Passionate, legendary and feverishly played music from Senegal's great Etoile De Dakar – an ultra important group previously anthologized by Sterns, but the the label outdoes itself once again – a great selection of material the group recorded between 1979 and 1981! It's the roots of the mbalax genre – a cross cultural blend of African, Latin and Western influences and traditions that's some of the most captivating dance music made in any region these past few decades. Singer Youssou N'Dour would of course go on to be a pivotal figure in the worldwide popularily of African music, and other members of Etoile De Dakar have done great things, but the music here is as exciting to us as just about anything we've heard by all involved. Several tracks have never been officially released outside of Senegal before now. Disc 1 features material from 1979-1980: "Theily", "Dom Sou Nare Bakh", "Esta China", "Jalo", "Dagotte", "Dounya", "Kine Kine" and more. Disc 2 features material from 1980-1981: "Tolou Badou N'Diaye", "Yalaye Dogal", "My Wa Wa", "Diankha Demal", "Titeur", "Maleo" and more. 2 1/2 hours of music in all with the always exceptional Sterns attention to detail and reverence for this excellent and stylistically pioneering music from Senegal – with a 23 page booklet with solid notes and rare photographs. CD

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Darkly brooding work from John Coltrane's early years as a leader on Prestige – a very unique little record that features twin baritone sax support from Pepper Adams and Cecil Payne! Both players are wonderfully hip here – more than enough to match Trane's unique musical vision for the group's format – and the sound of the session is much edgier than some of his other Prestige work – which may be why the label chose not to issue it until 1963, even though it was recorded back in '57. There's a nice roughness here – the same inspirational early sound you'll get on Coltrane's early sides for Savoy or Imperial – and other players include Mal Waldron on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Titles include "Cat Walk", "Dakar", "Route 4", "Velvet Scene", and "Witches Pit". CD

Darkly brooding work from John Coltrane's early years as a leader on Prestige – a very unique little record that features twin baritone sax support from Pepper Adams and Cecil Payne! Both players are wonderfully hip here – more than enough to match Trane's unique musical vision for the group's format – and the sound of the session is much edgier than some of his other Prestige work – which may be why the label chose not to issue it until 1963, even though it was recorded back in '57. There's a nice roughness here – the same inspirational early sound you'll get on Coltrane's early sides for Savoy or Imperial – and other players include Mal Waldron on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Titles include "Cat Walk", "Dakar", "Route 4", "Velvet Scene", and "Witches Pit". CD

A killer bit of early funk from the great Hamilton Bohannon – and quite possibly his greatest album ever – a really unique approach to funky rhythms, with a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The album's got a slower funk sound than Bohannon's later disco groove a few years later – and the wonderful rhythms mix together scattershot drums with funky wah wah guitar, organ, and hard-plugging basslines – all in a blend that's pretty mindblowing not just for its instrumental dexterity, but also for the way it brings complex patterns together in a really hypnotic way! All cuts are instrumentals, save for a few chorus vocals – and players on the album include Wah Wah Watson, Ray Parker, Travis Biggs, and Mose Davis. Bohannon's on drums and percussion – and titles include "The Pimp Walk", "Stop & Go", "Getting to the Other Side", "It's Time For Peace", "Save Their Souls", and "Singing a Song for My Mother". CD features two bonus tracks – "Run It On Down Mr DJ (parts 1 & 2)". CD

Massively mellow funk – played by a cool Chicago trio that's heavy on the electric keys! The group's led by the team of keyboardist Gregory Bibb and guitarist James Norris – with the former working through a set of tasty keys that include Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and farfisa! Rhythms are lean, laidback, and nicely stripped-down – funky, but chilled out – in a kind of a groove that was years ahead of its time, and which is now only finally getting its due. There's some really heavy drums on the best cuts – hard, but with rhythms that are slightly off-kilter, in a way that makes for a really refreshing groove, even when the group's covering work by other artists. The whole thing's instrumental – with the original tracks "Brother Marcus" and "Changing Things" – plus great covers of "Love & Happiness", "Shaft", and a great version of "Ain't No Sunshine". Nice laidback funk, with a super-dope sound that's as a hip as the cover! CD

Beautifully soulful work by David Murray – a mostly-straight session, but one that seems to push his level of expression even further than before! Murray's working here in a "deep river" style that seems to draw on decades of jazz influence, yet forge it into a fresh modern voice – played on both tenor and bass clarinet, in a quartet that includes Dave Burrell on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Ralph Peterson on drums. The tracks have a nice easy feel, with solos that are laidback, never forced – and the album features originals that include "Dakar Dance", "Home", and "Mbizo" – plus a great 13 minute reading of Coltrane's classic "Mr. PC". CD

Hardly a pirate album at all – and instead one of the first big global moments of fame for the mighty Orchestra Baobob – a Senegalese combo who'd really been honing their craft during the 70s! The album has the group working with all the soulful currents of their early work – and especially that inflection from Cuban styles that made some of the groups in Dakar so unique – a special trans-Atlantic handshake between the nations that really helped these guys take off once they got exposure on a record like this! Titles include "Coumba", "Utru Horas", "Werente Seringe", "Ray M'Bele", "Toumaranke", "Ngalam", and "La Rebellion". CD

Amazing work from the Senegalese scene of the 70s – easily one of the hippest musical hotspots on the African continent at the time, as you'll hear by the wonderful tracks on this set! Senegalese groups really embrace a wide range of sounds – not just traditional elements, or occasional influences from American blues and soul, but also a good dose of Latin and Cuban music too – all wrapped together in uniquely different ways by each of the different artists in this set. There's a bit more diversity to the music here than on other regional collections, and that's what makes this one so great – a truly wonderful entry in the well-named African Pearls series, supported with full notes in English and French. Titles include "Hombre Misteriosoy" by Etoile De Dakar, "Senegambia" by Star Band De Dakar, "Xarit" by Orchestra Baobab, "Guethe" by Star Band De Dakar, "Faran Tamba" by Star Number One, "Daida" by Xalam, "Rele Te Contan" by Guelawar, "Nijaay" by Orchestra Baobob, "Maaduleen" by Super Diamono De Dakar, "Boubou Ngary" by Etoile 2000, "Xal Dey Mag" by Ifang Bondi, "Xadim" by N'Guewel, and "Kery Goro" by Star Number One. CD

Music from Etoile De Dakar, Thione Seck, Ousmane Kouyate, Youssou N'Dour, Orchestra Baobab, Keletigui Et Ses Tambourinis, 22 Band, Super Diamono, Rail Band, Aminata Fall, Super Mama Djombo, and Balla Et Ses Balladins. CD