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Wonderful sounds – Just Released!


Craft, Late 60s. 2LP Gatefold
A heady second chapter of a legendary funk group that were only around for a few short years, but gave us some great music in the process – presented here with 16 unissued tracks from their years in Los Angeles, including work from members of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band too! With so ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Bill Evans

On A Friday Evening
Craft, 1973.
Beautiful live work from Bill Evans – issued here for the first time, and the kind of special concert that really makes a great addition to his classic catalog! Bill Evans live can really be something wonderful – and that's definitely the case here, as he makes this personal magic with ... CD (Jazz CD)

Various

Eccentric Disco
Numero, Late 70s/Early 80s.
A great take on the sorts of soul sounds we love from the folks at Numero Group – rare tracks from their mighty archive of indie label releases from back in the day – pulled together as a special package of disco-oriented tunes! Yet if you know Numero, you'll know that you're quite far ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)

Shamek Farrah

La Dee La La
Ra/Jazz Room (UK), 1978. (reissue)
A lost soul jazz treasure – the legendary 3rd album from saxophonist Shamek Farrah, recorded after his first 2 sides for Strata East! The approach here is slightly different than that of the Strata sides – a bit more joyous and lyrical, with tunes that open up in waves of sound, color, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Warner, 1991. 2CD
One of the last performances ever recorded by Miles Davis – done at a jazz festival in a small town in France, and with a sound that's a bit of a change from some of his studio work at the time! There's a great sense of warmth here – a quality that may come from Miles' use of two ... CD (Jazz CD)
Craft, Late 60s. 2LP Gatefold
A fantastic first chapter from this legendary funk group – material recorded during their early years on the Phoenix scene, at a time when Dyke & The Blazers must have been the hottest act going down in Arizona! The group here begin with their Funky Broadway roots – taking on that ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Hiatus Kaiyote

Mood Valiant
Brainfeeder, 2021.
Hiatus Kaiyote are one of those groups that just seem to grow and grow with each new about – a strongly soulful act at their start, but one who've found a way to carve out sounds and styles that are very much their own – maybe almost making themselves a genre in the process! Things ... CD (New Grooves CD)

Julie Driscoll

Julie Driscoll 1969
Polydor/Greyscale (UK), 1971.
Julie's come a long way from her years with Brian Auger here – stepping out in a freer sound that marks the shift in the British scene from beat group grooving to jazz-rock jamming. The session features a host of likely suspects – including Keith Tippett, Elton Dean, Brian Godding, ... CD (Vocalists CD)
Blank Forms, 1968. 2CD
Here's a summer house we'd really like to visit on our next vacation – a legendary spot in Sweden, where Don Cherry created freely with some of the hippest players on the local scene in 1968! The tracks here were all recorded for later commercial release, which never ended up happening ... CD (Jazz CD)
Jagjaguwar, 2021.
A really different sound for this legendary group – still very hypnotic and brassy, but in a very different way! The EP features three songs that build slowly, with brass as a key element, but maybe more in the background than the rhythmic forefront of previous records – letting vocals ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
Blue Note, 1958. (reissue)
One of the most legendary albums on Blue Note – or maybe THE most legendary albums on Blue Note – a stunning session that shows what the label was capable of when it was really hitting on all burners – from the lineup to the music to the production – and even the classic ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Beat Rocket, Mid 60s.
A really cool group from mid 60s Florida – one who are every bit as garagey as the best groups in the Pacific Northwest, but also seem to have a great Southern California way of harmonizing their vocals! Most of the work here was never issued at the time – but the tracks work ... CD (Rock CD)
Big Crown, 2021.
A sweet funky trio, working here in a sound that's all their own – but getting some great help from Leon Michels on both mixing and flute – which adds a nicely sinister vibe to their sound! The set was recorded during lockdown in 2020, but isn't one of those lonely, solo-styled records ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)

James Brandon Lewis

Jesup Wagon
Tao Forms, 2021.
Maybe the strongest creative statement to date from tenorist James Brandon Lewis – an album of work inspired by the legacy of George Washington Carver – served up here with a sense of depth that's certain to open even more doors for Lewis in years to come! There's a majesty to the ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ace/Kent (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s.
A fantastic collection of southern soul – not music from the big scenes of Memphis, Muscle Shoals, or New Orleans – but work from the southwest corner of Louisiana, most of which we've never heard before, yet which rival some of the greats of the time! The package is very heavy on ... CD (Soul CD)
Geffen, 1994. 3LP (reissue)
The classic critical breakthrough from The Roots – the one that really cemented their legacy as one great hip hop live bands ever, and help paving the way for many fascinating records to come! Do You Want More is a modern hip hop essential, changing the way we looked at hip hop, and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Hip Hop LP)
Craft, Late 50s/1960s/1970s. 5CD
Bill Evans has been off the planet for decades now, but he's definitely still dug by most folks – one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, and an artist whose sound is still a huge inspiration to many! This package does a great job of gathering together Bill's legacy, and advancing it ... CD (Jazz CD)
Blue Note, 1960. (reissue)
A partner album of sorts to Jimmy Smith's classic Midnight Special album – recorded during the same sessions as that one, and also featuring Stanley Turrentine on tenor and Kenny Burrell on guitar! The sound here is almost even more open and stretched out – with only 4 long tracks on ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Esoteric (UK), 1969. 3CD
A fantastic little set that heralds the beginning of a whole new generation in music – post-psych sounds from the year of 1969 – a time when the revolution had cooled a bit, but new waves of creative activity were really bubbling underground in the UK scene – as all these many ... CD (Rock CD)
Ace/Kent (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s.
The Vietnam war was tough on most folks in the US – but it's no secret that it was especially tough on black Americans – who were often given little choice and little chance to get out of the callup to the military action – which left a huge impression on their community for years ... CD (Soul CD)

Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

Lost Treasures – Rare & Unreleased
A&M/Herb Alpert Presents, 1960s.
Genius, pure genius – a wonderful collection of 22 rare numbers by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass – all recorded during the group's years at A&M Records, and including a number of previously unreleased tunes! The sound here is completely sublime – way more than just the ... CD (Now Sound CD)
Beat Rocket, 1967.
Brilliant work from a Long Island group who are really known for just one famous single, but who also managed to cut a few other tracks at the time – all brought together here to make a long-overdue album for the group! "Valley Of Death" is the group's sole single – a great ... CD (Rock CD)

Don Cherry's New Researches Ensemble

Organic Music Theatre Festival De Chateauvallon 1972
INA/Blank Forms, 1972. 2CD
An incredible performance from the great Don Cherry – one that's maybe the most perfect summation we've ever heard of his ability to embrace a globe's worth of influences and make them his own! The set was recorded live at a French jazz festival in 1972, and it has a very compelling group ... CD (Jazz CD)

Denny Zeitlin & George Marsh

Telepathy
Sunnyside, 2021.
Really great sounds from the legendary Denny Zeitlin – an entry in his series of electro-acoustic improvisations with drummer George Marsh – and a record that has Zeitlin on a range of keyboards and electronics, in addition to his more familiar acoustic piano! It's that instrument ... CD (Jazz CD)
Hat Art (Switzerland), 1962.
An incredible batch of freely crafted tracks from Jimmy Giuffre's legendary early 60s trio! The group features Steve Swallow on bass and Paul Bley on piano, and the two young modernists were a perfect match of Giuffre's ever-developing ideas of freedom and harmony. The music is beautiful – ... CD (Jazz CD)
Pye/Grapefruit (UK), Late 60s. 4CD
A much-needed complete look at The Sorrows – a UK group who cut a few key singles back in the 60s, but who evolved a lot in just a few short years – and recorded a lot more great music than most folks ever knew back in the day! The group first appeared with a catchy, harmonic sort of ... CD (Rock CD)

Fourth World Quartet

1975
Cuneiform, 1975.
Amazing early work from the Fourth World Quartet – an obscure new music ensemble from early 70s Michigan – but one whose members would go on to form Mission Of Burma and Destroy All Monsters! Here, the sound is completely different than those later groups – a mix of compositional ... CD (Jazz CD)

Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet

Blue Beginnings
Jazz In Britain (UK), 1964.
Genius early work from this legendary British jazz combo – material recorded right before the release of their classic Shades Of Blue album – which marked a huge watershed in European modern jazz! The tracks here were recorded live on the BBC, and have the group stepping out in their ... CD (Jazz CD)
Not Two (Poland), 2021. 3CD
Bassist Joelle Leandre is always a warmly collaborative player – an artist whose own sound is tremendous, but also seems to bring out the best in her collaborators – which is definitely the case in this series of live material recorded at the Krakow Jazz Festival in Poland! CD1 ... CD (Jazz CD)
Valley Of Search, 1972.
A never-issued live performance – a beautiful 18 minute improvisation between Alan Braufman on alto and Cooper Moore on piano – recorded as it slide out over the airwaves of WKCR in New York, in 1972 – and a much-needed addition to the small amount of recordings that Braufman made ... 12-inch, Vinyl record (Jazz 12-inch)
Philadelphia International, 1973. 2LP Gatefold
The setting is the Golden Gate, but the sound is pure Philly International – a rare early live performance from the label, featuring some of its key vocal heavyweights working here with live accompaniment from MFSB! Although the instrumental group backed Philly artists often in the studio, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Eboni Band

Eboni Band
Eboni/We Are Busy Bodies (UK), Early 80s. (reissue)
A really unique record, and one with a very unusual pedigree – as the group features key members of some acts from the Ivory Coast in the late 70s, mixed with various Motown session players in the studio – all in a way that offers up a completely different take on Cali soul from the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)

Hailu Mergia & The Walias

Tezeta
Awesome Tapes From Africa, 1975.
Maybe the greatest record we've ever heard from Ethio keyboard legend Hailu Mergia – a sweet set of jazz recorded in the mid 70s, with a vibe that still sounds fantastic after all these years! The groove here is the sort that so many other contemporary groups have been picking up on recent ... CD (Global Grooves CD)

Chico Buarque

Calabar
Philips/Universal (Brazil), 1973. (reissue)
Genius work from Chico Buarque – one of his most complicated, sophisticated, and fully-realized albums – a great summation of all the brilliance he'd already brought to Brazilian music – moved forward into new territory for the 70s! The album's of the same vintage as the more ... LP, Vinyl record album (Brazil LP)
Indianapolis Museum Of Art, 2021.
A beautiful book on the imagist art movement in Chicago – a late 60s burst of creativity that was one of the greatest visual moments in the city at the time – filled with striking, colorful, and cartoony images such as the one on the cover! The book was done in collaboration with the ... Book (Book)

Nina Simone

Very Rare Evening
Tidal Waves, 1969. (reissue)
A very rare evening indeed – a sweet little live set recorded by Nina Simone during her soulful height at RCA – but issued years after that time, and only briefly on a small indie label! The setting here is wonderful – a small combo in the background with the great Weldon Irvine ... LP, Vinyl record album (Vocalists LP)

Wandering The Sound Quintet (Satoko Fujii/Guillermo Gregorio)

What Is
Not Two (Poland), 2021.
Wandering The Sound is a great name for this quintet – as their improvisations seem to go on a journey during the course of the record – one that's not lost in the sense that "wandering" sometimes implies, but which is taking things easy, really exploring the time and space of ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ace (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s.
A really great take on the music of Donovan – not his own groovy songs of the 60s, but a whole host of others taking up his tunes and moving it into some really great new dimensions! We love Donovan to death, and while we'll never tire of the man's own recordings of his tunes, we're always ... CD (Rock CD)

Resilient Vessels (James Brandon Lewis/Patrick Holmes/Ches Smith/Josh Wrner)

Resilient Vessels Live At The Cell
RR Gems (Estonia), 2021.
A sublime quartet, coming together here for a really unique session – one that's got a very modal vibe mixed with some freer moments served up by a piano-less group with a very special sound! Bassist Josh Werner got the whole project together, and the set's got a rock-solid foundation in his ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Pacific Jazz/Blue Note, 1963. (reissue)
A stellar set from one of the most underrated reed players of all time – a brilliant bit of searching soul jazz, cut at a time when Curtis Amy was leaving behind his Texas roots for the new sounds of the Coltrane generation! The album's quite different than the organ and tenor dates that Amy ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Kamal Abdul Alim & The Brothers

Dance
Stash/Soul Brother (UK), 1988.
A really fantastic little record – a set that shows a strong evolution of spiritual jazz styles into the 80s! The set was recorded at a time when the jazz underground was really getting a lot of exposure, and was bursting forward with a new sense of hope – a quality that you can really ... CD (Jazz CD)
Subliminal Sounds (Sweden), 2021.
A beautiful tribute to the music of Eden Ahbez – the original "nature boy" himself, and a mystical west coast composer who was to the LA scene what Moondog was to New York! The songs here come from unrecorded sheet music left behind by Eden – songs composed in the early 60s, ... CD (Now Sound CD)
Jazz In Britain (UK), 1970.
A great precursor to the legendary album Tanglewood 63 – one of the touchstones of British jazz at the start of the 70s, and a masterpiece from trombonist/arranger Mike Gibbs! The tracks here are live studio takes on some of the tunes that appeared on the set, plus other material too – ... CD (Jazz CD)

Antonio L Newton

Novaphonia
Tidal Waves, 1987.
A soul record, but one with a fair bit of "something else" going on as well – and a set that was originally only issued on cassette, which might be why it was missed the first time around! Antonio L Newton, aka Tony Newton, has a long legacy in soul music – including work ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Theo Jorgensmann/Christopher Dell/Christian Ramond/Klaus Kugel

At The Field's Edge
Not Two (Poland), 2021.
Theo Jorgensmann always has a wonderful sound on clarinet – part of a legacy of modern improvisational modes that goes back to territory first opened up by Jimmy Giuffre – but here, he maybe sounds even better than usual, as the album features some wonderful work on vibes from ... CD (Jazz CD)

Jay Richford & Gary Stevan (Brugnolini/Torossi)

Feelings
Carosello/Be With (UK), 1974. (reissue)
A legendary sound library set from the 70s Italian scene – exactly the kind of record that got so many folks digging for sound library funk so many years ago! The record's a masterpiece of funky rhythms, jazzy instrumentation, and warmer touches – served up with plenty of Fender Rhodes ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
JCR/Bible & Tire, Early 70s.
Rare gospel gems that go way past the usual – tracks recorded for the small JCR label in Memphis during the 70s, but done with a stripped-down vibe that's much more like postwar gospel overall! Most of the acts here are pretty darn obscure – groups that were inspired by the spirit and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Gospel LP)
Warner/Parlophone (France), Early 70s.
A really cool entry in this ultra-hip series – a volume that moves a bit more into the 70s than previous ones, but still hangs onto all the wonderfully wild touches that makes the music so great! As you'd guess by the "psyche" in the title, there's certainly some psychedelic ... LP, Vinyl record album (French LP)
Enja/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1974. (reissue)
Mindblowing trio work from Japanese pianist Yosuke Yamashita – in a group that's equally noteworthy for its incredible reed performances from the mighty Akira Sakata! The pairing of Sakata and Yamashita was one of the greatest things in Japanese jazz in the 70s, and certainly one of that ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Trojan (UK), Late 60s/1970s. 3CD
A huge collection of work from the legendary Trojan Records label – the crucial British imprint who helped bring the sounds of Jamaica to the London scene, then helped encourage a lot of new English recordings as well! Trojan was more than a label, it was a key cultural conduit back in the ... CD (Reggae CD)

Alvin Curran

Works
Fore/Our Swimmer (Germany), 1980. (reissue)
One of the most striking recordings ever created by Alvin Curran, and maybe one of the most organic too – a record that mixes his more abstract inclinations with warmer instrumentation, and a cyclical approach to sound that almost hits the Terry Riley side of the spectrum! Curran handles ... LP, Vinyl record album (Out Sound LP)

Michael Marcus

Stone Jump
Not Two (Poland), 2021.
A set that's maybe a bit more inside than usual for the mostly-improvised Not Two label – but one that's also got a nice sort of an edge, too – a different take on familiar territory, all graced with the great work of Michael Marcus on soprano sax, tenor, octavin, and tarogato! Marcus ... CD (Jazz CD)
Trojan/Doctor Bird (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s.
Great work from one of the lesser-known vocal trios of the Kingston scene in its heyday – and a group who are also an obscure Lee Perry project too! The Silvertones have a wonderful harmony style – a very deep lead, and soaring backups that really take off in surprising ways – ... CD (Reggae CD)
Quiet Pterodactyl, 2021.
A pandemic era compilation that'll stand the test of time as a testament to the creative strength of the Chicago music community for decades to come! Situation 2 is a collection of songs from the independent Chi music community – put together to benefit city's live performance venues that ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
EMI/Astralwerks, 2003. 2LP (reissue)
A return to genius for one of the most important bands of the past 50 years – and a wonderful little record that we'd rank right up there with the best of their albums from the 70s! The album builds off the "Tour De France" single the group first recorded back in the early 80s ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Platinum City/Luv N' Haight, Late 70s. (reissue)
An obscure set of clubby soul from the Dallas scene – led by the mysterious Round Robin on vocals and percussion! The group hit the speed of some of the disco dancefloor work of the time, but have a lean style that focuses much more on their surprisingly sharp instrumentation – which ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Peter Brotzmann & Others

Along The Way (hardcover)
Wolke Verlag (Germany), 2021.
A fantastic volume of artwork by Peter Brotzmann – a talent that most people know for his groundbreaking work on saxophone, but also a visual artist with a style that's as powerful as his music! You've likely seen some of Brotzmann's art on the covers of his various records over the year, ... Book (Book)

Han Bennink & Oscar Jan Hoogland

Goede Reis
ICP (Netherlands), 2020.
Drummer Han Bennink always has a way of picking the most creative improvisers to work with – and that's definitely the case here, as he teams up with Oscar Jan Hoogland – a musician whose main instrument is piano, but who also handles electric clavichord, record players, cassettes, ... CD (Jazz CD)
Enja/Solid (Japan), 1984. (reissue)
Drummer Takeo Moriyama is best known to our ears as one of the key forces in the trio of pianist Yosuke Yamashita in the 70s – and he definitely continues that strong legacy here, but with a vibrant voice that's all his own! The session is maybe more pitched towards the spiritual side of the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Marc Rapson

Dark Vs Light
Futuristica (UK), 2010/2021.
A full-length set of work from Marc Rapson, created at a time when he was mostly adding his talents to projects by others – and always turning out to be a fantastic force in the music! This set has Marc all on his own – nicely minimal backings and beats, often with a lead keyboard line ... CD (Neo Soul CD)

New York Disco Orchestra

Reverie (with bonus download)
Artemis/Espacial (Spain), 1978. (reissue)
A completely obscure disco session from the New York scene of the 70s, and a great one too – long, well-crafted tracks that clearly draw inspiration from both the work of Salsoul Orchestra and MFSB – and which have a sound that's every bit as great as work from those two famous groups! ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Black Fire/Strut (UK), 1973.
A much-needed slice of work from Juju – the group who later transformed into spiritual funk ensemble Oneness Of Juju! Juju only recorded two full albums in the early 70s, so this unissued live set is a key addition to their catalog – and the whole thing's got this bold quality that's ... CD (Jazz CD)

Okute

Okute
Chulo, 2021.
A contemporary Cuban group, but one who fit easily in the long cultural legacy of Havana – as the combo have a way of taking timeless modes and making them come alive again in all new ways – often really stripping things down to their roots, with an intimate, earthy presentation that ... CD (Latin CD)
Maggot Brain/Third Man, 2021.
The wonderful Raincoats are on the cover this time around, and the issue looks at the way their once-overlooked music has gone on to get the attention it deserved, and keep on having an influence over generations to come! There's lots more too – a very interesting piece that has Terry Riley ... Magazine (Magazine)

Elza Soares

Elza Pede Passagem
EMI/Universal (Brazil), 1972. (reissue)
Fast and funky samba tunes by Elza Soares – handled with a great 70s twist, one that brings the tunes up to speed with samba soul work of the time by Jorge Ben and Antonio Carlos E Jocafi! The feel is light and bouncy, but also very soulful – and the set grooves in a way you won't find ... LP, Vinyl record album (Brazil LP)
2 Tone/Chrysalis (UK), 1980. (reissue)
One of the greatest groups of the legendary 2 Tone records scene at the start of the 80s – and a group that's maybe got an even harder edge than their more familiar labelmates, The Specials! The groove here is revival ska, but with a lean, jagged quality that's very different than so many of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)

Roberto Miranda's Home Music Ensemble

Live At Bing Theater – Los Angeles 1985
Dark Tree (France), 1985.
A never-issued live performance from the Nimbus Records scene in LA – a spiritual gem that features bassist Roberto Miranda in the lead, working with some key other players from the city at the time! Miranda's always been one of the secret heroes of the underground west coast scene – a ... CD (Jazz CD)

Apollo Brown& Planet Asia/Gensu Dean & Guilty Simpson

Stitched Up & Shaken (2021 Record Store Day Release)
Mello Music Group, 2021.
A split set of remixes and reworks – served up here in a single limited package! Side one features Apollo Brown reworking the album Abrasions by Planet Asia – making for even heavier versions of cuts that include "Faces On The Dollar", "Bar Mitzvah", "Reflection ... LP, Vinyl record album (Hip Hop LP)
Mute, 1975. 3LP Gatefold
A great addition to the 70s catalog of the legendary Can – a set of live recordings made in Stuttgart in 1975, all of which have the group working in this wonderfully long-jamming style! Tracks are long, and maybe even more proggy than the group's studio work of the time – an all-instru ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)

Ron Henderson & Choice Of Colors

Hooked On Your Love – Rare Tracks
P-Vine (Japan), 1970s/Early 80s.
Underground soul genius from the great Ron Henderson – one of those great 70s also-rans – a true top talent who never fully got his due, but who cut some really wonderful material back in the day! The set features rare 70s singles and some unreleased tracks – all of which work ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Eastwood Music Group, 2021. 3LP
A very cool set from the Texas scene – one that's overflowing with new work by some of the hippest soul, funk, and hip hop artists in the Lonestar State – and a few others too! The set features work from Black Pumas, Leon Bridges, N'Dambi, Sha La Das, Holy Hive, Badbadnotgood, Ghost ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
Columbia/Denon (Japan), 1976. (reissue)
A really unusual set from the Japanese scene of the 70s – and a record that represents some of the higher pinnacles of their recording technology at the time! The songs here are billed as "Japanese traditional melodies by PCM Recording Systems" – and they are hardly ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Philips/Universal (Brazil), 1977. (reissue)
Fantastic work from 70s Brazil – served up here by the great Lady Zu, who was one of the few female artists in the mostly-male samba soul generation! Lady Zu's a bit like Tim Maia at the time – a soul singer first, and Brazilian artist second – and works here with a sound that ... LP, Vinyl record album (Brazil LP)

Wessel Ilcken, Tony Vos, Rob Madna, & Others

Jazz Behind The Dikes 3 (180 gram blue vinyl pressing)
Philips/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1957.
An important early export from the Dutch jazz scene of the postwar years – a volume of Jazz Behind The Dikes, a series that focused on the best up-and-comers of the Netherlands scene! The album goes a bit farther than some of the piano trio sessions issued under the series, and includes some ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Sam Records (France), 1975.
Never-issued live material from one of our favorite jazz musicians of all time – the mighty Billy Harper, a tenor saxophonist who took the initial legacy of John Coltrane, then really ran with it in the 70s! The album is stunning right from the very first note – a perfect encapsulation ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Vagabond King/Jazzman (UK), 1977.
One of the rarest and most unusual albums to come out of the Philly scene in the 70s – and that's saying a lot, given the unique and obscure quality of so many indie sides on small Philadelphia labels! Ron Everett's a singer, with roots that go back to the doo wop scene of the 50s – ... CD (Jazz CD)

Mississippi John Hurt

Mr Hurt Goes To Washington
Sunset Blvd, Mid 60s. 2CD
Really great later recordings from Mississippi John Hurt – recorded in Washington DC, hence the title – and done in this stripped-down mode that really captures Hurt at his best! The tracks were all recorded for the Library Of Congress, mostly on the stage of the Coolidge Auditorium, ... CD (Blues CD)
Modern Harmonic, 1969.
Dracula never sounded so funky – thanks to the mighty sounds of the Whit Boyd Combo! Boyd was a porn peddler in 60s Texas, but also cut a few great soundtracks for his smutty films – including this wonderful romp that's full of funky drums, heavy organ, off-tuned guitar, and even a bit ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soundtracks LP)

Peace Flag Ensemble

Noteland
We Are Busy Bodies (UK), 2021.
A jazz group, but one with a very different approach – as the core energy here comes from the piano improvisations of Jon Neher, which then draw all the other musicians together, as they find ways to slide their own contributions into the fold! There's a very cohesive sound to the music ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Mind Maintenance (Joshua Abrams & Chad Taylor)

Mind Maintenance
Drag City, 2021.
Joshua Abrams and Chad Taylor are already fantastic musicians on their own key instruments – bass and drums, respectively – but here, they take up different instrumental modes – and with a result that's every bit as spiritually powerful as their work in other styles! Abrams plays ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Craft, Late 60s/Early 70s.
The sound of soul, served up East LA style – which means that the collection is overflowing with sweet soul numbers that have a very heartbreaking vibe! These aren't the kind of muscle-heavy cuts you'd guess from the image of the car on the cover – and instead, they're fragile and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)

Robert Cotter

Missing You
Tiger Lily/We Want Sounds (UK), 1976. (reissue)
An overlooked nugget from the New York scene of the 70s – a set you might not catch as a soul album, given the simple design of the cover – but which stands as the lone calling card of the strong singer Robert Cotter! Cotter's got roots in gospel, which really shows in his strong vocal ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Martin Denny

Taste Of India
Liberty/Pleasure For Music, 1968. (reissue)
One of the coolest-sounding Martin Denny albums of the 60s – a record that blends his earlier exotica sound with elements of Indian music, and maybe some great bossa nova currents too! For the set, Denny takes a tip from the sound of the East – adding some slight Indian flavors to his ... LP, Vinyl record album (Now Sound LP)
Righteous (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s. 2CD
Oh for the glory days of the 7" single – that magical late 50s/early 60s time when it seemed like there was an endless supply of weird and wonderful records all the time – and at prices that allowed them to circulate easily, even if they weren't big hits! (And why are 7" ... CD (Rock CD)
Verve (Japan), 2021.
A nicely different slice of music from Japanese composer/arranger Goro Ito – a set that's still got some of his love of bossa nova in place, as you'd guess from the reference to Joao Gilberto in the title – but one that also really seems to have him finding his own voice too! At times, ... CD (Jazz CD)
Polydor/Esoteric (UK), Early 70s. 5CD
All the albums from this mindblowing group – plus lots of bonus material too! First up is the legendary Galactic Zoo Dossier album – the start of a fantastic chapter for the legendary Arthur Brown – the first album issued with his Kingdom Come group, a combo who were even more ... CD (Rock CD)
Light In The Attic, Late 60s/Early 70s. 2LP Gatefold
Maybe the grooviest collection of work we've ever seen from the lovely Nancy Sinatra – a set that features some of her hits, but also includes a lot more material that's much more obscure – and which shows that Nancy was a hell of a song stylist, far from the charts! The core of the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Vocalists LP)
Brownswood (UK), 2021.
A truly remarkable book, and unlike anything else we've ever seen – part discography, part photography, part travelogue – and together, an amazing testament to both the human spirit, and the power of music to see us all through! Gilles Peterson put the book together as something of a ... Book (Book)

George Cables

Too Close For Comfort
High Note, 2021.
The great George Cables is in wonderful form here – balancing things perfectly between the boldness of his left hand on the rhythms, and the more lyrical modes that he opens up with the right – serving up these effortless and beautiful tunes that make us fall in love with his music all ... CD (Jazz CD)
Freedom/Muzak (Japan), 1968.
Brilliant early work by saxophonist John Tchicai – recorded in Denmark with a larger ensemble, in the years of his European exile after the dissolution of the New York Contemporary Five. Players include Karsten Vogel on alto and percussion, Max Bruel on baritone and piano, and Hugh Steinmetz ... CD (Jazz CD)
Glass/Troubadour, 1985. 2CD
Quite possibly the greatest moment ever from the team of Nikki Sudden and Dave Kusworth – a pair who were unlike anything else at the time, and who stand out here with an effort that's easily one of our favorite rock and roll albums of all time! Their look on the cover might make you think ... CD (Rock CD)
Record Culture, 2021.
Record Culture is even cooler than ever – as this issue comes with a bonus book as well! But first, the magazine – this issue has the same great format as the others – a book-style package, filled with beautiful full color photos of record collectors, vinyl culture, and other ... Magazine (Magazine)
Record Store Day, 2021.
A limited edition collection put together to benefit black-owned record stores – dedicated to the memory of Chadwick Boseman, and filled with cuts that all have a very righteous vibe! Titles include "Damage" by HER, "Find A Way" by Duckwrth, "Dinosaurs" by Lupe ... LP, Vinyl record album (Hip Hop LP)

Joris Roelofs & Han Bennink

Icarus
ICP (Netherlands), 2018.
Fantastic work from a duo who can take familiar instruments, and make them come out sounding completely different and in all these weird and wonderful ways! You may already know this quality from drummer Han Bennink, whose work has delighted us for decades – and he's equally matched here by ... CD (Jazz CD)

Pieranunzi Fonnesbaek Duo

Real You – A Bill Evans Tribute
Stunt (Denmark), 2021.
A tribute to Bill Evans, but one that's very much in the voice of the duo – pianist Enrico Piaranunzi and bassist Thomas Fonnesbaek – both players who bring a strong sense of their own spirit to the album! Sure, there's a quality here that's definitely in the territory of the ... CD (Jazz CD)
Swan/Sundazed, Late 50s/Early 60s.
A wonderful collection of work from Swan Records – the legendary Philly indie who was one of the city's first great sources of rock, pop, and soul – presented here in a special focus on female artists who recorded for the label! The package has some very well-chosen cuts – as a ... CD (Rock CD)
Parlophone, 1972.
Rare material from the Flamin Groovies – tracks recorded in England in 1972, originally intended as an album to be issued by United Artists – but most of which never saw the light of day, as the label issued a few singles, saw poor sales, then cut the Flamin Groovies loose! Yet the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Caldera (Italy), Late 2000s/2010s.
Sublime sounds from cellist Ernest Reijseger – an artist who we mostly know for his work in the field of improvised music, but who's also become one of the key soundtrack composers to work with director Werner Herzog over the past 20 years! In fact, it might well be said that Ernest is ... CD (Soundtracks CD)

Milt Jackson & Ray Charles

Soul Brothers (mono pressing)
Atlantic, 1957. (reissue)
Not a vocal session from Ray Charles, but instead a set that showcases his great abilities in jazz – a side of Charles' talents that Atlantic was focusing on a bit more at the end of the 50s! The record's a collaboration with vibist Milt Jackson, who's nicely more loose and gritty here than ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
RCA/Now Again, 1972. Gatefold (reissue)
Mark Fry was just a young lad when he recorded this album – as you might guess from the cover – a Brit staying in Italy, where he cut this rare gem that's gone onto legendary status over the years – a set that's maybe circulated in far more unofficial copies than its original ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Def Jam, 2021. 2LP
Not the Let's Get It record, but instead a Thug Motivation collection of classics – a package that's overflowing with hits – including "Trap Star", "And Then What", "Soul Survivor", "My Hood", "Go Getta", "I Luv It", "Lose ... LP, Vinyl record album (Hip Hop LP)

Doug Carn

Infant Eyes
Black Jazz/Real Gone, 1971.
An undisputed 70s soul jazz classic – and arguably the best album that Doug Carn ever cut for the Black Jazz label! The set is a masterpiece of spiritual jazz – with Carn on keyboards setting up the groove, and wife Jean singing some incredible vocals – very different than her ... CD (Jazz CD)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2014.
The legendary Joe McPhee works here with two more obscure improvisers – Jen Clare Paulson on viola and Brian Labycz on electronics – both musicians who open Joe up to that never-ending stream of inspiration that's made his music so wonderful over the years! McPhee plays pocket cornet ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Ian Carr Double Quintet

Solar Sessions
Jazz In Britain (UK), 1970.
The group's listed here as the Double Quintet of trumpeter Ian Carr, but the sound is right next to the best work of his Nucleus group for Vertigo Records – a groundbreaking blend of jazz and electric elements, served up in a style that's very different from American work of the time! At one ... CD (Jazz CD)
Mad About Records (Portugal), 1977. (reissue)
A very cool group from the New Mexican scene of the 70s – one who work in the same blend of funk, soul, and Latin elements as more famous acts from the LA scene – but with a freewheeling vibe that's also open to new ideas too! There's a jazzy energy at the core – lots of strong ... LP, Vinyl record album (Latin LP)

Willie Jones III

Fallen Heroes
WJ3, 2021.
Drummer Willie Jones III just keeps on winning us over more and more with each new release – serving up his own music on his own label, and really keeping a strong fire burning throughout! The set begins with a strong drum solo, dedicated to Ndugu Chancler – but right after that, ... CD (Jazz CD)
Forever Living Originals (UK), 2020. 2LP Gatefold
A record with an unassuming cover, but with a deeply soulful sound that comes across right away – a spare blend of simple beats and well-crafted basslines, topped with vocals that almost seem like they're trying hard not to get in the way of the groove! The approach is great – gently ... LP, Vinyl record album (New Grooves LP)
BBE (UK), 2021.
Funky sounds old and new – a great collection of cuts that are hand-picked by Jasper The Vinyl Junkie, and which have a way of bridging the best modes of the 70s and some of the best sounds from recent years! The work here all sounds very classic, even if some of it is contemporary – ... CD (Funky Compilations CD)
Bellwood/We Want Sounds (UK), 1975. (reissue)
Long tracks, lots of open energy, and plenty of freewheeling solos too – just the sort of Japanese jazz album from the 70s we treasure so much! The group here is led by drummer George Ohtsuka – sometimes spelled Otsuka – and features Fumio Karashima on piano and Fender Rhodes ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Don Cherry

Om Shanti Om
Black Sweat (Italy), 1976.
Rare 70s work from Don Cherry, and one of the most perfect realizations of his organic music concept – a quartet session recorded for Italian broadcast, with long songs that have a very spun-out, meditative vibe! Cherry's on pocket trumpet, but is way more than a horn player – as his ... CD (Jazz CD)

Hasaan Ibn Ali (Hasaan)

Metaphysics – The Lost Atlantic Album
Atlantic/Omnivore, 1965.
A lost jazz treasure from one of the most enigmatic pianists of the 60s – the legendary Hasaan, who recorded famously with Max Roach on Atlantic Records, but who also left behind this rare session that's never seen the light of day until now! Hasaan hails from Philly, where he was a player ... CD (Jazz CD)

Quincy Jones

Dude
A&M, 1981. Gatefold (reissue)
A super-huge album from Quincy Jones – a record that's almost like Quincy's trying to show the whole younger generation that an older master like himself can still deliver the goods! The set was delivered right after Quincy helped out Michael Jackson on Off The Wall – and while it's ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Mdou Moctar

Afrique Victime
Matador, 2021.
It's a bit startling to see a record by Tuareg music legend Mdou Moctar on the indie rock powerhouse Matador Records – but that placement is also a great statement to just how much Moctar's guitar and the whole Tuareg scene has become in recent years! The sound is every bit as sharp as on ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Skye, Late 60s. Gatefold
A wonderful album from Gabor Szabo – one with the same freely grooving, slightly-psychedelic sound that he was using on his best records for the Impulse label! Two guitars head up the quintet – those of Gabor and Jim Stewart – and they trade breezy lines throughout, grooving over ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Ariel Bart

In Between
Ropeadope, 2021.
CD...$9.99 13.99
A beautiful new voice in the small world of jazz harmonica – one who certainly resonates with echoes of the past, but finds a way to open up the instrument in a setting that's much more spiritual than we might have expected! Ariel Bart blows her instrument with a great sense of color here, ... CD (Jazz CD)

Sandra Sa

Vale Tudo
RGE/Mr Bongo (UK), 1983.
Early work from Sandra Sa – one of the strongest female soul artists to emerge from the Brazilian scene at the start of the 80s – working here on a classic set that's got a groove that's very similar to American R&B work of the time! Tim Maia joins Sandra for a bit on the set ... CD (Brazil CD)

Yoshisaburo Sabu Toyozumi

Water Weed (2021 Record Store Day Release)
Trio/Solid (Japan), 1975. (reissue)
Two long, beautiful improvisations from a trio led by percussionist Yoshisaburo "Sabu" Toyozumi – and balanced wonderfully with reeds from Mototeru Takagi and bass from Takashi Tokuhiro! The music is very careful and quiet at the start, as each player finds these small, almost ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Eero Koivistoinen

Original Sin
Scandia/Svart (Finland), 1971. Gatefold (reissue)
The rare fourth album from Finnish reed legend Eero Koivistoinen – his first on a proper jazz label, but still a pretty darn obscure set overall! Although only 25 at the time, Eero's already showing a real maturity in both his solo structures, and his overall conception of his music – ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Slickaphonic

Slickaphonic
Albina Music Trust, 1975.
A never-issued record from the Portland scene of the 70s – served up by a sharp funk ensemble who really know how to groove! Don't confuses these guys with the Slickaphonics jazz group from the 80s – as Slickaphonic are much more funk-based overall (although they probably took their ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Maria Bethania

A Tua Presenca
Philips/Universal (Brazil), 1971. (reissue)
Wonderful early work from Maria Bethania – an album that's put together with a very sophisticated sound, and a really powerful feel overall! The orchestrations are relatively baroque – sometimes using strings in odd ways, other times bringing in bits of voices – all very much in ... LP, Vinyl record album (Brazil LP)

Michel Magne

Les Tontons Flingueurs
Le Pop Club (France), 1963.
Very groovy work from the mighty Michel Magne – an early 60s soundtrack on the French scene, and one that showed that music like this was soon going to rival all the cool changes going on in Italian cinema too! There's a nice blend of jazzy and mod elements going on here – older ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soundtracks LP)

Ian Carr with Nucleus

Belladonna
Vertigo/Mr Bongo (UK), 1972.
One of the heaviest electric sets from UK trumpeter Ian Carr – and that's really saying a lot, given how much heavy work he cut with his group Nucleus! The sound here is a groundbreaking mix of acoustic horns and keyboards – trumpet from Carr, and a mix of tenor, soprano, alto, and ... CD (Jazz CD)

Whatitdo Archive Group

Black Stone Affair
Record Kicks (Italy), 2021.
A set that pretends to be a vintage soundtrack – but one that we can completely forgive for its gimmick, given that the music is so great! This isn't the first time that a contemporary funk group has tried to pass off its music as coming from a rare cinematic source – but the Whatitdo ... CD (Deep Funk CD)

Free Music Quintet

Free Music 1 & 2
ESP, 1968. (reissue)
An unusual album for the ESP label – work by a Dutch group, not the label's usual New York avant scene – and a combo who really play with the free music promised in their name! The album features two side-long improvised tracks – really building up with raw energy, and almost ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Ulysses Owens Jr

Soul Conversations
Outside In, 2021.
Drummer Ulysses Owens leads a great ensemble here – a largeish group that he makes swing and soar throughout, driving the whole thing with the kind of fire that Kenny Clarke might have done in a similar setting! As with Clarke in his famous big band, Owens knows that the best sound will come ... CD (Jazz CD)
Quartin/Far Out (UK), 1970. (reissue)
A tremendous lost masterpiece from Jose Mauro – a less-remembered figure in Brazilian music at the start of the 70s – but one we'd rank right up there with the best of the time, on a short list that would include Marcos Valle, Milton Nascimento, and Arthur Verocai! Like those three ... LP, Vinyl record album (Brazil LP)

Jeff Parker & Rob Mazurek

Some Jellyfish Live Forever
Rogue Art (France), 2021.
A great reunion of the Jeff Parker/Rob Mazurek duo – a pair who've only continued to grow strongly in the years since their Chicago Underground classics – and who bring all that sense of energy to play in their music! The sounds here represent the deeper, more mature styles that both ... CD (Jazz CD)

Toshinori Kondo

Blow The Earth – India
Subcontinental/Jet Set (Japan), 2021.
A sweet mix of trumpet and electronics – all served up by the legendary Toshinori Kondo, a Japanese player who's been breaking boundaries in jazz for many years! Kondo handles all instruments on the record himself – a blend of acoustic trumpet, electric elements, and moody rhythms ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Cinevox (Italy), Mid 70s. 2CD
A trio of cool cop soundtracks from Stelvio Cipriani – all brought together in a beautiful package with a really unified feel! Cipriani's easily one of our favorite Italian composers for the cop/crime genre – as he's got a way of bringing sensitive sounds into play with driving action ... CD (Soundtracks CD)

Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra

Nyjah's Theme/Little Afrika
P-Vine (Japan), 2021.
The Nimbus Records spirit lives again – on these two long tracks by the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra – a group who are best known for their famous recordings with Horace Tapscott, and who have a spiritual legacy on the LA scene that goes back to 1961! At some level, the record is a ... 12-inch, Vinyl record (Jazz 12-inch)
Columbia/BGO (UK), 1969.
Four different albums from Johnny Mathis – all of which have a relatively unique pedigree! First up are the records People and The Impossible Dream – different 1969 albums from Johnny Mathis – both featuring material recorded earlier in the decade, during his time with Mercury ... CD (Vocalists CD)

Dave Holland/Kevin Eubanks/Obed Calvaire

Another Land
Edition (UK), 2021.
Guitar, bass, and drums – coming together here on a set that lives up to the strong legacy of creative music we've come to expect from the legendary Dave Holland! Holland plays both electric and acoustic versions of his instrument – which makes for a nice shift in the way he interacts ... CD (Jazz CD)

Nat Turner Rebellion

Laugh To Keep From Crying
Philly Groove/Chrysalis, 1969.
The never-issued full length album from Philly funk combo Nat Turner Rebellion – a group led by Joseph Jefferson, who'd later write great songs for others – but who here is standing strong at the head of a very righteous group! Nat Turner Rebellion issued a few singles on the Philly ... CD (Soul CD)

Clyde McPhatter

Clyde McPhatter Rocks
Bear Family (Germany), 1950s/Early 60s.
Killer work from one of the most important singers in the years before soul music – the mighty Clyde McPhatter, who was first a member of The Dominoes, then started The Drifters, and soon became a great solo act on his own! There's a few cuts here from Clyde's vocal group recordings, but the ... CD (Soul CD)
Forever Living Originals (UK), 2020.
Sault have always been fantastic, but it also seems that with each new release, they get even more powerful and progressive – opening up a more radical agenda that really comes through in their music! The group don't state their position with the title of the record – which is ... CD (New Grooves CD)

Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad with Joao Donato

Joao Donato – Jazz Is Dead 7
Jazz Is Dead, 2021.
A really great entry in this excellent series – one that not only features lots of great Fender Rhodes from Brazilian jazz legend Joao Donato, but also vocals from Loren Oden on almost every track – which makes the whole thing feel like a fantastic hybrid of Joao's genius with a ... CD (Deep Funk CD)

Wendell Harrison Tribe

Get Up Off Your Knees
Tribe/P-Vine (Japan), 2021.
Fantastic new music from Detroit reedman Wendell Harrison – working here with a renewed version of the Tribe Records scene, at a level that makes the album one of his best in many years! Wendell blows tenor and bass clarinet, and his group here is mostly younger, lesser-known players – ... CD (Jazz CD)
Impulse, Late 60s/Early 70s. 4LP
LP...$119.99 139.99
A stunning collection of work from the legendary Impulse Records catalog – a double-length set that focuses on the most spiritual side of the label! Red, green, and black are often used together as the colors of righteousness – but the orange and black of Impulse has stood strong as ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)
United Artists/Loneos Editions (Netherlands), 1970. (reissue)
One of the great space rock records of the 70s – the sublime debut from Embryo – a group who were a lot more unique than most of their contemporaries! Embryo's almost more of a jazz fusion combo than a progressive rock one – and some of their later efforts have them working with ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Orchestra Baobab

Mouhamadou Bamba
Syllart (France), 1981. (reissue)
A classic album from the best years of Orchestra Baobab – a time when the group were maybe the greatest thing coming out of Dakar, and really helping to move a whole generation of West African sounds forward into new directions! The instrumentation is still relatively old school – no ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Love/Svart (Finland), 1974. Gatefold (reissue)
You may not be able to pronounce the name of Tasavallan Presidentti easily – but man, they're one heck of a group – a key combo from the Finnish scene of the 70s, and one that effortlessly blends together jazz and rock modes, but with a sound that's very different than most other music ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)

Jalen Baker

This Is Me This Is Us
Outside In, 2021.
Jalen Baker is a vibist, and he gets big props in the notes from Warren Wolf – which means a lot to us, as Wolf is one of our favorite contemporary players on the instrument! But it also looks like Jalen might be giving him a run for his money – as the young musician is also a hell of ... CD (Jazz CD)
United Artists/Loneos Editions (Netherlands), 1971. Gatefold (reissue)
Early prog jazz genius from the mighty Embryo – and an album that perfectly fuses their love of world rhythms and electric jamming grooves – at a level that made them one of the coolest groups on the European scene at the time! Core work here is by a trio – and the percussion by ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Morisom/Mad About Records (Portugal), 1976. (reissue)
A really heavyweight album from the Brazilian scene of the 70s – recorded by a group of artists who were really helping to transform the sound of jazz at the time! There are elements that are familiar here, but served up in these really fresh ways – changing up the rhythmic and melodic ... LP, Vinyl record album (Brazil LP)
BMG, 1951. 2CD
A key slice of work from the too-short career of the legendary Hank Williams – recordings he did for a regular radio show sponsored by Mother's Best Flour in Nashville during the year 1951 – a time when Hank was riding high with his talents, before leaving our planet all too soon! The ... CD (Folk/Country CD)
Jackpot, 1985. (reissue)
Vintage live material from Greg Sage and The Wipers – played with that special intensity that made them such a crucial link in the American underground scene of the 80s – even if they didn't always get their due until many years later! There's a sound here that's almost a bridge ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)

Brad Mehldau & Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Variations On A Melancholy Theme
Nonesuch, 2021.
A really lovely little record from pianist Brad Mehldau – quite different than most of his albums, in that the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is on board to help expand Mehldau's ideas in his music! The statement of the title is an apt one for the set – as it offers up variations on a blue-t ... CD (Jazz CD)
Sire/Jackpot, 1977. (reissue)
A masterpiece of American punk rock – and arguably the greatest moment ever for the legendary Stiv Bators! The album's got an intensity that blows away most of the UK groups who were making waves in the punk scene at the time – a raw energy that's a closer link to the Stooges and MC5 ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)

Ruben Blades

Swing
Ruben Blades, 2021.
Ruben Blades delivers a great mix of jazzy styles here – some tracks that definitely echo the swing era promised by the title and the cover, but always mixed with the soulful sense of inflections he brought to his classic salsa material too! This isn't just some retro vocal jazz album, as ... CD (Latin CD)

Merry Clayton

Beautiful Scars
Motown/Ode, 2021.
A really strong return to form for the legendary Merry Clayton – an album recorded in the wake of an accident that nearly took her life, and seemed to unlock a whole new level of spirituality in her music – presented here on an album that's the first we've seen in Motown's gospel series ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Mike LeDonne

It's All Your Fault
Savant, 2021.
One of the coolest, grooviest settings for the Hammond of Mike LeDonne that we've heard in years – a set that mostly features him working with a larger ensemble, at a level that brings back some of the great 60s sessions from Jimmy Smith and Oliver Nelson! Yet given Mike's touch on the keys, ... CD (Jazz CD)
BGO (UK), Mid 70s.
Four albums that show the continuing evolution of Earl Scruggs in the 70s – with a sound that's very different than his earlier music, and maybe even sharper instrumentation overall! First up is I Saw The Light – a record made after the famous banjo pioneer split with Lester Flatt, and ... CD (Folk/Country CD)

Jimmy Castor

From The Roots
Paul Winley/Demon (UK), 1969. (reissue)
Killer early soul from Jimmy Castor – material that's mostly from the years before his better-known Smash Records and RCA sides – done in a wickedly-grooving style! The work here is a mix of upbeat dancefloor numbers and mellower harmony cuts – and even at this early stage, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Svart (Finland), Early 70s. 2LP Gatefold
Never-issued music from this legendary group – recorded by Finnish radio near the start of their career, and making for a fantastic addition to their classic catalog! Tasavallan Presidentti are even more full-on and jamming than on record – still with some of the shorter songs and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Sublime Frequencies, 2021.
Other-worldly voices singing in unison – heard here in contemporary recordings, but with a quality that's very much out of time! The recordings are from three different nations, but unified in style – mostly no instrumentation at all, just female voices raising together in these ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)

Gene Russell

New Direction
Black Jazz/Real Gone, 1971.
Sweet funky jazz from pianist Gene Russell – one of the hippest albums he ever recorded! Russell's a pianist with a wonderfully fluid touch – used here to near perfection in a small combo date that really stands out from most of his other albums – just the kind of effort we'd ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ace (UK), Late 60s/1970s/1980s/1990s/2000s/2010s.
A wide-ranging set, and one that really gets at the influence of the music of Lou Reed over the years – as the collection brings together songs penned by Reed from back in the day, but which continue to get new handling by a variety of artists in more recent decades! As some folks know, Lou ... CD (Rock CD)

Clarence Peters

Magnetic Atmosphere
Clarence Peters/SeriE.WOC (Belgium), 1979. (reissue)
A spiritual jazz gem from the Paris scene at the end of the 70s – maybe the only album ever issued with drummer Clarence Peters as a leader, and a set that gets some strong help from the Steve Lacy side of the scene! The tracks are all long, and build up from long-flowing modal energy – ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Trojan/Doctor Bird (UK), Early 70s. 2CD
A pair of rare albums from the great Derrick Harriott – with lots of bonus tracks that are appearing on CD for the first time! The set begins with the stunning Greatest Reggae Hits – a set that focuses strongly on the amazing vocal range of Derrick Harriott – a singer who can ... CD (Reggae CD)
Fremeaux & Associates (France), 1920s/1930s/1940s/1950s/Early 60s. 3CD
The image of a female singer at a piano is nothing new, but it definitely has a very special place in the history of jazz – maybe one of the few spots where a female instrumentalist could really get some time in the spotlight, while also breaking past some of the more standard cliches of ... CD (Vocalists CD)

Adrian Younge

American Negro
Jazz Is Dead, 2021. 2LP Gatefold
The most political album we've ever heard from Adrian Younge – a set that stands as a much stronger, much more individual message than anything he's ever given us before! All Adrian's previous instrumental elements are in the mix – heavy funk, with a special soundtrack sort of twist ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
Strata East/Pure Pleasure (UK), 1978. (reissue)
A fantastic little record – and very much the kind of set that the Strata East label was created to represent! The music here would hardly have found a home on the bigger jazz labels of the period – not because it's too avant garde or non-commercial, but just because it's so deeply ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Bruton Music/Trunk (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s.
Nothing brutish here – as Trunk Records takes a dip into the sweeter side of the Bruton Records sound library – with a great focus on tunes from the label that are mellow, jazzy, and often filled with these wonderfully laidback grooves! You'll recognize most of these artists from ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)

Pharoah Sanders

Rejoice (180 gram pressing)
Theresa/Pure Pleasure (UK), 1981. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
Fantastic 80s work from Pharoah Sanders – with a vibe that's a perfect extension of his classic work for the Impulse label! The album has Pharoah working with an amazing group – Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, John Hicks and Joe Bonner on piano, Art Davis on bass, and either Elvin Jones or ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Nimbus/Pure Pleasure (UK), 1983. (reissue)
An overlooked gem from west coast vibist Ricky Kelly – a player who only cut a small number of records, but who was kind of an 80s equivalent to some of the hippest Bobby Hutcherson work of the 70s! This album's a bit different than some of the more avant work on the Nimbus Records label ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Edition Telemark (Germany), 1964/2012. LP & 2CD
Some of the first recordings ever from legendary drummer Sven Ake Johansson – mixed here with a range of other material too – all in one mightily overstuffed package! Side one of the LP features Sven in a setting that's very different than usual – at least compared to later work ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Alex Sipiagin

Upstream
Posi tone, 2021.
Trumpeter Alex Sipiagin has grown tremendously in recent years – and a record like this is a fantastic demonstration of his talents as both an instrumentals and as a composer – and also as a leader of a very well-matched group! The combo is a quartet, but soar out with a spirit that ... CD (Jazz CD)
Stag O Lee (Germany), Late 50s/Early 60s.
Raw rockers in the best Stag O Lee tradition – but given an extra-special punch here, given that the music is all hand-picked by DJ Keb Darge! Years back, Darge was an expert on American funk of the 60s and 70s – but over the years, he's become an equally well-suited collector of rare ... CD (Rock CD)
Enja/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1970s/1980s. 2CD
An important part of the long legacy of Enja Records – a label that was based in Germany, but also offered key opportunities for expression to Japanese musicians over the years – especially during the 70s, when Enja released represented some of the few times these musicians were heard ... CD (Jazz CD)

Ruud Bos

De Fabriek
678 Records (Belgium), 1981.
A rare later soundtrack from Dutch composer Ruud Bos – best known for some very funky work at the start of the 70s, and still going strong here a decade later! The score's got a much more mid 70s vibe than you'd expect – like some of the best American cop show work of the early 70s, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soundtracks LP)

Hoodoo Fushimi

Kenka Oyaji
180g (UK), 1987. (reissue)
Pretty great work from Hoodoo Fushimi – a one-man show who provides plenty of hip hop-inspired beats, breaks, and keyboard lines – served up on assortment of instruments recorded in his own home studio in the 80s! To say that the record is straight hip hop might be a stretch – as ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Jugoton/Everland (Germany), 1970s. 2LP Gatefold
Fierce funk from behind the iron curtain in the 70s – a huge selection of tracks from the Yugoslavian record label Jugoton – most presented here to the western work for the first time ever! The music here isn't the usual American funk and soul of the decade – even though the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)
Buried Treasure (Germany), Late 60s/1970s/Early 80s.
Nearth 20 years of work from some of the more obscure sound library labels on the European scene – served up here in a blend of modes that moves between heavy funk, jazzier grooves, and some more atmospheric keyboard-heavy tracks – all of which we're not sure we've ever heard before! ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)

Czarface & MF Doom

Super What?
Silver Age, 2021.
MF Doom left our planet all too soon, and he left behind a great legacy of music, too – including a previous collaboration with the Czarface collective, nicely matched by this posthumous set! The balance here is great, and the set brings the metal man of mystery into great play with his ... CD (Hip Hop CD)
Digitmovies (Italy), Early 70s. 2CD
A trio of very unusual soundtracks from Stelvio Cipriani – all done for a cycle of films that are billed in the notes as "costume erotic comedies"! The "costume" refers to the fact that the stories are all set in the imagined past – where the erotic styles that ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Enterprise/Big Pink (South Korea), 1971. Gatefold
An unusual rock record issued by the Enterprise imprint of Stax Records – the same one that released the Isaac Hayes albums at the time, and maybe a good choice for Ben Atkins, given some of the soulful currents in his music! The ramshackle cottage on the front is maybe a good indication of ... CD (Rock CD)
Trojan/Doctor Bird (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s. 2CD
Forget the cheapo look of the cover, as the set's a classic batch of gems from the Trojan Records catalog – 2CDs worth of material, with 55 titles that go way past the obvious hits – served up in a great mix of rocksteady and early reggae modes, and filled with the kind of tunes that ... CD (Reggae CD)
Jazz Haus (Germany), Mid 60s. 2CD
Incredible early work from German guitarist Volker Kriegel – rare recordings that easily stand strong alongside his classic work for the MPS label – including his trippy sides with the Dave Pike set! A number of tracks here preface his work with Pike – and feature vibes from ... CD (Jazz CD)

Abdullah Ibrahim

Mindif
Enja/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1988.
A great set that features Abdullah Ibrahim's soundtrack music for the 1988 Clair Denis film Chocolat – some of his best group recordings of the 80s! The feel here is a bit more African-styled than usual – even for Ibrahim – with strong use of reeds to inflect the tunes with the ... CD (Jazz CD)

Michael Stosic

Michael Stosic
P-Vine (Japan), 1982. (reissue)
A really unusual self-released set from Michael Stosic – a singer who moved into more spirit-based music in recent years, but who gave the world this wonderful AOR-styled debut at the start of the 80s! The record's one of those that came out on a title label – Stosic's own – but ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Vistone/P-Vine (Japan), 1975.
A crazy bit of funk from drummer Roy Porter – a player who first rose to fame during the LA bop years of the late 40s, but who sounds even hipper here in the 70s! The album's got a madly skittish approach to funk – one that's highly rhythmic, but often in unconventional ways – ... CD (Jazz CD)

Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim)

Africa – Tears & Laughter
Enja/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1979.
Dollar Brand is always a hell of a pianist, but he also has a way to really make equal magic when working with a horn – which happens here not just with the soprano and alto work of group member Talib Quadr, but also from some soprano work by Dollar Brand himself! The record's got this ... CD (Jazz CD)

David Batiste & The Gladiators

Funky Soul (parts 1 & 2)
Family Groove, Late 60s.
A stunning bit of funk from the New Orleans scene of the 60s – served up here by one of the brothers in the famous Batiste musical family from the city! The tune begins with an instantly-riffing guitar line – coming down hard with snapping drums, bumping bass, and organ all blended ... 7-inch, Vinyl record (Funky 45's 7-inch)
Glydezone, 2021. (pic cover)
A great little record from Dam Funk – a two-song set that might look like a 12" single, but which features both tunes spinning out for nearly the length of the side of a full length record! "Destination Known" is great – a tune which has the electric urban cityscape vibe ... LP, Vinyl record album (Neo Soul LP)

DJM Trio

Cave Art
Paxico (UK), 2021.
A jazz trio, but one who serve up tunes from a whole host of different hip hop sources – instrumental readings of cuts originally served up by 9th Wonder, Jurassic 5, Pete Rock, MF Doom, and Tribe Called Quest! The setting is familiar – bass, drums, and either piano or keyboards, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Nimbus/Pure Pleasure (UK), 1983. (reissue)
A lost spiritual jazz classic from pianist Nate Morgan – maybe the musician's best-remembered moment, and for good reason too! The set's got this soaring, spiritual vibe that's much more early 70s than you'd guess from the date of recording – a post-Coltrane spirit with lots of modal ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

John Taylor

Pause & Think Again
Turtle/Eargong (UK), 1971. Gatefold (reissue)
Marvelous work from pianist Mike Taylor – maybe the greatest album we've ever heard from this under-recognized British genius, and a set that's got some of Taylor's most inventive writing and arrangements! The group's larger than some of Taylor's usual settings – and features John ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Akio Sasajima

Humpty Dumpty
Enja/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1993.
Tenor genius Joe Henderson joins guitarist Akio Sasajima here – and the album's one of a few great sets the pair recorded together – very vibrant sounds from Joe, at a time when he was really finding his way back to the limelight! The pair have a really unique vibe together – ... CD (Jazz CD)

Giacomo Dell'Orso

Belli E Brutti Ridono Tutti
Beat (Italy), 1979.
A soundtrack that's a sexy and playful as you might guess from the cover – done by Giacomo Dell'Orso for a late 70s Italian comedy, and handled with a number of short tracks that add up to a fair bit of music by the time the record is done! Some tunes follow the whimsical main theme on a ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Verve/Universal (Japan), 1967.
The second fantastic album from Tim Hardin – a singer/songwriter classic that's gone on to have a tremendous amount of pull and power over the years – and for good reason too! With songs like these, Hardin set the stage for so many other singers to come – bringing in a lot of his ... CD (Rock CD)
Radio Martiko (Belgium), 1960s/Early 70s. 2LP Gatefold
A fantastic combination of sounds – as older Greek modes hit the rock and roll years, get electrified, and turn out all these amazing records in the process! Part of the sound here comes from an electrified version of the bouzouki – often used with a deftness that might rival American ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)

Tony Allen & The Afro Messengers

No Discrimination
Comet (France), 1979. (reissue)
Tony Allen steps out onto his own – moving away from the Afrika 70 group who accompanied him on his first three solo albums – nicely cooking here into a whole new groove! The tracks are a bit shorter than the side-long jams of previous records, but no less funky – as Tony somehow ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Regent Park Songs, 2021.
A genre-setting record from Mustafa – Muslim poet and songwriter, and an artist who approaches his music with a vibe that's unlike anyone else we can think of! The tunes often begin with a gentle slide into a groove – and a gentle groove once things get going – all to support the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Neo Soul LP)

Sons Of Kemet

Black To The Future
Impulse, 2021.
Sons Of Kemet borrow a page from the AACM with the title of this excellent album – maybe no surprise, as the work of the London group is every bit as revolutionary as the experiments of the AACM back in the day! As with their previous records, the Sons are working very hard to find a new ... CD (Jazz CD)

Francesco De Masi

Fuga Dal Bronx
Beat (Italy), 1983.
A sweet little rumble in the Bronx, scored here by Francesco De Masi – the Italian composer who gave us so many great cop and crime soundtracks in the 70s! The vibe here follows strongly from that work, but updates things slightly with a bit of a shift towards 80s keyboards and production ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Mercury, 1980s/1990s/2000s/2010s. 2LP Gatefold
A wonderful career-spanning overview of the work of Yello – the wonderfully weird Swiss duo of Boris Blank and Dieter Meier, a pair whose mix of electronics and rhythms were a key part in helping to transform the sound of the global dancefloor at the start of the 80s! The duo were artists ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)

Doug Carn

Revelation
Black Jazz/Real Gone, 1973.
The Black Jazz recordings of Doug Carn are always a revelation – some of the most powerful, progressive work on the American underground of the early 70s – music that got Carn into way more record collections than you might expect! The sound here is a perfect summation of Doug's early ... CD (Jazz CD)

Horace Tapscott

Dial B For Barbra
Nimbus, 1983.
A great group recording from pianist Horace Tapscott – recorded in LA in the early 80s, but done with all the righteousness and spirituality of his earlier albums! Tracks are long and exploratory, but also relatively lyrical too – stretching out with a style that's never too "outsi ... CD (Jazz CD)
Philadelphia International/Legacy, 1970s.
A soaring set of classics from one of the greatest soul labels of all time – the Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff powerhouse of Philadelphia International Records – home to a huge amount of music that was as important to the 70s as Motown was to the 60s! Philly International opened the door ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
RCA/Parlophone, Late 60s. (reissue)
The first truly great David Bowie electric guitar album – an all-out, power-driven set of tracks played by a group that included Mick Ronson and Tony Visconti! Bowie's in prime pre-Ziggy mode here – ripping into tunes that blister with dark energy that are some of the first truly ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2021.
Drummer Chad Taylor is one of the most versatile performers we know – a drummer who can move easily between a variety of different settings, always finding the right touch for the right moment! Yet here, Taylor may be in one of his most unique settings to date – improvising on two long ... CD (Jazz CD)

Clyde McPhatter

Ballads Of Clyde McPhatter
Bear Family (Germany), Late 50s/Early 60s.
Beautiful work from the great Clyde McPhatter – a singer who's often known for some of his hard-rocking work of the R&B years, but who could also be great with a mellower, gentler tune too! Clyde had a fantastic range – so much so, that had he stayed on this planet long enough, he ... CD (Soul CD)

Creative Arts Ensemble

One Step Out (180 gram pressing)
Nimbus/Pure Pleasure (UK), 1981. (reissue)
A great bit of work from the hip LA scene that centered around the Nimbus label at the end of the 70s – a collective who work together here with the same spiritual jazz modes you'd find on labels like Tribe or Strata East! The group features some bigger names from the scene, including some ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Acid Jazz/Roots (UK), 2021.
A mysterious set of tracks from producer Jah Thomas – work from his vaults, but served up here with some new musical elements and some guest vocals too – at a level that goes a long way to bridge Thomas' roots in the 70s with his more recent work on the Roots label of Acid Jazz! There's ... LP, Vinyl record album (Reggae LP)
La La Land, 1970.
An obscure American film score from the great Michel Colombier – a talent we're used to hearing behind some of the grooviest French singers of the late 60s! Here, Colombier's in a very different vibe – crafting a superb soundtrack with full orchestrations recorded in Hollywood – ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Freedom/Muzak (Japan), 1965.
Tremendous early work from South African pianist Dollar Brand (aka Abdullah Ibrahim) – exactly the kind of sounds that set him apart from so many other musicians at the time, and which brought him great attention on the European scene of the 60s! The tunes are long and open – strongly ... CD (Jazz CD)

Henry Franklin

Skipper
Black Jazz/Real Gone, 1972.
One of the greatest moments ever from west coast bassman Henry Franklin – a set of soaring, spiritual power – and a key demonstration of his rich energy as a leader! Franklin heads a wicked lineup here – playing both Fender and acoustic bass amidst other players who include Bill ... CD (Jazz CD)
Radio Martiko (Belgium), Mid 60s. Gatefold
Divine reeds, indeed – as the set features a host of rare recordings from Greek clarinet player Tassos Chalkias – recorded here for his own short-lived label! Tassos has a sound that's amazing – rooted in older Greek modes, but filled with the sorts of tones you'd hear from ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
ALG/Vampi Soul (Spain), 1980. (reissue)
A salsa smoker from the great Alfredo Linares – recorded at the start of the 80s, and almost a summation of all the greatness Linares had packed into his music during the decade before! Alfredo is on piano throughout – really driving things along with a rhythmic pulse and the kind of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Latin LP)

Gizelle Smith

Revealing
Jalepeno (UK), 2021.
Gizelle Smith changes things up here nicely – moving past her roots as a deep funk singer with the Mighty Mocambos, and maybe growing into a more fully-formed role as a classic 70s-styled soul artist! The backings are funky, rich, and full – shifting in mood and complexity, at a level ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
JuJu/Broc (France), Late 60s. 2LP Gatefold
A really rare slice of work from the funky genius Janko Nilovic – not the sound library grooves which have gained him fame over the decades – but instead a batch of rare cuts from his own short-lived record label, which he formed in 1968 with soul singer Davy Jones! Nilovic and Jones ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)

Betty Davis

Nasty Gal
Island/Light In The Attic, 1975. Gatefold (reissue)
The biggest-label release ever cut by 70s funk legend Betty Davis – but a set that's every bit as hard and heavy as the indie dates that preceded it! Davis is at the top of her form here – bad-stepping amidst the heavy drums and freaked-out guitars that easily made her one of the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Costeno/Vampi Soul (Spain), 1980. (reissue)
A Colombian record from the start of the 80s, but one that's got a very different vibe than most from the time – almost more lean and stripped-down – at a level that goes back to the roots of champeta, but which also brings in all these other strange touches too! Most of the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Latin LP)

Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood

Live
International Anthem, 2021.
Angel Bat Dawid is a completely mesmerizing artist on record, but she's even more mindblowing in a live setting – where she seems to channel the energy of the skies and the planet into her music – brimming over with righteous energy that guides the rest of the group with a hell of a lot ... CD (Jazz CD)

Otis Brown

Southside Chicago
Numero, Mid 60s.
Otis Brown wasn't the biggest name on the Chicago scene of the 60s – but during that decade, he cut some fantastic work for a variety of small labels – and finally gets his due on this complete collection of his rare 45s! Although home to big labels like Chess, Vee Jay, and One-Der-Ful ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Chequers

Check Us Out
Creole/Survival Research (Australia), Mid 70s. (reissue)
An obscure little set from the UK scene – the first full album from a group who started out with more of a Jamaican influence, but soon moved heavily into soul – although served up here with all sorts of very cool, very unusual touches throughout! The groove can be straight, but there's ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Manu Dibango

Africadelic
Survival Research (Australia), Early 70s. (reissue)
Incredibly funky work from Manu Dibango – a set that's easily as great as his classic Soul Makossa album – but which is a lot more obscure overall! The work's got a fiercely-jamming quality all the way through – lots of rumbling percussion at the bottom, and also a bit of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)

Electric Jalaba

El Hal/The Feeling
Strut (UK), 2021. Gatefold
A swirling mix of modes from Electric Jalaba – a group who are first inspired by the hypnotic groove of gnawa music from North Africa, but who also bring a fair bit of contemporary elements to their music – dark strains of electronics that make the whole thing this unusual blend of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Universal (Japan), 1982. (reissue)
One of the wildest sets ever recorded by Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – and that's saying a lot, given some of his other work! The vibe here is fusion, but with a definite 80s spacey twist that's hinted at by the cover – as Kawasaki handles most of the instruments himself, mixing ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Innov Gnawa

Lila
Daptone, 2021.
A fantastic little record – served up by a group of Moroccan musicians working in New York, where they've clearly found a way to expand their sound nicely from their roots! As you might guess from their name, Innov Gnawa are proponents of the hypnotic grooves you'd find in Moroccan gnawa ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Vampi Soul (Spain), Early 70s. (pic cover)
The first-ever single from this lovely female duo – a pair who hail from Colombia, and present early versions of two tunes they'd record again later on! "Fue Una Lagrima" has a warm blend of harmonies and lively instrumentation – an electric bassline that dips nicely at the ... 7-inch, Vinyl record (Funky 45's 7-inch)
Canyon/Alive, 1970. Gatefold (reissue)
One of the earliest albums ever from Swamp Dogg – and one of the best as well! The set was cut down at Capricorn Studios in Macon, and has a wicked blend of southern funk and deep soul that Swamp never hit this well ever again – a quality that almost makes us think the album was more ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Dick Hyman

Age Of Electronicus
Command/Pleasure For Music, 1969. Gatefold (reissue)
One of the all-time great moog albums of the 60s – served up by pianist Dick Hyman, who'd cut a fair bit of more standard material in the years before – but who also turned out to be a wizard with the new electric instrument, helping it to find a very fresh sound! Unlike some of the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Now Sound LP)
Doghouse & Bone (France), Late 50s/Early 60s.
An unusual little set – one that features some of the soul-styled modes of the other collections on this label, but which also quickly moves into more exotic territory too – a blend that ends up showing some of the more criss-crossed styles in the indie records 7" single ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Atlantic/Big Break (UK), 1984.
A game-changing album from Change – a real breakthrough for the early 80s international soul combo! Change Of Heart has some great production by Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis – and on top of that, it's perhaps the best set of songs the group had recorded to to date. Jam/Lewis wrote half the ... CD (Soul CD)
Victor/Lilith (Italy), 1973. Gatefold (reissue)
Really heady work from Brainticket – a Swiss trio, and one who serve up this masterpiece at a level that rivals the best Krautrock work of the time! There's a very heady quality to many of the tunes – not full-on jamming, but instead this really compelling use of instrumental elements ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Doghouse & Bone (France), Mid 50s. Gatefold
The great La Noire series hops a Greyhound bus, and takes a musical journey across 50s America – stopping along the way for a great array of R&B singles and early pre-soul gems! The tunes are a well-chosen batch of cuts – lesser-known numbers from that moment when jump blues was ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Fremeaux & Associates (France), 1960s/1970s/1980s/1990s/2000s/2010s. 3CD
French vibist Dany Doriz has been making music for many decades – as you can probably guess from the title of this set – and during that time, he's proven to be one of the most versatile musicians on his scene – able to shift between modern and trad jazz modes, hit some Lionel ... CD (Jazz CD)
Broc (France), 2016.
A really great setting for the talents of French funky sound library genius Janko Nilovic – a set of new recordings that feature Janko on keyboards, alongside some very stripped-down beats and rhythms! Given that Nilovic's music has been sampled often over the years, the approach is no ... CD (Sound Library CD)
Rambling (Japan), 1971. Gatefold
The funkiest version we've ever heard of this great Bruce Lee soundtrack – one that brings together all the sweet instrumental moments by Peter Thomas, with sound that's much better than any other reissue! While previous versions have taken the music along with the dialogue, this gem of a ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soundtracks LP)
Aerophonic, 2021. 2CD
Here's a case where the word "covid" doesn't have to be thought of in ways that make you shudder – as the always-inventive reedman Dave Rempis used the dark days of 2020 to find new ways of expression, and make a deeper exploration of different sides of his music! One of those ... CD (Jazz CD)

Byard Lancaster

My Pure Joy
Black Fire/Strut (UK), 1992.
A really obscure set from legendary reedman Byard Lancaster – a set that was issued late in the history of the spiritual jazz label Black Fire, but one that's every bit as essential as their music from the 70s! Lancaster works here often with just a bit of percussion in the background – ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
DC Records/Tidal Waves, 1980. (reissue)
A rare funky gem from this obscure Florida group – a combo with roots in the more-famous Winstons – that legendary group who gave the world "Amen Brother" at the end of the 60s! The work here is equally funky, but in a different sort of way – tight 70s ensemble funk, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
GAD (Poland), 1963.
Two very early soundtracks from legendary Polish modernist Krzystof Komeda – both very different than his 60s work for Roman Polanski, but equally striking overall! The work for Mam Tu Swoj Dom is performed on short tracks handled by different instrumental groupings – with piano, flute ... CD (Soundtracks CD)

Billy Bang

Lucky Man (3LP set)
BBE (UK), 2021. 3LP Gatefold
One of the most compelling albums in years from Billy Bang – and that's really saying a lot, given how much compelling music he's recorded! The set is put together in conjunction with a fascinating documentary on Bang's life, music, and time spent fighting in Vietnam – an experience ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Mokomizik (UK), Early 60s. (reissue)
A wonderful little record, and one that certainly lives up to the "fantastic variety" promise of its title! The set features work from Panamanian pianist Alonso Wilson De Briano – and although you'll see the word "calypso" in the title, the overall sound is maybe more ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)

Paris Gadjo Club

Cafe Du Brasil 2
Fremeaux & Associates (France), 2021.
A really wonderful mix of styles – the gypsy swing of the Paris jazz world of the 30s, mixed with older tunes from the world of Brazilian music – all presented here in a blend that works surprisingly well together! The groove often takes most of its rhythm from non-percussion ... CD (Brazil CD)

Qur'an Shaheed

Process
Preference, 2021.
A beautiful little record – a relatively short set, one that was recorded over a period of a few years – but which comes across as a fantastic collaboration between singer Qur'an Shaheed and producer Jesse Justice! Justice plays lots of keyboards and drums on the set – often with ... LP, Vinyl record album (Neo Soul LP)

Warren Hampshire

Language Of The Birds
Athens Of The North (UK), 2021.
A solo album from Warren Hampshire, recorded right around the same time as his collaborations with Greg Foat, but done with a very different vibe! The set's got a nicely pastoral approach – slow building sounds that are somewhere between spiritual and meditative modes, with work from ... CD (Jazz CD)
Black Fire/Strut (UK), 1977.
An intense album of spiritual jazz tracks – played by Lon Moshe and the Southern Freedom Arkestra – maybe one of the only albums we've ever seen by this lesser-known vibist! The album was recorded in 1976, during the height of the Black Fire DC underground scene – and Moshe's ... CD (Jazz CD)

Ivan Makvel

Family Affair
Sleeperz Recordz, 2021.
Ivan Makvel's wearing his sound well on the cover – a sweet 80s version of old school funky – heavy on bassy bits and keyboards, and served up with an ensemble of guest stars who definitely make the record feel like a family affair! Ivan provides some vocals – sometimes ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
Lex, 2014.
A solid – and at the time, underappreciated – effort from Bishop Nehru and MF Doom – one we love even more with bit of time on its side! Doom is more or less focused on the production side on this one while the former handles the majority of the rhymes – and having arrived ... LP, Vinyl record album (Hip Hop LP)
Freedom/Muzak (Japan), 1965.
Prime modern work from the great Paul Bley – a pianist who was really expanding his sound at this time – to a level that would soon make him a legend around the globe! The European date is a great chance to hear Bley really opening things up – playing freely, with an amazing ... CD (Jazz CD)

Amanda Whiting

After Dark
Jazzman (UK), 2021.
The harp in jazz is nothing new – Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane both gave us fantastic records on the instrument many years ago – but Amanda Whiting is out to use the instrument in ways that are very much her own, and which bring a whole new sort of role to the stringed sounds in ... CD (Jazz CD)
Impulse, 1960. Gatefold (reissue)
A wonderful chapter in the career of Ray Charles – and a key album in helping raise his respect level a notch or two in the early 60s! We might argue with the mathematics in the title – or at least joke that Ray was using equations as titles years before Anthony Braxton – but you ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Cosmic Eye (Amancio D'Silva)

Dream Sequence (180 gram pressing)
EMI/Roundtable (Australia), 1972. (reissue)
The most mindblowing work we've ever heard from guitarist Amancio D'Silva – a really freewheeling blend of jazz and Indian music, and a set that goes far beyond most of his other albums! The album definitely lives up to the dream sequence promised by the title – as it features one long ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Various

Indaba Is
Brownswood (UK), 2021.
A fantastic overview of contemporary work from the South African scene – most of it jazz-based, and brought together here as a great discovery of underground material we never would have heard otherwise! The set follows in a similar spirit to other Brownswood label explorations of the ... CD (Global Grooves CD)

Frank Derrick Total Experience

You Betcha! – Live At Fiddlers
PS Records/Tidal Waves, 1974. (reissue)
A pretty hip batch of soul jazz tracks – recorded by drummer Frank Derrick live at Fiddler's nightclub in Chicago. Derrick's group plays a bit of everything – from Eddie Harris funky jazz to driving big band numbers to organ-heavy soul jazz numbers – all with a nicely heavy ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

R+R Now (Robert Glasper/Derrick Hodge/Terrace Martin/Taylor McFerrin/Christian Scott)

R+R Now Live
Blue Note, 2021. 2LP Gatefold
A stunning supergroup from the contemporary scene on the west coast – heard here on a live set that's every bit as wonderful as the studio album that marked their debut! You'll probably know every player here from albums under their own names, and the group is every bit as great as the sum ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Steve Reid

Nova
Mustevic Sound/Soul Jazz (UK), 1976.
An underground soul jazz classic – massive grooves from drummer Steve Reid, and exactly the kind of set that's gotten him so much attention in recent years! There's a mixture of freedom and tightness here that's really wonderful – some of the looser elements of the loft jazz generation ... CD (Jazz CD)
Polskie Nagrania/GAD (Poland), 1975.
A searing 70s classic from SBB – a Polish jazz rock powerhouse, and one of the strongest groups to mix fusion inspiration with rock expression on the continent during the decade! The group is a tight trio formation – with strong drums, sharp guitar, and a great mix of bass, piano, and ... CD (Rock CD)
Mute, Late 70s/Early 80s.
A great introduction to the work of Telex – the very groovy Euro pop group started by keyboardist Marc Moulin after his early work in Placebo! The sound here is very different than that group – very catchy, very poppy, and upbeat with a ear towards helping the continental scene live ... CD (Rock CD)
Sire/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1979. (reissue)
Killer work from The Flamin Groovies – a group who were already a bit out of time at their start, and who continue that approach here during the late 70s punk years – but at a way that maybe makes them stand out even more than before! The set's got a style that mixes rock roots with ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)

Maria Teresa Luciani

Situazioni Del Terzo Mondo
Cinedelic (Italy), 1972. (reissue)
A really weird little record, and one that maybe gives away part of its approach with its cover – an abstracted version of sounds that are supposed to be more natural and organic, but which are very electronic and pulled far from any sort of instrumental referent! The music is almost a ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Virgin/Esoteric (UK), 1975.
A record that's maybe best remembered for its sexy 70s cover – which has more of a disco look than you'd expect from the group's sound – a mighty tight summation of British modes from the early 70s, served up by an all-star quartet with plenty of other work under their belt! At the ... CD (Rock CD)

Joe Lovano/Marilyn Crispell/Carmen Castaldi

Garden Of Expression
ECM (Germany), 2021.
Joe Lovano is one of those players who only seems to go deeper at a time when he could be taking it easy – really pushing his talents to new territory, and finding ways to evolve the way that he expresses himself! That's definitely the case here, in his second album with the trio of Marilyn ... CD (Jazz CD)
Something Weird/Modern Harmonic, 1960s.
A weird and wild collection of work that once graced the films of Doris Wishman – dubbed in the notes as the "pint-sized sleaze queen" of 60s nudist films – with an underground legacy that finally gets its due in this very cool package! The audio component is a mix of film ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soundtracks LP)
Columbia/Esoteric (UK), 1968.
One of THE greatest experimental rock albums of the 60s – a landmark effort from a short-lived group that included avant musicians Joe Byrd and Gordon Marron! The group's got a really tremendous sound – part psyche, part electronic, and part folk rock – all put together in a ... CD (Rock CD)
Fraternity/Ace (UK), Mid 60s.
Lonnie Mack's a hell of a guitarist, and one who never sounded better than on these early recordings for the Fraternity label – presented here in a a set that includes work from his famous album on Fraternity, plus some rare singles and other cuts too! Mack plays with a sense of focus that's ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Tomato/Sundazed, 1974. (reissue)
Quite a big album for Annette Peacock – and a set that helped break her into a much wider audience than before! The album's got a quirky electric style that's years ahead of its time – a blend of Peacock's older jazz roots with some of the artier styles that would show up much more ... LP, Vinyl record album (Vocalists LP)

Holy Modal Rounders

Indian War Whoop
ESP/Don Giovanni, 1967.
Some of the most tripped-out music ever from The Holy Modal Rounders – and that's saying a lot, given the nature of the group! This unique early album on ESP features two side-long tracks – both of which are mini-suites of sort, and filled with odd sounds, weird themes, and a strange ... CD (Rock CD)
Touch Sensitive (UK), Early 80s.
A really great collection of work – put together by one of the all-time great crate diggers – the mighty Cherrystones, a man who's introduced us to more great music over the years than we might care to admit! The package focuses on unusual cuts from the early 80s scene – work ... CD (Funky Compilations CD)
Fremeaux & Associates (France), Late 50s/Early 60s. 2CD
A great overview of the early soundtrack work of Georges Delerue – one of the first great composers to emerge from the French new wave/nouvelle vague generation – and an artist whose music was often a key part of those films! Some of the new wave cinema used music by jazz artists and ... CD (Soundtracks CD)

Stella Chiweshe

Ambuya (with bonus tracks)
Piranha (Germany), Late 80s.
Classic work from Stella Chiweshe – a set that gave mbira player Stella Chiweshe much wider exposure than some of her previous records, and a nicely bold sound to match! Stella sings lead vocals, and handles her instrument with amazing dexterity – and also uses a few other percussion ... CD (Global Grooves CD)

Annette Peacock

X-Dreams
Tomato/Sundazed, 1979.
Pretty wild stuff from Annette Peacock – almost a "no wave" record at times, with lots of quirky art rock overtones next to the jazz vocal stylings that are more of her typical bag. The album's got lots of heavy guitars from rockers that include Mick Ronson, Chris Spedding, and ... CD (Vocalists CD)

Armando Trovajoli

Il Vuoto
Four Flies (Italy), 1964.
Early work from the tremendous Armando Trovajoli, but a set that shows that the maestro was already at the top of his game – coming off of some great experience on the Italian jazz scene of the late 50s, and able to blend that experience with more cinematic modes! The vibe here is different ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soundtracks LP)
Ember/Sundazed, 1975.
A strange little set from the 70s – one that has a cover that looks a fair bit like US trucker country of the time, but which comes across with a nicely different vibe! In truth, Mother Trucker are a UK group – all-girls, all-rocking, but with a cool compressed sort of approach that's ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Abkco, 1982. (reissue)
The first of Bobby's highly successful Poet albums from the early 80s – wonderfully done albums that showed the world that he was still very much on top of his game at the time! The sound here is great – still with that older Womack rasp and warmth, but also done in a slightly smoother ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Svart (Finland), Late 60s.
An incredible collection of modern jazz from Finland – a set that brings together four different releases, all originally issued only as on vinyl as 7" single EPs! First up is an early set from saxophonist Eero Koivistoinen – very freewheeling material that's in a 60s modern ... CD (Jazz CD)

COB (Clive's Original Band)

Spirit Of Love
CBS/Bread & Wine, 1972.
A beautiful little record from the glory days of the acid folk scene in the UK – a set served up by Clive Palmer, who you might know from work in Incredible String Band and Wizz Jones – sounding even more enigmatic here at the helm of a trio who were produced by the legendary Ralph ... CD (Rock CD)
Cometa (Italy), Mid 70s.
Not much of a cover, but that's usually the way it is with the Cometa Sound Library – who provided all the great grooves on this set! Cometa was one of the more obscure sound library labels on the 70s scene – but they also maybe lasted the longest, perhaps because they were small ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Verve (Japan), 1956.
One of the most compelling Verve albums from guitar genius Tal Farlow – a drummer-less trio session, recorded with Eddie Costa on piano and Vinnie Burke on bass – really opening up at a level that lets you hear just how revolutionary Farlow's approach was at the time. Tal's tone is as ... CD (Jazz CD)

Moggi (Piero Umiliani)

News News News News News
Musica Per Immagini (Italy), 1979. (reissue)
A really wonderful record from sound library wizard Piero Umiliani, and one that really takes its title seriously – as most of the tracks here have a very news-worthy sort of vibe! There's a fair bit of keyboards and electronics in the set – and Umiliani moves between numbers that seem ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)

Harari (The Beaters)

Rufaro/Happiness
Sun/Matsuli (UK), 1976. (reissue)
Seminal South African work from Harari – a group who'd previously recorded as The Beaters, but changed their name after getting a new spiritual awakening while touring Zimbabwe! That new name and new spirit really fits the sound here – an even deeper incarnation of the style they ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Big Crown, 2021.
A sweet little tribute to the great Sunny Ozuna – the soulful lead singer of The Sunliners, who were one of the best Texas soul groups back in the 60s! His original tunes virtually invented the concept of brown-eyed soul, and helped bridge communities in the process – and that spirit ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)

Keith Jarrett

Budapest Concert
ECM (Germany), 2020. 2 CDs
Keith Jarrett in our favorite side of his talents – playing the long, improvised style that first made him a breakthrough artist on ECM in the 70s – and which still remains one of his most important contributions to the history of jazz! Even later years, Jarrett's sense of imagination ... CD (Jazz CD)
Salut/BBE (UK), 1985. (reissue)
A set of work from Lebanese composer Ihsan Al-Munzer, who you might know from his work with various vocalists – but a record that's all-instrumental, and which almost has the feel of an 80s sound library set overall! Tracks are heavy on keyboards – used in varying ways from cut to cut, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Bear Family (Germany), Early 60s.
A way cooler set than you might expect – rock and roll from early 60s German that has a voice that's all its own – not slavish takes on American hits, but some really great work that shows that this new generation of musicians are really finding their own sound and style! Sure, there's ... CD (Rock CD)
Long Road Society, 2021.
The title's a bit mysterious, but the book is very very cool – a guide to loads of rare, raw singles – each of which gets a full page devoted to itself! The book is all color, with heavy glossy pages – and each of the rare 45s is presented with a full scan of the record, and a ... Book (Book)
Athens Of The North (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s.
Igloo Records was a teeny tiny label on the LA scene of the early 70s – but all of its releases turned out to be killers – most handled by the hip-looking Leon Gardner on the cover! The music is often heavy with the kind of deep funk you'd expect from rare singles at the time – ... CD (Funky Compilations CD)
678 Records (Belgium), 1981.
A rare later soundtrack from Dutch composer Ruud Bos – best known for some very funky work at the start of the 70s, and still going strong here a decade later! The score's got a much more mid 70s vibe than you'd expect – like some of the best American cop show work of the early 70s, ... CD (Soundtracks CD)

Gogo Penguin

GGP/RMX
Blue Note (France), 2021. 2LP
The sound of Gogo Penguin is always nice and lean – still full of bold sounds and colors, but with plenty of space to be opened up nicely in a remix project like this! The tracks within are a nicely varied lot – handled in many different ways – sometimes with almost a whole new ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Nathan Bartell

Nathan Bartell
Athens Of The North (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s.
Fantastic funky soul from a very mysterious figure – Georgia's Nathan Bartell, a singer with a deep soul style, and an under-exposed legacy that mostly involves a few indie label singles, and countless work in the smaller clubs of his state! The blend of music here is a bit different than ... CD (Soul CD)
Favorite (France), Late 70s/Early 80s.
Sweet sounds from way beyond the American scene – a range of tracks from global sources, but which are tied to some of the best soulful styles of the Cali scene of the 70s! Don't think the AOR in the title means that these cuts are all commercial hits – as they're well-produced, but ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)

Joao Selva

Navegar
Underdog (France), 2021.
Joao Selva has a great way of bridging classic Brazilian modes and contemporary sounds – a quality we loved on his debut, and which seems to be even more fully-formed here on his second release! Maybe that past/present quality is no surprise, though, when you consider that the record's a ... CD (Brazil CD)

Alessandro Alessandroni/Francesco DeMasi

Lesbo (180 gram limited edition pressing)
Beat/BTF (Italy), 1969. Gatefold
Sexy ladies on the cover, and some equally sexy sounds underneath – served up in a perfect 60s Italian blend of jazz and bossa-based styles! Sweeping strings bring a nice sense of depth to some numbers, while others have a more intimate feel – either via spare guitar, or some jazzy ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soundtracks LP)

Francisco Mora Catlett

Mora/Mora 2
AACE/Far Out (UK), Late 80s.
A pair of great albums back to back – both rare albums from a percussionist who worked with Sun Ra! First up is Mora volume 1 – a legendary early set from percussionist Francisco Mora Catlett – and a really sublime blend of spiritual jazz and Latin rhythms! Mora's percussion is ... CD (Jazz CD)
Klik/Freestyle (UK), 1975.
Warmly wonderful early work from William Bunny Clarke – billed here under a different name, but the same singer who'd rise to great fame a few years later as Bunny Rugs in Third World! The vibe here is different than his hits with that group – more laidback and mellow, with great ... CD (Reggae CD)

B-52s

Wild Planet
Warner/Rhino, 1980. (reissue)
They may look goofy on the cover, but the young B-52s are incredible here – working with this spare sense of power that almost makes us think that we didn't need most of what happened in rock and roll during the 70s – given the way these guys can distill a mood or moment down to just a ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)

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Updated June 23, 2021


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