The second of two spiritual classics from Haki R. Madhubuti – issued nearly a decade after the first, but still very much in a positive and righteous 70s vein! Haki's again working with arranger Agyei Akoto, a saxophonist we only know from these albums, but an extremely visionary musician with a real flair for crafting a Strata East-styled groove! Unlike the first album, this one has spoken passages much more deeply integrated into the songs – so that the longer tracks soar along with a wonderfully spiritual vibe, effortlessly mixing together Madhubuti's teachings with some nicely grooving backings that include piano from a young Geri Allen, plus some occasional vocals from singer Kehembe! The whole thing's excellent, and tracks include "First World", "Children", "Understand", and "Rain Forest". (Jazz, Spoken Word) CD

A legendary album of spoken word and spiritual jazz – put together by The Institute of Positive Education in Chicago, and featuring wisdom and knowledge from the legendary Haki R Madhubuti! The album alternates shorter vocal/musical tracks with longer ones that are pure post-Coltrane jazz – played by a group that includes Wallace Roney on trumpet, Byron Harrison on guitar, and Rufus Wright on piano – all working with saxophonist Agyei Akoto, who's also the music director of the set. There's an incredibly positive feel to the set – one that tackles the issues of the time, but which does so with a sense of optimism that's extremely rare today – and which is part of the real charm of the album. Titles include "Talking Stick", "Rise Vision Coming", "Black Man", and "Walk The Way Of The New World". (Jazz, Spoken Word) CD

A legendary album of spoken word and spiritual jazz – put together by The Institute of Positive Education in Chicago, and featuring wisdom and knowledge from the legendary Haki R Madhubuti! The album alternates shorter vocal/musical tracks with longer ones that are pure post-Coltrane jazz – played by a group that includes Wallace Roney on trumpet, Byron Harrison on guitar, and Rufus Wright on piano – all working with saxophonist Agyei Akoto, who's also the music director of the set. There's an incredibly positive feel to the set – one that tackles the issues of the time, but which does so with a sense of optimism that's extremely rare today – and which is part of the real charm of the album. Titles include "Talking Stick", "Rise Vision Coming", "Black Man", and "Walk The Way Of The New World". (Jazz, Spoken Word) LP, Vinyl record album

If you've ever doubted that Vincent Price was a creepy guy, you've got to hear this album! The 2LP set is a mad exploration into the world of the supernatural – with Vincent speaking on topics that include "Witch Tortures", "How To Communicate With The Spirits", "The Magic Bloodstone", "Instruments Of Magic", "Witch Burning", and "How To Make A Pact With The Devil". The script was written by Terry D'Oberoff, with electronics by Douglas Leedy – but it's Price who makes the whole thing really work, reading in a dark, spooky tone, set in a really echoey space – really making us believe that he knows all about this weird stuff! LP, Vinyl record album

Saul Williams is one of those hip hoppers who's not really a just a rapper – one who comes to the genre from a background that's already very multi-faceted – one that shows up instantly in the record's blend of sounds and styles, modes and moods! There's a definite political agenda to the set – sometimes delivered in spoken passages, sometimes sung – and the instrumentation includes heavy guitars, noisy beats, and very layered samples and other sonic elements – all given further intensity through Saul's presentation of the lyrics! As with Childish Gambino, Williams is in a space that's all his own within the world of soul and hip hop – even though Saul's spirit is very different and much darker overall – on tunes that include "Talk To Strangers", "Grippo", "Telegram", "Act III Scene 2 (Shakespeare)", "List Of Demands (Preparations)", "African Student Movement", "Control Freak", "Seaweed", and "Notice Of Eviction". (Hip Hop, Spoken Word) CD