A really cool Ethiopian record, but not the sort you might expect – as most of the instrumentation here is heavy on electric elements, which includes a fair bit of 80s keyboards, synth, and drum machine lines! The group were actually exiles, living in the Washington, DC area during the early 80s – and the record is almost a fusion of Ethio roots with more familiar American styles – a bit like the work that Mulatu created during his early time in the US, but with a very different vibe! There's lead vocals on one track, but most of the set is instrumental – and filled with plenty of sweet keyboard lines and guitar riffs – jazzy, electro, and plenty charming – on titles that include "Kalatashew Waga", "Anchi Bale Game", "Tez Alegn Yetintu", "Bahta's Highlife" and "Samba Shegitu". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful live set – and one that really reflects the rebirth of a legend! Ethiopian keyboardist Hailu Mergia cut some fantastic records back in the day, but had spent years driving a cab in Washington, DC – before the reissue of some of his older gems led the musician to come back out of retirement and play live again – which he does on this really fantastic set recorded in New York! The group's a trio – just bass and drums behind Hailu's keyboards, melodica, and occasional accordion – and the vibe is nicely different than some of his earlier material, with more complexity on some of the solos, and maybe a deeper sort of sophistication in the overall approach – as if Mergia spent all that time away from music cooking up new ideas that burst forth in the performance! Titles include "Yetewat Hil", "Yegle Nesh", Abichu Nega Nega", "Belew Beduby", and "Tizita". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare 70s work from Don Cherry, and one of the most perfect realizations of his organic music concept – a quartet session recorded for Italian broadcast, with long songs that have a very spun-out, meditative vibe! Cherry's on pocket trumpet, but is way more than a horn player – as his vocalizations and spirit really guide the whole proceedings – played by a quartet that features Nana Vasconcelos on percussion, Gian Piero Pramaggiore on guitar, and Moki on tanpura! As you can imagine from the mix of instruments, there's an earthy, organic vibe to the whole set – really special sounds that come together with a natural beauty that may well make the record one of Don's most spiritual performances of the 70s – and that's really saying a lot. Titles include "Koye", "Flute Song", "Dissolution", "Nana's Solo", "Om Shanti Om", Luna Turca", and "Chenrezig". (Jazz, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

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 colonial history, and finding a new cultural identity as an independent nation – presented alongside a rich array of the sounds that were shaping the scene at the time! The cover image has a feel that's maybe older than its 70s vintage – and some of the music does, too – relatively rootsy at points, with heavy percussion, riffing guitar, and jazzy inflections on some of the horns – and a bit less polished and produced than work coming from scenes like Nigeria or South Africa at the same time. The whole thing's similar to Numero's Light On The Southside set – but maybe even better, as the music here is even more unique – and the images are ones that bring forth a culture we never would have experienced otherwise. Titles include "Air Volta" and "Mama Soukous" by Volta Jazz, "He Ya Wannan" by Ouedraogo Youssef, "Si Tu Maime" and "Ram Passomaye" by Coulibaly Tidiani & Dafr Star, "Milaoba" by Les Imbattables Leopards, and "Gentlemen Doromina" by Echo Del Africa. 3LPs, 26 tracks, and a hardcover 144 page book! LP, Vinyl record album

The mighty Mulatu Astatke has given us lots of amazing music over the years – key records both home in Ethiopia and here in the US – yet this performance may well be one of his most special, as it unites the legendary musician with a host of giants from the American scene – all in a one-off performance that finally gave Mulatu his due! The leader handles vibes at the helm of an all-star group that includes Bennie Maupin on flute and soprano sax, Azar Lawrence on tenor, and Phil Ranelin on trombone – all spiritual jazz giants of the 70s who only further expand the genius of Mulatu's music – in the company of some younger musicians who include Miguel Atwood Ferguson on violin and Brandon Coleman on electric piano and organ. The whole thing is very much in keeping with the best Mulatu classics from back in the day, but also pushes things forward wonderfully too, with a lot more jazz in the mix – on titles that include "Yekermo Sew", "The Radcliffe", "Kasalefkut Hulu", "I Faram Gami", "Yekatit", "Mulatu", and "Ebo Lala". LP, Vinyl record album