A legendary group from the 70s Nigerian scene – one who could be as trippy as they were funky – often in ways that had them using studio production to really get some cool effects from their vocals and guitar! There's a spacey edge to most of these tracks – one that comes through most strongly on the mellower moments – which include one or two slow-funk killers that are quite different than the usual sounds of Lagos! But even the more upbeat numbers have this wash around the edges – which seems to filter things together in an unusual way, and really make them come out sounding great. Titles include "Try Me", "Deep Funk", "Mind Twister", "Lay On The Ground", "Don't Drive Me Out", and "Time For Me To Go". CD

A long-overdue collection of work by Balka Sound – an important 80s group from Brazzaville, and one whose name evokes their style of music – a sound based in folksy roots, but which is updated here with electric guitar and bass, next to lively percussion and really great vocals! The group's lead singer is Nkibi Albert, who has this really enigmatic way of putting across a lyric, especially when a bit of echo is used in the production – and amidst the other instrumentation, he also plays ngonfi as well. The production is great on most of these tracks – not nearly as mainstream as other African sounds from the time, which were rising to meet the global world music market – and titles include "Bia Sala", "Lekou", "Ku Mavula", "Kidilu", "Ah Luisaala", "Nia Nia", "Wa Yiwou", "Mwan Kisana", and "Kwele". 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

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

Messed-up funky jazz from an obscure early 70s UK group – and an album that really lives up to its trippy cover! The tracks are all long and stretched out – with lots of organ, sax, and spaced out drums – and the overall style is a mix of dub-heavy funk, Afro jazz, and a bit of jazz rock jamming! There's a bit of vocals on the album, but overall most of the set is instrumental – in a really right on and progressive style that we totally love. This is the kind of record that always got passed by in the 80s when everyone was looking for hard James Brown grooves, but which is very much in fashion now with the blunted funky crowd. Cuts include "Hymn To Mother Earth", "Another Country", "Disillusioned Man", and "Mercy (Variation No. 1)" – plus bonus tracks "Fuzz Oriental Blues", "I Put A Spell On You", and "Message To Mankind". (Soul, Global Grooves) CD

A rare boogie set from the Nigerian scene – but one that also has the power to circle the globe with a universal sense of soul – as you might guess by the cosmopolitan look of Livy Ekemezie on the cover! The set's got a very strong tie to the grooves of the New York scene of the time – less straight disco or club than some of the more offbeat, bass-heavy rhythms that were coming from the streets into the downtown scene – handled here on basslines that are beautifully skittish, and change things up with a rough-edged funky energy that almost reminds us of the sound of P&P Records! The album's also got lots of great keyboards, which kind of bubble and sparkle next to the bass – but in ways that are often a bit different than more standard early 80s keyboard club. Livy sings most of the lead vocals, and titles include "Night Party", "Friday Night", "Classic Lover", "Holiday Actions", "Get It Down", and "Delectation". CD

A pair of classic albums, served up here in a single set! First up is the sound of Angola, circa 1972 – served up here in a beautiful album of songs from Bonga! The music is relatively spare – mostly just lead acoustic guitar, bass, and percussion – the latter of which is played by Bonga himself, almost always with this lively quality that really matches his vocals – which themselves are filled with all these fantastic inflections that almost remind us of salsa singers of the time – no surprise, given how much Latin music styles were hitting the scene in West Africa during the 60s and 70s. But the style here is very different, too – as Bonga's richly expressive in the way he uses his voice – almost more folkloric, given the acoustic guitar instrumentation – yet surprisingly powerful too, despite the spareness. Titles include "Ku Tando", "Balumukeno", "Uengi Dia Ngola", "Paxi Ni Ngongo", "Muimbo Ua Sabalu", and "Muadikime". Angola 74 is a beautifully sophisticated setting for the voice of Bonga – as he works here with lively small group backings, and a bit of larger orchestrations as well! There's this fantastic blend of folk roots and modernism in the music – maybe a bit like some of the more experimental work from Havana at the time, but a bit like some Brazilian projects too – as the enigmatic vocal inflections of the leader mix with his own percussion – all given nice shadings in color by acoustic guitar. Titles include "Venda Poro", "Kubangela", "Ma Kongo", "Kinga Kueta", "Ghinawa", "Roots", and "Marika". CD