(Jazz, Global Grooves) CD

A really fantastic album that's way better than any other tribute record we've ever heard – even though the whole thing's a tribute to the legendary William Onyeabor! Yet rather than slavishly copying Onyeabor's music, the group here take off in so many new directions – many of them very funky and filled with even more acoustic touches than in the original versions of the songs – including some great sax and trumpet lines that really give the music some depth. The group features a huge array of all-stars – members of LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, Sinkane, and The Beastie Boys – but this also isn't some project where big names are just phoning it in, as there's a very unified vibe that seems to bring out the best in everyone – including folks we might not even like in another context. Jamie Lidell sings on a few cuts, Money Mark plays keyboards on the record, and even the great Charles Lloyd delivers two great tenor solos – on titles that include "Poor Boy", "Love Is Blind", "Fantastic Man", "Good Name", "Heaven & Hell", and "Love Me Now". Fantastic fold-out cover design too! LP, Vinyl record album

Great Ghana grooves from Ebo Taylor – a tremendous collection of his funkiest 70s work – and a much-needed reintroduction of his talents to the world at large! Much of the music here has strong links with more familiar Afro Funk – but the overall approach is often a bit unique, too – lots more guitar in the rhythms at times, in ways that echo the lighter lyricism of highlife, yet all without losing the commitment to bottom sounds that made 70s changes in African music so great! The package does a great job of archaeology – bringing together not just cuts recorded under Taylor's own name, but also work with other groups too – all in a set that offers plenty in the way of notes and historical details, too. 2LP set features 12 titles that include "Heaven", "Aba Yaa", "Atwer Abroba", and "Peace On Earth" by Ebo Taylor, "Tamfo Nyi Akyir" by Apagya Showband, "Ohiani Sua Efir" by Asasse Ase, "Ene Nyame Nam A Mensuor" by Pat Thomas & Ebo Taylor, "Egya Edu" by Ebo Taylor & The Pelikans, and "Love & Death" by Ebo Taylor & Uhuru Yenzu. LP, Vinyl record album

Way way more than just the usual roots reggae collection – a stunning set that documents the growth of Rastafari ideals in Jamaican music – with examples that range from years before the birth of reggae, through that style's bit growth in the 70s! The set includes this very large booklet of notes and images – giving plenty of historical context for the spiritual movement, and linking it's roots to Ethiopian political freedoms of the early 20th century, which then became a huge inspiration for oppressed Jamaicans. Styles of the music vary nicely – and include pre-reggae styles, mento, and other folkloric modes – which then give way to more familiar sounds, but always with an ear for the unique, and spiritually powerful. Titles include "Zion I" by Winston & Ansell, "Ethiopia" by Lord Lebby & The Jamaican Calypsonians, "Soul Drums" by Count Ossie & Leslie Butler, "His Imperial Majesty" by Rod Taylor, "Jah Will Cut You Down" by Earth & Stone, "Haile Selassie" by Laurel Aitken, "None Shall Escape The Judgement" by Johnny Clark, "African Drums" by Bongo Herman & Jah Lloyd, "Hail The Words Of Jah" by Ashanti Roy, "Salaam" by Bongo Herman, Les & Bunny, "Narration" by Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari, and "Rasta Dreadlocks" by The Heaven Singers. (Reggae, Global Grooves) CD

Way way more than just the usual roots reggae collection – a stunning set that documents the growth of Rastafari ideals in Jamaican music – with examples that range from years before the birth of reggae, through that style's bit growth in the 70s! The set includes this very large booklet of notes and images – giving plenty of historical context for the spiritual movement, and linking it's roots to Ethiopian political freedoms of the early 20th century, which then became a huge inspiration for oppressed Jamaicans. Styles of the music vary nicely – and include pre-reggae styles, mento, and other folkloric modes – which then give way to more familiar sounds, but always with an ear for the unique, and spiritually powerful. Titles include "Zion I" by Winston & Ansell, "Ethiopia" by Lord Lebby & The Jamaican Calypsonians, "Soul Drums" by Count Ossie & Leslie Butler, "His Imperial Majesty" by Rod Taylor, "Jah Will Cut You Down" by Earth & Stone, "Haile Selassie" by Laurel Aitken, "None Shall Escape The Judgement" by Johnny Clark, "African Drums" by Bongo Herman & Jah Lloyd, "Hail The Words Of Jah" by Ashanti Roy, "Salaam" by Bongo Herman, Les & Bunny, "Narration" by Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari, and "Rasta Dreadlocks" by The Heaven Singers. (Reggae, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

The definitely got the title right on this one – because the set is filled with some of the most heavenly tracks from the legendary Ethiopiques series – that legendary run of compilations that was the first introduction for most of us to the amazing music of Ethiopia! This package really zeros in on all the best bits – and has a special focus on the early 70s, with some other bits from the 60s as well – all the wonderful vintage material that captures that special time in Ethiopian music when the artists were really taking some new chances with their sound – and creating an otherworldly blend of jazz and funk with more local elements as well. The range of artists is great – a really compelling blend of singers and instrumentalists, not just a handful of tracks by Mulatu – and titles include "Presentiment" by Tsegue Maryam Guebrou, "Ene Negn Bay Manesh" by Girma Beyene, "Hedetch Alu" by Muluquen Mellesse, "Lantchi Biye" by Tlahoun Gessesse, "Tchereqa" by Menelik Wesnatchew, "Ashasha Beyew" by Abbebe Tessemma, "Ati Fettun Isani Infedhani" by Ali Birra, "Mela Mela" by Seyfou Yohannes, "Teredjew Neber" by Ayalew Mesfin, and "Hametegnaw" by Seyoum Gebreyes. LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a pretty bold proclamation from Nahid Akhtar – but the album definitely supports the claim, thanks to a fierce combination of funky modes and Pakistani groove! The tracks here were all recorded for the Lollywood film world in Lahore – Pakistan's answer to Indian cinema at the time – and most numbers have the kind of elements you'd love in Bollywood funk from the same period – grooves that borrow bits from blacksploitation cinema, but inflect things with lots of local touches – mixing older traditions and 70s elements with effortless ease! There's lots of heavy percussion in the rhythms, and some very cool keyboards and electronics too – but it's the soaring, heavenly voice of Nahid that really makes the music wonderful – maybe even more vibrant and earthy than any of her big Indian film playback singer contemporaries. Titles include "Yeh Aaj Muhjko Kya Huwa", "Good News For You", "Karye Pyar", "I Am Black Beauty", "Badami Nainon Wale", "Naughty Boy", and "Sheeshy Ki Botal". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic contemporary performance from Girma Beyene – a key artist in the golden age of Ethiopian, working here with the excellent Akale Wube quintet! Girma's one of a number of singers who went into exile during the changing political climate of the 70s – but in recent years, he's returned to his homeland, and has really reaffirmed his role in music – coming across here with a sound that's maybe even deeper and more sophisticated than his earlier recordings, and somewhat jazzier too! The group have a nicely understated approach – classic Ethiopian jazz and funk modes, but never overdone – so that when Girma slides into the groove, he really gets the right sort of space – which allows for some especially great presentation of his amazing vocals. Yet the set's also got some great instrumental tracks, too – long numbers that really make a great showcase for the saxophone work of Etienne De La Sayette and trumpet of Paul Bouclier. Florian Pellissier guests on organ on three tracks, and Fender Rhodes on one more – and titles include "Bemelkesh Aydelem", "Ene Negn Bay Manesh", "Enken Yelelebesh", "Melewetsesh Menew", "Wub Nat", and "Meslogn Neber". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from the Kasai All-Stars – a group we first discovered in the Congotronics series with Konono No 1 – and who still have the same wonderful blend of raw rhythms, fuzzy distortion, and very powerful vocals! Their music has this powerfully organic vibe – with acoustic and electric elements bumping together in a fantastic way – that special sort of immediate power that really grabs you, and never asks for deeper cultural understanding as the price of admission. And the record's also got some interesting surprises too, in that a few numbers are performed by the larger Orchestra Symphonique Kimbanguiste, used in the soundtrack of which the main Kasai music is a part – versions of a few compositions by Arvo Part, which creates a heavenly juxtaposition next to the earthier numbers – with a vibe that's quite unusual, and makes the Kasai music seem even more powerful. Titles include "Kapinga Yamba", "In Praise Of Homeboys", "Tshalemba", "Mabela", "Quick As White", and "Tshitua Fuila Mbuloba". CD

Wonderful work from the Kasai All-Stars – a group we first discovered in the Congotronics series with Konono No 1 – and who still have the same wonderful blend of raw rhythms, fuzzy distortion, and very powerful vocals! Their music has this powerfully organic vibe – with acoustic and electric elements bumping together in a fantastic way – that special sort of immediate power that really grabs you, and never asks for deeper cultural understanding as the price of admission. And the record's also got some interesting surprises too, in that a few numbers are performed by the larger Orchestra Symphonique Kimbanguiste, used in the soundtrack of which the main Kasai music is a part – versions of a few compositions by Arvo Part, which creates a heavenly juxtaposition next to the earthier numbers – with a vibe that's quite unusual, and makes the Kasai music seem even more powerful. Titles include "Kapinga Yamba", "In Praise Of Homeboys", "Tshalemba", "Mabela", "Quick As White", and "Tshitua Fuila Mbuloba". 2LP package also features some bonus remixes – including "Drowning Goat (Daedalus rmx)", "Felicite Three (Ramzi rmx)", "In Praise Of Homeboys (Africaine 808 rmx)", "Quick As White (Clap Clap rmx)", and "Salute To Kalombo (Ekiti Sound System rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

Mad grooves from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – featuring work by the enigmatic Mulatu, plus some of the other extra-cool artists on that country's groundbreaking soul and funk scene! Mulatu plays Fender Rhodes and organ on his tracks – grooving with a slow, snakey approach that's almost a bit like the work of Sun Ra, but which also has distinct African touches. The sound here is quite different than the Nigerian funky work of the 70s – much more laidback and open-ended, with less American influences, and a really unique approach! Titles include "Yekermo Se", "Yegele Tezeta", "Munaye", "Metche Dershe", "Kasalefkut Hulu", and "Tezeta" by Mulatu Astatque; "Heywete" and "Bemgnot Alnorem" by Bahta Gebre Heywet; and "Yetesfa Tezeta" by Tesfa-Maryam Kidane. Vinyl release of tracks pulled from the Ethiopiques CD-only series, done with some good notes. LP, Vinyl record album

Mad funk from Ethiopia – classic work by the legendary Mulatu, one of Africa's heaviest artists of the 70s! Mulatu's been kind of a beathead secret for years – as most of his exotic grooves were never issued properly outside of Africa, and have only been the province of collectors who had the money and cash to get their hands on the work. The music's got a strange, other-worldly feel – a mix of bass-heavy dubby rhythms and spaced-out jazzy solos played on saxophone and electric piano – all coming together in a unique style that will blow your mind! The LP is the first-ever proper vinyl reissue of Mulatu's work – and collects together the best tracks from the recent Ethiopiques CD series, 9 titles that include "Yekatit", "Nesanet", "Sabye", "Ykermo Sew", "Asmarina", "Gubelye", "Dewel", and "Ene Alantchi Alnorem". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from Guadeloupean percussionist Roger Raspail – a set that offers up an unusual blend of jazz and island modes, but in a way that's very rich and organic – without any sort of self-conscious attitude about its presentation! Raspail's worked for years on the Paris scene – and has always been part of that city's rich post-colonial criss-crossing of modes – especially the side of the French jazz scene that has always been very open to non-Anglo rhythms, and allowed very open interplay of different ideas! That approach is definitely in place here – on sounds that maybe offer up more of Raspail's roots than some of his early records – but in a way that also shows his warm absorption of continental modes too. Guests include Vincent Segal, Alain Jean-Marie, Anthony Joseph, and Dao – and titles include "Kalypso Ka", "Rara", "Manza Rene", "Nuite Douce", "Bossa De La Plage", "Papa Yaya", "Ballade A Ilet Perou", and "Anty Kaz La". CD

Great work from Guadeloupean percussionist Roger Raspail – a set that offers up an unusual blend of jazz and island modes, but in a way that's very rich and organic – without any sort of self-conscious attitude about its presentation! Raspail's worked for years on the Paris scene – and has always been part of that city's rich post-colonial criss-crossing of modes – especially the side of the French jazz scene that has always been very open to non-Anglo rhythms, and allowed very open interplay of different ideas! That approach is definitely in place here – on sounds that maybe offer up more of Raspail's roots than some of his early records – but in a way that also shows his warm absorption of continental modes too. Guests include Vincent Segal, Alain Jean-Marie, Anthony Joseph, and Dao – and titles include "Kalypso Ka", "Rara", "Manza Rene", "Nuite Douce", "Bossa De La Plage", "Papa Yaya", "Ballade A Ilet Perou", and "Anty Kaz La". LP, Vinyl record album

A deep selection of grooves that are warm and breezy, but also nicely tripped out at times – way more than a simple compilation of sunny sounds – and instead a globe-spanning set of diverse gems! Volume 3 includes sun toasted sounds from tropical climates, plus similar-minded numbers from the US and even Canada – from easygoing Rhodes-led soul from Trinidad & Tobago, to breezy brass from Tunisia, to Jamaican disco and well beyond! The tunes might go as far back as the 60s, but certainly includes some great ones from the 70s and early 80s – all pretty obscure stuff that's well worth digging up! 14 tracks in all, including "Feel Like Making Love" by Gene Lawrence, "Moin Epi Vou" by The Group NSI, "Mystic Mood" by Billy Cole, "Soul Brother" by Dalton, "I Want To Make It With You" by Bobbie Houston, "Wars In Space Dub" by Brother Resistance", "I Need Your Love" by Scherzando and more. (Funky Compilations, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

The fourth fantastic volume in this wonderful series – and maybe the best so far, as the Beach Diggin groove has extended past its familiar boundaries – to pick up rare soulful sounds from points all over the globe! The approach is wonderful – with a focus on slinky cuts that have an equal balance of funk and soul, but often carry some regional touches too – so that there's a criss-crossing of cultures throughout the collection, but with a sound that's always unified by an influence from American soul! The set features a number of cuts from Jamaica, but also includes work from Brazil, Japan, Australia, Peru, and Tunisia too – a superb set list that works together perfectly, with titles that include "Bon Momentos" by Serginho Meriti, "Love To The People" by Sue Barker, "Tokyo Melody" by Shoody, "Soul Brother" by Alec Khaol, "This Is Love" by Brooski, "Disintegration" by Orea, "Chiquito" by Denny King, "My Life" by Noriko Miyamoto with Isao Suzuki, "Crosslines" by Taxi, and "Breezin" by Boris Gardiner. (Funky Compilations, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

The set's billed as "the perfect soundtrack to chill on the beach", but it's way more than that – and besides, when we always used to go to the beach, all the radios were always blaring classic rock or mainstream pop – and this collection is way way deeper than that! Guts have hand-picked all the tracks themselves – and the music is a sweet blend of jazzy and groovy styles from around the world – with an especially strong representation of the kind of post-colonial sounds that broke big on the European scene in the early 80s, served up here in tunes from Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Martinique, Malaysia, and other points global! Titles include a great soca remake of "Sweetest Taboo" by Rebles – plus "Tonight" by Sookie with Jeannine Otis, "LA Nights" by Yasuko Agawa, "Sweet Dole" by Andre Marie Tala, "Lite Low" by Tyna Onwudiwe, "And We'll Make Love" by Ricardo Marrero & The Group, "Femmes Pays Douces" by Raphael Toine, "Teardrops & Wine" by Salero, "War For Ground" by Momo Joseph, "Pasto" by Synchro Rhythmic Eclectic Language, "I Need You Now" by Robert Riggins, "Dreams Of Love" by Claude Genteuil, and "Si T'Es Mal Dans Ta Peau" by Koko Ateba. (Funky Compilations, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album of sounds from the groundbreaking Ethiopian scene at the start of the 70s – a full length collection of previous 45s from the excellent Ahma Records label – home to revolutionary sounds that continue to influence new generations of listeners! The music here represents the Golden Age at its peak – sounds that partly reform older traditions with new modernist ideals, partly shift sideways from western influences, to the sorts of enigmatic, other-worldly styles you'd know from the music of Mulatu and some of his contemporaries! And lest you think that "hit parade" means commercial crass, think again – because these tunes are every bit as mindblowing as the music you'd find on the seminal Ethiopiques series. Titles include "Addis Abeda Bete" by Alemayehu Eshete, "Tezeta" by Seifu Yohannes, "Yeberehe Lomie" by Abayneh Degene, "Gara Ser Naw Betesh" by Teshome Meteku, "Asha Dedawo" by Menelik Wossenachew, "Ayamaru Eshete" by Essatu Tessema, and "Hedech Alu" by Muluken Melesse. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing music from the golden years of Ethiopian Music – a set of tracks that will take you beyond the music of Mulatu, into a wealth of other talents from the scene at the same time! The sound here is incredible – a mix of heavy funk, spacey jazz, and other exotic touches all coming together – a unique sort of sound that's beyond referent, and which is easily some of the freshest music on the planet back in the 70s! The vinyl-only collection pulls tracks from different volumes of the Ethiopiques CD titles – and offers up a strong focus on the funkiest and grooviest numbers from that legendary series. Tracks include "Muziqawi Silt" by Wallias Band, "Hasabe" by Ayalew Mesfin, "Antchin Yagegnulet" by Tamrat Ferendji, "Amlak Abet Abet" by Asselfetch Ashine & Getenesh Kebret, "Temeles" by Alemayehu Eshete & Hirut Bequele, and "Aynotchesh Yerefu" by Samuel Belay. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest variations on the Ethiopiques series we've ever seen – a release that presents six different records exactly as they appeared as 7" singles – right down to representations of the original covers and labels! The grooves are great – definitely the funkier, more upbeat side of Ethiopian 70s music – with titles that include "Afer Yemegnshale" by Alemayehu Eshete, "Awash" by Ali Mohammed Birra, "Sew Manen Yimeslal" by Tilahun Gessesse, "Mar Teb Yilal Kafesh" by Mahamoud Ahmed, "Yebekagnale" by Girma Beyene & Mulatu, and "Antchi Hoye" by Getachew Mekuria. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Mad music that's unlike anything else we can think of – a killer collection of funky grooves from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – offered up here on a vinyl-only compilation! The set's a great one if you've heard the music of Mulatu, but want to dig a lot deeper – as the cats included on this set are most of his contemporaries from the golden years of Ethiopian music – and most of them work in a similar offbeat, other-worldly sort of style! Rhythms are skittish, horns are hypnotic, and the vocals on some of the tracks have a weird appeal that really transcends the boundaries of language – almost like another instrumental element that fits in wonderfully with the heavy grooves underneath. Titles on the collection are pulled from various volumes of the Ethiopiques series – making this set kind of a distillation of all its greatness. Tracks include "Yebeqagnal" and "Ene Negn Bay Manesh" by Girma Beyene, "Queresh Endewaza" by Samuel Belay, "Ewnetegna Feqer" by Hirut Bequele, "Lomiwen Teqebeletch" by Mahmoud Ahmed, "Gedamay" by Getatchew Mekurya, and "Metche New" by Asselefetch Ashine & Getenesh Kebret. LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual blend of jazz, fusion, and gwo ka rhythms from Guadelopue – served up here in a classic album from trumpeter Edmony Krater! Krater blows some beautiful solos on the record – a bit like Don Cherry in some of his more globally-oriented projects – but the overall approach is more rhythmic, and tied together by keyboards and basslines, which are then offset by rootsier percussion elements that trace back to the earlier days of the genre – while Edmony and his compatriots continue to inflect some modern touches over the top! The group's got some sweet guitar lines from Freddy Tisseur, whose playing nicely skirts both sides of this sound – and titles include "Crepuscule", "Tijan", "Gwadloup", "Chimin Spirit", and "Occitan Dance". CD features two bonus tracks – "Rime A La Vi" and "Sonje Pa Plere". CD

The set's billed as "the perfect soundtrack to chill on the beach", but it's way more than that – and besides, when we always used to go to the beach, all the radios were always blaring classic rock or mainstream pop – and this collection is way way deeper than that! Guts have hand-picked all the tracks themselves – and the music is a sweet blend of jazzy and groovy styles from around the world – with an especially strong representation of the kind of post-colonial sounds that broke big on the European scene in the early 80s, served up here in tunes from Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Martinique, Malaysia, and other points global! Titles include a great soca remake of "Sweetest Taboo" by Rebles – plus "Tonight" by Sookie with Jeannine Otis, "LA Nights" by Yasuko Agawa, "Sweet Dole" by Andre Marie Tala, "Lite Low" by Tyna Onwudiwe, "And We'll Make Love" by Ricardo Marrero & The Group, "Femmes Pays Douces" by Raphael Toine, "Teardrops & Wine" by Salero, "War For Ground" by Momo Joseph, "Pasto" by Synchro Rhythmic Eclectic Language, "I Need You Now" by Robert Riggins, "Dreams Of Love" by Claude Genteuil, and "Si T'Es Mal Dans Ta Peau" by Koko Ateba. (Funky Compilations, Global Grooves) CD

A cool collection of sounds when the music was really making a change in the French West Indies – especially in Guadeloupe, which was always trying to set itself apart from some of its Caribbean neighbors! The music here has all the electric touches you'd expect from the "digital" in the title – but the sound is still nice and warm overall – kind of an updating of older rhythms, maybe even a bit of biguine – but using both acoustic and electric drums, as well as a good deal of keyboards in the mix! The groove has an open, natural flow that's quite different from Haitian music or soca at the time – quite seductive in the way the songs progress – never trying too hard at all, but coming out with a sweet 80s funk sound in the end. The collection was put together by Diggers Digest – who did a great job of finding lesser-known gems – and titles include "Devenn" by Pierre Edouard Decimus, "Indiano" by Eddy La Viny, "Mande Moin On Lajan" by Group Nsi, "Vacance Union" by Raymon Pyrme and Jean Claude Cornely, "Nou Ke Sa Enmew" by Swanha Desvarieux, "Poutchi" by Zanma, "Biguine Inferno" by OREA, and "Mizik Nou" by Milton. LP, Vinyl record album