Columbia/BGO (UK), Late 70s. 2CD
Four great albums from the 70s soul years of Johnny Mathis – all brought together in a single set, and with bonus cuts too! First up is The Heart Of A Woman – on which the voice of Johnny Mathis meets the soulful arrangements of Paul Riser and HB Barnum – all wrapped up with ...
(Vocalists CD)
Beat (Italy), 1973.
A wonderfully weird Ennio Morricone score – done for an equally weird western that starred the great Terence Hill in the lead! The movie mixes in a bit of comedy with straight action – and Morricone's music really fits that vibe – with a blend of more familiar classic Morricone ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Stax/Kent (UK), Early 70s.
A deep dive into the vaults of the legendary Stax Records – the Memphis label who helped usher in a whole new sound in soul music during the 60s, and was still going strong in the early part of the 70s! In the final years, Stax was hitting big with a number of stars, but also recording a bit ...
(Soul CD)
Now Again, 1975. (reissue)
Global psychedelic grooves from Zambia – the tripped out sounds of Witch! Witch works in a killer rock groove on Lazy Bones, with furious rhythms, heavy drums and fuzzed out guitars. It's all nice and raw and done with a really heady and fierce sense of groove – but there's some more ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Numero, Early 70s.
A tale of lost love, and lost music too – served up in this never-issued album from a very cool little group – a west coast girl pop outlet with a very dreamy sound! The group was formed by sisters Vicki and Ronnie Gosset, who'd later go on to greater fame as songwriters – but ...
(Rock LP)
Digitmovies (Italy), 1967.
Very groovy work from Ivan Vandor – one of the lesser-known artists of the Italian soundtrack scene, but getting some help here from 70s giant Stelvio Cipriani – who handles the orchestrations! The music is very striking and groovy – a late 60s update of earlier crime jazz modes, ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Posi tone, 2021.
Saxophonist Alexa Tarantino just seems to get better and better with each new record – stretching out here on a range of horns that includes alto and soprano sax, plus flutes and clarinet as well – and set up in a wonderful quintet that features the vibes of Behn Gillece, piano and ...
(Jazz CD)
Quartet (Italy), 1964.
An early soundtrack from Ennio Morricone – and a more unusual setting than some of his famous later work of the 60s and 70s! The movie is a prison comedy, and is handled by Morricone with style that's heavily in the crime jazz side of the spectrum – maybe more in the mode of Piero ...
(Soundtracks CD)
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 ...
(Jazz LP)
High Note, 2021.
The title tells it all – as trumpeter Charlie Sepulveda serves up a genre-defining set of Latin jazz – a record that's every bit about the jazz solos and instrumentation in the lineup, as it is the Latin rhythms at the core! The main group is just a sextet – no giant Latin ...
(Jazz CD)
Savant, 2021.
Alto saxophonist Jim Snidero has a hell of a rhythm section on this recent live date – Orrin Evans on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums – a trio who really set things on fire, right from the very first note! It's great to hear the three players working ...
(Jazz CD)
Jazz Is Dead, 2020.
Saxophonist Gary Bartz joins the duo of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – bringing a warm sense of soul to their soulful backings – which range from funky to spacey, and do a nice job of capturing the mid 70s feel of Gary on record! The sound isn't the Larry Mizell or Ntu Group ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Mercury/Get On Down, 1992. 2LP (reissue)
A 90s hip hop masterpiece from Diamond D – and like some of the rest of the best of the decade, a set that was slightly slept-on at the time, but which has gone to have massive impact over the decades – still sounding completely fresh in comparison to bigger hits of the time! Diamond D ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Don Giovanni, 1981.
A very cool group from the Boston scene of the early 80s – a quartet who are clearly as inspired by the aggro punk styles of the Leeds scene in the UK, as they are the jagged styles of the No Wave moment in New York! The guitars are razor-sharp and cutting all the way through – driving ...
(Rock LP)
Beat (Italy), 1970.
A soundtrack as striking as it's cover image – and a real lesser-known western gem from Ennio Morricone! The music balances a broad number of styles here – from darkly chanting vocals, to warmer mellower strings, to elements that more playfully evoke a sense of time and place – ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Analog Africa (Germany), Early 80s.
They certainly got the "explosion" in the title right – as these tracks leap right out of the groove from the very first note – very heavy on percussion, and with a much starker, funkier sound than some other West African work from the early 80s! The tracks are all from the ...
(Global Grooves CD)
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! ...
(Sound Library LP)
RCA/Be With (UK), 1971. (reissue)
A really groovy little record, and one that's got all sorts of very cool things going on – sweet female vocals from Sola that almost feel like they're lifted from a French record, and not a Spanish language set – mixed with orchestrations that have a nice undercurrent of funk – a ...
(Latin 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 ...
(Brazil LP)
Crane City, 2021.
Seattle rapper Da Qween looks relaxed and regal on the cover – but the sound of the set has a taught intensity that comes through right away – fast rhymes, crispy beats, and a sense of urgency that holds on all the way through! There's a few sung vocal moments that get nice and mellow ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Acid Jazz (UK), Late 60s. 2LP Gatefold
A fantastic compilation of work from one of the grooviest groups on the UK scene of the late 60s – a mod combo with a surprisingly funky undercurrent at times – and a sound that's virtually the definition of the freakbeat groove! The drums here are wonderful – as heavy and ...
(Rock LP)
Modern Harmonic, 1986.
Lost material from Mark Sandman – tracks recorded in between his time in Treat Her Right, and his greater fame in Morphine – served up here in the first-ever package of the recordings! The sound is nice and stark – almost the spareness of post-punk work, but with more mid 80s ...
(Rock CD)
No Business (Lithuania), 1987.
Two sharp-edged players, coming together here in a wonderful set of live improvisations – Derek Bailey on guitar and Mototero Takagi on alto sax – each working as if they've understood each others special qualities through years of performing together on stage! Bailey's strings have a ...
(Jazz CD)
Columbia/Better Days (Japan), 1982.
An unusual collection of tracks from Japanese pop genius Ryuichi Sakamoto – all material that features fusion wizard Kazumi Watanabe on guitar – himself sounding very different than on his straighter jazz albums! The sound here is maybe a bit more dynamic and driving than some of ...
(Rock LP)
Wah Wah (Spain), 1970. (reissue)
Bazali Bam look somewhat playful on the cover, but the record's got this darker intensity that points the way towards later experiments on the West African scene – with a blend of soul, funk, and psych elements that almost seem to be a precursor to Zamrock sounds! Yet the style here is a bit ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Louder Than Life, 2021. 3LP
Salaam Remi's usually a key talent in the background for others – but here, he acts more like the leader in the spotlight – opening the door to a great array of talents, and really finding a way to express a powerful message over the course of the album! Remi's always had a great ear ...
(Hip Hop LP)
CTI/Friday Music, 1969. Gatefold (reissue)
A wonderfully wicked album – one that sold so many copies that it's sometimes hard to remember how great it is! George takes on all of Abbey Road – or just about all of it – as he runs through some of the most beautiful tracks The Beatles ever wrote, like "Golden ...
(Jazz LP)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2021.
An incredible package – one that brings together four rare publications by Sun Ra – printed words that are every bit as groundbreaking as his music – and which together represent the farther-flung corners of his vast cultural enterprise! The set represents each of the texts in ...
(Book)
No Business (Lithuania), 2021.
Bitches Brew is the club, not the sound of the music – a night spot in Yokohama where European reedman Liudas Mockunas improvised these performances in the company of a range of different Japanese players! The lineup shifts with each track, as do the horns handled by Mockunas – who ...
(Jazz CD)
JMI/BGO (UK), Early 70s. 2CD
The first three albums from Don Williams – brought together here in a single set! First up is Don Williams Vol 1 – well-crafted work from Don Williams – an artist who began as a songwriter, but really hit his stride on this debut album! Williams has a gentle, easygoing vocal ...
(Folk/Country CD)
Crane City, 2021.
Striking sounds from Seattle female rapper/producer Stas Thee Boss – a record that has a core of sounds inspired by the Miles Davis album On The Corner – referenced here in the title and cover graphic – with a shifting array of sounds and rhymes that the trumpeter would have been ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Grapefruit (UK), Early 70s. 3CD
Classic rock from before it was classic – but a set that's also filled with lots of musical surprises too! This isn't a batch of the oldies you'll hear played perpetually in the too-small set lists of classic rock FM stations over here – and instead, the box brings together a mix of ...
(Rock 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 ...
(Soundtracks CD)
No Business (Lithuania), 1979.
Unissued work from the fantastic Sam Rivers – a live date recorded in Germany in 1979, with a vibe that's somewhere in the territory of Sam's late 70s albums for the Circle label with Joe Daley – but handled here in a nicely different way! Daley is in the group on euphonium and tuba, ...
(Jazz CD)
No Business (Lithuania), 2021.
We're not entirely sure if the set was recorded underground, but there's definitely a sense of resonance that comes through in the performance – this echoey space that just seems to further intertwine the improvisations of the members of the group! Katarsis4 is an all-horn group – with ...
(Jazz CD)
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 ...
(Global Grooves CD)
SRFSCHL, 2021.
Hard to believe this is the fifth project together between Curren$y and Harry Fraud – and definitely a standalone project, despite what you might guess from the title! The album was originally supposed to be a deluxe take on Outrunners, but the duo are so quickly collaborative, they ended up ...
(Hip Hop CD)
Fremeaux & Associates (France), 1950s/Early 60s. 3CD
A really ear-opening set of music from the Portuguese scene of the postwar years – instrumental tracks that follow some of the stylistic developments of fado, but which often branch into wonderful sounds that are all their own! In a way, the set is a counterpart to the growth of flamenco ...
(Global Grooves CD)
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 ...
(Jazz LP)
Round Bale, 2021.
Recent work from underground hero Russell Hoke, but sounds that are every bit as timeless as his earlier records – done in a stripped-down style that has Hoke playing borrowed guitar and banjo, and recording onto an old cellphone – which makes the whole thing feel like it came out of ...
(Folk/Country LP)
Warner/Rhino, 1979. (reissue)
A hell of a debut from The B-52s – and a record that's become surprisingly timeless over the years, despite a retro-styled approach by the group! These guys aren't the silly group of later years here – and instead, they've got this moody darkness that's wonderful – a re-envisioned ...
(Rock LP)
Far Out (UK), 2021.
That's Antonio Neves wielding a trombone on the cover – but the set's got elements that move way past his great work on that horn – drawn from very collaborative contributions from different members of the contemporary scene in Rio! The record's got a jazz basis at the core, but ...
(Brazil CD)
Jazzman (UK), 2011. Gatefold (reissue)
The debut album from Greg Foat – the first of many great records the keyboardist would soon give us, and a set that came as quite a surprise on the mostly-reissue Jazzman label! Yet the set also makes a lot of sense – as Foat is clearly inspired by some of the British greats of the ...
(Jazz LP)
Philadelphia International/Vocalion (UK), Mid 70s.
A pair of 70s gems from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes! Black & Blue is classic Philly soul from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – a killer batch of studio tracks, despite the live image of the group on the cover! The album's got a slightly more expansive feel than some of the ...
(Soul CD)
Born Bad (France), Early 60s.
A really groovy set of tracks – not just the French cha cha promised by the title, but instead this beautiful mash-up of sounds and styles – often with results that are pretty darn unique! Sure, the rhythms are Latin, and the language is French – but there's also strands of crime ...
(French CD)
Innovative Leisure, 2021.
Nick Waterhouse has always had a commitment to classic-styled sounds in his music – and here, he seems to hit that mark even more than before – recording in Memphis with a nicely deep tone that blends together vintage elements of soul and pop, served up with these rich backings that ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Fremeaux & Associates (France), Late 1900s/1910s/1920s/1930s/1940s/Early 50s. 2CD
One of the best collections of early klezmer music we've ever seen – a big package that traces the roots of the style as it developed in the hands of early Jewish immigrants to America at the turn of the century – then grew and transformed as European styles came into context with ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Digitmovies (Italy), 1968.
A very early soundtrack from Italian great Franco Bixio – done when he was just a lad of 18, before his fame with Vince Tempera – but with a sound that puts the young Franco on equal footing with the best of the spaghetti western generation! The score begins with a groovy vocal tune ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Pye/BGO (UK), Mid 60s.
The first-ever full collection of all the groovy singles The Searchers recorded for the Pye Records label in the 60s – a 32 track set that includes both the a and b-side of every 7" release for the label! The Searchers were one of the leading lights of the early British invasion – ...
(Rock CD)
GAD (Poland), 1982.
A very jazzy set of sound library tracks from Poland – done in a mix of fusion and prog that's similar to some of that nation's great groups of the 70s – maybe no surprise, given that the guitarist in the group had also performed with the rock act Breakout! Yet here, the style is ...
(Sound Library CD)
Still Music, 2021. 2LP
The full length debut of Andy Ash – a younger UK artist who's been making a nice splash with tracks in recent years, and who emerges here fully formed, with more than enough talent to fill up the double length set! The tracks are nice and long, and occupy this spare, simple space – ...
(New Grooves LP)
Decca/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1971. (reissue)
A sweet debut set from Solution – a Dutch group who work here in a seriously jazzy blend of keyboards and reeds – almost with a vibe that's like Brian Auger in his post-Trinity years, but sometimes a bit more freewheeling too! The group's got great instrumentation from Tom Barlage on ...
(Rock LP)
Sunset Blvd, Late 50s/Early 60s. 2CD
Very early work from Willie Nelson – a set that doesn't have much in the way of notes, but which includes a huge amount of material we've never heard before – a total of 40 early tracks that show that Willie was a genius right from the start! The tunes are likely all originals from the ...
(Folk/Country CD)
Numero, 2014.
A beautiful little keyboard record – tracks recorded for a 21st Century modern dance performance, but which have lots of great touches of the 80s underground! There's a style here that mixes keyboards, synth, and drum machine elements that might normally be found in the cold wave scene ...
(Sound Library LP)
Atlantic/Big Pink (South Korea), 1971.
That's a Texas image on the cover, which is pretty fitting for the sound of Alamo – as they've got a really heady brew of psych, hard rock, and southern elements – all forged together with a sound that would have been right at home on early 70s Capricorn Records! The group are part of ...
(Rock CD)
Turkofon/Pharaway Sounds (Spain), 1974.
A masterpiece of Turkish psychedelia – and quite possibly the greatest album ever from Turkish psychedelic maestro Erkin Koray – a mad blend of sounds that definitely lives up to its "elektronik" title! Most numbers feature a weird blend of electric guitar and baglama – ...
(Rock LP)
GAD (Poland), Late 70s.
Some of the funkiest work we've ever heard from Polish vibist Jerzy Milian – a series of late 70s recordings that have him working with a larger ensemble in a very groovy mode! The approach is sound library or soundtrack funk at some points, but also almost gets a bit disco at others – ...
(Jazz CD)
Jazz In Britain (UK), 1970.
Some of the greatest work we've ever heard from legendary British guitarist Ray Russell – a set that was not issued to the public at the time, but recorded especially for the BBC – and with a sound that's every bit as striking as his famous albums for CBS! There's maybe a slightly more ...
(Jazz CD)
PVP (Patience, Violet, Pinky)
Malende
La Casa Tropical (Netherlands), 1992. 2LP
PVP are a trio of South African singers who really update their groove with this sweet set of tracks from the early 90s – music that still comes across with some of the charm of 80s soul music from South Africa, but which also shows a stronger house music influence in the rhythms – ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Astral Spirits, 2021.
That's a picture of legendary bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik on the cover, and the title of the record hints at the legacy of Sun Ra – both references that should really give you an idea of the spirit of the sound within! The liner notes are by pianist Pat Thomas, who calls for a deeper ...
(Jazz LP)
Funk Night, 2021.
Kenako bill themselves as an Afro Funk orchestra, but the group are much more offbeat and have a style that's very much their own – very much in the spirit of some of their contemporaries on the St Petersburg scene in Russia! The lineup is certainly large, and has the sorts of horns you ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Venus (Japan), 1994. (reissue)
Beautiful blowing from the great Barney Wilen – an album that's as relaxed as you might guess from the image on the cover, but which has a rock-solid sound all the way through! At this point in his career, Barney's definitely back on top of his game – playing both tenor and soprano sax ...
(Jazz LP)
LMLR (France), 1971.
Les Petroleuses has a nice variety of sounds – some of the slinky, sexy, Euro-styled numbers you'd expect from Lai in the early 70s, and from a film starring Brigitte Bardot – mixed with other tracks that seem to foreground a version of the old west that's a bit playful – using ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Finders Keepers (UK), Late 70s. (pic cover)
Two very groovy tracks – both with a sweet 70s vibe! "Mein Maschine" starts out with this slow bubbling funky vibe, then keyboards start sprinkling over the tune as things get fuller and even funkier – making for a mighty nice groove that has all these glistening elements in ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
Venus (Japan), 1995. (reissue)
Blue blowing from Archie Shepp – a great set of ballads from later years, recorded at a time when Shepp had stepped back inside considerably from his styles of the past – but still brought a great depth of soul to his recordings! The tunes here are mostly familiar numbers, but Archie ...
(Jazz LP)
ESP, 2021.
The legendary Joe McPhee makes a great appearance here – pushing the Flow Trio to a level of intensity that makes the album rival some of the mid 60s greats from the early years of the ESP label! The sound is wonderfully full and free – McPhee just blowing tenor, with a fantastic tone ...
(Jazz CD)
Trojan/Doctor Bird (UK), 1970. 2CD
A massive package – the full rare Undertaker album from Derrick Harriott & The Crystalites, plus an insane amount of bonus tracks too! The core album is instrumental – a wicked set of rhythms from The Crystalites, a group who have a vibe that's right up there with the best of the ...
(Reggae CD)
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 ...
(Jazz CD)
Guerssen (Spain), 1971.
An incredible Turkish psych album from Baris Manco – totally riveting work that blends some traditional Turkish influences with the panoramic psychedelia of the late 60s & early 70s – all of which makes for lots of fuzzed out rock-funk, and a fantastic melodic sensibility! The ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Gramophone Company Of India (UK), 1982. (reissue)
A very cool record, and exactly what's promised in the title – this beautiful mixing of guitar and tabla – the latter handled by Zakir Hussain, the former by the great Brij Bhushan Kabra! Tracks are nice and long, and are a variant of the 60s raga recordings that were captured often by ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Sun/Matsuli (UK), 1975. (reissue)
A landmark album on the South African scene of the 70s – a set that mixes together currents of jazz and funk, but at the start of a sound that would break forth even more in the decade to come! Yet The Beaters were there at the start – a young trio that includes drummer Sipho Mabuse, ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Acid Jazz (UK), 1992.
Fantastically sharp work from the Brand New Heavies – recorded live in Tokyo during their best early days with N'Dea Davenport in the lead – and with a sound that's every bit as tight as their sound in the studio! In fact, the live setting might even be better – as the group were ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Ropeadope, 2021.
A set recorded in Brooklyn, but one with plenty of Brazilian spirit in the music – served up in a mix of English and Portuguese lyrics, with a breathy sort of charm that really takes us back to the 60s! The album's more jazz vocals than bossa nova, but definitely has some of the latter ...
(Brazil CD)
A&M/Big Pink (South Korea), 1978.
A sweet AOR charmer from Randle Chowning – a singer you might know from his work in Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and who works here in a smoother take on the groove of that well-known group! The Daredevils always used a cool, compressed style on their vocals – and that approach sounds ...
(Rock CD)
BBE (UK), Late 70s/1980s. 2CD
The legend of Teena Marie lives again, and in a really beautiful way – as John Morales serves up tunes that work together almost as a tribute to the memory of the lady – with these really fresh versions that seem to add a lot of majesty to the sound as well! These aren't easy remixes ...
(Soul CD)
Astral Spirits, 2021.
Kuzu is fast becoming one of the more compelling settings for the saxophone talents of the great Dave Rempis – as the blend of sounds here really sets things apart from other improvised combos, even though the elements are all very familiar! Tashi Dorji has a way of handling the guitar that ...
(Jazz LP)
Gearbox, 1965.
Never-issued work from Don Cherry – and a really key piece of the puzzle in the career of this legendary trumpeter! The recordings were done for Swedish Radio, with great fidelity – more than just live tracks captured in a club, and instead some really thoughtful material that marks an ...
(Jazz CD)
Funkiwala (UK), 2021.
A Latin combo from London, but one with a wider range of styles in their music – as you might guess from the lineup pictured on the cover! Lokkhi Terra are great at familiar Latin jazz modes – really using their instrumentation to craft strong standout solos on trumpet, flute, Fender ...
(Latin LP)
Polydor/Universal (Japan), 1977.
A live set from Argentine musical legend Astor Piazzolla – recorded in Paris, and with a vibe that really makes the music even more striking than some of his other fantastic records from the 70s! The group's a bit different – in that it's got a drummer, who brings an even bolder sense ...
(Latin CD)
Ace/BGP (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s.
The reach of Miles Davis is plenty wide – as right from the start, the trumpeter was associating himself with some of the hippest young talent on the scene! Yet the apex of those associations may have come in the late 60s and early 70s, when the newly-electric Miles was experimenting in all ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Favorite (France), 1985. (reissue)
A sweet 80s groove from Brazil – a self-released set by George Sauma Jr, a singer who works in some nicely soulful territory throughout! In a way, the vibe here is a bit like the Marcos Valle albums of the early 80s – elements of modern soul and boogie in the rhythms, but given a very ...
(Brazil LP)
Big Crown, 2021.
A new and amazing chapter in the always-evolving sound of this wonderful funk ensemble – a set that holds onto all the unusual elements of previous records, but also brings in some beautiful vocals from singer Piya Malik on a number of tracks! Malik really fleshes out the sound on the ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Centering/Aum Fidelity, 2021. 10CD set
An incredible collection of work from the legendary bassist William Parker – not a package of older material, but a full ten albums' worth of new recordings done expressly for this set – showing Parker not only as a budding multi-instrumentalist over the space of the past few years ...
(Jazz CD)
Impulse/Universal (Japan), 1971.
One of the most spiritual albums recorded by Pharoah Sanders for Impulse – an open-ended and free-thinking exploration of ideas, one that's very much in the late Coltrane mode! As you'd guess from the title, the set's a live one, which maybe helps open up the sound even more – making ...
(Jazz CD)
Dia.L (Lailah Reich & Radius)
Injera
Etc, 2021.
Injera is a form of Ethiopian flatbread, but the sound here is anything but flat – a full, rich combination of beats, samples, keyboards, and other elements – all topped with some slyly soulful vocals! The lyrics don't jump right out of the mix on some tracks, while others are more ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Evolution/Sunbeam (UK), Early 70s. 2LP (reissue)
The lasting classic from Raw Material – a great little record captured at the crossroads of psych and prog, with a wonderful sound that even moves past both of those styles! At one level, the album's a tripped-out batch of heavy rock tunes – complete with vocals, fuzzy guitar, and lots ...
(Rock LP)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 40s/1950s/Early 60s.
A whole host of tunes that will help you say goodbye to winter and hello to spring – a light and lively mix of postwar cuts in a variety of styles – from early rockers, to instrumentals, radio pop gems, and even a bit of R&B – all put together with a very playful vibe! The ...
(Rock CD)
Throttle Elevator Music feat Kamasi Washington
Final Floor
Wide Hive, 2021.
We certainly hope this isn't the final floor for Throttle Elevator Music, as we've always enjoyed the many sounds the group has given us over the years – styles served up here on a record that's almost a testament to the collaborative growth of the ensemble over the past decade or so, as the ...
(Jazz LP)
Rempis Percussion Quartet (Dave Rempis/Ingebrigt Haker Flaten/Tim Daisy/Frank Rosaly)
Sud Des Alpes
Aerophonic, 2021.
A really great setting for the sublime reed talents of Dave Rempis – a special quartet that features two drummers, Tim Daisy and Frank Rosaly, plus bass from Ingebrigt Haker Flaten! Despite the name of the group, the sound here isn't an all-out percussion bombast – and instead, the ...
(Jazz CD)
Soul Jazz Pop/Mr Bongo (UK), 1977.
Clubby work from the South African scene of the 70s – but a set that's got a very equal amount of jazz – as you might guess from the group's saxophone-wielding leader on the cover! Tracks are long, and build from an instrumental core first – often leaving out vocals entirely, as ...
(Global Grooves CD)
MOD Reloaded, 2020.
Plenty of dark matter here – as we might guess on a record that's mixed by Bill Laswell, and which also features the sonic pioneer on bass – joining the trio of Monte Cimino on sound effects, Chris Sneeringer on analog electronics, and Chris Whitley on violin! The whole album feels ...
(Rock CD)
Flying Dutchman/Tidal Waves, 1972. Gatefold
A wild one! After the straight hard funk of some of his earlier recordings as a leader, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie breaks out here in a compelling album of soul jazz tracks done in a number of styles. The approach is sort of big studio funk – with some cuts that have a harder sound, ...
(Jazz LP)
Warner/Jackpot, 1977. (reissue)
The actual film was weaker than the first Exorcist movie, but the soundtrack's a great one – a wonderful Ennio Morricone score, right up there with his better-known classics of the 70s! Some tracks have a full, sweeping style that's sublime – that compressed Morricone approach to ...
(Soundtracks LP)
La La Land, 1967.
A really rare soundtrack from Quincy Jones – right up there with his jazziest gems of the 60s, but never issued on record at the time! The music is for an obscure film with Robert Wagner in the lead, and the sounds are a hip blend of the earlier jazz modes of Quincy, with some of the fuller ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Basta/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1950s/1960s.
Amazing! This is one of the coolest sets we've seen in years – and everything about it is fantastic, from the package right down to the triple-length set of music! The set features rare unreleased recordings from Raymond Scott's legendary Manhattan Research electronic music studios – ...
(Out Sound LP)
CBS/Mr Bongo (UK), 1976. (reissue)
A masterpiece of spacey soul by the great Asha Puthli – a really unique 70s singer who has this incredible vocal range, and a great way of using it amidst slinkily soulful tracks – a bit like Minnie Riperton, or maybe like some of the Sylvia Striplin work with Roy Ayers! The sound here ...
(Soul LP)
Salaam Records/Gotta Groove, 1969. (reissue)
Amazing spiritual jazz treasure – the only album ever issued by this obscure avant trio from the Cleveland scene – a group that includes a young Abdul Wadud on bass and cello! The style is nicely loose and open, but also very different than the sound of the AACM at the time – ...
(Jazz LP)
Turtle/Eargong (UK), 1970. (reissue)
Early genius from British saxophonist Mike Osborne – his first session as a leader, recorded in the company of some of the greatest players on his scene! Osborne's got a strong vision here that's apparent from the first note of the set – a mixture of freedom and cohesive energy that ...
(Jazz LP)
Turtle/Eargong (UK), 1971. Gatefold (reissue)
A complete classic from British pianist Howard Riley – exactly the sort of record that made him as important a new voice on the piano as Cecil Taylor in the US or Alexander Schlippenbach and Martial Solal on the European scene! The set's got the free, fiery vibe of some of Taylor's best work ...
(Jazz LP)
Scepter/Sundazed, Mid 60s.
The first-ever full length album of work by Candy & The Kisses – a really great east coast girl group who recorded these tracks for Scepter Records in the mid 60s! The trio are great – and have a way of snapping sweetly and hitting a groove that might have sounded very familiar ...
(Soul LP)
DB Recs/New West, 1980.
Overlooked genius from the scene in Athens, GA – served up by a group who also borrow plenty of influences from the UK post-punk world too! Pylon are heavy on bass that might be borrowed from Young Marble Giants, but then turned up in sound and speed – matched with these great guitar ...
(Rock LP)
Ace/Kent (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s.
Rare work from the early years of soul music – and a special set that focuses on sounds created in and around Los Angeles – a city that's not nearly as well known for 60s soul as Chicago, Detroit, or New Orleans! Yet during the postwar years, LA had just as much going on as those ...
(Soul CD)
Black Monk (Austria), 1982.
Two players we don't really know at all, but coming together here in a sublime set of reed-based creations – Alaeddin Adlernest on bassoon and Haru Ghulam Barrabas on alto sax – four long tunes that each have some sort of structure, but also balance things nicely with a sense of freedom ...
(Jazz CD)
Jazzaggression (Finland), 1973.
A real masterpiece from pianist Christian Reim – an unissued live set from 1973, conceived as one long suite for a very modern sextet! The music is wonderful – full of all these subtle moments of feeling that we don't always hear in some of Christian's other work – mixed with ...
(Jazz LP)
Tommy Boy, 1995. 2LP (reissue)
A stone classic from Lord Finesse – a key moment when the DITC underground got a chance to hit the mainstream – and really show the rest of the world why NYC was still the undisputed center of hip hop! Finesse is fantastic, both as a producer and lyricist – and that collaborative ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Black Monk (Austria), 1978.
Tremendous work by a jazz group we've not seen on any other records – working here in a set of live improvisations recorded in Austria in 1978! The sound is loose, but never entirely free jazz – as there's a good sense of rhythm to the group, hanging sometimes together in less-tradition ...
(Jazz CD)
GDM/Musica Per Immagini (Italy), 1981.
A surprisingly nice score, done for a relatively goofy Italian comedy at the start of the 80s – set inside a Chinese restaurant in Rome, and handled with some definite Eastern touches in the instrumentation – but all mixed up in funky cop show sort of backings – almost an early ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Jakarta (Germany), 2021.
Gianni Brezzo's a nom-du-date for Marvin Horsch – a German producer who handles a nice array of keyboards, guitar, bass, and percussion here – all in a swirling mode that starts somewhere in 70s electric jazz, but which comes off with a very contemporary vibe overall! Horsch has been ...
(New Grooves LP)
Somethin Cool (Japan), 2021.
A really lovely tribute to the memory of the great Chet Baker – served up here by Italian trumpeter Paolo Fresu – who works in a loose, open setting that's a bit like some of the wonderful overseas records that Baker cut in his final decade! Backing is just piano rom Dino Rubino and ...
(Jazz CD)
On-U Sound (UK), 1981. (reissue)
The seminal second album from New Age Steppers – a set that does key work in building a bridge between Jamaican roots and the growing UK underground! Sure, there had been plenty of other experiments during the early punk years – but here, Adrian Sherwood's really finding his groove ...
(Reggae LP)
Ace/Kent (UK), Late 60s.
A great entry in this really wonderful series – one that's shifted a lot over the years, and in the best way possible! "Classiest" may be a tough word to peg down – but here, it refers to tracks that are well-done, and completely put-together – yet which have the kind ...
(Soul CD)
Reprise, 1971.
The title might be a bit presumptuous, but the album presents a setting that maybe showcases the poetic style of Neil Young even more than some of his classic studio albums of the time – a live solo date, and one that really brings a new sort of quality to some of the era's more familiar ...
(Rock CD)
Fantasy, 2021.
Here's a record that may well push Valerie June over the top – a mature, fully-formed set that's filled with anthemic tunes that point the way to a whole new generation in soul! The album bills individual songs as filling certain needs – prescriptions, if you will – like ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Trojan/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1975. (reissue)
Fantastic stuff – and a record that's as much an early 70s reggae set as it is a strong bit of east coast soul – Kingston rhythms mixed with fantastic harmonies that maybe echo more of the East Coast group soul modes than some of the earlier Jamaican groups of the 60s! The choice of ...
(Reggae LP)
Verve, 2021.
Jon Batiste is looking mighty righteous on the cover, and he's sounding mighty righteous within – imbued with a new spirit of consciousness from the events of 2020, which brings a whole new sort of focus to his music – and makes for an album that's every bit a soul set as it is a jazz ...
(Jazz CD)
Ace (UK), Late 60s.
Fantastic Brit girl pop from the 60s – from one of the labels who did it better than most! Pye Records was famously home to Petula Clark, but the company had lots of other wonderful female singers in its lineup – and over the course of the 60s, they continually set the tone for new ...
(Rock CD)
Fremeaux & Associates (France), Mid 50s. 3CD
A big set of work from the lovely Blossom Dearie – one of the most unique singers in jazz, and a great pianist too! Blossom first rose to fame on the scene in Paris, but quickly returned home to the US – where she cut some beautiful albums for Verve in the 50s – sprightly vocal ...
(Vocalists CD)
On-U Sound (UK), 2012. (reissue)
Later work from New Age Steppers, but a set that's very much got the spirit of the group at the core – given that it's essentially a collaboration between Ari Up and producer Adrian Sherwood – who were the key forces behind the group's sound at the start! In fact, the feel here is ...
(Reggae LP)
None More (UK), 2021.
Really lovely work from Caravela – a British band, but one with a lovely lead singer who delivers lyrics in Portuguese – while the group support the music in a mix of Brazilian styles and more contemporary London modes! The album's like the sort of great fusion we used to hear from the ...
(Brazil LP)
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 ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Dexterity/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1972.
A gem of a live set from Dexter Gordon – one that features a nice change from some of his more familiar records of the time! The set features Gordon recording away from Cafe Montmartre, with an excellent Dutch rhythm trio – the fantastic Rob Agerbeek on piano, plus Henk Haverhoek on ...
(Jazz CD)
Maggot Brain/Third Man, 2021.
That's an image of Sun Ra & The Arkestra in Istanbul in 1990 on the front – and the issue features lots more photographs from that visit, plus the story of a very unique street performance they gave in the city! There's lots more too – a nicely varied set of features that really ...
(Magazine)
Cadillac (UK), 2021.
A quartet of improvising greats, coming together hear beautifully – with lots of sharp tenor work from Evan Parker, alongside the drums of Paul Lytton, bass of John Edwards, and piano of Alexander Hawkins! Parker is sometimes very deft, sometimes more in the textural territory of his more ...
(Jazz CD)
Sun/ORG, 1957. (reissue)
Carl Perkins may not be the most revolutionary talent in rock and roll – but damn, he's good – and every bit the worthy Sun Records contemporary of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis! Like those three giants, Perkins is a Tennessee cat who can really find his own ...
(Rock LP)
Philips/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1955.
A treasure trove of rare jazz work from the Dutch scene of the 50s – initially overlooked by many American listeners of the time, but fortunately well-documented by this series from Philips! The music here is a nice mix of different combos – all drawing influence from bop and some of ...
(Jazz LP)
Futura/Souffle Continu (France), 1972. (reissue)
An amazing meeting of two of the most revolutionary talents on the European jazz scene of the early 70s – American expat Sahib Shihab, blowing some of his most exotic reeds ever – and pianist Jef Gilson, working here on electric keys and ondioline! The album's got a sound that echoes ...
(Jazz LP)
Futura/Souffle Continu (France), 1971. (reissue)
One of the most striking albums ever from French experimentalist Jef Gilson – and one of the most outside as well! The album's from the same vintage as some of Gilson's world jazz experiments on the Palm label, but the overall feel here is much more free – with Jef working on a fuzzy ...
(Jazz LP)
Posi tone, 2021.
One of the greatest contemporary talents on vibes – sounding great here in the company of a very tight quartet! In truth, the group was the "pod" of Behn Gillece during 2020 – players that really know each other, and who work together effortlessly here on a set of tunes that ...
(Jazz CD)
Mack Avenue, 2021.
A set that's maybe a bit more searing than earlier records from Cameron Graves – more full-on fusion at times, although still with some of the spacier elements we liked from before – yet definitely driven at points with the kind of energy that recalls the George Duke/Stanley Clarke ...
(Jazz LP)
Silver Cloud/P-Vine (Japan), 1976. (reissue)
A sweet mellow stepper from Danny Dee, aka Lil Albert – a singer who first got things going in the Hawaiian group Society Of Seven – but who hits some completely different, completely great territory here! The set was recorded in mid 70s LA, with arrangement and production by Ernie ...
(Soul LP)
Monster Melodies (France), 1973. (reissue)
One of the most obscure recordings by this amazing duo – singers Brigitte Fontaine and Areski, who you might know best from their work on the legendary Saravah Records at the start of the 70s! The work here isn't musical theater, but was instead recorded for French radio in 1973 – and ...
(French LP)
Strata/180 Proof, 1973. Gatefold (reissue)
A beautiful bit of spiritual jazz – with a slight funky tip, and some incredible instrumentation all around! Maulawi Nururdin works here with a group of Chicago players that includes saxes, percussion, bass, piano, trombones, and some heavenly vocals by the twin team of Joyce Major and Diane ...
(Jazz LP)
Rune Grammafon (Germany), 2021.
One of the more intimate albums recorded under the Fire name – a set that features core work from the trio of Johan Berthling on electric bass, Andreas Wearlin on drums, and Mats Gustafsson on flute, baritone sax, and live electronics! The electric bass is key here, and often sets up a ...
(Jazz CD)
Crammed (Belgium), 1985. (reissue)
80s Afro grooves, recorded in Belgium – given a nice twist by the Crammed Discs label, which was one of the first to really open up African styles with more European elements! Bony Bikaye handles vocals, and Hector Zazou plays plenty of keyboards and adds in beat – so there's an ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Sunset Blvd, 1949/1954/1969/Early 80s. 3CD
A whole host of rare work from this legendary French jazz musician – including 18 unreleased tracks in this 3CD/56 track package! Stephane may look like a classical musician with his tux and violin on the cover – but he's a hell of a jazz player, and one who really transformed both the ...
(Jazz CD)
Three Blind Mice/Craftman (Japan), 1975.
The album's dedicated to Duke Ellington, and it features Duke Ellington tunes – but overall the set is a very personal moment from pianist Masaru Imada – maybe one of his strongest dates of the 70s! The music opens up with that beautifully creative Japanese piano trio approach of the ...
(Jazz CD)
Sun/Matsuli (UK), 1976.
One of the hippest bits of funk we've heard from the South African scene of the 70s – a record that mixes in plenty of currents from spiritual jazz, with a vibe that's very similar to the albums by Oneness Of Juju from the same time! The set's got this very universal appeal – earlier ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Mais Um Discos (UK), 2009.
Another bold leap forward for Lucas Santtana – a Brazilian artist who really blows our mind with each new release! It's been a few years since we last heard from Lucas, but it's clear he's been doing plenty during the time – coming up with fresh new ideas, working on some English-based ...
(Brazil LP)
Stag O Lee (Germany), Late 50s/Early 60s. 2LP
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 ...
(Rock LP)
Terrestrial Funk, 1970s/Early 80s.
Armenian grooves, but done with plenty of familiar funk elements as well – including lots of sweet keyboards and some hard-driving rhythms that makes more than a few of these tracks perfect for the clubs! There's not much in the way of notes with the package, and the set is hardly ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Reel To Reel (UK), Late 60s. 6CD
A huge run of music from the legendary Blue Beat label – a crucial British label that brought the sounds of Kingston to the shores of London – forever helping transform the musical culture in that city! Blue Beat got its start in the 60s, and much of this work is in the earliest ...
(Reggae CD)
Incus/OTOroku (UK), 1980. (reissue)
The "one" here is the soprano saxophone – used exclusively by Evan Parker on the six improvised tracks on the set – each one very different than the other, and really showing the diversity and variation that Parker can bring to a performance! Often, the sound is very dense ...
(Jazz LP)
Beat (Italy), 1967.
Great Morricone music for this legendary Italian western – a film that was first advertised with the line "When you've waited 15 years to a kill a man, it's a shame you can only kill him once!" The music here shows the same sort of determination as that statement – a driving, ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Bear Family (Germany), 1950s.
A sweet little valentine, and one with a real 50s feel – a vibe that really lives up to the cover, served up here in tunes that mix together rock, pop, jazz, and country-styled modes! The set's got the best sort of Bear Family snap and sparkle – really well-chosen tunes that go way ...
(Rock CD)
Riverside, 1959. (reissue)
A record that hides a bit under its title and cover – looking like a songbook session, and without Chet Baker's dreamy face on the front – but one that stands every bit as strongly with Baker's other late 50s sessions for Riverside, and done with an equally nice set of New York elements ...
(Jazz LP)
Jazzaggression (Finland), 1976.
Beautiful live work from alto saxophonist Carl Magnus Neumann – a Norwegian player with a richly expressive tone and a very fresh groove – working here in a group that's co-led with pianist Christian Reim! Neumann's a player we won't hear often – and he shines wonderfully on this ...
(Jazz LP)
BBE (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. 2CD
An ear-opening set of Japanese jazz from a time when that nation's scene was really taking off – a period in the 70s when all sorts of new artists and new ideas were really flying around – and leaving behind a huge recorded legacy that's been mostly out of reach for us in the west! ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Incus/OTOroku (UK), 1975. (reissue)
Completely unfettered solo saxophone work from Evan Parker – extremely intense, but not in an all-out blowing kind of way! Instead, Parker's got some incredible control on the valves here – playing with a frenetic sort of mode that's really incredible – freely improvising, but ...
(Jazz LP)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 40s/1950s.
Tremendous work from Clarence Gatemouth Brown – a postwar guitarist who was big on the Texas scene, but who had the modern flair and jazzy swinging groove of some of his contemporaries who'd left for the west coast! All the work here is from the early years of the Peacock Records label, and ...
(Blues CD)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 50s/Early 60s.
The young James Dean was a star that burned brightly before being taken from the world all too soon – dead in a car crash, in a manner that made Dean a precursor to some of the more self-destructive rockers of the 60s and 70s! Dean, of course, was an actor not a rocker – but his style ...
(Rock CD)
Digitmovies (Italy), 1980.
We can always trust Nico Fidenco to give us a sexy soundtrack – and this time around, he definitely does that, but also adds in a fair bit more too – nicely balancing some of the erotics of the film with some of the darker passages in the story! If you only know Fidenco from ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Posi tone, 2014.
Fantastic work from Michael Dease – a player who seems to get better and better with each new record, and who's clearly becoming one of the top trombonists on the planet! Dease has a dexterity here that's amazing, and an ability to hit a sense of soul that's wonderful too – a quality ...
(Jazz CD)
Born Bad (France), 1960s/Early 70s.
A really cool combination of styles – bossa nova rhythms from Brazil, mixed with French language vocals – often given some very cool twists and turns in the arrangements that really make the music sound unique! Make no mistake, there's a definite Brazilian vibe to these cuts – ...
(French CD)
BBE (UK), 2001.
A classic masterpiece from J Dilla – a record that set the tone for countless hip hop releases in years to come – but which still shows Jay Dee as one of the smartest, sharpest, most forward-thinking producers to rule the roost! The set's got some incredible live instrumentation – ...
(Hip Hop CD)
Sugar/Decca (Italy), 1964. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
Fantastic early soundtrack material from Ennio Morricone – penned for one of the "mondo" films of the time – a 1964 shockumentary on the state of Italian youth! As such, it's got lots of short jazzy tunes that run at a pretty fast groove, ostensibly to show the dissipation of ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Jazz Is Dead, 2021.
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 ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Madlib Invazion, 2020.
A tremendous collaboration between Madlib and drummer Karriem Riggins – both artists who are great enough on their own, but who really hit some new territory in this funky instrumental project! Riggins plays live drums, and Madlib throws in all this other instrumentation that really changes ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Rainbow Blonde, 2021. 2CD
The album sports one of the most righteous images we've ever seen of Jose James – and it follows through with some of his deepest, most powerful music ever! 2020 might not be a year that most folks want to remember – but it seems to have inspired new cultural depths in Jose James ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Loma Vista, 2021.
A beautiful revolution from Common – a set that's maybe got more of a message than most of his music of the past decade – but which also comes across with a more interesting musical palette as well! Part of the album's sound comes from heavy contributions from PJ – singer Paris ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Polydor/Robinsongs (UK), Early 80s. 10CD
An insanely big collection of work from Level 42 – a British group from the 80s who were equal parts soul and pop, but also had a strongly jazzy current as well! These guys leapt onto the international scene from the British one in the mid 80s – thanks to a soulful core that not only ...
(Soul CD)
Sugar/Decca (Italy), Early 60s. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
One of the first big international soundtracks to come from the Italian scene in the 60s – the start of a great run that would continue through the decade, although maybe not with results as strongly as this! The score is for a strange documentary-like film (the title means "World Gone ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Quartet (Spain), 1968.
One of the more obscure Ennio Morricone soundtracks of the late 60s – done in close collaboration with musical partner Bruno Nicolai, for a gangster film that stars John Cassavettes in the lead! A number of tracks have an older crime jazz sort of vibe – similar to the Italian modes ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Sinecure, 2013.
40 years back, we never would have used the words "Houston" and "rap" in the same sentence, much less in the title of a book – but the city's had a surprisingly strong legacy in the world of hip hop – and has become every bit the southern powerhouse as Atlanta – ...
(Book)
Trojan/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), Early 70s. (reissue)
Fantastic work from the team of Dave Baker and Ansel Collins – one a soulful singer from the Jamaican rocksteady scene, the other a hip keyboardist whose organ lines really make the album shimmer! The pair scored a huge international hit with this album – and the whole thing was a key ...
(Reggae LP)
Fontana/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1965.
A rare bit of Dutch jazz from the 60s – a hip quintet led by pianist Cees Slinger, and featuring a cooking lineup that's every bit as great as groups coming out of the British or French scenes at the time. Slinger was the pianist in the legendary Wessel Icken trio – and through his ...
(Jazz CD)
Digitmovies (Italy), 2020.
A contemporary horror score, but one that's handled by Basement's Glare with a nice mix of modes – including some darker electronic textures that feel like they're borrowed from the farther reaches of 80s indie soundtracks! Make no mistake, this isn't the easily-done keyboard score that some ...
(Soundtracks CD)
ABC/Big Pink (South Korea), 1969. Gatefold
A really cool lost group on late 60s ABC – a bit psych, with maybe a slight UK influence – able to turn out some nicely varied, but nicely focused songs throughout this debut set! The record's one of those great lost sides from the time – a group who've clearly got chops and ...
(Rock CD)
Winley/Demon (UK), 1974. (reissue)
A great lost bit of funk – and a pretty mysterious record, too! The record came out hot on the heels of Manu Dibango's big original version of "Soul Makossa" – and while it's got a groove that definitely leans towards Afro Funk, it's also got plenty of Caribbean touches too ...
(Soul LP)
Okka Disk, 2009. 2CD
Three of the greatest saxophonists of the past few decades, teaming up here as a trio, and working at a level of sonic intensity that few other players could match! The set features Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark, and Peter Brotzmann – all blowing tenor, plus a variety of other saxes – ...
(Jazz CD)
Luv N' Haight, Early 70s.
There's a fantastic sound at the start of the single – this nicely funky, nicely messed-up blend of bass, guitar, and funky drums – all with the vibe of Westbound Records material by The Counts! When Manuel comes into the mix, he adds a nice deep soul vocal to this monstrous groove ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
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 ...
(Jazz CD)
Quartet (Spain), 1971.
Beautifully slow-building work from Ennio Morricone – caught right at that near-perfect start of the 70s point when he was a master of understatement and spare musical elements! Many numbers begin with a sound that's often very spare – sliding out of the darkness sometimes with just a ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Jazzland (Norway), 2021.
An album with a really beautiful title – a reference to "My Favorite Things", perhaps – and one that's got a sound that's equally beautiful to match – very different than some of the noisier music we've heard from Eivind Aarset in the past! Yet as with all his other ...
(Jazz LP)
Jazzland (Norway), 2021.
A really cool little project – and one that's much better than you might expect at first glance! The "Destiny" in the title refers to the songs – as they're all originals first recorded by Destiny's Child, served up here in instrumental jazz readings with some very creative ...
(Jazz CD)
Island/Big Pink (South Korea), 1971. Gatefold
Tremendous Island Records material from Bronco – a set that already has the group changing up their sound from their debut, but still really finding a great lead in the vocals of Jess Roden! Roden's got this well-crafted style that crests and crackles, but without ever sounding forced or ...
(Rock CD)
Frame Quartet (Vandermark/McBride/Daisy/Lonberg-Holm)
35mm
Okka Disk, 2009.
An overlooked group from the Chicago scene of the early century – a group made up of very familiar names from the world of free improvisation in the city, but coming together here with a slightly different vibe! The real difference is the use of electric elements at times – both ...
(Jazz CD)
Pye/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1965. (reissue)
Really beautiful work from the young Donovan – still yet to become the trippy popster that most folks know – but still pretty amazing here! The music definitely owes a lot to Bob Dylan – Donovan's playing harmonica and acoustic guitar, with just a bit of bass and drums behind him ...
(Rock LP)
Mainstream/Big Pink (South Korea), 1969.
Cathy Young has a pretty psychedelic guitar on the cover – and the music here definitely has some psychedelic elements – but mixed with this bluesy style that makes Young come across with a surprisingly strong sort of sound! Her vocals are great – very gritty and soulful at times ...
(Rock CD)
CBS/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), Late 70s/1980s. 3LP
Seminal work from minimalist genius Philip Glass – a set that was issued during the same decade that saw his important opera box sets define his career – but one that also hearkens back to some of the leaner experimental modes of his early days! Part of the set was recorded in 1979, ...
(Out Sound LP)
Favorite (France), 2021.
We've loved the music of Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart in all its many forms for years – but over time, this Voilaaa project might well be our favorite – as it really gives Patchworks a way to blend past and present, while also reaching out over the space of the globe! As before, ...
(New Grooves CD)
Moserobie (Sweden), 2021.
A really great change in the music of Swedish guitarist Johan Lindstrom – music that expands the vision of his previous record, and also explores some more song-based territory – while still allowing for lots of musical contributions from other players we love on the Moserobie label! ...
(Jazz LP)
Virgin, 1979.
A real turning point in the career of Japan – and a set that really shows David Sylvian coming into his own, both as a singer and a songwriter! The sound here is a complete change from the group at the start – these really wonderful tunes that mark Japan as one of the smarter, more ...
(Rock CD)
Duke University Press, 2021.
A huge book on the equally-huge creative legacy of bassist William Parker – a musician who first arose in the loft jazz scene in New York during the 70s, but who's gone on to be one of its greatest surviving players, and one who's transformed the inspirations of that world into so many ...
(Book)
Liberty/BGO (UK), 1970/1971.
A pair of Ike & Tina Turner classics – back to back on one CD! First up is Come Together – a key crossover set for the soul duo! Ike and Tina Turner crossed over big by this point in their career – grabbing a lot of ears that were mostly listening to rock music, but who ...
(Soul CD)
Chelsea/Big Pink (Korea), 1973.
A great little record from Brown Sugar – a group who really soar here, thanks to the presence of Clydie King on lead vocals! King sung famously on many rock and soul sessions during the 60s and 70s – but she's a great talent in the spotlight, and really helps to give the record a lot ...
(Soul CD)
Reprise, 1990. 4LP
An unreleased live set from Neil Young – recorded in Santa Cruz in November of 1990, and featuring the group hot on the success of their Ragged Glory album! The set features the live debut of many of the record's songs, along with a number of surprises too – tracks that are unexpected ...
(Rock LP)
Camille 3000 (Italy), 1961.
Very rare early work from Italian maestro Piero Piccioni – music composed for an Italian TV show at the start of the 60s – served up in a mix of jazz and other groovy styles! The real surprise here is that most of the tunes are vocal numbers, sometimes sung by artists you'll know from ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Jazzland (Norway), 2021.
There's nothing too mechanical about the sound of the piano here – although at some level, there's also some very interesting mechanics involved in the project! The music started out when Benjamin Mork bought an old grand piano that had been painted blue – and rather than try to ...
(Jazz CD)
Yes, 2017.
Here's a record that's very close to our hearts – as pianist Jason Moran works here with a core group that includes Chicago saxophone legend Ken Vandermark, some spoken bits from Chicago artist Theaster Gates, and work from the Kenwood Academy Jazz Band – the south side high school that ...
(Jazz CD)
Fat Beats, 2021. Gatefold
A pretty fantastic chapter in the career of one of the most unique MCs to emerge in recent years – the Ukraine-born Your Old Droog, spinning out tracks here that echo the struggles of his youth as an immigrant in Brooklyn! The set's got a very freewheeling vocal style – the quick-spun ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, 1961. (pic cover)
Never-issued work from the Sun Ra Arkestra – and two tracks that really show just how much the initial wave of their sound tied together with other strands of postwar music! Both cuts here feature vocals from singer Ricky Murray – and as you can tell from the titles, there's a slightly ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
Decca (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s. 17CD
A staggering amount of music from the great Tom Jones – 15 full albums issued over the space of a decade, plus a 2CD set of rare bonus material too! If you've ever wondered if you could ever have too much Tom Jones – the answer is "no" – as the fullness of this set is ...
(Vocalists CD)
Jazzland (Norway), 2021.
That's a young Chet Baker on the cover of the record, and the set's a really beautiful experiment based on the music that Chet recorded back in the 50s – a reworking of some of the songs he sung and made his own, turned into versions with lyrics in Norwegian, and instrumentation that nicely ...
(Jazz CD)
Blue Note, Late 50s. (reissue)
One of the most obscure of the Paul Chambers albums on Blue Note – and one of the most interesting as well! Although best known for his solid rhythm work on late 50s hardbop recordings, Chambers breaks out here with a more introspective, more exploratory style on the bass – using the ...
(Jazz LP)
Street Noise/BBE (Japan), 1984.
Soaring piano lines, burning trumpet solos, and soulful tenor sax – all wrapped together beautifully in this obscure Japanese session from the 80s – a date that has all the free-thinking power and unbounded energy of some of our favorite American soul jazz sessions from a decade before! ...
(Jazz CD)
Black Jazz/Real Gone, 1973.
Some of the hippest sounds we've ever heard from pianist Gene Russell – an album that features heavy use of Fender Rhodes – and a soulful, solid, rhythmic core that comes from the basslines of Henry Franklin, guitar of Calvin Keys, and drums of Ndugu Chancler! The set's one of the ...
(Jazz CD)
Schema (Italy), 2021.
A more spiritual soul-based setting than usual for the talents of Nicola Conte – a long-awaited full length set, served up after a host of 12" single collaborations with Gianluca Petrella! Petrella's presence is felt in the way the tunes unfold – often with strong contributions ...
(New Grooves CD)
United Artists/Quartet (Spain), 1966. 3CDs
One of the first big moments of global fame for the legendary Ennio Morricone – and a record that still stands as one of his landmark albums all these many years later! The set's famous for its haunting theme – that "wah-wah-wah" melody that led to countless covers and ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Universal (UK), 1970s/Early 80s. 8CD Set
A fantastic collection of work from one of the most unique teams in British music during the 70s – Richard and Linda Thompson, first recording here in a romantic partnership, then together in the studio but separate in life – moving through a musical journey that is captured brilliantly ...
(Rock CD)
Amayana/Sconsolato (Germany), 1974. (reissue)
That's Ken Rhodes, not Fender Rhodes – but the acoustic pianist is more than funky enough on his own – even without any electricity in the mix! The set's got this wonderful rhythm duo – drummer George Greene and bassist Joachim Knauer – who often come on with this really ...
(Jazz LP)
Soul Jazz (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. 2CD
A true revolution in Cuban music – not the familiar cha cha and pachanga modes of the pre-Castro years, but instead the huge wave of fresh styles and combinations that sprung up in the years to come! The tracks here aren't the kind of Cuban sounds that are locked in time by the all-star ...
(Latin CD)
Kirk Lightsey & Rudolph Johnson with The All-Stars
Habiba
Gallo/Outernational (UK), 1974. (reissue)
Maybe the hippest record ever issued by pianist Kirk Lightsey – in part because the set was issued on a South African label, and also because it features tremendous work from saxophonist Rudolph Johnson – who you'll know for his two classic 70s albums on the Black Jazz imprint! The ...
(Jazz LP)
Atlantic/Friday Music, Mid 70s. (reissue)
Fantastic work from the second chapter of The Spinners – the moment when the group departed Motown, moved to Atlantic, and got some superb Philly soul treatment at the hands of Thom Bell! Unlike some groups, who maybe sounded best with a Detroit touch, it took the sophisticated Philly ...
(Soul LP)
Vik/Assencionale (Netherlands), 1961. (reissue)
Great early work from Jorge Lopez Ruiz – an Argentine bassist who we already know for his more experimental recordings in the 70s – already sounding like a committed modernist here at the start of the 60s, in very hip group that also includes a young Gato Barbieri on tenor! The titles ...
(Jazz LP)
Love/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1970. Gatefold
Trumpeter Terumasa Hino at a level that's quite different than most of his early work in Japan – recording in New York, and using a very spiritual approach – one that's clearly influenced by some of the other players in the session! The album features one long track – a bit ...
(Jazz CD)
Studio One, Late 60s.
Jamaican Ska, and a whole lot more – a key batch of early Studio One recordings that show just how many styles were criss-crossing in Kingston at the time! There's definitely lots of rhythms here that would make a rude boy happy, but there's also some richly soulful vocals that point the way ...
(Reggae CD)
Four Flies (Italy), 1970s/Early 80s.
Weird and wonderful sounds from a very electric man – the mighty Piero Umiliani, an Italian composer who first rose to fame for a set of groundbreaking film scores in the 60s – then moved into even more experimental sound library work in the following decade! This set has Piero working ...
(Sound Library CD)
Zambezi/Now Again, Mid 70s. (reissue)
One of the moodiest albums we've ever heard from the Zamrock scene of the 70s – a record of slow-building tunes with a very personal vibe – all vocals and most instrumentation handled by Ricky Banda himself – in a style that's more intimate than other Zambian albums of the time! ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Jazz In Britain (UK), Mid 60s.
A fantastic group from the British scene at mid 60s – music from a time when the UK world of jazz was exploding from the work of artists like Joe Harriott and Tubby Hayes, but also held some other tremendous talents as well! The group here has trumpeter Henry Lowther and tenorist Lyn Dobson ...
(Jazz LP)
Detour (UK), Late 60s.
There's few folks we'd trust to take us into the mod underground of the 60s more than Rob Bailey – and this series of his always delivers the goods, and reminds us that we've got a heck of a lot more to learn about music like this! Tracks come from rare singles and unreleased acetates – ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Epic/36 Chambers, 2000.
A fantastic meeting of the minds – as director Jim Jarmusch makes a film that's a nod to the old martial arts films of the 70s that inspired the Wu-Tang Clan in their music – and RZA gets a chance to contribute to the soundtrack, with help from the Clan as well! The music is maybe the ...
(Hip Hop CD)
Impulse (Japan), 1972.
Soaring spirits and joyous jazz-based expression – an overlooked treasure from Pharoah Sanders – and proof that his work on Impulse Records just kept on getting better and better! The style here is a bit tighter than some of the previous Impulse albums – no side-long tracks here ...
(Jazz CD)
Cultures Of Soul, Mid 80s.
Excellent work from the South African scene of the 80s – music that maybe provides a pathway to the new freedom to come, thanks to a joyous, upbeat sense of spirit – one that's equally wonderful all these many years later! The cuts here are all clubby, but less in the disco mode that ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Columbia/Get On Down, 1959. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
One of Charles Mingus' true classics – and an essential album in any jazz collection! This 1959 gem was recorded by Mingus at a key point in his career – when he was rising from the jazz underground into the ranks of America's elite jazzmen, penning some of the most challenging work of ...
(Jazz LP)
Gorbra/Sonorama (Germany), Mid 70s. (reissue)
A rare jazz gem from tenor saxophonist Fitz Gore – originally issued on the Gorbra label in Germany in a very tiny quantity! The record's a bit unlike anything else of the time – spiritual jazz, certainly, but with all these different approaches that vary from track to track, as does ...
(Jazz LP)
Born Bad (France), Early 60s.
A strange mix of Latin rhythms and exotica modes – served up here on a set of recordings from early 60s France that we might not have heard otherwise! Grooves are often in the cha cha mode promised in the title, but other instrumentation is definitely "au harem" – exotic ...
(French CD)
Impulse (Japan), 1969.
A wonderful reunion of Pharoah Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas – and a set that captures a lot of the same energy as the pair's previous record – Karma! Thomas' vocals are in wonderful form for the set – stretching out soulfully on the extended classic "Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-H ...
(Jazz CD)
Beverly Hills/Real Gone, 1969. (reissue)
A fantastic sexy soundtrack from Bill Loose – scored for a Russ Meyer Sexploitation film, but handled with a care that goes way deeper than you might expect! Bill brings in some nice jazzy moments on organ and guitar – and there's also some Sunshine Pop-styled vocals at points – ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1968. (reissue)
A seminal pop psych classic from the UK scene – served up here by a group that seem to borrow a bit of the energy from the late 60s Bee Gees at their trippiest, but who also really have a way for turning out a tune that has a very groovy vibe! Part of the credit might go to producer John ...
(Rock LP)
Astral Spirits, 2021.
A fantastic pairing of players – two Chicago legends, both in the sort of setting that really suits them best! Roscoe Mitchell works here on two long improvisations with drummer Mike Reed – blowing a variety of reed instruments, and really taking us back to the groundbreaking work he ...
(Jazz CD)
Partisan, 2021. 2CD
Two generations of the Fela Kuti legend work here back to back – in a double length set that features one full album from Fela's son, and another by his grandson! Femi is up first on a set titled Stop The Hate – full-on Afro Funk with plenty of message in the music – the older ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, Late 60s/Early 70s. 2CD
Rare music from this legendary Dutch free jazz collective – all pulled from the earliest years of the project, when the ICP group were every bit as important to improvised music as combos in the German and French scenes! The core players here are Misha Mengelberg on piano, Han Bennink on ...
(Jazz CD)
Poeira Zine (Brazil), 2021.
Author Bento Araujo has given us previous examinations of crucial Brazilian records in the 60s and 70s – and this important third volume shows just how strongly the spirit of experimentation continued well into the 21st Century – as the CD era opened up new frontiers for sonic ...
(Book)
Schema (Italy), 2021.
A bright new groove on the Schema Records label – but one that features work from some of the company's real heavyweights in recent years – as the album was conceived and produced by Lucio Cantone (aka Invisible Session), and features tunes written by the funky Alex Puddu – all in ...
(New Grooves CD)
Jazzman (UK), 2020.
A tremendous entry in this wonderful series – a set that proudly proclaims its contents with the "NOW" on the cover! Back when the Spiritual Jazz series first started on the Jazzman label, the music was mostly relegated to material of the John Coltrane generation and the generation ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Funkiwala (UK), 2020.
Vocalist Dele Sosimi joins this ultra-hip London group – a combo who are equally skilled in African and Cuban elements, hence the title of the record – and one who can also serve things up with lots of jazz-based energy as well! All tracks are nice and long – and in addition to ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Bead/Corbett vs. Dempsey, 1977.
An overlooked gem from the British free jazz scene of the 70s – a set issued on the Bead Records label, and one that got very little circulation at the time – but which is equally as mindblowing as work from the period on labels like Ictus and Ogun! The duo here features Roy Ashbury on ...
(Jazz CD)
Art Yard (UK), 1957/1978. (pic cover)
Two fantastic tracks from Sun Ra – different vintage, but equally great! "Sky Is A Sea Of Darkness" is a mellow, spiritual quartet track – very stripped down, with a beautiful vocal that slides alongside this blue-tinged piano from Ra – surprisingly soulful, and ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
Strut (UK), Late 70s/1980s/Early 90s.
A great look at one of our favorite record labels of all time – a company that was one of the first we ever worked together with, back when we started Dusty Groove – and whose music has been a huge inspiration to us for decades! Black Fire is a really special record label from the DC ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Jam'brio/Jazz Room (UK), 1982. (reissue)
A really fantastic record from vibist Khan Jamal – a musician who sometimes plays in a more intimate setting, but who here rises with a great sense of righteous power, in just the sort of group that can help him find new energy and soul in his music! The lineup is wonderful – with both ...
(Jazz LP)
Vijay Iyer/Linda May Han Oh/Tyshawn Sorey
Uneasy
ECM (Germany), 2021.
Wonderful trio work from Vijay Iyer – a set that's got his piano doing equal time with the drums of Tyshawn Sorey and bass of Linda May Han Oh – all at a level that reminds us why we first fell in love with Iyer's music many years back! The set's a return to the kind of records that ...
(Jazz CD)
Whirlwind, 2021.
We've always loved the music of Logan Richardson, but here he's onto something completely new and groundbreaking – as you might begin to guess from the cover and title! Logan still blows alto sax, but he also handles piano and keyboards, and works in this swirling mix of sound that really ...
(Jazz CD)
Esoteric, 1976. 2CD
The biggest record that Al Stewart ever cut – as you no doubt know from the oft-played title track – but a set that also stands as a great testament to all the many years he'd been crafting fine music before fully getting the recognition he deserved! Stewart's got a way with words that' ...
(Rock CD)
Buda (France), 1970s/1980s.
Amazing sounds from a new wave of music that hit the east African coast in the 70s – music from Zanzibar that echoes a lot of the swirling, echoing, other-worldly modes of the Ethiopian scene at the same time – often done with highly-inflected vocals next to a spacey organ line, stark ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Sony/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1993. 2LP
A beautiful orchestral work from Philip Glass – a set that features the long piece "Itaipu", and the shorter "The Canyon" – both handled with a mix of instrumentation and voices that really gives the music a sense of majesty! Although Robert Shaw recorded some ...
(Out Sound LP)
La La Land, Late 60s. 3CD
A huge amount of soundtrack material that gets its first-ever commercial release – work done for the very cool Time Tunny sci fi TV show in the late 60s – penned by a great assortment of top-shelf talents! The music is in a nice blend of styles – some tracks have the energy that ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Heavenly, 2021.
A really fantastic trio from Brazil – one who work in a very classic Azymuth mode of electric piano, bass, and drums! The tunes are nicely open, and have a tremendous sense of flow – jazz, to be sure – but with lots of focus on the rhythms, which often have this slow funk quality ...
(Brazil LP)
Ace (UK), Early 60s.
The earliest roots of the Sly Stone sound in California – but music that's very different than his heady sounds from the San Francisco scene at the end of the 60s! Instead, the approach here is teen pop and soul at its best – as you'd probably guess from the look of the group, who were ...
(Soul CD)
Light In The Attic, Late 60s/Early 70s.
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 ...
(Vocalists CD)