Kind of a painful movie, but a pretty sweet soundtrack! The set features a number of new works produced by Deodato, very much in the spirit of his Inutil Paisagem 60s bossa recordings – with wonderfully complex airy melodies, and a touch so light you can't believe there's actually a conscious act behind the music. The new titles feature vocals by Barbara Mendes and Carol Rogers – and include "Samba De Uma Nota So", "Mary Ann's Theme", "Suddenly", "Soul Mates", "Amor Em Paz", and "Juan's Theme". Most of the rest of the CD features older work from Jobim's years at Verve and CTI – including the tracks "Wave", "Aguas De Marco", "Chega De Saudade", and "Inutil Paisagem". Also features a semi-painful duet between Jobim and Sting – ouch! CD

A trio of albums from this famous Brazilian trombonist – all of them great! First up is Sweet Lucy – a wonderful album from Raul De Souza, cut during the height of his fame on the California scene! Like Raul's other work for Capitol, this record really sparkles from tight help from George Duke – who handles production, and some of the arrangements – and really helps De Souza find a tight jazzy groove! The instrumentation is a bit leaner than some of Raul's other records of this nature, which is a nice thing – as you get to hear plenty of keyboards from Patrice Rushen, Fender Rhodes from Dawilli Gonga, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, and percussion from Airto. There's a bit of chorus vocals at times, but the main focus is on Raul's trombone solos – and cuts include of Joao Donato's "Banana Tree", plus "Sweet Lucy", "New Love", "Wild & Shy", "Bottom Heat", "Wires", and "At Will". Don't Ask My Neighbors is a tremendous moment for trombonist Raul De Souza – working here in a style that's light years past his roots in bossa nova! The set's got a heavy California vibe – a late 70s blend of jazz and soul handled by producer George Duke, who also arranges many tracks on the record – but still leaves plenty of room for Raul to step out strongly in the lead! Things are never too overdone, and handled with that sunny style that players like Duke did so well – lots of warm jazzy elements in the backings, coming from Fender Rhodes by Bobby Lyle, percussion from Airto, and drums from the great Harvey Mason – who really brings an edge to some of the groovers. Titles include a killer cover of the Skip Scarborough tune "Don't Ask My Neighbors" – plus "La La Song", "Overture", "At The Concert", "I Believe You", and "Jump Street". Til Tomorrow Comes is filled with soaring sounds from Raul De Souza – a Brazilian musician who first recorded under the name of Raulzinho during the bossa nova years – but one who's at the height of his powers here working on the Cali scene at the end of the 70s! Raul manages to blend his lead instrument with fuller arrangements from Arthur Wright – who brings in plenty of the best elements from contemporary R&B, adds in some backing vocals, yet never diminishes Raul's presence on the record at all! Instead, De Souza seems to draw all sorts of energy from the folks around him on the sessions for the record – really stepping out with the best sort of jazz funk grooves that Capitol Records were laying down at the time – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Up & At It", "Self Sealing", "Pleasurize", "Fe No Me Nol", and "Til Tomorrow comes". CD features bonus tracks – single versions of "Til Tomorrow Comes", "Sweet Lucy", and "Daisy Mae". CD

A fitting title for a great album – Eric Dolphy's last live recording, performed on June 2, 1964, with a trio of youngsters that included two of the greatest names in European avant garde jazz – Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink! The sound is jagged and a bit free – showing the way towards even greater innovations that might have marked Dolphy's 60s years, had he not been taken from us so quickly! The album's filled with beautiful Dolphy playing in his late mode – on alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and tracks include "The Madrig Speaks, The Panther Walks", "Miss Ann", and "Hypochristmutreefuz". CD

A fitting title for a great album – Eric Dolphy's last live recording, performed on June 2, 1964, with a trio of youngsters that included two of the greatest names in European avant garde jazz – Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink! The sound is jagged and a bit free – showing the way towards even greater innovations that might have marked Dolphy's 60s years, had he not been taken from us so quickly! The album's filled with beautiful Dolphy playing in his late mode – on alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and tracks include "The Madrig Speaks, The Panther Walks", "Miss Ann", and "Hypochristmutreefuz". CD

A fitting title for a great album – Eric Dolphy's last live recording, performed on June 2, 1964, with a trio of youngsters that included two of the greatest names in European avant garde jazz – Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink! The sound is jagged and a bit free – showing the way towards even greater innovations that might have marked Dolphy's 60s years, had he not been taken from us so quickly! The album's filled with beautiful Dolphy playing in his late mode – on alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and tracks include "The Madrig Speaks, The Panther Walks", "Miss Ann", and "Hypochristmutreefuz". CD

A fitting title for a great album – Eric Dolphy's last live recording, performed on June 2, 1964, with a trio of youngsters that included two of the greatest names in European avant garde jazz – Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink! The sound is jagged and a bit free – showing the way towards even greater innovations that might have marked Dolphy's 60s years, had he not been taken from us so quickly! The album's filled with beautiful Dolphy playing in his late mode – on alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and tracks include "The Madrig Speaks, The Panther Walks", "Miss Ann", and "Hypochristmutreefuz". LP, Vinyl record album

A fitting title for a great album – Eric Dolphy's last live recording, performed on June 2, 1964, with a trio of youngsters that included two of the greatest names in European avant garde jazz – Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink! The sound is jagged and a bit free – showing the way towards even greater innovations that might have marked Dolphy's 60s years, had he not been taken from us so quickly! The album's filled with beautiful Dolphy playing in his late mode – on alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and tracks include "The Madrig Speaks, The Panther Walks", "Miss Ann", and "Hypochristmutreefuz". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record – one we wouldn't part with for anything! Joao Donato's best known as one of the founding fathers of bossa nova – better known for his 60s work over the years, than he was for 70s electric work like this. Fortunately, international groove hounds picked up on the record years back, and it's been firmly brought back into the limelight as the classic it truly is! The set's an incredible reworking of Donato's sound – the gentle jazzy phrasing of the bossa years turned towards mellow groovers that feature a heck of a lot of electric piano. The album's got a few classic funky tracks, and some even more wonderful tracks that feature Joao working sparely on Fender Rhodes – accompanying himself on raspy vocals on most of the cuts! The whole thing's great – and titles include "Nana Das Aquas", "A Ra", "Amazonas", "Mentiras", "Cala Boca Menino", "Cade Jodel", "Me Deixa", and "Ate Quem Sabe". CD

A gem of a record – one we wouldn't part with for anything! Joao Donato's best known as one of the founding fathers of bossa nova – better known for his 60s work over the years, than he was for 70s electric work like this. Fortunately, international groove hounds picked up on the record years back, and it's been firmly brought back into the limelight as the classic it truly is! The set's an incredible reworking of Donato's sound – the gentle jazzy phrasing of the bossa years turned towards mellow groovers that feature a heck of a lot of electric piano. The album's got a few classic funky tracks, and some even more wonderful tracks that feature Joao working sparely on Fender Rhodes – accompanying himself on raspy vocals on most of the cuts! The whole thing's great – and titles include "Nana Das Aquas", "A Ra", "Amazonas", "Mentiras", "Cala Boca Menino", "Cade Jodel", "Me Deixa", and "Ate Quem Sabe". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record – one we wouldn't part with for anything! Joao Donato's best known as one of the founding fathers of bossa nova – better known for his 60s work over the years, than he was for 70s electric work like this. Fortunately, international groove hounds picked up on the record years back, and it's been firmly brought back into the limelight as the classic it truly is! The set's an incredible reworking of Donato's sound – the gentle jazzy phrasing of the bossa years turned towards mellow groovers that feature a heck of a lot of electric piano. The album's got a few classic funky tracks, and some even more wonderful tracks that feature Joao working sparely on Fender Rhodes – accompanying himself on raspy vocals on most of the cuts! The whole thing's great – and titles include "Nana Das Aquas", "A Ra", "Amazonas", "Mentiras", "Cala Boca Menino", "Cade Jodel", "Me Deixa", and "Ate Quem Sabe". CD

A US 60s issue of early Pye Records material by Donovan, before the Mickie Most years – with titles that include "Universal Soldier", "Colours", "Catch The Wind", "Dona Dona", "Candy Man", "Ballad Of Geraldine", "Jersey Thursday", and "Hey Gyp". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the grooviest albums of the 60s – and the first album in Donovan's legendary run with producer Mickie Most! The sound here is light years away from the heavy Dylan of Donovan's first recordings – and is steeped in eastern influences that sparkle in both the songwriting and arrangements – and which can be most strongly heard in the album's trademark use of tablas and electric sitar! Donovan's vocals are completely sublime, too – done in that raspy, almost lispy style that brings out all the best edges in his songwriting – and the lyrics of the tunes are a mind-expanding array of themes that really pushed the boundaries of 60s pop. Titles include the sublime classic "Sunshine Superman", plus "Bert's Blues", "The Fat Angel", "The Trip", "Celeste", "Three Kingfishers", and the funky funky "Season Of The Witch"! CD

One of the grooviest albums of the 60s – and the first album in Donovan's legendary run with producer Mickie Most! The sound here is light years away from the heavy Dylan of Donovan's first recordings – and is steeped in eastern influences that sparkle in both the songwriting and arrangements – and which can be most strongly heard in the album's trademark use of tablas and electric sitar! Donovan's vocals are completely sublime, too – done in that raspy, almost lispy style that brings out all the best edges in his songwriting – and the lyrics of the tunes are a mind-expanding array of themes that really pushed the boundaries of 60s pop. Titles include the sublime classic "Sunshine Superman", plus "Bert's Blues", "The Fat Angel", "The Trip", "Celeste", "Three Kingfishers", and the funky funky "Season Of The Witch"! LP, Vinyl record album

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The standout LP from The Dream Warriors – a quirky hip hop group who first sprung onto the scene in the wake of De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest. The duo were Canadian, and had a style that was a bit more open-ended than others – with room for odd samples and a keen sense of humor. Both of these are displayed well in the album's classic track "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style" – a pretty great number that sampled heavily from Quincy Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova", many years before the track became better known as the theme from Austin Powers. Other tracks include "Follow Me Not", "Ludi", "Tune From the Missing Channel", and "Wash Your Face in My Sink". " CD

A really really wonderful little record – one that's far more than you might guess from it's slightly gimmicky title! The session's clearly done in a mode to resonate with the Charlie Byrd or Stan Getz bossa work of the early 60s, but it's also got a slightly offbeat quality that makes it really unique – a sound that partly comes from the use of three guitars by three relatively different players, and from the way that the tunes themselves are put together. There's almost a jam session feel at times here – with the guitars coming together in a tension of different voices, hardly the sort of thing you'd hear in a regular bossa album. But equally great is the tenor sax work of Bob Enevoldsen – which comes in with a sharper edge and a bit more soul than his 50s sides – creating a deeper quality to the tunes that's really great. Percussion is by a trio that includes Milt Holland, Bob Neel, and Chico Guerrero – and Donn Trenner plays piano and Bob Bertaux is on bass. Titles include "I Told Ya I Love Ya Now Get Out", "Sweet Dreams", "Bossa Nova #2", "Bossa Nova Samba", and "Leave It To Me". CD

An unusual setting for Bill Evans, but a great one too – an early collaboration with arranger Claus Ogerman, who provides some larger backdrops for Bill's frontline piano! The set's not as ambitious as the symphony-styled one from the pair a few years later – and instead, it's got a nicely romping quality that's still mostly jazz, but which also carries a bit more soundtrack or pop instrumental feel too – never too much to make Evans sound crassly commercial, and a nice new setting that stands out from the mostly-trio mode he was recording in during the 60s. Many tunes are early 60s pop or soundtrack numbers, done with a nice sort of sensitivity – and titles include "Days Of Wine & Roses", "More", "The Caretakers", "Theme From Mr Novak", "Hollywood", "Sweet September", and "The Man With The Golden Arm". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Evans is reunited with singer Monica Zetterlund – in a live date done more than a decade after their classic Waltz For Debby album! The first side of the record features Evans in a trio mode – working instrumentally, without Monica, in a group that features the great Eddie Gomez on bass and Eliot Zigmund on drums – easily some of the better-recorded European live material by Bill from the 70s, caught in a way that really shows his new sensitivity in the later decade. Evans' piano is breathtaking here – a subtle symphony of shades and tones that delights the ears at each new twist and turn – recorded in some slightly longish takes on tunes that include "Sugar Plum", "Sareen Jurer", "Very Early", and "Gloria's Step". Bill continues the feeling of the first side wonderfully on the flip – as Zetterlund joins the group, and shows how much she's matured as well since here last meeting with Evans. Most of the tunes are standards, but they've got a sensitivity that goes way beyond familiar readings – carried off wonderfully by Monica in some beautifully dark-toned vocals. Titles include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "The Second Time Around", "Once Upon A Summertime", "What's New", and the lovely "Samba". CD

A brilliant later album from The Feelies – ultimately something of a swan song, serving as what many thought would be their final album! Time For Witness shows The Feelies as a band, much to their credit, assured enough in their legacy as avant rock innovators to be able to deliver the goods with a bit of subtlety – with layered guitar interplay and a sneaky melodic sensibility that's layered in a way that you hear something new years later. We've loved this underrated set for A&M for a couple decades and STILL feel like we learning from it! Includes "Waiting", "Time For A Witness", "Sooner Or Later", "Decide", "For Now", "What She Said", a cool cover of The Stooges classic "Real Cool Time" and more. CD

A much-needed look at a near-lost side of Ella's work for Verve – the singles she recorded for the label in the 50s and 60s, work that's very different than her more famous LPs! Historically, Ella's probably best remembered for her Songbook albums at Verve – serious efforts that focused on the work of 20th Century songwriters like Cole Porter and Irving Berlin. But during the same years she was working on those projects, she also cut a tremendous amount of singles for the label – many of them in styles not heard on LPs. The set's got some really wonderful numbers that really open up our understanding of Ella – short jazzy tunes, catchy pop numbers, weepy ballads, bossa nova, novelty tracks, and even a few Holiday tunes – all packaged in a great 2CD set that includes 36 titles in all! Tunes include "Ol Man Mose", "Desafinado", "Stardust Bossa Nova", "All The Live Long Day", "I'm A Poached Egg", "Your Red Wagon", "But Not For Me", "Dreams Are Made For Children", "Stay There", "Hotta Chocolatta", "Too Young For The Blues", "It's Only A Man", and "Lonely Is". CD

A lost early chapter in the career of Roberta Flack – material recorded during the sessions for her legendary First Take album, but unissued at the time – and presented here with an amazing demonstration of the depth of her young talents! All the genius of First Take is in place here – that groundbreaking territory between jazz and soul that set Roberta apart from the pack, right from the start – but there's also a wider range of currents going on – maybe some more jazz-based numbers, mixed with other soul-referenced titles too – a wider span that furthers the role that Flack plays as a bridge between the 60s innovations of Nina Simone and a host of others to follow. The group is just a trio – Flack on piano with Marshall Hawkins on bass and Bernard Sweetney on drums – but the tunes have a very wide-open vibe that's very visionary, and every bit as great as Roberta's debut! Titles include a stunning version of "Afro Blue", plus "It's Way Past Suppertime", "This Could Be The Start Of Something", "Groove Me", "To Sir With Love", "The Song Is Love", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out", "The House Song", and "Hush A Bye". LP, Vinyl record album

A late masterpiece from the Flaming Lips – one of their most unique and uncompromising records since they became leftfield hitmakers – and a record that works best as a whole! Embryonic is a grower, and the first record since The Soft Bulletin which, to our ears anyway, doesn't seem to have any illusions of a crossover ready single in the lineup. It's really a space rock record with fuzzy guitars and echoing noisiness, and a confident step out of "Do You Realize?" style speaks-to-everyone art pop, and into more of a dissonant, messy sound. It's a real thrill for us to see a longtime favorite not only get over into the mainstream consciousness and stay there for years, but to continue to challenge and innovate while they're hanging out there. Titles include "Convinced Of The Hex", "The Sparrow Looks Up At The Machine", "Evil", "Aquarius Sabotage", "See The Leaves", "Your Bats", "Powerless", "Scorpio Sword", "Watching The Planets" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best new recordings in years from Brazilian reedman Leo Gandelman – a set that's got a lean, mean groove that's just right for the album's mix of samba, bossa, and jazz! Leo's right out front in the arrangements on saxes – but there's also a really unified groove on the set too – that old school bossa nova way of packing all the instruments together on the rhythms, creating this soaring sound that seems to unlock some of the most expressive solos we've heard from Gandelman in awhile. Some points have a slight dose of soul jazz energy too – as you might guess from the look of the cover – and the set also comes packaged with bonus video footage of most tracks too. Titles include "Luz Azul", "Sinal Vermelho", "Nego Ta Sabendo", "Vip Vop", "Reza" and "Camisa 7". CD

Eternal soul from Marvin Gaye in both its classic form AND in a contemporary light – on a nice little 10-inch single! Side 1 features the original 7-inch single mono versions of "What's Going On" and "God Is Love" – both as mindblowing today as ever – not only just because it documents the incredible moment Marvin moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was innovating an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. Side 2 features new versions of "What's Going On" with contemporary hip hop soul hero BJ The Chicago Kid and a remix – both of which are surprisingly solid given the historical heft of the originals, but we really gotta hand it to BJ The Chicago Kid for approaching the contemporary remodel/"duet" with the utmost care and respect! 12-inch, Vinyl record

An overlooked gem from the Verve bossa years – a session that features the sweet tenor sax work of Stan Getz, alongside some swinging bossa arrangements from the great Gary McFarland! Given the strength of Gary's own work for Verve at the time, it's no surprise that he's a perfect accompanist for Getz on the session – working with just the right amount of space to let Stan stand out from the pack, and really creating a great blend of Brazilian rhythms and some of the modder 60s styles at Verve. Gary contributed a number of originals to the session too – and titles include "Bim Bom", "Manlancolico", "Balanco No Samba", "Noite Triste", "Chega De Saudade", and "Manha De Carnival". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from the Verve bossa years – a session that features the sweet tenor sax work of Stan Getz, alongside some swinging bossa arrangements from the great Gary McFarland! Given the strength of Gary's own work for Verve at the time, it's no surprise that he's a perfect accompanist for Getz on the session – working with just the right amount of space to let Stan stand out from the pack, and really creating a great blend of Brazilian rhythms and some of the modder 60s styles at Verve. Gary contributed a number of originals to the session too – and the three titles are "Manlancolico", "Balanco No Samba", and "Manha De Carnival". 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". CD

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". This is the Verve master edition with 20-bit remastering, bonus track, new liner notes, photographs, cover art & more. CD

A pretty darn great set that captures bits from all of Stan Getz's bossa nova recordings for Verve! The set's got a whopping 4 CDs, and it features Getz working with the likes of Joao Gilberto, Luiz Bonfa, Charlie Byrd, Gary McFarland, Laurindo Almeida, Astrud Gilberto, and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Includes some unreleased versions of bossa tunes, plus a huge amount of other great stuff – like "Ebony Samba", "Baia", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba Dees Days", "Sambalero", "Eu E Voce", "Winter Moon", "Menina Moca", "Vivo Sonhando", and "Para Machuchar Meu Coracoa". CD

A pretty darn great set that captures bits from all of Stan Getz's bossa nova recordings for Verve! The set's got a whopping 5LPs, and it features Getz working with the likes of Joao Gilberto, Luiz Bonfa, Charlie Byrd, Gary McFarland, Laurindo Almeida, Astrud Gilberto, and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Includes some unreleased versions of bossa tunes, plus a huge amount of other great stuff – like "Ebony Samba", "Baia", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba Dees Days", "Sambalero", "Eu E Voce", "Winter Moon", "Menina Moca", "Vivo Sonhando", and "Para Machuchar Meu Coracoa". Easy to find on CD – but darn tough to find on vinyl! LP, Vinyl record album

A really majestic album from this mighty nice group – a set that references older space-themed albums from the postwar years, but which serves up the sound in the best style of the Ghost Funk Orchestra! There's cool use of NASA dialogue between some tracks – and rather than burst out in a countdown of rocket fuel, the music moves slowly, almost dreamily at times – really reveling in laidback funk and fuzz, while also coming across with a slightly cinematic vibe that the group's never had before! A few tracks really rise above the usual, sometimes with really great vocals or jazz solos – and titles include "Casadastra", "Space Walk", "A Solar Wind", "Helios", "Nova", "To The Moon", "Eyes Of Love", and "Infinite Dark". CD

A really majestic album from this mighty nice group – a set that references older space-themed albums from the postwar years, but which serves up the sound in the best style of the Ghost Funk Orchestra! There's cool use of NASA dialogue between some tracks – and rather than burst out in a countdown of rocket fuel, the music moves slowly, almost dreamily at times – really reveling in laidback funk and fuzz, while also coming across with a slightly cinematic vibe that the group's never had before! A few tracks really rise above the usual, sometimes with really great vocals or jazz solos – and titles include "Casadastra", "Space Walk", "A Solar Wind", "Helios", "Nova", "To The Moon", "Eyes Of Love", and "Infinite Dark". LP, Vinyl record album

Bebel Gilberto's really grown a lot over the years – and here, she emerges strongly as a fully-formed artist with a voice that's all her own – and a style that doesn't need to rest on the laurels of her famous family legacy! The album's easily one of the most interesting we've ever heard from Bebel – and it's got this slight spiritual undercurrent that's a real change from just bossa modes – a richer, deeper sound that almost shows echoes of some of the more compelling jazz talents in recent years, yet while still balancing out just the right sort of lovely sound for the vocals! Bass is more pronounced than before – often acoustic, but with a rollingly deep quality – on performances by both Kassin and Liminha – and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson brings in some sweet strings at points, but in a very gentle, subtle way. Seu Jorge joins Bebel on the track "Novas Ideais" – and other titles include "Tout Est Bleu", "Tom De Voz", "Nada Nao", "Somwhere Else", "Lonely In My Heart", "Areia", and "Saudade Vem Correndo". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure – some of the first and best bossa nova work ever recorded! This completely essential set compiles most of Joao Gilberto's early recordings for the EMI/Odeon label in Brazil – remarkably influential tracks recorded from the years 1958 to 1961, featuring a young Joao on guitar and vocals, warmly carving out the bossa nova sound that would go on to influence generations of musicians, and which still remains some of his greatest recorded work ever! 38 tracks in all – with titles that include "Chega De Saudade", "O Pato", "E Luxo So", "Brigas Nunca Mais", "Saudade Fez Um Samba", "Trenzinho", "Este Seu Olhar", "Lobo Bobo", "O Barquinho", "Trevo De 4 Folhas", and "Aos Pes Da Cruz". CD

A completely charming little set from trumpeter Dusko Goykovich – put together with just the sort of classic feel you'd expect from the title! The set was recorded in the same stretch as the Nathan Davis album on DIW, London By Night – and the lineup here is essentially the same as that one, minus Davis – a group with Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Kenny Drew on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Al Levitt on drums! There's a great swing to the rhythm section, and Goykovich blows plenty of niceness over the top – those soulful, expressive lines that we love so much in his music over the years – often set here to original tunes that really help keep things fresh. Titles include "Inga", "Nella", "New Bop Theme", "Doboy", "Faros", "The Touch Of Your Lips", and "Recado Bossa Nova". CD

A trio of albums from one of our favorite trumpeters on the European scene! First up is Portrait – a set that stands as a tribute to trumpeter Dusko Goykovich's 70 years on this planet – and a record that features him in a variety of settings too! Other players include Ferdinand Povel on flute and tenor, Tony Lakatos on tenor, Steve Gut on trumpet, Isla Eckinger and Ray Drummond on basses, Abraham Burton on alto, and Kenny Barron and Tommy Flanagan on pianos – on titles that include "Recado Bossa Nova", "Balkan Blue", "Adriatica", "One For Klook", and "Inga". Next is Swinging Macedonia – a legendary German session from the 60s – and a record that really showcases the unusual criss-crossing of modes that was going on in the European scene at the time! There's a very strong MPS vibe here – as trumpeter Dusko Goykovich leads a swinging sextet that includes Nathan Davis on flute, soprano, and tenor – blowing some tremendously soulful reed lines – plus incredible rhythms from Mal Waldron on piano, Peter Trunk on bass, and Cees See on drums. The record's an attempt to bring traditional Macedonian rhythms into a jazz perspective – but with players like these, it swings in a way any Macedonian album never could – damn soulful, and with a great exotic vibe. Davis is especially great, and plays in a soaring modal vein that's similar to his work on his classic MPS sides, and on the records he cut in America in the early 70s. The album's a beautiful session that often get's overlooked because it blends it with the Enja catalog – but it's really more of a record that belongs in an MPS reissue series, and is a great lost groover that's waiting to be rediscovered by the Dusty Groove crowd. Titles include "Macedonia", "Old Fisherman's Daughter", "Jumbo Uganda", "Bem Basha", "Saga Se karame", and "The Nights Of Skopje". Brandenberg Concert features one of the greatest trumpeters on the European scene of the past few decades – heard here in a completely sublime setting! Dusko Goykovich has played in many styles and many ways, but hasn't ever done a date with full strings before – a long-overdue placement for his wonderful tone on trumpet – shimmering out front of a larger ensemble, in the manner of classic "with strings" dates by Dizzy Gillespie or Art Farmer! Altoist Peter King arranged the album – and titles are all originals by Dusko, some of which you might know from earlier records – reworked here beautifully for the new setting. King also solos on a handful of tracks too – a rich voice that provides a nice balance with Dusko's trumpet. Strings are never overdone, and the album's always got a nice swing from a core rhythm trio that features Renato Chicco on piano. Titles include "Good Old Days", "Handful O Soul", "Danca Comigo", "St Germain Des Pres", "Adriatica", "In My Dreams", and "I Miss You So". CD

A really fantastic record from Blue Note guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that's got a sound that goes way past his goofy look on the cover! The title's a bit right – in that there's something of a Latin vibe going on, with more percussion than usual in a small group – but the sound is also not straight New York Latin, with looser currents that are borrowed a bit from bossa nova, but also given a fluid soul jazz spin! There's maybe a slight touch of some of Cal Tjader's records from the period, but with more of the edge that we love on his guitar – served up in a combo that features the mighty Willie Bobo on drums, Johnny Acea on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, Patato Valdez on congas, and Garvin Masseux on chekere. Together, the group makes for a very hip set of tracks that includes "Tico Tico", "Mama Inez", "Besame Mucho", and "Mambo Inn". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a legend – a huge amount of material that introduced the world to the tenor genius of the young Joe Henderson – recorded over the space of a few short years, on records that feature Joe as both the leader and a sideman on some of the hippest Blue Note records of the time! Henderson was amazing right at the start – able to play a soulful hardbop lead at one moment, then slide into edgier modern territory the next – a quality that made him a key artist to work with some of the other strong Blue Note innovators of the period – as you'll hear in this overstuffed set! The set features a total of 47 gems – including some alternate takes – all wrapped up with the usual top-shelf Mosaic Records booklet of notes, photos, and other key details on the material. Includes the full albums Page One, Our Thing, In N Out, Mode For Joe, and Inner Urge – all recorded under the leadership of Joe Henderson – plus tracks from the albums Unity by Larry Young, The Kicker by Bobby Hutcherson, Little Johnny C by Johnny Coles, and Step Lightly by Blue Mitchell – and the full Kenny Dorham albums Una Mas and Trompeta Toccatta, both of which are essential in Henderson's career! CD

A classic masterpiece from J Dilla – a record that set the tone for countless hip hop releases in years to come – but which still shows Jay Dee as one of the smartest, sharpest, most forward-thinking producers to rule the roost! The set's got some incredible live instrumentation – lots of funky drums from Karriem Riggins, and a wealth of Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Dwele – two artists brought along from the Detroit underground by Dilla, in a lineup that also includes work from Frank N Dank, Blu, Phat Kat, and Beej. The whole thing is fantastic, this amazing blend of instrumentals and vocal numbers that show that hip hop had plenty of new territory to open up in the 21st century – on titles that even include tributes to some key inspirations – like "African Rhythms" (Oneness of Juju), "Brazilian Groove" (Earth Wind & Fire), and "Think Twice" (Donald Byrd). The whole thing is classic – and other cuts include "Rico Suave Bossa Nova", "Shake It Down", "Give it Up", "The Clapper", and "Come Get It". CD

That's the lovely Astrud Gilberto on the cover, and this issue of Japanese magazine Jazz Critique offers up a discography that includes some of her classic albums, and a host of other bossa gems too! The issue starts with a great color section that has images of rare album covers – then moves into a disc guide-styled listing that has many more covers in black and white, with some details on the records in English – and short reviews in Japanese. The scope of bossa-related records is great, and covers a lot of scenes and years – and the issue also has other jazz features in more detail, with black and white images throughout the 240 page issue. If you can read Japanese, there's also a nice feature on jazz in the Civil Rights era – with some nice photos! Book

The first-ever full length album from Jazzanova – and an instant classic that's been well worth the wait! For years, the group have turned out some of the most exciting singles and remixes on the international groove scene – and during all that time, they've been secretly storing away new ideas and musical thoughts for this groundbreaking debut album. The set's completely mindblowing – head and shoulders above anything else they've ever done, with a wealth of ideas and styles that we never thought them capable of. Working with a host of guest artists that include Vikter Duplaix, Capital A, Ursula Rucker, Rob Gallagher, Valerie Etienne, Dave Friedman, Doug Hammond, and others, they move far past their simple role as remix producers, and express a bold new vision – a 21st Century blend of jazz, soul, beats, and life that's impossibly hard to describe in a few short sentences. A stunner from the get-go – and shoulder-to-shoulder filled with great tracks! Titles include "No Use", "LOVE & You & I", "Fade Out", "Hanazono", "Mwela Mwela", "Keep Falling", "Cyclic", "Another New Day", "Place In Between", "Soon", "Sub Atlantic", "Glow & Glare", "Takes You Back (dub)", and "Wasted Time". CD

New versions of work by one of the grooviest groups in the world – the mighty mighty Jazzanova, one of the most influential combos in modern music of the past few years! Jazzanova are a tireless ensemble – not only working endlessly to discover and promote new music on their own label, but creators of the modern groove themselves – working from a huge knowledge of classic 60s and 70s sounds, pointing the way towards a jazzed-up future! Here, Jazzanova's best tracks of recent years are reworked by a stunning assortment of talents that includes friends, legends, and many inspired by the sound of the group. The package is a wonderful double-length set – stuffed with 23 tracks that include "Introspection" remixed by Calm, "Soon" remixed by Domu, "Takes You Back" remixed by Electric Sheep, "LOVE & You & I" remixed by Madlib, "That Night" remixed by Wahoo, "Keep Falling" remixed by Forss, "Another New Day" remixed by Moonstarr, "The One-Tet" remixed by DJ DSL, "Another New Day" remixed by Stereolab, "Days To Come" remixed by Ayro, "Mwela Mwela" remixed by King Britt, "Coffee Talk" remixed by Yukihiro Fukutomi, and "No Use" remixed by Beanfield. CD

A tremendous step forward for Jazzanova – an album that's overflowing with classic soul touches, and done in a style we'd hardly have expected from the group a few years before! Jazzanova have always had an ear for older sounds in their music – which is something that first set them apart from the dancefloor pack – but this album's a really amazing achievement, and one that's put together with the solid sound of some lost late 60s sessions from Motown at points – or with some of the cooler sounds of European jazz of the 70s! There's still a 21st Century vibe to the music – a bit of crackle here and there that marks it as contemporary – but the backings also have tight orchestrations, occasional strings, and that perfectly put-together quality that still makes us marvel at old soul and jazz records after all these years. Vocals are sublime too – as the album features contributions from Phonte, Paul Randolph, Ben Westbeech, Jose James, Dwele, Bembe Segue, and Leon Ware – all of whom fit in perfectly, without any of the sort of random "vocals with sound system" feel you might get in another album of this type. Most tracks are co-written with the vocalist – which is an even hipper touch that ensures a depth of quality – and titles include "Gafiera", "Lucky Girl", "Little Bird", "I Can See", "Look What You're Doin To Me", "Let Me Show Ya", "Lie", and "So Far From Home" – plus a great cover of "Rockin You Eternally". CD

A sublime mix of tunes put together by Jazzanova to celebrate the 5th anniversary of their groundbreaking radio show – one that features 6 completely exclusive tunes, plus a wealth of other great bits from a variety of different artists! The vibe here is laidback and mellow, yet still plenty soulful – almost in the Secret Love territory explored by Jazzanova in earlier years, but with a fair bit more electricity overall, and a really global sort of consciousness in the soulful vocals on the tunes! Even when things get a bit abstract, they're still plenty funky – and there's a crisp, crackling sensibility that unites all the different tracks in the mix. 20 tracks in all – including "Just A Lil Lovin" by Jazzanova & Outlines, "In The Remix (Starship interpretation)" by Capital A, "Candlelight" by Wahoo, "Or At Least" by The Slapped Eyeballers, "Excelsior" by Ame, "Intermission" by Soulphiction, "Flashback (Jazzanova's mashed bag)" by Fat Freddy's Drop, "Skitsophrenic (part 2)" by Leroy & Darnell, "Nowhere (Atjazz Astro Black mix)" by Clara Hill, "My Vision (Dixon edit)" by Agora Rhythm, "Sun Of A Beach (London mix)" by Pharoah Roche, "Beatzeps" by Jaslopski, "Step Off" by Arken, "I Just Wanna Sing For You" by Norman Weeks & The Revelations, "So Long" by Nicola Kramer, and "No Memory Of Time (reggae version)" by Eva Be with Joe Dukie. CD

Sublime grooves from the first few years of the 21st Century – all work by other artists, but all strongly given the Jazzanova touch – and brought together here in one excellent package! Jazzanova are one of the few remixers that we'll automatically skip to when scanning a set – because they've got a way of expanding a tune while still loving the original – deepening elements that were almost overlooked by the original artist, in a way that makes us kind of wish they'd do more as full-fledged producers! In the meantime, though, we've got this great set to get us through – as it includes a wide range of tracks from different sources – including some especially hard to find singles that are now way out of print. 10 tracks in all – including "Song Of Will (Jazzanova's rhythm happening" by Eddie Gale, "Besteiras Do Amor (Jazzanova rmx)" by Marcos Valle, "Our Time Is Coming (Jazzanova's guestlist mix)" by Masters At Work with Roy Ayers, "Wonderlove (Jazzanova rmx)" by Heavy, "You Ain't Really Down (Jazzanova's Hey Baby rmx)" by Status IV, "Let It Go (Jazzanova rmx)" by Shaun Escoffery, "Black Heart (Jazzanova's white soul dub)" by Calexico, and "Honest (Jazzanova's honestly yours rmx)" by Nuspirit Helsinki. CD

Excellent funky jazz from Czechoslovakia – served up in a blistering mix of big band arrangements and electric rock elements! The group's a jazz-rock orchestra – with a hard wailing instrumental sound that's sort of like the Clarke Boland Big Band, mixed with fuzzed-out guitars – a really great blend that's in the territory of some of the best MPS work of this type from the time! There's a bit of a progressive vibe to the record, but never in a way that has the solos getting too overindulgent – and throughout, the group keeps things going with very strong jazz elements in the music. Titles include the 14 minute groover "Nova Synteza", which has a tasty drum breakdown – plus "Popinavy Brectan", "Ma Hra", and "Smer Jihovychod". CD features 6 bonus tracks – including "Blue Taxi", "Living Things", and "I Got My Mojo Working". CD

The early years of Quincy Jones, summed up in all their greatness – material from a time years before Quincy became a superstar in the world of soundtracks and soul, yet was already breaking new ground in the field of large ensemble jazz! Q had a special spark, right from the start – and you'll definitely hear that here, in a succession of albums and bonus material that highlight his uniquely swinging, soulful sense of arrangement – and his great ear for individual musicians, at a level that makes the groups here really work as all-star lineups, filled with musicians who often recorded as leaders on their own, but came together in tight formation under Jones' leadership. The set features a few bonus tracks recorded in Sweden in the late 50s – plus the full albums Birth Of A Band, Go West Man, This Is How I Feel About Jazz, Great Wide World Of Quincy Jones, I Dig Dancers, Around The World, Quintessence, and Big Band Bossa Nova – all served up in a big box with 78 tracks in all – and full notes in French and English! CD

Smoking early work from the legendary Freddie King – most of it recorded during years he had a strong connection to the Chicago electric blues scene, where he really honed his craft to perfection! The work here is definitely blues, but King's vocals bring a soulful inflection to the songs that's undeniable – and although his hard-riffing style would later be copped by countless imitators on later cheesy blues albums, the presentation here is still breathtaking – really raw, and recorded by King with this clear, sharp sound on the guitar that seems to knock out all other elements when Freddie takes a solo! The package is one of the first to really dig deep into these crucial years for King – and brings together 54 tracks all recorded as singles for King Records – complete with full notes, and even information on the original releases too. Titles include "In The Open", "Texas Oil", "Come On", "Just Pickin", "I Hear Jingle Bells", "Hideaway", "Look Ma I'm Cryin", "King A Ling", "Driving Sideways", "Meet Me At The Station", "Monkey Donkey", "Surf Monkey", "The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist", and "Manhole". CD

If you've only ever thought of Gary McFarland as the composer of groovy bossa nova-oriented work, you owe it to yourself to check this one out – as McFarland wrote and arranged the whole thing, with a modernist approach that's very sympathetic with the piano of a young Steve Kuhn. The session mixes Kuhn's piano with strings and woodwinds – never too stale or academic, but definitely different than McFarland's usual work, with odd little twists and turns that are really beautiful, a mixture of warm, memory, and the love of life that would show up in Gary's most brilliant moments. Kuhn is fantastic too – not nearly as overindulgent as in later years – fresh on the keys with the spirit of a young Bill Evans, but also willing to work more with the larger format of the record. Titles include "Remember When", "Traffic Patterns", "Open Highway", and "Childhood Dreams". CD

Haunting work from the years immediately before the collapse of Yugoslavia – the first full album by the group Laibach, a key part of the artists collective known as Neue Slowenische Kunst. The album's perhaps the group's most jarring – with lots of very noisy passages, and turgid instrumentation used as the backdrop for songstatements on society, work, and life under the coming regime. Titles include "The New Acropolis", "Bloody Ground – Fertile Land", "War Poem", and "The State". CD

Peggy Lee's at Basin Street, but the set's an upbeat, swinging date that's right up there with her studio work for Capitol in the 60s! The album's billed as an "after hours" performance – and it's definitely got the relaxed feel to live up to that promise – a feel that's more small combo jazzy than other Lee work of the period, although it's still got that upbeat punch we love from the Capitol years. The group is directed by Joe Harnell, who also plays piano – and other members include Bob Donovan on flute, Willie Thomas and Phil Sunkel on trumpets, Dennis Budimir on guitar, and Chino Pozo on congas and bongos. Titles inlcude "I Got A Man", "The Second Time Around", "Fever", "Moments Like This", "Day In Day Out", and "Them There Eyes". CD also features a bonus track – "Call Me Darling". LP, Vinyl record album

Peggy Lee's at Basin Street, but the set's an upbeat, swinging date that's right up there with her studio work for Capitol in the 60s! The album's billed as an "after hours" performance – and it's definitely got the relaxed feel to live up to that promise – a feel that's more small combo jazzy than other Lee work of the period, although it's still got that upbeat punch we love from the Capitol years. The group is directed by Joe Harnell, who also plays piano – and other members include Bob Donovan on flute, Willie Thomas and Phil Sunkel on trumpets, Dennis Budimir on guitar, and Chino Pozo on congas and bongos. Titles inlcude "I Got A Man", "The Second Time Around", "Fever", "Moments Like This", "Day In Day Out", and "Them There Eyes". CD also features a bonus track – "Call Me Darling". CD

One of the most unique albums from Ramsey Lewis' early years at Chess Records – a spare set of bossa groovers that has the Lewis trio with Eldee Young and Redd Holt augmented by added Brazilian percussion and guitar! The sound is spare, sharp, and soulful – and the record's one of the first small combo bossa dates like this in the US – a 1962 effort that even predates most of Verve's better known bossa jazz albums of the 60s, and which matches their groovy energy wonderfully. The record's quite an unusual one for Lewis, and it's further proof that the trio with Young and Holt was an incredibly dynamic outfit! Two tracks on the album – "A Noite Do Meu Bem" and "Cara De Palhacao" – feature vocals, by Carmen Costa and Josef Paulo, respectively – and other tracks are all instrumental, and include "Samba De Orpheus", "O Pato", "Roda Moinho", "Roda Moinho", and "Cancao Para Geralda". CD

A great album of bossa groovers, recorded by Herbie in the early days of the US bossa boom – and with a sound that's right on the money! The backing's very lively, and the tracks have a tight bossa sound that's quite authentic. Herbie's flute is livelier than usual, and on a set like this, you can hear why it's no wonder that he's been so respected by Latin and Brazilian players over the years. Titles include "Voce E Eu", "Bossa Velha", "Blues Walk", "One Note Samba", "Amor Em Paz", and "Deve Ser Amor". LP, Vinyl record album

A great look at the post-Motown work of Teena Marie – her 80s years on Epic Records, a time when she was charting big with a wonderfully seductive approach to soul! Marie's definitely in charge of her groove here – writing, arranging, and producing most of the work on the set – making her as much of a studio whiz as a female soul singer, a rare distinction in her field – and another layer of Teena's talents that always helped set her apart from the rest. The vibe here is a bit different than the Motown years – a bit more beats and 80s keyboards – and we especially love the mellower cuts, which gave Marie some great quiet storm play back in the day. Titles include "My Dear Mr Gaye", "Just Us Two", "Ooo La La La (12" version)", "Sugar Shack (ext club)", "If I Were A Bell", "Stop The World", "Fix It (12" version)", "Stop The World", "Shadow Boxing", and "Casanova Brown". CD

Howard McGhee had a bit of a checkered recording career over the years, but the material he cut for Savoy was some of his strongest – and showed the bop trumpter as one of the more innovative players of his generation, willing to experiment with more interesting arrangements and styles than some of his contemporaries. We're not sure if this 2LP set contains all of Maggie's work for Savoy, but it's got a heck of a lot of stuff, with great notes, and even some unissued material. Titles include "Bass C Jam", "Fiesta", "Belle From Bunnycock", "Royal Garden Blues", "Lady Be Good", "Harvest Time", "Short Life", and "Talk Of The Town". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record from reedman Harold McNair – one of the key Jamaican jazz players who hit the London scene in the same post-colonial wave as Joe Harriott and Shake Keane – and maybe our favorite of the bunch! Harold's a hell of a talent on both tenor and flute – and although he might be best known for his background work on late 60s Donovan albums, he really soars here as a soloist – working with Ornette Coleman group members David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums – both of whom swing wonderfully in McNair's company! The album bills Izenzon and Moffett strongly on the cover – as if they're one of the main attractions – but what's most compelling is the way that McNair and pianist Alan Branscombe bring the American musicians into their own sort of groove – a modal, soulful style that's completely sublime – and which makes the album a killer all the way through. Titles include the original "Affectionate Fink" – plus great takes on "I Love You", "O Barquinho", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", and "Here's That Rainy Day" – all soulful swingers. CD

Missy and Timbaland (and the usual cast of guest stars) are back and hotter than ever before on Missy's fourth full length, much more of a hip hop record this time, with tons of old school party shouts and new school neo-electro production! Under Construction is kind of a concept album (don't worry, not in the Jethro Tull kind of way) with a theme that celebrates the hip hop golden age of the mid-to-late 80s but with a modern, probably timeless flavor. The status quo R&B that Missy can't seem to get out of her system is here only at a minimum – this is a hip hop record! Past guests like Method Man (turning in a great remake of "Bring The Pain"), Ludacris, and Jay Z show up as well as 50 Cent, Ms. Jade, Beyonce Knowles, and TLC – but as usual, no one steals the show from Mis and Tim. No one would claim Missy is the most scholarly of lyricists, but as a conduit for attitude and a spicy groove she can't be beat, plus her topical and scatological rhymes and choruses fit these hip hop party bumpers like a Kangol & a gold chain. Tons of shout outs to and samples of the old schoolers that are just way too true to be nostalgic, plus strong production from Timbaland that isn't afraid to risk his reputation as an innovator by referencing his influences. The duo may have produced more astoundingly great singles in the recent past, but this is Missy and Timbaland's magnum opus, as far as full lengths go. 13 tracks including "Work It", "Go To The Floor", "Bring The Pain" featuring Method Man, "Funky Fresh Dressed" featuring Ms Jade, "Slide", "Play That Beat", "Ain't That Funny", and more. CD

Stone classics! Tracks include "Funk In Deep Freeze", "Take Your Pick", "This I Dig Of You", "Recado Bossa Nova", "No Room For Squares", and "The Turnaround". CD

The first album that Momus recorded for Creation Records – a label that provided him with a much stronger springboard than before – which was perfect for the way the singer blended very offbeat lyrics with compelling mainstream songcraft! Momus was always very different than most of the Brit 80s scene in which he worked – influenced strongly by the French work of singer/songwriters like George Brassens, Jacques Brel, and Serge Gainsbourg – but graced with a very British wit, which made for an especially biting style that worked well with the themes of his songs. Momus has a vocal style that's maybe somewhere in Donovan territory, but sharper – and he draws from a variety of European song modes, fitted to the situation of each individual songs – as you'll hear on classics like "Situation Comedy Blues", "Three Wars", "The Gatecrasher", "Flame Into Being", and the Serge Gainsbourg-like "Closer To You". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing work from Nomo – their greatest album so far, and an incredible step forward in styles! Nomo started out as an already-great Afro Funk combo – but over the past few records, they've picked up a really hip range of musical influences – spiritual jazz, electronica, Congotronics, and other cool sounds – all of which are filtered perfectly into this set! The grooves here are unlike anything else we can think of – as tight as Nigerian grooves from the 70s, but stretching out with really jazzy solos – all inflected with some cool electronic touches underneath, but in ways that jam along strongly with the acoustic instrumentation. Leader Elliot Bergman picked up some great added help for this set – including contributions from underground jazz players like Hamid Drake, Josh Abrams, and Adam Rudolph – all of whom help shape the sound wonderfully. Titles include "Nova", "Three Shades", "Last Beat", "Brainwave", "All The Stars", "Sound The Way", "Rings", "Ghost Rock", and "My Dear". CD

A huge amount of recordings from one of our favorite singers ever – the incredible Claude Nougaro, a French vocalist of the postwar years, and a master of many styles that included jazz, samba, and bossa nova! Nougaro had a unique talent for penning French lyrics to American and Brazilian tunes – and during the 60s, he rose to fame through his inventive compositions, unique vocalizations, and keen ear for a jazzy groove. His work of the 70s progressed with an even deeper exploration of modern jazz and Brazilian idioms – and as the 80s approached, he stretched out into even more complicated styles of his own. Nougaro's growth over the years is tremendous – and his work comes across with a sound that is really unique, and which stands as some of the greatest mainstream French work of his era – on a par with that of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Fontaine! The set features 12 albums in all – albums include Cecile Ma Fille, Bidonville, Paris Mai, Soeur Ame, Locomotive D'Or, Femmes Et Famines, Plume D'Ange, Tu Verras, Assez, Chansons Nettes, Ami Chemin, and Bleu Blanc Blues. CD

A huge amount of recordings from one of our favorite singers ever – the incredible Claude Nougaro, a French vocalist of the postwar years, and a master of many styles that included jazz, samba, and bossa nova! Nougaro had a unique talent for penning French lyrics to American and Brazilian tunes – and during the 60s, he rose to fame through his inventive compositions, unique vocalizations, and keen ear for a jazzy groove. His work of the 70s progressed with an even deeper exploration of modern jazz and Brazilian idioms – and as the 80s approached, he stretched out into even more complicated styles of his own. Nougaro's growth over the years is tremendous – and his work comes across with a sound that is really unique, and which stands as some of the greatest mainstream French work of his era – on a par with that of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Fontaine! The set features 24 different albums by Nougaro – mostly studio, but with a few live records – mostly from the 60s, 70s, and 80s – but also including some real gems from his comeback years in the 21st century. Albums include Cecile Ma Fille, Bidonville, Paris Mai, Soeur Ame, Locomotive D'Or, Femmes Et Famines, Plume D'Ange, Tu Verras, Assez, Chansons Nettes, Ami Chemin, and Bleu Blanc Blues – and the package is a book-style volume, with a 48 page booklet, and 24 CDs with 317 songs in all! CD

A massively expanded version of a legendary album – presented here as a 2CD set, with 22 tracks that appear on CD for the first time ever! At the core is the original Dubbing With The Observer album, the first-ever dub album from Niney The Observer – based around rhythms he'd cooked up for Dennis Brown, Max Romeo, and Delroy Wilson – all transformed completely in the studio by King Tubby! The sounds here are often very abstract – light years away from the originals – and given these spacey, repetitive cycles that seem to trip out even more than conventional dub! A landmark little record, and one that sounds even darker all these many years later – with cuts that include "Casanova Dub", "Rebel Dance", "Jam Down", "Parade Dub", "Turntable Dub", "Corn Man", "Mister D Brown Skank", and "Youth Man". The set then goes way way deep, with 37 more bonus tracks, that really take off as a magnificent demonstration of Niney's skills in the studio – all presented here with very detailed notes that really get at this important moment of genius in the history of dub! CD

Pick any 10 words out of any Outkast album description on our pages at random, and you'll see how dearly we've loved these boys throughout the years – but truth be told, deep down we didn't think that they would be able to pull off the double album/solo album project(s). We were seriously wrong – Speakerboxxx/Love Below is HUGE in every way, and both halves are great all the way through! If you were worried Big Boi's Speakerboxxx half would be lazy southern hip hop without Andre's freaky presence throughout, you can put those fears to rest right now. Speakerboxxx is a deeply soulful electro hopping pounder from front to back – every bit as innovative as Andre's half! Tracks include "Ghettomusick" (which features one of just two appearances by A3000 on the whole disc), "Bowtie" with Sleepy Brown, "Bust" with Killer Mike, "Church", "Tomb Of The Boom" with Konkrete, Big Gipp and Ludacris, "Flip Flop" with Jay-Z, "The Way You Move" and more. A lot of press has been given to the assumption that Andre 3000 has largely forsaken hip hop on his half (The Love Below) and has instead dived head first into cosmic future funk. Well, the rumors are true. There's lots of straight up jazz piano and horn bits on the Love Below, with Andre's half serious, half tongue-in-cheek romantic soul cabaret croon way over the top. It's steeped in the classic Outkast party vibe, but with lots of Sign Of The Times-era Prince (complete with androgynous distorted vocals), Parliament and Cameo thrown into the mix. Sick, energetic genius! Tracks include the deliriously great "Hey Ya!" single, "She Lives In My Lap", "Love Hater", "Happy Valentine's Day", "Roses", "Good Day, Good Sir", "Behold A Lady", "Pink And Blue", "Spread", "Dracula's Lady" with Kelis, and more. Who the hell knows what they can possibly do to surprise us after this – but wherever Andre 3000 and Big Boi go from here, they each have yet another classic in the discography! CD

Pick any 10 words out of any Outkast album description on our pages at random, and you'll see how dearly we've loved these boys throughout the years – but truth be told, deep down we didn't think that they would be able to pull off the double album/solo album project(s). We were seriously wrong – Speakerboxxx/Love Below is HUGE in every way, and both halves are great all the way through! If you were worried Big Boi's Speakerboxxx half would be lazy southern hip hop without Andre's freaky presence throughout, you can put those fears to rest right now. Speakerboxxx is a deeply soulful electro hopping pounder from front to back – every bit as innovative as Andre's half! Tracks include "Ghettomusick" (which features one of just two appearances by A3000 on the whole disc), "Bowtie" with Sleepy Brown, "Bust" with Killer Mike, "Church", "Tomb Of The Boom" with Konkrete, Big Gipp and Ludacris, "Flip Flop" with Jay-Z, "The Way You Move" and more. A lot of press has been given to the assumption that Andre 3000 has largely forsaken hip hop on his half (The Love Below) and has instead dived head first into cosmic future funk. Well, the rumors are true. There's lots of straight up jazz piano and horn bits on the Love Below, with Andre's half serious, half tongue-in-cheek romantic soul cabaret croon way over the top. It's steeped in the classic Outkast party vibe, but with lots of Sign Of The Times-era Prince (complete with androgynous distorted vocals), Parliament and Cameo thrown into the mix. Sick, energetic genius! Tracks include the deliriously great "Hey Ya!" single, "She Lives In My Lap", "Love Hater", "Happy Valentine's Day", "Roses", "Good Day, Good Sir", "Behold A Lady", "Pink And Blue", "Spread", "Dracula's Lady" with Kelis, and more. Who the hell knows what they can possibly do to surprise us after this – but wherever Andre 3000 and Big Boi go from here, they each have yet another classic in the discography! LP, Vinyl record album

A nice mix of 70s salsa and more traditional themes – part of the ever-evolving Pacheco sound during the great years of Fania, served up here with richly-ranged vocals from Hector Casanova! Casanova seems to push things a bit more than Pete El Conde Rodriguez did with Pacheco before – not only in terms of his vocals, but also in the overall aesthetics of the tunes, which seem to have a pan-historical feel. Titles include "Agua De Clavelito", "La Mulata", "Si La Tierra Tiembla", "Chamaca", "Me Llevaron La Cartera", "El Rey", and "Sale A Buscar". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing avant session from the Czech scene of the 70s – and a record that may well be one of the most important to come out of the Eastern Bloc during the decade! Plastic People Of The Universe are a group who managed a legend that went way past their very tight national boundaries – kind of a secret global sense of attention that was spread through the intellectual underground, and forever cemented with this masterpiece of music! The album effortlessly shifts between free jazz, avant experimentation, art rock, and other mode used in these dark and powerful ways – a strong-burning torch that let the world know that Czech innovation was alive and well, even during years of strong Soviet oppression. Instrumentation mixes alto sax, theremin, claviphone, guitar, violin, and double drums – and titles include "The Wondrous Mandarin", "Look At You, All Sound Asleep", "Past My Window", "Constipation", and "Toxica". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing avant session from the Czech scene of the 70s – and a record that may well be one of the most important to come out of the Eastern Bloc during the decade! Plastic People Of The Universe are a group who managed a legend that went way past their very tight national boundaries – kind of a secret global sense of attention that was spread through the intellectual underground, and forever cemented with this masterpiece of music! The album effortlessly shifts between free jazz, avant experimentation, art rock, and other mode used in these dark and powerful ways – a strong-burning torch that let the world know that Czech innovation was alive and well, even during years of strong Soviet oppression. Instrumentation mixes alto sax, theremin, claviphone, guitar, violin, and double drums – and titles include "The Wondrous Mandarin", "Look At You, All Sound Asleep", "Past My Window", "Constipation", and "Toxica". LP, Vinyl record album

Iggy Pop's mid-to-late 70s era working David Bowie as a co-writer, producer and incredible creative foil – in a 7CD box set! It includes Iggy's first 2 and to this day all-time great solo albums The Idiot and Lust For Life, neither of which seem to have aged a day since 1977, a full CD of alternate mixes and out-takes, the original classic live album TV Eye – 1977 that compiled soundboard recordings from the '77 tour – and perhaps this box set's deepest dug treasure trove – 3CDs of complete sets from that same 1977 tour at London's Rainbow Theatre, The Agora in Cleveland, and at Mantra Studios in Chicago! While the Idiot and Lust Of Life showed Iggy to be a lot more versatile of a front man and songwriter to anyone who might not have seen past the manic firebrand howling out front for The Stooges, his live material from that era is pretty amazing too, embracing the Stooges catalog with some of the more innovative style of his early solo albums –bigger arrangements, woozy keyboards and soulful back up singers among them without sacrificing any of the...well, we gotta say it...any of the raw power. Nearly as ferocious as ever but with a real sense of style and craft – and there's a wealth of it collected here for the first time ever. Also includes a 40-page hardback book! CD

A really wonderful album from Quarteto Em Cy – the Brazilian vocal quartet who first rose to prominence during the bossa nova years, but soon moved into even more sophisticated material during the 70s! The approach of this set is telegraphed in the title – as the group take on songs penned by Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, and Gonzaguinha – the new MPB generation of the 70s, whose music turns out to be perfect for the growing talents of the girls – topped off with some beautiful arrangements from Octavio Burnier, whose work really rises to the level of the vocals! The whole thing's great – a magnificent journey in sound – and titles include "Idolatrada", "Barco Fantasma", "Antes De Seja Tarde", "O Ultimo Trem", "Um Dia", "Ponta De Areia", "Gira Girou", "Ciranda Menina", and "Abandonado". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful music from singer Tom Rapp – probably best known as the lead voice behind Pearls Before Swine, but a hell of a solo act on his own! The work here follows in the same moody, melancholic territory as the best ESP sides from Pearls Before Swine – but there's also a bit tighter feel too – not one that's commercial, but just very well put-together – with a vibe that's a bit like some of the best early Leonard Cohen material for Columbia. Rapp's got an extremely unique sound in his vocals – which makes the tunes come across with an eerie quality that goes well beyond their simple lyrical content – and the backing mixes familiar folk elements with undercurrents of percussion and bits of jazzy phrasing – a bit like you might find on some mellower late 60s moments from Donovan. Titles include "Stardancer", "Marshall", "Les Ans", "The Baptist", "Tiny Song", "Summer Of 55", and "For The Dead In Space". LP, Vinyl record album

An underground soul jazz classic – massive grooves from drummer Steve Reid, and exactly the kind of set that's gotten him so much attention in recent years! There's a mixture of freedom and tightness here that's really wonderful – some of the looser elements of the loft jazz generation, mixed with an inherent sense of rhythm that always set Reid's records apart from the rest – a groove that comes not just from his own pulsations on the drum kit, but also from the elliptical basslines of Richard Williams on electric and Luis Angel Falcon on acoustic, and the mixed organ and piano lines of keyboardist Les Walker. Joe Rigby brings some really sharp-edged sax work to the record, alongside the trumpet of Ahmed Abdullah, who really sounds wonderful here – bringing a spirituality to the album that's clearly borrowed from his time with Sun Ra. The album includes the great groover "Lions of Judah" – which has a very Ra-like quality – plus other great cuts "Long Time Black", "Sixth House", "Nova", and "Free Spirits Unknown". CD