One of the last recordings ever made by the genius trumpeter Jaimie Branch – and a set that shows the bold new direction she was going in, right before she left our planet all too soon! The music here leaps forward from any of Branch's earlier recordings – with harder rhythms, more focus in the driving quality of the music, and even some lyrical passages that are quite stunning – vocals that add a lot to the music, and which could have had Jaimie finding an audience in a world far past just jazz! The core group is incredible – the drums of Chad Taylor have never been so powerful, urged on by the bass work of Jason Ajemian – and folded beautifully with the cello, voice, marimba, and keyboards of Lester St Louis. Branch herself also plays keyboards and percussion – and Daniel Villareal guests on some additional percussion too – and the whole thing comes together with an incredible sense of energy and vision, at a level that has us missing Jaimie's presence on the planet even more than before. Titles include "Aurora Rising", "Take Over The World", "Baba Louie", "Burning Grey", "The Mountain", and "Borealis Dancing". LP, Vinyl record album

A great full length collection of work by Memphis singer Barbara Brown – a vocalist who appeared both as a solo act, and with her sisters – on a variety of singles for labels like Cadet, Atlantic, Tower, and MGM in the late 60s and early 70s! Barbara's got a deep, rich voice that's clearly schooled in gospel, but pointed towards more secular ends – an approach that's very much in keeping with the best late 60s wave of soul from Atlantic Records, and which is carried off here with a sharpness and precision that's simply mindblowing! Why Brown never scored bigger is a real mystery to us, because these tunes come off like the cream of the crop of southern soul at the end of the 60s – not just obscurities for obscurity sake, but some of the highest level of soul a female soul singer could hope for at the time! Titles include "Can't Find No Happiness", "Plenty Of Room", "A Great Big Thing", "Things Have Gone To Pieces", "Man Around The House", "Play Thing", "I'm Gonna Start A War", "I Don't Want To Have To Wait", "It Hurts Me So Much", "Got To Be Somebody", "There's A Look On Your Face", and "If I Can't Run To You I'll Crawl". LP, Vinyl record album

A really hip record from the team of bassist Ray Brown and vibist Milt Jackson – a swinging large group record that has them fronting arrangements from Oliver Nelson and Jimmy Heath! Nelson and Heath are both mighty hip cats at this point in their career – and bring a soulful swing to the record that really takes off – a groove that's lively, but tuned with lots of cool colors and tones too – shifting effortlessly while things move forward – but always with the right soulful appeal for older fans of both leaders. Milt's especially great in this setting – even more on fire than some of his other collaborations with Brown – and titles include "Dew & Mud", "Lined With A Groove", "Lazy Theme", "In A Crowd", and "Now Hear My Meaning". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark set of grooves by this excellent Detroit group – a trio who recorded for the local indie Karen, but got a much bigger boost towards fame when their record was picked up by Atlantic! The set's one of the killer 60s Motor Town sets produced by Ollie McLaughlin – and like the rest, it's got a really special edge – music that goes way past any simple 60s soul cliches, and which will make the set one of the real standouts in your collection. Arrangements are by Dale Warren, Riley Hampton, and Mike Terry – and titles include The Capitols' big hit "Cool Jerk", and also includes loads of other great tracks written by Donald Storball of the group – like "Dog & Cat", "Zig Zaggin", "The Kick", and others – plus versions of "Hello Stranger", "Love Makes The World Go Round", and "Good Lovin". LP, Vinyl record album

There's a wonderful layering of sounds going on here – tremendous work from a team of improvisers who really know how to fill in the spaces alongside each other, and build up a performance that only increases in intensity as things move on! William Parker's bass, as always, is a key factor in the sound here – and on the album, he also plays gralla and shakuhachi as well – next to the drums of Francisco Mela and piano of Leo Genovese, topped and driven forward by incredible work from Daniel Carter on saxes! The music here is based on a poem by carter about non-stop motion in New York – and there's definitely that sense of action here – on titles that include "Intertext Salute", "Shine Hear", and "Glisten Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice step forward for Ceu – and a record with a bit more of an edge than we might have expected! The set's still heavy on those sweet Brazilian vocals with an old school vibe – but the production, although often spare, has this nice raspy quality we really love – subtle elements that underscore the lyrics with a gently creative mode – a bit like the sounds you'd hear from other releases from the Kassim/Moreno Veloso camp – although perhaps not as edgey as those. Still, we've gotta give producer Gui Amabis credit for keeping things interesting on Ceu's behalf – on tracks that include "Amor De Antigos", "Falta Dear", "Contravento", "Palhaco", "You Won't Regret It", "Sereia", and "Fffree". LP, Vinyl record album

A slightly headier sound than before from Chad & Jeremy – music that's still in a great mix of Brit Invasion and Sunshine Pop, but which also shows a somewhat deeper sensibility too – a desire to reach past the simpler pop modes that first got the pair going here in the US! Chad Stuart's listed as the music director for the album – and we're not sure if he's the one responsible for the sound, but there's definitely some great elements going on – bits of flute, harpsichord, flugelhorn, and more – all wrapped up beautifully with some great production that hangs the whole album in a warmly harmonic pillow of sound. Titles include "Ain't It Nice", "Distant Shores", "Morning", "Homeward Bound", "You Are She", and "Don't Make Me Do It". LP, Vinyl record album

Childish Gambino once again transcends anything you might be expecting from an actor/musician – this is not some vain star trip at all, but a worthy, boundary-busting effort – and a pretty sizable step away from idiosyncratic, yet accessible hip hop into spacey pop funk! Strong stuff, following his own path in respectable, highly rewarding fashion. Includes "Me And Your Mama", "Have Some Love", "Boogieman", "Zombies", "Riot", "Redbone", "Terrified", "California", "Terrified", "The Night Me & Your Mama Met" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Two rare albums from Uncle Victor Chukwu – a hell of a guitarist, and the driving force behind both of these Nigerian gems from the late 70s! Akalaka is a record that's maybe higlife in outward appearance, but which has a very different quality overall – in part because the guitar work from Victor Chukwu is so sharp and searing, there's often a bit more edge on some of the tunes than the lighter, brighter notes you'd usually associate with the genre! Plus, the vocals have this nicely echoey vibe – ringing out with a quality that's equally great, whether the lyrics are in English or Igbo – on long titles that include "Akalaka", "Born Throw Away", "Ogbu Mmadu", and "Nwanne Bu Nwanne". Next up is an album that Victor Chukwu did with the Black Irokos group – a set that's even more striking, and almost experimental at times – with all these odd elements played right down near the bottom of the guitar strings, which are then echoed out with effects that make them sound very cool next to the percussion! There's a bit of horns in the mix, but the guitar and offbeat vocals are the main appeal – on the long tracks "Onwu Uwa", "Anya Ukwu", and "Oge Chukwu Ka Nma". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice funky electric groover from Stanley Clarke's mid 80s R&B years! Time Exposure has a lot of period electro funk in the mix, particularly Clarke's impeccable bass lines, which are heavy throughout! A brilliant mix of 80s fusiony future funk with jazz precision – definitely a funky highlight from this period in Clarke's career – and those bass lines are just unreal! A pretty eclectic roster of guest musicians play on this one, including tenor sax player Ernie Watts, fellow bassist Louis Johnson of Brothers Johnson, singer Howard Hewitt and rock guitar guru Jeff Beck. Titles include "Play The Bass 10", "Are You Ready (For The Future)", "Heaven Sent You", "Time Exposure", "Speedball", "Future Shock", "Spacerunner", "I Know Just How You Feel" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from South African saxophone legend Winston Mankuku Ngozi – working here in the group The Cliffs, who serve up a sweet 70s vibe for his solos! The instrumentation is great – a rougher-edged take on American jazz funk of the time – almost as if the aesthetic of 60s Prestige Records soul jazz moved forward, but without the same sort of polish – perfect for bringing out the edge in Ngozi's alto, as he blows in a group with Stompie Manana and George Tyefumani on trumpets, Roger Khoza on organ, and Allen Kwela on guitar. Titles include "Revelation", "Ever Green", "Over The Cliff", "Alex Express", and "Gu Gu Lethu". LP, Vinyl record album

Sharp-edged John Coltrane at his best – a record that we'd rank right up there with Love Supreme, and which is a key transition point in Coltrane's musical ideas! There's a very strong edge to Coltrane's tone here – and even on the mellower ballads, he plays with a sound not always heard before – a quality that's bristlingly modern, and which really opens up on some of the longer numbers on the set. Rhythm is by the classic quartet with McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the sound is always pushing the boundaries towards new ideas, but always keeps nicely inside throughout! Titles include "Crescent", "Wise One", "Lonnie's Lament", and "The Drum Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange little record from the days when the music industry had so much money to throw around, they could make sessions like these! The record is sort of a space rock opera – featuring a huge cast of stars like Cooper, Moon, Hopkins, John Entwistle, Jim Dandy, Eddie Jobson, Elkie Brooks, Justin Hayward, Bill Bruford, and others. The overall feel of the work is a bit like the Rocky Horror Show – a high camp, heavy rock parody of a vintage artform (in this case, the radio space opera.) The musicianship is actually pretty darn strong, even if the overall concept is a bit silly. Tracks include "I'm Flash", "Country Cooking", "What's Happening", "Space Pirates", and "Blast Off". Also includes the great funky break track "Trapped" by Elkie Brooks, which we think was sampled by DJ Shadow! LP, Vinyl record album

Drummer Graham Costello works here with his Strata sextet – a combo can be slow and sensitive one minute, then pretty darn fierce the next – especially when Costello really kicks things up on the drums! Tracks are shorter than usual for a jazz album, and really focus on the cohesive unity of the group – with work from players who include Harry Weir on tenor, Liam Shortall on trombone, Fergus McCreadie on piano, Joe Williamson on guitar, and Mark Hendry on electric bass. The mix of trombone and tenor makes for plenty of boldness – and the guitar is used in ways that are often different than typical jazz modes, wrapped alongside the electricity of the bass to really move things forward! Titles include "Legion", "The Colossus", "Impetu", "Circularity", "Ataraxia", "Second Lives", and "Snowblind". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 2-fer – featuring both of Noel Coward's Columbia albums in one 70s set. First up is Noel Coward In New York – a very cool album from Coward – a talent you're probably more familiar with as a playwright, but who also happens to be quite the entertainer! This album is one of two great sets that Coward recorded live in the US in the mid 50s, and they really show him opening up a lot from earlier recordings – singing with an ease and swinging style that adds a whole new level to his classic compositions. It helps that Peter Matz is handling the backing and arrangements – jazzing up Noel's tunes with a nice 50s style – and the live setting of the recordings make them come off well, especially as the audiences are very enthusiastic! Titles include "Wait A Bit Joe", "Why Must The Show Go On", "I Like America", "Luisa", "I Went To A Marvelous Party", and "20th Century Blues". Next is Noel Coward at Las Vegas, one of our favorite vocal albums of the 50s – an incredibly witty live set from Noel Coward, recorded in Las Vegas, with a very different style than some of his other records! The Noel Coward you'll hear here is still steeped in the mannered wit of his earlier plays, but he's also let himself go considerably – working in front of a live audience with an eager ear for well crafted lyrics and innuendo. The songs are mostly numbers from Coward's earlier shows, but they're sung in a hip swinging loungey style that really gives them legs – moving them past their staid roots into strong 50s vocal territory. Includes 2 great remakes of Cole Porter numbers – "Let's Do It" and "Begin The Beguine", both with Coward's own lyrics – plus "Uncle Harry", "A Bar On The Piccola Marina", "World Weary", and "Mad Dogs & Englishmen". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite vocal albums of the 50s – an incredibly witty live set from Noel Coward, recorded in Las Vegas, with a very different style than some of his other records! The Noel Coward you'll hear here is still steeped in the mannered wit of his earlier plays, but he's also let himself go considerably – working in front of a live audience with an eager ear for well crafted lyrics and innuendo. The songs are mostly numbers from Coward's earlier shows, but they're sung in a hip swinging loungey style that really gives them legs – moving them past their staid roots into strong 50s vocal territory. Includes 2 great remakes of Cole Porter numbers – "Let's Do It" and "Begin The Beguine", both with Coward's own lyrics – plus "Uncle Harry", "A Bar On The Piccola Marina", "World Weary", and "Mad Dogs & Englishmen". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool album from Noel Coward – a talent you're probably more familiar with as a playwright, but who also happens to be quite the entertainer! This album is one of two great sets that Coward recorded live in the US in the mid 50s, and they really show him opening up a lot from earlier recordings – singing with an ease and swinging style that adds a whole new level to his classic compositions. It helps that Peter Matz is handling the backing and arrangements – jazzing up Noel's tunes with a nice 50s style – and the live setting of the recordings make them come off well, especially as the audiences are very enthusiastic! Titles include "Wait A Bit Joe", "Why Must The Show Go On", "I Like America", "Luisa", "I Went To A Marvelous Party", and "20th Century Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

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What we once thought might've been a short-lived, if rewarding east coast team up of Wu Tang's Inspectah Deck and Boston heroes 7L & Esoteric has gone on to be one of the longest running later career supergroups this side of Run The Jewels! Old and mid school styled funky/sci-fi/vintage comic book style like we haven't heard since Doom left us, paired with some icey cool bits of synth and other and fresh touches on the production side. Includes "Czarchimedes' Death Day", "Blast Off", "All That For A Drop Of Blood", "Mama's Basement", "Frenzy In A Far Off Land", "Czarsenic", "Gate Crasher","Sirens" and "Helicopter". LP, Vinyl record album

The True Tones provide soul singer Michelle David with some great backings here – a romping sort of groove on most tracks, and one that bristles with plenty of old school instrumental touches that seem to really spur the vocalist forward! Michelle's got a dynamic style that owes a lot to late 60s funk diva styles – a power and focus that really provides some great energy at the top of the group, and a vocal range that really crackles over the top when she lets loose! Titles include "Let Me Tell It", "Karma", "Peace", "Cold Cold World", "Little Girl", "That Is You", "Brothers & Sisters", "If You Don't Try", "More Grace", and "PUSH". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s – a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general – and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record – expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision – and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! The lineup is virtually a whose who for the sound of fusion in the 70s – including Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Lenny White and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus Jumma Santos and Don Alias on added percussion. Titles include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", "Bitches Brew", "John McLaughlin", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing piece of work from Angel Bat Dawid – music that's light years ahead from her recordings of just a few years back – and that's really saying a lot, given the strength of that material! The album features music from a large stage performance put together by Angel – partly inspired by the legendary film The Cry Of Jazz – done by director Edward Bland at the end of the 50s, with music by Sun Ra, and groundbreaking testament on the nature of jazz and black expression in America. The film has been a touchstone for us for decades – yet somehow, Angel finds a way to to channel all its power and explode its meaning and message into something even more powerful – directing a larger group of musicians and singers with a stunningly majestic quality – one that is sure to elevate Dawid into the upper reaches of jazz for years to come. An instant masterpiece, and a record that will become a touchstone for both jazz and contemporary music in general – with titles that include "Introit", "Dias Ire", "Rex Tremendae", "Recordare", "Confutatis", "Lacrimosa", "Kyrie Eleison", "Agnus Dei", and "Lux Aeterna". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark work from The Dead Kennedys – and maybe still one of the greatest punk records to ever come from the American scene! There's so much here that so many other records are missing – razor-sharp instrumentation, a great sense of pacing, and most importantly, a biting wit that always keeps the whole thing from ever lapsing into any sort of over-serious cliches! Yet unlike their LA contemporaries, the group were also never ones to just lay into the jokes – as the political commentary here is especially pointed, and nearly every single song is a blistering attack on late 70s California mores and national obsessions. Every track's a gem – and titles include "Kill The Poor", "Forward To Death", "Let's Lynch The Landlord", "Your Emotions", "Holiday In Cambodia", "California Uber Alles", and "Stealing People's Mail" – plus a killer cover of "Viva Las Vegas". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning achievement as a leader from Alabaster DePlume – material that's maybe some of the most powerful he's ever given us, even though the core of the record comes from the same sessions as his previous album, Gold! As with that record, the material here was originally performed at the Total Refreshment Centre in London, but is then completely transformed by DePlume as he works his way through the recordings – shifting things around, changing up the original sounds, and letting the selection and mixing process create the album's sound in the best International Anthem style – but also at a level that showcases DePlume's compositional ear! Alabaster plays tenor, guitar, and keyboards – and other musicians include James Howard on guitar, Tom Herbert on bass, and Sarathy Korwar on drums and tablas – and there's a number of other voices who drift through the mix as well, sometimes with full lyrical contributions, sometimes in more subtle ways. Titles include "Did You Know", "Levels Of Human", "Not Even Sobbing", "Sibomandi", "Greek Honey Slick", "Broken Again", "Naked Like Water", "The Best Thing In The World", and "To That Voice & Say". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning achievement as a leader from Alabaster DePlume – material that's maybe some of the most powerful he's ever given us, even though the core of the record comes from the same sessions as his previous album, Gold! As with that record, the material here was originally performed at the Total Refreshment Centre in London, but is then completely transformed by DePlume as he works his way through the recordings – shifting things around, changing up the original sounds, and letting the selection and mixing process create the album's sound in the best International Anthem style – but also at a level that showcases DePlume's compositional ear! Alabaster plays tenor, guitar, and keyboards – and other musicians include James Howard on guitar, Tom Herbert on bass, and Sarathy Korwar on drums and tablas – and there's a number of other voices who drift through the mix as well, sometimes with full lyrical contributions, sometimes in more subtle ways. Titles include "Did You Know", "Levels Of Human", "Not Even Sobbing", "Sibomandi", "Greek Honey Slick", "Broken Again", "Naked Like Water", "The Best Thing In The World", and "To That Voice & Say". LP, Vinyl record album

A lasting classic from Digable Planets, and a record that really helped push the bar forward for hip hop at the time – at a level that's still kept this one strong all these many years later! Digable Planets weren't the first group to bring in some influence from jazz to their work – but they definitely found the right balance here, and a way of setting things up that was real and organic, instead of maybe just a nodding reference to the past that always felt a bit out of place. The use of live instrumentation next to samples is also key to the record's sound – common now, but pretty important at the time, especially in a world of declining sample access. The trio of Butterfly, Ladybug, and Doodlebug have a wonderful way of tripping through the lyrics – and titles include "The May 4th Movement Starring Doodlebug", "Black Ego", "Dog It", "Jettin", "Borough Check", "Highing Fly", "Dial 7", "The Art Of Easing", "KBs Alley", "Graffiti", "Blowing Down", "9th Wonder", and "For Corners". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner of a set from the 70s African scene – and a record that may well be a lot rawer and harder than most that you have in your collection! Ferry Djimmy was originally a boxer, and spent time outside of his native Benin – but on a return to the country in the early 70s, he cut this cooker of a record – one that's completely unbridled and stripped-down – with a lot leaner vibe than most other African funk of the time! Many cuts just have basslines, percussion, and guitar – tight and sinister, and driving forward with non-stop action while Ferry sings the lyrics in a very earthy style. The whole thing's incredible – and titles include "Be Free", "When I Come In The Road", "Young Revolution", "Carry Me Blak", "Ichango", "Love Love", "Chiriki Man", and "Start To Pray". LP, Vinyl record album

Two classic Eric Dolphy albums – back to back in a single set! First up us Outward Bound – Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". Out There is Eric Dolphy's second album as a leader – and already a bold step forward from the first! The format here changes from the more standard lineup of before – as Dolphy drops out other horn players, loses the piano, and brings the cello of Ron Carter into the frontline! Backing is by the bass of George Duvivier and the drums of Roy Haynes – and the mix of cello and bass creates the freely spirited sound that allows Dolphy to take off on even freer solo flights. The session has a very moody, very dark feel – especially on the tracks where Dolphy is playing B flat and bass clarinet – and titles include "The Baron", "Eclipse", "Sketch Of Melba", "Feathers", and "17 West". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from a time when Billy Eckstine had one of the hippest groups going – a bop-heavy lineup that features trumpet from Dizzy Gillespie, and saxes from Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, and Wardell Gray! LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work from the legendary Honeyboy Edwards – a blues guitarist who was a key force in helping the music make the transition to an electric mode in the 40s – but an artist whose talents were eclipsed by so many others he worked with at the time! This set's got a real back-to-basics vibe – Edwards captured in a spare setting, in a series of revival recordings done by Adelphi – with a focus on his vocals and guitar that take us right back to his early years working street corners and juke joints. Titles include "Bull Cow Blues 2", "Little Boy Blue", "Love Honeyboy Slow", "Don't Mistreat A Fool", "Howlin Wind", "Meet The Mornin Train", and "Hot Springs Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Two of the best west coast boppers of the postwar years – back together again in a killer revival date cut by Contemporary Records! As the title implies, the set's got a backward-looking sort of feel – at least for the early 60s recording date – but from the perspective of our generation, the whole thing merges nicely into the classic sound of LA bop – perhaps extending out the original Central Ave groove a bit more, thanks to the generous recording spirit of Contemporary, and the longer tracks on the date. Edwards plays tenor, McGhee plays trumpet, and other players include Phineas Newborn on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include "Together Again", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "Up There", "Perhaps", "Misty" and "Sandy". LP, Vinyl record album

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A really well-titled set – as it offers up some more intimate takes on the Duke Ellington sound of the cusp of the 70s – with some especially nice trio and solo numbers that are well worth the price of the whole collection! The album starts with the amazing "Moon Maiden" – a track that has Ellington playing celeste, and reciting this weird little cosmic poem – almost in a Sun Ra-type aesthetic, and key proof that Duke was still stretching out a lot in his later years! There's also some excellent trio tracks that really get at that highly modern mode that Ellington hit at his Live At The Whitney session – mixed with a few more larger group numbers that, while not exactly intimate, still have a nicely laid back feel. In addition to "Moon Maiden", other tracks include "Tenz", "Eulb", "Layin On Mellow", "Edward The First", "Symphonette", and "Some Summer Fun". LP, Vinyl record album

Elucid's image on the cover and the title of the record are a great hint at what's within – a deeply personal album that comes at a pivotal time in his music – a debut full length set, but one that also feels like those moments in the career of a more longstanding artist when they decide to clean house, strip things down, and step forward with a lot more power in their music! Elucid's there right at the start, and mostly self-produced the album – at a level that really augments the mood and spirit of each track, even when guests show up – the set features appearances from Billy Woods and Psychic Twin. Titles include "Obama Incense", "No Such Thing", "NY Blanks", "If You Say So", "Bleachwater", "Blame The Devil", "Burn Sugar", "Son Still Shine", and "No Grand Agenda". LP, Vinyl record album

The final studio album from Family, and a set that really has the group coming down strongly on all the best elements they crafted together on previous records! The vocals of Roger Chapman, as always, are a real charm – some of the most distinct of his generation, and perfectly at home in rootsier modes and more hard rocking passages – which are balanced out nicely on the record, and given a lean push forward with great guitars and keyboards – but never in a style that's too polished or commercial. In fact, given the lack of huge chart success for the group – at least on our side of the ocean – it's a strong testament to the quality of their work that they kept on going this strongly. Titles include the instrumental "Banger", plus "Sweet Desiree", "Suspicion", "Leroy", "Buffet Tea For Two", "Boom Bang", and "It's Only A Movie". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer early work by the Fania All Stars – caught live at the legendary Cheetah club, which was the heart of the New York salsa scene at the start of the 70s! The album is easily one of the best by the group – and features long tracks that really capture the jamming intensity that occurred on stage when this many great artists were brought together in one space – kind of the "next step" for the older descarga mode put fort at the start of the 60s, pushed forward into the prouder, more unified Latin scene of the 70s! All Stars on this date include Ray Barretto, Larry Harlow, Bobby Valentin, Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, and others – and titles on this second volume include "Ponte Duro", "Estrellas De Fania", and "Ahora Vengo Yo". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary debut of Fear – a landmark in the LA punk scene of the early 80s, and a set that's maybe also showing some of the key shifts that were happening at the time! There's still plenty of hard and fast work going on here, and that undercurrent of wit that marked so much of the best Cali punk – but there's also a sense of evil, darkness, and relentless energy that really gets at the way the heat was really turning up, almost as a competition for intensity that just kept on pushing the whole scene forward in a tremendous way. Titles include "We Destroy The Family", "I Love Livin In The City", "Let's Have A War", "Camarillo", "New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones", "Gimme Some Action", "Foreign Policy", and "Beef Boloney". LP, Vinyl record album

A really well-chosen set of classic Afro Funk records from Fela Kuti – hand-picked by Idris Elba, and brought together in this limited box set! Open & Close is an early classic from Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – the kind of early 70s record that helped both the leader and the group establish themselves as a global powerhouse of funk and soul! The set begins with the side-long "Open & Close" – a righteous tune that's driven onward by lots of tight drums from Tony Allen – young, focused, and completely amazing here – while Fela delivers all these madly leaping electric piano lines amidst the super-sharp horn section – all moving instrumentally for many minutes before the vocals come into play! Side two features two shorter tracks, but still nice and long in comparison to most funky groups – the wonderful "Swegbe & Pako" and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo" – tunes that really send the record over the top! Fela teams up with vibist Roy Ayers on Music Of Many Colors – one of the best soul collaborations ever – a whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Opposite People is seminal work from one of Fela's most crucial periods – recorded at a time when his soul was the deepest! The album features 2 long tracks – "Opposite People" and "Equalisation Of Trouser & Pant" – and they both have beautiful spooky keyboards in the instrumental passages, then leap into hard soul vocals by Fela. Tremendous stuff – done in a style that shows that no matter how many people cop or remake Fela's sound, he's still the best one to do it! The rare Stalemate album features the side-long tracks "Stalemate" and "Don't Worry About My Mouth" – both really hard-driving numbers, with a fantastic mix of vocals and grooves! Live In Amsterdam is an excellent live set from Fela – one that shows that he was still very capable of going over the top during the 80s! The set's a double LP – and it features 4 great numbers by the group, with Fela on soprano sax, piano, and organ, and plenty of other great work on tenor, alto, and trumpet. Titles include "Gimme Shit I Give You Shit", "Custom Check Point", "Movement Of The People", and "Political Statement Number 1". I Go Shout Plenty is a great one from Fela – with a date of 1986, but a sound that's pure late 70s! The record features 2 long tracks – "I Go Shout Plenty" and "Why Black Man Dey Suffer" – and they're both hard groovers with a strong political feel. "Why Black Man" is especially nice, and has some great keyboard riffing in the middle, with that great tinny sound that you'll hear on the best Fela albums. One that we almost never see – and issued on the Decca subsidiary Afrodisia. LP, Vinyl record album

A great leap forward for the 5th Dimension – a record that seems to have better vocals than any of their previous efforts – a strongly soulful quality that moves past just pop, and which hits even deeper territory than before! Jimmy Webb's not in the lineup this time around, but Bones Howe is still fully in charge of the sound – producing and doing part of the arrangements, alongside help from Ray Pohlman, Bob Alcivar, and Bill Holman. Instrumentation's got a dreamy, late 60s LA mode – studio, but plenty darn groovy – thanks to performances from Hal Blaine, Larry Bunker, Tommy Tedesco, and Jimmy Rowles. Titles include the group's hit version of "Stoned Soul Picnic" – plus "California Soul", "Bobbie's Blues", "It's A Great Life", "Sweet Blindness", "Broken Wing Bird", "Good News", and "The Eleventh Song (What A Groovy Day)". LP, Vinyl record album

Cool 60s work from guitarist Snuff Garrett! Maria Elena takes a host of older Latin themes and tunes them towards a hip 60s style – using the overdubbed guitar approach of the 50 guitars group, and really stretching the sound out wide towards the farthest reaches of both speakers! Snuff Garrett's guitar is in the lead, but it's also cast here in a pretty full sound – one that makes for a spacious quality that still sounds pretty darn great all these many years later. Titles include "Jungle Drums", "Anna", "Without You", "The Breeze & I", "Brazil", and "Poinciana". LP, Vinyl record album

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A sly little set from the hands of British producer Dennis Bovell – a record that was done to appear as an obscure Jamaican import – from the stripped-down packaging to the stripped-down sound in the grooves! The feel here is a bit looser and more laidback than some of the other UK productions of the time – roots work that has some occasional dub-style production at points, or a more straightforward groove at others – on many instrumental cuts that are perfect for blasting over a larger soundsystem! Titles include "None Ah Jah Children", "Skatter Skatter", "Sure Shot", "Younger Generation", "Bounty Hunter", and "Tribute To Idi Amin". LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably one of the greatest concept albums of the 80s – and the only really strong full length album cut by Frankie Goes To Hollywood! At the time of the set, the group was riding high on the success and controversy of their singles "Relax" and "Two Tribes" – but in the ambitious ZTT mode, sought to expand their sound way past familiar hits, and into a realm of sonic exploration that rivaled that of labelmates Art Of Noise. Don't get us wrong, because the Frankie of this album is still very much in groove-oriented territory – but they also let Horn take over with some more striking tunes that are both longer and shorter than the usual pop track – offsetting the vocal numbers on the record with a rich tapestry of musical backdrops that also more firmly forward the group's social and sexual leanings. The album features surprising covers of "War", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", and "Born To Run" – plus the hits "Relax" and "Two Tribes", and the original numbers "Welcome To the Pleasure Dome", "Krisco Kisses", "The Ballad Of 32", "Wish The Lads Were Here", "Black Night White Light", "The Only Star In Heaven", "The Power Of Love", and "Bang". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "The Grind (parts 1 & 2)", "Across Town", and "Little Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Marvin's definitely in the groove on this set – cooking on all burners with a host of late 60s Motown hits – bad-stepping his way towards some of the more mature moments to come in the 70s! The album's probably best remembered for the cut "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" – easily one of Marvin's biggest moments of the 60s, and a track whose popularity led to the album's title change from In The Groove to later incarnations as Heard It Through The Grapevine! Other cuts are equally great, and show Gaye really stretching out with mature, masculine confidence – pushing the envelope nicely on cuts that include "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever", "There Goes My Baby", "Change What You Can", "You're What's Happening", "Tear It Down", "You", and "Some Kind Of Wonderful". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic Jam Session work from Norman Granz – featuring a group with Stan Getz, Harry Edison, Wardell Gray, Benny Carter, Willie Smith, Buddy De Franco, Count Basie, and Freddie Green – on two long tracks, "Oh Lady Be Good" and "Blues For The Count". The session's got a number of interesting aspects – Basie plays organ, Getz is a bit harder than usual, and Willie Smith sounds great, as always, in one of his rare appearances from the time. LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of recordings by Dizzy's second band, with Dave Burns, Elmon Wright, Matthew McKay,and Ray Orr on trumpets, Ted Kelly and Bill Shepherd on trombones, John Brown and Howard Johnson on alto, George Nicholas and Joe Gales on tenor, Cecil Payne on baritone, and Kenny Clarke on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A fresh take on one of the most unusual soundtracks ever created by legendary Italian group Goblin – music for a film that's a bit more light-hearted than some of the others they scored, and which gets a great blend of funky and breezy tunes throughout! The film's a cop comedy, and Goblin set things up with lots of great keyboards, but used in ways that are less prog-oriented than their other soundtracks – and more towards funk or sound library modes – styles that are carried out here perfectly by the contemporary group Girodivite, who recreate the music as the tapes have been lost to time – carrying things off so well, the recording really does feel like a late 70s vintage one, even right down to the production. The whole thing is great – and the CD features 14 tracks in all – a great discovery of this rare chapter in the long career of Goblin! LP, Vinyl record album

This record is not really a Dexter Gordon album but rather a collection of tracks from Spotlite's Dial Masters series that include other artists as well. The Gordon tracks that are included are alternate takes of songs recorded for Dial and performed with his Quintet and Quartet in 1947. Titles include "Mischievous Lady", "Lullaby In Rhythm", "Chromatic Aberration", "It's The Talk Of The Town", "Ghost Of A Chance", and "Sweet & Lonely". The other artists included were either on the Dial label or Dial issued them at some point and they are the Teddy Edwards Quartet, Earl Coleman & His All-Stars, Fats Navarro Quintet and Howard McGhee & His Band. Tracks include "Blues In Teddy's Flat", "Mop Mop", "Lifestream", and "Move". LP, Vinyl record album

Completely stunning music from the marvelous Muriel Grossmann – a saxophonist who's become one of our favorite jazz talents over the course of the past decade – thanks to deeply spiritual work like this! The album's got a Hammond organ, something you're not as always likely to see in a session like this – played by Llorenc Barcelo with these open lines that are filled with mystical currents and colors, and which provide a perfect accompaniment to Grossman's well-crafted solos on tenor and soprano sax! Guitarist Radomir Milojkovic grounds the sound with some slightly straighter lines, but still with a rhythmic pulse to match the modal vibes of the tunes – a quality that's driven forward deeply by the drums of Uros Stamenkovic. If you've not heard the music of Muriel Grossman before, you're in for a treat – and if you have, your collection of really special albums just got one record bigger! Titles include "Happiness", "Traneing In", "Sundown", "African Dance", and "Union". LP, Vinyl record album