Ebirac/Numero, Late 70s/Early 80s.
Fantastic salsa sounds from Chicago – a city that's never been as well-known for the music as others on the coast – but which was home to the tiny but great Ebirac label – whose work is collected on this set! The package is an imagined compilation of key cuts that were only ...
(Latin LP)
Funk Night, 2022.
Two contemporary funk legends, coming together in a really wonderful set of tracks – spare, yet full-on funky all the way through – and very much at the top of the game for anything you might expect from both artists! Shawn Lee serves up funky drums, Misha Panfilov handles the bass ...
(Deep Funk LP)
No Business (Lithuania), 2002.
A great late performance by Sam Rivers – one that has the musician working with all the free-thinking imagination he gave the world on his groundbreaking improvisation albums of the 70s! Sam blows tenor and soprano here, but is also pretty amazing on piano and flute – and the rest of ...
(Jazz CD)
Pipeline/Mad About Records (Portugal), 1976. (reissue)
A rare bit of Cali soul – and a lot groovier than you'd guess from the cover! The music is rich in jazzy inflections – funky fusion used behind the lead vocals of Errol Knowles, in a blend that's quite similar to the best Bay Area funk of the time – particularly some of the ...
(Soul LP)
Transatlantic/Cherry Tree (UK), Late 60s. 6CD
A treasure trove of greatness from British folk rock legend John Renbourn – all of his late 60s solo work, done before moving on to greater fame in Pentangle! First up is There You Go – a rare one from singer Dorris Henderson and future Pentangle founder John Rensbourn! Florida born, ...
(Folk/Country CD)
Funkiwala (UK), 2022.
London guitarist Phil Dawson has a strong legacy of work with global heavyweights – artists who include Hugh Masekela, Tony Allen, and Mulatu – but the vibe here is much more jazz-based overall – as Dawson plays both guitar and Fender Rhodes in a group that has a great sense of ...
(Jazz CD)
Nonesuch, 2022.
Guitarist Mary Halvorson has a very special guest on this unique album – the Mivos Quartet, who bring a sublime blend of violin, viola, and cello into play with the fantastic tones from Mary's guitar! The set's not like when you add a string group to conventional jazz – as the sound ...
(Jazz CD)
Sound American, 2021.
Editor Nate Wooley and key collaborators take on the concept of mapping in identity and culture – and as usual, this issue of Sound American is full of well-penned prose that comes at the matter from a variety of different perspectives! In addition to a great introductory piece by Wooley, ...
(Magazine)
Aladdin/P-Vine (Japan), 1980. (reissue)
A sweet SoCal groover from Cecil Lyde – recorded in LA in the early 80s, with a great mix of funky club and mellow soul modes! Cecil's got a great ear for the grittier side of California funk at the time – tunes that still use the heavy bass and keyboards of mainstream work from the ...
(Soul LP)
Awesome Tapes From Africa, 1989.
A set from the late 80s, but one that's got some nicely classic touches – thanks to strong work on the small-stringed ngombi from Pape Nziengui! Pape sings alongside his instrument, often with a raspy voice that's instantly compelling, even if you can't understand the lyrics – and ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Poker/P-Vine (Japan), 1977. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
Warmly crafted vocal work from Erik Tagg – a Dutch singer who'd relocated to Texas by the time of this mid 70s set – singing here in English with some nicely jazzy backings on the set! There's a style here that's a bit singer/songwriter, but somewhat deeper too – one that has a ...
(Rock LP)
Concord, 2021. 2LP Gatefold
One of the hippest records we've ever heard from Esperanza Spalding – a set that almost feels as if she's stepping back into some of the more experimental, individual qualities that made her so different at the start! There's definitely some appealing, catchy songs here – but the ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Blue Erro Soul, 2022.
Over the past few decades, there's been few contemporary soul singers who've won our hearts more than Eric Roberson – an underground hero who only rewards our faith in his music more and more as the years move on – a legacy that's certainly delivered on with this beautiful full length ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Strata East/Pure Pleasure (UK), 1973. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
An essential bit of 70s soul jazz – a real standout in both the catalogs of tenorist Clifford Jordan, and the Stata East label! This is one of those few records where every element is perfect, and all players rise together to a new level of expression – and we'd easily rank this one ...
(Jazz LP)
Nonesuch, 2022. 2LP Gatefold
A double-length set from guitarist Mary Halvorson – with two different albums in the package! First up is Amaryllis – a record that has the fantastic guitar of Mary Halvorson amidst so many other sounds and shapes – delivered by a lineup that features Patricia Brennan on vibes, ...
(Jazz LP)
As Shams/Soul Town (Netherlands), 1970. (reissue)
A landmark album in the history of South African jazz – a set that marks a real shift in the way the music was put together, and maybe a new sort of sophistication that would really mark the scene in years to come! The album's not the first recording from pianist Gideon Nxumalo, but it ...
(Jazz LP)
BMG, 2021. 2LP
Anthony Hamilton's got a very classic look on the cover – and he definitely turns in a classic set here – the kind of righteous, well-crafted soul record that really takes us back to the golden age of the 70s! And yet, the music's not retro at all – it's very contemporary in both ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Outta Sight (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s.
A great entry in one of our favorite series for rare soul tracks these days – a really special sort of collection that brings together tracks with a vibe that's very much all its own! The set definitely serves up the "real side" that it promises in the title – tunes that aren' ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Ogun (UK), 1987.
A beautiful record – although one that's tinged with a touch of sadness, given the setting. In what was becoming an unfortunate tradition in their later years, the remaining members of the legendary South African jazz group The Blue Notes join together to mourn the passing of one of their ...
(Jazz CD)
Savant, 2022.
A warmly well-rounded set of organ jazz from Bill Heid – maybe not the biggest player on the Hammond B3, but one who's been slowly building up an excellent legacy of records like this! There's an understated grace to the way that Bill handles the instrument – he's not out to blow the ...
(Jazz CD)
Red Bird/Sun, 1964. (reissue)
The biggest album ever issued by the Dixie Cups – a set that has the trio's New Orleans roots given a bit of a New York kick through the production work of the legendary Lieber & Stoller! The duo still let the group's vocals run full tilt – that wonderful charm that made the Dixie ...
(Soul LP)
Sony/Legacy, 1982. 2CD
Sure, the cover's a bit dated – but the politics have stayed surprisingly strong over the years – as has the music as well! Keep in mind that The Clash were waging war in the Mideast years before Desert Storm – in this searing mix of London punk, rocksteady roots, and slight new ...
(Rock CD)
PTG (Netherlands), Mid 80s.
Disco funk and plenty more – all from this long-running series that only seems to dig deeper and deeper as time goes on! This time around, nearly all the cuts are ones you won't find elsewhere, especially on CD – with that special sort of 80s bent that the series always has, which ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Brownswood (UK), 2022.
Gilles Peterson presents the future of music from his very well-regarded perspective – served up here on tracks from some real up-and-coming talents on the London underground, plus a few other global discoveries – working in a blend of modes that's very much in the best Brownswood ...
(New Grooves LP)
LRK (UK), 2022.
Laura Rain might look a bit flashy on the cover, but she's a singer with a hell of a voice – way more of a deep soul vibe than you might expect from her look – with a strength that really holds on throughout the length of this deep-burning set! Rain's the kind of soul singer who's not ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Dead Oceans, 2009.
The second half of this legendary retrospective on the work and music of the great Bill Fay – a set that's different than the first volume in that it showcases later recordings that Fay was doing at home – really great material that ended up heralding a great later chapter in his career! ...
(Rock CD)
Tribe/P-Vine (Japan), Early 70s.
Genius work from the Detroit underground of the 70s – one of the greatest records ever on the now-famous Tribe Records label, and a masterpiece of soul, jazz, and righteous spirit! The session's headed by tenor player Wendell Harrison – and it's got an all-star Motor City lineup that ...
(Jazz CD)
Dizonord (France), 1983. (reissue)
A record that really lives up to its title – as the sounds within were created by a number of young musicians in France, but at a level that seeks to conjure up an older Mediterranean mode! The approach is a bit like some of the best experiments on the Crammed Discs label at the time – ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Sun/ORG, 1957. (reissue)
JA classic early full length set from the young Johnny Cash – a record that pulls together a range of great material done for Sun Records in the years before his near-lifetime move to Columbia Records! Here, you'll hear the evolving Johnny Cash sound at its best – some raw, rumbling ...
(Folk/Country LP)
Jasmine (UK), Late 40s/Early 50s.
Saxophonist Paul Williams may not be one of the best-remembered figures of the postwar years – but at the time, his work as a leader was crucial in bridging the worlds of jazz and R&B – very similar to that of artists like Hot Lips Page or Tiny Bradshaw, as you'll hear on the ...
(Jazz CD)
Polydor/P-Vine (Japan), 1992. (reissue)
UK soul from the start of the 90s – and a set that definitely shows some of the best influences of that scene at the time! Sharon Benson's got a soulful voice that gets just the right treatment in the lean backings that are used on the album – some of the crisp, percolated beats of the ...
(Soul LP)
Tribe/P-Vine (Japan), Early 70s.
Genius work from the Detroit underground of the 70s – one of the greatest records ever on the now-famous Tribe Records label, and a masterpiece of soul, jazz, and righteous spirit! The session's headed by tenor player Wendell Harrison – and it's got an all-star Motor City lineup that ...
(Jazz CD)
Takayanagi Masayuki New Direction
La Grima
Aguirre (Belgium), 1971. Gatefold
A blistering free jazz set from the Japanese scene at the start of the 70s – one that features all sorts of freak and fuzz from guitarist Takayanagi Masyuki, alongside the heavy drums of Hiroshi Yamazaki and freewheeling alto of Keni Mori! All three players must have been completely wiped ...
(Jazz LP)
Philips/Polysom (Brazil), 1976. (reissue)
A classic bit of 70s MPB from Belchior – one of the biggest Brazilian singers of the scene at the time, but one who gets some wonderfully thoughtful, sensitive sounds here – thanks to help from arranger Jose Roberto, who also plays organ and piano on the set! The music has a soulful, ...
(Brazil LP)
Avco/Soulgramma (Italy), 1972. (reissue)
The coolest, funkiest, and most soulful set ever issued by Chakachas – a record that's way different than most of their Latin-based music – with a strong American funk vibe all the way through! There's still lots of percussion in the mix, but it's often used in ways that echo more of a ...
(Soul LP)
RCA/Be With (UK), 1975. (reissue)
Maybe the best-known international album from Sidiku Buari – an artist who recorded some killer sets in his native Ghana, but who got a rare chance to work here in the US for this album – which features some tight funky elements by Bernard Purdie on drums, Paul Grivvin on keyboards, and ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Munster (Spain), Mid 60s. 2LP Gatefold
Searing sounds from the Spanish scene of the 60s – a surprising hotbed of razor-sharp, guitar-driven, garage rocking bands! Other European scenes of the time are maybe better-known – especially the UK, Swedish, and German ones – but the work here is really stunning – and ...
(Rock LP)
Hip Hop Enterprise, Mid 90s.
Really wonderful work from the Boston scene of the 90s – material that was issued on rare 12" singles and cassette-only releases by this Roxbury duo – brought together here on a much-needed full length set! The material's got the same no-nonsense quality of the best Boston work of ...
(Hip Hop CD)
Anti, 2022.
High Pulp have always been one of those groups that are nicely hard to define – but this time around, they seem to be coming across with a jazzier vibe than ever before – and a new sort of musical sophistication that really has their music falling into place! The Seattle combo's always ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Heavenly Sweetness/Pura Vida (France), 2022.
The first-ever solo album from Kweku of Ghana – who you've likely heard as KOG on projects with Nubiyan Twist, Onipa, and others – really sounding great here with a colorful vibe that really fits the image on the cover! The rhythms percolate nicely throughout – lean beats mixed ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Bongo Joe (Switzerland), 1980s.
A collection of work from one of the biggest bands on the scene in Sao Tome & Principe years ago – combo who rocked the small island nation with a great blend of West African modes and more tropical sounds! The guitar work is often very lively, and percolating strongly with the rhythms ...
(Global Grooves CD)
P-Vine (Japan), Late 70s.
A sweet bit of funk from Hawaii – and a legendary bit of free soul that's been winning global fame for decades! Lemuria is the brainchild of Kirk Thompson – who plays piano, bass, keyboards, and vibes on this very spiritual set of tracks. Master Henry Gibson was one of the executive ...
(Soul CD)
Bible & Tire, 2022.
Soulful, spiritual sounds from North Carolina legend Johnny Ray Daniels – an artist who started out in soul, but soon found gospel more to his liking – then went on to create a decades-long legacy of wonderful music like this! The album's contemporary, but given a very old school ...
(Gospel CD)
Hat Art (Switzerland), Late 60s.
Miles Davis, recorded in Stockholm – two different shows with only two years between them – but almost a lifetime of difference in the way the music is presented! The 1967 show has the Miles Davis group still hanging onto the greatness of its classic mid 60s lineup – with Wayne ...
(Jazz CD)
Trojan (UK), 1970. (reissue)
An incredible duo, and one who look more like an American soul team on the front cover – and manage to deliver a similar vibe in the grooves! The style is definitely reggae, but as you'd guess from the Nina Simone cover in the title track, Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths are also reaching out ...
(Reggae LP)
Strata/Ultra Vybe (Japan), Mid 70s.
Really great work from the Detroit underground of the 70s – by a group that features a young Larry Nozero on saxes, who you might also know for his work with keyboard giant Eddie Russ! This set's a bit more hard-edged than Eddie's work – tracks that open up nicely in the more spiritual ...
(Jazz CD)
SR/Sonor (Italy), Early 70s. (reissue)
An album with a sepia-toned, industrial-looking cover – but a set that's full of life and organic color throughout – jazzy grooves with plenty of warmth, and a sound that's right up there with the best of the Italian soundtrack scene of the early 70s! That's maybe no surprise, as the ...
(Sound Library LP)
Fresh Sound (Spain), 1961. 2CD
Reedman Buddy Collette is best known for his west coast work of the 50s – his own albums as leader, his work with Chico Hamilton, and a number of other sessions too – yet his performances here in Italian sessions from the early 60s is completely revelatory – and arguably better ...
(Jazz CD)
Ropeadope, 2022.
Keyboardist Jorge Luis Pacheco works here mostly in a trio format, but has a way of coming across with a much broader sound – partly through his surprisingly deft command of the keyboard, which you might not expect from his youthful image on the cover – partly through the combination of ...
(Jazz CD)
Columbia/Fresh Sound (Spain), Late 50s/Early 60s.
A treasure trove of rare work from the great Guy Lafitte – a rich-voiced tenor talent from the French scene of the postwar years – every bit as important to their world as Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young were to ours! Lafitte's a player who came up in larger groups – and as such ...
(Jazz CD)
Ogun (UK), 1964.
A much-needed look at the early sound of The Blue Notes – a performance right before they left South Africa, and with a nicely different sound than some of their later London performances issued on the Ogun label! The group here are already very much in their own sound and spirit, but with ...
(Jazz CD)
Ulf Ivarsson & Bill Laswell
Nammu
Ropeadope, 2022.
The cover's got a really heavy sort of image – of the type that you might have seen on some of the classic Axiom label releases from bassist Bill Laswell many years back – but the approach here is a bit different, and nicely touched by the spirit of the other members of the group! ...
(Jazz CD)
Treasure Isle/Doctor Bird (UK), Early 70s. 2CD
A really great look at the final years of the Treasure Isle label – a Jamaican imprint that was as important in the 60s as Studio One, and headed by the groundbreaking producer Duke Reid – a force maybe best known for ska and rocksteady, but still very much at the top of his game here! ...
(Reggae CD)
Brenda/Luaka Bop, 1975.
A lost gospel treasure from this obscure Mississippi group – cut in the mid 70s, but with a stripped-down sound that's completely timeless overall! The Staples Jr Singers certainly have picked up some of the more righteous currents of mainstream soul and funk at the time – echoed both ...
(Gospel CD)
Shindig, 2022.
Kinks founder Dave Davies spent many years in the shadow of his brother Ray – but he's definitely gotten great attention in recent years – including articles like this great cover feature in Shindig! The set features more on other groovy sounds from the past – a look at the life ...
(Magazine)
Impulse, 1962. Gatefold (reissue)
A legendary meeting of two classic jazz talents late in their careers – in a setting that's ideal to bring out all the complexity of their well-honed genius! The approach of the album is mostly an Ellington one – as the group features some of Duke's stalwarts, like Ray Nance on trumpet ...
(Jazz LP)
Contemporary/Craft, 1959. (reissue)
A unique large group session from Art Pepper – one of his few this way as a leader, despite constant 50s presence as a sideman in big ensembles! Arrangements are by Marty Paich, who more than makes things swing – and there's a nice rhythm section dancing underneath a larger group ...
(Jazz LP)
Tru Thoughts (UK), 2022.
Moonchild are one of those groups who just keep on rewarding us as we follow their career – but one who are also always so great, you can just drop your ears right in the middle of any of their excellent albums! This time around, the trio add in help from some famous collaborators – ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Masayuki Takayanagi & New Direction
Eclipse
Iskra/Black Editions, 1975. Gatefold (reissue)
A legendary album from the Japanese scene of the 70s – one that captures the intensity of the free jazz underground at its height, but at a level that maybe also points the way towards some of the Japanese noise in decades to come! Guitarist Masayuki Takayanagi plays unlike anyone else we ...
(Jazz LP)
Excello/P-Vine (Japan), 1976.
A beautiful little album from the earliest days of the Ingram empire in soul – recorded long before any of the individual members had gone onto bigger mainstream fame, and done in a way that has lots of righteous indie touches! Sister Barbara sings lead vocals on most of the tracks – ...
(Soul CD)
No Business (Lithuania), 2016.
Two of the greatest creative pianist to ever come out of the British jazz scene – working together here in a later performance that was part of the Steinway Two Piano Festival in London! Both musicians are using the very resonant version of their instrument – and the set begins with a ...
(Jazz CD)
Quartet (Spain), 1969. 3CD
Very groovy sounds created to match the films of director Fernando Di Leo – best known for his crime/cop films of the 70s, but heard here on a range of scores for different sorts of films from 1969! Silvano Spadaccio works with Iller Pattacini on the wonderful score for Amarsi Male – a ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Jazz Hounds/Fresh Sound (Spain), 1981.
An overlooked early gem from Bobby Shew – a set that's equally great for his own work on trumpet and flugelhorn as it is for the Fender Rhodes of pianist Bill Mays, and tenor and flute of Gordon Brisker! The pair are a great combination here – and the set's got these easily flowing ...
(Jazz CD)
Alessandro Alessandroni & Rino De Filippi
Vacanze
SR/Sonor (Italy), Early 70s. (reissue)
A sweet summer vacation from two Italian sound library maestros – both working here together at the height of their powers – in the kind of blend of funk, bossa, and jazz that you could only find in the Italian scene at the time! The rhythms are lively, but nice and light too – ...
(Sound Library LP)
577, 2022.
One of those records that just makes us say "wow" right from the very first note – a perfect showcase for all musicians involved, and a really mighty meeting of the creative minds! We've really loved the strong return to form that Matthew Shipp has given us on piano in recent years ...
(Jazz CD)
British Progressive Jazz (UK), 1970.
Never-issued work from pianist Keith Tippett – live studio recordings from 1970, and cuts that really capture Tippett at the height of his young brilliance! There's a vibe here that's often a bit different than some of his famous albums of the period – more modal in the rhythms overall ...
(Jazz CD)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2002.
Unreleased work from the glory days of the Peter Brotzmann Chicago Tentet – a legendary free jazz ensemble that's playing here at the height of their powers! The group have a vibe here that's wonderful – both as playful and as sinister as the title might imply – stretched out to ...
(Jazz LP)
Black Editions, 1970. 3LPs
Mindblowing sounds from the Japanese scene at the start of the 70s – a record that's not just noteworthy for ushering in a new generation of live improvised expression, but which also maybe prefaces some of the much noisier modes of Japanese music to come in later decades! That noise is ...
(Jazz LP)
Honey Pie (Italy), 1971.
An unusual live album from the great reedman Yusef Lateef – recorded during the same time as his well-known recordings for Atlantic Records, but done in a very different vibe overall! The set begins with a long soul jazz take on "In The Evening" – with Yusef on jazzy oboe ...
(Jazz LP)
Ogun (UK), 1977.
Seminal live work from this legendary group – a late 70s concert recorded in London, and one that shows just how much the Blue Notes had grown after leaving behind their South African scene! The combo is a quartet here – the mighty Chris McGregor on piano, Dudu Pukwana on alto, Johnny ...
(Jazz CD)
Cinevox/Quartet (Spain), 1977.
The great Luis Bacalov is one of the longtime masters of Italian cinema scoring – an artist who's done everything from 60s westerns to more contemporary sentimental films – and who turns out some really nice sounds for this obscure thriller from the 70s! The main theme of the film has ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Trojan (UK), 1973. (reissue)
A seminal set from vocalist John Holt – stepping out here on his own after an early stretch of greatness with The Paragons – and working as a bright star on his own, with a level of crossover power that should have made him huge on the global scene! The album's as much a soul record as ...
(Reggae LP)
Fuel (UK), 2022.
Sometimes you don't realize you've been holding something great in your hands until you let it go – and for us, that's definitely the case with this beautiful book – a compendium of record store bags from the 20th Century – presented here in vivid images that remind us that the ...
(Book)
Fresh Sound (Spain), Late 50s. 2CD
Michel Hausser was definitely "Mr Vibes" on the French scene of the 50s and 60s – a wonderful player on the instrument whose work on these tracks helped give the vibes as much of a place in European jazz world as the work of Milt Jackson over here in the US! Hauser's got a nicely ...
(Jazz CD)
Freeway/Fresh Sound (Spain), Mid 60s.
A pair of rare albums from Hank De Mano – a flugelhorn player from the LA scene of the 60s – one who mostly seemed to work in a live setting! On Flyin Fluegelhorn, Hank De Mano is a great player on the flugelhorn – hardly "flyin" at all, despite the title – and ...
(Jazz CD)
Mr Bongo (UK), 1978.
A beautiful album from Idrissa Soumaoro and L'Eclipse – one recorded during a time of great political unrest in Mali, and a set that was never commercially issued – but just originally given away by the Malian Association for the Blind! The album's got all the power of earlier albums ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Jazzman (UK), 2021.
Jazz harp genius Amanda Whiting takes on a host of older tracks here – and completely makes them her own, thanks to some very sensitive, spiritual handling of the material! The group is a trio – Deej Williams on bass and Tony Robinson on drums – and they take the tunes in a style ...
(Jazz LP)
MFX/180g, 1985. (reissue)
A wonderfully home-grown take on 80s funk – served up here by Japanese guitarist Minoru Fushimi, who brings all sorts of instruments into the mix as well! The style is maybe a bit like some of the electro funk from the east coast scene at the time – beats, basslines, and keyboards ...
(Japanese LP)
EMI/Fresh Sound (Spain), 1960/1961.
One of the most hard-hitting albums ever cut by pianist Georges Arvanitas – an early effort that's all soul jazz all the way through! Although Arvanitas is best known as a committed modernist, especially in later years, this sweet early 60s session is a stone cooker in the best mode of Blue ...
(Jazz CD)
Colemine, 2022.
Slow funk and soul, with plenty of psychedelic touches – all delivered in the best mode we've come to expect from the Monophonics over the years! The group's always off in their own space in a really great way – creating a sonic environment that easily shifts between past, present, and ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Motown, 2022. 2LP Gatefold
A righteous album recorded in memory of the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 – done to showcase the continued vibrancy of culture in the city, and handled with a collaborative spirit that really makes the whole thing shine! The recording features contributions from over 50 different artists from the ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Deep Matter (UK), 2022.
A second genre-bending set from Myele Manzanza – a drummer at heart, but also a musician who's got the same sort of post-jazz approach as contemporaries on the London scene in which he's currently working! There's plenty of live drums on the set, played with a great sense of urgency – ...
(Jazz LP)
Jazz Is Dead, 2022. 2LP
A fantastic extension of the Jazz Is Dead series – a run of records that's already got a wonderfully collaborative vibe, which is taken even further with these tracks! As you might guess from the title, the album features remixes of cuts from the previous nine volumes – and the choice ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Rare Earth/Anagram, 1969. (reissue)
The first really major album from Rare Earth – issued on their own self-named subsidiary of Motown! The set's a perfect blend of the rich undercurrents of the heady Detroit scene of the late 60s – at one level a tripped-out rock record with styles that almost hint at MC5, at another ...
(Rock LP)
Tower/Pink Floyd, 1968. (reissue)
Pink Floyd rose out of the same London scene that gave the world a huge amount of psychedelic records in the late 60s – but with a set like this, they're clearly head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – already working with a boundless sense of imagination and impeccable ...
(Rock LP)
Now Again, 1969.
An insanely fantastic lost chapter in the career of pianist Denny Zeitlin – a never-issued session of electric keyboards and vocals – put together with his famous trio of the 60s, but lost to the world for many decades! Zeitlin was a hell of a pianist right from the start, and he also ...
(Jazz CD)
Fresh Sound (Spain), 1964.
A never-heard performance from drummer JC Heard – recorded right after he moved to the LA jazz scene, in the kind of a live date that made 60s performances from the Lighthouse even better than recordings at that club during the 50s! The album's a real revelation for work from co-leader Bill ...
(Jazz CD)
Cinevox/Quartet (Spain), 1980.
A striking soundtrack for this Italian horror film – not really a zombie flick exactly, but one with a very similar bent – scored by the great Stelvio Cipriani with loads of cool keyboards and rhythms! The horror mode's definitely of the John Carpenter generation – which means ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Ace (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s.
A deep look at a blues scene that doesn't always get its due – music not from Chicago, Memphis, or various points south – but some nicely gritty tracks that were cut in New York during the postwar years! Despite New York's fame as a hub of jazz, soul, and other styles – the city ...
(Blues CD)
Z Records (UK), 2022. 2CD
A great range of fantastic jazzy cuts – all of them upbeat and funky enough to warrant the "dance" in the title – and served up here in modes that are way more than jazz fusion too! The set's the third in this great series by DJ Colin Curtis – and it may be the deepest ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Fresh Sound (Spain), 1960.
A never-issued session from trumpeter Carmell Jones – fresh on the LA scene at the time of this recording, and ready to bring the kind of fresh, soulful energy to the city that made his rare few albums as a leader so great! The date was put together by pianist Forrest Westbrook, who recorded ...
(Jazz CD)
Fresh Sound New Talent (Spain), 2003. 2LP Gatefold
The first-ever album from pianist Robert Glasper – the start of a huge legacy in jazz, and an album that has him already finding his own voice as a musician! The sound is fantastic throughout – with a core trio that has Glasper able to carve out all those blocky moments that he does so ...
(Jazz LP)
Reprise/Real Gone, Mid 60s.
A great lost chapter in the career of Darlene Love – a soul singer who's maybe known best for her early work with Phil Spector in The Crystals – but who ended up with a long legacy in music, which is partly added to by this collection! The core of the set features some mid 60s ...
(Soul LP)
Anthology, Late 60s/Early 70s. 2LP
The first-ever full look at the unique musical talents of Norma Tanega – an artist known for one big crossover hit in the 60s, but who had a much deeper legacy in folk and protest music! Norma was both part of the Greenwich Village scene in the early 60s, and quickly apart from it – ...
(Folk/Country LP)
Fresh Sound (Spain), 1967.
Trumpeter Sonny Grey has a brash, bold tone on his instrument here – similar to that of Jamaican contemporary Shake Keane – well-recorded out front of a larger ensemble in a Spanish performance – with these breakout solos that create a real sense of electricity throughout! In ...
(Jazz CD)
Penrose/Daptone, 2021.
A new sort of groove from the Daptone side of the universe – a set that showcases work on the Penrose offshoot of the label – an imprint dedicated to more laidback, west-coast styled grooves! The emphasis here is more on soul than funk – particularly the sort of mellow soul that ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Schema (Italy), 2022.
A sweet set of remixes – material from the already-clubby album Body & Soul, taken to even further dancefloor territory by maestro Stefano Tirone! The core album already had a really upbeat vibe – with nicely varied vocals from Toco, Afra Kane, and Laura Fedele – and the ...
(New Grooves LP)
Resonance, 1979. 2CD
A very late live set from the legendary Bill Evans, and a great one too – a set that captures the pianist in all his spare, subtle glory – working with just the right sort of accompaniment from Marc Johnson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums! Both Marc and Joe are players who really ...
(Jazz CD)
Petit Cherie (Italy), 1980. (reissue)
A sweet little set with a sound that's a bit hard to peg – a group that starts out in jazz fusion territory, but who also feel free to bring in some other elements along the way – so that although there's plenty of jazz-based elements in the set, there's a lot of other sounds going on ...
(Jazz LP)
America/Universal (Japan), 1970. 2CDs
The complete recordings – both master and alternate takes – of the famous Charles Mingus session recorded in Paris in October of 1970! The work here was originally issued on two different albums by the America label, but it was all recorded on a single day – and features some of ...
(Jazz CD)
Mr Bongo (UK), 1970s/2022.
A really cool idea for a collection – a set that brings together vintage 70s tracks and more contemporary cuts – all with a globe-spanning ear for a groove, and an approach that's as heavy in soul as you'd expect from the title! This isn't your usual collection of sample tracks or funk ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Motema/Blue Note, 2010.
Gregory Porter's a hip little singer – just the sort we love to discover in jazz, and the type that only comes around once in a blue moon! Like Jon Hendricks, Mark Murphy, or Kurt Elling – all perfect references for Porter's style – Greg has a wonderful way of coming up with his ...
(Vocalists CD)
Fresh Sound (Spain), 1966.
Never-heard work from the great Martial Solal – a hell of a pianist in a hell of a setting – beautifully-recorded performances done in California during the 60s – right at a time when Solal was really stretching out and forging the sort of sound that would make him a modern jazz ...
(Jazz CD)
Sugar/Chris' Soundtrack Corner (Germany), 1971.
A record that's as sunny and slinky as you might guess from the cover – but one that's got a few surprises along the way! Daniele Patucchi can really deliver the goods with a sexy 70s soundtrack – and he's very much in his element here, as he mixes muted horns with warm basslines and ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Be! (Germany), 1950s/Early 60s. 5CD & Hardcover book
A sprawling set of rare singles in a variety of genres – and a set that's maybe one of the most essential in the "state" series from the Be! Records label! Previous entries have included Michigan, Texas, and other states with a well-known recorded legacy – but this time ...
(Rock CD)
ECM (Germany), 2022.
John Scofield's a musician who's changed up his sound wonderfully over the decades – and yet, throughout it all, he's never stopped to give us an album of solo guitar – something he does here in a wonderfully fresh way – mixing up a surprising array of songs alongside his own work ...
(Jazz CD)
Soul Note/Hyperjazz (Italy), Late 70s/1980s. 2LP Gatefold
A deep dive into the catalog of the legendary Soul Note label – the Italian imprint that became a huge host to American jazz musicians in the late 70s onwards – a company that helped to evolve both spiritual and loft jazz modes, and continue the legacy of free-thinking expression that ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Trojan/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), Late 70s. (reissue)
A record with a striking title – and a set that really marked the full promise of Linval Thompson in the 70s – a dubby classic that's every bit as strong on the vocal side of Thompson's skills, as it is the production side! The album was recorded at Tubby's with the Revolutionaries ...
(Reggae LP)
Fresh Sound (Spain), Late 50s/Early 60s. 2CD
A double-length collection of material from this legendary European guitarist – a player as important to the overseas scene in the 50s as Barney Kessel and Kenny Burrell were over here! Rene Thomas hails from Belgium, but recorded some of his most important work in Paris – and although ...
(Jazz CD)
Sonic Healing Ministries, 2021.
Fiercely spiritual music from the great David Boykin – exactly the kind of record that puts him in a special sort of legacy that goes back to the glory days of the 70s! Boykin's always had this sort of quality in his music, but it feels as if in recent years, he's gotten even more righteous ...
(Jazz CD)
Twinight/Numero, Early 70s. (reissue)
One of the best-ever soul albums to come out of Chicago – and it may well be one of the best soul albums ever! The set's the deepest that Syl Johnson ever recorded – and it takes all the hard, raw soul he forged on previous funky 45s – and spins it out in longer album format ...
(Soul LP)
Luv N' Haight, 1976. (reissue)
Keyboardist Howard Wales is probably best-remembered for a late 60s collaboration with Jerry Garcia – but this mid 70s set has Wales sounding even more expansive than before – with a richly visionary sound that's a real surprise! The album's almost a jazz session – in that it's ...
(Jazz LP)
Palto Flats, 1984.
A really unusual album from the Japanese scene of the 80s – a set that was unissued at the time, but which is right in line with the other groundbreaking music of Yazuaki Shimizu! At some level, there's echoes of the instrumental experiments of Ryuichi Sakamoto going on here – but at ...
(Japanese LP)
BBE (UK), 1970s/1980s. 2CD
One of the greatest voices ever in soul music – served up here in a stunning set of new mixes by the legendary John Morales – king of the edit, with a talent that goes way back to the best modes of the early club scene in NYC – and an equally great ability to find all the best ...
(Soul CD)
Quartet (Spain), 1974.
A seductive little soundtrack, done for a mid 70s film that also circulated as The House Of Exorcism – but which has a much better score here in the original version! By the time of the film, Carlo Savina was no stranger to the world of film scores – but he's also clearly pushing ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Impulse, 1963. Gatefold (reissue)
A landmark album of vocal jazz – and one of the few sessions that John Coltrane ever cut with a singer! In a way, the album's more Hartman's than it is Coltrane's – given that Johnny's warm, mellow style of singing isn't as free and open as Trane at his most adventurous – but at ...
(Jazz LP)
Sugar/Chris' Soundtrack Corner (Germany), 1973.
A record with a stark-looking cover, but one that hides a lot of warm within – a set of very well-done 70s tracks from Italian composer Daniele Patucchi, who has a great way of mixing a central theme with some funkier moments that have a nice cop/crime sort of groove! The main theme is great ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Anagram, Early 80s. 2CD
Chet Baker in the 80s was a really wonderful thing – hardly the sound of an aging musician stumbling towards the end of his life, as so many others tend to paint this time – and instead, a continually-creative individual who was really finding ways to get around his losses and make some ...
(Jazz CD)
Extra Soul Perception (UK), 2022. 2LP Gatefold
A really well-done collection, and one that definitely earns the "new tangents" in the title – as it brings us into contact with some great contemporary soul tracks we might never have heard otherwise! There's a lean vibe to the set that unifies most tracks – that less-is-more ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Jubilee/Warner, 1957. 2CD
A classic trio session from Charles Mingus – one of the few he ever recorded! The set's got Mingus on bass, working with regular drummer Danny Richmond and pianist Hampton Hawes – an unusual choice for the record, but a player whose sense of freedom and intensity at this point really ...
(Jazz CD)
Single Malt, 2022.
Saxophonist Chris Greene just keeps maturing more and more as an artist and leader over the years – a quality you'll definitely hear even before he blows his horn, as he speaks a bit at the start of this live performance – then rolls into some really great work on both tenor and soprano ...
(Jazz CD)
Polydor/Geffen, 1966. (reissue)
Maybe the first true moment of genius from The Who – a record that shows that the group aren't just the usual mod rockers of the time – even though they were already pretty darn great in that format! Instead, there's all these little weird bits and odd themes going on – including ...
(Rock LP)
Molemen/Dope Folks, 1990s. (reissue)
A crucial full-length set from underground Chicago MC Vakill – an artist who was popping up on obscure 12" singles and cassette-only releases in the 90s – really given a chance to shine here with superb Molemen production! The record's got that great Chitown underground vibe of ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Sugar/Decca, Late 50s/1960s. 2LP Gatefold
A really fantastic collection – one that gets at the full range of jazz-based sounds in Italian soundtracks during the 60s – served up here on a set of tracks that go way past the obvious! This isn't a "best of" set – and instead, it digs very deeply, and even features ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Sonic Healing Ministries, 2021.
The cover and title here hint at the music within – as David Boykin plays solo, and moves between work on bass clarinet and drums – both instruments we're not used to hearing him handle, and which open up very different sides of his style! The drums are maybe the biggest surprise ...
(Jazz CD)
Blue Note, 2022.
Tenorist Melissa Aldana is no newcomer to jazz, but this Blue Note debut really seems to open up a special sort of sound in her music – a mode that's both deeper and more sensitive, and filled with a really rich sense of color and tone! A key musical partner on the date is guitarist Lage ...
(Jazz LP)
World Circuit, 2022.
The fantastic vocals of Oumou Sangare are a great mix of the album's use of guitar and n'goni on most tracks – both instruments whose stringed voices have a way of bringing out the raspy charms in Sangare in this really wonderful way – with tone, feeling, and texture that goes far past ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Warner/Sepia Tone, 1976.
Seminal 70s work from one of the most righteous jazz musicians ever! On this set, Alice Coltrane moves past the rawer spiritual sound of her Impulse albums – working with a more focused vision and an approach to jazz that takes her way past the identity of just being "Mrs Coltrane" ...
(Jazz CD)
Strut (UK), 2022.
The solo debut of Juanita Euka, a singer you might know for her fantastic contributions to the London Afrobeat Collective and other groups – yet clearly an artist waiting to shine in the spotlight on her own! Euka is Congolese, but raised in Argentina – and given her recent work on the ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Sugar/Chris' Soundtrack Corner (Germany), 1973.
A soundtrack with a beautiful mix of modes from Carlo Savina – some cuts that have sweet 70s keyboard lines over a laidback groove, others that use strings in ways that are both dark and slinky, and one or two more that throw in some surprising melodies to the mix! This is the first time ...
(Soundtracks CD)
CAM/Sugar, 1972. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
Haunting horror work from the great Bruno Nicolai – an album that's got some wonderfully-crafted themes mixed with some lighter, breezier numbers – almost in a Rosemary's baby sort of mode! Bruno really gets to show off both sides of his talents here – and comes up with some ...
(Soundtracks LP)
TSG/P-Vine (Japan), 1976.
Badass funk from this obscure 70s band – one who play here with a really wicked edge to their groove! At some level, the sound is right up there with some of the bigger ensemble funk acts of the time – particularly that Mercury Records generation who were tightening things up from the ...
(Soul CD)
Logo/Munster (Spain), 1978. (reissue)
Mick Farren has the hair of a hippie on the cover, but he comes across here with the raw energy of some of the best new acts on the New York scene during the early punk years – really stunning throughout, with a sound that rivals some of the best by the Dead Boys, Richard Hell, and even ...
(Rock LP)
Liquid Label, 2022.
A really great solo project from Charles Prest of Flamingods – a set that's got a completely compelling mix of psychedelic elements, contemporary beats, and some of the fuzzier sounds of the UK scene in the 80s! There's definitely a resonance here with that 80s moment when folks started to ...
(Rock CD)
Decca/Big Pink (South Korea), 1971.
One of the few albums ever issued by Ronnie Barron – an artist with a long range of work on the New Orleans scene, ties to Dr John, and even a role in the Woodstock scene of the early 70s – all of which really come through on this well-done set! Barron's got all the roots in his music ...
(Rock CD)
Liuto/Four Flies (Italy), 1971.
One of the most seductive sound library albums ever recorded by Piero Umiliani – a set that was originally issued under his Zalla pseudonym, but which has all the best jazzy grooves of some of his famous soundtrack material from the end of the 60s! As on those records, Umiliani plays a host ...
(Sound Library CD)
Analog Africa (Germany), 1960s/1970s/Early 80s.
Other-worldly sounds from the Mexican scene – maybe the first-ever compilation we've seen to really dig deep into the world of the sonideros – sound system operators who work in a groove that's mellow but funky, and full of all these weird sort of echoes and effects! The core rhythms ...
(Latin CD)
Soul Bank (UK), 2022.
DJ Craig Charles has been the main man spinning funk on the BBC for many years – almost a John Peel for the Daptone/Coalmine label crowd – and here, he unveils a second sparkling collection of some of his favorites – tracks that are mostly contemporary funk numbers, but mixed with ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Hot/Mr Bongo (UK), 1969.
Definitely a set to make you hallucinate – as the grooves are quite groovy, but in a really trippy way! The album's a bit like the classic Psicodelico set by Luiz Carlos Vinhas – a mix of older samba modes and wigged-out 60s sounds – sometimes odd production, sometimes offbeat ...
(Brazil CD)
RCA/Pure Pleasure (UK), 1974. (reissue)
A genius bit of work from the legendary Weldon Irvine – a mightily righteous effort that more than lives up to its heady title and cover! After turning out 2 great albums on his own indie Nodlew label, Weldon really steps into greatness with this set – using the bigger budget of his ...
(Jazz LP)
Daptone, 2022.
A nicely mellow album from blue-eyed soul veteran James Hunter – still done with the same deep soul currents as his other Daptone records, but slowed down a peg and with a nice focus on ballads and love songs! There's a moody, late nite vibe going on at some of the best moments – ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Blue Note, 2022.
Trombone Shorty just keeps on honing his groove – finding a way to add in new bits with each new album, while still holding on to enough of his New Orleans roots in the process! This set's definitely got Shorty reaching for the sky – as much of a soul album as a jazz one, with his ...
(Jazz CD)
Terror Vision, 1981. Gatefold
Tangerine Dream delivered a number of famous soundtracks in the late 70s and early 80s – but this set is one of the most obscure, and maybe one of the wildest too! The music was done for an Australian horror film, and has a very dark, moody vibe – still plenty of the Tangerine Dream ...
(Rock LP)
Sonic Healing Ministries, 2020.
A great reworking of the extended Solar Suite by Chicago saxophonist David Boykin – issued many years back in a studio version, and presented here in a bold new take done at the same 63rd Street Beach House that used to host performances by Phil Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble! ...
(Jazz CD)
Mad About Records (Portugal), 1978. (reissue)
One of those rare 70s jazz albums that shouldn't be as good as it is – recorded by a pianist from Knoxville, issued with a relatively obscure cover, but filled with music that's far richer than you might expect! Joel Fairstein isn't exactly a household name, but he's a hell of a writer, ...
(Jazz LP)
Horoscope/Numero, Early 70s. (reissue)
A real classic from the glory days of the kid soul group – a set recorded by an obscure Ohio group during the same generation as work by The Jackson 5, Sylvers, and Five Stairsteps – but a much more obscure record overall! The vibe here is strongly in the east coast harmony soul mode ...
(Soul LP)
Candid/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1960.
Rare French material from Lucky Thompson – and a set of tracks that really shows a lot of artistic growth overseas since his better-known Paris dates of the mid 50s! The setting is relatively spare – a quartet with Martial Solal on piano, Peter Trunk on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums ...
(Jazz CD)
Reprise/Esoteric (UK), 1970. 2CD
An amazing shift for Family – the group's first album after Rick Grech left for Blind Faith – and a set that has the group really reinventing their sound! The vocals of Roger Chapman are maybe even more dynamic and upfront than ever before – really finding that special sort of ...
(Rock CD)
Ohr (Germany), 1971.
An obscure set from the glory days of the Krautrock scene, but a set that's maybe a lot more hard rock than some of its more proggy German contemporaries! The songs are still nice and long, but they've also got a lot more focus too – topped with English lyrics, sewn tight with searing ...
(Rock CD)
Pye/BMG, 1966. (reissue)
Excellent work by The Kinks – cut right on the cusp of their earlier bluesier years, and their perfect picture postcard pop sides of the late 60s! The album's got a number of groovy little tunes that virtually put the jangle in 60s pop – with impeccable writing by Ray Davies, and all ...
(Rock LP)
Sundazed, Late 60s.
Garage genius from the Texas scene of the 60s – a set of tracks that were all originally recorded for the Jetstar label out of Dallas – including a number that were never issued at the time! Jetstar was part of the Abnak Records family of labels – the bigger company more home to ...
(Rock LP)
Jasmine (UK), 1950s/Early 60s.
More than a decade's worth of work from the mighty Eddie Kirkland – a Detroit singer and guitarist who came up on the same scene as John Lee Hooker, but whose style was maybe even more urban and electric overall! Kirkland's sometimes eclipsed by his work with Hooker – partly because he ...
(Blues CD)
CBS/Mr Bongo (UK), 1974.
A fantastic bit of female funk from the 70s – and a set that was recorded in Germany by a very exotic singer! The album is Asha Puthli's first – and includes some unusual interpretations of work by JJ Cale, John Lennon, Bill Withers, and George Harrison – plus a great tune of her ...
(Soul CD)
Astral Spirits, 2022.
Three really fantastic musicians – working together to turn out one the best records we've ever heard from any of them in years! Make no mistake, we love these guys in all sorts of other settings – but here, there's something really special, and definitely a cut above – this warm ...
(Jazz LP)
Duke University Press, 2022.
Maybe the best book so far in the recent run of work from musician/author David Grubbs – a volume that follows a similar pattern to the previous longform works The Voice In The Headphones and Now That The Audience Is Assembled – but one that has a very different vibe overall! The ...
(Book)
Astral Spirits, 2021.
Over the past few years, the Astral Spirits label has quietly been staging a sonic revolution – really breaking down expectations in the world of avant jazz, and turning our albums that go way past familiar free jazz and improvisation! That's definitely the case here, with a really unique ...
(Jazz LP)
Astral Spirits, 2022.
There's definitely a sense of concentric orbits taking place here – these long-spun lines that have a nicely cyclical quality – not always as straight in terms of rhythms, but with a pulsating energy that really has both players in constellation with each other! Rob Clearfield plays ...
(Jazz LP)
Cinevox (Italy), 1975.
One of the sweetest, funkiest Italian soundtracks we've heard from the 70s – originally written for a sci-fi TV show by Enrico Simonetti, and filled with some really great work on keyboards! Despite the spacey setting of the show, a lot of the tunes here are nicely straightforward – ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Vertigo/Esoteric (UK), 1971.
The fantastic debut of Jade Warrior – a group who were one of the most unique prog acts to record for the Vertigo label in the 70s! Jade Warrior is just a trio – and unlike some of the harder-rocking power trios of the time, the group have a way of balancing softness and intensity, ...
(Rock CD)
Rhino, 1981. 2LP Gatefold
If you dig the Replacements as much as us, you can never get enough – especially during the first few years of the group's career, when it seemed like they were really on fire with a very fresh new sound! This set is a great lost chapter of the group from that time – and represents the ...
(Rock LP)
Astral Spirits, 2022.
Charlie Rumback once again proves himself to be one of the most enigmatic talents around – working here with a great group of musicians, in a set of tracks that push far beyond the currents of standard jazz – both avant and mainstream! Rumback's the drummer and composer – but the ...
(Jazz LP)
Gusstaff (UK), 2022.
A really unique project from Philippe Samiguel – recorded in Bamako, where Samiguel has worked as a producer for many years – during which time he's pulled together ideas from all sorts of different projects, and forged them into a new groove of his own! Samiguel's worked most famously ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Fremeaux & Associates (France), 2022.
A tribute to the great French saxophonist Barney Wilen – but a set that stands more than enough on its own as a showcase for the tenor work of Jean-Michel Proust – a player we're not sure we've heard before this album! There's a laidback, easygoing vibe here – of the sort that ...
(Jazz CD)
Thump, 1997. 2LP Gatefold
A massive live set, and one that features three classic groups from the west coast Latin scene – all working together in the same venue! Although the date is late, the groups all still have plenty of their classic sound intact – and the album features Malo serving up material for about ...
(Latin LP)
Theresa/Pure Pleasure (UK), 1980. (reissue)
Fantastic work from the legendary Idris Muhammad – the funky drummer who first rose to fame making breakbeats with Lou Donaldson in the 60s, then recorded some hip soul-based records in the 70s – here really getting back to basics with a set of soulful, spiritual small combo jazz! The ...
(Jazz LP)
Not Two (Poland), 2022.
Chicago plan do a great job here of mixing together darker passages and more sensitive moments – at a level that really lets the group open up with the kind of instrumental dexterity you'd expect from the individual players – a lineup that features Steve Swell on trombone, Gebhard ...
(Jazz CD)
Ariola/P-Vine (Japan), 1976. (reissue)
A great bit of indie soul from the mid 70s – and a record that's as wonderful as it is obscure! We don't know much about John, but he's got a spacious, soaring style of soul that's clearly influenced by Stevie Wonder – and which takes the sound into a fuller, richer groove – but ...
(Soul LP)
Astral Spirits, 2022.
Thollem's recorded a number of collaborative albums in recent years, but this record of solo live recordings may well be the best demonstration of his talents – completely fantastic work on piano, sometimes augmented by electronics and samples – with a mixture of freedom and tunefulness ...
(Jazz CD)
Not Two (Poland), 2022. 4CD
Wonderfully careful, precise improvisation from a trio that we're not sure we've ever heard before – but who are already overflowing with so many new ideas, they certainly warrant all the extra space given to them on this 4CD set! The package brings together live material from four different ...
(Jazz CD)
WRWTFWW (Switzerland), 2021.
A really fantastic record from the mighty Towe Tei – a set that's every bit and weird and wonderful as all the many contributions he's given us since his start – but an album that's also got a slightly different vibe too! The music has all the best playful elements that Tei brought to ...
(New Grooves LP)
Excello/P-Vine (Japan), 1976. (pic cover)
Two great tracks from the Funk Is In Our Music by the Ingram Family – both of them in the unique groove of the group! "He's Mine" takes a long time to build with a really jazzy vibe – warm keyboards and guitar dancing together for quite awhile before the female vocals come in ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
Electric Cowbell, 2022.
The cover's got sort of an imagined urban landscape on the front, and there's definitely an imaginary sense to the music – a blending of Brazilian elements with contemporary touches, but all at a level that still keeps things relatively intimate throughout! Fachada plays drums and a range of ...
(New Grooves LP)
Valley Of Search, 1975. 3LP Gatefold
A never-issued live performance from reedman Alan Braufman – and a set that was recorded on radio, right before his classic album on the India Navigation label! The vibe here is maybe even more spiritual and freewheeling than that set – a recording that shows just what a key plays ...
(Jazz LP)
Not Two (Poland), 2022.
A really unique take on the form of free improvisation – one done at a distance, during the global pandemic in 2020 – but at a level that's very different than anything else we've ever seen on record! The "correspondence" in the title is a reference to the process of the ...
(Jazz CD)
Born Bad (France), 1970s/Early 80s.
Fantastic sounds from an unsung French music hero – sonic genius Bernard Estardy, whose talents mostly lay behind the studio window, where he worked magic with some of the best French singers of the 60s through the 90s! Yet during that time, Estardy was also recording some very cool cuts of ...
(Sound Library LP)
Blue Note, 2022.
The "poet" in the title is very well-put here – as vibist Joel Ross continues to mature into one of the most distinctive artists in contemporary jazz – not just a unique player on his chosen instrument of the vibes, but also a leader who can take a session like this and really ...
(Jazz CD)
BBE (UK), 1970s/2022.
A nice little collection, and one that definitely fits the sunny Cali look on the cover – as the set mixes together vintage jazz and AOR from the 70s, but also includes some cuts from the present as well – all with a timeless vibe that almost creates a new sort of genre unto itself! ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Vampi Soul (Spain), 1983. (reissue)
An incredibly lovely little record, with a sound that's very much all its own – served by a female trio who were part of the unusual scene in Uruguay at the time – all in a mix of harmonized vocals, acoustic guitar, and a very personal, up-close sort of presentation! The harmonies ...
(Rock LP)
Melopea/Vampi Soul (Spain), Late 80s.
The Argentine scene has always had a special sound that's all its own – maybe a bit more modernism in the music than some of its South American contemporaries – which is definitely the case here on a well-chosen array of tracks from the end of the 80s! The work was all recorded for the ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Warlock/Idlers, 1988.
A fantastic set from the late 80s – one of the first records to really herald the new generation to come with De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest – served up by Native Tongues partners The Jungle Brothers! While this set never got the major label push that debuts by the other groups ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Colemine, 2022.
Deeply funky work from the Sure Fire Soul Ensemble – one of those special groups that always seems to bring a little something extra to their work – not just a straight copy of old school funk instrumental styles, but instead a rich, fresh approach that's very much their own! The sound ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Ears & Eyes, 2022.
A wonderfully surprising effort from guitarist Mike Allemana – a secret hero of ours in the Chicago jazz scene for many years – as a player who first worked with tenor giant Von Freeman, and later with guitarist George Freeman – and who's gone on to be both a supporter of and ...
(Jazz CD)
Discus (UK), 1974/1981/2016.
Three unreleased slices of work from the legendary Tony Oxley – a British drummer who's had an impact on his scene's music for decades – and also an artist who can handle a whole lot of other musical sources as well! The set begins with some very seminal sounds from Oxley – music ...
(Jazz CD)
Macmillan, 2022.
A really well-done book on one of the greatest figures in hip hop during the past few decades – a genius who was taken from us all too soon, and who finally gets the deep attention he deserves in this hefty volume! The book is neither one of those salacious tales of a hip hopper who went too ...
(Book)
Division 81, 2021.
A long-awaited full length statement from saxophonist Isaiah Collier – a player who's been making magic on the Chicago scene in recent years, and who steps forth boldly here as a leader with a vision that cannot be denied! The set was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio, on John Coltrane's ...
(Jazz CD)
Blue Note, 1962. Gatefold (reissue)
A wonderful quartet session from the young alto genius Jackie McLean – recorded for Blue Note in the 60s, but not issued until many years later! That issue doesn't stop the set from being a classic killer, though – as the group features the stunning Sonny Clark on piano, still very ...
(Jazz LP)
Believe Direct Limited, 2022.
A pretty fantastic album from Theon Cross – the London-based jazz musician whose main instrument is the tuba, and who's given some really wonderful contributions to a range of different projects! Here, though, Theon really knocks it out of the park – still using his familiar instrument ...
(Jazz CD)
Parlophone, 2022. 2CDs
A great combination of remixes old and new – a set that features some of the 12" single remixes of Kraftwerk tracks from the early 80s onward, plus some new mixes by the group themselves – more than enough to make the album a great testament to their electronic genius, and the ...
(Rock CD)
Nature Sounds, 2022.
A surprisingly strong set from a match that might sound a bit odd at first, but which comes across beautifully throughout! At some level, Elzhi is the lead act here – dominating most of the songs with his well-crafted rhymes – and letting Georgia Anne Muldrow to handle the production, ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Pat Matshikiza & Kippie Moketsi
Tshona
Sun/We Are Busy Bodies (UK), 1975. (reissue)
One of our favorite South African jazz albums of the 70s – a set of long-spun tracks that offers up a perfect illustration of the special qualities that made the scene so unique! There's a great sense of rhythm to the music – the piano of Pat Matshikiza dancing over the rolling work ...
(Jazz LP)
BMG, 2021.
We've loved the music of soul singer Ledisi since her first self-released album back in the 90s – and since that time, she's matured even more as a vocalist – to a point where she can easily take on the music of Nina Simone with all the glory it deserves! This special set features ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Venus (Japan), 2007. (reissue)
A fitting title for this one – because Eric Alexander is one of our favorite things in jazz – and albums like this are the reason why! Alexander's tenor is in very sharp-edged formation here – working with a familiar quartet of David Hazeltine on piano, John Webber on bass, and ...
(Jazz LP)
Another Planet (UK), Mid 70s. 2CDs
Pre-Columbia work from Kokomo – a set of material recorded live in the studio before their great run of funky soul albums in the 70s! The group's a bit looser here than on their famous albums – but in a way that's arguably even more funky overall – as they seem to hit a jamming ...
(Soul CD)
Wide Hive, 2022.
Daggerboard work here with the great west coast bassist Henry Franklin – aka Skipper, which you might know from his famous 70s albums for the Black Jazz label! Franklin's a talent who's been keeping the fires burning for decades on the west coast underground scene – and he's still a ...
(Jazz CD)
Ace (UK), Late 60s/1970s/1980s/1990s.
It's really hard to put a finger on the genius of Gene Clark – he was a Cali pop artist, a country rock pioneer, a folkie, and so many other things – yet throughout it all, there was always a quality that was more Gene Clark first, and all those other styles second! Clark's known for ...
(Rock CD)
Colgems/Rhino, 1967. 2LP Gatefod (reissue)
The second full length set from The Monkees – a record that was issued at a time when global interest in the group was at an early peak, and when the group were able to deliver way more than just the "More" promised in the title! All the vocal performances here are top shelf – ...
(Rock LP)
Cuneiform, 1970. 2CD
There's been many Soft Machine live albums issued over the years – and while they're all pretty great, few may be as essential as this rare slice of work from 1970! The material captures the group right before the freewheeling side-long tracks of their famous album Third – the record ...
(Rock CD)
Aware/Tidal Waves, 1973. (reissue)
Mad funky soul from King Hannibal – a down and dirty singer from the Atlanta scene of the 70s! The notes on the back say "He's black, he's proud, he's arrogant – the combination is powerful" – and we've gotta say that we agree with that assessment, because King really ...
(Soul LP)
New Jazz/Universal (Japan), 1958.
A wonderful small combo session from tenorist Benny Golson – one of a few key albums like this from the early years! Although Golson is perhaps best known as a lively arranger in the modern idiom, he's also a kick-ass tenor player when he wants to be – and on this classic, he ...
(Jazz CD)
Novus/Mono Jazz (Italy), 1988. Gatefold (reissue)
Completely evocative late life work from Chet Baker – one of the last albums he ever recorded, and a set that shows just how much Baker kept evolving in the later years of his career! Given some of the personal troubles that plagued Chet over the decades, there's sometimes a thought out ...
(Jazz LP)
Dragon (Sweden), Late 50s/Early 60s.
Two key Swedish modernists, in three different settings – all of them great, and pulled from tracks originally recorded by the Artist label! The start of the set features a quartet with Arne Domnerus on some mighty sharp alto sax – blown with a mix of soulful undercurrents and modern ...
(Jazz CD)
International Anthem, 2022.
There's few folks who can put together an album like Alabaster DePlume – and even amidst the heady company of his labelmates on International Anthem, it seems like DePlume has a really special way of mixing live performance with a whole host of studio-based conceptions! Alabaster's previous ...
(Jazz CD)
Crammed (Belgium), 2022.
If the "figures" in the title here sounds a bit familiar, it's because Figures was a great return to form for the legendary Aksak Maboul – a record that showed that their unusual mix of sounds and styles was alive and well into the 21st Century – used here as a platform for ...
(Rock LP)
Atlantic/Big Pink (South Korea), 1969.
Heavy drums and a good dose of soul – both of which make Black Pearl stand out a bit from many of their late 60s contemporaries! There's a definite bluesy undercurrent to the group's music, but the riffs are also pretty hard and fast too – almost a bit funky at times, and delivered ...
(Rock CD)
Crammed (Belgium), 2022.
If the "figures" in the title here sounds a bit familiar, it's because Figures was a great return to form for the legendary Aksak Maboul – a record that showed that their unusual mix of sounds and styles was alive and well into the 21st Century – used here as a platform for ...
(Rock LP)
City Slang, 2022.
A really fantastic debut from Chicago soul singer Kaina Castillo – an artist who may well become huge in years to come, given the strength of this initial album! There's a really special vibe going on here – as Kaina's not afraid to put herself or her feelings on the line, but also not ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Stage Productions/P-Vine (Japan), Mid 70s.
A really legendary group from the underground 70s scene in Chicago – one who've got all the chops and capabilities of the bigger groups of the time, but who never fully got their due – maybe in part because of the racy image on the album's cover! The group are a sharp funky ensemble ...
(Soul CD)
Blue Note, 2022.
Pianist Gerald Clayton has always been a musician who's followed his own path in music – making different-sounding records right from the start – but it's also clear that he's really finding his way ahead in recent years, as this second album for Blue Note will attest! Clayton has a ...
(Jazz CD)
SRFSCHL, 2022.
Curren$y and Harry Fraud have elevated to the yacht club here – trading their outrunner for a place in the regatta, as proof that their partnership has yielded plenty in recent years! Harry handled all the production, and the set's got that laidback vibe that the pair do so well – ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Blue Note, 2022.
The first full length set from London duo Blue Lab Beats – a pair who are very well-placed on Blue Note Records, but more as ambassadors of some of the more soul-styled work the label has done in recent years! There's a very collaborative vibe going on here – as the core producers open ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Far Out (UK), 2022.
Daniel Maunick's been giving us music in many forms for years – working as Venom on remixes, handling work with Incognito, and a range of other projects – but stepping out in the spotlight on his own is a relatively new thing to Maunick – and a great showcase for all sorts of ...
(New Grooves CD)
Athens Of The North (UK), Late 70s.
A funky soul gem from one of those underground groups who seemed to be able to take on any sort of style with effortless ease – stepping easily here between upbeat funk, soaring club grooves, and some deeper soul moments that really help ground the whole thing! The production is often nice ...
(Soul LP)
BBE (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. LP & 7inch
A great assortment of rare jazz and soul – and a set that you can totally dig, even if you don't know the meaning of Klinkhamer! The title's a reference to a Dutch record shop, whose owners compiled these tracks – but the music here has a very universal appeal, especially if you dig ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Farroupilha/Far Out (UK), 1966.
Very early work from Jose Roberto Bertrami – the keyboardist who rose to fame with Azymuth in the 70s, but who's working here in an all-acoustic bossa mode! In keeping with Bertrami's later talent for an unusual groove, the album's got a feel that's slightly different than the other bossa ...
(Brazil CD)
Tidal Waves, 1985.
Rare solo work from Melvin Ukachi – a key member of the 70s Nigerian funk group Ofege, stepping out here with a style that's a bit more lean and 80s-styled overall! There's plenty of beats and keyboards in the mix – a really catchy groove that's in the best American boogie style of the ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Record Kicks (Italy), 2022.
Tanika Charles soars like a hot butterfly here – using a "papillon" reference that can't help make us think of Chaka Khan – and somehow managing to really rise up to that territory with a record like this! A few years back, we thought of Tanika as just another retro-styled ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Luaka Bop, 2022.
Pastor Wiley Champion is a gospel singer with a hell of a voice – the sort that could have instantly made him a huge soul singer, if he ever chose to leave his faith – but which is maybe even more powerful here directed towards a spiritual sort of setting! The album's a very lean ...
(Gospel CD)
TSG/P-Vine (Japan), 1976.
A killer rare gem from the 70s – served up in this warm mellow take on funky soul, with plenty of jazzy licks in the mix too! The production is great – cool and compressed, so that the vocals are folded nicely onto the grooves – which are mostly in this midtempo mode that chugs ...
(Soul CD)
Metronome/Finders Keepers (UK), 1971. (reissue)
A really amazing record – even more incredible than you might guess from the cover and title! The whole thing's definitely a "party" in sound – as the record takes lots of familiar instrumentation and mixes it with odd sound effects and weird production tricks – ...
(Rock LP)
Warner/Wounded Bird, 1974.
A masterful album from Billy Cobham – and maybe the best 70s record to really demonstrate the unique place he found for himself in 70s fusion! The album soars with a sound that really lives up to its cover image – but it's also not the heavy-jamming affair of some of Billy's more ...
(Jazz CD)
Farroupilha/Far Out (UK), 1965.
A really early moment of greatness from the young Jose Roberto Bertrami – the legendary keyboardist who'd soon rise to fame in Azymuth, stepping out here in a sweet bossa jazz combo from the 60s! Bertrami handles the arrangements, and delivers lots of piano lines too – and the group ...
(Brazil CD)
Urban Discos (Japan), 2022.
A mix of jazzy and soulful styles from Japanese artist Suzken – sometimes instrumental, sometimes vocal – often with some warmer touches that evoke a vintage mode as well! Yet the record's not the usual retro funk outing – as Suzken really has an ear that's all his own – a ...
(Japanese CD)
Cotillion/Real Gone, 1972.
A full album's worth of material from the legendary Irma Thomas – most of it never heard before! Irma got her start as one of the most important female soul singers from New Orleans in the 60s – but the music here was all recorded for Atlantic Records at the start of the 70s – at ...
(Soul LP)
Bible & Tire, 2022.
A really fantastic album from the Dedicated Men Of Zion – a contemporary gospel group, but one who work here with small combo backings that take us back to some of our favorite records of the early 70s – a tremendous blend of spiritual message and very down-to-earth arrangements! The ...
(Gospel CD)
Island, Late 60s/Early 70s. 2LP Gatefold
A great overview of the early years of Richard Thompson – a set that brings together some rare material and classics, all at a level that really shows the multi-faceted genius he had right from the start! In later years, Thompson continued to be known as a skillful singer/songwriter – ...
(Rock LP)
MPS (Germany), 1967. Gatefold (reissue)
A really beautiful early album from the legendary Jean-Luc Ponty – a set that's maybe more straight jazz than some of his later work, and which also represents a pivotal shift in the use of the violin in jazz! Ponty's phrasing here is very different than previous players who handled the ...
(Jazz LP)
Curtom/Rhino, Early 70s. 2LP Gatefold
Groundbreaking work from the legendary Curtis Mayfield – a set that brings together some of the best tracks from his initial run as a solo artist on his own Curtom Records – work that's forever set the standard for righteous, message-oriented funky soul! Every cut here is a gem, and ...
(Soul LP)
Tribe/Now Again, 1974. (reissue)
One of the most righteous albums ever issued by the always-righteous Tribe Records label of Detroit – a really collective effort, one that features ensemble vocals and spiritual jazz – all pulled together by pianist Harold McKinney! The album showcases a group named Voices Of The ...
(Jazz LP)
Sunmuse/BBE (UK), 1983.
Really beautiful sounds from bassist David Wertman – an unsung hero of the late 70s spiritual jazz scene around New England, and one who delivers this gem in close partnership with singer Lynne Meryl! Meryl's got this warm, fluid style that's a lot like the way that some of the better Bay ...
(Jazz CD)
Uno Melodic/P-Vine (Japan), 1981.
Amazing! This lost Roy Ayers-produced gem from the early 80s has not only been one of the biggest sample records of all time, but it's also become one of the holy grails of the groovy record collecting scene! It's a stellar bit of jazzy soul with the same production vibe that's characterized Roy's ...
(Soul CD)