A killer set that really lives up to the Samba Soul promised in the title – recorded recently by Marcio Local, but done with a solid 70s groove that takes us back to the Jorge Ben generation! The production here is perfect – never too polished, and always with a bit of grit in the grooves – so that the record feels more old-school funky than a current album trying to be retro – lots of great drums underneath keyboards, riffing guitar, and Local's raspily soulful vocals! The whole thing's pretty darn great – easily the best Luaka Bop album we've heard in ages – and it's a modern bit of samba soul we'd rank right up there with Seu Jorge's Carolina album. Titles include "Samba Sem Nenhum Problema", "Preta Luxo", "Minha Rosa", "Resgate", "Quem Pode Pode", "Sentimento Rei", "Happy Endings" by Soul Do Samba, and "Represento". (Brazil, New Grooves) CD

A great blend of old and new Brazilian grooves – kind of the ultimate expression of this great series! Like the first 2 volumes, this 5th one features some great lost older tracks; and like the 3rd and 4th volumes, it's also got some new tunes that are really wonderful. There's a lot of percussion in the grooves throughout – sweet keyboards and tight riffing mixes with rootsy drums, soulful vocals, and other great touches – soaring forward towards a jazzy global future that knows no boundaries! 2LP set features 10 tracks in all – including "Torn (Blissom rmx)" by Rise Ashen, "Comanche" by Jorge Ben, "Agua De Beber" by Aquarius Y Luiz Antonio, "La La Li" by Rachael Calladine, "Fica Mal Com Deus" by Rosalia De Souza, "Scott Air (traveling light mix)" by Ben Human, "Bohemian (Bah Samba main mix)" by Muro, "Icarai" by Os Ipanemas, "Eh Luande (Mimosa avantgarde mix)" by Racoon, and "Gypsy Woman" by Montefiori Cocktail. (Funky Compilations, New Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

A really great compilation put out by the folks at Red Hot – an organization dedicated to "Fighting Aids Through Popular Culture". Previous sets by the group have focussed on jazz, bossa, and other music – and this time around, the focus is Africa, currently suffering from a rampant AIDS epidemic. As a response to the problem, Red Hot have brought together a host of different artists in a set of new Afro Funk tracks that would do Fela proud! In fact, over and above the politics, the set's actually one of the best new Afro Funk projects we've ever heard – with a list of artists that includes Archie Shepp, Lateef, Gift Of Gab, Talib Kweli, Jorge Ben, D'Angelo, Femi Kuti, Macy Gray, Meshell Ndegeocello, Cheikh Lo, Tony Allen, Positive Black Soul, Kelis, and others – all coming together in a really wonderful set of tracks that crackle with excitement! Unfortunately, one of Aids most famous African victims includes Afro Funk pioneer Fela. As a loving tribute, the set's made up of new versions of Fela tunes – with titles that include "No Agreement", "So Be It", "Gentleman", "Shakara/Lady", "Water No Get Enemy", "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake", "Colonial Mentality", and "Shuffering & Smiling". (Global Grooves, New Grooves) CD