Don't think "disco", think "funky jazz" – because this sweet South African group from the 70s is filled with lots of groovy twists and turns – all in a mode that's quite different than any of the American or European jazz albums we know from the time! The lineup here includes reed heavyweight Basil Coetzee on both flute and tenor sax – working in a quartet with some sublime organ lines from Pops Mohamed – who plays in this snakey sort of way that's a bit like South African jazz piano, but maybe even more flowing and moody. The grooves are sometimes funky, sometimes more modal – but always forward moving in a really great way, but again with a very fresh approach to rhythm! Titles include "Super Natural Love", "Yasmeen's Blues", "Night Express", "Odd's On", and "Echo On The Delay". LP, Vinyl record album

You might not be able to understand the lyrics, but you'll definitely be moved by the instant charm of Malaysian rocker Adnan Othman – a singer who works here in a groovy blend of fuzzy guitar, mod rhythms, and all the other great sounds we love from late 60s French and British tracks of the time! In fact, there may be more French elements at work here than some of the more typical Anglo-influenced singers in Southeast Asia at the time – especially those romping rhythms and jangly guitar lines of the yeh-yeh generation, which really get these tunes moving even before Othman comes in with his vocals. By the end of the set, Adnan's expanding his sound a bit – moving from the work with The Rhythmn Boys that takes up most of the collection, to singing with The Wanderers and Flamingoes – all documented nicely in the notes and images in the package. Titles include "Bila Kah Gembira", "Doa Ku", "Bershukor", "Sapu Tangan", "Hari Bahagia", "Berlenggang", "Merana", "Mormah", and "Hidupu Tambah Gembira". LP, Vinyl record album

A terrific career-spanning anthology from one of Congolese music's most popular and influential figures! Papa Wemba first made his mark in 1969 as a co-founder of Zaiko Langa Langa, one of the great modernizers of Congolese rumba who employed a multiple singer frontline and ditched the horn section in favor of an all-guitar line-up. Wemba carried on this progressive mindset when he formed his own group, Viva La Musica, in 1974. The first CD of this excellent collection covers his early work with the band, where sublimely liquid guitar percolates, glides, and splashes over complex Cuban-flavored grooves. The second CD finds Wemba broadening his appeal as he spread his operations into Europe. While the sound definitely becomes slicker, his vocals remain deeply soulful and strong, the guitars even more crystalline, and the dense polyrhythms sturdier than ever. Wemba has come under fire in recent years, accused of illegally smuggling Africans into Belgium, but this essential document reminds us of his greatest accomplishments. Tracks include "Mere Sperieure", "Amina", "Bukavo Dawa", "M'Balumuna", and "Mi Amor". CD

An amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader. LP, Vinyl record album

The first two volumes in this legendary series – back to back in one set! Volume 1 is an amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader. Volume 2 compiles the stylistically varied music coming from the emergent West Indian and African communities of 50s and 60s London – far more than just the topical, and often quite whimsical calypso tunes of the era! Calypso is well represented, but the set includes strains of jazz, percussive instrumentals that veer towards native Trinidad and Nigeria, and loads of Caribbean grooves! It's all exceptionally bright – with some lovingly, and knowingly, naive vocals that are as sweet as they are wise. A truly wonderful compilation. Essential! 20 tracks in all: "Calypso Be" by Young Tiger, "Yolanda" by Ambrose Campbell, "Calypso Blues" by Mona Baptiste, "My Wife's Nightie" by Lord Kitchener, "Ominara" by West African Rhythm Brothers, "Gerrard Street" by King Timothy, "ET Mensah's Rolling Ball" by West African Swing Stars, "West Indian Drums" by Russ Henderson, "Gbonimawo" by Rans Boi's Ghana Highlife Band and more! CD