An incredible little record – and the set where it really all comes together for this legendary funky jazz group! Azymuth were already great on their debut, although maybe a little experimental at times – but here, they really find the soulful groove that later got them big fame on the US scene – effortlessly blending their tight jazz skills with a dose of samba soul, and turning out some wonderfully groovy music in the process! There's clearly an influence here from the best years of Earth Wind & Fire – but also more of the edge that you'd expect from the young trio – as the amazing Jose Roberto Bertrami blows us away with his wickedly sharp keyboard solos, as Alexandre Malheiros and Mamao create these beautiful rhythms that go way past anything you might have expected from a trio. The whole thing's wonderful – one of the most soulful Brazilian records of the 70s – and titles include the great cuts "Tarde", "Tamborim Cuica Ganza Berimbau", "Falcon Love Call", and "Aguia Nao Come Mosca". (Brazil, Jazz) CD

Tracks include "Yellow Nimbus", "Children's Song #6", "April Snow", "The Falcon", and "Swedish Landscape". CD

Includes David Bowie's "This Is Not America". LP, Vinyl record album

An underground soul jazz classic – massive grooves from drummer Steve Reid, and exactly the kind of set that's gotten him so much attention in recent years! There's a mixture of freedom and tightness here that's really wonderful – some of the looser elements of the loft jazz generation, mixed with an inherent sense of rhythm that always set Reid's records apart from the rest – a groove that comes not just from his own pulsations on the drum kit, but also from the elliptical basslines of Richard Williams on electric and Luis Angel Falcon on acoustic, and the mixed organ and piano lines of keyboardist Les Walker. Joe Rigby brings some really sharp-edged sax work to the record, alongside the trumpet of Ahmed Abdullah, who really sounds wonderful here – bringing a spirituality to the album that's clearly borrowed from his time with Sun Ra. The album includes the great groover "Lions of Judah" – which has a very Ra-like quality – plus other great cuts "Long Time Black", "Sixth House", "Nova", and "Free Spirits Unknown". CD

A real lost treasure for fans of Zoot Sims – a well-done live recording from the mid 50s, featuring longish tracks that have Zoot blowing with a trio led by Joe Castro! Castro's a under-acknowledge piano talent from the LA scene of the time – a player with a soulful edge on his best recordings, of which this previously-unissued set now stands! Castro's trio on the set features Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Ron Jefferson on drums – and the tracks are long, and very well recorded, especially for a live session of the time. The overall feel is very much in the mode of some of the best work on Prestige from the period, and titles include "Blues For Nat", "It's Always You", "Night In Tunisia", and "Swinging With Rudolph". CD