Only an EP, but one that packs plenty of punch – thanks to strong production from Blockhead on most of the tracks, with help from El-P and Aesop Rock himself! The set begins with the iconic "Daylight", followed by the counterpart "Night Light" – then runs through a no-skit, all-tight set of tracks that more than makes up for the shortness of the set. Vast Aire guest on "Nickel Plated Pockets" – and other cuts include "Bracket Basher", "Forest Crunk", "Alchemy", and "Maintenance". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's every bit as groovy as you might guess from the title – served up by one of the most unique combos to record for Colombia's Discos Fuentes in the 70s! Afrosound certainly have plenty of rhythms and sounds that resonate with their contemporaries at the top of the South American scene – but they also use rootsier percussion, and served up a rawer sound too – definitely bringing back some West African modes, after that scene had an earlier influence from the world of Afro-Cuban music! There's some especially cool keyboards that get all weird and distorted – like electric guitar on some Peruvian records – balanced with plenty of live, loud percussion – on titles that include "Banana De Queso", "Baila Felipe", "Negua", "Ponchito De Colores", "Carruseles", "Zaire Pop", "Rapsodia Del Chinito", "Me Voy De La Vida", "Salsa Con Tabaco", and "La Negra Saramuya". LP, Vinyl record album

A fictitious soundtrack inspired by the likes of Francois de Roubaix and Phil Spector! CD

Three film soundtracks from Morio Agata, including the animated film Red Elegy. CD

Three full albums from this great Dutch pianist! Miss Dee is a heck of a set from Dutch pianist Rob Agerbeek – easily one of the most soulful European pianists of the 70s, even in an acoustic setting like this! Rob's got a bite on the keys that reminds us a lot more of American players from the 60s – not a straight soul jazz groove, but a style that definitely draws from that mode – then opens up into some more lyrical elements that are more in keeping with overseas expression in the 70s. The trio matches his energy nicely – especially on the upbeat numbers that rule the set – with bass from Harry Emmery and drums from Eric Ineke – on titles that include "Little Miss Dee", "Cup Bearers", "Birk's Works", "Caravan", and "Out Of This World". Second Opinion is a trio set from the great Rob Agerbeek – one that lets him open up on familiar tunes, but with a sense of imagination that really packs a lot into a small space! The lineup features Paul Berner on bass and Ben Schroeder on drums – and titles include "Summertime", "East Of The Sun", "Lover Man", "Besame Mucho", "Mad About The Boy", "Girl Talk", "As Time Goes By", and "Things Ain't What They Used To Be". Lock Stock & Barrell is a relatively recent set from Dutch piano Rob Agerbeek – who locks it up nicely, in a trio with Erik Albjerg on bass and Tjeerd Klapwijk on drums! Titles include "Lock Stock & Barrel", "A Child Is Born", "Round Midnight", "O Morro Nao Tem Vez", "Thora's Dance", "Cubano Chant", "Nearest & Dearest", and "Footprints". CD

An incredible compilation of classic era dub work from King Tubby's – played by producer Bunny Lee's legendary Aggrovators band and showcasing the mixing skills of Tubby, Prince Jammy, Scientist and others! This is prime era hypnotic dub of the finest caliber – originally issued on Jamaican 45s, and hard-to-find for decades! The great Blood & Fire label did the dub digging community a major solid by issuing the material on some wonderful compilations, but even those had been out of print for a couple decades before this much needed, sprawling VP/17th North Parade assemblage. Includes "A Bag Of Wire Dub", "Dub Of Rights", "A Heavy Dub", "A Living Version", "How Long Dub", "Breaking Up Dub", "Poor Barber", "Sub To The Rescue", "King Tubby's In Fine Style", "Horn For I", "Jah Love Rocker's Dub", "Stealing Version", "Fatter Dub", "Satta Dread Dub", "Tubby Get Smart", "Beat Them In Dub", "Version Of Class", "Peace And Love In The Dub", "Thunder Rock", "Channel Is A Joker", "Peace And Love In The Dub", "Step It Up In Dub", "Chapter Of Money" and more. 44 tracks on 2CDs! CD

An album that definitely lives up to its title – as congolero Francisco Aguabella comes on hard, hitting strong throughout – and serving up a wicked blend of Latin, funk, and soul! The mid 70s set is a standout recording from Aguabella – done after he left the group Malo, and one of the best west coast takes on the modes that scene was changing up from New York at the time – really transforming the sound of contemporary Latin with a trans-genre vibe that was easily some of the most revolutionary music of the period. Rhythms are acoustic, but there's a nice dose of electric energy too, thanks to some sweet keyboards. Some cuts have English vocals, others are instrumental – and titles include "Hitting Hard", "I Wanna Know", "Cisco", "Image of a Star" and a nice version of Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Airto records ever – a really overlooked record cut for the mostly-Latin Montuno label in the 80s! The album's quite spare, and almost more in a Latin mode at times – given the harder percussion on the set, and the firey recording style given to the set by Montuno – but it also echoes some of the great spare styles that Airto used in his first American recordings, too – the sessions he cut for Cobblestone/Buddah right at the start of the 70s. Airto plays a range of percussion instruments, and Flora's on the set adding in some vocals – and the record also features great keyboards from Jorge Dalto, whose sound really ties thigns together nicely. Includes the classic "Samba De Flora", plus "Yahna Amina", "El Fiasco", "Dedos", "La Puerta", "Parana", and "Latin Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

CTI Records meets that Brazilian fusion sound of the 70s – served up here on two classic albums! Fingers is one of Airto's greatest records ever – a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches – all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of California soul! Flora Purim joins in here on both vocals and percussion – and the rest of the group features Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards and harmonica, Jorgte Fattoruso on drums, and David Amaro on both electric and acoustic guitars – shifting nicely between both instruments in a way that further underscores the blended vibe of the record! Most of these tracks are Airto classics – like "Tombo in 7/4", "San Francisco River", "Romance Of Death", "Ringers", and "Wind Chant" – and the record has a very sweet CTI production style, but is still rough enough around the edges to keep things nice and real! Deodato In Concert is an excellent little live set from Deodato – hard to believe because the sound's just as tight and funky as his studio albums, and possibly even more interesting because he manages to pull it off equally well in a live setting! The record features percussion by Airto, guitar by John Tropea, and vocals by Flora Purim – and those are just the marquee names of a large and amazing grew of great musicians! All tracks are long and complicated, for very hynotic feel throughout. The funkiest number is "Tropea", which has a nice long 8 minute groove – and the set also features a cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again", plus the tracks "Parana", "Branches", "Baubles, Bangles And Beads" and "Skyscraper". Amazing! CD

A real mindblower from the Japanese scene of the 70s – a perfect illustration of why that world of records was so incredible during the decade! The music here is spiritual, but also somewhat free – served up by musicians who'd clearly been inspired by John Coltrane and the Impulse Records generation, but who've clearly moved to their own plane of existence as a unit – really feeling each others' impulses automatically, and creating this cohesive vision of music that's simply fantastic from start to finish! All tracks are long, and often quite spiritual too – especially when the tenor and soprano sax of Kyoichiroh Morimura soar out in the lead – driven on by the fantastic piano of leader Tohru Aizawa, and the bass of Kohzoh Watanabe and drums of Tetsuya Morimura. None of the players achieved the same fame as some of their bigger contemporaries, but really sound wonderful here – on titles that include "Dead Letter", "Sacrament", "Philosopher's Stone", and a great version of the Chick Corea tune "La Fiesta". CD

A fantastic album from trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire – a set that really kicks his career up to the next level, and which is easily the most powerful record he's ever given us! The music finds Ambrose in many moods, all of them righteous – sometimes blowing hard and fierce in a small combo, sometimes issuing out more personal statements in a more stripped-down setting – working with players that include Harish Raghavan on bass, Justin Brown on drums, and Sam Harris on piano – plus vocalist Genevieve Artadi on one especially beautiful number that features Akinmusire on Fender Rhodes! We've loved the music of Ambrose for many years – and this is one of those faith-rewarding sets that always makes it so wonderful to follow the career of any key jazz musician – as we hope you'll also find on titles that include "Roy", "4623", "Moon", "Tide Of Hyacinth", "Cynical Sideliners", and "Mr Roscoe". CD

An early Verve album by Japanese pianist Toshiko Akioshi – recorded during her 50s years in the US, with a heavy boppish sound that's quite different than her later work! At the time, Toshiko was a strong disciple of Bud Powell – and there's a lot of Powell's fluid frenetic playing in her work – recorded on the first eight tracks with a quartet that includes Herb Ellis on guitar, in sessions from 1953, and recorded on the last four tracks live at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957 with her trio that includes Gene Cherico on bass and a young Jake Hanna on drums. Twelve tracks in all, with titles that include "Shadrack", "Gone With The Wind", "Toshiko's Blues", "Squatty Roo", "Laura", "Between Me & Myself", "Lover", and "Blues For Toshiko". CD

Brilliantly bold work from pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi – an artist who's really coming into her own for the 70s – stepping out in a big band format that would win her a wide new audience on both sides of the Pacific! The album's one of the first to feature the ensemble co-led with husband Lew Tabackin – a group that features strong work from American players who include Dick Spencer and Gary Foster on alto saxes, Tabackin and Tom Peterson on tenor, Bill Perkins on baritone, Bobby Shew and Don Rader on trumpets, and Charles Loper and Jim Sawyer on trombones. The horns are only part of the picture, though – as the inventive writing and arranging from Akiyoshi is what really makes the album great – a strong sense of painting with sound, while still keeping things swinging – really unlocking all the best elements that had been opened up for larger ensembles in the previous few years. The set features all original tracks that include "Kogun", "American Ballad", "Henpecked Old Man", "Elegy", and "Memory". CD

One of the most sensitive 70s albums from guitarist Jan Akkerman – a set recorded with larger backings from Claus Ogerman, who really helps Jan find a newly mellow side of his sound! Gone are some of the too-jamming, rock-inspired modes of Akkerman's other records – and in their place are open, flowing lines on guitar – played with a sensitivity that reminds us a bit of some of Jim Hall's more ambitious albums of the same period – although even a bit more classically-oriented overall. Ogerman's arrangements are wonderful – full and lush, but never too sleepy – and titles include "Nightwings", "Modinha", "Espanoleta", "Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte", "Love Remembered", and "The Seed Of God". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite mixing of modes from the old school – a tremendous second album from the legendary Aksak Maboul! The record mixes arty playfulness with some rootsier elements – bits of Eastern instrumentation, jazz, improvisation, and even some post-punk elements – all in a way that makes for one of the most creative recordings of its time – a set that easily provides key inspiration for more recent genre-crossing acts like this! There's a bit of Y or Ze Records whimsy at times – but the end result is much deeper, and much more compelling– as you'd expect from a group that features Fred Frith on guitar, Chris Cutler on drums, Marc Hollander and Michel Berkmans on reeds, and Denis Van Hecke on a range of cool cellos! Each tune has a slightly different flavor, but there's still a really unified feel to the record too – one of those European projects that comes together like nothing you'd hear from the US. Titles include "Geistige Nacht", "A Modern Lesson", "Palmiers En Pots", "Inoculating Rabies", "Cinema", and "Bosses De Crosses". CD

A great score for this unusual 70s film! LP, Vinyl record album

The music of Lebanon never got much global exposure during the 70s – but it's clear that Ferkat Al Ard was bringing plenty of the globe's influences to play on this amazing record – mixing together bits of electric funk, Brazilian jazz, and soulful strings at a level that completely transcends the boundaries of language! The set's a bit like the classic self-titled set by Arthur Verocai from the 70s – music that's completely in a space that's all its own, and which has legendary properties, but also opens up to the listener with charms of its own that require no history or introduction at all – a set that's both personal and majestic at the same time, and which has charms that are impossible to put in words, but which grab you the moment you first give the set a listen. Titles include "Matar Naem", "Juma'A 6 Hziran", "Oghneya", "Matar Al Sabah", "Entazerni", and "Lahnon Lemra'Ati Wa Beladi". CD

A really fantastic little record – and one that's even better than you might expect from the title – which itself is already pretty darn fantastic! The set is upbeat and funky, but not entirely disco – more this very groovy blend of Mid-East elements and more familiar keyboards – all moving and grooving in ways that are a lot hipper than any other belly dance music we've heard! Music features piano and organ, plus a very cool "string synthesizer" by played by the leader – and there's also plenty of percussion at the core of the set, making for a nice juxtaposition with the electric elements. Titles include "Night Entertainer", "Dance Of Tenderness", "Joy Of Lina", "A Flower Of My Imagination", "Love Of Laura", "Girls Of Iskandariah", and "Once A Year". LP, Vinyl record album

The tenor of Melissa Aldana fits right in here with the contemporary sound of Blue Note – especially given that labelmate Lage Lund is on guitar, and has a way of folding together all the tones from his strings very nicely next to the sharper edges of Aldana's tenor! The set begins with a dedication to Wayne Shorter – and that number maybe really sets the spirit of the album – as Melissa has a way of phrasing that's equally distinct, and very much her own – soulful and modern at the same time, set up in a quintet that also includes Fabian Almazan on piano, Pablo Menares on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums. Titles include "Echoes Of The Inner Prophet", "A Purpose", "I Know You Know", "The Solitary Seeker", "Unconscious Whispers", and "A Story". CD

The tenor of Melissa Aldana fits right in here with the contemporary sound of Blue Note – especially given that labelmate Lage Lund is on guitar, and has a way of folding together all the tones from his strings very nicely next to the sharper edges of Aldana's tenor! The set begins with a dedication to Wayne Shorter – and that number maybe really sets the spirit of the album – as Melissa has a way of phrasing that's equally distinct, and very much her own – soulful and modern at the same time, set up in a quintet that also includes Fabian Almazan on piano, Pablo Menares on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums. Titles include "Echoes Of The Inner Prophet", "A Purpose", "I Know You Know", "The Solitary Seeker", "Unconscious Whispers", and "A Story". LP, Vinyl record album

Demonic sounds, but surprisingly sweet as well – done with this easy-flowing style that's really wonderful – and much more similar to the seductive sound library work of Alessandro Alessandroni, than to some of the starker, darker horror of the time! There's definitely some spooky passages, but they're almost always warmed up in really nice ways – both with keyboards, and with these wordless vocals from the lovely Giulia De Mutiis, who drifts through the record like some sexy ghost. Her vocals almost give the whole thing a more dream-like feel at times – not too atmospheric, but with clouds of sweet sounds that blow through the space in a wonderful way. Titles include "Demon Night II", "Demon Arise", "Dark Dreamer", "Devil's Nightmare", and "Erotic Demon". LP, Vinyl record album

The sound of industry, circa 1969 Italy – which means that everything sounds a heck of a lot groovier than you might expect! Soundtrack genius Alessandro Alessandroni handled the album – and it's completely fantastic right from the very first note – nothing like an industrial album, nor even some of the peppier "industry themed" sound library sets of the European postwar theme – and instead, the music is full of jazzy elements and cool wordless vocals – especially those scatting styles you'd know from Alessandroni's work with I Cantori Modern! Tremendous throughout – and quite possibly one of the grooviest albums the composer has ever given us. Titles include "Moto Blues", "Dialogando", "Circolazione", "Basso Regime", "Vie Motrici", "Escursione", and "Numero Uno". CD

A hokey kind of cover, but a great little album – another easy winner from the team of Eric Alexander and Harold Mabern, easily one of the greatest pairs working together in jazz for the past decade or so! Alexander's got a tremendous tone on the tenor – finely-honed with the maturity of a later Dexter Gordon, but also open to fluid, free moments too – with a sense of joy and exploration that recall our favorite moments on mid 60s Blue Note or Prestige. Mabern is great too – warm on the keys, but never sloppy – a player more filled with soul these days than ever, and always a great accompanist to Alexander's shifting range of modes in a set like this. Drums are by Joe Farnsworth, another trustworthy regular partner to the pair – and Nat Reeves completes the quartet on bass. Titles include 3 excellent Alexander originals (always his best work on record) – "Typhoon 11", "Little Lucas", and "Open & Shut" – plus versions of "Where Is The Love", "Where Or When", "Ruby My Dear", and "It's All In The Game". CD

A definite new beginning for reedman Eric Alexander – a set that has him turning to alto sax, instead of his very familiar tenor – and also working with some larger string backings on most of the set – something we're not sure Alexander has ever done before! The vibe is great, and Eric brings a depth to the alto that really reflects his decades on the tenor – a style that's very different than a Charlie Parker or Sonny Stitt "with strings" section from years back – in part because the arrangements by Bill Dobbins have a very fresh feel too. There's a familiar combo at the core – David Hazeltine on piano, John Webber on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums – and titles include "All My Tomorrows", "Too Late Now", "Blues For Diane", "Maybe September", "Anita", and "To Love & Be Loved". CD

Clear, clean, and tremendous tenor work from a young Eric Alexander – working here in one of his early partnerships with pianist Harold Mabern – in a way that really helps to re-direct Mabern's energy, and take him back to the glory days of his recordings in the 60s! Alexander's tenor has a classic sound here that's wonderful – focused and very sure of itself, and able to roll out on longer numbers with a great sense of imagination that avoids any too-easy notes or hackneyed choices. Mabern follows suit strongly – sounding better than on any of his trio records from the same period, and matching Alexander's youthful energy with some soaring lines of his own – often in a modal mode that seems to bring out the best in both players. Drums are by the rock-solid Joe Farnsworth, and bass is by John Ore – on tracks that include "Up Over & Out", "Eronel", "Flying Fish", "Blues For Mabe", "I Remember Clifford", and "Bewitched". CD

One of the funkiest cuts ever from reedman Harold Alexander – served up here in the 45rpm single version, which is short, tight, and really concentrates on the funky drums at the core – although still also topped with plenty of fierce funky flute from the man himself! Speaking of funky drums, Pretty Purdie is on the flipside with "Heavy Soul Slinger" – a cut that definitely earns its name, as the funky drums mix with great conga, massive bass, and this warm organ line that really sends the whole thing home! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A stone classic from pianist Monty Alexander – a live date recorded for MPS in the mid 70s, and a set with even more fire than his studio sides for the label! The sound here is quite freewheeling at times – not funky, but in a very romping, gutbuckety mode that marks Alexander as a clear heir to Oscar Peterson in such a setting – but one who's also possibly bringing a bit more groove to the table! Rhythm is from John Clayton on bass and Jeff Hamilton on drums – who are perfect accompanists for Monty's nicely rolling style on the keys! Titles include "Drown In My Own Tears", "Feelings", "Work Song", "Nite Mist Blues", and "Satin Doll". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily one of the best of Monty Alexander's early albums – and a nicely-grooving set of soul jazz numbers with a bouncy, bass-y finish! The core group on most of the set features Paul Humphrey on drums and Victor Gaskin on bass – but a few cuts have some added guitar, used mostly for rhythm, in a way that expands the groove nicely. There's some really great numbers on the set that rank with Alexander's most soulful work, and which have a rhythmic comping that makes them instantly captivating – and titles include "Spunky", "Rattlesnake", "Taggie's Tune", "Little Children Of Peru", "Spirit Of Foo Foo", and "Jamaican Shake". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever from Lorez Alexandria – an ultra-hip singer who recorded for Impulse and King, but who sounds especially wonderful on this rare date for Chess Records! The album's got a groove that definitely lives up to its title – a jazzy, bouncy sort of rhythm that's definitely "for swingers only", and which is a nice contrast to overdone torch or standard jazz vocal modes. Alexandria's singing is completely sublime – quite fluid, yet with a soulful depth that's really amazing – and her backing combo is equally hip – a group led by John Young on piano, and also featuring George Eskridge on guitar, Jimmy Garrison on bass, Phil Thomas on drums, and Ronald Wilson on flute and tenor – an obscure player whose reed work really makes the album sparkle! The song choices are great too – a mix of some under-recorded gems and a few blue-toned classics – all redone amazingly by Lorez with a sound that's quite unique. Titles include her classic Argo reading of "Baltimore Oriole", which begins with an amazing drum/bass passage that's worth the price of the album alone – and other tracks include "The End Of A Love Affair", "Baltimore Oriole", "All Or Nothing At All", "Mother Earth", "Love Look Away", and "Traveling Down A Lonely Road". CD

Incredible early work from Lorez Alexandria – the kind of albums that instantly set her apart from other singers of the 50s, reissued here properly for the first time in years! On This Is Lorez, the singer is working with sublime small combo backings from the group of pianist King Fleming – an unusual Chicago ensemble that includes Wilber Wynn on guitar, Ronald Wilson on flute and oboe, Vernel Fournier on drums, and Audrey Jones on bongos – a musical lineup that brings in a different sort of sophistication to the record, shading tunes with moody colors on flute and oboe that perfectly support Alexandria's soulful and sensitive interpretations of the tunes. The whole thing is pure genius, and a key look at the new levels of sophistication that were bubbling everywhere on the Chicago scene during the years of Jamal and Sun Ra. Lorez Sings Pres follows in a very similar mode – with backing by a Chicago group that again includes King Fleming piano, plus Charles Stepney on vibes, Paul Serrano on trumpet, and Vernel Fournier on drums – an extremely hip lineup that makes the record far more than just the Lester Young tribute promised in the title! But despite the instrumentalists, the real star on all sides is Alexandria – who sings with dark tones and deep colors that go far beyond conventional jazz vocals – all carried off with that slightly breathy mode that was one more unique aspect of her work! CD features all tracks from both albums – a total of 22 titles that include "Snowstorm", "I'm Glad There Is You", "The Sky Is Crying", "I'm Making Believe", "Necessity", "Penthouse Serenade", "DB Blues", "This Year's Kisses", "Easy Living", "No Eyes Blues", "Jumping With Symphony Sid", and a key early reading of "Baltimore Oriole". CD

A great one from drummer Rashied Ali – issued here on his own Survival label! Ali's perhaps best remembered for his spare backing behind Coltrane's solo sax on the record Interstellar Space – and we're tempted to say that there's a similar vibe going on here – as the record just features Ali on drums and percussion, and the great Frank Lowe on tenor, plus Japanese flute and a bit of percussion too. The approach is nice and open, in a loft jazz mode – and Frank blows with a rough-hewn emotion that brings a lot to the session, and which provides a good grounding for Ali's sometimes loose work on drums! The original album features one long improvisation – "Duo Exchange" – but it's expanded here by more than a full album's worth of bonus material, really great recordings that appear here for the first time ever, pressed up beautifully. LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic little record – a set that shows a strong evolution of spiritual jazz styles into the 80s! The set was recorded at a time when the jazz underground was really getting a lot of exposure, and was bursting forward with a new sense of hope – a quality that you can really feel in the music, right from the very first note – as these tunes are joyous, yet highly rhythmic and spiritual too – a vibe that's maybe a bit like Pharoah Sanders on Theresa Records, especially on his classic "You Got To Have Freedom"! Most tunes here are upbeat and modal – driven by the rhythms of Ron Burton on piano, Abdu Wali on guitar, Sabu Adeyla on bass, Idris Muhammad on drums, and Abdus Saboor on percussion – and soaring with solos from leader Kamal Abdul Alim on trumpet, James Spaulding on alto and flute, and Bobby Watson on alto and soprano. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Prayer", "Peace", "Al Nafs", "Dance", and "Brotherhood". CD

An excellent record from the short heyday of this wonderful singer – done with arrangements from Johnny Mandel! LP, Vinyl record album

We're not entirely sure what happened to saxophonist JD Allen in recent years – but he's become an even bolder, more experimental player in his music – really augmenting an already-great legacy of albums with fresh new projects like this! The album continues that darker, more powerful approach that Allen has brought to recent records – and also takes it into new territory too, as he works in a lean trio with Gwilym Jones on drums and Alex Bonney on electronics and effects – the latter of which are used in these ways that are really subtle, but really great – shaping things almost in the background while Allen delivers searing tenor parts over the top! The set was recorded in London, and maybe catches some fire from the current experiments on that scene – on titles that include "The Revelator", "Know Dogs Allowed", "The Night Of Swords", "See It Say It Sorted", "Boom Bap", and "This". CD

A beautifully sensitive set from Tex Allen – mostly a trumpeter, but also a singer here on two numbers – working with a laidback approach that's totally great! Tex blows with a bit of Miles Davis space in his trumpet – early Miles, not late – and his singing has a warm, mellow feel that's a bit like Grady Tate, although a bit more understated too, with a slight rasp that gives him a nice sense of personality – and makes him a really great change from the obvious. This approach sounds especially great on the tune "The Process Necessary" – almost a samba-esque jazz dancer, but with a gentle groove – and Allen also sings on the longer tunes "When You Find A Love" and "The Things We'll Never Know". All other titles are instrumental, with players who include Jesse Davis on alto, Jackie Terrasson on piano, Ugonna Okagu on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums. Lawrence Killian plays percussion on half the album – and other titles include "Estate", "Mutti's Bletten", "Wings Of Ceola", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

A long-awaited full length set – one that finally brings together all of the amazing Tony Allen reworks done by the Honest Jon's label! These "chop up" tracks were originally issued over a range of limited 12" singles, and they're really amazing stuff – not just remixes of Tony Allen's work, but re-recordings and re-interpretations as well – a batch of music that stands amazingly well on its own, even if you're not a fan of Tony originally – and which takes his music into even more exotic territory than just Afro Funk! The choice of artists here is key to the set – as players from other Afro-influenced genres really take a new spin on Allen's music – and are allowed to strongly bring their own sounds to the set. Titles include "Ole (Cairo version)" by Salah Ragab, "Sankofa" by Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, "Kilode (rmx)" by Carl Craig, "Awa Na Re (rmx)" by Bonde De Role, "Mark's Disco Dub" by Mark Ernestus, "Reggae Land Dub" by Wareika Hill Sounds, "Samba" by Son Palenque De Colombia, "Kilode (rework)" by Wajeed, "Ole (rmx)" by Moritz Von Oswald, "Fuji Ouija" by Diplo, and "One Tree (TP's spirit of unity mix)" by Terrence Parker. LP, Vinyl record album

Funky jazz nuggets with a mighty nice lineup – one that features plenty of vibes next to the keyboards, all resonating strongly over tight rhythms on acoustic bass and drums! There's almost a sunshiney vibe to the music at times that fits the image on the cover – not polished or slick, but this sort of shimmering quality that really lets you bathe in the warmth of the music – especially as the grooves are often laidback, yet still plenty darn funky! The drums are great, and the way they kick in with the vibes is wonderful – on titles that include "Estinto Omicida", "Hydromiel 2022", "Orso Pacifico", "Bourguignon", and "Saint Emilion". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal album for Mose Allison – and one of the first records to ever feature his voice, even if only on one track! During the 50s, Allison was mostly known for his work as a bop-styled pianist – on records by Stan Getz and others – but at the end of the decade, he really returned to his roots, and began to forge a New Orleans-styled approach to jazz that had lots of bluesy inflections and a much earthier sensibility. This album offers a bit of both Allison sides of the fence – some straighter piano jazz with a trio that features Addison Farmer on bass and Ronnie Free on drums, but also some rootsier numbers that come off nicely. Mose sings on "I Got A Right To Cry", and other titles include "Ramble", "Saritha", "Ingenue", "Old Devil Moon", "The Minstrels", "Old Man John", and "The Kissin Bug". CD features 3 bonus alternate takes too! CD

A landmark album from The Allman Brothers – and a set that forever set the standard for double live albums in the 70s! The expanded format really let the group open up and show the strengths they had already developed as a live act, long before they walked into the studio for their initial album – as the tracks are often quite long, and let you hear the way they approached the process of creation – using lots of jamming energy that's really let loose here on the longer tunes, which are awash in amazing guitar and organ solos! Dickey Betts and Duane Allman are fantastic together – and titles include the side-long "Whipping Post" and "You Don't Love Me" – plus "Hotlanta", "In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed", "Statesboro Blues", "Stormy Monday", and "Done Somebody Wrong". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary debut of The Allman Brothers – and a set that maybe set the tone for countless southern rock albums to emerge in the following decade! Yet even at the start, the Allmans are still set apart from the rest – a fiercely jamming band who created the structure for most of the tunes by working together with an almost jazz-like inspiration – blending the guitars of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts with organ and vocals from Gregg Allman, driven by the massive bass of Berry Oakley, and held strong through the percussion efforts of Jai Johanny Johanson and Butch Trucks. Titles include the classic "Whipping Post", plus "Dreams", "Every Hungry Woman", "Don't Want You No More", "Black Hearted Woman", "Trouble No More", and "It's Not My Cross To Bear". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from The Allman Brothers – and a set that forever set the standard for double live albums in the 70s! The expanded format really let the group open up and show the strengths they had already developed as a live act, long before they walked into the studio for their initial album – as the tracks are often quite long, and let you hear the way they approached the process of creation – using lots of jamming energy that's really let loose here on the longer tunes, which are awash in amazing guitar and organ solos! Dickey Betts and Duane Allman are fantastic together – and titles include the side-long "Whipping Post" and "You Don't Love Me" – plus "Hotlanta", "In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed", "Statesboro Blues", "Stormy Monday", and "Done Somebody Wrong". This version features lots of great bonus material too! CD

Jazzy guitar from the great Laurindo Almeida – with Chuck Domanico on bass, Clare Fischer on acoustic and electric iano, Emil Richards on vibes and marimba, Frederick Seykora on cello, Aime Maurice Vereeck on percussion, and Chuck Flores on drums and percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

A mad batch of funky grooves, with a world's worth of influences in the mix – elements of African, Indian, and other styles – all wrapped around some mighty funky instrumentation at the core! One track has a bit of sitar, another some Ethio organ, one more some Nigerian rhythms – and the album progresses with a lean vibe that makes each of these cultural references nicely unified next to the sharp funky instrumentation at the core! Without the global elements, the set would already be a great funk record – but with them alongside, it really soars to the skies – on titles that include "Mehal Safari", "Flugzeug String Machine", "Tilahun", "The Chase", "Stranger To Myself", and "Seven Wisdoms Of Plutonia". CD

Herb Alpert's definitely Going Places by the time of this set – and his trademark Tijuana Brass sound proves itself to be a great fit for just about any sort of number! The album kicks off with the wonderful "Tijuana Taxi", a sublimely jaunty tune that almost takes Herb into Bacharach territory – and which is followed up by the even-greater "Spanish Flea" – an ear-popping anthem that's one of the greatest bits of 60s instrumental pop ever recorded! And over and above those two tunes, the album's still got plenty more to offer too – a wonderful array of tracks all given the Tijuana touch, with titles that include "More & More Amor", "Mae", "Walk Don't Run", "Felicia", and "Cinco De Mayo". LP, Vinyl record album

Herb Alpert's first-ever album – a runaway hit that was the birthplace of so many groovy things – not just the start of the Tijuana Brass sound, also the birth of A&M Records! The album's the first to feature Herb's trademark take on the Mexican band style – done here with a bit more "jaunty" pop stylings than in later years, including a "rocking" electric bass that kicks along nicely at the bottom of some of the more chart-oriented tunes. The first full album on A&M – and the beginning of an empire – with titles that include "The Lonely Bull", "El Lobo", "Desafinado", "Mexico", "Never On Sunday", and "Struttin With Maria". LP, Vinyl record album

A great comeback for tenor legend Gene Ammons – not just in a musical sense, but also because Jug had spent most of the past few years in prison – as part of the usual trumped-up drug charges that were filed against musicians at the time! At the time of this album, Ammons had not recorded since a very successful flurry of sides recorded in 1961, done for a number of labels, and issued slowly during his time off the recording market – a precursor to this fantastic return to form, which has Gene hitting more of a jazz funk mode, in the best Prestige style at the end of the 60s! Case in point is the presence of Bernard Purdie on drums on a number of cuts – in a lineup that also features some organ from Sonny Phillips, piano from Junior Mance, and electric bass from Bob Bushnell – plus congas from Candido for a nice extra kick! Titles include the funky cuts "Tastin' the Jug" and "Jungle Boss" – plus "Madame Queen" and "Feeling Good". LP, Vinyl record album

A soul jazz classic from Gene Ammons – the kind of session that easy made him "boss" on tenor – with a tone and conception that few other players could touch! The set is done in a style that's laidback, but never too loose – bouncing along in that "with conga" style of rhythm that was used strongly at the start of the 60s – with Ray Barretto on percussion, alongside Tommy Flanagan on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The style is nice and echoey – a mode that works well not only here, but on most of the 22 other albums that Ammons went onto record during the next 2 years! Titles include "Close Your Eyes", "Canadian Sunset", "Hittin' The Jug", "Confirmation", and "Blue Ammons". CD

A classic album from Gene Ammons – one that features the tenor legend at his prime, working in two different settings! The first batch has Ammons "battling" Sonny Stitt in a set of stuff that features hard twin tenors in the frontline, with the kind of cutting contests the two of them would perform live all over the country. Titles on that one include "Stringin The Jug", "New Blues Up & Down", and "You Can Depend On Me". The other side of the record features Ammons in one of those great Prestige open-ended groups – with crack players like Art Farmer, Lou Donaldson, and Freddie Redd – all soloing long and soulfully on two tracks – "Woofin & Tweetin" and "Juggernaut". CD

Gene Ammons' last session – not as funky as earlier work for Prestige, but pretty nice at that! The group's got Gary Bartz on alto, Kenny Drew on piano, Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and Nat Adderley on cornet – and they groove together well, in the kind of soul jazz/modal mode that you'd find on some of the better mid 70s sides for the Muse label. The album includes a nice remake of Duke Pearson's "Jeanine", plus the tracks "Out In The Sticks", "Alone Again Naturally", "It Don't Mean A Thing", and "Geru's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Like some of the other issues on Trip, this set brings together some great sides that sort of fell between the cracks in an artist's career. These nice rarer sides by Gene Ammons seem to be recorded by Jug during the early 60's, when he was jumping around his contractual agreements with a number of labels, and recording sessions for just about everybody. The first LP features Jug in the studio with Howard McGhee (the set was briefly issued under his name, on Argo) and a guitarist we're pretty certain is Jake Fisher (from other issues of this material), for a cool laidback soul jazz session that's probably one of Jug's most open-ended from the time. The tracks are all long, with a lot of room for solo space, and a round mellow tone. Titles include "Housewarmin", "Nothin' But Soul", "Jivin Around" and "Jug & McGhee". The second set's a hard-hitting blowing session, cut very much in the mode of Gene's late 50s sides for Prestige – and with a very accomplished group of soul jazzers that includes Nat Adderley, Frank Foster, Bennie Green, and Frank Wess. The groove has a nice raw late night sound – and tracks are pretty long and open-ended. Titles include "Litty Ditty", "Sermonette", "Juggin Around", and "Jim Dog". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer live work from Jug – recorded during the early 60s in Chicago, with just an organ-based trio, and very much in the feeling of the best small-group lounge jazz shows of the day! The material is issued here in a 1967 version, its first release – but the grooves were recorded at the DJ Lounge in Chicago – at a time when Gene Ammons was turning out some very raw, rough-edged material! Organist Eddie Buster does a pretty darn good job of wailing away, and Ammons is in very different, very freewheeling form than on many of his other studio sessions from the time. Gerald Donovan is on drums – and titles include "Fast Track", "Foot Tappin", "Scrapple From The Apple", and "Jug's Blue Blues". CD

A double-length monster from Amon Duul – issued after the first incarnation of the group had disbanded, and pulled from recordings that also gave the world the legendary Psychedelic Underground record! The sounds here are often rawer and more powerful than most of the group's other music – sometimes droning with almost a Faust-like sense of noise, other times rocking but with a vibe that's almost tribal at times – thanks in part to drum parts and percussion that bring a very earthy vibe to the record! While some of the Krautrock groups of this generation were soaring to the skies, this one has Amon Duul almost romping in the dirt – on titles that include "Somnium", "Frequency", "Autonomes", "Chaoticolour", "Asynchron", and "Drum Things". CD

A double-length monster from Amon Duul – issued after the first incarnation of the group had disbanded, and pulled from recordings that also gave the world the legendary Psychedelic Underground record! The sounds here are often rawer and more powerful than most of the group's other music – sometimes droning with almost a Faust-like sense of noise, other times rocking but with a vibe that's almost tribal at times – thanks in part to drum parts and percussion that bring a very earthy vibe to the record! While some of the Krautrock groups of this generation were soaring to the skies, this one has Amon Duul almost romping in the dirt – on titles that include "Somnium", "Frequency", "Autonomes", "Chaoticolour", "Asynchron", and "Drum Things". LP, Vinyl record album

About as classic as you can get for Amon Duul – a double-length set that virtually defined the sound of prog rock for the 70s! Tracks are long, and mighty jamming – with a strong undercurrent of jazz alongside the heavy drums and guitars – set loose at a level that's much madder than most American work of the time – always threatening to trip itself up at various points, but incredibly on track over the length of the extended package. There's a few improvisational moments, and the whole thing has a fluid feel that even makes us swallow the vocals easily, as they fit right in with the rest of the tripped-out instrumentation. Instruments include 12 string guitar, organ, and some especially nice bongos – and titles include "Burning Sister", "Eye Shaking King", "Yeti Talks To Yogi", "Cerberus", and "Archangel Thunderbird". CD

A contemporary project, but one that was initially intended for the legendary KPM Sound Library – and one that has Emil Amos serving up instrumentals that offer up his own take on classic sound library modes from years back! There's definitely more of a 21st Century vibe going on here at times – as 80s elements get more of a twist through production learned from the beathead generation – all of which almost makes for a more industrial take on sound library styles! Titles include "Bad Night At Cowboys", "Theme From A Personal Prison", "Moving Target", "Interloper 1", "Zone Bleu", "Red Palms", and "Jealous Gods". LP, Vinyl record album

A stellar set from one of the most underrated reed players of all time – a brilliant bit of searching soul jazz, cut at a time when Curtis Amy was leaving behind his Texas roots for the new sounds of the Coltrane generation! The album's quite different than the organ and tenor dates that Amy had previously cut with Paul Bryant – and instead, is put together with a nascent spiritualism that's really wonderful – a sound that definitely lives up to the bold title and cover image, with lots of modal moments in the rhythms! The group features some equally under-acknowledged geniuses – including trumpeter Dupree Bolton, pianist Jack Wilson, and guitarist Ray Crawford – all coming together perfectly with Amy's work on tenor and soprano sax. The best tunes here are originals by the group members – including "Lonely Woman" (not by Ornette), "Katanga", "Native Land", and "Amyable". Plus, this CD reissue also includes some great bonus cuts that were not on the original album! CD

A group who really live up to their name, as they have a way of reaching back in time and space with this very righteous vibe – blending the sorts of horns you might hear in Sun Ra's Arkestra with more majestic strings that might come from a Carlos Nino/Miguel Atwood Ferguson project – but all with a style that's got a lighter, more cosmic approach! There's strong use of harp on the albums at times, echoing a bit of Alice Coltrane – but the group definitely take off in all their own directions too, especially as they shift the focus on key instruments from track to track – in a lineup that includes flute, alto, oboe, tenor, bass clarinet, and baritone – next to light strings, piano, percussion, and bass. All the music was composed by Ozzy Moysey, and a few tracks feature a vocal group to help lift up the spirits of the tunes – equally cosmic and righteous, and a great addition to the sound of the set. If you've dug the Matthew Halsall recordings on the Gondwana label, you'll find plenty to love here – on titles that include "Rejoicing", "Niyama", "Equanimity", "Arc Of The Sun", "River Of Light", and "Pharoah Sings". LP, Vinyl record album

Ernestine Anderson at the height of her powers – caught during a very successful run at Concord Records, where she was easily one of the hippest things going down at the time! The group here is a trio, and very tight – Hank Jones on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Jeff Hamilton on drums – all shifting easily to fit the mood and personal demeanor of Anderson's performance, which is a fair bit more dynamic than other jazz singers of the period. In a way, the record's got a similar feel to Lorez Alexandria's albums from the time – hip soul jazz vocals at its best, with just the right twists, turns, and rhythmic impulses to keep things interesting – but not enough to goof things up too much! Titles include "Big City", "Welcome To The Club", "All Blues", "All I Need Is You", "Spring Is Here", and "I'll Never Pass This Way Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 2CD set that captures the genius of Fred Anderson during his prime years as a spokesperson for Chicago's AACM! Anderson's style has changed quite a bit since these rare recordings – making them important for understanding his progression as a musician, not to mention essential if you're a fan of his work, or the spiritual strands of the AACM during the 70s. The group on both records features Anderson on tenor, Billy Brimfield on trumpet, Steven Palmore on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums and tablas. The first disc features the Dark Day album, issued briefly by Message records in Europe in 1979, and the second disc features a previously unissued live set, recorded in Verona in 1979, featuring material that complements the Dark Day set very nicely! Titles include "Saxoon", "Dark Day", "Three On Two", "The Prayer", and "The Bull". CD

A long-overdue second dive into the tapes of Fred Anderson's searing performance in Milwaukee in 1980 – a brilliant document of a group that was not recorded often, and who shine here in a way that really illuminates the genius that Anderson was capable of in the decade before the world began to give him greater recognition! There's a quality here that's almost a lost chapter in the development of avant jazz, especially the Chicago scene – earlier AACM energies given a bit more focus, and a bit bolder expression – by a quartet that also includes Billy Brimfield on trumpet, Larry Hayrod on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums – players who have a taught, urgent approach to the music that makes for completely captivating listening all the way through! The material is a key addition to Anderson's catalog, and a record that may well stand at the top of it as well – with titles that include "He Who Walks Alone", "Another Place", "Bernice", "3 On 2", and "Our Theme". CD

The first new studio recording by tenorist Fred Anderson since 1980 – and a set that shows just how much he'd grown in the intervening years! Here, Fred's newly alive with a younger Chicago group – a great quartet with Jim Baker on piano, Harrison Baker on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums – all players openly fluid to move with Anderson from swinging passages to freer ones – a beautiful balance of soul and experimentation, captured in a way that maybe links Fred more closely to Von Freeman than any other record in his career – yet which still captures all the AACM vitality in his music too. Titles include "Birdhouse", "Bernice", "Like Sonny", and "Waiting For Me". CD

Tenorist Fred Anderson made some fantastic albums for the Okka Disk label during the later years of his life – and this wonderful set has the legend making tremendous new fire with the label's excellent DKV Trio! Given that the group already features Ken Vandermark on saxes, the pairing of Anderson and Ken is a heck of a match – driven on strongly here by the bassist Kent Kessler, who's at the height of his powers during these years – and drummer Hamid Drake, whose range is maybe even more bold here than usual. Titles include "Planet E", "Lady's In Love", "Aaron's Tune", "Black Woman", "Our Theme", and "Dark Day". CD

A stunning surprise from Andre 3000 – at least if you only know him as part of Outkast – and a record that finally gives us an audio document of the sounds that Andre has really been involved with in recent years – a beautiful blend of spiritual jazz with mellower currents, aided here by some members of the contemporary LA scene! There's a resonance here with some of the more laidback projects on the International Anthem label, and with the work of Carlos Nino – and no surprise, Nino is on board to deliver great production work throughout, and co-produced the album with Andre too. Andre delivers a lot of work on flute, as hinted at by the cover – and also serves up beautiful sounds on wind controller too – as the set moves between contributions from other artists who include Nate Mercereau on guitars, and Diego Gaeta and Surya Botofasina on keyboards – as well as guest vocals from Mia Doi Todd on two tracks, and shakuhachi from Shabaka Hutchings on one more. Titles include "That Night In Hawaii When I Turned Into A Panther & Started Making These Low Register Purring Tones That I Couldn't Control", "Ninety Three Til Infinity & Beyonce", "Dreams Once Buried Beneath The Dungeon Floor Slowly Sprout Into Undying Gardens", "Ants To You Gods To Who", and "I Swear I Really Wanted To Make A Rap Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me". CD

A stunning surprise from Andre 3000 – at least if you only know him as part of Outkast – and a record that finally gives us an audio document of the sounds that Andre has really been involved with in recent years – a beautiful blend of spiritual jazz with mellower currents, aided here by some members of the contemporary LA scene! There's a resonance here with some of the more laidback projects on the International Anthem label, and with the work of Carlos Nino – and no surprise, Nino is on board to deliver great production work throughout, and co-produced the album with Andre too. Andre delivers a lot of work on flute, as hinted at by the cover – and also serves up beautiful sounds on wind controller too – as the set moves between contributions from other artists who include Nate Mercereau on guitars, and Diego Gaeta and Surya Botofasina on keyboards – as well as guest vocals from Mia Doi Todd on two tracks, and shakuhachi from Shabaka Hutchings on one more. Titles include "That Night In Hawaii When I Turned Into A Panther & Started Making These Low Register Purring Tones That I Couldn't Control", "Ninety Three Til Infinity & Beyonce", "Dreams Once Buried Beneath The Dungeon Floor Slowly Sprout Into Undying Gardens", "Ants To You Gods To Who", and "I Swear I Really Wanted To Make A Rap Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning set of modal soul jazz from the LA underground of the 60s – the only album we've ever seen by pianist J Reginald Andrews – and an earthy set that's filled with great tracks! The overall approach is piano and percussion plus horn bits – with Andrews on the keys, playing in solidly soulful waves of sound, really setting the scene for the album's strong work on alto, baritone, and trumpet. There's some conga at the bottom, and a freewheeling approach that reminds us a lot of the mighty first album by the Harold Johnson Sextet – a group who were certainly contemporaries of Andrews on the LA scene. Nearly all tracks are originals – and groovers – and titles include "Everyman's Brother", "Ah Na Na", "Chant", "The Debonaire", "Mystique Beauty", and "Song For J". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique album from Yugoslavian group Angel's Breath – one recorded in Brazil, which might come as no surprise, given that one of the members of the duo is Mitar Subotic Suba – who you'll also know from his groundbreaking album Sao Paulo Confessions! Suba got his start in Serbia, but was crucial in the Brazilian advances in the 90s before his too-early death in 1999 – and the record's definitely got some of the same appeal as the best music of the scene from Chico Science or Arnaldo Antunes – especially in the way it uses offbeat guitar lines, crispy electronics, and unusual rhythms next to lyrics that often feel as poetically experimental as they are tuneful! The whole thing's very difficult to describe, but that really gives it a hell of a lot of charm – and if it were not for the turmoil in Yugoslavia at the time, the set might have seen bigger global attention from the same cultural scene who were embracing Brazilian experiments of the period. Titles include "Madalena", "Velvet", "Caura", "Assassino", "Aplauzi", "40 Seconds Of Love", and "Metak". LP, Vinyl record album

Sure, their name marks them as part of that big world of prepackaged soul groups, and yes, their costumes on the cover may look a bit goofy – but over the years, this debut's got maybe a bit more staying power than some of their contemporaries! There's plenty of hip hop production in the mix – mostly handled by Dallas Austin, and with those kind of elements that you might find showing up in remixes of main cuts more than the album cuts themselves – but that also keeps things popping and hopping, and definitely does plenty to offset the youth in the vocals, which might not sound nearly as good on their own. So maybe think of the album as much as Austin's as it is the work of the group, and you'll get the vibe – with titles that include "Spyderman", "Mental Interlude", "Playground", "Little Soldiers", "Jealous Girl", "ABC", "That's My Girl", and "My World". CD

Sure, their name marks them as part of that big world of prepackaged soul groups, and yes, their costumes on the cover may look a bit goofy – but over the years, this debut's got maybe a bit more staying power than some of their contemporaries! There's plenty of hip hop production in the mix – mostly handled by Dallas Austin, and with those kind of elements that you might find showing up in remixes of main cuts more than the album cuts themselves – but that also keeps things popping and hopping, and definitely does plenty to offset the youth in the vocals, which might not sound nearly as good on their own. So maybe think of the album as much as Austin's as it is the work of the group, and you'll get the vibe – with titles that include "Spyderman", "Mental Interlude", "Playground", "Little Soldiers", "Jealous Girl", "ABC", "That's My Girl", and "My World". Cassette

An incredible leap forward for Antibalas – a record filled with bolder sounds and deeper grooves than ever before – and one that even tops the already-great sound of their previous albums! The mix of modes here is really amazing – some of the group's familiar Afro-Funk at the core, but also a much wider range of influences too – bits of dub, choppy Latin guitar, Sun Ra-like organ lines, and gamelon-styled metal bits – all wrapped together in a groove that has some particularly hypnotic undertones! The set was produced by John McIntire, who's no doubt a big influence on the sound here – and the record really shatters any expectations you might have from the group – proof that they're way more than just another Afro Funk combo. Titles include "Beaten Metal", "Filibuster X", "Sanctuary", "Hilo", "War Hero", "ICE", and "Age". CD

A later album from Antonio Carlos E Jocafi – but one that still holds onto the lively samba roots of their best older sides! The instrumentation is a mix of acoustic and electric elements – but usually falls more towards the former – and arrangements are by Cesar Machado, who changes things up a bit throughout the set, shifting styles to fit the musical voice of each individual tune. Titles include "Olho D'Agua", "Teresa Batista", "Dona Flor E Seus Dois Maridos", "Capitaes De Areia", "Conversa P'Ra Boi Dormir", and "Jesuino Galo Doido". CD

An amazing little soundtrack – written in mid 60s Peru by jazz pianist Jaime Delgado Aparicio, but easily on a par with some of the best American or Italian scores from the time! The music's got a really wonderful feel throughout – jazz at the core, but with touches of spy soundtrack scoring and some of the lighter, more comedic modes of the Italian scene. Delgado uses a core combo with heavy piano, percussion, and some great trumpet and tenor – almost with the tightness of the Basso-Valdambrini group – but he also expands the sound with bits of strings and some fuller orchestrations, used to shade in some amazing colors that roll, dip, and turn with the beautiful grooves penned for the set. The whole thing's tremendous, with equally great production that creates some odd twists and turns that further keep things interesting as the album rolls on. Titles include "Elm Embajador Y Yo", "Sexy Surf", "Llegando A La Capital", "Isometria", "Todo El Mundo Me Persigue", "Lucha En El Mar", and "La Arana". Added to the soundtrack is Jamie's 1964 album – Jaime Delgado Aparicio Y Su Trio – a crackling bit of piano jazz from the Peruvian scene of the 60s – and a record that's somewhere between the best of Horace Silver on Blue Note, and some of the Brazilian bossa trios of the time! There's a strong sense of rhythm throughout – round, rolling basslines punctuated by great work on the drum kit – all topped by beautifully lyrical lines from Delgado Aparicio on piano – filled with color, light, and life throughout – and soloing with a depth that's rare for such a young player! Titles include a great version of Horace Silver's "Sayonara Blues", plus "The Climate", "Autumn Leaves", "Walkin", and "Blue Daniel". CD

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

Ray Appleton on drums – with Slide Hampton on trombone, Charles McPherson on alto, Jim Rotondi on trumpet, John Hicks on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Rumah Saafir on congas! CD

Legendary Japanese reedman Akira Sakata joins younger improvisers Johan Berthling on bass and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums and percussion – and really seems to shape their performance, given the results of the record! Sakata blows both alto sax and bass clarinet – always with that rich, raw tone that's made him so great for so many decades – and he also vocalizes occasionally, with an earthy quality that's very powerful, and very different than his saxophone work. Paal is maybe a bit more restrained than usual, really letting Sakata set the scene for most numbers – then finding the right way to embrace and embolden the sound – and Berthling proves again that he's one of the more sensitive improvisers in recent years, while still very much holding his own in the trio. Titles include "Jikan", "Saitaro Bushi Arashi", "Yamanoue No Okura", and "Tsuioku". CD

Kind of hard to put a finger on the style of Jho Archer – which is probably why they used the phrase "many talents" in the title of this one! Jho's got a bit of Caribbean in his vocals – traces of calypso and Haitian soul, inflected with a hipper French approach to the backings, which are handled by H Rostaing, in a manner that reminds us of some of those used on the recordings of Henri Salvador. Jho sings in English and French – and the best cuts are nicely swinging. Titles include "Work Song", "Le Condamne", "The Peanut Vendor", "Cousin", "Ibo Lele", and "Sky Boat Song". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most creative albums ever from UK composer Neil Ardley – and that's saying a lot, given the complexity of his other work! The set's got a wonderful blend of jazz arrangements and some freer passages – scored by Ardley with some of his most sensitive, most beautiful music ever – almost as if the whole thing's an extended soundtrack for a passage in time – or at least a sonic journey that's filled with some wonderful twists and turns! There's definitely some jazz/rock elements in the music, but the main focus is jazz – and Ardley has that same strong sense of large charts and forward-moving rhythms that you'd find in the best early work of Mike Westbrook, particularly his albums for Deram. Players are a very familiar, and very top-shelf batch of British musicians – including Barbara Thompson, Dick Heckstall-Smith, and Don Rendell on reeds; Harry Beckett and Henry Lowther on trumpets; Derek Wadsworth on trombone, Frank Rocotti on vibes, and Stan Tracey on both piano and celeste. Ardley plays prepared piano, and Ivor Cutler makes a great guest appearance on one track – reciting "The Dong With A Luminous Nose" – and Norma Winstone sings on "Will You Walk A Little Faster". The title track – "A Symphony Of Amaranths" – is dedicated to Duke Ellington and Gil Evans – with a feel that more than lives up to both! CD features the bonus track "National Anthem & Tango". CD

A record of improvisations, but served up in a different way than you might expect – as vibist Sergio Armaroli and reed legend Evan Parker don't play duets here, but instead work in "dialogue" – answering each other back and forth on different tracks, almost as if the set is a series of performances in which one musician takes center stage while the other one steps back! Armaroli's vibes are great – wonderfully resonant with all sorts of unusual sounds and textures – in a way that really echoes the work of Parker on soprano sax, blowing here with all that mastery of sonic shapes that he's given us over the decades. Evan blows five "Interlude" tracks – and Serge performs six "Two Rooms One Vibraphone" selections. CD

A completely charming vocal session from Louis Armstrong – done in the later pop years of his life, but a record that's not nearly as well known as his bigger hits for Kapp! Louis works with arrangements from Dick Jacobs – the Brunswick arranger who first provided the early charts for Jackie Wilson – and the style is kind of a 60s update of 20s styles – that retro mode that was showing up in the decade as a few artists like Armstrong were reinvented for the younger generation. But despite the setting, Louis is wonderful throughout – with that honest, raspy tone of later years – and just a bit of trumpet to jazz things up amidst the pop. Titles include "I Will Wait For You", "Sunrise Sunset", "Rosie", "Willkommen", "I Believe", "The Happy Time", and "Talk To The Animals". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from the film of the same name – with some extracts from the film, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Chicago Breakdown", "West End Blues", "Beau Koo Jack", "Basin Street Blues", "Knee Drops", "St. James Infirmary" and "Muggles" – 18 tracks in all. CD