal style that's maybe informed by earlier generations of folk, but which is set here to really lovely larger ...
(Rock CD)
Grapefruit (UK), 1969. 2CDs
Fantastic work from one of the great never-rans of late 60s rock music – a trio from St Louis, but one who were scooped up by EMI and given fantastic studio treatment at Abbey Road studios in London – then never saw their full length album issued at the time! That lack of big ...
(Rock CD)
Trojan/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1974. (reissue)
Some of the most righteous 70s work from the great Ken Boothe – but that's maybe no surprise, given that the set has him taking on tunes from The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and Syl Johnson! Yet despite the presence of a few American tunes, the set's definitely got a soulful reggae vibe ...
(Reggae LP)
Orion/BBE (UK), 1979. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
Rare grooves from a very unusual source – an album that was originally created to work with dance instruction, but which has a richness that goes way past those simple origins! The album's in a very elite group that also includes the jazz funk dance albums for choreographer Gus Giordano ...
(Jazz LP)
Brunswick/ORG, 1974. (reissue)
Crazy funk from a crazy-costumed geezer with an equally crazy name – one of those lost rare funky nuggets that's every bit as great as you might guess from the cover and title! Boobie Knight's a killer here – and works in a groove that's somewhere between Sly & The Family Stone and ...
(Soul LP)
Ancient Archive Of Sound (UK), 2022.
One of the most beautiful, spiritual albums ever from saxophonist Nat Birchall – and that's really saying a lot, if you know his other records! As you can guess from the title, the spirit of John Coltrane looms large on the record – and the tracks are a mix of Coltrane classics and new ...
(Jazz LP)
BBE (UK), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2CDs
The great Andy Smith has been giving us killer compilations for more years than we can count – but it also feels like he's really outdoing himself with this Disco Wonderland series – showing us that there's still such a huge amount of music to discover when you get past the mainstream ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Partisan, 2024.
The cover image is a great hint at the vibe of this gem of a record from London's Ezra Collective – but as with most of their music, there's a lot more going on than you might expect – certainly not a straight dance record, although the album's overflowing with really wonderful rhythms! ...
(Jazz CD)
Record Kicks, 2024.
Seun Kuti maybe sounds more majestic here than ever – ready to rise not just to the legacy his father Fela left behind, but maybe into an even larger world of global soul as well – with a groove here that doesn't abandon his Afro Funk roots, but definitely augments that sound with all ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Impulse/Elemental (UK), 1969. Gatefold (reissue)
A wonderful reunion of Pharoah Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas – and a set that captures a lot of the same energy as the pair's previous record – Karma! Thomas' vocals are in wonderful form for the set – stretching out soulfully on the extended classic "Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-H ...
(Jazz LP)
BBE (UK), 2024.
A record that really telegraphs its energy with its title and cover image – as the record was cut in the London studio of Ash Walker, where Illa Ja took some time off from a European tour to craft some really wonderful tunes with Ash! The set's only got four cuts in all, but has a really ...
(Hip Hop LP)
ABC/Tangerine, 1966. (reissue)
Ray Charles at the height of his 60s powers – maybe not his first album of country-tinged material, but a set that has Ray drawing on all the strengths of previous sessions for Tangerine, then really sending the whole thing over the top! The arrangements are superb – handled by Onzy ...
(Soul LP)
Hydeout Productions (Japan), 2021.
A really lovely tribute to the late producer Nujabes – a set that unlocks some of the mellower, more personal elements in his music through the use of stripped-down instrumentation and no beats or samples at all! Haruka Nakamura mixes piano, guitar, and other light sonic elements – in ...
(New Grooves CD)
MPS/Belle Antique (Japan), 1974.
Free-flowing melodic sketches from a very hip group – a trio who work in all the best mixed-up, genre-crossing modes of the MPS label in the 70s! The group's led by reedman Hans Koller – who plays soprano and tenor sax on the session – but the album's a true ensemble effort, and ...
(Jazz CD)
BYG/Solid (Japan), 1969.
One of the more homegrown sets on the legendary BYG label – a record that's co-led by two musicians who never got much recognition outside the scene, but who are both pretty darn great! The album's billed to drummer Claude Delcloo, who's got a wonderful touch on the kit – but it's also ...
(Jazz CD)
Palm/Souffle Continu (France), 1974.
A rare French session from American reedman Byard Lancaster – and easily one of his funkiest albums ever! The set's got a hip mix of avant jazz and groovier rhythms – bits of guitar and keyboards alongside sharper reeds and percussion – all in a way that's a bit like some of the ...
(Jazz CD)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 1950s/Early 1960s.
A raunchy set of tracks from the postwar years – one that not only hits some of the double-entendre modes from the world of R&B, but which also has a few different references to the Kinsey Report as well! The image on the cover will give you an idea of what's within – tracks in a ...
(Rock CD)