Seminal sounds from the Parisian jazz community of the early 70s – a scene that had as much late 60s revolutionary energy as the American one – and which steps forth here in a beautiful blend of righteous themes and really far-reaching styles! The politics of the set are obvious from the cover and title – but there's also a deeply spiritual feel, too – that same sense of searching in the post-Coltrane generation of the US, but played out in a host of very different ways that make the music a great new discovery! American musicians interacted heavily with French jazz players in the post-1968 scene – and you can definitely hear that influence at work, mixed with other creative European modes that really give the music a special cross-cultural feel. Some key elements of the post-colonial scene are at play as well – and titles include "De L'Orient A L'Orion" by RK Nagati, "Attention L'Armee" by Atarpop 73 & Le Collectif Le Temps Des Cerises, "Samba Miaou" by Full Moon Ensemble, "Le Cri" by Michel Roques, "Hey" by Chene Noir, "Athee Ou A Te" by Beatrice Arnac, "Nous Ouvrirons Les Casernes" by Mahjun, "Je Suis Un Sauvage" by Alfred Panou & Art Ensemble Of Chicago, and "Les Elephants" by Frederic Rufin & Raphael Lecomte. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Live solo work by Roland Hanna – a set that starts out kind of slow, as Hanna performs 2 Ellington crowd-pleasers – but which then really takes off as he moves into his own beautiful compositions! These really have Hanna unfolding on the keys, and playing with a rich lyrical quality that always marked his best work – and which makes him a compelling player that can really hold sway even in a solo set. Titles include "Wistful Moment", "Perugia", "Time Dust Gathered", and "A Child Is Born" – as well as versions of "Take The A Train" and "I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic lost slice of work by one of the greatest modern jazz forces on the British jazz scene of the 60s – Jamaican-born saxophonist Joe Harriott, known for his groundbreaking avant jazz sessions and his experiments with Indian classical music! The sound here is quite different than those two better-known aspects of Harriott's career – and represents a return to the hardbop style he was using in the late 50s, when first making waves on the London scene. However, that's not a bad thing at all – as the album's overflowing with modern jazz undercurrents, and almost has a fresh post-Mingus approach to the horn parts and rhythm progressions. The quintet includes trumpeter Stu Hamer, drummer Phil Seaman, bassist Coleridge Goode, and pianist Pat Smythe – all well-suited players for Harriott in such a mode, and working here in a style that recalls the first great moments of British jazz from the late 50s. Titles include "Strollin South", "Just Goofin", "Time For Love", "The Rake", "Blues In C", and "Tuesday Morning Swing". LP, Vinyl record album

The debut album by a guitarist who might well go into the realm of the classics – as he plays here with a sense of care and balance of tone that's very much his own – handling a hollow-body electric with a sound that's simply stunning from the very first note! Hugo Lippi isn't one of those "too clean" guitarists from the vintage years – as he loves to get some richer sounds out of the guitar, while also never rasping the strings or pushing distortion at all either – always playing with a sense of clarity that's great, while also touching on the complexity of acoustic players with an effortless touch! Lippi handles his instrument with the skills of Baden Powell or Paco DeLucia – although he sounds nothing like either of them – while also using the electric side of the instrument to effortlessly create amazing colors throughout. Titles include "A Child Is Born", "Reflections In B", "Land Of Hope & Glory", "Girl", "La Ballade De Johnny Jane", "Be Yourself", "Choros No 1/Bossa Antigua", and a surprising medley of "Wuthering Heights/Babooshka". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic early work by Phineas Newborn – and a record cut right after his emergence from the great Memphis scene of the 1950s! Most of the album features trio material – cut with Kenny Clarke on drums and Oscar Pettiford on bass – but a few tracks also feature some very nice guitar work by Newborn's lesser-known brother, Calvin – who helps give the record some slight bluesy undercurrents you won't hear on other albums from Phineas at the time. The style is a mix of bop soloing and that lyrical approach to the keyboard that Newborn was forging along with a few other popular pianists of his generation – and titles include "Dahoud", "Celia", "Barbados", and "Newport Blues". LP, Vinyl record album