A really unique album from pianist Jon Batiste – a set that's straight jazz at some points, a bit Crescent City at others, but always with a feel that's very individual – and one of the freshest new styles we've heard in years! Jon's instrumental tracks are wonderful – full of rich feeling and color that comes not just from his own work on piano and other keyboards, but also from the quintet's instrumentation – which occasionally features tuba used in this unusual bassy-bottom mode – alongside great alto from Eddie Barbash. Some numbers are vocal tracks – with lyrics that are personal, and surprisingly powerful – usually relatively simple, but integrated with the instrumentation at a level that's very different than the usual jazz vocal mode. Titles include "It's Alright", "Lonely Cry In Manhattan", "D Sharp Movement 1", "The Spirit Is With Us", "Express Yourself", "Let God Lead", "San Spirito", and "Naima's Love Song". (Jazz, Deep Funk) CD

The mighty Don Bryant never got the chance to record much back in the day – save for one fantastic album and a set of singles on Hi Records – but he's really returned to form lately, and gets the chance to show the world his Memphis soul pedigree in all of its glory! Scott Bomar produced the set, plays bass, and gives the record some of those funky soul styles that made his work with the Bo-Keys so great – in a group that's heavy on organ lines and riffing guitars, and which also features backup singers behind Don on a number of the tracks. Yet the whole thing is clearly Don's showcase – with great vocals on titles that include "Your Love Is Too Late", "99 Pounds", "Is It Over", "Your Love Is To Blame", "I'll Go Crazy", "Cracked Up Over You", and "Walk All Over God's Heaven". (Soul, Deep Funk) CD

The mighty Don Bryant never got the chance to record much back in the day – save for one fantastic album and a set of singles on Hi Records – but he's really returned to form lately, and gets the chance to show the world his Memphis soul pedigree in all of its glory! Scott Bomar produced the set, plays bass, and gives the record some of those funky soul styles that made his work with the Bo-Keys so great – in a group that's heavy on organ lines and riffing guitars, and which also features backup singers behind Don on a number of the tracks. Yet the whole thing is clearly Don's showcase – with great vocals on titles that include "Your Love Is Too Late", "99 Pounds", "Is It Over", "Your Love Is To Blame", "I'll Go Crazy", "Cracked Up Over You", and "Walk All Over God's Heaven". (Soul, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album

The coolest record so far from this totally great combo – a live recording done on the home turf of the Greg Foat Group – the Playboy Club in London! The retro venue really fits the slinky, sexy vibe of the group's music – and although we already loved these guys before, this album has a really special sort of feel – with loads of wonderful keyboard lines from Greg on Hohner Electra piano, Elka Rhapsody, Hammond L 100, and Mutron Phaser – almost always distorted with a nice degree of fuzz, but still a straight ahead approach, and some great undercurrents of fuzz too! The group also features tenor and trumpet – which sometimes sound distorted, ala Varitone modes – and the overall sound feels like some lost jazzy club combo from the late 60s, really tripping out in a very comfortable space. We'd easily stack this one next to our favorite funky Fender Rhodes records from back in the day – and titles include "By The Grace Of God I Am", "Ingen Reklam", "Funky Fanfare", "Madrid", and "Mr Minor". CD features two bonus tracks – "Finky Minky" and "Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag". (Jazz, Deep Funk) CD

Incredible music from Seu Jorge – and that's saying a lot, given how much we've loved all of his previous records! This time around, Jorge really knocks it out of the park – by stepping away from some of his tighter styles, and going for a looser, more organic approach that's totally great – forged strongly with the cool combo Almaz, which features members of Nacao Zumbi, and bassist Antonio Pinto – the guy behind the great music in City Of God! The result is a record that's completely fresh, new territory for Jorge – but a set that also still holds onto all the best charms of his previous records too – and given that he's always seemed poised for superstardom and global crossover, it's even more incredible that he's made such a rootsy record like this! The record's filled with cool covers – all given the Almaz twist – tunes by Kraftwerk, Roy Ayers, Michael Jackson, Jorge Ben, Tim Maia, and others – completely reworked, and tuned up with spare instrumentation that's mostly guitar, bass, and drums. Titles include "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", "The Model", "Cala Boca Menino", "Girl You Move Me", "Juizo Final", "Cirandar", "Tempo De Amor", and "Rock With You". (Brazil, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from the Colemine label – a company who've given us plenty of great albums over the years, but who seem especially well-tuned to the funky 45! Along with Daptone, Big Crown, and a few others, Colemine is one of the labels who turn out top-shelf 7" singles again and again – most of which are in limited pressings, disappear fast, and are sometimes pretty expensive if you can find them! This set corrects that issue, and brings together 27 nuggets that originally appeared as funky 45s – all stacked together nicely as a massive LP set, with a nice price break from trying to track down the singles. Titles include "Gripsweats Them" by The Gripsweats, "Don't You Know" by Durand Jones & The Indications, "NUSAU" by Jungle Fire, "Supermoon" by Ikebe Shakedown, "What A Shame" by Jr Thomas & The Volcanos, "War Room" by Black Market Brass, "Aragon" by Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, "My God Has A Telephone" by Flying Stars Of Brooklyn, "He's On Time" by Harlem Gospel Travelers, "Happiness" by Wesley Bright & The Honeytones, "It Was Only A Dream" by Thee Sinseers, "America" by Soul Scratch, and "Sure Don't Miss You" by The Dip. (Funky Compilations, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album