Amazing 70s recordings from Ethiopian singer Alemayehu Eshete – one of the greatest stars of the Ethiopiques series next to Mulatu! The style here is often quite funky at times – a strong James Brown influence in some of the rhythms, hitting hard with a heavy funk groove at the bottom, and topped by some sharp-edged, angular horns that further freshen up the sound. Other tracks are a bit more soul-based, and make great use of Eshete's amazing vocal style – kind of a back of the throat style of singing, and one that's quite a change from other expectations you might have of African funk from the 70s! Vinyl-only collection features some of the best tracks by Alemayehu from the Ethiopiques CD series – titles that include "Yeweb Dar", "Tashamanaletch", "Telantena Zare", "Feqer Feqer New", "Hameta", "Tey Gedyeleshem", "Eskegizew Bertchi", and "Quondjit". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning set of vocal recordings by Tlahoun Gessesse – one of the most important singers during the golden age of Ethiopian Music – caught here on a set of sides that sadly saw that period coming to an end! The tracks on the set are mostly from the early 70s, a time that saw great political changes in Ethiopia – and tremendous censorship and restrictions on cultural production. Gessesse's vocals during this time are perhaps even more melancholy and heartfelt than before, and he's working here on a number of sides with the legendary Mulatu – with arrangements that have a angular, almost modernist edge. Despite the language barriers that keep us from understanding what Gessesse's singing about, there's an incredibly evocative quality to the work that transcends time and place – and titles include "Alegntaye", "Aykedashem Iebe", "Ene Negn Wey Antchi", "Yene Felagote", "Beyet New Mengedu", "Lantchi Biye", "Tchuheten Betsemu", and two versions of "Kulun Mankwalesh". First time on reissue vinyl for this material – which originally appeared on the 17th volume of the Ethiopiques series. LP, Vinyl record album

A special vinyl release of one of the most striking volumes of the legendary Ethiopiques series – a set that focuses on the mad saxophone work of Getachew Makurya! The recordings on this collection are all from 1972 – and they feature the deep-toned Mekurya blowing in a strange and otherworldly tone, usually over spare backings that include percussion, piano, and/or organ – making for a sound that's almost like some of Pat Patrick's work for Sun Ra, but with a decidedly more ethnic feel! The compositions are all very basic, and very rhythmic – and Makurya's sax work snakes over the top in a really magical way. Titles include "Akale Wube", "Tizita", "Shemonmwanaye", "Yene Hassab Gwadegna", "Ambassel", "Almaz Yeharerwa", and "Yegenet Muziqa". Note – all tracks are from the Volume 14 CD of Ethiopiques – but appear here on vinyl reissue for the first time! LP, Vinyl record album

Mad grooves from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – featuring work by the enigmatic Mulatu, plus some of the other extra-cool artists on that country's groundbreaking soul and funk scene! Mulatu plays Fender Rhodes and organ on his tracks – grooving with a slow, snakey approach that's almost a bit like the work of Sun Ra, but which also has distinct African touches. The sound here is quite different than the Nigerian funky work of the 70s – much more laidback and open-ended, with less American influences, and a really unique approach! Titles include "Yekermo Se", "Yegele Tezeta", "Munaye", "Metche Dershe", "Kasalefkut Hulu", and "Tezeta" by Mulatu Astatque; "Heywete" and "Bemgnot Alnorem" by Bahta Gebre Heywet; and "Yetesfa Tezeta" by Tesfa-Maryam Kidane. Vinyl release of tracks pulled from the Ethiopiques CD-only series, done with some good notes. LP, Vinyl record album

Mad grooves from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – featuring work by the enigmatic Mulatu, plus some of the other extra-cool artists on that country's groundbreaking soul and funk scene! Mulatu plays Fender Rhodes and organ on his tracks – grooving with a slow, snakey approach that's almost a bit like the work of Sun Ra, but which also has distinct African touches. The sound here is quite different than the Nigerian funky work of the 70s – much more laidback and open-ended, with less American influences, and a really unique approach! Titles include "Yekermo Se", "Yegele Tezeta", "Munaye", "Metche Dershe", "Kasalefkut Hulu", and "Tezeta" by Mulatu Astatque; "Heywete" and "Bemgnot Alnorem" by Bahta Gebre Heywet; and "Yetesfa Tezeta" by Tesfa-Maryam Kidane. Vinyl release of tracks pulled from the Ethiopiques CD-only series, done with some good notes. LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing music from the golden years of Ethiopian Music – a set of tracks that will take you beyond the music of Mulatu, into a wealth of other talents from the scene at the same time! The sound here is incredible – a mix of heavy funk, spacey jazz, and other exotic touches all coming together – a unique sort of sound that's beyond referent, and which is easily some of the freshest music on the planet back in the 70s! The vinyl-only collection pulls tracks from different volumes of the Ethiopiques CD titles – and offers up a strong focus on the funkiest and grooviest numbers from that legendary series. Tracks include "Muziqawi Silt" by Wallias Band, "Hasabe" by Ayalew Mesfin, "Antchin Yagegnulet" by Tamrat Ferendji, "Amlak Abet Abet" by Asselfetch Ashine & Getenesh Kebret, "Temeles" by Alemayehu Eshete & Hirut Bequele, and "Aynotchesh Yerefu" by Samuel Belay. LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning stuff from the early 70s – one of the richest moments in the history of Ethiopian popular music! Haile Sellassie's reign was nearing its end, and the country was in the grip of a new renaissance of modernist ideas. To the rest of us, this means that the music scene was absorbing and mixing in a lot of strong influences from around the globe – and on this CD you'll hear funky rhythms, reggae bits, soulful vocals, and lots of other influences, all filtered through a strange sensibility that makes the results come out sounding amazingly otherworldly! There's 17 cuts on this first volume, and work is performed by Mahmoud Ahmed, Mulugen Mellesse, Getachew Kassa, Teshome Meteku, and Seyfu Yohannes. Also includes a few great instrumentals by lost artists! CD

An amazing return to form for the Ethiopiques series – wonderful cuts from that early 70s moment when Ethiopian music was really exploding with new ideas! If you've dug some of the other sets in the series – especially those by Mulatu, Tlahoun Gessesse, and Mahmoud Ahmed – you'll find plenty to love here – as the rhythms are exotic, the instrumentation unusual, and the sounds out of this world – really amazing stuff that breaks down any conventions you might expect – exactly that fresh spirit that's been taken up by so many younger artists in recent years. As with other volumes, notes are both in English and French, with lots of images too – and titles include "Wefe Yelala" by Damtew Ayele, "Gebre Guratch Gute" by Abbebe Tessemma, "Yakolele" by Gemetchu Itana, "Kasegnesh" by Tlahoun Gessesse, "Balendjere" by Abayneh Dedjene, "Yeborena Game" by Hayle Werque, and "Ayamaru Eshete" by Essatu Tessemma. CD

A second volume from one of our favorite compilation series of 70s African music ever – Nigeria Special Volume 2 from the rare Afrobeat treasure diggers at Soundway Records! This deeper delve into the well of hard-to-find early to mid 70s material sticks is just as wonderful – chronicling rare singles, A-sides and B-sides, as well as lesser known album tracks that wonderful fuse styles of African funk, soul & jazz, highlife and more. Heavy rhythms and passionate sounds galore, from the first half dozen years of the decade in this second, and purportedly final installment of the flagship Nigerian Special series! It's very exciting that researcher and compiler Miles Cleret puts together compilations of such top caliber material, on a level that it's mindboggling that so much has languished largely unheard for so many years! 19 tracks : "Psychedelic Baby" by Fubura Sekibo, "Shango Oba Onina" by Black's Zenith, "Omohupa" by The Otarus, "The Lord's Prayer"m by The Don Isaac Ezekiel Combination, "Jeka Subu" by Bola Johnson & His Easy Life Top Beats", "Motako" by Fidel Sax Bateke & The Voices Of Darkness and more. CD

A really cool little package – one that features rare 20s recordings from the Middle East, alongside a host of modern "responses" to the original music! The first half of the set follows beautifully in the spirit of other recent sets from Honest Jons – digging through the archives of EMI to find some amazing sounds recorded in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and Turkey – all presented here with sound that's infinitely better than their original 78rpm singles – a production job that's almost as mesmerizing as the music included in the package! The second half features new music commissioned for the package – all done by artists who are very sensitive to the original spirit of the first selections, working here with spare, acoustic instrumentation in an equally exotic way. At points, it's honestly hard to tell the difference between the old stuff and the new stuff – another achievement for the set – and rather than make that distinction, we'll just let you know that artists include Sir Richard Bishop, Haigo, Moustapha Bey Rida, Nechat Bey, Oudi Yorgho, Abdul Hussein Khan Shahnazi, Sami Chawa, Michael Flower, Micah Blue Smaldone, Paul Metzger, MV & EE, and Steffen Basho. 2CDs with lots of music! CD

A mindblowing look at a really stunning musical moment in Indonesia – a postwar period when older sounds from the nation were updated with more western-styled instrumentation – yet often at a level that still retained all of the charm of their roots! If you dig Indonesian gamelan or vocal performances, you'll find plenty to love here – as rhythmic and melodic elements from those worlds are mixed with jazz instrumentation, electric guitar, and plenty of percussion that often seems to draw a bit from Latin inspirations as much as it does from larger local ensembles and their musical legacy. The style is maybe a bit like musical shifts that were taking place in other Southeast Asian nations at the time – but the results are far less slavish to western pop, and still really retain all the cultural care of earlier years – sometimes in ways that are a lot more lean and personal, with extremely beautiful sounds throughout. Maybe one of the best collections the Soundway label has ever given us – with the usual detailed notes, and tracks by artists who include Orkes Kelana Ria, Mus DS, Zaenal Combo, Yanti Bersuadara, Band Nada Kentjana, Orkes Tropicana, Nada Kantjana, and Chris Byantoro. LP, Vinyl record album

A surprising slice of work from the 70s – three different albums all released under various guises by Armenian American reedman Souren Baronian – all put out on his own Carlee label, and done in a very cool mix of styles! Baronian blows both familiar American horns and more exotic instrumentation – sometimes with snakey qualities that echo both Egyptian music and Klezmer, other times with different inflections depending on the setting – and that setting varies here depending on the different records – as they each have a slightly different vibe! These are the sort of sets that would have easily been missed otherwise – either thought of as some 70s knockoff, or watered-down material for the crowds at a tourist spot – but they're wonderful throughout, with a depth of expression that really holds on throughout all the albums. The set brings together the records Middle Eastern Soul by Bob Tashijan & Souren Baronian, The Exciting Music Of The Nor-Ikes by The Nor-Ikes featuring Souren Baronian, and Hye Inspiration by Bob Tashijan & Souren Baronian with The Oud Of John Tarpinian. LP, Vinyl record album

Don't think "rock", think "groove" – because oud player John Berberian takes his instrument into some very groovy territory here – mixing its Mid-East roots with a sweet array of modal rhythms and psychedelic elements – all of which make for an album that's even trippier than you'd guess from its cover! The album's one of the few "jazz meets world" sets that really gets things right – bringing together different global elements to come up with a sound that's wonderfully new and fresh – and which moves the whole thing way past its roots in Turkish, Greek, Armenian, and North African styles! Joe Beck plays some great electric guitar on the record – but the main string focus is on the oud, which Berberian uses with this exotic tinge that rivals the instrument in the hands of Ahmed Abdul-Malik on his own albums like this. The lineup also includes tenor and other reeds from Souren Baronian, plus other percussion, and nice use of electric bass to hold the whole groove together – and titles include "The Oud & The Fuzz", "Tranquility", "Chem-oo-Chem", "Iron Maiden", "Flying Hye", "3/8=5/8=8/8", and "The Magic Ground". CD

Don't think "rock", think "groove" – because oud player John Berberian takes his instrument into some very groovy territory here – mixing its Mid-East roots with a sweet array of modal rhythms and psychedelic elements – all of which make for an album that's even trippier than you'd guess from its cover! The album's one of the few "jazz meets world" sets that really gets things right – bringing together different global elements to come up with a sound that's wonderfully new and fresh – and which moves the whole thing way past its roots in Turkish, Greek, Armenian, and North African styles! Joe Beck plays some great electric guitar on the record – but the main string focus is on the oud, which Berberian uses with this exotic tinge that rivals the instrument in the hands of Ahmed Abdul-Malik on his own albums like this. The lineup also includes tenor and other reeds from Souren Baronian, plus other percussion, and nice use of electric bass to hold the whole groove together – and titles include "The Oud & The Fuzz", "Tranquility", "Chem-oo-Chem", "Iron Maiden", "Flying Hye", "3/8=5/8=8/8", and "The Magic Ground". LP, Vinyl record album

A tantric sensual masterpiece, served up with sitar musical backings from the great Jim Sullivan – and a set that's maybe one of the strangest albums to come out of that late 60s psychedelic moment when record labels were really willing to take chances on unusual material like this! Chitra Neogy originally created the album with just a microphone and a bit of echo – but the producer wisely added in some flute, percussion, and especially nice sitar to really flesh out the sound – creating this very cool mix of spoken word and sonic elements, as Neogy speaks on topics like "Advice To The Lovelorn", "Woman Is Like A Fruit", and "Encouragement Of The Lusty Wife" – while talking in a very traditional voice that's supposed to sound "authentic", and hide the racy nature of the material! CD

A tantric sensual masterpiece, served up with sitar musical backings from the great Jim Sullivan – and a set that's maybe one of the strangest albums to come out of that late 60s psychedelic moment when record labels were really willing to take chances on unusual material like this! Chitra Neogy originally created the album with just a microphone and a bit of echo – but the producer wisely added in some flute, percussion, and especially nice sitar to really flesh out the sound – creating this very cool mix of spoken word and sonic elements, as Neogy speaks on topics like "Advice To The Lovelorn", "Woman Is Like A Fruit", and "Encouragement Of The Lusty Wife" – while talking in a very traditional voice that's supposed to sound "authentic", and hide the racy nature of the material! LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy album from jazz drum legend Buddy Rich – a set that's very different than anything else he ever did, including his other groovy albums from the 60s! The album's a surprisingly strong blend of jazz and Indian music – Rich on drums, and Alla Rakha on tablas – working under the direction of Ravi Shankhar, who helped put together the set! Tracks are long, all ragas, but with jazz inflections – and the record also features great work from Paul Horn on flute, a player who's perfect for these experiments – next to other musicians on sitar, tamboura, and dholak. Titles include "Tal Sawari", "Nagma E Raksh", "Rangeela", "Duet In Dadra", and "Khanda Kafi". (Jazz, Global Grooves) CD

A very groovy album from jazz drum legend Buddy Rich – a set that's very different than anything else he ever did, including his other groovy albums from the 60s! The album's a surprisingly strong blend of jazz and Indian music – Rich on drums, and Alla Rakha on tablas – working under the direction of Ravi Shankhar, who helped put together the set! Tracks are long, all ragas, but with jazz inflections – and the record also features great work from Paul Horn on flute, a player who's perfect for these experiments – next to other musicians on sitar, tamboura, and dholak. Titles include "Tal Sawari", "Nagma E Raksh", "Rangeela", "Duet In Dadra", and "Khanda Kafi". (Jazz, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely stuff! The work of singer Cesara Evoria is remixed by a host of modern club talents – no surprise, as her best tracks of the past few years have been getting plenty of action on the 12" front – taking her from the world music scene into the clubs, with very surprising results! The record is really pretty darn wonderful overall – appealing to fans of a modern groove, but touched with all the depth, soul, and history of Cesara's fantastic voice. Titles include "Angola" remixed by Pepe Braddock, "Miss Perfumado" remixed by 4 Hero, "Nutridinha" remixed by Kerri Chandler, "Besame Mucho" remixed by Senor Coconut, "Angola" remixed by Carl Craig, "Negue" remixed by Chris Prolific, "Sangue De Beironia" remixed by Francois K, and "Bondade E Maldade" remixed by Osunlade. CD

A groundbreaking set of work from the team of Jef Gilson and Hal Singer – a uniquely cross-cultural session recorded in the Paris scene of the 70s, and easily some of the best work ever from both musicians! Singer's probably best remembered on these shores for his older R&B tenor work of the 50s – but sometime during the 60s, he moved over to Paris, where he cut some mighty great music – including the legendary Paris Soul Food album, which predates this one by a few years. Gilson was always a great artist on the French scene – a modern pianist whose work of the 60s was always fresh and new, and a player who moved into more of a world jazz sensibility as the 70s approached. Together, both players work some real magic here – deep soul from Singers tenor, sharper tones from Gilson's piano – and a range of weird and wonderful notes from other players who include Bernard Lubat on vibes, Jacky Samson on bass, Frank Raholison on drums, and both Del Rabenja and Gerard Rakotoarivony on percussion – really helping the record live up to its "Africa" title! Samson's bass is especially amazing – roundly-toned, and incredibly soulful – as much so as his legendary work with Marco DiMarco, but pitched slightly differently here – and titles include "The High Life", "Liberation", "Mother Africa", "Chant Inca", and "Garvey's Strut". Plus, as an added bonus the CD also features 2 incredible earlier tracks by Gilson – material recorded with Lloyd Miller back in the 60s – playing "micro organ" and balaphon, with a sound that's almost even more haunting than the main album. Other players include "Pierre Caron on tenor and Alain Tabar-Nouval on alto – and titles include "Le Grand Bidou" and "Fable Of Gutenberg". (Jazz, Global Grooves) CD

Seun Anikulapo Kuti returns with another strorming set of neo classic Afro Funk in the great tradition of his father – once again fronting the incredible Egypt 80 group! It's remarkable stuff that finds Seun – the youngest son of Fela – standing up as a visionary talent. He's not only living up to an immense legacy, but moving forward with it in ways that will absolutely stand the test of time. The insistent rhythms and intense energy of the Egypt 80 group – led by Lekan Animashaun – are Afrobeat perfection, with Seun's forthright vocals out front of it. But their approach here is anything but a retread of family glories. The songs are urgent and fierce, and there are subtle modern florishes in the production – thanks in part, no doubt, to co-producer Brian Eno. Titles include "African Soldier", "You Can R Un", "Rise", "Slave Masters", "For Dem E Ye", "The Good Leaf" and "Giant Of Africa". CD

Brilliant modern jazz from German trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff – recording here in 1964, but sounding years ahead of his time, with an amazing a blend of jazz and Asian styles! The album's one of Mangelsdorff's best ever – a set of rhythmic tunes that seem clearly informed by the work of Ornette and Joe Harriott, but also based along eastern themes picked up by the group on a tour of the Orient – and performed by a sharp-edged quintet that includes Heinz Sauer on tenor and soprano sax, Gunter Kronberg on alto, Gunter Lenz on bass, and Ralph Hubner on drums. There's some nice traces of MPS/Saba modal and Jazz Meets the World styles – and overall, the rhythmic pulse keeps things from getting as free and out as on Mangelsdorff's 70s sides – really soaring, but never too far out – and always with a cool exotic groove. The whole thing's great – instantly striking, and always a treasure – and titles include "Sakura Waltz", "Now Jazz Ramwong", "Raknash", "Theme From Vietnam", and "Burungkaka". (Jazz, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

A searing album of Tuareg guitar from Mdou Moctar – coming across here with even more power and intensity than ever before! For years, African guitar styles have been gaining plenty of attention in the larger world of rock – and here, the sound is almost as of Mdou Moctar is trying to bridge that gap – turning in tracks that almost defy the boundaries of nation and language, with an appeal to just about anyone with an ear for amazing guitar work, psychedelic elements, and music that really knocks it out of the park! The drums of Souleymane Ibrahim push the whole thing tremendously – with a driving power different from other Tuareg albums – and Moctar's guitar can only respond with really frenzied solo work throughout. Titles include "Takoba", "Sousome Tamacheq", "Modern Slaves", "Oh France", "Funeral For Justice", and "Djallo #1". CD

A searing album of Tuareg guitar from Mdou Moctar – coming across here with even more power and intensity than ever before! For years, African guitar styles have been gaining plenty of attention in the larger world of rock – and here, the sound is almost as of Mdou Moctar is trying to bridge that gap – turning in tracks that almost defy the boundaries of nation and language, with an appeal to just about anyone with an ear for amazing guitar work, psychedelic elements, and music that really knocks it out of the park! The drums of Souleymane Ibrahim push the whole thing tremendously – with a driving power different from other Tuareg albums – and Moctar's guitar can only respond with really frenzied solo work throughout. Titles include "Takoba", "Sousome Tamacheq", "Modern Slaves", "Oh France", "Funeral For Justice", and "Djallo #1". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that features a slightly expanded concept on the ideas that Astor Piazzolla had unleashed with his Zero Hour album – all those incredible twists and turns he'd been using to transform Argentine modern music – roots in the tango, but expressions that are up there with some of the most creative 20th Century performances from other parts of the globe! As before, Piazzolla's bandoneon is at the center – but the inflections on piano and violin are also key too – on titles that include "Fugata", "Soledad", "Sur Los Suenos", and the longer "La Camorra" suite. (Latin, Global Grooves) CD