Global Grooves — In Stock — Vinyl
Unusual grooves from around the globe -- Afro Funk, Bollywood soundtracks, Turkish rock, gamelan, ethnographic/field recordings, sitar sounds, and more!
CDs (226) new/used, Vinyl (387) new/used, LPs (374) new/used, 12-inch (8) new/used, 7-inch (5) new/used, All (613)
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Domino Sound, Early 60s. New Copy ... $16.99
Beautiful sounds from the short-lived musical legacy of Salum Abdallah and his Cuban Marimba Band – a group from Tanzania, but one who play with lots of influence from Latin Music – as you might guess from their name! And yet, unlike some of the larger, fuller Latin-influenced groups ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
EMI/Dig This Way (Italy), 1984. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99
The cover looks a bit cheesy – like some sort of Star Search graphic – but the album's a rock-solid gem from the second decade of Nigerian funk – recorded in Lagos with a great boogie vibe, and a groove that's as heavy on keyboards as it is on riffing guitar and percussion! Peter ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
No Wahala Sounds (UK), Early 70s. New Copy ... $8.99
Two great tracks by this group from Sierra Leone! "Temedi Oh" has this fast-moving groove that's totally wonderful – followed by guitar that riffs along in quick time with the pulsating bass, and topped with a vocal call that's like icing on the cake! "Den Kick" is a bit ... (Funky 45's, Global Grooves) read more 7-inch, Vinyl record
Altercat (Germany), 2019. New Copy ... $24.99
Great diaspora sounds from Afrodyssey Orchestra – a group who bring so much more to their music than most of their contemporaries – in ways that both tap into their native cultural history in Greece, and really open up some of the deeper jazz currents of their songs! Instrumentation ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download!)
Blue Note (France), 2018. New Copy ... $19.99
The great Tony Allen has always been a hell of a collaborator – especially in his later years – and here, he makes some really wonderful music with Jeff Mills – a criss-crossing of acoustic and electric percussion patterns that are every bit as hypnotic as Allen's early material, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Now Again, 1975. New Copy 2LP (reissue)... $25.99 28.98
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Africa ... CD 10.99(Includes download!)
Cougar/Mr Bongo (UK), 1982. New Copy (reissue)... $20.99 21.98
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Vendemiaire/Digger's Digest (France), Late 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $32.99
Really fantastic work from Cossi Anatz – a 70s French group who play something they term as "jazz Afro-Occitan" – a wonderful hybrid of modes that's even more compelling than you might think! At some level, the record follows from some of the experiments of Jef Gilson along ... (Jazz, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited to 500 copies.)
Daptone, 2017. New Copy ... $14.99 17.98
Maybe the most searing album we've ever heard from Antibalas – a set that's completely on fire from the very first note, both musically and politically – and which burns with an intensity that seems to blow away all their previous music! Make no mistake, we've always loved these guys ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download!)
EMI/Tidal Waves, 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $23.99
A tight little set from one of the grooviest groups on the Nigerian scene of the 70s – a combo who could play with a familiar mix of fuzz and funk, but also throw in some deeper soul touches on the vocals – in a way that makes the whole album a much richer set than work by some of their ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited to 500 copies!)
Nanga Boko (France), 1979. New Copy (reissue)... $26.99
Pascal Atangana is a hell of a singer – one who can move quickly, but with lots of deft changes – over the very dynamic rhythms provided by his excellent backing group! The set was originally issued as a part of a series to showcase the music of Cameroon in the 70s – but it's got ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Hand-numbered limited edition of 300 – with poster and download!)
Now Again, Mid 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $21.99 25.98
A really wild album from this Indian psych group of the 70s – a set that's a bit different than their better-known first and second albums, but which is pretty darn groovy overall! The set's definitely somewhere in the "disco" of the title – but not in a slick, commercial way ... (Rock, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Big Crown, 2018. New Copy ... $18.99 24.98
Funky genius from a mighty unique group – one who've drunk deep on the classic steel band sounds of the 70s, but who've also refined that groove with a contemporary funk approach too! The group's the brainchild of Bjorn Wagner – who you might know from The Mighty Mocambos – and ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Serpent's Mouth (with bonus tracks) ... CD 15.99
Tabansi/BBE (UK), Late 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 26.98
Excellent sounds from Ojo Balingo – a Nigerian juju artist from the same stretch as King Sunny Ade – but one whose music is much more obscure to audiences on this side of the Atlantic! Balingo's group here has the loose, spontaneous vibe that characterizes juju at its best – this ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Afrotunes – Best of Juju Vol 2 – Oba Mimo Olorun Ayo ... CD 14.99
Ketu (France), 1982. New Copy (reissue)... $29.99
A funky little gem from Emma Baloka – a singer who worked in a few different groups in the 70s scenes between Nigeria and Cameroon, then cut this early 80s set on his own! Emma's got a groove that really shows his travels – often as skittish as it is funky, and not content to ever stay ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes bonus poster!)
Saravah/Souffle Continu (France), 1970. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $22.99
Beautiful stuff – and one of the most stunning jazz albums ever recorded – a blinding mix of harpsichord, cello, and Indian percussion – with a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The album was the brainchild of the cross-culturally fertile Saravah records at the ... (Jazz, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Batsumi —
Batsumi (140 gram vinyl) ... LP Matsuli (UK), 1974. New Copy (reissue)... $26.99
One of the most compelling albums we've heard from the African scene of the 70s – a rare set from a Soweto group, and one that's got a heavy dose of spiritual jazz in the mix! The album almost feels more like the kind of set you'd hear by a Paris group, extrapolating African sounds in the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited repress!)
Beau Monde (France), 1990. New Copy (reissue)... $32.99
A record from the start of the 90s, but one with a spirit that's much more like some of the best 70s hybrids of jazz and global rhythms – served up here by a group that features plenty of the three musical elements pictured on the cover, plus some vocals from the ensemble as well! Electric ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Rupa Biswas —
Disco Jazz ... LP Numero, 1982. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99
A record that's got to be one of the coolest recorded in Calgary during the early 80s – as it offers up a really unusual blend of modes that definitely lives up to its title, and which also borrows a bit from Indian music as well! Singer Rupa Biswas fronts a group that's equally strong on ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Disco Jazz ... CD 13.99
CBS/Afro 7 (Estonia), Early 80s. New Copy ... $11.99
A set of rare tracks from the vaults of CBS Records in Kenya – tunes that really show a nicely complex approach to the groove! Black Fire kick things off with "Fire" – a tune that's got a reggae vibe, but a sound that's quite different than the style of Kingston! The cut's ... read more 12-inch, Vinyl record
(Limited to 500 copies – with download!)
Mar & Sol (Netherlands), Early 80s. New Copy (reissue)... $14.99
One of the only albums ever recorded by Djarama – a group with roots in Cape Verde, but who rocked the Dutch scene of the mid 80s – where their highly rhythmic style must have been a huge hit! The approach here is a bit like some of the post-colonial acts recording in Paris around the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Cultures Of Soul, Late 80s. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $19.99 22.98
Modern music from Belize, circa 1988 – as the set brings together a host of homegrown recordings from Bro David – done in a style he refers to as cungo music! There's definitely some Caribbean touches in the grooves, but the music is also heavy on instrumentation and production modes ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Cree (Germany), Late 80s. New Copy ... $18.99 24.99
Great grooves from Brother Reistance – tracks that are aimed at the dancefloor, but which also have a strong social message too! "Tonite Is De Night" is a cool call to action, set to a rhythm with tight tropical touches – and "Crucial Decision" is presented here in ... (Soul, Global Grooves) read more 12-inch, Vinyl record
Makossa/BBE (UK), 1979. New Copy 2LP Gatefold (reissue)... $26.99 32.99
A killer blend of African roots and American rhythms – and a set that definitely lives up to the disco promised in the title! Buari's working here with a host of New York musicians – jazzy players who include Randy Brecker and Jon Faddis on trumpet, Barry Rogers on trombone, and ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Disco Soccer ... CD 14.99(Features the album pressed up on 2LPs, each of which play at 45rpm for extra added fidelity!)
Precious/BBE (UK), Early 80s. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ... $24.99 29.99
A pair of rare records by Sidiku Buari – issued back to back on a single CD! Feelings is a record that was issued on the tiny Precious label – home to only two Buari albums in its tiny catalog – and the set follows strongly on the work that Sidiku recorded in New York during the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Feelings In Africa/
Sidiku Buari —
Revolution – Live Disco Show In New York City (180 gram pressing – 2 x 45rpm) ... LP BBE (UK), 1979. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ... $24.99 28.99
One of the coolest records ever issued by Sidiku Buari – the Ghanian musician who also recorded just as Buari – stepping out here in a very unusual performance recorded live at a club in New York at the end of the 70s! Side one begins with this great crowd frenzy and very cool energy ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Revolution – Live Disco Show In New York City ... CD 14.99 This item will not be delivered to you before Friday, January 31.
Shanu Olu/Hot Casa (France), Mid 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $28.99
A really tremendous record from the Lagos scene of the 70s – a set that's completely sharp from beginning to end, and which has the same sort of side-long jamming that you'd find on the best records by Fela Kuti at the time! King Bucknor's billed as "The Black Isaiah Of Africa" ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Cultures Of Soul, Early 80s. New Copy (reissue)... $7.99 12.98
A slow-grooving boogie number from Junior Byron – one that's got a catchy sort of back/forth rhythm, which Junior uses to nice advantage with his swinging vocals on the tune! The version brings up the riffing guitar in the rhythms, in a way that's even cooler than the original mix – ... (Soul, Global Grooves) read more 12-inch, Vinyl record
100 Copies (Egypt), 2019. New Copy ... $22.99
A really cool concept for a record – one that's unlike anything else we've ever heard, both in its sound and instrumental presentation! The group features two drummers behind the keyboard lines of Islam Chipsy – drums playing together at a pace that's very quick and almost skittish, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Kalita, Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy Gatefold ... $25.99
Classic tracks from the short-but-strong music career of Julie Coker – a huge figure in Nigerian culture, both for her work onscreen and off! Coker recorded a handful of records at the end of the 70s – right at the height of her career – and the tracks here are from two of the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Figure & Ground, 2018. New Copy ... $23.99 24.98
A NYC combo with rhythms and traditions rooted in Colombia, and a unique psych-tinged , danceable sound! Raw rhythms anchor them a bit and provide deep roots while the powerfully soulful vocals by Carolina Oliveros and backing vocals by the rest of the group provide a soulful integrity, but ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited to just 500 copies! Pressed on tri color splattered vinyl.)
EMI/Roundtable (Australia), 1972. New Copy (reissue)... $29.99 34.99
The most mindblowing work we've ever heard from guitarist Amancio D'Silva – a really freewheeling blend of jazz and Indian music, and a set that goes far beyond most of his other albums! The album definitely lives up to the dream sequence promised by the title – as it features one long ... (Jazz, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Dynamic Sounds/Soul Jazz (UK), 1975. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ... $32.99 34.99
One of the hippest sets ever issued during the roots reggae wave of the 70s – and one of the most spiritual, too! The album's got a very special acoustic vibe at the core – earthy drumming that goes back to a pan-African tradition, these beautiful acoustic basslines that link the music ... (Reggae, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download.)
Return To Analog (Canada), 1970. New Copy ... Just Sold Out!
Vintage work from Marius Cultier – a singer with roots in the Antilles, but who found a very welcome audience in the French Canadian scene – where he recorded this great little groover at the start of the 70s! Marius has this rich vocal style that's often best set up next to rhythms ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Individually numbered limited edition of 500!)
Desco/Daptone, 1998. New Copy (reissue)... $15.99 18.99
One of the greatest grooves from the legendary Desco Records years – a brilliant album of modern Afro Funk done by The Daktaris – in a groove that's just as hard-hitting as any of Fela's work from the 70s! The album was one of the first to bring back an older African style to current ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Remastered pressing – with download!)
Mushroom/Manufactured, Late 60s. New Copy (reissue)... $16.99 19.99
Beautiful vocal work from Nitai Dasgupta – a singer in the Indian classical tradition, but working here in two different modes that are equally great! One side of the record has shorter songs that balance Dasgupta's vocals with light percussion and a bit of flute – and the other has a ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition of 500!)
Fantome Phonographique (Italy), Late 40s/Early 50s. New Copy ... $24.99
A groundbreaking album of Haitian recordings – not performed by Maya Deren, but recorded by the famous filmmaker during the late 40s and early 50s! In addition to revolutionizing the use of the camera in experimental cinema during the postwar years, Deren was also completely fascinated by ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Hand-numbered limited edition of 500!)
PSI/Hot Casa (France), 1971. New Copy (reissue)... $32.99
An amazing rare chapter in the career of the legendary Manu Dibango – and a darn funky one as well! This early 70s album was recorded in Paris, right before Manu's huge global "Soul Makossa" hit – and although it was done as an obscure sound library release, it really shows ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Wilfilms/Dig This Way (Italy), 1984. New Copy (reissue)... $32.99
Sweet boogie groovers from the early 80s Nigerian scene – heavy on warm vocals from Victor Essody and riffing guitar from Claude Dibson – but also warmed up with plenty of basslines and keyboards too! The sound is pretty spare and tight – electro soul, maybe filtered through a ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Awesome Tapes From Africa, Early 80s. New Copy ... $18.99 19.98
There's nothing quite like the voice of Nahawa Doumbi – a sound that's lean and powerful at once, haunting and heartfelt, and served up here on a set of tunes that were originally only issued on cassette in her homeland of Mali! The music features really deft guitar work from N'Gou Bagayoko ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available La Grande Cantatrice Malienne – Vol 1 ... CD 12.99(Includes download!)
Dur Dur Band —
Dur Dur Of Somalia – Vols 1 & 2 (3LP set – with bonus tracks) ... LP Analog Africa (Germany), 1986/1987. New Copy 3LP Gatefold ... $34.99 35.99
80s sounds from the Somali scene – but served up with a lean, raw quality that feels a lot more like 70s funk overall! In a decade where some of the other scenes on the continent were using more beats, electronics, and keyboards – Dur Dur Band still keep things plenty live, and plenty ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Dur Dur Of Somalia – Vols 1 & 2 (with bonus tracks) ... CD 18.99(Includes download!)
Tabansi/BBE (UK), Early 80s. New Copy ... $24.99 29.99
That's "Dytomite", not "dynamite" – and don't ask us what it means, either! But we can tell you that the set's a great bit of highlife, recorded with a lean, breezy feel – a bit more heft than just the duo pictured on the cover – with criss-crossing guitars, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Dytomite Starlite Band of Ghana ... CD 14.99
Sahel Sounds, 1994. New Copy ... $18.99 21.98
A fantastic album from a West Saharan group dedicated to political independence of the Sahrawi people, but who also work with a great blend of older acoustic styles and a few contemporary electric elements! The music has maybe a touch of Tuareg guitar in the mix, but there's also some powerful ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Tiris ... CD 12.99
Pura Vida (France), 2019. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ... $26.99
That's a pretty darn striking image on the cover – and the sounds within are pretty darn striking too – a fantastic mix of Cuban roots and contemporary hip hop production! French producer Al Quetz works here with El Tipo Este of Cuban hip hop group Obsesion – and the style is far ... (Latin, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available La Revancha De La Manana ... CD 16.99
Disques Debs/Tidal Waves, 1974. New Copy (reissue)... $23.99 29.98
The fantastic first album from Exile One – a group who recorded more mainstream work in Paris later in their career – but who really sound fierce and funky here right at the start! The sound is lean, stripped-down, and a lot more aimed towards American soul than you'd guess from their ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited to 500 copies!)
Beau Monde (France), Early 80s. New Copy (reissue)... $32.99
A beautiful blend of global rhythm and jazz – served up by bassist/berimbau player Serge Fabriano – a musician with equal ties to Paris and Guadeloupe, but who works here in a style that's completely his own! The music isn't as directly tied to other Guadeloupe rhythms as other ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
We Want Sounds (UK), 1978. New Copy (reissue)... $29.99
A 70s treasure from Lebanese singer Fairuz – a vocalist who never broke big on our shores, but who gave the world this beautiful blend of traditional instrumentation and contemporary production! The music comes across in two different modes – side one has more acoustic elements, and ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Soundway (UK), 2016. New Copy ... $22.99
The title certainly gets it right – as there's a strongly unified sense of spirit here from Family Atlantica – even more so than on their debut album! As before, there's a range of global elements moving through the mix – currents of South American and African styles, given a ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download!)
Asterie/Strut (UK), 1988. New Copy (reissue)... $13.99 23.99
Electrified zouk from the Guadeloupe scene – just the kind of unusual musical hybrid that's always made the Antilles so great! The work here has some echoes of the more familiar modes of zouk, but also has a leaner, more soul-based mode too – almost like a New York take on the genre, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Fela & Egypt 80 —
Army Arrangement ... LP Knitting Factory, 1985. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
The original take of "Army Arrangement" – one of the greatest 80s grooves from Fela Kuti – stretched out here over the course of the entire album! The notes list side one as being the "instrumental" and side two as the "vocal" – but in truth, the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Knitting Factory, 1992. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
Late Fela – but great Fela! Underground System was released in 1992, but it sounds like Fela's best work from the late 70s – grooving away at a triple-time beat on two incredible tracks, "Underground System" and "Pansa Pansa". "Pansa Pansa" is especially ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Fela & Roy Ayers —
Music Of Many Colors ... LP Celluloid/Knitting Factory, 1980. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
One of the best soul collaborations ever! Fela and Roy Ayers team up for this 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 ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Please Note – these copies have a slightly dinged corner from shipping, otherwise these are in great shape.)
Fela & Africa 70 —
Coffin For Head Of State ... LP Knitting Factory, Mid 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
One of the most compelling Fela albums of the 70s – and one that's got a very different feel than some of his others. The album features one long track – "Coffin For Head Of State" – and although the track still has the usual Fela staples of horn riffs, chopping vamps, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Fela & Africa 70 —
JJD (Johnny Just Drop) ... LP Knitting Factory, 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
An amazing album-length jam from Fela Kuti & Afrika 70 – recorded on the group's home turf at Kalakuta, and with this stretched-out building of energy that's completely amazing! James Brown may have created the longform funky style of vamping and soloing – but Fela takes it here to ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Fela & Africa 70 —
No Agreement ... LP Knitting Factory, 1978. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
A killer from the classic years, and one of Fela's best albums! "No Agreement" is a super great groover – with a catchy hook that goes on and on, and some very tasty playing by Tony Allen and the group. The track is long, with heavy solos, and vocals that will knock you out! ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Fela & Africa 70 —
VIP ... LP Knitting Factory, 1979. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
A searing live set from Fela Kuti & Afrika 70 – a long album-length jam, recorded in Berlin – with the group really going to town in instrumental frenzy topped with very righteous lyrics! VIP doesn't have the usual meaning here – as it stands for "vagabonds in power" ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Fela & Africa 70 —
Yellow Fever ... LP Knitting Factory, 1976/1999. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
A really killer 70s album from Fela Kuti – one that serves up a hell of a message, and some great slinky grooves too! "Yellow Fever" is a brutal attack on miscegenation, backed by a funky groove that makes the whole thing fall into place with an amazing riffing sound – bold, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Bongo Joe (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy ... $26.99
Not the kind of calypso that was issued by the big American labels in the 50s – and instead, sounds that have a sound, style, and overall approach that's maybe a lot more similar to American blues from the rural scene! The tracks here are all pulled from the personal archive of Walter Gavitt ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Pharaway Sounds (Spain), Late 60s/Early 70s. New Copy ... $25.99
A very cool group that's every bit as groovy as their look on the cover – and who make a sound that's way better than you'd expect from a bunch of New Zealanders holding instruments from Indian music! The core of the group is Kevin Clark and Dave Parsons – who play together here on ... (Rock, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Nanga Boko (France), 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $26.99
The first album recorded by singer Nkotti Francois and his Black Styls group – a combo who'd been backing Nkotti for years in clubs in Cameroon, and who work here with a very sharp sound right from the start! The instrumentation is often a bit unique – organ and guitar sometimes used ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes bonus download.)
Mississippi, Mid 50s. New Copy ... $15.99
Beautiful sounds from Tanzanian guitarist Frank Humplick – who plays here alongside vocal harmonies from his two sisters – in a mode that's almost like a East African cross between The Carter Family and Andy & The Bey Sisters! The vibe is different, of course – as the raw ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited to 1000 copies. Comes with a great booklet of notes!)
Gestu De Dakar —
Diabar ... LP Syllart (France), 1981. New Copy (reissue)... $32.99 34.98
Gestu De Dakar have a really great sound here – one that comes from some especially strong guitar lines from the group's leader, El Hadji Malick Diouf – who has a way of playing both rhythmically and with all these strange inflections that move all up and down in the grooves! There's ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition!)
Googoosh —
Googoosh ... LP Finders Keepers (UK), Early/Mid 70s. New Copy ... $19.99
Beautiful Persian pop from Faegheh Atashin, aka Googoosh (alternately, Gougoush)– and like some of the best, adventurous pop music from around the world at the the time, it's steeped in myriad styles – from emotionally string-laden to funky and danceable! Googoosh is a genuine ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Ostinato, Early 90s. New Copy Gatefold ... $18.99 19.98
Quick-stepping grooves from Grupo Pilon – one of the key groups who migrated from Cabo Verde to Lisbon in the early 90s – creating almost their own wave of a musical diaspora in the process! The sounds here are a more electrified version of island styles – often with some sort of ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download!)
Cactus/Hot Mule (France), 1986. New Copy (reissue)... $29.99
A record with a new wave-looking cover – but with a sound that's a lot more acoustic overall – a really unusual blend of jazz and Balkan styles, recorded on the Vienna scene of the 80s! The group bill their music as "jazz meets the orient" – which is definitely the case ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited to 500 copies.)
Heavenly Sweetness (France), 2019. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ... $26.99
Guts bills this set as "an Afro-Tropical experiment" – but to us, the album's just a further expansion of his wonderful talents as a producer – which have really come a long way in just a few years! Guts maybe got his start in hip hop, but he's able to embrace a globe's worth ... (New Grooves, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Philantropiques ... CD 16.99
Habibi Funk (UK), 1977. New Copy ... $19.99 21.98
A really mindblowing set of music from late 70s Lebanon – an ambitious blend of jazzy instrumentation, poetic vocals, and larger instrumental impulses – all with this soaring sort of energy that reminds us of some of the more complex Brazilian records of the 70s, or of some of our ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Mouasalat Ila Jacad El Ard ... CD 14.99
Sahel Sounds, 2019. New Copy ... $19.99
One of the coolest records we've heard on the Sahel Sound label to date – not the usual guitar material you might know from the imprint, but instead a batch of very cosmic keyboards – all instrumental, and spinning out into space with a vibe that's almost a collision between the best ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Kedzie, 1974. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $11.99
A really great chapter in the long and funky history of the musicians that also played in Lafayette Afro Rock Band and Cane & Abel – and a cool little set that may be one of the best records to ever come from the collective! The players work here as Ice – and come across like some ... (Soul, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Ubiquity, 2011. New Copy ... $12.99 18.98
The much anticipated full length debut of Brooklyn Afro Funk and psych soul-influenced combo Ikebe Shakedown – following up their tight, promising EP on the Colemine label with an excellent self-titled set on Ubiquity! One of our favorite things about Ikebe Shakedown's style is the way they ... (Deep Funk, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes a code for full MP3 download.)
Ikebe Shakedown —
Kings Left Behind ... LP Colemine, 2019. New Copy ... $18.99 22.98
It's hard to imagine these kings being left behind, as the sound of Ikebe Shakedown just keeps getting bolder and more majestic with each new release – a very special strand of deep funk, with a blend of horns that you might find in a more Afro-styled band, mixed with tighter rhythms at the ... (Deep Funk, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Kings Left Behind ... CD 11.99(Includes download!)
Secousse/Hot Mule (France), 1979. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $29.99
The debut albums from brothers Ismail and Sixu Toure – a duo who'd soon rise to global fame as Toure Kunda, but emerge here with a sound that's very lean and funky overall! The record's a great fusion of funky late 70s Parisian styles and elements from the Toure homeland of Senegal – ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Tabansi/BBE (UK), Mid 80s. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 29.99
Tight Nigerian boogie from Ben Jagga – done with a lean groove that really represents the change in styles during the 80s, while still holding onto modes that reference some of the funk from before! Ben's got this bright style of singing, and at times the record almost has a Caribbean vibe ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Hold On Pretty Woman ... CD 14.99
EMI/Outernational (UK), 1968. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
An album that's every bit as cool as you might expect – a set that's very much in the same Indo-jazz experiments as saxophonist Joe Harriott, but with a slightly different approach overall! Although sitar is part of the instrumentation, there's also a fair bit of conventional jazz phrasing ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
CBS/Mad About Records (Portugal), 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
A classic album of 70s soul from Brazil – put together with a warm sunny finish that seems to unify the best modes of Rio and LA at the time! Singer Robson Jorge works here with frequent partner Lincoln Olivetti – and both artists handle plenty of keyboards throughout – lots of ... (Brazil, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
P-Vine (Japan), 1973. New Copy ... $34.99
A much-needed slice of work from Juju – the group who later transformed into spiritual funk ensemble Oneness Of Juju! Juju only recorded two full albums in the early 70s, so this unissued live set is a key addition to their catalog – and the whole thing's got this bold quality that's ... (Jazz, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Mimetik (France), 1973. New Copy ... $29.99
A fantastic live performance from French trumpeter Ivan Jullien – a musician equally skilled at leading a large ensemble as he is at his own instrumental solos! You might recognize Jullien's name for his backdrops on other, better-known French records of the 70s – but here, he's very ... (Jazz, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Lyncell/BBE (UK), 1982. New Copy 2LP Gatefold (reissue)... $24.99 28.99
A sweet Soweto group from the start of the 80s – one who have a nice current of funk in their mix, but who also serve up some well-crafted solos on both guitar and flute! The vocals are often warmly in that more familiar South African style of the period – but the record's nicely ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available African Sunset ... CD 16.99
Trikont/Sonorama (Germany), Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy ... $24.99
Fantastic work from Kapingbdi – a group who hail from Liberia, but who recorded all of these tracks for a label in Germany – all at a level that makes for a wonderfully open, criss-crossing sort of sound! These tracks aren't cleaned up or polished world music for the post-colonial ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Born In The Night – African Jazz/
Sonorama (Germany), 1985. New Copy (reissue)... $23.99 27.98
A never-heard fourth and final album from Kapingbdi – recorded in the mid 80s in Detroit, but with a sound that's really just a slight evolution from their style in the 70s! The music is equal parts global and groove – some tracks that go for a crossover clubby vibe, ala the shift that ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Heavenly Sweetness/Pura Vida (France), 2019. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ... $26.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Wahala Wahala – Joy From The Struggle ... CD 16.99
Brownswood (UK), 2019. New Copy ... $18.99 19.99
A great London combo who effortlessly blend together jazz and Afro Funk roots – working here with horn solos that have plenty to please fans of the former, but a groove that definitely borrows bits from the later style too! The octet bubbles along on tight percussion, drums, and bass – ... (Jazz, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Awesome Tapes From Africa, 1986. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99 21.98
A record that offers up a real criss-crossing of sounds and styles – the spare ahoko instrument pictured on the cover, and a host of excellent 80s electro soul elements at the core! The record mixes boogie beat and sweet keyboards with the lovely lead vocals of Antoinette Konan, and her ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Antoinette Konan ... CD 12.99
Folkways, 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99 22.99
A beautiful little record – one that features cascading tones from the strings of the kora, mixed with occasional vocal moments too! The album was recorded in Dakar and Brikama in the mid 70s – and is maybe the start of a great run of later sessions that found a way of taking this ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Gambian Griot Kora Duets ... CD 12.99(Very nicely-done reissue – with all the heft of an orginal Folkways pressing!)
Leaf (UK), 2019. New Copy ... $20.99 21.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available More Arriving ... CD 10.99
Gearbox (UK), 2018. New Copy 3LP Gatefold ... $38.99 39.99
A really amazing little record – one that's partly in the "jazz meets Indian" mode of Joe Harriott's experiments of the 60s – but a performance that also brings in a lot more from spiritual jazz, even though most of the instrumentation is more traditional! The set is live, ... (Jazz, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Tramp (Germany), 2019. New Copy ... $18.99
The Kutimangoes keep on refining their groove with each new release – and really open up with a nice sense of variety from the usual Afro Funk mode! The horn section still has a strong role – two saxes, one trombone – but there are also both instrumental and rhythmic shifts from ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Afrotropism ... CD 14.99
Makossa/As The Record Turns, 1976. New Copy (reissue)... $12.99
A fantastic bit of Afro funky soul – one of a few albums recorded by the legendary Lafayette Afro Rock Band! The set has an incredible blend of American funk, African rhythms, and European production – recorded in the heady cross-cultural scene of early 70s Paris – with a sound ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Cultures Of Soul, Early 80s. New Copy (reissue)... $19.99 22.98
The debut solo album from Don Laka – an artist you might know from the huge 80s group Sakhile, but who here steps out as a soul singer on his own – working with a vocal range that's in the higher reaches, and which really fits the contemporary beats and keyboards in the grooves! Laka's ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Asherah, 1930s. New Copy ... $15.99
Roaring Lion is a singer who definitely earns his name – a strong early voice in the formation of calypso – and an artist whose early work on 78rpm discs still tops most of the later giants of the genre! The work here is an early hybrid of Island rhythms and jazz – often ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Verve/Modern Harmonic, Late 60s. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $23.99 24.99
A groundbreaking record that was done as something of a gimmick in the late 60s – but which has gone on to be a funky world classic over the years! Producer Alan Lorber was trying to cash in on the big love of "Eastern" styles in the late 60s – sitars, meditation, yoga, and ... (Now Sound, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Folkways, 1960. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99 22.98
The last album ever recorded by Trinidad calypso legend Lord Invader – and a set that really sums up all the genius he brought to his too-short career! At a time when the music was really entering the mainstream in commercial ways, Invader keeps things very spare, stark, and basic here ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Beautiful reissue – with all the heft of a classic Folkways pressing!)
Sonafric/Nubiphone (France), Early 70s. New Copy ... $24.99
One of the funkiest groups we've ever heard from the Cameroon scene – a combo who play with a super-tight sound that often has as much interplay between the vocals as the instruments at the core! As you'd guess from the three guitarists on top of the van in the cover, the group's sound is ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes cool booklet of notes, and bonus download!)
Afrosynth (Netherlands), 2018. New Copy 2LP ... $22.99
Contemporary jazz from the Johannesburg scene – served up by a group that features some especially nice sounds on tenor and trumpet! Despite the label's name – Afro Synth – there's only a bit of keyboards on the record, and those are mostly Fender Rhodes and piano – flowing ... (Jazz, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Afro 7 (Finland), Mid 60s. New Copy ... $12.99
Fantastic sounds from Mac & Party – two rare tracks recorded in Mombasa during the 60s! "Zandale" begins with this strutting spare guitar part, which then gets laced with these snakey, exotic keyboard lines – played on just a small set of notes, in a way that shows that ... (Funky 45's, Global Grooves) read more 7-inch, Vinyl record
Dig This Way (Italy), 1978. New Copy (reissue)... $32.99
A great little set from Mad Man Jaga – one of the few 70s albums by the Nigerian singer – despite a long legacy in other groups, including that of Sir Victor Uwaifo – who produced the entire set! The music is a blend of the skittish styles of Uwaifo's own music, with maybe a ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes booklet.)
Motella/Umsakazo (UK), 1966. New Copy (reissue)... $29.99
The earliest work we've ever seen from this legendary South African group – and music that's got a much rawer, more stripped-down vibe than the albums that made them famous in the 80s! These tracks are mostly just group vocals with a bit of percussion and guitar – billed as "zulu ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition of 300 – on heavyweight vinyl!)
NCF/Superfly (France), 1989. New Copy (reissue)... $29.99
Sheila and Desmond Majek work here with support from the Nigeria Conservation Foundation – whose message really comes across in the album's earth-minded grooves! The rhythms are a blend of 80s soul modes, with maybe a bit of a Caribbean vibe at times too – and the spirit of the vocals ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited to 1000 copies.)
Reprise/Strut (UK), 1967. New Copy 2LP (reissue)... $26.99 28.99
A huge breakthrough moment for Miriam Makeba – a South African singer who'd been bringing her music to the American scene for a number of years, but really took off in new soulful directions with this album! Previously, Makeba was maybe more confined to the world of folk – mostly ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Pata Pata – The Hit Sound Of Miriam Makeba (mono & stereo mixes) ... CD 13.99(Double-length package – with both mono and stereo mixes of the album!)
Bongo Joe (UK), 2019. New Copy ... $26.99
Malawian Madalitso are more of a duo than a band – Yobi Maligwa on babatoni and lead vocals, and Yosefe Kalenkeni on guitar and percussion – both working together with a beautiful sense of tightness and melody! The mix of stringed instruments is great – pulsating with an inherent ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
