A totally wonderful bit of jazz from Guadeloupe – recorded with a bit of American inspiration in the instrumentation, but also plenty of local grooves that really help flesh out the sound! The island combo features alto sax, flugelhorn, and plenty of electric piano – used with a freely fluid style that dances along wonderfully with the open-ended rhythms of the tunes. And while there's certainly a 70s funky jazz sound going on here, the overall execution is a bit more unusual – with some complicated rhythms that stretch out on the longer tracks, and really create a compelling sense of interplay that's quite different from anything in the US at the time! The electric piano is great, and tracks include "Eduardo", "Quand Les Oiseux No Pourront Plus Chanter", "Eduardo Soprano Latino", "Samba Pour Martine", and "Samba Arawak". CD

A pair of great albums back to back – both rare albums from a percussionist who worked with Sun Ra! First up is Mora volume 1 – a legendary early set from percussionist Francisco Mora Catlett – and a really sublime blend of spiritual jazz and Latin rhythms! Mora's percussion is definitely at the core – but the set also features wonderful contributions from Vincent Bowens on tenor and soprano sax, Jerome LeDuff on berimbau, Alberto Nacif on quinto, and Detroit jazz legend Kenny Cox on piano! There's a balance here that really matches the best Strata East energy of the 70s – an open, flowing approach that's completely sublime, and very righteous too – even more so than anything Mora's done since the 70s – making this record one of his greatest achievements ever. Tersa Mora sings a bit of vocals at times – and titles include "Afra Jum", "Five AM", "Rumba Morena", "Samba De Amor", and "Cultural Warrior". Mora 2 is a set recorded in Detroit, but one that's got a globe's worth of elements in the mix – originally recorded in the mid 80s, but not released until a brief CD issue in the early part of the 21st Century! Despite that history, the album's a really timeless record that encompasses a world's worth of elements in jazz! Francisco Mora Catlett's at the height of his powers here – leading the group with a sense of righteous majesty that takes us back to some of the most ambitious heirs of the post-Coltrane generation, but with perhaps an oddly rhythmic twist as well – such as you might find in some of the 70s classics of Bobby Vince Paunetto. Echoes of Latin, Afro, and spiritual jazz come together as one – soaring to the skies on soulful waves of sound – brought together with a sense of focus and spirit that really moves us a lot. Players include Marcus Belgrave and John Douglass on trumpets, Sherman Mitchell on trombone, Vincent Bowens on tenor and flute, Alex Harding on baritone and bass clarinet, Kenny Cox on piano, and Rodney Whitaker on bass – and titles include "Samba/Conga De Amor", "Amazona Prelude/Dawn", "Old Man Joe", "Por Que Paro", and "Afra-Jum (parts 2 & 3)". (Jazz, Global Grooves) CD

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". CD

No charity needed here – as reedman Eji Oyewole's got a wealth of talent on his own! Eji's a musician with roots in the 60s Nigerian scene, but left to follow a personal path through Europe and the US, where he picked up some wonderfully funky styles which are then brought home to create this completely cooking late 70s album! The style's different than other big Afro Funk names of the time – like Fela Kuti or Manu Dibango – but shares a similar sense of flowing, open grooves – and Eji's ability to act strongly as both a lead vocalist, and a soaring soloist on tenor, soprano, and flute! Rhythms are damn funky at the core – with almost a blacksploitation vibe at times – and the tracks are all quite long, with most of the real "voice" coming from the saxes, which speak volumes on their solos. Titles include "Gele Odun (Oil Boom)", "Lagos Complex Highways", "Unity In Africa", and "Charity Begins At Home". CD

A huge amount of work from a reedman we'd never heard before – Martinique-born Alexandre Stellio – a hell of a clarinet player, and one who effortlessly weaves together island rhythms and early strands of jazz! All of the recordings here were done in Paris during the mid 30s, and provide a great illustration of the way that the crumbling French colonial empire was allowing all sorts of unusual criss-crossing in sound – in this case, the already-strong Parisian love of jazz mixed with the influence of new phrasings, colors, and rhythms from the French Caribbean – very much in the spirit that would soon become known as biguine! Stellio recorded a surprising amount of music during these years – and the set brings together every session with detailed notes and excellent sound – recordings that are all awash with his amazingly deft, edgey reed lines over romping rhythms, piano, and guitar – the last of which has some slight echoes of Parisian swing. 85 tracks in all – and notes in French and English! CD

A really mind-bending collection of African grooves – one that digs deep into the West African scene of the early 70s – and comes up with a massive batch of tunes that really opens up our understanding of the music! The sound here isn't just 70s Afro Funk – as the tunes include a range of tripped-out styles that make the best use of electric instrumentation, psychedelic production, and important influences from American soul artists at the time. There's some amazing guitar on some of the best tracks – ringing out with a sound that's chromatically complex while also being tripped-out and funky – in a way that complicates the rhythms without totally taking them apart. If you've dug the tunes on previous sets like Africa Funk or Ghana Soundz, this is one to take that sound to the next level – and really open up your ears! Titles include "Keleya" by Moussa Doumbia, "Love's A Real Thing" by The Super Eagles, "Minsato Le Mi Dyihome" by Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo De Cotonou Dahomey, "Porry" by Sorry Bamba, "Allah Wakbarr" by Ofo & The Black Company, "Sanjina" by Orchestre Regional De Kayes, "Ifa" by Tunji Oyelana & The Benders, "Zinabu" by Bunzu Sounds, and "Awon-Ojise-Oluwa" by Gasper Lawal. CD