A record that definitely lives up to the sixth decade legacy noted in the title – as it takes work of the remaining members of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and expands it with contributions from a number of musicians – both from Chicago and the global scene as well! The feel here is a mix of some of the larger concepts that Roscoe Mitchell has been working on of late, and some of the more organic expressions that the Art Ensemble helped encourage in the world of jazz – performed by a lineup that has Mitchell on sopranino and alto, and Don Moye on drums and percussion – joined by a huge lineup that includes Junius Paul on bass, Tomeka Reid on cello, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Hugh Ragin on trumpet, and a larger lineup of basses, piano, and percussion as well. Moor Mother delivers a spoken word passage, and Roco Cordova and Erina Newkirk sing a bit – on titles that include "Kumpa", "Bulawayo", "I Feel Like Dancing", "Jigiba", "Funky AECO", "Improvisation Two", "Ritual Great Black Music", "Cards", and "Leola". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazz trio, but one with a really unusual combination of instruments – vibes and marimba from Benoit Lavollee, drums from David Georgelet, and bass trombone from Stephane Montigny – who also plays some great work on shells as well! The music is heavy on currents from global sources, but is definitely jazz as well – and given the performance of Montigny, there are some aspects of the record that maybe remind us of a more stripped-down take on the territory of Steve Turre when he reaches for some non-American modes as well! The drumming of Georgelet is great – often more tribal and percussion-like than standard swing – and the use of vibes and marimba moves nicely between rhythm and melody. Titles include "Fauve", "Sancocho", "Traverse", "Rococo", "Lonnie's Lament", and "Tony". LP, Vinyl record album

Imagine gaining entry to a treasure trove of vintage keyboards and electronic music sources – then getting the chance to spend days improvising with them, and making new sounds of your own! That's exactly what happened to Jeremiah Chu, as he was set loose inside the Vintage Synthesizer Museum in Los Angeles – where he handled dozens of amazing instruments, improvising throughout, and capturing most of his experiments live on tape! The result is a record that's maybe a bit more warm and organic than the sorts of older analog electronic albums, especially the more academic type – as Chiu creates these really beautiful progressions of sounds that flower and glisten with a very human sensibility – not electronic music for robots, but instead an embrace of electronic possibilities for altering contemporary living! Titles include "Rococco Rondo", "For Voices", "Seawater Swell", "Rhythm Bell", "Static Stone Railway", "Transparent Spheres", and "Echo Arp Hold". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest studio projects from the early years of the On-U Sound label – a record that's maybe a bit more subtle overall than some of the Tackhead and Mark Stewart projects of the time, but which has an equally similar genre-busting quality! The vibe here is nice and lean – with plenty of bass and effects from Crocodile, on darkly moody tunes that are only partly reggae in inspiration, and which also have plenty of the same elements you might hear on some of Jah Wobble's best early solo projects – with plenty of Adrian Sherwood effects and echo to keep things spooky and moody throughout! Annie Anxiety and Shara Nelson each sing on a track on the record – but most of the set is instrumental, and has this wonderful spare interplay between the instruments, served up in dubby heaven. Titles include "Crocodile's Court", "Savanna Prance", "Meander", "Igloo Inn", "Missing Brazilians", "Gentle Killers", and "Frequency Feast". LP, Vinyl record album

Music as lively and colorful as the image on the cover – upbeat work from the second half of the 80s scene in South Africa – music that has a very positive vibe overall, and a sound that's perfect for the mix of keyboards and beats used in the rhythms! The styles here are those which were borrowed – or plundered – by artists in the mainstream up north – but these are the tracks that really made the SA scene back in the day, and have a wonderful blend of synth, basslines, and vocals that often trade back and forth nicely – warming up the music a lot more than you'd expect! Titles include "Crocodile's Rock" by Black Moses, "I Was Born In Africa" by Richie S, "Blackout" by Tools & Figs, "Dayshift" by Dieketseng, "Ximamane" by Joy White, "Chomesa" by Chicco, "Nwananga Washanesera" by Joe Masunga, "Pusa Twala" by Sky Jinx, "Khombora Mina" by Paul Ndlovu, "Johnny Boy" by The Angels, "Don't Follow Me" by Mafika, and "Special Angel" by Babsy Mlangeni. LP, Vinyl record album

Imagine gaining entry to a treasure trove of vintage keyboards and electronic music sources – then getting the chance to spend days improvising with them, and making new sounds of your own! That's exactly what happened to Jeremiah Chu, as he was set loose inside the Vintage Synthesizer Museum in Los Angeles – where he handled dozens of amazing instruments, improvising throughout, and capturing most of his experiments live on tape! The result is a record that's maybe a bit more warm and organic than the sorts of older analog electronic albums, especially the more academic type – as Chiu creates these really beautiful progressions of sounds that flower and glisten with a very human sensibility – not electronic music for robots, but instead an embrace of electronic possibilities for altering contemporary living! Titles include "Rococco Rondo", "For Voices", "Seawater Swell", "Rhythm Bell", "Static Stone Railway", "Transparent Spheres", and "Echo Arp Hold". LP, Vinyl record album