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Kidd Jordan on tenor saxophone, Hamid Drake on drums, tablas, frame drum and voice, and William Parker on bass, guimbri, gongs, bowls and talking drum. CD

A 60s rock and roll soundtrack, but one that's also a cut above the usual mixed-bag bunch – thanks to a nicely cohesive set of charts from arranger Frank Perkins! About half the tracks here are by Frank – and they're nicely groovy instrumentals that have a jot of jerk and twist rhythms beneath the bigger horns – which are then offset by some surprisingly decent vocal numbers that balance out the record and give it a nice depth. Instrumental tunes include "Palm Springs Scramble", "Go Go Devil", "Palm Canyon Bossa Nova", and "Prescription For Recovery" – and vocal tracks include "What Will I Tell Him" by Connie Stevens, "Live Young" by Troy Donahue, "Ox Driver" by Modern Folk Quartet, and "A Little Bit Of Give" by Robert Conrad. LP, Vinyl record album

As stated on the back cover – a selection of music as played in the lounges and Palm Courts of hotels during the 20s and 30s. LP, Vinyl record album

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A fascinating look at musical modes in London during the big years of postwar immigration – a time when former residents of the crumbling British Empire were flooding to London for jobs and a better way of life – often bringing along a huge amount of cultural experience in the process! This set follows wonderfully in the spirit of previous volumes of the series – bringing together a range of different sonic styles that were originally recorded in London as 78rpm singles – where a new wave of Caribbean and West African immigrants were fusing older styles with a newly modern sensibility, and often a fair bit of jazz as well! The set list is wonderful – a great array of well-chosen material – and titles include "Wa Sise" by Willie Payne & The Starlite Tempos, "The Emperor Of Africa" by The Mighty Terror, "Royal Wedding" by The Lion, "Modern Telephone" by Dai Dai Simba, "Sons & Daughters Of Africa" by Lord Beginner, "Caroline" by Trinidad Steel Band, "Ema Foju Ana Woku" by West African Rhythm Brothers, "Kana Kana" by Billy Sholanke, "Boul Ve Se" by Calypso Rhythm Kings, and "My Handy Man" by Marie Bryant. LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure on the legendary Palm Records label – that famous French avant jazz imprint owned by pianist Jef Gilson, and which issued some of the most creative albums on the scene in the 70s! This set is maybe one of the most obscure – a record that's noteworthy not only for important early work from later composer Butch Morris on cornet, but also for the really unusual interplay between the musicians – a quartet that features Jean Charles Capon on cello, Philippe Mate on tenor, and Serge Rahoerson on drums! There's a loose, open feel going on – but a vibe that's different than some other piano-less groups of this nature – maybe in part because Capon seems to have a lot of presence with his cello, almost directing the proceedings at times – and also because the layering of elements always seems to have an inherent structure, even when relatively free. Titles include "Complainte", "Mode De Fa/Salegy Drums Solo", "Orly Ivato", "Blues For Guy Labory", and "Spanish Cake Walk". CD

Easily our favorite album by Baikida Carroll – a wonderfully spiritual session cut in Paris, and done with this open-ended, spacious sound that seems to bring AACM improvisation into play with some of the global currents that were happening overseas at the time! As on an AACM date, most players handle a fair bit of instruments – Carroll on trumpet, flugelhorn, seal horn, and percussion; Oliver Lake on soprano, alto, tenor, flute, and percussion too; and the great Nana Vasconcelos on lots more percussion – including cuica, tablas, timbales, bells, and more as well! Manuel Villardel plays both acoustic and electric piano – and the tunes build through these great improvisations between the horns and percussion, often with long, cyclical styles that are completely hypnotic! Titles include the modal groover "Forest Scorpion" – plus "Orange Fish Tears", "Rue Roger", and "Porte D'Orleans". CD

Easily our favorite album by Baikida Carroll – a wonderfully spiritual session cut in Paris, and done with this open-ended, spacious sound that seems to bring AACM improvisation into play with some of the global currents that were happening overseas at the time! As on an AACM date, most players handle a fair bit of instruments – Carroll on trumpet, flugelhorn, seal horn, and percussion; Oliver Lake on soprano, alto, tenor, flute, and percussion too; and the great Nana Vasconcelos on lots more percussion – including cuica, tablas, timbales, bells, and more as well! Manuel Villardel plays both acoustic and electric piano – and the tunes build through these great improvisations between the horns and percussion, often with long, cyclical styles that are completely hypnotic! Titles include the modal groover "Forest Scorpion" – plus "Orange Fish Tears", "Rue Roger", and "Porte D'Orleans". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily our favorite album by Baikida Carroll – a wonderfully spiritual session cut in Paris, and done with this open-ended, spacious sound that seems to bring AACM improvisation into play with some of the global currents that were happening overseas at the time! As on an AACM date, most players handle a fair bit of instruments – Carroll on trumpet, flugelhorn, seal horn, and percussion; Oliver Lake on soprano, alto, tenor, flute, and percussion too; and the great Nana Vasconcelos on lots more percussion – including cuica, tablas, timbales, bells, and more as well! Manuel Villardel plays both acoustic and electric piano – and the tunes build through these great improvisations between the horns and percussion, often with long, cyclical styles that are completely hypnotic! Titles include the modal groover "Forest Scorpion" – plus "Orange Fish Tears", "Rue Roger", and "Porte D'Orleans". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the most obscure albums issued on the Palm Records label of French jazz genius Jef Gilson – a large ensemble session that ties together both spiritual and avant styles of the early 70s, and which really demonstrates the overlooked power of the French scene at the time! The group's led by Chilean pianist Manuel Villarroel which might explain the title reference – and the lineup is filled with a range of excellent and obscure French musicians – including Jean Quarlier, Hugh Levick, Jef Sicard, and Gerard Coppere on reeds – plus Alain Brunet and JF Cannape on trumpets, Alphonse Leboucher and Josef Traindl on trombones, and Keno Speller, Claudio Bertoni, and Ana-Maria Villarroel on percussion. The tunes are as loose and open as the free jazz material recorded by BYG/Actuel a few years before – but also have more inherent structure and soul, and a really great balance between the contributions of the individual members as they space out the sound nicely. Titles include "Bolerito", "Leyendas De Nahuelbuta", and "Quetzalcoatl". CD

One of the most obscure albums issued on the Palm Records label of French jazz genius Jef Gilson – a large ensemble session that ties together both spiritual and avant styles of the early 70s, and which really demonstrates the overlooked power of the French scene at the time! The group's led by Chilean pianist Manuel Villarroel which might explain the title reference – and the lineup is filled with a range of excellent and obscure French musicians – including Jean Quarlier, Hugh Levick, Jef Sicard, and Gerard Coppere on reeds – plus Alain Brunet and JF Cannape on trumpets, Alphonse Leboucher and Josef Traindl on trombones, and Keno Speller, Claudio Bertoni, and Ana-Maria Villarroel on percussion. The tunes are as loose and open as the free jazz material recorded by BYG/Actuel a few years before – but also have more inherent structure and soul, and a really great balance between the contributions of the individual members as they space out the sound nicely. Titles include "Bolerito", "Leyendas De Nahuelbuta", and "Quetzalcoatl". LP, Vinyl record album

A really freewheeling set of improvised jazz from the French scene of the 70s – and a record that's a bit different than some of the more structured material that was usually issued on the Palm label, and maybe a bit more like some of the famous 1969 sessions on the BYG/Actuel imprint! The group's co-led by alto saxophonist Philippe Mate and pianist Jef Gilson – the latter of whom moves from acoustic keys to play electric piano, organ, and some very cool ondioline – an instrument that creates a very spooky sound at parts! Pierre Moret provides additional electric piano and organ, and the group also features Maurice Bouhana on flute and drums, Bruno Di Gioia on cor and percussion, Elie Dos Reis on percussion, Didier Levallet on bass, and Jean-Claude Pourtier on drums – a lineup who work together with unbridled power throughout! Given the amount of percussion on the set, there's some great earthy tones on the bottom – and the set features two side-long improvisations, titled "L'Oeil" and "Vision". CD

Deeply soulful work from Orgone – a group who are working at a level here that we never would have expected a decade back! Orgone have always been great, but sometimes they felt less like an organic funk combo than one who had an ear for the right sorts of sounds – something they still have here, but which they bring out with a masterful approach that really rises above previous efforts – a larger, richer approach to funk that sometimes even hits cinematic territory – but all without ever losing its small combo edge! The keyboards and production are especially nice, and the drums are super funky – on titles that include "Parasols", "Basilisk", "Zum Zum", "Running Low", "The Husk", "Tula Muisi", "Coronado", and "Hallowed Dreams". CD

Deeply soulful work from Orgone – a group who are working at a level here that we never would have expected a decade back! Orgone have always been great, but sometimes they felt less like an organic funk combo than one who had an ear for the right sorts of sounds – something they still have here, but which they bring out with a masterful approach that really rises above previous efforts – a larger, richer approach to funk that sometimes even hits cinematic territory – but all without ever losing its small combo edge! The keyboards and production are especially nice, and the drums are super funky – on titles that include "Parasols", "Basilisk", "Zum Zum", "Running Low", "The Husk", "Tula Muisi", "Coronado", and "Hallowed Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

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The saxophone work of Tim Berne never fails to amaze us – and even after decades, he's got a presence and sense of individuality that really makes his music stand out! And that's definitely the case here – as Berne blows alto in a set of spare duets with guitarist Greg Belisle-Chi – a player who often uses these open chords with plenty of color – never overwhelming, but also never too mellow either – just a tonal contrast to the sharper edges of Tim's horn, which makes for a really great sound throughout! Titles include "Rose Bowl Charade", "Microtuna", "Purdy", "Big Belly", "Rabbit Girl", "Palm Sweat", and "Not What You Think They Are". CD

Godlike work from the legendary Nick Drake – and exactly the kind of record that's made him a continuing legend over the years! The style is completely its own – not really folk or rock, but not really jazz either – yet served up with plenty of jazzy phrasing that's helped keep Drake's music fresher than most as the decades move on – and which makes each song here a really rich discovery – even if, like us, you've heard the album hundreds of times in the past! The production is wonderful – with slight underscorings of strings that help unlock dark corners of the songs – and tracks include the classic "River Man" – easily one of Nick's best songs ever – plus "Fruit Tree", "Day Is Done", "Three Hours", "Saturday Sun", and "Time Has Told Me". A record we'd never part with – ever! LP, Vinyl record album

A record that blew the world away when it was first released – and still continues to delight all these many years later! Brian Eno had first rose to fame in Roxy Music – where his sonic sensibilities and ear for electronic experimentation really added a lot to their initial albums – and here, on his own, he's in somewhat side-stepped territory – mixing things up in the art/glam generation of Roxy and Bowie, but also already showing a darkness that really sets him apart from the pack! The first three songs alone are a hell of a statement from any musician in the 70s, and the titles alone almost get at their impact – "Needles In The Camel's Eye", "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch", and "Baby's On Fire" – all songs that offer a rare blend of ferocity and humor that wouldn't emerge elsewhere until the punk movement. Yet Eno's hardly the forerunner of punk, but he's also not glam, metal, or anything else – a supremely impactful artist with this record, completely in his own space – like a rare breed that might include The Velvet Underground, Gram Parsons, or Bowie. Titles include "Needles In The Camel's Eye", "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch", "Baby's On Fire" "Blank Frank", "Some Of Them Are Old", "Cindy Tells Me", "On Some Faraway Beach", and "Dead Finks Don't Talk". LP, Vinyl record album

Great later issue of two classic Prestige hardbop albums from the 50s! First up is Two Trumpets – one of those wonderful late 50s Prestige Records blowing sessions that really let individual players have lots of the right sort of space to find their own voice alongside each other! Byrd and Farmer are both young here, and mighty sharp in their sounds – already quite distinct from each other in phrasing, and a great choice as soloists to illuminate in a setting like this. The rest of the group features Jackie McLean on alto – getting in some great solos too – plus Barry Harris on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and the great Art Taylor on drums. Byrd's bite is a great counterpart to the lyricism of Farmer – and titles include "Contour", "Round Midnight", "The Third", and "Dig". Next is Three Trumpets – an excellent follow-up to the legendary Two Trumpets session on Prestige – and even rarer than that one! The lineup features Farmer, Byrd, and Idrees Sulieman on the horns in the title – with hip rhythm from Hod O'Brien on piano, Addison Farmer on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include "Diffusion Of Beauty", "You Gotta Dig It To Dig It", "Who's Who", and "Palm Court Alley". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent follow-up to the legendary Two Trumpets session on Prestige – and even rarer than that one! The lineup features Farmer, Byrd, and Sulieman on the horns in the title – with hip rhythm from Hod O'Brien on piano, Addison Farmer on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include "Diffusion Of Beauty", "You Gotta Dig It To Dig It", "Who's Who", and "Palm Court Alley". CD

Killer electric work from Herbie Hancock – right on par with his groundbreaking Headhunters set, but a bit spacier too! The album features a Headhunters-solid lineup – with Bennie Maupin on saxes, Paul Jackson on bass, Mike Clark on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion – all grooving wonderfully with Herbie on a set of super-long tracks! Hancock himself handles a host of incredible keyboards – Fender Rhodes, clavinet, Arp, and lots more – all in a lean electric style that still sounds as fresh today as it did way back in the mid 70s – perhaps even more so, given the return to this sort of basic groove that has happened in recent years! Tracks are long, tight, and super funky – and titles include "Actual Proof", "Palm Grease", "Spank-A-Lee", and "Butterfly". CD

Killer electric work from Herbie Hancock – right on par with his groundbreaking Headhunters set, but a bit spacier too! The album features a Headhunters-solid lineup – with Bennie Maupin on saxes, Paul Jackson on bass, Mike Clark on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion – all grooving wonderfully with Herbie on a set of super-long tracks! Hancock himself handles a host of incredible keyboards – Fender Rhodes, clavinet, Arp, and lots more – all in a lean electric style that still sounds as fresh today as it did way back in the mid 70s – perhaps even more so, given the return to this sort of basic groove that has happened in recent years! Tracks are long, tight, and super funky – and titles include "Actual Proof", "Palm Grease", "Spank-A-Lee", and "Butterfly". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer electric work from Herbie Hancock – right on par with his groundbreaking Headhunters set, but a bit spacier too! The album features a Headhunters-solid lineup – with Bennie Maupin on saxes, Paul Jackson on bass, Mike Clark on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion – all grooving wonderfully with Herbie on a set of super-long tracks! Hancock himself handles a host of incredible keyboards – Fender Rhodes, clavinet, Arp, and lots more – all in a lean electric style that still sounds as fresh today as it did way back in the mid 70s – perhaps even more so, given the return to this sort of basic groove that has happened in recent years! Tracks are long, tight, and super funky – and titles include "Actual Proof", "Palm Grease", "Spank-A-Lee", and "Butterfly". CD

Joe Harrison starts out this set with a reference to David Axelrod, and the set just keeps getting better and better after that – as Joe mixes together vibes, mellotron, guitar, organ, flute, and lots of other cool instrumentation – but all with a lean vibe that's definitely more on the hip hop instrumental side of the spectrum! A few other players add in bits too – pedal steel, violin, bass, and guitar – but Harrison keeps things lean throughout, and served up one of the more hip hop-inspired entries in this great series from Madlib Invazion – maybe one that's most in keeping with the production giant who lends his name to the label. Titles include "Shuggie", "Axelrod", "Five Point Palm", "Donuts", "Frodo", "Cochiloco", and "Mr Rogers". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty remarkable set of spacey soul songcraft from Hiatus Kaiyote – a Melbourne group that blends moody, laidback live soul instrumentation with bubbling futuristic elements in a surprisingly seamless way – elevated even higher by strong songwriting and the soulful vocals of Nai Palm! Haitus Kaiyote has a sound that's steeped in cosmic soul, moody soul jazz and the artier/synth and programmed atmosphere of spacier moodscape figures like Flying Lotus – but it's band-based and song-based in a way that could really break Hiatus Kaiyote in a big way. Includes "Mobius Streak", "The World It Softly Lulls", "Leap Frog", "Malika", "Ocelot", "Boom Child", "Lace Skull", "Rainbow Rhodes", "Sphinx Gate" and "Nakamarra". LP, Vinyl record album

Ed Longo plays plenty of keyboards here – and serves up cuts that move effortlessly between boogie-oriented grooves and more laidback numbers – so that the set's got a nice balance of mellow moments and groovers! Other instrumentation includes saxes, Fender Rhodes, flute, and guitar – and there's vocals on just one cut, but most of the the record is instrumental, and has a late 70s/early 80s production approach that keeps things warm and soulful, but never slick or commercial. Titles include "A Palm In The Closet", "New Life", "Arcadian Dream", "Love On The Line", and "Trouble In Paradise". LP, Vinyl record album

A great debut from Taylor McFerrin – family member to another famous jazz singer, but very much possessed of his own self and style! The album's got this crackling, glistening quality – subtle electronics and Fender Rhodes mixing with Taylor's well-crafted vocals – never overwhelming them, but taking them into a space that's beyond conventional soul or jazz – and completely hypnotic throughout! Robert Glasper guests on one track on the set – and McFerrin's approach is a bit like some of the most creative elements in Glasper's Black Radio experiment – and other guests on the record include Emily King, Nai Palm, and Thundercat. Titles include "Decisions", "Postpartum", "Degrees Of Light", "The Antidote", "Florasia", "4am", "Stepps", and "Already There". LP, Vinyl record album

The "Lo" in the title here is Immy Owusu's way of hinting at a lo-fi approach on the record – a sound that mixes older West African influences with a more personal, down to earth approach – one that really lets Immy's vocals come across wonderfully – almost more like a soul album, given how upfront they are in the mix – a style that's different than an older singer buried amidst a larger ensemble sound! And yet there's also a decently-sized group on the record too – guitar, keyboards, percussion, and backing vocals alongside Owusu's lead work on guitar and vocals – intimate, yet rich – and with a sound that's such a nice change from records that try for a more slavish vintage sound. Titles include "Holy Shoulders", "Flashback", "Appellation Of Elevation", "Sunsum Dware", "Nyame Kasa", "Right With No Wrong", and "Palm Wine Elixir". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal sounds from SE Rogie – one of the most important palm wine artists to emerge from Sierra Leone in the 60s! Rogie sings in this wonderfully fluid style alongside his well-plucked guitar – which rings out with these bright tones that really illuminate the lyrics, but also sometimes have a darker, more folkloric quality! Additional instrumentation on the tunes is relatively spare – often just a bit of percussion, bass, or other rhythmic element used in moderation – and titles include "Advice To Schoolgirls", "Easy Baby", "Man Stupid Being", "Baby Lef Marah", "She Caught Me Red Hot", "Twist With The Morningstars", and "Please Go Easy With Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Good EP from these guys – good in that it features less of the lame vocals and raps that wreck some of their records, and instead concentrates on some of their great instrumental sounds. Plus there's some nice remix work by folks like Nobukazu Takemura and Palm Skin Productions, both of whom ad some nice touches to the Silent Poets own brand of Japanese acid jazz. Tracks include "Going Home (original & Child's View mix (Nobukazu Takemura))", "Shalom (Palm Skin Production mix)", "Answer", "Elements", "Children Of The Future (Turnpike Blues mix)", "Reverse", and "La Vie (Morocan Mood mix)". CD

Greg Ward's group here is named 10 Tongues – a great label for an ensemble that's overflowing with individual voices on their instruments – less a big band than a combo that can bring together so many different tones and colors at once! Ward himself is wonderful on alto, but maybe even more impressive as both the leader and composer here – writing in this fresh voice that's extremely positive and uplifting, but without ever resorting to any cloying cliches – and the group seems to respond by playing his music with a sense of joy and discovery at each new twist and turn! Players include Keefe Jackson on baritone and tenor, Tim Haldeman on tenor, Ben LaMar Gay on cornet, Russ Johnson on trumpet, Norman Palm on trombone, Christopher Davis on bass trombone, Jason Roebke on bass, Marcus Evans on drums, and Dennis Luxion on piano – on titles that include "Singular Serenade", "Daybreak", "Grit", "With All Your Sorry Sing A Song Of Jubilation", "Dialogue Of The Black Saint", and "Gather Round The Revolution Is At Hand". CD

One of our favorite mixing of modes from the old school – a tremendous second album from the legendary Aksak Maboul! The record mixes arty playfulness with some rootsier elements – bits of Eastern instrumentation, jazz, improvisation, and even some post-punk elements – all in a way that makes for one of the most creative recordings of its time – a set that easily provides key inspiration for more recent genre-crossing acts like this! There's a bit of Y or Ze Records whimsy at times – but the end result is much deeper, and much more compelling– as you'd expect from a group that features Fred Frith on guitar, Chris Cutler on drums, Marc Hollander and Michel Berkmans on reeds, and Denis Van Hecke on a range of cool cellos! Each tune has a slightly different flavor, but there's still a really unified feel to the record too – one of those European projects that comes together like nothing you'd hear from the US. Titles include "Geistige Nacht", "A Modern Lesson", "Palmiers En Pots", "Inoculating Rabies", "Cinema", and "Bosses De Crosses". CD

A landmark album that shaped Latin jazz for years to come! The format of the set borrows heavily from the previous Cuban Jam Session LPs, but gives it a real New York twist that made the Alegre albums much stronger overall – and much more influential in a wider spectrum. A core group fo well-known players – Charlie Palmieri, Johnny Pacheco, Kako, Jose Chombo Silva, and others – come together in the studio magically – setting egos aside, and bringing their best work to the table in a hard-jamming style that defined the crackling jazz-based "descarga" style of the time. In addition to that, the production style has lots of conversation and hanging out sounds between the tracks, really setting the feel for the album with a great spirit that goes on to touch the music as well! A treasure that's still one of the best examples of the jam session at work – and with titles that include "Soy Feliz, "Ay Camino Y Ven", "Almendra", "Para Ti", and "Estoy Buscando a Kako". LP, Vinyl record album

Much more of a treat then we'd expected – a tasty little set of funky beats and laidback keys – relatively unpretentious overall, with lots of stripped-down moments that create some great atmospheric grooves! There's kind of a cross between 70s electric and 80s soundscape, and guests include Jon Hassell, Hanifah Walidah, and Lissette Alea – on tracks that include "Where", "Fleur Bleue", "Come With Me", "Mint", "Turn It Round Again", "Palma", and "Love We Have". CD

Ben Allison on bass, Michael Blake on saxophones, Ted Nash on saxophones and flute, Tomas Ulrich on cello, Jeff Ballard on drums, Frank Kimbrough on piano, and Ron Horton on trumpet and flugelhorrn. CD

A contemporary project, but one that was initially intended for the legendary KPM Sound Library – and one that has Emil Amos serving up instrumentals that offer up his own take on classic sound library modes from years back! There's definitely more of a 21st Century vibe going on here at times – as 80s elements get more of a twist through production learned from the beathead generation – all of which almost makes for a more industrial take on sound library styles! Titles include "Bad Night At Cowboys", "Theme From A Personal Prison", "Moving Target", "Interloper 1", "Zone Bleu", "Red Palms", and "Jealous Gods". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 2CD set that captures the genius of Fred Anderson during his prime years as a spokesperson for Chicago's AACM! Anderson's style has changed quite a bit since these rare recordings – making them important for understanding his progression as a musician, not to mention essential if you're a fan of his work, or the spiritual strands of the AACM during the 70s. The group on both records features Anderson on tenor, Billy Brimfield on trumpet, Steven Palmore on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums and tablas. The first disc features the Dark Day album, issued briefly by Message records in Europe in 1979, and the second disc features a previously unissued live set, recorded in Verona in 1979, featuring material that complements the Dark Day set very nicely! Titles include "Saxoon", "Dark Day", "Three On Two", "The Prayer", and "The Bull". CD

Rare work from the obscure Andres and his combo – one of those Venezuelan salsa treasure that never saw that much exposure up here back in the day – different than Colombian and Puerto Rican records that formed a much bigger part of the New York scene! Yet the vibe here is every bit as great as any of those albums – a rock-solid interpretation of the best salsa modes of the time, but in a way that's nicely fresh, compared to some of the bigger American Latin labels – maybe a bit more playful in approach, with plenty of lively numbers throughout. Vocals are by Nano Gran and Yira – and titles include "Canuto", "Llanto De Luna", "Rico Y Sabroso", "Linda Caraquena", "La Mazucamba", "El Jibarito", "Yo La Mata", and "Condicion". LP, Vinyl record album

A real moment of genius, even though we hate to admit it! At the time of its release, we hated this record – but have really come to respect it as a way of condensing and refining energy from the prog rock generation, and finding it a way to have new life in the 80s! The lineup is an all-star one, with roots in Yes, King Crimson, and other key groups – John Wetton on vocals and bass, Geoff Downes on keyboards, Steve Howe on guitars, and Carl Palmer on drums – on titles that include "Heat Of The Moment", "Only Time Will Tell", "Wildest Dreams", "Sole Survivor", "One Step Closer", and "Here Comes The Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice jammer from the "second wind" period of CTI – and a strong return to Latin jazz for Ray! The set's a great mixture of smooth CTI electric funk and Latin-oriented grooves – and it features work by Ray on congas and percussion, plus a list of players that includes Tito Puente, Charlie Palmieri, Steve Gadd, John Tropea, Carlos Franzetti, and Willie Torres. The melds the styles beautifully – with plenty of languid, rubbery jamming with percussion that thumps just hard enough! Really kind of a stunner from '79 – one that came at welcome time for both Barretto and CTI! Includes the great electric Latin groover "Mambotango", plus "The Old Castle", "La Cuna", and a sublime vocal remake of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise"! LP, Vinyl record album

A great early CTI session by George Benson, and one of the most stripped-down, straight-ahead funky records he did for the label! There's a sharpness here that's different than the larger feel of some of Benson 's later records – a sound that almost links back to his soul jazz roots in the 60s – played by a tight combo that features Benson on guitar, Clarence Palmer on organ, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus percussion from Michael Cameron and Albert Nicholson. There's a version of "So What" on here that's got to be one of the best funky takes of that standard ever – with great hard grooves on the intro – and on other cuts, the real genius is in the way the simple tracks are arranged to shift between darkly chromatic passages and slight bits of funk. Titles include "All Clear", "Ode To A Kudu", and "Somewhere In The East". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early CTI session by George Benson, and one of the most stripped-down, straight-ahead funky records he did for the label! There's a sharpness here that's different than the larger feel of some of Benson 's later records – a sound that almost links back to his soul jazz roots in the 60s – played by a tight combo that features Benson on guitar, Clarence Palmer on organ, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus percussion from Michael Cameron and Albert Nicholson. There's a version of "So What" on here that's got to be one of the best funky takes of that standard ever – with great hard grooves on the intro – and on other cuts, the real genius is in the way the simple tracks are arranged to shift between darkly chromatic passages and slight bits of funk. Titles include "All Clear", "Ode To A Kudu", and "Somewhere In The East". Plus, the CD features 3 bonus tracks – alternate versions of "Ode To A Kudu", "Somewhere In The East", and "All Clear". CD

David Berkman on piano, Dick Oatts on saxophone, Ugonna Okegwo on bass, and Nasheet Waits on drums. CD

A survey of The Music Scene through the eyes, mind and fingers of longstanding hip hop and spacey beatcraft guru Blockhead! Blockhead's way with a sample has been one of the reasons we've been on board so long, and it's as unpretentiously hypnotic as ever here – staying defiantly headnodding in a groove – while subtly innovating and floating in myriad stylistic variations without hitting you over the head with them. Solid stuff. Titles include "It's Raining Clouds", "The Music Scene", "Only Sequences Change", "Which One Of You Jerks Drank My Arnold Palmer?", "Attack The Doctor", "The Prettiest Sea Slug", "The Daily Routine", "Pity Party", "Farewell Spaceman" and more. CD

Later work from the great Roy Brown – captured here in some relatively hip LA company – with work from Don Randi on piano, Clifford Scott on tenor, Dennis Budimir and Charles Wright on guitars, and Earl Palmer on drums – working with arrangements from HB Barnum and Arthur Wright! LP, Vinyl record album

The landmark first album from Buffalo Springfield – a warmly collaborative record that would set the scene for countless work to come from the LA scene! Right from the start, there's something special going on here – a bit of the twang the Byrds were exploring at the time, and a very strong move past any sort of folk tendencies any of the group members might have had a few years before – but all without going into some of the too-sunny styles that were peaking in west coast pop. Instead, there's this current of darkness and subtle wit that really shines through – all without any psychedelic indulgence, and balanced perfectly amidst the guitars of Steven Stills, Richie Furay, and Neil Young – each of whom get a chance to sing on the record too. Bassist Bruce Palmer and drummer Dewey Martin complete the group – and titles include the classic "For What It's Worth" – plus "Nowadays Clancy Can't", "Leave", "Pay The Price", "Burned", "Do I Have To Come Right Out & Say It", and "Everybody's Wrong". Cassette

The landmark first album from Buffalo Springfield – a warmly collaborative record that would set the scene for countless work to come from the LA scene! Right from the start, there's something special going on here – a bit of the twang the Byrds were exploring at the time, and a very strong move past any sort of folk tendencies any of the group members might have had a few years before – but all without going into some of the too-sunny styles that were peaking in west coast pop. Instead, there's this current of darkness and subtle wit that really shines through – all without any psychedelic indulgence, and balanced perfectly amidst the guitars of Steven Stills, Richie Furay, and Neil Young – each of whom get a chance to sing on the record too. Bassist Bruce Palmer and drummer Dewey Martin complete the group – and titles include the classic "For What It's Worth" – plus "Nowadays Clancy Can't", "Leave", "Pay The Price", "Burned", "Do I Have To Come Right Out & Say It", and "Everybody's Wrong". CD

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A nice little album – despite what might be a gimmicky concept! The set offers up Latin versions of Jewish tunes – but even that's not much of a gimmick, when you consider how important the Jewish audiences were to the growth of Latin music in the New York in the 50s and 60s. From DJs like Symphony Sid, to vacationers at the Catskills, to dancers in classes at Arthur Murray on Long Island or the Palladium in Manhattan, the Jewish audiences were some of the strongest for the New York Latin acts – and it's no surprise that you get albums like this cropping up to address the situation! Calle's group is a fine Latin jazz ensemble, and they've got a clarinet in the mix on a few tracks, snaking away in an almost klezmer-like fashion over the piano/percussion grooves of the album. Players include a rock-solid batch of Latin and jazz musicians – including Charlie Palmieri on piano, Ray Barretto on congas, Willie Rodriguez on timbales, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Doc Cheatham on trumpet – plus John Cali on lute – the real name of Juan Calle, who also did all the arrangements. Ed Powell sings a bit of vocals, but most of the action here is instrumental – and very much in the best Riverside Latin mode of the time, but with a Jewish twist! Titles include "Papirossen", "Beltz Mein Shetele Betlz", "Die Greene Koseene", "Frilach A Nacht", and "Yossel Yossel". CD

Not vocals, but a very cool instrumental set from guitarist Glen Campbell – done along the lines of some of his uncredited session work of the time! Includes drums from Hal Blaine and Earl Palmer, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Clive Palmer definitely has an original band here – a group who have some of the acoustic elements of The Incredible String Band, of which he was a part – but who also come across with a sound that's a lot more ancient, dark, and spooky too! Vocals are by Clive and Mick Bennett – both singers with a very moody approach – almost weary from battles in the field, coming back home to tell their tales – set to instrumentation that includes key use of organ amidst the acoustic elements, but almost as if it's a pump organ, which gives all the songs this wonderfully downbeat sort of vibe – a bit like when Nico uses harmonium. The set's definitely on the darkest side of the acid folk spectrum, and maybe has echoes of Current 93 and Wicker Man as well – on titles that include "Eleven Willows", "I Told Her", "Oh Bright Eyed One", "Heart Dancer", "Let It Be You", and "Solomon's Song". CD