Egrem/Mr Bongo (UK), 1976. (reissue)
The group name's a bit obscure, but the grooves are pretty darn great – a wonderful take on the sorts of Latin funk sounds that were brewing up north in the New York scene of the mid 70s – but served up by a killer combo from Cuba! There's some mighty nice basslines on the album – ...
(Latin LP)
Impulse/Elemental (UK), 1969. Gatefold (reissue)
A wonderful reunion of Pharoah Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas – and a set that captures a lot of the same energy as the pair's previous record – Karma! Thomas' vocals are in wonderful form for the set – stretching out soulfully on the extended classic "Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-H ...
(Jazz LP)
Hydeout Productions (Japan), 2003.
Nothing metaphorical here – as the set's got a very direct, honest approach – the well-crafted, no-nonsense beats that we've really grown to love from Nujabes over the years – topped by contributions from a variety of MCs – a strong lineup that includes Substantial, Pase ...
(New Grooves CD)
Mainstream/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1964.
A really wonderful jazz vocal set, and one that's a bit more upbeat than you might guess from the somewhat heartbreaking image of Dottie Clark on the cover! Clark's one of those 60s singers who manages to have a nicely sprightly swing in her style – a quality that's emphasized wonderfully ...
(Vocalists CD)
Silver Current, Late 1980s. 2CD
A wonderfully huge addition to the small catalog of genius from Galaxie 500 – two dozen tracks recorded over the course of a time the band were working in the legendary Noise New York studios – under the production genius of the mighty Kramer at a time when his creative talents were at ...
(Rock CD)
Mainstream/Solid (Japan), 1971.
A key 70s album from Blue Mitchell – and a set that's perfectly balanced between the lyricism of his mid 60s sides for Blue Note, and the electric funk of later years! The tracks are long, and have a really great vibe – plenty of room for Mitchell's sweet trumpet in the lead, with ...
(Jazz CD)
Brunswick/Real Gone, 1959. (reissue)
One of the greatest records of the monster novelty generation – a set that's really a cut above some of its contemporaries, and which is awash with original tunes and some mighty nice production touches! Some of the strengths here come from a young Rod McKuen, who's the "Dor" ...
(Halloween LP)
Decca/Verve (Netherlands), 1953.
The great guitarist Django Reinhardt had a huge impact on the sound of jazz in Paris in the late 30s – but here, he's recording in the early 50s, right before his too-early death – and working with some of the up-and-coming younger French players who were strongly influenced by bebop! ...
(Jazz LP)
Soul Jazz (UK), Mid 1980s. 2LP Gatefold
Mighty nice work from a time when computers and aliens took over soul music – the glory days of the Linndrum beats and vocoder vocals – a special time in the 80s when the underground got really electrified, and helped build a bridge between street funk, hip hop, and the coming world of ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Liuto/Holy Basil (Italy), Early 1970s. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
A really cool set from sound library genius Piero Umiliani – one that's definitely got the war and destruction promised in the title, but which also has some surprisingly groovy touches too! The vibe here is like some late 60s action film – with tense moments, darker passages, and some ...
(Sound Library LP)
Mainstream/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1973.
A killer album of Afro Funk – with a very unusual origin! In the wake of Manu Dibango's big hit (and some kind of failure to register the copyright), many many versions of "Soul Makossa" were recorded and released, some good, some bad. This album is a good example of that ...
(Soul CD)
Fremeaux & Associates (France), Late 1950s/Early 1960s. 3CD
The great Sacha Distel is maybe best known for his good looks and vocal performances on the French scene of the 60s and 70s – but at the start of his career, he was also a hell of a jazz guitarist – trained by the mighty Henri Salvador, and a wizard on the strings who had a legacy of ...
(Jazz CD)
Duet/P-Vine (Japan), 1983.
A rare groove gem from the Chicago scene at the start of the 80s – a record that shows that the city's soul scene was still going strong at the time, even though the bigger labels had given up the ghost! Michigan Avenue have this great way of taking older harmony modes and refitting them for ...
(Soul CD)
Bear Family (Germany), 1950s.
Ike Turner rocks – which is maybe no surprise to anyone who knows that right during the early days of Sun Records, Ike had a big hand in a single that some folks consider the first real rock and roll record – done before even Elvis Presley or Jerry Lee Lewis had entered the scene! This ...
(Soul CD)
Mainstream/Solid (Japan), Late 1960s.
A very groovy record, hiding under a slightly obscure name – but one that's overflowing with all-star talent throughout! The great Ernie Wilkins heads up the whole thing – and his approach here is way groovier, way funkier than just about any other record he worked on – which is ...
(Jazz CD)
Mainstream/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1973.
One of Blue Mitchell's hippest funky sets of the 70s – an unusual little record that mixes a bit of funky harmonica with his own soulful trumpet! The approach definitely echoes a bit of the "blues" in the title – but the groove is much more straightforward and funky – ...
(Jazz CD)
MPS/Belle Antique (Japan), 1976.
A 70s killer from this legendary fusion group – and maybe one of the widest global showcases for the amazing keyboard talents of the mighty Jasper Van't Hof! Jasper had been making big waves on the European scene before this set – but here, he steps out with a really incredible all-star ...
(Jazz CD)
Intakt (Switzerland), 2024. 2CDs
A stunning double-length set from saxophonist Ohad Talmor – a series of pieces that draw inspiration from both Ornette Coleman and Dewey Redman, but which clearly feel as if Talmor's off in territory that's very much his own! There's a sweeping, majestic quality to the work – even on ...
(Jazz CD)
Chiaroscuro, 1977.
One of the best albums ever from Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – a set recorded with help from a hip array of American players who really help come up with a tight, soulful, electric groove! Kawasaki plays both electric and acoustic guitar – and as on other records, there's a strong ...
(Jazz CD)
AVA/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1963.
One of the few records ever cut by bassist Ben Tucker – known to most as the composer of 60s jazz hit "Comin' Home Baby", which was riding very high in the charts at the time of this session! The album's a very rhythmic one – with Ben in the lead on bass, working with a combo ...
(Jazz CD)
Blue Note (Japan), 1958.
A stunning set from overlooked tenor genius Tina Brooks – a musician who recorded for Blue Note during the key years of Hank Mobley and Johnny Griffin, but whose music was mostly un issued at the time! This rare set is a great second chapter to Tina's True Blue album – material ...
(Jazz CD)
Synthethesia (UK), 2024.
Resolution 88 doing what they do best – serving up a great batch of spacey keyboard lines – played on Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, Arp, and a range of other keys too – all backed with slinky lines from a Fender jazz bass, and tight drums and percussion too! The group start in Herbie ...
(Jazz CD)
International Anthem, 2024.
Really fantastic work from bassist Anna Butterss, and a set that's maybe more live and less assembled than her previous effort – with key contributions from some really great musicians who make the whole thing sound like a mighty strong group effort on most tracks! Butterrss handles electric ...
(Jazz CD)
Legacy, 1970. 3CD
A fantastic look at the final months of creativity in the too-short life of Jimi Hendrix – 39 tracks recorded at his legendary Electric Lady studios – 38 of which are issued here for the first time! The lineup is that fresh take on his trio – Billy Cox on bass and Mitch Mitchell ...
(Rock CD)
Tico/Craft, 1974. Gatefold (reissue)
Very soulful work from singer Ismael Rivera – working here with some sharp arrangements by Javier Vazquez, in a groove that's totally great! As with other Vaya sessions of the time, there's a strong undercurrent of tradition in the rhythms – a return to Latin roots at the height of the ...
(Latin LP)
Daptone, 2024.
A sweet second album from this excellent group – one of a few key acts in the funk underground who are moving things strongly into the sweet soul spectrum – echoing the kind of kicked-back mellow work that made the New Jersey and Philly scenes so great back in the day, with a vibe that ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Columbia, 2024.
The title and cover are a bit more undestated than the last album from Leon Bridges – but the set may well be his best so far, and really has this confident, personal way of putting over a tune – almost as if Bridges has found a way to settle into the upper echelons of contemporary soul ...
(Neo Soul CD)
P-Vine (Japan), Late 1970s.
A great set of mellow soul from the 70s – put together by the Groove Diggers crew, who you might know from a host of other excellent projects on the P-Vine label – here serving up a sweet batch of laidback grooves that really work wonderfully together! There's definitely some of the ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, 1971.
A very cool document of the great Sun Ra – and a set that combines both music and a spoken passage from a class that Ra was teaching at the University of California in the 70s! The spoken work is fascinating – as it really captured Ra as he lived, but in ways that are different than ...
(Jazz CD)
Trojan/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1978. (reissue)
A mellow 70s classic from the great Ken Boothe – very much at the top of his game as one of the most soulful singers on the Jamaican scene – and working here with superb production and arrangements from the great Lloyd Charmers! Charmers has a way of bringing a bit of an edge to Ken's ...
(Reggae LP)
Mainstream/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1962.
One of the few albums ever issued as a leader by the great Joe Cain – a wonderful Latin arranger with a really mad ear for a groove! Cain's approach is often quite choppy in the rhythms – short, hard, and very very sharp – then topped with sweeter, jazzier lines – played on ...
(Latin CD)
Blue Mitchell, Roy Haynes, Charles Kynard, & Others
Booty
Mainstream/Solid (Japan), 1974.
A very cool album for fans of the jazz funk sound of Mainstream Records in the early 70s – as the package includes tracks by some of its grooviest players, but which we don't think were issued on their other albums for the label! There's plenty of funky numbers – that groove that ...
(Jazz CD)
Hydeout Productions (Japan), 2011.
A record with a title that's maybe more fitting than you might expect – as the set was issued after the too-soon passing of Nujabes, with a vibe that definitely seems more cosmic and heavenly than before! The record was only partly done, and has all this great extra help from guests who ...
(New Grooves CD)
India Navigation/Analogue Productions, 1979. Gatefold (reissue)
A really great album from reedman Chico Freeman – one that bridges some of his earlier more experimental work, and his coming legacy of more straight ahead records – and one that does so in a really beautiful way! At some level, the record's got the depth of some of the David Murray ...
(Jazz LP)
Concord, 2024.
Nubya Garcia just seems to get more and more majestic with each new album – rising from the London underground where her tenor work has made big waves for years – to a point where she's become an international superstar, with a style that effortlessly bridges different worlds of music! ...
(Jazz CD)
Big Crown, 2024.
Killer funky trumpet from Dave Guy – an artist who's played in other funk combos, like the Dap-Kings and Sugarman 3 – but one who's got a very special sound here on his own! Dave clearly likes a bit of hip hop crackle in his rhythms – and the drum work here is totally great, and ...
(Deep Funk CD)
No Business (Lithuania), 1975.
A fantastic loft jazz session from the great reedman Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre – working here at a time when his genius was really unbridled, and his work on tenor was taking off even more strongly than on some of his early contributions to the AACM scene in Chicago! The set marks a much-n ...
(Jazz CD)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1974. (reissue)
Funky fusion from 70s Japan – a really great set that's heavy both on Fender Rhodes, and on a range of choppy reed lines on tenor, soprano sax, and flute! The set's got a warm glow that's perfect for the CTI generation – with an equally apt sense of space, one that keeps the record ...
(Jazz LP)
Quartet (Spain), 1974.
A much warmer soundtrack than you'd expect from its creepy cover image – and another feather in the cap of Italian maestro Bruno Nicolai – proof that he'd learned some of his best lessons from frequent partner Ennio Morricone! Nicolai's style here has some great Morricone-like touches ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Quartet (Spain), 1971. 2CDs
Dark and moody work from Ennio Morricone – scored for a film that's also known as Evil Fingers or The Fifth Cord, a 1971 crime thriller directed by Luigi Bazzoni – with a sound that's as spooky as you might guess from the cover! The music is very edgy – with lots of strings drawn ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Numero, 1979. (reissue)
The final album from the legendary Lijadu Sisters – easily one of the funkiest acts on the Nigerian scene of the 70s – thanks to killer albums like this! The set was actually recorded up in London, and has a sound that's maybe even sharper than some of their previous efforts – a ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Soul Jazz (UK), Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
A heady dip into the glorious work of soul music from Miami – the city that took the reigns for southern soul after initial waves of creativity in Memphis and Muscle Shoals! Miami's best known for its big disco hits of the mid 70s, but most of the music here is from the years before then ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Modern Harmonic, Late 1970s/Early 1980s.
Overlooked gems from the early days of music video – the unreleased legacy of T-Venus, a group who began as a multi-media act, and whose leader Julia Heyward also did a fair bit of work for MTV! The sound here is more arty than that reference might make you expect – sounds that ...
(Rock CD)
Real Gone, Early 1970s.
An obscure soundtrack, but a great one too – a set of tunes of varying lengths and styles, but all coming together in a really great way! There's a few vocal numbers, and the music has this sound that progresses nicely from the earlier Music Machine 60s recordings from Sean Bonniwell – ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Time/Solid (Japan), 1960.
One of the most fantastic hardbop albums of all time! Tommy Turrentine was the less-famous trumpet-playing brother of Stanley Turrentine – but he was a hell of a player in his early days, and he cut some amazing records with his brother during the younger years of his career. This is the ...
(Jazz CD)
Record Time, 2024.
A great second issue of this very cool publication – one that really lives up to its title, by providing really great features on a range of different records! This time around, the coverage is even bigger than the first – as the issue looks at polka records, South African country ...
(Magazine)
Louisville Story Project, Late 1950s/1960s/1970s/Early 1980s. 4CD
An amazing look at a sometimes-overlooked scene in the world of gospel music – the upsurge of strong local talent on the stages and churches of Louisville, Kentucky – a key border city between the north and the south, especially during the Civil Rights years in which much of this music ...
(Gospel CD)
SAM (France), 1965.
One of the most unusual recordings we've ever heard from legendary drummer Art Blakey – not a Jazz Messengers session, but a rare Parisian performance by a quintet billed as the New Jazz Men! The lineup is fantastic – Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Nathan Davis on tenor, Jaki Byard on ...
(Jazz LP)
Aaron Abernathy, 2024.
Aaron Abernathy's a one man powerhouse here – really exploding with a focused, centered sort of energy that really illustrates his continuing development as both a singer and producer! The tracks mix some of the raspy charms of some of Aaron's earlier music with even more catchy material ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Athens Of The North (UK), Early 1980s. 2LP
Fantastic material by a group who only ever issued one single back in the day – finally getting the chance to show their full potential on this never-heard set from the early 80s! The group's got plenty of wonderful guitar work, some bold keyboard lines, and even a bit of flute – ...
(Jazz LP)
Studio One, Early 1970s. (reissue)
A legendary cooker from the great Jackie Mittoo – an early 70s set, and one that really pushes the sound of his rocksteady organ work forward! Jackie's a wizard here on the keys – playing with the soulful sensibility of an American jazz musician from the decade before, but hitting a ...
(Reggae LP)
Favorite (France), 2024.
Bruno Patchworks is at the top of his game here – mixing classic club elements with a range of influences from global points too – all at a level that seems to revive some of the Parisian club modes of the 70s and 80s, but with a more contemporary vibe overall! Where those earlier ...
(New Grooves CD)
Blue Note, 2024.
Saxophonist Walter Smith III is one of our favorite rising talents on Blue Note of late – and this album may well be his best so far – a surprisingly deep record that hides under a somewhat playful title, and maybe one that could have used a classic Blue Note cover image to really serve ...
(Jazz CD)
Arashi with Takeo Moriyama
Tokuzo
Trost (Austria), 2024. 2LP Gatefold
Two Japanese jazz giants rise up here and really make the album shine – the legendary Akira Sakata on reeds and the great Takeo Moriyama on drums – both players who almost seem to outdo the other members of the quartet, who include Johan Berthling on bass and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums ...
(Jazz LP)
Parlophone, 1984. (reissue)
A pivotal set from the Britpop years of the early 80s – a record that came out amidst the commercial classics of some of the group's contemporaries – but one that really starts to hint at the special direction that Mark Hollis and Talk Talk would take in years to come! Sure, the tunes ...
(Rock LP)
AVA/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1963.
A totally great record, and one that's way groovier than you might expect from the somewhat staid cover and title! Maybe even forget the "Soviet" reference at all – and just thing 60s Cali groovy – as Victor Feldman is at his hippest here, playing both piano and vibes – ...
(Jazz CD)
Mainstream/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1972.
A real standout in the career of drummer Roy Haynes – and a sweet set of spiritual jazz from the 70s, unlike most other albums that Haynes ever cut! The lineup here is totally great – with George Adams on tenor, Marvin Peterson on trumpet, and Roland Prince on guitar – and the ...
(Jazz CD)
Funk Night, 2024.
Fantastic live work from the mighty Misha Panfilov – an artist you might know from a flurry of funky 45s and full length albums – and one who sounds maybe even more amazing here in a concert performance with his combo! The music is soulful, but often has more of a jazz current than ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Gloster Williams & The King James Version
Together
Henry Stone/Deepgrooves, 1976. (reissue)
A massive blend of funk, soul, and gospel – from a small side label in the TK Records universe of the 70s! The sound is like some of the best soul LPs on TK from the time, and the arrangements have a nice warm feel – plenty of sweet Miami elements in the music, especially in the ...
(Gospel LP)
MPS (Germany), 1970. Gatefold (reissue)
Hard-stepping work by Oscar Peterson – a record that's got a bit more of a forceful groove than some of his others from the time, thanks in part to the rhythm section of George Mraz on bass and Ray Price on drums! Peterson's really romping around the keys on some of the tunes – hitting ...
(Jazz LP)
Quartet (Spain), 1971.
Moody magic from the maestro – a dark little soundtrack for a film known in the US as Catalepsis or Short Night Of The Dolls Of Glass! The album features lots of weird and off-beat vocalizations from the incredible Edda Dell'Orso – over Morricone instrumentation that includes atonal ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Psyko, 2024.
It's been a bit since we last heard from Sy Smith – but she sounds maybe better than ever – on a set that's a great reminder of why we've always loved her music so much! There's a crisp, contemporary groove to the set – really top-shelf production handled by both Zo and Tall ...
(Neo Soul LP)
No Business (Lithuania), 2016.
Brilliant live work from the legendary saxophonist Peter Brotzmann – recorded relatively late in life, but sometimes playing with a sense of fire and frenzy that matches his important early material! Brotzmann is working here next to Sabuy Toyozumi on drums and Toshinori Kondo on trumpet and ...
(Jazz CD)
Jazzman (UK), Late 1950s/Early 1960s.
Greasy Mike's given us plenty of great collections of rare 45s over the years – but our favorites are his Halloween sets – filled with all these really weird and wild monster-themed 7" singles from back in the day! The sounds here are like walking in on some late night horror show ...
(Halloween LP)
New Voice/Real Gone, 1966. (reissue)
A really unique record from Norma Tanega – a singer with roots in folk, but who works here in a mode that's very much her own! Norma sings and plays acoustic guitar as pictured on the cover – but the song styles and production are often very different than you might expect – ...
(Folk/Country LP)
Perfect Toy (Germany), Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
Great grooves from this always-wonderful series – a long-running lineup that has a fantastic way of delivering super-rare tracks in a uniquely delightful mix of funky rock and psychedelic soul! There's plenty of heavy drums and great guitar lines on the set – mixed with blue-eyed soul ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Hydeout Productions (Japan), 2013.
Haruka Nakamura does a really great job of paying tribute to the legacy of Nujabes here – on a set that was supposedly being worked on with the producer before his too-early death, then brought forward as a solo project by Nakamura! The vibe here is in the best Hydeout mode – gentle ...
(New Grooves CD)
ABC/Cosmic Rock, 1967. (reissue)
A fantastic lost psych album from the 60s – but one with a strong jazz pedigree too – as the album was recorded at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder, produced by the great Bob Thiele, and features a young Larry Coryell on guitar! If you've ever heard Larry's early solo albums, and thought ...
(Rock LP)
No Business (Lithuania), 1985.
Never-issued work from this amazing group – a live performance recorded near Boston, and one that shows just how much players like Roy Campbell were helping to introduce more spiritual energy to the avant scene after the 70s! Roy blows trumpet, flugelhorn, and flute here – working on ...
(Jazz CD)
Beat/Four Flies (Italy), 1970. 2LP Gatefold
Really great music for one of the trippiest westerns ever recorded during the spaghetti generation – served up here with instrumentation that often has a lot more psychedelic touches than other western scores of the time! Mario Migliardi didn't do that much soundtrack work in the period, but ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Trojan/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1973. (reissue)
A seminal moment for Jamaican soul genius Ken Boothe – a set that has him stepping into deeper, more righteous territory – maybe following the inspiration of some of his soul contemporaries in the US! The set's nicely poised between two modes – not really a roots reggae set, ...
(Reggae LP)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1970. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
Japanese jazz in the 70s was certainly a sensational thing – as you'll hear on this incredible double-length package! The album's a wonderful document of the way that the Tokyo jazz scene really exploded at the start of the decade – and offers up a range of special live performances, ...
(Jazz LP)
Express/Lawson (Japan), 1970. (reissue)
Not European rock, but funky jazz instead – served up by a very cool Japanese group with a lot of funky undercurrents! The approach here is similar to some of the other Sound Ltd albums from Takeshi Inomata – a reworking of an older big band mode, with more electric and groovy elements ...
(Jazz LP)
Ace (UK), Late 1980s/Early 1990s.
The fashions on the cover will definitely let you know what's in store here – a great array of gems from that moment when mainstream R&B was getting transformed with plenty of touches from hip hop – especially in the bottom end of the sound, where beats and basslines really helped ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Code Red, 2024.
A tight funky combo makes its first appearance on record – but the group features some very well-known musical talents – the great Eddie Roberts on guitar, and the mighty Robert Walter on organ – both players who've got legacies of countless funky records over the years! Roberts ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Al Dente (Italy), 2024.
Alex Puddu's given us great music from a range of different historical moments – 70s porn, 60s Latin, and Italian soundtracks – and here, as you might guess from the cover, he takes on 80s electro modes – using plenty of the beats, basslines, and keyboards you'd find in the Human ...
(New Grooves LP)
Far Out (UK), 2024.
A stunner of a set from the legendary Marcos Valle – sounding every bit as great hear as he did on his 70s and 80s recordings – and on some of his later revival work too! The vibe is wonderfully warm and soulful, and really echoes some of those great currents that Valle unlocked while ...
(Brazil LP)
Urban Jungle/Modulor (France), 2024.
A really fantastic album from Ceu – and quite different than most of her other music – thanks to work from the mighty Adrian Younge! Adrian co-produced and served up all sorts of arrangements from his Linear Labs base in LA – and gives the music this rich, majestic quality that ...
(Brazil CD)
Doctor Bird (UK), Early 1980s. 2CDs
A trio of killer John Holt albums, with lots of bonus tracks too – almost all of which appear here on CD for the first time ever! The set begins with the stunning Gold album – not a collection of gold records, but a standalone set that has Holt working with Junjo Lawes in a mode that ...
(Reggae CD)
Soul Garden/Lawson (Japan), 2024.
A wonderfully soulful set from this hip Japanese combo – one that boasts vocals from the lovely a.yu.mi, who's pictured on the cover – and which also features a great mix of funk and soul in support of the lyrics! Lyrics are in English and Japanese, and there's a great mix of jazzy ...
(Japanese LP)
Debut/Muzak (Japan), 1962.
The beautiful original issue of material that was later compiled onto 2LP and 2CD sets in the US – presented here with its fantastic European Debut Records cover! The album's kind of a "part two" to Cecil Taylor's legendary 1962 performance at the Cafe Montmartre in Copehagen ...
(Jazz CD)
International Anthem, 2024.
Cosmic sounds in a space age setting – as the fantastic Exploding Star Orchestra deliver a special performance at the planetarium in Chicago! Rob Mazurek has always given us fantastic music – but this recent iteration of his ensemble may well be the best ever, and really steps things ...
(Jazz CD)
Born Bad (France), Early 70s.
Seminal sounds from the Parisian jazz community of the early 70s – a scene that had as much late 60s revolutionary energy as the American one – and which steps forth here in a beautiful blend of righteous themes and really far-reaching styles! The politics of the set are obvious from ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Tamla/Elemental, 1968. (reissue)
Marvin's definitely in the groove on this set – cooking on all burners with a host of late 60s Motown hits – bad-stepping his way towards some of the more mature moments to come in the 70s! The album's probably best remembered for the cut "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" ...
(Soul LP)
We Want Sounds (UK), 1972.
A fantastic performance from the legendary Black Artist Group – a creative ensemble from the St Louis scene of the early 70s, one who were to their city what the Art Ensemble was to Chicago! As with the AEC, the group is an all-star lineup – Oliver Lake on saxes, Joseph Bowie on ...
(Jazz LP)
Embryo/Cosmic Rock, 1970. (reissue)
The one and only album by this righteous funky combo from Ohio! Although Brute Force were an American group of the late 60s, they've got a sound that brings in traces of the African rhythms that were bubbling under at the time – similar to some of the best London groups of the post-colonial ...
(Soul LP)
Columbia/Cinedelic (Italy), 1975. (reissue)
Not the disco promised in the title – but a sweet batch of funky tracks from Japanese reedman Jiro Inagaki – easily one of his hippest albums of the 70s! Rhythms are super-tight – very much in the best mid 70s space of Fatback Band or Kool & The Gang – and carried off ...
(Jazz LP)
Westbound/ORG, 1975. (reissue)
Funky guitar and a bucket of fried chicken – two things that go perfectly together here on a record that's one of the last of Dennis Coffey's great run in the early 70s! The album marks some of the shift in Coffey's role on the Detroit soul scene as the decade moved on – as it features ...
(Soul LP)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1970. (reissue)
A killer funky group from early 70s Japan – a slightly large ensemble, but one with some really heavy drums at the bottom – plus some great use of organ and electric guitar! There's a tight brace of horns at the top – flute, tenor, trumpets, and trombone – but the rhythms ...
(Jazz LP)
Acid Jazz (UK), 2024.
Wonderfully warm work from the great Chris Bangs – an artist who sometimes serves up more programmed/sampled jazz material – but who here steps out in this strong array of live instrumentation, at a level that may well make the record the greatest that Chris has ever given us! Way back ...
(Deep Funk LP)
West Side/Demon (UK), 1988. (reissue)
The Cold Crush Brothers were a seminal force in New York hip hop in the mid 80s – thanks to singles on Tuff City, Profile, and B Boy – but this is the first full album the group ever issued, and really the only one until later collections of their work! The vibe here follows from the B ...
(Hip Hop LP)
ABC/Expansion (UK), 1973. (reissue)
The only full length album that Bobby Hutton ever issued back in the day – and a killer set that lives up to the soulful genius of his many singles at the time! Hutton's got a great voice – one that soars right from the start, with the class and confidence of a superstar – very ...
(Soul LP)
Sun/Afrodelic (Italy), 1976. (reissue)
Not the Black Devil Disco club, but instead a very unique combo from the South African scene of the 70s – one that features all sorts of cool work on organ and guitar from leader Pops Ismail Mohammad – and both flute and tenor from SA jazz legend Basil Coetzee! The album's a bit jazz, ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Cellar Live, 2024.
Fantastic work from Neil Swaison – a great bassist, and a leader who doesn't always get to record with his name on the marquee – although when he does, he always gives us a fantastic record like this! The record's got this sense of tone and color that's wonderful – served up by a ...
(Jazz CD)
Power/Real Gone, Mid 1960s. 2CDs
The complete run of monster rock albums from this short-lived studio group – all brought together in one set! The first album's the debut – Introducing Frankie Stein & His Ghouls – filled with fantastic Halloween rockers – a whole host of original tracks recorded in the ...
(Halloween CD)
Milestone/Vinyl Me Please, 1968. (reissue)
One of the first albums ever as a leader from the young Gary Bartz – and an instant spiritual jazz classic that showed the world that he was well on his way! Bartz blows alto here, in a setting that's equal parts Impulse and Strata East – a killer group that features Pharoah Sanders on ...
(Jazz LP)
Born Bad (France), Late 1970s/Early 1980s.
Sweet spacey grooves from sound library genius Bernard Fevre – a set that's heavy on both analog and digital sounds, all swirling out with a very cosmic vibe, and plenty of lean energy throughout! The music is sometimes funky, often laidback and trippy – and always very groovy, as ...
(Sound Library LP)
Contemporary/Craft, 1963.
A classic of spiritual jazz! The album is one of the few rare pairings of Sonny Simmons and Prince Lasha from the 60s – and it's arguably the greatest album they ever cut! The set was recorded for the Contemporary label in LA, but it's far far different than the cool jazz that was the label' ...
(Jazz LP)
Louisville Story Project, Late 1950s/1960s/1970s/Early 1980s. 2LP Gatefold
An amazing look at a sometimes-overlooked scene in the world of gospel music – the upsurge of strong local talent on the stages and churches of Louisville, Kentucky – a key border city between the north and the south, especially during the Civil Rights years in which much of this music ...
(Gospel LP)
Argo/Universal (Japan), 1958.
A hard to find early album by the great Detroit pianist Barry Harris! Barry's playing here in a trio with William Austin on bass and Frank Gant on drums, and the tracks have a definite boppish quality to them – more straight ahead than some of the flowing lines he brought to later work in ...
(Jazz CD)
Innovative Leisure, 2024.
Claude Fontaine's got a name that seems to echo some of the brilliant French pop acts to emerge in the late 60s – and she's got a style here that definitely resonates with that generation too – a very cool blend of Brazilian music, global currents, and French vocals – all served ...
(New Grooves LP)
Capitol/Big Pink (South Korea), 1971.
A really heady set from this heavy power trio – one of those great late 60s groups who started out in more blues-based modes, but who really unleash the beast on this mighty debut! The lineup is lean, but the sound is great –- really pouring over the top with deft guitar work from Paul ...
(Rock CD)
577, 2024.
A set that showcases the second side of the talents of Gerald Cleaver – a musician who's mostly known for his work on drums, but one who's also had strong interactions with the Detroit scene over the years – which seems to have infected him with a sense of electronic experimentation! ...
(Jazz CD)
Pye/BGO (UK), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2CD
Three great later albums from mod jazz legend Georgie Fame – all brought together in a single set! Right Now is a bit later than classic vintage for Georgie Fame, but still plenty darn great – and proof that Fame was always one of the most inventive singers of his generation! The ...
(Vocalists CD)
Sun/Afrodelic (Italy), 1975. (reissue)
A set of sweet, lean grooves from the South African scene of the 70s – not disco at all, and instead a set of spare jazzy grooves with a very unique vibe! The group's a trio – with leader Pops Mohamed Ismail on organ, Sipho Gumede on bass, and the great reedman Basil Coetzee on both ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Coxsone/Studio One, 1969. (reissue)
A classic album from Delroy Wilson – cut right at that key time when Studio One were maybe one of the strongest labels on the Kingston scene – at least in terms of putting out rock-solid full length albums like this, where a singer like Wilson gets just the right sort of groove to match ...
(Reggae LP)
Day Dreamer (UK), 2024.
Soaringly hopeful sounds from Jimetta Rose and her great vocal ensemble – a set that draws on older gospel forms, but then transforms them to a righteous soul approach! There's a sense of majesty here that's wonderful – part of a legacy of expression that runs from late 60s Cadet ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Beat (Italy), 1965.
A very weird little soundtrack from Ennio Morricone – earlier than most of his classics, and done in a style that's much more conventionally horror-based! The film may be known to American viewers as Nightmare Castle, and it boasts a score that's heavy on the pipe organ – stretched out ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Columbia/Legacy, 2000. (reissue)
A fantastic return to form for the amazing Sade – a set issued almost a decade since her previous album, but one that shows that she is still very much at the top of her form! The production is slightly different than before – with a spare, stripped-down, slightly dubby style that's ...
(Soul LP)
Gold Qwest/Still Music, 1988. (pic cover, reissue)
A rare bit of house from the New York scene – a very obscure cut laid down by the great Richie Weeks, years after his fame at Salsoul Records – and done with a nice lean groove that's as much NYC electro as it is Chicago house! The cut's got plenty of Linndrum beats, sweet Yamaha keys, ...
(Soul 12-inch)
Strawberry (UK), Late 1960s/Early 1970s. 3CDs
The darker side of the scene in the late 60s/early 70s – music from a time when rock was willing to take on themes of the supernatural and satanic – sometimes in ways that were fully-formed, sometimes with a slightly more subtle approach that somehow made things sound even more eerie ...
(Rock CD)
Gondwana (UK), 2024.
Maybe the mellowest 12" single you'll ever hope to buy – but we mean that in the best way possible! "Morning Sun" is a cut that builds just like its title – glowing with some rising rays of sound at the start, echoes of harp and keyboards mixed with a gentle modal groove ...
(Jazz 12-inch)
Brownswood (UK), 2018. 2LP (reissue)
Quite a compelling little record – a jazz album at heart, but one that also opens up into lots of different sonic territory – as you might expect from a collection of tunes that includes tracks by Roni Size, Flying Lotus, Kruder & Dorfmeister, and Bugge Wessletoft! The approach ...
(Jazz LP)
Blue Note, 1956. (reissue)
One of the few American albums by Jutta Hipp – a key figure in the German jazz scene of the postwar years, recording here at the Hickory House in New York! The album's a trio date, but it's got more than enough modern energy to warrant inclusion in the Blue Note 1500 series of the 50s – ...
(Jazz LP)
Salsoul/Soulmusic.com (UK), Late 1970s. 4CDs
A huge selection of work from Double Exposure – maybe our favorite group on the legendary Salsoul label from the 70s! The set features three full albums, plus lots of bonus tracks – and the first set is Ten Percent – a wonderful album and one of those underground classics that ...
(Soul CD)
BMG (UK), 2024.
Soaring, righteous sounds from Lady Blackbird – a set that's even more powerful overall than her previous record – and that's saying a heck of a lot! The set has some numbers that have a gospel-drenched inspiration – rising up and soaring to the heavens – and even the ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Esoteric (UK), 1975. 4CDs
Mid 70s magic from the UK progressive rock scene – cuts from a moment when many of the groups were changing things up a bit – not in a commercial way, but in a mode that has them taking the energy of earlier jams and focusing them a bit more into tuneful music! The approach is a great ...
(Rock CD)
Warner/Esoteric (UK), 1973. Gatefold (reissue)
A 70s gem from Greenslade – a record that's filled with keyboard lines that really soar, thanks to leader Dave Greenslade – and vocals from Dave Lawson, who almost seems to have the same sort of energy as a young Freddie Mercury! The mix of elements here is great – at a level ...
(Rock LP)
Brownswood (UK), 2024.
The first album in a heck of a long time from Galliano – a crucial force on the London scene that exploded in the early years of Gilles Peterson – contemporaries with Brand New Heavies, Incognito, and so many other great bands – finally getting a welcome return here on Peterson's ...
(New Grooves CD)
Soundway (UK), 2024. Gatefold
An album recorded over the space of four different nations, and one that carries a sound that definitely echoes that legacy – references to older North African, Indian, Arabian, and post-colonial traditions – delivered with a lean style that makes the whole thing work wonderfully ...
(Global Grooves LP)
BBE (UK), 2024.
A really fantastic meeting of the minds – a set that brings together two Japanese jazz legends, and two members of the wonderful Ill Considered combo – working together on the London territory of the latter! The set begins with duets between pianist Masahiko Sato and Takeo Moriyama ...
(Jazz CD)
Hobbit/Big Pink (South Korea), 1969.
An all-guy group, despite what you might guess from their name – and one who've got this warmly harmonic style on their vocals, which really makes the whole thing shine! The unassuming look of the quartet on the combo belies the heavenly style within – the kind of music that might end ...
(Rock CD)
Frederiksberg, 2024.
Reedman Soren Skov's in a great orbit here – blowing tenor with a nicely moody combo – one who've got these slow-building sounds that seem to circle the tenor in the lead, while also building up some richer currents of energy in the process! There's a nice sense of echo in the ...
(Jazz LP)
Chess/Universal (Japan), 1960.
Despite the fact that the title's "Introducing Roland Kirk", it's not actually Kirk's first album – but it is a heck of a smoker with a very unusual sound! The session features Roland with a Chicago group that includes Ira Sullivan on trumpet, Don Garrett on bass, and Ron Burton on ...
(Jazz CD)
ESP, 2024. 2CDs
A stunning project from the great Allen Lowe – an expansive array of sounds that's way different than you might expect from the title – as it's not a portrayal of the America during the years in which Louis Armstrong walked this planet – but a pastiche of past aesthetics, present ...
(Jazz CD)
Sundazed, Early 1960s.
That's the young Eddie Quinteros on the cover – already a powerhouse during his teen years, and one of the hottest things going on the Bay Area scene of the time! Eddie's got this raw, rocking style that borrows a bit from the guitar-driven work of Chuck Berry, but also resonates with some ...
(Rock CD)
Candid, 2024.
A really great album from vibist Simon Moullier – an artist who's got a really fresh way of approach his instrument – which is great for us, as we're always looking for something new on the vibes! Simon's got this way of effortlessly balancing the rhythmic and melodic possibilities of ...
(Jazz CD)
Soul Jazz/Studio One (UK), Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
American soul tunes, but served up Jamaican style – on cuts pulled from the classic years of the Studio One label – when the imprint was one of the hippest sources for rocksteady, ska, and early reggae! The package has a great range of tracks – both classics and rare numbers, and ...
(Reggae CD)
Lee Mendelson Film Productions, 1972.
A wicked 70s soundtrack from Vince Guaraldi – and one that might help make just about any election go a lot more smoothly! There's a few tracks that maybe sound "electiony" – but much of the music is Guaraldi at his jazzy best, including a number of tunes that have Vince ...
(Jazz CD)
Mississippi, 2024.
Rootsy rural blues, but served up in a very different mode than music from the Mississippi Delta – as Kankawa Nagarra hails from a different delta down in her native Australia, where she carries on a really overlooked tradition of Aboriginal blues! The setting is familiar to classic field ...
(Global Grooves LP)
EmArcy/Verve, 1956. (reissue)
A 50s classic from the great Sarah Vaughan – a set titled after her nickname of "Sassy" – but one that also shows the growing sophistication in her work – marking a key moment in her evolution to become one of the greatest song stylists of the 20th century! Arrangements ...
(Vocalists LP)
Tao Forms, 2024.
An album with a very intimate cover image of reedman Jason Stein – and a set that may well be his most intimate ever, too – as the whole record has this feeling of up-close, personal expression that's really wonderful – still freely improvised, but with a sense of individuality, ...
(Jazz CD)
Egrem/Mr Bongo (UK), 1975.
Fantastic funk from the Cuban scene of the 70s – served up by one of those groups who really underscored the difference between their world and the scene up in New York! Maybe it was the embargo, or maybe just the island isolation – but by the 70s, Cuban musicians were really doing ...
(Latin CD)
Z Records (UK), 1990s. 2CD
Killer club from the last decade of the 20th Century – a time when there was a huge, joyous uprising of new sounds for the dancefloor – a refinement of house, techno, and other clubby styles from previous decades – served up in ways that helped the music surge from the underground ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Big Dada, 2001. 2LP (reissue)
The breakout album from Roots Manuva, and a set that showed the 21st Century that maybe hip hop from London had something to offer after all! Roots Manuva wasn't the first rapper to rise from the UK, but he was maybe one of the most important in helping the scene find its voice – not needing ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Argo/Universal (Japan), 1960.
Landmark work by one of the greatest jazz outfits of the early 60s! Art Farmer and Benny Golson were both known as well-composed players during the 50s – strongly soulful, but often with a fine sense of arrangement that usually tended towards the lyrical side of things. With this group, ...
(Jazz CD)
Black Fire/Strut (UK), 1976. (reissue)
A fantastic record from one of the greatest underground jazz groups of the 70s! Oneness of Juju are perhaps best known for the heavy funk of their first album, African Rhythms – but we're actually partial to this second album – a warmly spiritual batch of soul jazz tracks, and a set ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Bluesville/Craft, 1961.
Maybe one of the greatest settings we've ever heard for Sonny Terry – as the record's a nicely stripped-down gem that presents Lightnin Hopkins at his best! Lightnin plays guitar with a rhythmic vibe and spins out these effortless lyrics throughout – that almost-conversational style ...
(Blues CD)
RCA/Morello (UK), Early 1970s. 2CD
Four great albums from Dottie West – a country singer who always delivered the goods, even if her records never got the circulation they deserved! These four gems are from an early 70s stretch when Dottie really seemed to find her groove – this mix of mature themes and heartfelt ...
(Folk/Country CD)
4AD (UK), 1986. (reissue)
A really fantastic collaboration – and one of the real highlights of the 4AD scene in the 80s – as the label's groundbreaking Cocteau Twins join up with UK experimentalist Harold Budd – all in a set that's got a deeper sound than some of the group's own albums, and a bit more ...
(Rock LP)
Funk Night, 2024.
A set that's as vibrant as the title might imply – even though it's just the work of one musician – Pavel Grachav, who produced, arranged, and plays a mix of keyboards, guitars, flute, alto, and other instruments too! As you might expect, the groove is lean, but never too spare – ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Posi-Tone, 2024.
Trombonist Ryan Keberle might be hiding in the shadows a bit on the cover, but he comes on strong right from the very first note of this set – leading a strong group that soars wonderfully through a set of all-original compositions! The format here is slightly larger for a Posi-tone label ...
(Jazz CD)
Black Fire/Strut (UK), 1977. (reissue)
A wonderfully spiritual album – and one that's maybe a bit of a surprise, given the later fame of the group! The group here is billed by their full name – Experience Unlimited – but where later known to most of the world as EU, the DC funk outfit that went onto become pretty big ...
(Soul LP)
False Walls (UK), 2024.
A pretty amazing improvised performance – one that hearkens back to some of the classic Company collaborations from UK reedman Evan Parker – but with a real difference! The difference is that the recording features two sets of musicians in different spaces – seven in the UK, six ...
(Jazz CD)
Legere (France), 2024.
Latin-styled grooves, served up in a very cool format – a set that mixes longer numbers with shorter interludes – all to evoke the feel of the radio in the title and on the cover! Rio 18 bring together elements that resonate with music from Brazil, Colombia, New York, and Cuba – ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Four Flies (Italy), 2024.
Beautiful work from a really lovely Italian singer – a vocalist whose language you might not know, but who brings you in right away with an instantly seductive sound! Part of that sound comes from great use of keyboards – warming things up in all these great soulful styles, so that the ...
(New Grooves LP)
Subliminal Sounds (Sweden), 2013. (reissue)
Contemporary exotica from Ixtahuele – a group who get just the right blend of vibes, piano, and percussion to take us back to the glory days of the genre in the 50s! And maybe even better than most, the combo never try to add anything in, or make things too modern or complex – just the ...
(Now Sound LP)
International Anthem, 2024.
Maybe the most righteous album to date from South African drummer Asher Gamedze – and that's saying a lot, given the power of his previous records! Yet there's definitely something extra special going on here – as Asher leads the larger Black Lungs ensemble, in a mix of spoken and sung ...
(Jazz CD)
Centering/Aum Fidelity, 2010.
A really unusual session from the great William Parker – a set that's an organ jazz outing, in a mode that's very different than some of Parker's other albums from the time! Given that most Hammond sessions usually feature the organ player handling the bass with the keys of the instrument, ...
(Jazz LP)
Bobby Bradford/Frode Gjerstad/William Roper/Alex Cline
Frice
Fundacja Sluchaj (Poland), 2024.
The cornet work of Bobby Bradford is always a delight – and here, it's given some very strong bottom-end resonance, next to work on tuba from the group's William Roper! Roper's maybe the least-known player in this improvising quartet, but his use of his instrument is key to the sound here ...
(Jazz CD)
Strata East/Strut (UK), 1974. (reissue)
The rare second album from Juju – the avant jazz collective who'd later morph into funk band Oneness Of Juju, but who still sound pretty revolutionary here! There's a bit more focus than before – still energy that's a lot like the best righteous jazz groups coming out of Chicago or St ...
(Jazz LP)
On-U Sound (UK), Early 1980s.
Prince Far I issued a number of classic Cry Tuff albums on the On-U Sound label back in the 80s, all under his own name – but this similarly-titled set brings together tracks the legendary Jamaican MC did with other acts on the label – including Singers & Players and Creation Rebel! ...
(Reggae CD)
ECM (Germany), 1984. Gatefold (reissue)
A crucial moment in the career of composer Arvo Part – the worldwide ECM release of some of his key compositions, in a platform that would bring Part's name to countless ears in following decades! The set also marks a key appearance of violinist Gidon Kremer, who duets with pianist Keith ...
(Out Sound LP)
2 Headed Deer (Spain), 2024.
A wonderful sound library album – one that works with oceanic themes, and has a really cool underwater sort of vibe – not unlike some of the great marine soundtracks penned by Sven Libaek and Francois DeRoubaix back in the 70s! The project's led by Chris Stullenberg, who's also got a ...
(Sound Library LP)
MPS (Germany), 1969. Gatefold (reissue)
Herb Ellis is reunited with the Oscar Peterson trio – in a sweet set of mellow grooving tunes that stretches nicely beyond their earlier work for Verve! Rhythm is by the team of Sam Jones and Bobby Durham, and the tracks are mostly standards, played with a light and magical touch and that ...
(Jazz LP)
Fundacja Sluchaj (Poland), 2024.
A record of fantastic tones and textures – one that has all the warmth that we love from most of the sessions with the bass of Joelle Leandre in the lineup, yet which also difference nicely from some of the others, thanks to the dynamic energy of the other players! The trio also features ...
(Jazz CD)
Hat Art (Switzerland), 1964. 2CDs
Pure genius from the young Albert Ayler – amazing live material from 1964 – work that was recorded at the Club Montmartre in Copenhagen, right around the same time that Albert Ayler recorded his album for Debut Records – and a set that has his quartet in even more firey formation ...
(Jazz CD)
Rhino, 1978. 3CD
The students of Duke University must have considered themselves very lucky to have scored this special performance of the Grateful Dead in 1978 – a sprawling, extended concert that has the group really giving their all – even though the setting was a bit different than some of the ...
(Rock CD)
Stax/Craft, 1968.
Plenty of blues power here – a searing live set recorded by Albert King before a very enthusiastic crowd at the Fillmore in the late 60s! The album's filled with lots of King's sharp-edged guitar lines – searing with a bit more soul than your usual bluesman, possibly in part because ...
(Blues CD)
On Records/Numero, 1972. (reissue)
A legendary album from the early 70s underground scene – a set that's got DR Hooker on the cover, looking like some Jesus that's walked away from a recording of Godspell – but a set that's got way more to offer than the image on the front! There's definitely a current of darkness to ...
(Rock LP)
Sterile/Klanggalerie (Germany), 1980. 2CDs
Really beautiful work from Nocturnal Emissions – a group who were always in a special space of their own during the industrial and post-punk years – which you'll definitely hear on a record like this! Although the music has some cold wave elements – synths, beats, and found sound ...
(Rock CD)
Savoy/Real Gone, 1969. (reissue)
The rare first album from spiritual keyboard genius Doug Carn – a set cut for the Savoy Records label in the final years they were working in jazz – and as with the rest of the obscure projects on the label at the time, a really unique record! The vibe is different here than Doug's ...
(Jazz LP)
Dunhill/Big Pink (South Korea), 1970.
The great second album from Shango – a mighty cool group who mixed in all sorts of hip elements into more straightforward west coast rock modes! There's a bit less of a global impulse here than on the group's debut, but it's still there in the mix – and served up with really cool ...
(Rock CD)
Riverside/Craft, 1958. (reissue)
One of the key early albums in the career of trumpeter Clark Terry – and a set that's also noteworthy for being a key 50s session for the great Thelonious Monk! If you only think of Terry from his later smiling face on record covers, the player here you'll find is very different – one ...
(Jazz LP)
Liberty, 1959. (reissue)
An aquatic-themed album from Martin Denny – and one that seems to take him to some of the same south seas territory that Les Baxter was exploring at the time! Of course, the Martin Denny approach is leaner and more compact – lots of great percussion, piano, and vibes – plus those ...
(Now Sound LP)
Unisono (Germany), 1960s.
Maybe the grooviest music we've ever heard from the legendary German jazz singer Inge Brandenburg– but that's also no surprise, as she gets some heavy help here on the backings – including a number that feature MPS legend Erwin Lehn, and a few more by the combo of saxophonist Klaus ...
(Vocalists CD)
Kufala/Lettuce, 2004.
Funky combo Lettuce are in fine form here – really burning with the kind of energy that's made them a fan favorite for many years – which is also clear from the way the audience responds to them in this smoking set from Japan! The set's a double-length album, which leaves plenty of ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Le Coq, 2024.
A beautiful pairing of two nicely deep horns – the baritone sax of Michael Dease and the trombone of Steve Davis – both players we love on their own, but who create a sense of richness here that's really wonderful! Dease is often best known for his work on trombone, but he can still ...
(Jazz CD)
Blue Note (Germany), 1962. (reissue)
A seminal set of work from the Blue Note scene of the 60s – a record that's not just noteworthy for its role in helping return tenorist Dexter Gordon to the spotlight, but also for the fantastic work of pianist Sonny Clark in the quartet! Sonny's in wonderful form throughout – and ...
(Jazz LP)
Tramp (Germany), Late 1950s/1960s.
A great entry in this excellent series – and one that's got a slightly different flavor than the rest – as it seems to step back a bit more in time, and brings in some cuts that have more of a jazz and R&B-based sound! The vibe is every bit as gritty as previous volumes – but ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Nato/We Want Sounds (UK), 1985. Gatefold (reissue)
One of the fantastic 80s sessions that Steve Beresford recorded for the Nato label in France – an imprint who seemed to let Steve be the kind of artist he wanted more than anywhere else! Beresford comes across here in a really interesting way – a creative avant jazz talent, but also ...
(Jazz LP)
DiscReet/Zappa, 1974. (reissue)
One of the most widely-circulated Frank Zappa albums of the 70s – a set that's overflowing with top-shelf talent, but which also seems to bring Zappa's sound together with a more focused approach! There's an equal balance here between wit and inventive instrumentation – the latter ...
(Rock LP)
Modern Harmonic, 1950s/1960s.
A totally cool collection of songs, sound effects, and vintage movie trailers – all pulled from the glory days of the American horror film! The package is a tribute to the old time monster shows that used to travel the theater circuit – a mix of horror movies and live action activity ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Running Circle (UK), 2024.
Kinkajous are a jazz combo, but one who also bring in a lot of other elements too – mixing core instrumental performances with some larger sonic elements – all in a way that resonates strongly with some of the post-jazz experiments on the recent London scene! At the core are plenty of ...
(Jazz LP)
Enterprise/Stax (UK), 1970.
A definite real thing from the mighty David Porter – one of his killer solo albums for Stax Records, after splitting his partnership with Isaac Hayes at the end of the 60s – and a record that really matches some of Ike's classic solo sets for sheer ambition and power! Porter's approach ...
(Soul CD)
Gold Mind/Soulmusic.com (UK), Late 1970s. 4CD
A huge amount of material from this legendary Philly female trio – three full albums, plus a stunning amount of bonus tracks too! First up is Delusions – one of the best records ever cut by this soulful Philly female trio! The album's one of the first on Salsoul's Gold Mind subsidiary ...
(Soul CD)
Smoke Sessions, 2024.
Tenorist Wayne Escoffery's not alone here – as he's got a tremendous quartet who really give him a perfect platform for expression on the horn – a lineup that features Gerald Clayton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Carl Allen on drums! Escoffery blows with that balance of warmth and ...
(Jazz CD)
Argo/Rearward (Italy), 1963.
A fantastic early record by Sahib Shihab – a motherlode of modal jazz grooves, cut during the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record features a core group of players from that ensemble – including Shihab on alto, baritone, and flute, plus Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy ...
(Jazz CD)
Innocent (Japan), 2024.
We've loved the music of Ino Hidefumi for years – and over the years, he just seems to get better and better – growing from a keyboardist with a love for spare grooves, into a singer who's got a surprising way with a tune! This set may well be Ino's strongest vocal outing to date ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Liberty/Jackpot, Early 1960s. (reissue)
A great entry in the classic run of exotica albums by Martin Denny – one that adds in a bit more percussion than usual to the mix – all sorts of gongs, chimes, and other instruments – including some great bits from Eastern sources, which really helps expand the sound of the music! ...
(Now Sound LP)
Sam First, 2024.
A wonderful set of rich textures and intertwining lines – a group led by alto saxophonist Devin Daniels, who's got this way of tangling things up at one moment, then letting them loose the next – all while still keeping things swinging and moving forward! There's moments when his horn ...
(Jazz LP)
Solar/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1986.
An overlooked gem from the Solar Records label – a real powerhouse of 80s soul, but one who's talents weren't able to put Cat Miller on the top of the charts! That lack is hardly reflected in the sound of the album, though – as the whole thing is as tight and filled with crossover ...
(Soul CD)
Ebony Sound/P-Vine (Japan), 1972. (reissue)
A masterpiece of east coast vocal group soul – one of the best independent harmony albums of the early 70s! Soul Generation had a fantastic approach – a style that was both sweet and tough at the same time, done with slight gangster/pimp touches that set them apart from some of the ...
(Soul LP)
Blue Engine, 1993.
A really beautiful set from the young Roy Hargrove – a live performance from the early 90s, at a time when Roy was just 23 – but a tremendous album that really showcases his talents as both a writer and a leader! The set was done for Jazz At Lincoln Center, and has that majestic, more ...
(Jazz LP)
Posi-Tone, 2024.
A great trio set from pianist Luther Allison – not to be confused with the blues musician of the same name, although this Luther also brings in plenty of bluesy currents in his playing! The group's a trio – with Boris Kozlov on bass and Zach Adelman on drums – but it's clear from ...
(Jazz CD)
Barclay/Verve, 1955. (reissue)
Fantastic French material from Chet Baker – one of his legendary albums recorded for the Barclay label in Paris – and a set that's noteworthy for also featuring work from modern jazz pianist Richard (Dick) Twardzik – who passed away shortly after the sessions! The pairing of ...
(Jazz LP)
CBS/Bureau B (Germany), 1979.
The wonderful debut of Supersempfft – a set that originally appeared on a major label, but seems to prefigure all the hip sounds to come on German indie labels in the early 80s! The vibe here is not unlike that of Pyrolator – in that Dieter Kolb handles most of the instruments and ...
(Rock CD)
Funky Mamas & Papas (New Zealand), 2024. 2LP
A wickedly soulful set – served up by a New Zealand duo, but done with help from a whole host of other musicians as well – including some great guest vocalists who really make the record shine! At the core is work by a combo who use Fender Rhodes and guitar in a nice range of grooves ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Liberty/Jackpot, Late 1950s. (reissue)
Martin Denny's music always takes us away to the tropics – and this set is a whole Forbidden Island of exotica tunes! The record features the classic Denny exotica quartet with Augie Colon and Julius Wechter – plus some additional guest players on flute, percussion, and guitar – ...
(Now Sound LP)
Harvest/Big Pink (South Korea), 1972.
A great mix of heavy rock and jazzy changes from Spontaneous Combustion – a trio who really live up to their name with a burning way of putting over a tune! The group loves the sudden changes in groove – a shared characteristic with the prog scene of the time, yet delivered here with a ...
(Rock CD)
First Word (UK), 2024. 2LP
A great celebration of soul from the UK – a set that goes back to include some of the vintage material you might expect from the cover, and one that also moves well into the 21st Century to show us just how much that legacy has evolved! Starting in the 80s, the British scene really started ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Power/Real Gone, Late 1960s. (reissue)
Monster Melodies from Frankie Stein and his combo – a group who almost have more of a surf/hot rod style here at times – but who also get some cool production to make things a bit more scary overall! There's a fair bit of well-played tenor solos next to the twangy guitar lines you ...
(Halloween LP)
Audio Fidelity/Culture Factory, 1969. (reissue)
Tripped-out sunshine pop from the end of the 60s – the only outing ever from The Golden Gate, a group put together by the team of Billy Carlucci and Reid Whitelaw, who were probably best known for their bubblegum pop work over at Kama Sutra! The sound of this one's quite deeper than any ...
(Rock LP)
Philips/Big Pink (South Korea), 1971.
The self-titled classic by a wonderfully spooky band – a group who work in the most sinister side of the hard rock mode at the start of the 70s, all with a very heady sound that have made them legends over the years – even though this debut never got much circulation at the time! In a ...
(Rock CD)
Innocent (Japan), 2009.
A cool change for the great keyboardist Ino Hidefumi – set that's still as spare and funky as previous releases, but in some very different ways! The keyboard groove here shifts a bit from the early 70s vibe of his start, into more of a spacey 80s sort of way – not tinny or dance ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Fire (UK), 1987. (reissue)
A pivotal record from Spacemen 3 – a set that fully introduced freak and fuzz into the scene of the 80s – and in ways that seem to make all the other psychedelic acts of the time seem like they were just dabbling in aesthetics! Of course, it helps that Sonic Boom was already pretty ...
(Rock LP)
Wonderland/Rock Beat, 1963.
A very cool Halloween classic – and one that also comes from that great early 60s moment when Famous Monsters Of Filmland was a big hit on the newsstand too! The set features one side each of spoken bits from the monsters on the cover – side one is Frankenstein, side two is Dracula ...
(Halloween CD)
577, 2024.
The third installment in this great series from drummer Francisco Mela – and like the others, a very open-ended showcase that really frees the spirits of his other partners in the music! This time around, William Parker is still on bass – and tremendous throughout – as the pair ...
(Jazz LP)
Barclay/Verve, 1956. (reissue)
A sweet little quartet session from the mid 50s – one of Chet Baker's legendary albums recorded in Paris at the time, with a quality that's nicely different from some of his work in the US! Part of that quality is the group – an unusual lineup that includes Gerard Gustin on piano, ...
(Jazz LP)
Ace (UK), Late 1960s.
Raw 60s rockers galore – a set of tracks that are so hard, so heavy, they almost seem to prefigure the sound, style, and attitude of punk rock – even though most of the songs were recorded a decade before! The mighty Keb Darge has given us excellent collections of rare funk and ...
(Rock LP)
Deram/Universal, 1967. 2CDs
Genius, pure genius from a young David Bowie – an album that we've always treasured as much as Ziggy Stardust! This set's pre-Hunky Dory, pre-Space Oddity – and it's an amazing little record that's almost completely devoid of guitars – instead using weird woodwinds (lots of oboe!) ...
(Rock CD)
Saturn/Cosmic Myth, 1966.
One of the rarest Sun Ra albums ever – and one of the most enigmatic, too! Strange Strings is a very unique session recorded with an otherworldly sound – heavily steeped in the use of "electronic strings", amplified string instruments recorded with crazy echo and other ...
(Jazz CD)
Raynote/Numero, 1960. (reissue)
The killer debut as a leader from percussionist Modesto Duran – an artist who played on a whole host of albums in the 50s and 60s – Latin records, exotica gems, and plenty more – all of which seem to resonate strongly with the work on this album! The set's got a vibe that echoes ...
(Latin LP)
Mexican Summer/Anthology Editions, 2024.
A really beautiful portrait of a really beautiful musician – the late great Arthur Russell, a New York talent whose groundbreaking work touched so many different scenes in the 80s, before he was taken away from our planet all too soon! Russell's music has lived on and flourished in recent ...
(Book)
Blue Note, 2024.
Never-issued live work from the great Wayne Shorter – a set that was recorded in 2014, and pulled from the vaults by Shorter himself for release before his too-early passing from this planet! The music has that complex yet soulful quality that Shorter really moved into during his later years ...
(Jazz CD)
P-Vine (Japan), 2024.
Rare work from the late Maurice White – a really great solo set that follows the strong legacy of albums he spun off on his own when stepping aside for a moment from Earth Wind & Fire! The album's a collaboration with Preston Glass – who'd made great contributions to EWF as well, ...
(Soul LP)
Expansion (UK), 2024.
A strongly positive set of tracks from Cornell CC Carter – a rising talent from the Bay Area scene, and one who's really knocks it out of the park with this set! There's a really classic vibe to the record – not in a retro soul mode, or any attempt to fake authenticity – as ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Clean Cuts/Sundazed, 1983.
One of those great easygoing records that Dr John recorded in his later years – music that's done without larger arrangements or funky fanfare, and which also seems to give the Doctor some New Orleans roots that he didn't ever have on record in his early days! The set's mostly just got Dr ...
(Soul CD)
Colemine, 2024. Gatefold
Funky gospel galore – all served up by a contemporary trio, but one who know how to hit the right mix of funk and spiritual themes from those great underground records of the 70s! The haze on the cover maybe gives away some of the old school approach going on here – and Eli Paperboy ...
(Gospel LP)
ECM (Germany), 2024.
Wonderfully resonant work from pianist Jordina Milla and bassist Barry Guy – the latter of whom seems to have found a really wonderful partner on the former! This isn't the first time both have recorded together – but on ECM, the album's got this extended live approach, with title-less ...
(Jazz CD)
Barclay/Verve, 1956. (reissue)
A set that's got Chet Baker Quintet on the cover, but which features the American trumpeter in a range of different settings – all brought together as his final album for the Barclay label in Paris! The set does feature a quintet on some tracks – with tenor work from either Bobby ...
(Jazz LP)
Tomato/Big Pink (South Korea), 1979.
Jorge Santana's working here with Allen Toussaint – but in a set that's sometimes a fair bit different than some of the straighter New Orleans productions of the 70s! There's definitely a few grooves in the mix – but these are often a bit more upbeat, and almost clubby at times – ...
(Soul CD)
Celeste/Drag City, 1976. (reissue)
A record from the 70s, but one with a very timeless sound overall – music that draws on all these ancient strands of European melodies, which are then served up by Dorothy Carter on hammered dulcimer – plus a bit of voice and flute as well! The sound is spare, and extremely haunting ...
(Folk/Country LP)
ESP, 1964. (reissue)
A landmark recording – Albert Ayler's first album for the ESP label, and a record that hit the jazz world like a bullet! Spiritual Unity sets the stage for a format that would become huge in the European avant scene of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even today – the sax-driven power-trio, ...
(Jazz LP)
Takoma/Real Gone, 1967. (reissue)
A stunning album of free improvised music – and one that comes from a very unusual source – not ESP or FMP Records, but the mostly-acoustic Takoma label, which was best known as the home of its founder John Fahey! Charlie Nothing began as a visual artist, but one with a very strong ...
(Jazz LP)
Smoke Sessions, 2024.
A record that's as noteworthy for the work of leader Steve Turre on trombone as it is for the appearance of trumpeter Nicholas Payton – working here alongside Turre on the entire set, and finding a very different spirit for his sound than on some of his own records as a leader! Turre's at ...
(Jazz LP)
Universal (Japan), 1980s.
A well-done collection of city pop gems from the Japanese scene – filled with key cuts that you might not be likely to track down in their original pressings! The work here is all from the farther reaches of the Universal music catalog – work that originally appeared on Kitty and other ...
(Japanese LP)
Fania/Craft, 1985. (reissue)
A beautiful little record from Hector Lavoe – one that deepens his sound and emotion, but manages to do so without going into any schmaltzy territory! Some tracks here are full-on groovers, and others are mellower – but even these have a depth of feeling that really commands our ...
(Latin LP)
Mello Music Group, 2024.
Jordan Hamilton locates this album halfway between Chicago and Detroit – which is maybe a good way to think about his style of music – as it's partly the mix of acoustic instrumentation, jazz improvisation, and inventive production from the scene around International Anthem – and ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Life Goes On (Italy), 1970.
A rare early chapter in the career of Kraftwerk – an obscure album issued only in the UK, and one that features the duo of Ralf and Florian augmented by three other players! The sound here is heavily instrumental, and very experimental – almost in the mode of some of the more ...
(Rock LP)
Strut (UK), 1980s/1990s/2000s.
A great collection of grooves put together by up-and-coming DJ Kampire – an East African talent who really knows her music, and who comes at the selection of rare cuts here in nicely different ways than DJs and compilers from the US and UK markets! There's a great ear here for more ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2024.
A brilliant combination of tones and textures – one that has a quality that's not unlike the bold black and white image on the cover! The legendary Gunter Christmann plays cello here in a way that's beyond compare – definitely up to his long legacy in improvised music, and almost as a ...
(Jazz CD)
A&M/Big Pink (South Korea), 1969.
A sweet bit of Island-inspired pop – recorded here by an LA group of the late 60s, with inspirations drawn from the Carribean sands and the California sun! The group use a style that mixes together bits of late 60s South African pop, ala Hugh Masekela, a touch of steel band funk, and ...
(Rock CD)
Great Tracks (Japan), 1990s. 2LP Gatefold
A deep dive into the Japanese scene of the 90s – featuring music at a point when things were really moving past some of the more familiar city pop styles of the decade before! The cuts here have all sorts of great elements coming in – a bit of an influence from R&B sounds from both ...
(Japanese LP)
BYG/Actuel (UK), 1969. Gatefold (reissue)
One of the key records that helped establish the genius of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago at the end of the 60s – a session that was recorded on the Paris scene, where the early quartet were really starting to rub shoulders with, and influence a range of different European players – maybe ...
(Jazz LP)
Tomorrow International/P-Vine (Japan), 1976. (reissue)
Quite possibly the funkiest album ever recorded by saxophone legend Nathan Davis – a sweet little session with plenty of electric touches! The sound here differs greatly from Davis' 60s work on the European scene – his amazing albums for MPS and Polydor – and the record's awash ...
(Jazz LP)
Great Tracks (Japan), 1992. (reissue)
One of the most personal albums we've ever heard from Akiko Yano – a really lovely set that has her working mostly with just piano alongside her vocals – which creates a sense of intimacy that really sets the record apart from some of Yano's other projects! If you've ever thought that ...
(Japanese LP)
Joe Tatton Trio with Lucas De Mulder
Galactico
Rodina (UK), 2024.
Joe Tatton's played some mighty hip keyboards in the New Mastersounds over the years – and here, he's at the helm of his own great group – really soaring on a set of material that's every bit as great as the Mastersounds recordings, but in a nicely different way! The album's got strong ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Bongo Joe (Switzerland), Late 1970s/1980s.
A heady dip into the key years of this wonderful group – served up here in a set that also features a fair bit of unreleased material too! As with the first volume, the musicianship here is fantastic – plenty of quick-stepping rhythms that pull in guitar and horn parts that move with ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Aardvark/Fuji (Japan), 1974. (reissue)
A really cool early project from the legendary Haruomi Hosono – a set that's got a very unique vibe that's all its own! At points, the record almost feels like a soft rock treasure from the A&M Records label from a few years before – but with Japanese language vocals – but at ...
(Japanese LP)
Red (Italy), 1979.
One of the most beautiful moments on record from bassist Johnny Dyani – a set that's very different than both his famous work in the Blue Notes group, and some of the more avant explorations he'd been doing on the London scene in the 70s – as the performance is nearly solo, save for ...
(Jazz CD)
EMI/BGO (UK), 1971.
One of the most creative albums ever from UK composer Neil Ardley – and that's saying a lot, given the complexity of his other work! The set's got a wonderful blend of jazz arrangements and some freer passages – scored by Ardley with some of his most sensitive, most beautiful music ...
(Jazz CD)
P-Vine (Japan), 2024.
A beautiful record from a wonderful singer – an artist we're very blessed to have in our hometown of Chicago, which is where Loona Dae is creating a very special place for herself in the world of underground soul! The album's got a slightly cosmic cover, and it almost feels as if there's ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Jazz Refreshed (UK), 2024.
Singer Tess Hirst has a great London jazz setting here – excellent work on the record from Sara Tandy on piano, Daniel Casimir on basses, and Richard Spaven on drums – a trio who bring way more to the session than more familiar jazz backings! The drums often have a nice crackle that's ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Envelope (Netherlands), 2021.
A really fantastic record, and one that's very different than you might expect from a record with "improvised" in the title! There's certainly improvisation on the record, but in a standard jazz way – the set's not free jazz, but a wonderful batch of modern jazz ideas, with a ...
(Jazz LP)
International Anthem, 2024.
A solo record, but one with a very unique approach – as Tomin Perea Chamblee uses overdubs to layer his wonderful performances on cornet, trumpet, and clarinets – all in a way that seems to create an intimate expression of a larger group experience! The mix of reed and brass parts is ...
(Jazz LP)
Posi-Tone, 2024.
Trumpeter Josh Lawrence has a nicely measured sound on his horn – a tight sense of tone and phrasing, with a care of delivery that maybe hearkens back to Art Farmer at his best – which is a hell of a compliment from us! Josh is always holding a touch of energy in reserve – not ...
(Jazz CD)
Analogue Foundation/Think (Japan), 2024.
Maybe the richest album to date from Abase – a set that has the collective working in modes that are more live and spontaneous than their previous effort, with a great array of instruments that help blend together influences from both Afro Funk and jazz! The balance is more towards the ...
(Jazz CD)
Legacy (UK), 1969.
The long-overdue release of a set of famous soul performances – all done at the Harlem Cultural Festival in the summer of 1969 – and issued here on record for the first time ever! The festival has become something of a legend – and finally got exposure on the screen, thanks to a ...
(Soul LP)
Esencia (Italy), 2024.
A group with lots of live instrumental energy – a combo who partly evoke some of the clubjazz modes of years past, but who also deepen their sound with lots of spiritual jazz elements too! There's definitely some grooves here, but the sound is richer than just beats with instrumentation ...
(New Grooves LP)
Timeless/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1978. (reissue)
A tremendous moment for the great George Adams as a leader – a record that won the reedman widespread attention after some key work in the bigger groups of Gil Evans and Charles Mingus! Adams is a searing, soulful player right from the start – stepping out strongly on tenor at the ...
(Jazz LP)
Philips/Lawson (Japan), 1979. (reissue)
Beautiful work from Junko Ohashi – working here in this flowing style that's almost a mix of Japanese mainstream pop and American soul currents – all of which send the album over the top! Junko's always had a richer sound than some of her contemporaries – and here she sparkles ...
(Japanese LP)
Pony Canyon (Japan), 1980. (reissue)
We're not entirely sure what Blendy means – but the set's a great showcase for the lovely vocals of Junko Hirotani, who's set up in backings that often have a nicely slinky groove! The set's got a bit more warmth than more electronic sets to come on the Japanese scene – mixing AOR ...
(Japanese LP)
Nederlands Jazz Archief (Netherlands), 1970. 2LP Gatefold
A long-lost performance by Sun Ra and the Arkestra – recorded in Amsterdam at the start of the 70s, when the group were brought in by avant saxophonist Hans Dulfer for a special performance! This album marks the first-ever issue of the material, from rediscovered tapes that finally present ...
(Jazz LP)
Spring/Southbound (UK), 1977. (reissue)
Millie Jackson's feelin bitchy – and letting a whole new side of her talents show! After the sweet southern soul sound of her early recordings, the Jackson style takes a sharp shift here – letting a bitchier side show up more strongly, and really setting the tone for the next great ...
(Soul LP)
Mango Sweet Rice (Japan), 2017.
Koppe does a great job here of taking older vocal jazz standards and reworking them in a fantastic new way – using contemporary electronica to completely transform the tunes, as she works with different collaborators in a lineup that includes Brian Duffy, Luna 9, Nikakoi, and others! The ...
(New Grooves CD)
Pony Canyon (Japan), 1983. (reissue)
Masaki Matsubara's a guitarist, but the sort who likes to add in soulful vocals now and then – very much in that strong mixture of instrumental and vocal fusion styles the Japanese scene was helping to pioneer in the 70s! Here, the singer is Jesse Barish – an artist we don't know from ...
(Japanese LP)
Two Gentlemen (France), 2024.
Beautifully spiritual work from Palestinian pianist Faraj Suleiman – an artist we love in a solo mode, but one who really expands his sound here in a variety of different formations! The album features duo, trio, quartet, and quintet performances – with the haunting piano sound of ...
(Jazz CD)
Mountain Railroad/Omnivore, 1975. 3CD
A great package of rare work from Steve Young – a set that features one classic indie album, plus 34 never-issued live tracks from the same time! At the core is Honky Tonk Man – a gem of a record from the great Steve Young – a mid 70s set issued on a smaller label than some of ...
(Rock CD)
Columbia/Wild Honey (Japan), 1972.
Very early work from Tatsuro Yamashita – an artist most folks know for his groundbreaking soul music in the second half of the 70s in Japan – but one who starts out here in much more of a rock basis overall, with an especially strong influence on most of the tracks from legendary Beach ...
(Japanese LP)
Etc (Italy), 2024.
Radius really have something unique going on here – a set that's somewhere in club territory, but which also mixes things up with all sorts of cross-cutting rhythms, very abstract keyboard parts, and other instrumental touches! In other words, the whole thing grooves, but with a crackling ...
(New Grooves LP)
Alfa/Great Tracks (Japan), 1978. (reissue)
An album with a dreamy cover image, but one that comes across with a nicely down to earth vibe – really well-crafted arrangements from Hiroshi Satoh, who does a great job of shaping the music for the vocals of Yoichi Takizawa! There's a number of fusion players in the lineup – ...
(Japanese LP)
Two Gentlemen (France), 2021.
Stunning solo piano work from Faraj Suleiman – served up in a style that seems to evoke both the longform creations of Keith Jarrett and some of the more mystical currents of the music of VI Gurdjieff – all while staying in a jazz-based mode that fits the Montreux Jazz Festival setting ...
(Jazz CD)
Riverside/Jazzman (UK), 1960s/Early 1970s.
A set that looks at the surprisingly strong contribution to spiritual jazz from the Riverside Records label – a company best known for their late 50s/early 60s classics from Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, and others – but one who also allowed enough artistic freedom for other artists on ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Grand Royal, 1994. 3LP (reissue)
Classic! Following the fairly radical change in style from the sample-crafted Paul's Boutique to the rawer hip hop and live band vibe of Check Your Head, Ill Communication feels more like a step forward than a reinvention – and it's a great one! The manic trio vocals are at peak precision ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Digitmovies (Italy), Late 1980s/Early 1990s. 3CD
Three great later soundtracks from Stelvio Cipriani – an artist who's mostly known for his famous 70s material on the Italian scene! First up is Baciami Strega – a score that really continues the keyboard genius that set Cipriani apart from the pack in the 70s – served up here ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Jazz Critique (Japan), 2024.
A really unique issue of this Japanese jazz magazine – one that looks at female film stars who were also singers, or vice versa too – with a mini-discography that offers up three listings each of key records for dozens of different stars! The format is similar to other Japanese disc ...
(Book)
Astigmatic (Poland), 2024.
A record that pays tribute to a classic set from the Polish jazz scene – the Purple Sun album by trumpeter Tomasz Stanko – which provides great inspiration for contemporary Polish group EABS, as they deliver what might well be their grooviest album to date! There's a pulsating sense of ...
(Jazz CD)
Red (Italy), 1986. 2CD
A wonderful little date from pianist Kenny Barron – one that has him working in drumless duo mode, with only the bass of Buster Williams for accompaniment! The tunes are often quite long, and it's beautiful to hear the way Kenny stretches out on the keys – buoyed up warmly by Williams' ...
(Jazz CD)
Red (Italy), 1981.
Beautiful live work from Art Pepper, and a set that somehow seems to have Art blowing with a bit more edge in his horn than usual – that really sharp sound that marks a small handful of his best performances from later years! The group here is very well-matched – with the great George ...
(Jazz CD)
Universal Justice/Moved By Sound (UK), 1971.
A lost relic of the Black Artist Group – a St Louis collective of musicians, dancers, and poets who had a similar mission as other associations in other cities at the time, like the AACM in Chicago – one that combines new modes of jazz with a greater cultural agenda, all with results ...
(Jazz CD)
Polydor/Lawson (Japan), 1987. (reissue)
American audiences know Tamlyn Tomita for her role in Karate Kid 2, but here she's a great singer on on a Japanese city pop album from the 80s – singing both English and Japanese, which makes for a nice change from the usual album of the time! The tunes are soulful and catchy, even when you ...
(Japanese LP)
Digitmovies (Italy), Early 1970s.
A nice bit of funky crime work from Italy – a soundtrack to an obscure payback film from the 70s, done here with a nice mix of heavy beats, tight guitar, and some cool keyboards! The groove here is very much in the style of some of the best compilations of Italian cop soundtrack work we've ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Pony Canyon (Japan), Late 1970s. (reissue)
A really sweet set from the Japanese scene of the 70s – a record that has lead vocals from the lovely Kyoko Omiya, and backings by the group Orange – who do a nice job of mixing soulful and jazzy currents in the music! There's a warmer, more fully-formed quality here than some of the ...
(Japanese LP)
Arista/Rhino, 1978. (reissue)
A big late 70s moment for the Grateful Dead – a set that has the group working with Lowell George in the production chair, and cooking up a roots rock blend that showed up on plenty of turntables at the time! The record's kind of an extension of the territory of Terrapin Station, but maybe ...
(Rock LP)
East World/Lawson (Japan), 1987. (reissue)
A really soulful set from the great Kimiko Kasai – a Japanese jazz vocalist that you might know from her famous 70s albums, including her classic collaboration with Herbie Hancock – stepping out here in a nicely different style that really opens up her vocals! Kimiko produced the set ...
(Japanese LP)
Numero, Late 1970s.
A cool condensed version of the larger 4LP box set of work from the legendary Laraaji – a set that features passages from both his debut album and parts of six more extended tracks that were never issued at the time! That debut album is his legendary Celestial Vibrations – a ...
(New Age LP)
Pony Canyon (Japan), 1974. (reissue)
Chie Sawa may only be 23, but she's got a great way with a groove – working here with these very cool arrangements from Makoto Yano that seem to echo some of the cooler currents in French pop in the early 70s! Given the lighter style of Chie's vocals, the blend is very nice – and the ...
(Japanese LP)
Digitmovies (Italy), Mid 1970s. 2CDs
Really charming work from Franco Micalizzi – a trio of mid 70s soundtracks, all lovingly put together! The work here has lots of warmth, and almost a bit of sentimentality – but hardly the sort you'd find in an American score of the time, and much more in the best Ennio Morricone mode ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Blow Up/Lawson (Japan), 1977. (reissue)
A really unique album from the 70s scene in Japan – the debut of singer Makoto Iwabuchi, who works here in a very unusual groove! Makoto gets help on the set from members of Moonriders, and the set features some arrangements from the great guitarist Shigeru Suzuki – who also plays on ...
(Japanese LP)
Sire/Rhino, 1984. 3CD
Way more than just a live album – as the record features material from the film of the same name – a tremendous stage performance that begins with solo David Byrne, then has the group building up as the set moves on – adding in more musicians and instruments with each new step, at ...
(Rock CD)
Atlantic/Lawson (Japan), 1978. (reissue)
A really cool keyboard set from the Japanese scene of the 70s – a record that's nicely nestled in a space between some of the fusion work of the time, and some of the ambient work to come! At some level, the record is neither – there's not really a jazz combo on the record, but Osamu ...
(Japanese LP)
Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra (Francois Tusques)
L'Intercommunal
Disques Vendemiaire/Souffle Continu (France), 1978.
A record that wonderfully shows just how different the French avant jazz scene was during the 70s – and how its musicians found a way to work creatively, but in a space that was very much their own! The Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra is a loose collective of artists from different ...
(Jazz CD)
Atlantic (Japan), 1972. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
A massive double-length set from Flower Travelin Band, and one that really marks their growth over the previous records – as the combo serve up a mix of live and studio tracks that easily demonstrate just why they were such an important force on the Japanese scene at the time! There's a ...
(Japanese LP)
Vertigo/Esoteric (UK), Early 1970s. 3CD
A trio of classic albums from this legendary prog group – all brought together in a single set! First up is the self-titled Jade Warrior – the fantastic debut of 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 ...
(Rock CD)
Kassav (Jacob F Desvarieux & Georges Decimus)
Yelele
GD Productions/Heavenly Sweetness (France), 1984. (reissue)
A huge global hit for Kassav – the Guadeloupe group who really helped set the tone for zouk music in the 80s – and also opened up the world of Caribbean rhythms as a result! The approach here takes older gwo-ka styles and infuses them with a fair bit of electricity – basslines ...
(Global Grooves LP)
BBE (UK), 2024.
Maybe the funkiest trunk that DJ Craig Charles has ever given us – a searing set of tracks that really expand upon the ideas of previous volumes! The set marks a shift to a new label, BBE – which may well also explain the extra-strong selection of cuts – tracks that span the ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra (Francois Tusques)
Le Musichien
Edizione Corsica/Souffle Continu (France), 1982. (reissue)
Maybe some of the most spiritual work we've ever heard from French pianist Francois Tusques – working here on two long tracks that really show some strong development in his Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra concept since the 70s! The tracks are partly modal and rhythmic in structure, ...
(Jazz LP)
Melopea/Vampi Soul (Spain), 1989. (reissue)
A later entry in the avant jazz scene in Argentina, but one that really continues that fresh burst of new energy that was began in the 60s! The music is freely improvised, but always with a nod towards Argentine culture, which takes the sounds very far from European free jazz – maybe more ...
(Jazz LP)
Lawson (Japan), 1975. (reissue)
A sparkling 70s Japanese album from Mayumi Kuroki – and a set that's got some famous help from Tatsuro Yamashita, who brings a nicely soulful vibe to a few cuts here! The record also has a bit of a contribution from Akiko Yano – but it's clearly Mayumi who's the main attraction – ...
(Japanese LP)
NM/P-Vine (Japan), 1999. 2LP (reissue)
A really unusual late life project from the great Weldon Irvine – one done after a decade or more of having an influence on hip hop, which then led Weldon to create a hip hop album of his own! There's a nice vibe here that almost updates the style of his 70s Time Capsule record – as if ...
(Soul LP)
Caroline True (UK), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2LP
The great Jon Savage has turned us on to plenty of music over the years – and he's especially keen on the late 70s/early 80s stretch from the UK and European scenes, which feature heavily on this set! As the title implies, Savage is bringing in obscure tracks from the early days of ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Allchival (Ireland), Late 1970s/Early 1980s.
That's a happy-looking group on the cover – one who definitely live up to the upbeat spirit of their music with all the energy you might expect from their name! Sunshine are an Irish combo from the end of the 70s, but one who've taken on all the best energy from the disco years – ...
(Soul LP)
Seeco/Charly (UK), Mid 1960s.
A really rare slice of work from the great Bobby Pauneto – easily one of our favorite artists on the New York Latin scene of the 60s! Bobby's best known for a rare album on the Mardi Gras label in the late 60s, and two groundbreaking 70s albums of Latin jazz – and the material here ...
(Latin LP)
KO Records/Flying Dog (Japan), 2004.
Heavy sounds from two key forces on the Japanese scene at the start of the century – both united here in a fantastic batch of instrumentals for Samurai Champloo! The work at times almost feels as if there's been a return Pacific journey of some of the elements that influenced the Wu-Tang ...
(Hip Hop CD)
Miya/Flying Dog (Japan), 2004.
Tsutchie does a really wonderful job here – blending hip hop elements and some warmer melodic moments – all with a vibe that makes the Samurai Champloo soundtracks so unique! Think of a hip hop take on the instrumental music from a Studio Ghibli film, and you'll get part of the charm ...
(Hip Hop CD)
DIW/Super Fuji Discs (Japan), 1988. (reissue)
A classic Arkestra live set from the end of the 80s – beautifully recorded, and put together with a lot more dynamic energy than some of the less professional Sun Ra live dates from the time! The set runs for nearly an hour in length, and tracks are long, but often quite focused – ...
(Jazz LP)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 50s/Early 60s.
A great array of bug-related tunes from the glory days of the 45rpm single – mostly rock numbers, but with some cool instrumental, soul, and exotica tracks thrown into the mix as well! The package is one of the weirdest of the many great themed compilations we've stocked from Bear Family ...
(Rock CD)
FMP/Cien Fuegos (Austria), 1994. 2LP Gatefold
A searing late classic from FMP – a 90s performance, and one that shows just how much Peter Brotzmann had kept up the fire from his earliest albums for the label – and also just how much he was transforming as a player! The group features William Parker on bass and Hamid Drake on drums ...
(Jazz LP)