With a record like this, it's hard to believe that Christian Scott started out in more standard jazz – as Chief Xian Atunde Adjuah is a very different artist altogether, one who wraps together worlds and eras of musical heritage – working here in a set that's very heavy on percussion, vocal refrains, and other elements you never would have heard in his earlier music! The leader works a whole host of percussion along with other members of the group, but also adds in some larger production elements too – always in a way that's nicely subtle, and preserves the acoustic energy at the core – yet which really enriches the proceedings too! The album's overflowing with righteous power – and titles include "On To New Orleans", "Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lighting", "Xodokan Iko Hu Na Ney", "Trouble That Mornin", "Blood Calls Blood", "Ashe Chief Donald", "Golden Crown", and "Shallow Water". (Jazz, Global Grooves) CD

The music of Lebanon never got much global exposure during the 70s – but it's clear that Ferkat Al Ard was bringing plenty of the globe's influences to play on this amazing record – mixing together bits of electric funk, Brazilian jazz, and soulful strings at a level that completely transcends the boundaries of language! The set's a bit like the classic self-titled set by Arthur Verocai from the 70s – music that's completely in a space that's all its own, and which has legendary properties, but also opens up to the listener with charms of its own that require no history or introduction at all – a set that's both personal and majestic at the same time, and which has charms that are impossible to put in words, but which grab you the moment you first give the set a listen. Titles include "Matar Naem", "Juma'A 6 Hziran", "Oghneya", "Matar Al Sabah", "Entazerni", and "Lahnon Lemra'Ati Wa Beladi". CD

A cool Scandinavian combo, and one who've got heavy influences from both American and African funk of the 70s – influences that they weave together wonderfully here in a rich tapestry of grooves! There's as much Nigerian elements in the music as Ethiopian – especially the more exotic horn parts of the latter – and in addition to familiar funk instrumentation on guitar, keyboards, saxes, and trumpet – the record features some especially nice use of percussion, flute, xylophone, and sitar too! Titles include the long Indian-themed track "Bhimpalasi" – plus "Gunkali", "Movefeze", "What Could I Do", "Surrounded", and "Big Words". (Deep Funk, Global Grooves) CD

Music at the crossroads – as Roger Bekono takes an older style of rural expression, and forges it with some of the more electric modes that were bubbling up on the global scene at the time – all in a set of extended groovers that feature a very lively interplay of vocals and rhythms! The tunes bubble long with keyboard parts that seem to take over from older highlife modes, while the electric rhythms have a gentler approach than the heavier modes used in American dance or soul – so that the vocals flow nicely over the tops of the tunes, rising and falling with a warm sense of inflection. Titles include "Etom Mot", "Jolie Poupee", "Enying Moni", and "Ye Wo Kombel". CD

A really wonderful album from this ever-changing Brazilian group – a combo who started out in more standard Afro Funk modes years ago, but who've really shifted their music in all sorts of great ways over recent albums! There's still some strong use of horns and heavy percussion throughout – but they also work in keyboards and electronics in these really great ways – almost echoing some Brazilian musical experiments from that Trama Records generation at the start of the century, while also holding true to the more acoustic elements at their roots! Titles include "Baile Flutante", "Mar Virado", "Loa Lua", "Marginal Elevado Radial", and "Na Quarta Feira". (Brazil, Global Grooves) CD

A really unique project from Philippe Samiguel – recorded in Bamako, where Samiguel has worked as a producer for many years – during which time he's pulled together ideas from all sorts of different projects, and forged them into a new groove of his own! Samiguel's worked most famously with Samba Toure – who's here on the record alongside other artists who include Hugo Race, Mariam Kone, Mamadou Sidibe, and others – working on music that has roots in Malian blues, Tuareg guitar, and other west African modes – but which has a quality that's also very much all its own. There's an experimental nature to the project that takes us back to some of the best global experiments from the early days of the Crammed label – and titles include "Are U Satisfied", "The First Tone", "Minamba", "Heaven Sands", "Mad Girl Lament", "Quicksand Blues", and "Golden Cage". CD