Black Friday
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 (314) new/used, Vinyl (423) new/used, LPs (393) new/used, 12-inch (15) new/used, 7-inch (15 used), All (737)
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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
Sharhabil Ahmed —
King Of Sudanese Jazz ... LP Habibi Funk (Germany), Late 60s. New Copy ... $19.99 22.98
Really fantastic music, with a sound that's as hip as the image on the cover – not jazz as we know it here in the US, but a wonderful hybrid of our own musical roots with elements of Sudanese music – all delivered with a very postmodern mish-mash of styles, and a sound that's unlike ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Everland (Austria), 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99
An interesting turning point for this funky Nigerian group of the 70s – as the set's still got the chunky rhythms of previous efforts, but also shows a touch of influence from reggae on some of the grooves – as well as some very cool use of keyboard touches that give the whole thing ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
PMG (Austria), 1975. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99
A stunner from the Afro Funk scene of the 70s – and the kind of record that makes us realize just how much greatness there is to discover! Years back, we thought we'd heard all the good cuts from the sub-Saharan continent – but a record like this really makes us sit up and take new ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download!)
A Chahine & Fils/BBE (UK), 1979. New Copy 2LP Gatefold (reissue)... $24.99 28.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Belly Dance Disco – Ernest Chahoud Presents Middle Eastern Heavens ... CD 11.99
Blue Note (France), 2017. New Copy 2LP ... $36.99
One of the coolest records in years from the legendary Tony Allen – and that's saying a lot, given that his legacy includes famous work as a drummer with Fela Kuti, and a much more recent run of very experimental recordings! This set has Tony soaring out on Blue Note – and working with ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Tony Allen & Afrika 70 —
Jealousy ... LP Comet (France), 1975. New Copy (reissue)... $29.99
The start of a legend – the tremendous debut of drummer Tony Allen as a leader, after some key 70s work in the group of Fela Kuti! Fela's group is backing Tony up here – the key Afrika 70 lineup – and even Fela gets in on the action by laying down some piano solos and tenor ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Great pressing – in a heavy cover!)
Comet (France), 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $28.99
An Afro Funk classic – killer solo work from Tony Allen – originally known as the drummer for Fela during his key years – stepping out here on his own with the Afrika 70 band! The album's a monster all the way through – every bit as great as any of Fela's 70s classics, but ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Afro 7 (Finland), 1987. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99
Fantastic grooves from Amabano – an obscure group from Burundi, on a record that was initially only issued in the Soviet Union! That strange lack of exposure is no reflection on the music at all, though – as these guys are wickedly funky, and play with the sharpness and rawness of some ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition of 1000 copies – includes download!)
Now Again, 1975. New Copy 2LP (reissue)... Just Sold Out!
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
(Includes download!)
Cougar/Mr Bongo (UK), 1982. New Copy (reissue)... $14.99 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
Piranha (Germany), 2020. New Copy ... $25.99 26.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Afropentatonism ... CD 13.99(Includes download!)
Daptone, 2020. New Copy ... $18.99 19.99
Antibalas take a page from the Wu-Tang book, and add a little kung fu action to their music – with results that maybe make this set one of their freshest in years! All the core energy of the group is very firmly in place – that razor-sharp instrumentation that's made these guys one of ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Accords Croises (France), 2020. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ... $29.99
Arat Kilo blend together sounds of West Africa, currents of hip hop, and older Mid East modes – all filtered through their unique Parisian perspective, and topped here with help from Mike Ladd and Mamani Keita on vocals! The record's a great evolution of older world music blends that never ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download!)
Atumpan/Kalita (UK), 1980. New Copy (reissue)... $14.99
A lost set from percussionist Okyerema Asante – an African percussionist, but one who made some great music as part of the Black Fire/Oneness Of Juju collective on the DC scene in the 70s! This album follows with a spirit that's a bit like the later work of Oneness – and in fact, the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes bonus notes, photos, and interview insert.)
Kollington/Soul Jazz (UK), 1978. New Copy (reissue)... $19.99 32.99
An album of heavy righteous power from Alhaji Kollington Ayinla and his Fuji 78 ensemble – a group who bring a very different sound to this record than some of the more mainstream Afro Funk work of the Nigerian scene at the time! The group are heavily percussive, and also use their drums in ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition of 1000!)
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 11.99
Tabansi/BBE (UK), Late 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $16.99 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
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
Also available Baroque Jazz Trio (with bonus tracks) ... CD 13.99
Everland (Austria), 1979. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99
Bayan Mongol Variety Group may not have the catchiest name in the record store – but they definitely have a sound that really stands out from the pack – and which comes across as this unusual mix of 70s styles and more traditional modes! The vocals are by the two ladies pictured on the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
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
Hot Casa (France), 2020. New Copy (pic cover)... $14.99
A great little funky single from Franck Biyong – part of his continuing evolution and growth as one of the leading lights in the contemporary Afro Funk underground – an artist who's really moved past some of the slavish styles of years behind! Franck adds in both live drums and rhythm ... (New Grooves, Global Grooves) read more 12-inch, Vinyl record
PMG (Austria), 1979. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99
An album that definitely lives up to its title – thanks to a strong embrace of funky boogie styles, but served up here with a sweet Nigerian twist! Some cuts are heavy funk right from the start – clearly inspired by Kool & The Gang and other sharp-edged American groups of the 70s ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
PMG (Austria), 1976. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
Blo have gone through a few different phases before this fantastic fourth album – but none of them as funky as the work on this set – which may well set a whole new standard for the Nigerian music legends! The groove here is super-tight, with lots of excellent bass and drums snapping ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download!)
Honest Jons (UK), 2002. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ... $22.99
That Damon Albarn's a busy guy! When he's not busy being a rock star or mock rock star, he's off on holiday in some exotic locale – but making another record at the same time, like this one, recorded in Mali. We have to admit, though we were predisposed towards the bare field recordings ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Ubiquity, 2015. New Copy ... $9.99 10.98
One of the strongest Afro Funk jams we've ever heard from Bosq – but that's no surprise, given that Kaleta is along for the ride! "Take Over" builds beautifully from the start – spare percussion adding in layers over time – all rising in this great crescendo of horns ... (New Grooves, Global Grooves) read more 12-inch, Vinyl record
Cree (Germany), Late 80s. New Copy ... $9.99 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
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 8.99
Favorite (France), 2020. New Copy ... $26.99
A great release by this really unique combo – a Brazilian group, but one who are equally interested in the African roots in their music – but in ways that are completely different than any other contemporary act we can think of! Camarao Orkestra aren't one of those Fela-styled Afro ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Nacao Africa ... CD 19.99
Selected Sound/Be With (UK), 1983. New Copy (reissue)... $16.99
A very unusual sound library album from the German scene – a set that's maybe a lot more ethnographic than the usual stock TV and commercial grooves you'd expect – done by Victor Cavini with a fairly sensitive blend of traditional Japanese instrumentation and a few key modern elements ... (Sound Library, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Kalita, Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy Gatefold ... $18.99
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
Heavenly Sweetness (France), 1970s/1980s/Early 90s. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ... $28.99
Some of the hippest sounds we've ever heard from Guadeloupe – served up by Erick Cosaque – a singer, percussionist, and key figure in the gwo-ka genre – yet an artist who works in a special space that's all his own! The tunes here definitely have the heavy percussion of gwo-ka, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Sonorama Discos, 2019. New Copy ... $11.99 15.00
Something of a split single from Don Cuco – a set that features him remixing a track by Ibeyi on side one – really expanding on the warm vocals of the sister duo, with beats that are gentle and glowing, but which move nicely in a strong sort of Afro House mode! The flipside features ... (New Grooves, Global Grooves) read more 12-inch, Vinyl record
(Limited to 500 copies.)
Dug Out (UK), 1974. New Copy (reissue)... Just Sold Out!
Hypnotic, spiritually resonant music from Rastafarian singer & hand drummer Ras Michael's Dadawah – with these organic, echoey, atmospheric drums, bass and trippy bits of keyboards – providing a strong, spacious backdrop for the freedom-seeking lyricism! It's very unique stuff, ... (Reggae, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
PSI/Hot Casa (France), 1971. New Copy (reissue)... $34.99
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)... $34.99
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
PMG (Austria), 1980. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99
A sweet bit of Afro Funk from Effi Duke & The Love Family – a set that's got some great touches that make the whole album pretty darn unique! There's a lot more groove here than you might expect from the "love" in the title – long tracks that build up in a flurry of ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download!)
Yonca/Matsuli (UK), 1976. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $32.99
One of the hippest albums we've ever heard from bassist Johnny Dyani – and that's saying a lot, given his tremendous records of the 70s! The album's different than the album that Johnny recorded with fellow Blue Notes members on the Steeplechase label – and instead, the group here is ... (Jazz, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
EG/Glitterbeat (Germany), 1981. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $23.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Pace Setters ... CD 15.99(Includes download!)
Sahel Sounds, 1994. New Copy ... $13.99 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
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!)
Tabansi/BBE (UK), Late 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $16.99 28.99
One of the most rootsy albums ever issued by the Tabansi label – a set that's quite different than their more familiar electric modes, and which features very raw, tribal sounds by a percussion group that is tied to the Niri Kingdom in Nigeria! As you'd guess from their name, the ensemble is ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Relax In/We Want Sounds (UK), 1984. New Copy (reissue)... $31.99
One of those records that grabs you right away, even if you can't understand the language – a classic 80s set by Lebanese singer Fairuz, set to superb arrangements that resonate with some of the best European work of the time! Fairuz herself has a voice that's amazing – full of life ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Celluloid/PMG (Austria), 1983. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99
Words of love from Libyan singer Ahmed Fakroun – an artist who works with some sweet 80s electro soul backings that perfectly match his look on the cover! The vocals are mostly in Arabic, but they're set to backings that have a definite western approach – very universal in sound, with ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Fela & Egypt 80 —
Army Arrangement ... LP Knitting Factory, 1985. New Copy (reissue)... $21.99 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
Celluloid/Knitting Factory, 1980. New Copy (reissue)... $21.99 24.99
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
Fela & Africa 70 —
JJD (Johnny Just Drop) ... LP Knitting Factory, 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $21.99 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
Knitting Factory, 1978. New Copy (reissue)... $21.99 26.99
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
Knitting Factory, 1976/1999. New Copy (reissue)... $21.99 26.99
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
Fela & Africa 70 —
Zombie (180 gram pressing – with download) ... LP Knitting Factory, 1977. New Copy (reissue)... Just Sold Out!
One of Fela's greatest albums – and one of the few that got any sort of international circulation in the 70s! "Zombie" shows Fela at the height of his powers – grooving away in incredibly fast, incredibly tight Afro Funk lines, weaving guitar, sax, and keyboards together with ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Bongo Joe (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy ... $18.99
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
Nanga Boko (France), 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99
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.)
Ofori Brothers/Hot Casa (France), 1978. New Copy (reissue)... $32.99
Fantastic guitar work from K Frimpong – and plenty of other fantastic sounds too – all rolled up in his unique blend of Afro funk and high-life – served up here on four nice long tracks! There's vocals on the record, but the guitar and rhythms are what really drive the train ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Beautiful pressing – mastered at The Carvery, and served up in a nice heavy cover!)
Ofori Brothers/Hot Casa (France), 1975. New Copy (reissue)... $32.99
The sublime first album from K Frimpong – a really unique blend of hi-life and Afro Funk, but served up with all these unusual touches that make the album stand out from even most of the rest of the revolutionary sounds that were coming from Ghana at the time! There's this sense of flow that ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Beautiful pressing – heavy vinyl and cover!)
Ostinato (UK), 2020. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ... $24.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Dancing Devils Of Djibouti ... CD 16.99(A 45 rpm double vinyl pressing – with download!)
Cactus/Hot Mule (France), 1986. New Copy (reissue)... $19.99
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.)
Mississippi, Late 20s/Early 30s. New Copy ... $15.99
Groundbreaking guitar work from Mike Hanapi – one of the important early guitarists in the Hawaiian slide mode – from a generation that had a huge impact on blues and country music to come! Mike's style here isn't the cheesy 60s Hawaiian modes of the Don Ho generation – and ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Comes with a great booklet of notes, too!)
Now Again, 2014. New Copy 2 LPs ... $19.99 21.98
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Unstraight Ahead ... CD 7.99(Includes download card.)
Hot Mule (France), 1986. New Copy (reissue)... $29.99
A really unusual little album – one that partly embraces a globe's worth of acoustic percussion, partly expresses itself in the minimal percussion legacy after Steve Reich's Drumming, and partly embraces some of the electric/acoustic sounds of the New York downtown scene of the early 80s ... (Out Sound, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Comes with a bonus set of notes, and a download code!)
Heshoo Beshoo Group —
Armitage Road ... LP Little Giant/We Are Busy Bodies, 1970. New Copy (reissue)... Just Sold Out!
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Armitage Road ... CD 15.99
Light In The Attic, Late 50s/1960s/Early 70s. New Copy 2LPs ... $26.99
An amazing, career-spanning compilation of pioneering psych and earlier material, mixed with more traditional elements of Korean music by Shin Joong Hyun – including his own numbers, great songs with his combos over the years and tunes he wrote for others to sing – from the late 50s to ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
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
PMG (Austria), 1979. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99
A mighty nice set from Berkely Ike Jones – guitarist and one of the founders of the legendary Blo – working here in a groove that's a bit more Afro disco overall, but which still has all the great touches of his previous work! The music's plenty funky, but more in a clubby way than ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download!)
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
Fantome Phonographique (Italy), Early 70s. New Copy ... $22.99
Sublime sounds from legendary Egyptian singer Om Kalsoum – one of the greatest voices of her nation in the middle part of the 20th Century, and an artist with a style that's completely her own! Kalsoum has even more drama in her music than you'd expect from the cover – stretching out ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Hand-numbered limited edition of 500!)
No Wahala Sounds (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99
Classic benga work from the Kenyan scene – material pulled from the all-too-brief career of Kakai Kionzo, who managed to unite some of the scenes and styles in his nation, before leaving this planet at a very young age! The work here has a very rhythmic vibe throughout – basslines ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Fortuna (UK), 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $28.99
A nice hybrid of Mediterranean grooves from Koko – an artist born in Morocco, working in Jerusalem during the 70s, and open to a fair bit of elements from Greece as well! The record's got some elements of some of the funkier Mid-East work of the time, including tight rhythms and nicely ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
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!)
Mississippi, 1930/1931. New Copy ... $13.99
Beautifully folksy work from pre-war Greece – a series of 78s from Constantinos Bezos, not only a musician, but also a journalist and actor too – and reportedly one with a very political wit! That wit comes through in the title of the collection – but might not in the lyrics to ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Comes with a big booklet of notes, too!)
PMG (Austria), 1978. New Copy ... $18.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Zdenka Kovacicek ... CD 8.99
Night Dreamer (UK), 2020. New Copy ... $19.99 29.99
The best album in years from Seun Kuti – recorded live in the studio, with no overdubs at all – in a way that really lives up to the best sound of his legacy in music! Tracks are all nice and long, and as spontaneous as they are hard-grooving – a perfect update of older Afro Funk ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Siyal (Israel), 2020. New Copy Gatefold ... $24.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Wachaga ... CD 12.99(180 gram vinyl pressing limited edition of 300!)
Lafayette Afro Rock Band —
Malik ... LP 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
As The Record Turns, Early 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $11.99
Amazing Afro Funk from one of the greatest groups of the genre – The Lafayette Afro Rock Band, a funky ensemble recording in Paris in the early 70s! The group were working in a hotbed of cross-cultural styles – and brought American funk rhythms firmly into play with African influences ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
All Saints, 2020. New Copy ... $23.99 24.99
A really beautiful album from Laraaji, and a record that's a bit of a change too – as Laraaji not only plays just acoustic piano, but he also does so in a way that's different than some of his longer, more freer-sounding meditative work of the past! The instrument is recorded in the space of ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download!)
Drift (UK), 2019. New Copy ... $16.99
Saxophonist Bukky Leo grew up in Lagos, but has given his talents strongly to the London scene in the past few decades – where he's really made magic in a great criss-crossing of jazz with his Nigerian roots! Part of Bukky's long legacy is an annual tribute to Fela Kuti – and this set ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Songhoi/Rebirth On Wax (France), 1978. New Copy (reissue)... $29.99
An all-instrumental set from late 70s Zaire – a record that allows for plenty of focus on its best components – which include some great work on guitar, piano, and organ – alongside plenty of percussion and very rhythmic guitar lines! The sound is quite unique – especially ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Iefe Discos/Bongo Joe (UK), 1985. New Copy (reissue)... $28.99
Beautiful work from singer Pedro Lima – an artist who was part of the under-discovered scene in Sao Tome and Principe during the 80s – and who works here with great help from his backing band, Os Leonenses! The vibe here is almost a mix of West African modes and Caribbean styles – ... 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!)
Los Destellos —
Sicodelicos (2019 Record Store Day Release) ... LP Vampi Soul (Spain), Late 60s/1970s. New Copy 2LP ... $29.99
A killer compilation of late 60s & 70s tunes by Peruvian cumbia combo Los Destellos – leaning on the psychedelia inspired sounds from their earlier years! The sound is rooted in cumbia rhythms and electric guitar – but it nimble and spindly of heavily fuzzed out – with a more ... (Latin, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Maui Surf/P-Vine (Japan), 1978. New Copy (reissue)... $34.99
A rare bit of soul from the Hawaii scene of the 70s – and like some of the best of the genre, a record that's definitely got some influence from the warm Cali soul scene of the time, but which also brings plenty of its own style to play! The guitar lines have a nicely chromatic vibe, maybe ... (Soul, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Lui (Japanese paper sleeve edition) ... CD 24.99
NCF/Superfly (France), 1989. New Copy (reissue)... $19.99
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.)
Gallo/Be With (UK), 1988. New Copy (reissue)... $29.99
Groovy South African soul from Linda Bab Majika – a singer who's part of that new generation of positivity that was flowing out of the scene, reaching out here with a sound that's pretty universal in appeal! The music is more conventional 80s soul than you might expect – and richer and ... (Soul, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Bongo Joe (UK), 2019. New Copy ... $16.99
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
JMD/Digger's Digest (France), Late 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $36.99
An album that's unlike anything else we've ever heard before – served up by a percussionist who spent the mid 70s touring the Caribbean and South Pacific, and who seems to have absorbed a globe's worth of rhythms in the process! The album's probably closest to a jazz fusion album – as ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Hand-numbered limited edition of 500 copies!)
Better Days/Everland (Austria), 1983. New Copy 2LP Gatefold (reissue)... $34.99
A wonderfully groovy set from the early 80s Japanese scene – a record that's maybe got a lot more cultural strands criss-crossing than some of its contemporaries! The cover looks a bit psychedelic, and the sound is maybe a bit too – but with the sorts of early 80s keyboards and ... (Rock, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Utakata No Hibi (45 rpm clear vinyl pressing) ... LP 39.99(Pressed at 45 rpm!)
Better Days/Everland (Austria), 1983. New Copy 2LP Gatefold (reissue)... $39.99
A wonderfully groovy set from the early 80s Japanese scene – a record that's maybe got a lot more cultural strands criss-crossing than some of its contemporaries! The cover looks a bit psychedelic, and the sound is maybe a bit too – but with the sorts of early 80s keyboards and ... (Rock, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Utakata No Hibi ... LP 34.99(Hand-numbered limited edition of 400 – on 45rpm clear vinyl!)
Matsuli (UK), 1981. New Copy 2LP Gatefold (reissue)... $34.99
It's a strange thing to see Hugh Masekela sitting on a horse, out in a field – and the cover hardly gets at the energy that's going on inside – since the album features a full, funky live performance from the famous trumpeter – at a time when his group included piano and keyboards ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Arsivplak (UK), 1979. New Copy (reissue)... $19.99
A very groovy little record – one that was only ever issued in Denmark, but which stands up strongly next to the best Turkish grooves of the 70s – thanks to a great blend of Turkish percussion, keyboards, and some mighty nice work on guitar! The guitars aren't as totally exotic as some ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Awesome Tapes From Africa, 2020. New Copy ... $18.99
A great new recording from Hailu Mergia – the Ethiopian keyboardist who's given us some great records over the years! This set has Hailu working on both of his strengths – using keyboards in the lead on some tracks, accordion on others – plus a bit of melodica, and just a slight ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Awesome Tapes From Africa, 1977. New Copy ... $18.99 19.98
An amazing organ player from the Ethiopian scene – one whose work here easily rivals that of Mulatu and some of the best artists on the Ethiopiques series! Hailu Mergi has plenty of jazz in his approach – not just on his own keyboard lines, but also in the way he lets the group members ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download.)
Now Again, Mid 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $20.99 25.98
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Che Belew (March Forward) ... CD 14.99
Now Again, Early 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $20.99 25.98
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Ayalew Mesfin —
Wegene ... LP Now Again, Mid 70s. New Copy ... $20.99 25.98
Otherworldly sounds from Ayalew Mesfin – easily one of the most enigmatic artists on the mindblowing mid 70s scene in Ethiopia! Mesfin's got this way of inflecting his vocals that's amazing – an ability to run up and down the scale, all while moving forward – which makes his ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Comes with a great booklet of notes, too!)
East West/Ascensionale (Italy), 1969. New Copy (reissue)... $44.99
One of the most evocative albums ever recorded by the enigmatic Lloyd Miller – a set created at Brigham Young University, in Utah – but filled with a mix of different styles from the other half of the planet! Miller plays a variety of stringed instruments and percussion – ... (Jazz, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited to 200 copies – and packaged in a very heavy, hand-assembled cover!)
East West/Now Again, 1968. New Copy (reissue)... $20.99 25.98
Possibly the greatest album ever from the enigmatic Lloyd Miller – his legendary Oriental Jazz album from the late 60s, and a really wonderful blend of musical modes! Some of the tracks here really stretch out in the Eastern promise of the title – mixing jazz rhythms with santur, oud, ... (Jazz, Global Grooves) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Trojan/Antarctica Starts Here, 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $20.99 24.98
One of the most unusual albums to ever come from the legendary Black Ark studios of Lee Scratch Perry – a set by a duo of Congolese singers, Seke Molenga and Kalo Kawongolo – who are also not to be confused with The Congos, another group that Perry was producing at the time! The album ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Latency (UK), 2019. New Copy ... $16.99
A really cool criss-crossing of modes from percussionist Mohammad Reza Mortazavi – a musician who handles a range of older Persian instruments on the set, but also produced the album with a fair bit of echo and effects – so that the acoustic instruments crackle with deeper, more ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
PMG (Austria), 1978. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99
Sweet grooves from Harry Mosco – once the leader of The Funkees, but stepping out here with some wicked work from the London scene at the end of the 70s! The album's got a snapping electric vibe – sometimes clubby, but with more of a funk feel overall – thanks to some heavy ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Mulatu —
Afro Latin Soul ... LP Worthy, 1966. New Copy (reissue)... $12.99
Pure insanity from the mighty Mulatu – one of his few American albums from the 60s! The record's an incredible blend of New York Latin and some of the more Afro-styled grooves Mulatu explored more freely on his Ethiopian recordings – served up in a jazzy style that has plenty of vibes ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
