Revolutionary work from one of the most important talents you never heard of – 2 jazz/world classics from the amazing Ahmed Abdul-Malik! The CD begins with The Music Of Ahmed Abdul Malik from 1961 – a record that has the bassist working in a very sophisticated cross-cultural mode ... (Jazz, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids —
Shaman ... CD Strut (UK), 2020. New Copy ...
$12.9913.99
A tremendous return to form for reedman Idris Ackamoor and his Pyramids group – and a record that we love every bit as much as his classic material from the 70s! There's a power, righteousness, and urgency to this album that we haven't heard from Ackamoor in years – very much the kind ... (Jazz, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Attarazat Addahabia & Faradjallah —
Al Hadaoui ... CD Habibi Funk, 1973. New Copy ...
$14.9915.98
Monstrous funk from Morocco – unreleased material recorded in 1973, with a sound that should have revolutionized North Africa at the time! The group works here in a really raw blend of heavy percussion and riffing guitar – produced with lots of edge and echo, and delivered with the ... read moreCD
Akofa Akoussah —
Akofa Akoussah ... CD Sonafric/Mr Bongo (UK), 1976. New Copy ...
$10.9911.98
A beautiful record from Akofa Akoussah – a singer from Togo who's equally gifted in funky and sweeter soul styles! Half the record is full-on funk, and we'd swear that Lafayette Afro Rock Band must have had a hand in some of the instrumentation (possible, as it was recorded in Paris) – ... read moreCD
A really fantastic little record – and one that's even better than you might expect from the title – which itself is already pretty darn fantastic! The set is upbeat and funky, but not entirely disco – more this very groovy blend of Mid-East elements and more familiar keyboards ... read moreCD
Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela —
Rejoice ... CD World Circuit, 2020. New Copy ...
$12.9913.98
A really fantastic collaboration between two pioneers of African music – and a set that nicely opens both into the jazziest side of their talents! Hugh Masekela blows flugelhorn, and Tony Allen handles drums and plenty of percussion – and although both artists sing a bit, the main ... read moreCD
Alostmen —
Kologo ... CD Strut (UK), 2021. New Copy ...
$12.9913.99
Really raw work from this Ghanaian group that emerged from jamming on the streets of Accra – a core quartet that mostly features tuned percussion and stringed instruments – used in a highly rhythmic way along with the vocals! The lineup features kologo, goje, gome, dondo, and kpanlogo ... read moreCD
Amanaz —
Africa ... CD Now Again, 1975. New Copy 2 CDs ...
$7.9917.98
Wonderfully fuzzy work from Amanaz – one of the trippiest, headiest groups of the Zamrock scene of the 70s! The guitars here are very full and present – not at a hit you over the head jamming label, but with this rich sonic element that has lots of bassy undercurrents – at a ... read moreCD
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley —
Ambolley ... CD Cougar/Mr Bongo (UK), 1982. New Copy ...
$10.9911.98
A really well-crafted set of funk from the legendary Gyedu-Blay Ambolley – maybe best known for his material in the mid 70s, but sounding equally wonderful here on an album from the start of the 80s! The sound is sharper and more sophisticated than before – recorded in London, with a ... read moreCD
ArtISt Alhousseini Anivolla & Girum Mezmur —
Afropentatonism ... CD Piranha (Germany), 2020. New Copy ...
$13.9914.99
A great blend of Saharan and Ethiopian guitar styles – the former played by Alhousseini Anivolla, the latter by Girum Mezmur – working together here in a set of intertwining solos and nicely snakey grooves! There's a really seductive feel to the record, right from the start – and ... read moreCD
Atomic Forest —
Obsession ... CD Now Again, Mid 70s. New Copy ...
$9.9919.98
The collected work of a mighty trippy group from the Indian scene – a psychedelic combo who worked in the 70s, but who had the same sort of edge you'd hear from the American and British scenes of the late 60s! In truth, there's a fair bit of Anglo influence going on in the music – not ... (Rock, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Selda Bagcan —
Selda (1979) ... CD Turkuola/Pharaway Sounds (Spain), 1979. New Copy ...
$11.9916.99
Selda packs a heck of a punch on this late 70s set – a record that's still got all the wonderful elements of her previous three albums – that unique mix of folksy roots, protest themes, and nicely trippy production! Selda's holding an electrified version of the baglama on the front ... (Rock, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Sweet African funk from Jagger Botchway – a musician with roots in The Barons, Hedzoleh Soundz, and Kelenkye Band – stepping out here on his own in a heady brew of percussion, guitar lines, and horns! Some of the cuts are vocal, some are instrumental – and the mix of melody and ... read moreCD
RD Burman —
Mukti ... CD Subah Zindagi (UK), Late 70s. New Copy ...
$8.9916.99
A classic soundtrack from Indian film composer Rahul Dev Burman – and one that reminds us just how important the voice was to the format over the years! Unlike some Bollywood soundtracks, which have long upbeat songs that are driving the dance numbers in the film – this score has a ... read moreCD
Victor Chukwu/The Black Irokos —
Akalaka/The Power ... CD Tabansi/BBE (UK), Late 70s. New Copy ...
$14.9919.99
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 ... read moreCD
Nicola Cruz —
Siku ... CD Xtra Mile (UK), 2019. New Copy ...
$6.9911.98
Nicola Cruz has a very unusual style here – one that mixes percussion, wooden flutes, and some occasional contemporary production touches – almost in a way that bridges ancient musical modes and 21st Century spirits – but at a level that's always far less gimmicky than that ... (New Grooves, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Mestre Cupijo E Seu Ritmo —
Siria ... CD Analog Africa (Germany), Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy ...
$15.9916.99
An incredible compilation of material by Mestre Cupijo and the musicians of Cameta – the Amazonian town where the Siria style was born! The always-great Analog Africa label turns to Brazil for this one – a nice step after their rich range of African reissues – given the nature ... (Brazil, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Very cool jazz from the Paris scene of the early 50s – an assortment of singles released on the Ritmo label, owned by reedman Eugene Delouche – who works here in a very cool blend of Martinique rhythms and modern jazz! The grooves here are a key part of the growing biguine style of the ... read moreCD
Manu Dibango —
Negropolitaines ... CD Fremeaux & Associates (France), Early 90s. New Copy ...
$16.9918.99
A really great project from the legendary saxophonist Manu Dibango – a set that's almost a return to more rootsy territory after his more upbeat grooves of the 80s – even though Manu was always a bit more of a hybrid player overall! The set was originally issued in two different ... read moreCD
The cover's got the look of a vintage set from the West African scene of the early 80s – and Lady Donli steps out here with an equally classic mode at times – but the set's also very contemporary at others, and really grabs our attention right away! The Lady's got a great style – ... read moreCD
Edikanfo Super African Band —
Pace Setters ... CD EG/Glitterbeat (Germany), 1981. New Copy ...
$15.99
A classic album from this great group from Ghana – one that probably got more exposure than usual, thanks to the fact that they were taken under the wing of Brian Eno, who produced the album, in a tradition that would stretch back to Ginger Baker's work with Fela! The group have a great ... read moreCD
El Rego —
El Rego ... CD Daptone/Voodoo Funk, Late 60s/Early 70s. New Copy ...
$13.9914.99
Monumental Afro Soul from El Rego Et Ses Commandos – El Rego's best recordings from the late 60s to early 70s – a beautifully done compilation put together by Daptone and Frank Gossner, the deep digging West African music expert behind Voodoo Funk! Theophile Do-Rego is a legend in his ... read moreCD
Evritiki Zygia —
Ormenion ... CD Teranga Beat (Senegal), 2020. New Copy ...
$15.99
The ancient styles of Thrace, filtered through a psychedelic sensibility – with a result that's completely unlike anything we've ever heard! Imagine fuzzy guitars and trippy keyboards mixing with exotic reeds and rootsy percussion – all to rework the sorts of styles you might have ... read moreCD
A really great combo from the small nation of Djibouti – stepping out here in one of the first international record releases from that company in decades – a shuttered legacy to the rest of the world, given the tight control of music by the state! Yet despite that situation, the Groupe ... read moreCD
A fantastic collection of cross-cultural grooves from Daniel Haaksman – the man who first raised our ears with his excellent Rio Baile Funk Favela Booty Beats compilations – then kept on giving us great music during all the years in between! This set has Haaksman providing his own ... (New Grooves, Global Grooves)read moreCD
The first-ever CD issue of a range of material from this ultra-hip group – all tracks that originally appeared on vinyl-only releases, now making their CD debut in an overstuffed collection that features 24 tracks in all! The vibe here is great – that Karl Hector & The Malcouns mix ... (Deep Funk, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Karl Hector & The Malcouns —
Unstraight Ahead ... CD Now Again, 2014. New Copy Gatefold ...
$7.9917.98
They definitely got the title right on this one – because the group never seems to move in any sort of direct line – instead always tripping around nicely with all these hip little twists and turns! Karl Hector & The Malcouns are the same loose collective of players you'll know ... (Deep Funk, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Heshoo Beshoo Group —
Armitage Road ... CD Little Giant/We Are Busy Bodies, 1970. New Copy ...
$15.9916.99
A rare South African jazz treasure – a set that's much more obscure than some of the bigger names of the scene, and which has a sound that's very different too! There's maybe a stronger American influence taking place here, especially in the rhythms, but also in the phrasing – and the ... (Jazz, Global Grooves)read moreCD
A really wonderful record – and one that maybe brings together a few key strands of the Folkways Records magic – as the album features narration by Langston Hughes, based on his First Book Of Rhythms book – layered with sound effects, folk songs, and music from around the world ... (Spoken Word, Global Grooves)read moreCD
(Special limited CD – pressed up for us by the Smithsonian Folkways label. Comes with original cover artwork, and the CD also features a PDF file with the original liner notes and other materials from the original record release.)
The debut album from Theadora Ifudu – a singer who hit greater fame on a bigger label a few years later – but who sounds pretty darn great here at the start! The music is an offbeat blend of American soul and Nigerian funk – recorded both in Lagos and London, but with a sound ... read moreCD
A Venezuelan group, one who are living in Paris – and work here with a criss-crossing of styles that really reflect that global journey! The music definitely has echoes of older Venezuelan styles, but maybe served up in a more impressionistic version – with a dream-like quality at ... read moreCD
An uber-rare album from Orlando Julius & The Afro Sounders – recorded at Ginger Baker's studio in Lagos and originally (apparently quite scarcely) released by Philips in 1973 – wonderful stuff and on par with the excellent material the group recorded in the handful of previous years! ... read moreCD
(CD version comes with a great hardcover book-like package that includes liner notes by Orlando Julius.)
Kaleta & Super Yamba Band —
Medaho ... CD Ubiquity, 2019. New Copy ...
$11.9914.98
That's a pretty trippy cover on the front, and an image that really sums up the vibe of this excellent record from Kaleta – a set that's even sharper and funkier than any of his previous efforts – yet which has some nicely way out qualities too! The instrumentation is heavy on elements ... read moreCD
Wonderful work from the Kasai All-Stars – a group we first discovered in the Congotronics series with Konono No 1 – and who still have the same wonderful blend of raw rhythms, fuzzy distortion, and very powerful vocals! Their music has this powerfully organic vibe – with acoustic ... read moreCD
(Also includes a bonus CD with 10 remix tracks by Afrikaine 808, Daedelus, High Wolf, Ramzi, and others.)
Keleketla —
Keleketla ... CD Ahead Of Our Time (UK), 2020. New Copy ...
$13.9914.99
A really fantastic collaboration between Coldcut and a host of South African musicians – and a set that also features a number of key contributions from the legendary Tony Allen! The record uses the older cutup style that Coldcut first forged on the London scene of the 80s – but has ... read moreCD
Dick Khoza —
Chapita ... CD Sun/Matsuli (UK), 1976. New Copy ...
$14.99
One of the hippest bits of funk we've heard from the South African scene of the 70s – a record that mixes in plenty of currents from spiritual jazz, with a vibe that's very similar to the albums by Oneness Of Juju from the same time! The set's got this very universal appeal – earlier ... read moreCD
Peter King —
Omo Lewa ... CD Mr Bongo (UK), 1976. New Copy ...
$10.9911.98
A great one from Nigerian bandleader, composer and multi-instrumentalist Peter King – working in a funkier mode here than on the more jazz and roots based groove of his first record! The highlife sound is still a vital component, but on this one, Peter embraces a harder hitting approach on ... read moreCD
Really driving percussion, and some great horns as well – the former served up by KOG, who also delivers some fantastic vocals on the set – the latter from The Zongo Brigade, who work in a great mix of funky rhythms, jazzy horns, and some sweet keyboards too! The set's very different ... read moreCD
A very different album than the previous effort from drummer/percussionist Saratha Korwar – a lot more political, as you might guess from the title – and a set that has the London musician working with performers from the hip hop scenes in Mumbai and New Delhi! Most of the tunes have a ... (Jazz, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Funky sounds from Croatia – presented here with a sweet 70s groove, and some very offbeat vocals throughout! Zdenka Kovacicek has a completely different way of phrasing than most other European singers we've heard – all these weird twists, turns, and sharp little angles that are a ... read moreCD
Two generations of the Fela Kuti legend work here back to back – in a double length set that features one full album from Fela's son, and another by his grandson! Femi is up first on a set titled Stop The Hate – full-on Afro Funk with plenty of message in the music – the older ... read moreCD
Kutiman —
Wachaga ... CD Siyal (Israel), 2020. New Copy ...
$12.99
Much deeper work than we're used to hearing from Kutiman – and a set that's really widened the global scope of their sounds and influences! At the start, these guys were a funk group with a mix of psychedelic and 70s Afro-oriented influences – but they've really expanded here, and ... (New Grooves, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Music of a very different style than some of Laraaji's other work – more tuneful and song-based – with shorter tracks that show a whole different side of his talents! Laraaji's gotten great acclaim for his homespun spiritual sounds – long tracks that first found a home in Brian ... read moreCD
Luka Productions —
Falaw ... CD Sahel Sounds, 2019. New Copy ...
$7.9914.98
Luka Productions is a showcase for the fantastic voice of Luka Guindo – a singer with this raspy charm that grabs you right away and really conveys the power of the tunes – so much so, you hardly need the English translations of the lyrics in the notes! The music is a blend of acoustic ... read moreCD
Raw crackling hip hop funk beatcraft at its deepest from mighty Madlib – working in his Beat Konducta style for this third entry in the epic Madlib's Medicine Show Series! Beat Konducta In Africa is a hazy hip hop instrumental set from 'Lib (lest you thought it might be a funky compilation ... (Hip Hop, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Marumo —
Modiehi ... CD Gallo/Mr Bongo (UK), 1982. New Copy ...
$10.9911.98
A really unusual album from the South African scene of the 80s – served up by a blind quartet who partly echo the styles of other vocal ensembles of the period, but done with a mish-mash of styles that really keeps the whole thing interesting! The album's maybe best-remembered for a few ... read moreCD
A fantastic legacy in music from Mohamed Mazouni – an Algerian singer who worked towards political ends during the heady changes of the 60s – and who soon left his native country work over a decade's worth of recording in Paris! The Paris/Arab continuum was stronger than ever after the ... read moreCD
Rare singles and unreleased tracks from one of the funkiest artists on the 70s scene in Ethiopia – the amazing Ayalew Mesfin – a fantastic talent with a groove that's dying to be heard! Mesfin's music has maybe even more of James Brown groove than some of his funky contemporaries ... read moreCD
The first-ever full length global collection of material by one of the funkiest cats working the Ethiopian scene in the early 70s – an artist who works here in a mode that's even more hard-hitting and funk based than contemporaries like Mulatu or Mahmoud Ahmed! The band on most tracks is the ... read moreCD
Mindblowing work from a revolutionary artist – one of the coolest cats on the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – and a singer who could effortlessly blend together American funk with East African elements! The music here definitely echoes some of the Ethio modes of some of Ayalew Mesfin's ... read moreCD
Mighty Sparrow —
Slave ... CD National/Modern Harmonic, 1963. New Copy ...
$9.9914.99
A great 60s record from Mighty Sparrow – and the kind of set that shows just how different calypso music could sound when you got away from Harry Belafonte and the hits! The music here is every bit as political and socially conscious as earlier recordings of the genre – but you can ... read moreCD
Searing sounds from 70s Zambia – from one of the hippest, funkiest, most sharp-edged groups on the scene! This sweet little set may well be the best album ever from Musi O Tunya – a perfect fusion of funky roots with lots of Afro Soul touches, and a wicked approach to the guitar that ... read moreCD
Some of the heaviest work to come from the African scene of the 70s – the initial offering of the Ngozi Family – a group who clearly take strong inspiration from the Cream years of the UK scene, but who also come across with a grittier, punkier vibe overall – thanks to lean, ... read moreCD
An Afro Funk treasure from the 70s – a rare album recorded by Pax Nicholas, a singer and percussionist who was part of Fela's legendary Africa 70 band! The album's got a sound that definitely echoes that heritage, but with a groove that's pretty weird too – more stripped down than most ... read moreCD
Nkem Njoku & Ozzobia Brothers —
Ozzobia Special ... CD Tabansi/BBE (UK), Early 80s. New Copy ...
$14.9918.99
A nice mix of older highlife modes with some of the more electric touches of the 80s – still produced with a nice lean vibe overall, and plenty of live energy that leaps between the riffing guitar, percussion, and horns – all augmented by these nicely quirky lines on keyboards! The ... read moreCD
Nomade Orchestra —
EntreMundos ... CD Far Out (Brazil), 2017. New Copy ...
$7.9916.99
A second great set from Nomade Orchestra – a Brazilian group who bring a trans-global approach to jazz-based instrumentation – with a resulting sound that's unlike anyone else we can think of! These guys aren't in the usual Brazilian groove, and they're also not like some of the Afro ... read moreCD
Nubiyan Twist —
Jungle Run ... CD Strut (UK), 2019. New Copy ...
$11.9912.99
Great work from a group who really know how to open up their sound – a larger ensemble who might have sounded like an Afro Funk combo at one time, but who've really done a lot to find their own special groove! The mix of sharp instrumentation, percussion, and horns could have just gotten a ... read moreCD
Mike Nyoni & Born Free —
My Own Thing ... CD Now Again, Mid 70s. New Copy 2 CDs ...
$8.9919.98
Wonderfully trippy sounds from Mike Nyoni – one of the funkier talents in the Zamrock scene of the 70s – even though he also works with lots of the slight psychedelic touches of other contemporaries too! Mike's style on guitar is a bit too loose to be funk, but it's also got this nice ... read moreCD
A damn soulful album from Ghanaian percussionist Rim Kwaku Obeng – recorded in LA at the end of the 70s, with loads of sweet clubby touches in the mix! Rim gets in plenty of tight percussion – lots of which showcases his rim-heavy approach to the drums – and also plays keyboards ... read moreCD
A landmark of Afro-centric jazz in the 70s – and the first album by this famous underground collective! Oneness of Juju were a Washington DC-based group that grew out of the ashes of the Juju avant jazz ensemble – formed in the culturally rich African-American community of DC in the ... read moreCD
No charity needed here – as reedman Eji Oyewole's got a wealth of talent on his own! Eji's a musician with roots in the 60s Nigerian scene, but left to follow a personal path through Europe and the US, where he picked up some wonderfully funky styles which are then brought home to create ... read moreCD
Peace —
Black Power ... CD Copperbelt/Now Again, Mid 70s. New Copy ...
$7.9917.98
A really raw set from 70s Africa – one that's more rock than Afro Funk, but which has a pretty hypnotic groove overall! The group's heavy on guitars, which are often played in a fuzzy, jamming sort of way – but with different tones and phrasing than American or Anglo psyche groups ... read moreCD
Penny Penny —
Yogo Yogo ... CD Awesome Tapes From Africa, 1996. New Copy ...
$12.99
The strong second album from Penny Penny – a set that has the South African singer emerging as even more of a superstar than before – as you might guess from his look on the cover! The style is this unique blend of older South African vocal modes with more contemporary club elements ... read moreCD
Very early work from Astor Piazzolla – recorded in the decades before he first started hitting fame on the international scene – and with a sound that shows that his skills on the bandoneon were every bit as great in his youth as they were in his later years! The music here is a bit ... (Latin, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Some really fantastic collaborations from the legendary Astor Piazzolla – done at a time when the Argentine musician was being seen as way more than just a bandoneon player – and instead the fully creative genius whose experiments really helped shape the music of the 70 at a global ... (Latin, Global Grooves)read moreCD
One of the most striking recordings of the 60s from the legendary Astor Piazzolla – a set recorded live in New York, and one that explodes with new sounds right from the very first note! Astor's in prime modernist form here – completely exploding the old format of the tango, stripping ... (Latin, Global Grooves)read moreCD
(HQCD pressing!)
Astor Piazzolla —
El Tango ... CD Polydor/Universal (Japan), 1965. New Copy ...
$24.99
An important 60s project from the bandoneon legend Astor Piazzolla – a collaboration with writer Jorge Luis Borges, and done with all these new sorts of modern modes that point the way towards the growth that Astor would show in the 70s! Borges contributes words to some of the project, which ... (Latin, Global Grooves)read moreCD
An amazing example of the genius of the legendary Astor Piazzolla – as the set has him taking older tune from Argentine music, and completely revising their presentation with all sorts of modern elements that he was using in his own music at the time! The tunes are from the 20s/30s stretch ... (Latin, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Astor Piazzolla takes on tango themes from the romantic era – but he explodes the music in the process, and fills it in with all these weird and wonderful modern elements that you never would have heard on the original Argentine singles! Piazzolla's own bandoneon is fantastic – a ... (Latin, Global Grooves)read moreCD
(HQCD pressing!)
Astor Piazzolla —
Olympia 77 ... CD Polydor/Universal (Japan), 1977. New Copy ...
$24.99
A live set from Argentine musical legend Astor Piazzolla – recorded in Paris, and with a vibe that really makes the music even more striking than some of his other fantastic records from the 70s! The group's a bit different – in that it's got a drummer, who brings an even bolder sense ... (Latin, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Unreleased work from Terry Riley – recorded in the WDR studios of German Radio, and a tremendous addition to his catalog! The first half of the music here features Riley on piano and electronics, in duet with Krishna Bhatt on sitar and tabla – in a mode that further unlocks the ... (Out Sound, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Roforofo Jazz —
Fire Eater ... CD Office Home (France), 2021. New Copy ...
$19.99
A French group, fronted by an MC from Chicago – working here in a style that's every bit as striking as the cover! The core sounds blend together older Afro Funk elements with jazz – in a groove that's nice and lean, and which provides a really unique setting for the rhymes of Days ... read moreCD
Amazing sounds from Niger – some really hypnotic lines on electric organ – played in a way that's unlike any other use of the instrument we've ever heard! There's a flowing, water-like quality to the music that's almost in the territory of Terry Riley's work on organ – yet the ... (Out Sound, Global Grooves)read moreCD
An unusual album from the West African scene of the 70s – a set that brings together that area's styles with touches of reggae and maybe a slight current of soul – all of which makes for a very distinct approach to rhythm, which is also echoed in the vocals and instrumentation! There's ... read moreCD
Insanely wonderful work from Shango Dance Band – a group headed by onetime Fela Kuti bandmate Ojo Okeji – whose bass work here is worth the price of admission alone! Okeji was a key part of Fela's Koola Lobitos, until leaving the group in 1968 – and taking some of the best ... read moreCD
Fantastic funk from SJOB Movement – a 70s group who only cut a handful of records – all of them every bit as righteous and heavy as this one! The group have a perfect fusion of funk, psych, and other cool elements – all served up in a blend that's more straightforwardly soulful ... read moreCD
The Sorcerers return, and with a sound that's even deeper than before – a fantastic blend of funk and Ethiopian elements – but with a tightness that also resonates with some of the hipper European sound library work of the 70s! In fact, there's a mode here that's like those few special ... read moreCD
A fantastic set from 70s South Africa – and a record that maybe has a lot more of an American funk vibe than you'd expect! The style is nice and lean, and is often in a mode that echoes some of the cooler underground disco of the late 70s on the east coast – almost as if these cuts ... read moreCD
A huge amount of work from a reedman we'd never heard before – Martinique-born Alexandre Stellio – a hell of a clarinet player, and one who effortlessly weaves together island rhythms and early strands of jazz! All of the recordings here were done in Paris during the mid 30s, and ... read moreCD
Fantastic longform grooves from the Tabansi Studio Band – a cool combo who worked to support Nigerian artists on the Tabansi label, but who have a sound here that's very much their own! These tracks are a lot wilder and more freewheeling than any of the group's music behind a singer – ... read moreCD
A seminal album in Jamaican music from Lord Tanamo – a singer with roots in calypso, but a sound that really paves the way for ska and rocksteady to come! The record's a full length set from the Gaydisc label of important early producer Sonia Pottinger – and like some of Pottinger's ... (Reggae, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Ebo Taylor —
Palaver ... CD Tabansi/BBE (UK), 1980. New Copy ...
$9.9916.99
A never-issued session from the legendary Ebo Taylor – recorded right at a time when Taylor was really hitting on all burners! The sessions were done for the Nigerian Tabansi label, but feature Ebo's touring band from Ghana – a tight combo whose crackling rhythms are perfect for his ... read moreCD
A really unique little record – an album of original songs based on older tradition, and one that interweaves elements of Portuguese culture with deeper roots of Angolan music! Lilly Tchiumba penned all the tracks herself, and sings in the Angolan language of Kimbundu – but there's a ... read moreCD
(Special limited CD – pressed up for us by the Smithsonian Folkways label. Comes with original cover artwork, and the CD also features a PDF file with the original liner notes and other materials from the original record release.)
Teaspoon & The Waves —
Teaspoon & The Waves ... CD Soul Jazz Pop/Mr Bongo (UK), 1977. New Copy ...
$11.9912.99
Clubby work from the South African scene of the 70s – but a set that's got a very equal amount of jazz – as you might guess from the group's saxophone-wielding leader on the cover! Tracks are long, and build from an instrumental core first – often leaving out vocals entirely, as ... read moreCD
A killer little record that's way more than just a set of obscure Afro-styled grooves – given that the whole thing was produced by funky soul genius Oliver Sain – and features work from avant jazz musicians who include Oliver Lake on alto and flute, Lester Bowie on trumpet, and Charles ... read moreCD
Justin Thurgur —
No Confusion ... CD Funkiwala (UK), 2021. New Copy ...
$13.99
Trombonist Justin Thurgur has spend time on the more global side of the scene in London during recent years – and here, he brings that experience to bear on a jazz set with a very unusual vibe! It's not easy to pick the straight influences of the tunes – there's currents of Afro Funk ... (Jazz, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Nice work from the Trans-Kalahari Quintet – a group that mostly resides in Botswana, but which also has a vibe that reminds us of South African jazz traditions from back in the 70s and 80s! The tunes all have a strong sense of flow – a rhythmic pulse that engages other southern African ... (Jazz, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Voilaaa (Patchworks) —
Voicii ... CD Favorite (France), 2021. New Copy ...
$19.99
We've loved the music of Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart in all its many forms for years – but over time, this Voilaaa project might well be our favorite – as it really gives Patchworks a way to blend past and present, while also reaching out over the space of the globe! As before, ... (New Grooves, Global Grooves)read moreCD
Wau Wau Collectif —
Yaral Sa Doom ... CD Sahel Sounds, 2021. New Copy ...
$12.99
A record that's maybe a bit misleading in its title – as the Wau Wau Collectif isn't really a fully-formed group, but instead a host of different singers and musicians recorded in a small village in Senegal – then brought together in the studio by bassist/singer Aruouna Kane, then ... read moreCD
Funky-strutting genius from Wells Fargo – one of the coolest, heaviest acts to come out of the Zimbabwe scene of the 70s – a moment when hard rock and soulful basslines came together brilliantly, to power the raw edge of a handful of groups like this! The music is maybe more late 60s ... read moreCD
(Very cool package – a complete 72 page, hardcover book – with loads of notes on the band, and a huge amount of vintage images too!)
A killer collection of contemporary Afro Funk work – but all served up from quite a surprising source! The music here is all from Brazil, but also continues that nation's long tradition of sharing roots and culture with the continent across the Atlantic – a legacy that's sometimes been ... read moreCD
A fantastic collection of sounds from the Nigerian scene at the end of the 60s – music in the apala mode, a highly rhythmic blend of percussion, voices, and thumb piano – served up with a style that's a lot grittier than some of the more commercial music of the time! These tracks are ... read moreCD
Covers and music inspired by the towering figure in Afrofunk – the great Fela Kuti – rare 70s material a few modern cuts recorded in Nigeria, Trinidad, Ghana, Colombia, Germany and America – some previously unreleased, and all wonderful representations of the far-reaching ... read moreCD
One of the most ambitious projects we've ever seen from Numero – and that's saying a lot, given some of their other releases! This package is equal parts cultural document and musical treasure trove – a heavy book full of photos from a time when Upper Volta was stepping past its ... read moreCD
Not the usual sort of Nigerian sounds you'd hear on a collection focused on Lagos – and instead, music that was recorded far from the central city of the nation – often with a much rootsier vibe overall! These tunes still have plenty of funk and jazz in the mix, but they often come ... read moreCD
Caribbean styles hit the American scene – then get transformed into something completely different in this huge collection of recordings that span styles that include jazz, Latin, R&B, soul, and blues! In some cases, the Caribbean element comes through in the song structure – which ... (Jazz, Global Grooves)read moreCD
A completely different side of Colombian music than you'd know from Discos Fuentes and some of the other mainstream outlets from that scene – as the tracks here are all from the contemporary underground, and represent a really rich flowering of creative grooves and soulful modes! In truth, ... (New Grooves, Global Grooves)read moreCD
An amazing world of music – rare funk, soul, reggae, and other grooves from Belize – all beautifully compiled in the rich Numero Music style! We're really stunned by the set – as we had no idea at all that Belize had anything going on at this level – and the collection is ... read moreCD
Heavy funk from the Bahamas – a whole bunch of groups that will show you that Nassau had a lot more to offer than The Beginning Of The End! The groove here is totally wonderful – somewhat like American funk of the late 60s and early 70s, but served up with some very unusual rhythmic ... read moreCD
Incredible third coast salsa from the late 70s – amazing stuff from the orquestras of Carlos Ruiz and his Ebirac label – made by singers and players in Chicago's Puerto Rican community of the period that stands up just as well today! Chicago salsa, unlike more nationally popular styles ... read moreCD