A really well-chosen set of classic Afro Funk records from Fela Kuti – hand-picked by Idris Elba, and brought together in this limited box set! Open & Close is an early classic from Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – the kind of early 70s record that helped both the leader and the group establish themselves as a global powerhouse of funk and soul! The set begins with the side-long "Open & Close" – a righteous tune that's driven onward by lots of tight drums from Tony Allen – young, focused, and completely amazing here – while Fela delivers all these madly leaping electric piano lines amidst the super-sharp horn section – all moving instrumentally for many minutes before the vocals come into play! Side two features two shorter tracks, but still nice and long in comparison to most funky groups – the wonderful "Swegbe & Pako" and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo" – tunes that really send the record over the top! Fela teams up with vibist Roy Ayers on Music Of Many Colors – one of the best soul collaborations ever – a whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Opposite People is seminal work from one of Fela's most crucial periods – recorded at a time when his soul was the deepest! The album features 2 long tracks – "Opposite People" and "Equalisation Of Trouser & Pant" – and they both have beautiful spooky keyboards in the instrumental passages, then leap into hard soul vocals by Fela. Tremendous stuff – done in a style that shows that no matter how many people cop or remake Fela's sound, he's still the best one to do it! The rare Stalemate album features the side-long tracks "Stalemate" and "Don't Worry About My Mouth" – both really hard-driving numbers, with a fantastic mix of vocals and grooves! Live In Amsterdam is an excellent live set from Fela – one that shows that he was still very capable of going over the top during the 80s! The set's a double LP – and it features 4 great numbers by the group, with Fela on soprano sax, piano, and organ, and plenty of other great work on tenor, alto, and trumpet. Titles include "Gimme Shit I Give You Shit", "Custom Check Point", "Movement Of The People", and "Political Statement Number 1". I Go Shout Plenty is a great one from Fela – with a date of 1986, but a sound that's pure late 70s! The record features 2 long tracks – "I Go Shout Plenty" and "Why Black Man Dey Suffer" – and they're both hard groovers with a strong political feel. "Why Black Man" is especially nice, and has some great keyboard riffing in the middle, with that great tinny sound that you'll hear on the best Fela albums. One that we almost never see – and issued on the Decca subsidiary Afrodisia. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best soul collaborations ever! Fela and Roy Ayers team up for this whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Long overdue! LP, Vinyl record album

Two killers from the glory days of Afro Funk! Side one features the title cut "Excuse O" – a tune that begins with some of the most complicated rhythms Tony Allen had given the group to date – a skittish groove that has the electric piano jumping eagerly, driven onward by horns – while the tune moves into a crescendo after Fela's tremendous tenor solo in the middle! "Mr Grammarticalogy" is on the flipside, and is an equally unique groove – one that builds more slowly, and almost dubbily – really letting the bassline set the tone before an incredibly soulful saxophone solo sets the tone for Fela to then deliver a powerful message on Education. LP, Vinyl record album

Fela's no gentleman here – and instead, the Afro Funk legend is wide-open and completely unbridled – soaring with boundless energy over the course of the side-long title track, then still serving up a really extended groove on the two shorter tracks on side two! The album's one of the earlier in Fela's classic run, but the core sound is very firmly in place – a sublime blend of heavy rhythms and jazz-based improvisation – with some especially wonderful saxophone on "Gentleman" and "Fe Fe Ne Eye Fe" – which really illustrate the jazz inspiration that the man brought to his music! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Fela's greatest albums – and one of the few that got any sort of international circulation in the 70s! "Zombie" shows Fela at the height of his powers – grooving away in incredibly fast, incredibly tight Afro Funk lines, weaving guitar, sax, and keyboards together with a speed that still leaves us breathless. No wonder the track had a history of causing riots when it was played! "Mr Follow Follow" is a bit mellower, but even stronger on the message tip, and graced with a sublime snakey sax solo. LP, Vinyl record album

A lost early chapter in the career of Roberta Flack – material recorded during the sessions for her legendary First Take album, but unissued at the time – and presented here with an amazing demonstration of the depth of her young talents! All the genius of First Take is in place here – that groundbreaking territory between jazz and soul that set Roberta apart from the pack, right from the start – but there's also a wider range of currents going on – maybe some more jazz-based numbers, mixed with other soul-referenced titles too – a wider span that furthers the role that Flack plays as a bridge between the 60s innovations of Nina Simone and a host of others to follow. The group is just a trio – Flack on piano with Marshall Hawkins on bass and Bernard Sweetney on drums – but the tunes have a very wide-open vibe that's very visionary, and every bit as great as Roberta's debut! Titles include a stunning version of "Afro Blue", plus "It's Way Past Suppertime", "This Could Be The Start Of Something", "Groove Me", "To Sir With Love", "The Song Is Love", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out", "The House Song", and "Hush A Bye". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic guitar work from K Frimpong – and plenty of other fantastic sounds too – all rolled up in his unique blend of Afro funk and high-life – served up here on four nice long tracks! There's vocals on the record, but the guitar and rhythms are what really drive the train – especially in some places as the vocals almost feel like exclamatory passages in response to the sharpness of the instrumentation! Things move pretty darn quickly on most cuts – which makes the guitar work even more amazing, especially in comparison to conventional highlife – on titles that include "Abrubo", "Acheumpomaa", "Ohere A Oda Apakaw Mu", and "Aboagyewaa". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Joe Henderson's greatest albums ever – a real treasure from his electric years at Milestone Records, and a set that showed he really had a lot more to offer for the scene of the 70s! The sound here is quite different than Joe's earlier work for Blue Note – a style that's sometimes soaring, sometimes mellow – but always moving forward with a tremendously fluid approach to the tenor sax. Joe's sense of phrasing and timing is impeccable – quite subtle at times, with these dark notes that hang beautifully in air on the ballads – and some sharper-edged qualities that really burst out strongly on the more upbeat tunes. The group's a great one too – and features Herbie Hancock on both acoustic and electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus additional trumpet by Mike Lawrence on 2 tracks. Titles include "Black Narcissus", "Isotope", "Afro-Centric", "Forsight & Afterthought", and "Power to The People". LP, Vinyl record album

A really different setting for the saxophone of Afro Funk legend Femi Kuti – as instead of working with a large group, he just blows here alongside the keyboard creations of Robert Hood – in a mode that makes for a really wonderful album all the way through! The tracks are each just titled "Variations" – and Femi's performance definitely seems improvised throughout, and set to these keyboard heavy grooves created by Hood – who also delivers lots of great keyboard solos too! There's a lot more jazz here than you'd expect on a Femi Kuti album – yet the set also nods to some Afro-styled grooves at points too – a real delight over the course of the eight tracks on the set. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most soulful albums to come out of the Australian scene of the 70s – and the crowning achievement of jazz singer Joyce Hurley – a vocalist we'd easily rank with Dee Dee Bridgewater for depth of righteous expression! Joyce's voice is definitely different than Dee Dee's – with some very unique phrasing – but this album's got the same sort of uncommonly expressive vibe as Bridgewater's legendary Afro Blue set. Backing is by a small combo with nice reed and electric piano work – usually letting Joyce take the lead at most moments, but with horn help to shape the sound of the tunes in really nice ways – a balance that few jazz records of the time ever hit this well – and which continues to uphold the soulful power of Hurley's vocals! The album's got loads of great numbers – including the jazz dance classic "Sunbath", a wicked take on "Maiden Voyage", and the instrumental number "Sambole" – plus other titles that include "Blues For Joyce", "Left Alone", "How Are You Dreaming", and "Threedom Street". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent batch of funky Latin tunes from Irakere – and one of the group's best albums! It's got a mix of rolling bass and electric keyboards on the best cuts – sounding a lot like the funky sound of LA Latin groups like War or El Chicano, but with more of the Afro-Cuban groove of their homeland of Havana in the mix. The quality of the work is excellent – better than on any of the group's American releases in later years – and this one time Cuban-only release is the kind of gem that's was unjustly hard to track down in earlier years – all the while deserving of worldwide love! Titles include "Iya", "Moja El Pan", "Juana 1600", "En Nosotros", "38 1/2", and "Xiomara" and "Este Camino Largo". LP, Vinyl record album

Kokolo do a great job of mixing up modes here – but maybe that's no surprise, as producer/singer Ray Lugo's been giving us great work for many many years – the kind of globe-opening grooves that really marks a generation who were raised on equal parts American funk and overseas modes! Those influences share center stage here – in grooves that are a bit Latin, a bit Afro-styled, and always pretty darn funky – topped with tight horns, but really driven from the bottom by the basslines and percussion. Titles include "Ethiopia", "How We Gonna Work It Out", "Ghost Riders", "100 Fevers", "La Buena Fe", "The Big Bamboo", and "Afrika Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Very joyous sounds from Konkolo Orchestra – an Afro Funk group, but one with a really uplifting vibe – a really special approach to the music that definitely sets them apart from the rest! Part of the music's charm lies in the vocals – often sung by lead singer Nongoma Ndlovu, a vocalist with a quality that's instantly endearing, and often echoed by other members of the group in a very joyous way! Vocals are by a few others at points, and the album also has a few instrumentals – with a small tight mix of one sax and one trumpet, keyboards, bass, drums, and some great percussion as well. Titles include "Cover Up The Bruises", "How We Got Here", "Blue G", "Count Your Blessings", "Future Pasts", "That Good Thing", and "Yese Yese". LP, Vinyl record album

Very joyous sounds from Konkolo Orchestra – an Afro Funk group, but one with a really uplifting vibe – a really special approach to the music that definitely sets them apart from the rest! Part of the music's charm lies in the vocals – often sung by lead singer Nongoma Ndlovu, a vocalist with a quality that's instantly endearing, and often echoed by other members of the group in a very joyous way! Vocals are by a few others at points, and the album also has a few instrumentals – with a small tight mix of one sax and one trumpet, keyboards, bass, drums, and some great percussion as well. Titles include "Cover Up The Bruises", "How We Got Here", "Blue G", "Count Your Blessings", "Future Pasts", "That Good Thing", and "Yese Yese". LP, Vinyl record album

A rising sun from the Jose James side of the universe – trumpeter Takuya Kuroda, stepping out here in a wonderful debut for Blue Note! You've heard Kuroda play with Jose James over the years, but he comes up with a rich new groove here on his own – a mostly-instrumental mode that has his cool, compressed lines over some sweet contemporary funky backings – heavy on Fender Rhodes from Kris Bowers, and some tightly snapping live rhythms that really add a lot of energy to the record! James guests on one track – a great remake of "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" – and also produced the whole set – but the core strength of the record comes from Kuroda's trumpet, and the great keyboard lines of Bowers. Other titles include "Green & Gold", "Piri Piri", "Afro Blues", "Mala", "Call", and "Sometime Somewhere Somehow". LP, Vinyl record album

The best album in years from Seun Kuti – recorded live in the studio, with no overdubs at all – in a way that really lives up to the best sound of his legacy in music! Tracks are all nice and long, and as spontaneous as they are hard-grooving – a perfect update of older Afro Funk modes from the 70s, refitted with newer ideas and an important sense of message in the music – one that comes through not just in the lyrics and the instrumentation, but also in the overall collaborative cohesion of the group in this setting! All tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Struggle Sounds", "Bad Man Lighter", "Black Times", and "Theory Of Goat & Yam". LP, Vinyl record album

The soulful sound of Bukky Leo takes off in all sorts of directions here – served up in a sweet soup of remixes by some great overseas talents! The work has the same Afro Funk vibe as some of Bukky's classic records – complete with his searing tenor work and strong lead vocals – set up in core instrumentation that includes plenty of percussion, keyboards, and super-tight horns – elements that are reworked and expanded here through the different mixes in the set! Tony Allen plays drums on some tracks – and titles include "Scelleton (Gilles Peterson mix)", "Annarkey (Dennis Bovell mix)", "Genre Jam (Leslie Laurence mix)", "Obedun (Orlandon Voorn mix)", "Summer Sax Breeze (Leslie Laurence mix)", and "Unisex Dilemma (Laurie Laurence mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard-driving work from this Afrobeat collection – an ensemble who've been working together for over a decade, and whose members hail from more scenes than just London – yet one who also use that city's cross-cultural heritage to really craft their own groove! Vocals are by Juanita Euka, who sings in English, French, and Spanish, and often in ways that make for a nicely different style than the usual vocal approach you'd expect from an Afro Funk record – a depth that sometimes has the musicians making space for her lead in a really great way! Her presence brings this extra current of soul to the record that's very nice – and titles include "El Ritmo De Londres", "Freedom", "Topesa Esengo Na Motema", "My Way", "De Kinshasa A Sona Bata", and "Take Me To The Sea". LP, Vinyl record album

The only album ever issued by Matadi – a hip French group from those key post-colonial years on the Parisian scene, and one who serve up this wonderful blend of late 70s club and West African roots! The style is almost a few years ahead of its time – especially when compared to some of the groups who would break big on that early 80s moment of global circulation of new Afro-styled sounds – especially when some of the keyboards almost seem to hint at electro styles from years to come! Yet the overall approach is nice and warm, very 70s funky on most tracks – upbeat, and laced with guitar solos from Sammy Massamba, who put the whole thing together – on titles that include "Afro", "My Own Style", "Lode", "Viva Afrika", "Bola Bola", and "Timawok". LP, Vinyl record album

A bold slice of work from the Daptone musical universe – a hip project that features work from members of The Dap Kings, El Michels Affair, Budos Band, and Antibalas – all put together with a range of sounds that really show the full spectrum of their styles! The groove's quite unique – even for the ultra-cool Daptone scene – as Menahan Street Band bring in bits of dub, funk, Latin, and Afro-styled sounds to their music – often working with a sense of spareness that seems influenced by 70s Ethiopia, but which comes off with a heavier Wu-inspired sound! There's no vocals at all – just really raw, stark instrumental bits – played on vibes, organ, tenor, flute, piano, trumpet, and some kickass percussion – produced with just the right sort of grit to make all tunes sound great. Titles include "Tired Of Fighting", "Home Again", "Montego Sunset", "The Traitor", "The Contendor", "Birds", "Esma", and "Going The Distance". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever collection to look at the lost sound library work of Ezy Minus – born Enzo Minuti, and a very self-contained talent who worked out of his own Studio 67 on the scene in Bologna! There's a scope of material here that's really great, and a bit different than some more familiar sound library music – definitely some of the funk you'd hope for, but also some more song-based moments, and plenty of jazzy currents that definitely will have us digging for more of Ezy's work in years to come! Titles include "The Island Of Secrets", "Nuvole Che Passano", "Discoteca", "Arapuru", "Tropical Dream", "Opening", "Southern Traffic", "Vocal Blues", "Situazione", and "Afro Vocal". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky psychedelic nugget from the Nigerian scene of the 70s – a record that's got more of a lean small group take on some of the bigger ensemble modes of the period, in a way that really seems to give the Moonrakers Band lots of flexibility with their sound! Some numbers might be a bit more guitar-heavy, others will have more organ – and the rhythms shift between rock, funk, and maybe even a bit of inspiration from Jamaican music – as the group serve up lyrics that are mostly in English, but with a definite offbeat vibe. There's occasional currents that resonate with Zamrock work of the decade, while other moments are straighter Afro Funk – on titles that include "Cut Your Coat According To Your Size", "We Got To Live", "What We Did Today Is Gone", "Wait For Me", "Little Sister Of Line", and "Enia Se Pele". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare session by Vinicius – featuring a 1970 recording in Buenos Aires – with Maria Creuza and Toquinho. Creuza was at her best during the early 70s – and working here with the classic bossa team of poet Vinicius De Moraes and guitarist Toquinho, she really sparkles with a sound that's some of her best singing on record. The trio sing separately or together from track to track – and the set includes a lot of great work that's in the Black Orpheus or Afro Sambas mode. Titles include "Canto De Osshana", "A Felicidade", "Tomara", "Canto De Osshana", "Minha Namorada", "Valsa Da Tunisia", "Lamento No Morro", and a great version of Caetano Veloso's "Irene"! LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool set, and one that mixes Afro Funk and Krautrock inspirations into a mad little groove of its own – thanks to plenty of cool keyboard work from David Nesselhauf! Most tracks just feature another drummer joining the leader – who also plays bass and guitar, while working through a host of different keyboard sources – and the tunes have some of the lean energy of percussion-driven cuts by Can, but more of the warmth that comes from some of the West African influences of the 70s. There's vocals on the record from Nessselhauf, but always processed and vocoded – usually acting just as one more electronic element – on cuts that include "The Void Phenomenon", "The Calling", "Fade To Grey", "Constellation Forming", "Now I Know", "Kosmich Blues", "Three Brothers", "Event Horizon", and "Raumschiff Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A blistering set of Afro-Funk from the 70s – the debut of Ofege, a band of high school students at the time! There's a really trippy sound to the set, as the guitars figure strongly in the groove, and are often recorded with some slightly psychedelic touches – similar to Blo or some of the other headier groups of this generation. Wah wah lines often mix in with straighter fuzzed-out solos – all driven strongly together by quick-snapping drums – and vocals are by a young-voiced singer who brings some sweet soul touches to the English-language lyrics – a nice contrast to the heavier sounds of the guitars! Titles include "Nobody Fails", "It's Not Easy", "Ofege", "You Say No", "Lead Me On", and "Try & Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Grooves unlike anything else you've ever heard before – the rightly legendary musical legacy of William Onyeabor, one of the most enigmatic talents to come from the African scene of the 70s! The work here is all plenty darn funky, but it's also very different from familiar Afro Funk too – as the instrumentation is heavy on keyboards, handled by William with incredible dexterity – and spun out in these soaring lines that bristle with righteous touches that really support the message of his tunes! The vibe mixes in some electro elements with long-drawn rhythms – and the vocals often step aside for lots of keyboard and rhythm interplay, then come in to send things home at just the right moment. Onyeabor's been a pretty elusive cat over the years, and it's taken Luaka Bop quite some time to put this collection together – amazing work that may well make the album one of the most important to ever come from the label – and the first introduction to the non-African world of Onyeabor's incredible sounds. Titles include "Body & Soul", "Atomic Bomb", "Something You'll Never Forget", "Why Go To War", "Love Is Blind", "Fantastic Man", and "Let's Fall In Love". 3LP set features four bonus tracks not on the CD! LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a groove that's hard to deny – yet one that's also maybe nicely understated, in comparison to some of the late 70s contemporaries of Alhaji Waziri Oshomah on the West African scene! The music's got this seductive quality that ebbs and flows with the groove – not full-on Afro Funk, but this organic building of energy between bubbling basslines, earthy percussion, and these sweet guitar lines that hold the whole thing together – while Waziri's vocals make these very personal exclamations that are sometimes echoed by the rest of the group – and by horn parts as well. The set features four long tracks – "Igwegi Baba", "Iyuchele Opomumhe", "Forgive Them O God Amin", and "Emoi Khakiegwi Aghumheile". LP, Vinyl record album

No charity needed here – as reedman Eji Oyewole's got a wealth of talent on his own! Eji's a musician with roots in the 60s Nigerian scene, but left to follow a personal path through Europe and the US, where he picked up some wonderfully funky styles which are then brought home to create this completely cooking late 70s album! The style's different than other big Afro Funk names of the time – like Fela Kuti or Manu Dibango – but shares a similar sense of flowing, open grooves – and Eji's ability to act strongly as both a lead vocalist, and a soaring soloist on tenor, soprano, and flute! Rhythms are damn funky at the core – with almost a blacksploitation vibe at times – and the tracks are all quite long, with most of the real "voice" coming from the saxes, which speak volumes on their solos. Titles include "Gele Odun (Oil Boom)", "Lagos Complex Highways", "Unity In Africa", and "Charity Begins At Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A really raw set from 70s Africa – one that's more rock than Afro Funk, but which has a pretty hypnotic groove overall! The group's heavy on guitars, which are often played in a fuzzy, jamming sort of way – but with different tones and phrasing than American or Anglo psyche groups – even though they're clearly an inspiration to the sound! Most tunes are strongly rhythmic – guitars grooving away over muddy drums and a bit of rumbling bass – all produced in very basic, stripped-down ways – but that makes for a big part of the charm of the set. Vocals are mostly in English, and often more chanted than sung – and titles include "I Need Mercy", "I Don't Know", "Peaceful Man", "Get On The Way", "This Is The Time Now", and "Black Power". LP, Vinyl record album

A damn funky little album – and one of the best Stones Throw albums of the past 20 years! Connie Price & The Keystones are a modern group – but one who's steeped in all the older messed-up funky styles of their Stones Throw labelmates – even some of the offbeat psych and rock that the label has reissued from around the globe! There's a wonderfully tripped-out sound to their work – taking the core instrumentation of funky drums, choppy guitars, smoking keyboards, and soulful sax – and pushing it out with a Stark Reality-ish vibe that really makes the group stand out from the rest of the deep funk underground! The album's a brilliant debut that we'll be digging for years – and it also feature appearances by Malcolm Catto, and members of Funk Inc, Poets Of Rhythm, and The LA Carnival! Titles include "Sticks & Stones", "Sucker Punch", "The Buzzard", "Double Dutch", "Wild Flowers", "Tall Dry Grass", "Fuzz & Them", and "The Shadows Of Leaves". Expanded version features 9 more bonus tracks – including "Raga Doll", "Afro Som", "Hurricane Malcolm", "Hello I'm Inside Out", "Sticks Dub", and "Attack Of The Killer Penguins". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sun Ra's greatest albums of the 70s – recording during the same sessions that yielded the famous Space Is The Place record for Blue Thumb, and done with a very similar feel – an expansive configuration of the Arkestra in peak form! The range of expression is really incredible – from the spiritual soul jazz of "Pan Afro", to the lightly grooving June Tyson vocals of "Neptune", to the extended suite "Discipline 27-II", a stretched-out spacey number with vocal "dramatizing" by Ra, Tyson, Ruth Wright, and Judith Holton. That track's a particularly great one, with the kind of spiritual resonance behind the spacey approach that rarely comes through as strongly on other albums – but the whole set is wonderful, and judging how reminscient of it some of the best, similarly-minded underground jazz is decades later – the whole thing is an amazing testament to how strong Ra's influence is today. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the tightest funky 70s jamming ever – a lost gem from Ray & His Musical Court, a group that perfectly fuses JB/Horny Horns funk with beat-heavy Afro-Cuban groove! Ray and the group are one of the more obscure funky combos of the era, and it's a damn shame, because the group's tight-as-can-be amalgam of JB's style horn riffing and thumping Afro-Cuban percussion is some of the absolute best of its kind. This group seriously smokes any of the current funk bands on the road! On these sessions Ray wrote, produced, played "organ flute" and provided some vocals in a large group that includes three trumpets, bass clarinet, sax, two drummers, congas, electric bass, and a line of mostly Spanish vocalists. Amazing 70s super funk with a very proud Latin edge – and featuring tracks that include "Sunny", "Soul Freedom", "Cookie Crumbs", "De Eso Nada Monada", "Lo Sabia", "Venimos Acabando", "La Pena", and "La Senorita Lola". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that comes out a decade after the first album by footwork maestro RP Boo, but one that features tracks recorded in the first ten years of the 21st Century – music from a time when footwork was really exploding on the Chicago scene as a wonderful blend of house music influences and some of the grittier elements of hip hop! But as you'll hear on the record, the style here is tied to neither at all – as it offers up a blisteringly rhythm progression of sounds – as urban as some of the Afro-Futurist work from Detroit, but even more stark and spare as well. Titles include "Pop Machine", "Azzoutof Control", "Porno", "Off Da Hook", "Say Grace", "Total Darkness", "Heavy Heat", "Eraser", and "BOTO". LP, Vinyl record album

The Sorcerers are a small group, but they've got a really expansive sound – a blend of percussion, keyboards, and jazzy horn work that feels like a much larger Afro Funk group – but often delivered with a lean focus on the rhythms that really makes them sound unique! There's plenty of echoes of both West and East African styles here – served up in a mix of flutes, saxes, vibes, keyboards, and trumpets – plus mighty sharp percussion at the core, which drives the record in a nice range of rhythms that break from any standard modes you might expect! The vibe is almost as if The Sorcerers have drunk deep from all the classics of artists like Fela, Mulatu, Ebo Taylor, and other older legends – then found a way to distill them all together with energy that's all their own. Titles include "The Road Forward", "Yasuke In Roppongi", "Moth", "He Who Kills With One Leap", and "Oromo Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Dele Sosimi was raised in the shadow of Fela Kuti, literally – as he spent part of his youth in Fela's commune – yet his music is nicely free of some of the overdone Afro Funk modes of the 70s, and instead really finds a fresh way forward with all sorts of wonderful criss-crossings of styles! Sosimi was born in London, and later returned to the city – and the work here really has that special sparkle when the British scene gets things right – bringing together elements of its post-colonial richness, but with a new vision for the future – optimistic and uplifting, but never in a way that makes the music seem too facile or easygoing. One of Dele's key musical partners here is Sam Duckworth, of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly fame – and titles include "Open Up", "Ride Out The Storm", "Ori Mi", "Mo Se Bola Tan", and "E Si Medo". LP, Vinyl record album

We're not sure if the music here actually came from outer space – but the tunes definitely have a cosmic connection in the way they mix together so many groovy modes at once! The core energy comes from a love of 80s groove – particularly basslines, beats, and keyboards from the earlier part of the decade – but Diogo Strausz hails from Brazil, and brings in some music from his own culture as well, plus bits of Afro Funk and house – all of which makes for some mighty fresh tracks throughout! Titles include "Flexivel", "Dans Une Langue", "Junto De Nos", "Samba From Outer Space", "La Forme D'Un Grand Coeur", and "Why Can't We Be Together". LP, Vinyl record album

You might know these guys under their previous name of Kutimangoes – one that's dropped maybe in part because there's a shift in the music here to a slightly different style! Where Kutimangoes explored a heavy dose of Afro Funk on their records, Sunborn take off from the roots and move things into a much more fluid sense of expression – often percolating rhythms that have both acoustic and electric elements, in support of a superb hornline that moves with a sense of majesty that really makes the album stand out – giving the whole thing an instant sense of power and pride! Guests include Caio Marcio and Bigyuki – and titles include "Mankind", "Apple Blossom", "Night Sweats", "Dancing In The Dark", "Metropolis", "Beach Chase", "Echoes", and "Under The Same Sky". LP, Vinyl record album

An Afro Funk band, but one with a difference – a difference that's maybe a bit hard to put in words, but which is definitely there when you dig their grooves! These guys have all the familiar elements – percussion, guitars, horns, and keyboards – but they've got a rhythmic approach that's a bit unusual, and which takes things in a way that's sometimes a bit more laidback than other groups of this nature – sometimes almost as if they're borrowing a bit of East African styles to weave into a Nigerian-inspired music. The keyboards are especially nice, and almost feel like Greg Foat's cooked up an Afro Funk project – and titles include "Last Leap", "Control Per Capita", "Bad Dog", "Xoomba", and "Yetunde" – plus remixes "Bad Dog (Tigerbalm rmx)" and "Last Leap (Taj rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic longform grooves from the Tabansi Studio Band – a cool combo who worked to support Nigerian artists on the Tabansi label, but who have a sound here that's very much their own! These tracks are a lot wilder and more freewheeling than any of the group's music behind a singer – and although there's some vocalizations on the record, the main focus is in the ever-shifting, always-groovy rhythms – and the brilliant mix of guitar, basslines, and sax parts that criss-cross the tunes! Most numbers are around the 15 minute mark, but build up in ways that are very different than more familiar Afro Funk – and titles include "Kama Sofoa", "Aka Ji Ego Ga Anu Nwam", "Wakar Alhazai", and "Lokoel Azumi Ta Wuce". LP, Vinyl record album

Ebo Taylor at his finest – stepping out here in a wicked set of work from the 70s – filled with upbeat rhythms, sweet instrumental touches, and a heck of a lot of soul! There's a bubbling undercurrent in the rhythms that's almost Caribbean at times, yet the overall groove is a lot sharper too – a warm blend of percussion, guitar, and some mighty sweet keyboards – often peppered with bits of saxophone lines, and topped with lyrics that move nicely along with the groove. Rhythms are mostly in a midtempo mode – a few steps mellower than traditional Afro Funk – which furthers the unique feel of the record, and seems to only deepen Ebo Taylor's soulful intentions! Titles include "Heaven", "Ohye Atar Gyan", "Bra", "Saana", and "Amponsah". LP, Vinyl record album

A vintage set from the great Ebo Talyor – an artist who's been recording new music in recent years, but who sounds even better here on one of his classics! Ebo's got a fair bit of jazz mixed in with his sound – a layering of flute, trombone, tenor, guitar, and keyboard parts with a strong sense of solo – a bit like South African jazz of the period, especially in the way the instruments really open up in the midtempo grooves! Rhythms are laidback, but still nicely present – not as speedy as Afro-Funk, but not much slower either – and there's also room for plenty of lyrics on the tracks, too – although it's the instrumental solos we think we like the best. Titles include "Reality", "If You Care", "Come Along", "Egya Edu", "Enye Wo Nyame Nko", and "Gyae Su Na Nkomo". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet synth soul from 80s Nigeria – a set that definitely shows the evolution of that country's sound in the decade after the rise of Afro Funk – and a record that also delivers plenty of the beats promised in the title! There's lots of elements here borrowed from electro – drum machine rhythms, tight basslines, and plenty of keyboards – all percolating nicely next to the rougher-edged vocals of Nkono Teles – a singer who does an equally great job of delivering a catchy hit and a more seductive number. Touches of highlife filter into the mix here and there, but still in an electro-tinged way – and titles include "Be My Lady", "Party Beats", "Time For Fun", "Love Vibration", and "Highlife Makossa". LP, Vinyl record album

Afro-psychedelia from Chrissy Zebby Tembo – a set recorded in the Zambian scene of the early 70s, and served up in a blend of fuzzy guitar, funky drums, and some really unusual vocals! At times, Chrissy's voice almost sounds like it's being processed – filtered down nicely amidst the fuzzy guitar and bass, which themselves are kicked along by some especially great drums – not conventionally funky in the familiar Afro 70s mode, but really finding a heavy groove that's totally great! Some numbers get mighty dark, given the heavy use of fuzz – and titles include "Fisherman", "I've Been Losing", "Gone Forever", "Feeling Good", "My Ancestors", and "Trouble Maker". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal sounds from the Nigerian scene at the start of the 70s – music from the key figure of Celestine Ukwu, an artist who helped to reinvigorate the highlife style of years past, and pave the way for Afro Funk changes in years to come! Celestine's sound is nice and lean here – very rhythmic, with the guitar wrapped around the percussion and basslines in beautifully snakey action – while the vocals also have a quality that's maybe more personal than before – at points almost the raspy intimacy we love in some Brazilian singers! The package brings together work from three different albums from the early 70s – all long tracks that include "Tomorrow Is So Uncertain", "Onwunwa", "Ejina Uwa Nya Isi", "Ilo Abu Chi", and "Okwukuwe Na Ncheckwube". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky Nigerian gem from this lost 70s group – a combo who have a way of folding Afro Funk styles with some of the leaner West African styles of the time! There's horns in the group, and lots of bold percussion – but the guitars are really the key to the whole set – mixing together and ringing out with all sorts of cool chromatic elements alongside the vocals! The approach hints at highlife, but has a vibe that's all its own – and a nicely rough around the edges sort of quality that really keeps things spontaneous! Side one features the long "Drunkard" – and side two features "Matine Yanzoni" and "Herve". LP, Vinyl record album

Wganda Kenya were one of the most unique groups to record for the Discos Fuentes label in the 70s – and they were maybe also one of the coolest, too – as they never stopped in their pursuit of a groove, and were always able to mix together so many different styles at once! This gem of a record has some elements that begin in more familiar Colombian modes, but the group also bring in touches from American soul, Afro Funk, and lots more too – all with unusual instrumentation and production, at a level that really sets this album apart from the pack! Very different stuff than mid 70s sounds on Fania or Vaya – with titles that include "La Torta", "Dulce De Guayaba", "Mira Para Arriba Mira Para Abajo", "Mammy Boy", Tifit Hayed", "Fiebre De Lepra", and "Entre Tu Y Yo". LP, Vinyl record album

Tripped-out and wonderful sounds from Witch – served up in this excellent early record from the Zamrock kings of the 70s! Lyrics are in English, and have these dark tones that work perfectly with the group's offbeat guitar and organ lines – sometimes mixed here with acoustic guitar that changes things up from the fuzzier sound of their debut a bit – yet which still maintains a definitely trippy feel! The style isn't really psyche, but isn't Afro Funk either – and almost has some of the unique criss-crossing of modes you'd find in the hippest South American groups of the time. Titles include "Mushed Potatoe", "It's Alright", "Chance", "Young Lady", "Living In The Past", and "She Is Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite album by this Brit jazz rock combo from the mid 70s! The groove on this one is the most straightforward of any of the band's albums – and there's a number of nice cuts that have a strong funk sound with plenty of Afro soul influences – a great straightforward sound that gets past some of the more jamming modes of other work. The band's almost got a style that recalls Mandrill or Cymande, but with a bit more fusion overall – on titles that include "Mr J", "Mah Jong", "Spanish Fly", "Amuso Fi", and "Cobra Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Coco Maria hosts a mighty cool radio show on BBC Worldwide – one that showcases all sorts of unusual Latin music hybrids that have come up over the years – including a good range of contemporary music, such as the tracks featured on this really well-done compilation! The music here has echoes of older Colombian, Tropical, and Afro-Cuban modes – but often served up with really inventive arrangements and instrumentation that turn things completely around – not in any sort of Latin remix style, but with more of a groove that shows what some of the more unusual Latin hybrid combos have been working on! Titles include "Children's Favourite" by Guess What, "Lepidoptera" by Iko Cherie, "El Bravo" by Candeleros, "Vamonos Cocos" by Raz Olsher, "Off The Groove" by Ronald Snijders, "Always Ready To Smile" by Juan Hundred, "Seguimos Sonriendo" by Acid Coco, and "Sacudete" by Lola's Dice. LP, Vinyl record album

A wealth of spiritual sounds from more recent years – served up in a killer compilation that focuses on all the great new sounds that have been emerging from different global scenes – a sublime blend of jazz, soul, Latin, and other modes – all at a level that gives us plenty of hope for both modern music, and the future of humanity too! The set follows in the spirit of nuggets from the past we've always dug from the Right Tempo/Easy Tempo label – but work here is instead all new, and represents a great outpouring of contemporary talents who draw inspiration from the best currents of 60s and 70s righteous expression, the find a way to make bold new statements of their own. Titles include "Envoy" by Mary Ancheta Quartet, "Subway" by Azar Azar, "Let The Sunshine In" by Jimetta Rose & Voices Of Creation, "Formative Stages" by Organic Pulse Ensemble, "Who Will Save The World" by Anthony Joseph, "Naboro" by Tino Contreras, "For Horace" by Raffy Bushman, "Cut To The Chase" by Malcolm Strachan, "Ruptura" by Mama Terra, "Seasons In My Mind (Patchworks version)" by Yellowtail with Mark Murphy, and "Afro Blue" by Francesco Sotgiu. LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from the early 80s Nigerian scene – music that's evolved strongly past the Afro Funk of the 70s, and often has the same electro soul sound as work from the US at the time! These cuts are unabashedly upbeat, and aimed at the dancefloor – full of the kind of basslines and keyboard lines that folks treasure in rare American boogie singles – and topped with English language lyrics that give these tunes a really universal appeal! There's a nicely offbeat vibe to the cuts at times – almost a P&P club sort of style – which makes the whole thing a real treasure for any fan of funky club music, not just Nigerian sounds. Titles include "Only You" by Steve Monite, "Don't You Know" by Peter Abdul, "Fellas Doing It In Lagos" by Hotline, "Too Hot" by Rick Asikpo & Afro Fusion, "Funk With Me" by Danny Offia & The Friks, "Don't Give Up" by Willy Roy, "Groove I Like" by Veno, "Don't Stop That Music" by Sony Enang, "Where Is The Answer" by Burnis Moleme, and "Enjoy Your Life" by Oby Onyioha. The LP version includes detailed booklet and bonus 45 with "On The Air (rap mix)" by Lexy Mella and "Burning Jungle" by Ofege! LP, Vinyl record album

Greasy Mike takes on postwar hipness this time around – on a whole set of tracks that either parody beatnik culture, or embrace it fully – served up in a weird and wonderful blend of tunes in jazz, rock, Latin, and other hip styles from the late 50s and early 60s! The set follows the same vibe as some of Mike's other collections – and pulls together overlooked and offbeat tracks from both rare 45s and lost LPs – a mighty cool set list that includes "Gee Dad It's Early" by Guitars Inc, "New York Havana" by The Seven Arts Beat Society, "Last Night" by Ronnie Mann, "Africa Laments" by The Afro Americans, "Monday Night At 8pm" by Harvey Anderson, "Listen To Me Baby" by Ralph Ventura, "House Of Lords" by Isidro Misquez, "The Wiggler" by Leo Wright, "Cut A Loose" by Big Jox Orchestra, and "Moccasin Rock" by Abie Baker. LP, Vinyl record album

A much-needed look at the Dutch jazz scene in the 50s and 60s – a spot in Europe that was turning out some really fantastic modern material – at a level that's every bit as great as better-known work coming from France, Germany, and Scandinavia at the time! Many of the players here quickly became giants who would dominate on the Dutch scene for years to come – and even at this early point, their work is wonderful – occasionally graced with guest work from American players, but already more than great enough on its own – and filled with a mix of sharp rhythms, new ideas, and impeccable instrumentation throughout. As with other Sdban titles, the presentation is wonderful – not just a great set list, but an overall feel that makes the package as hefty as the music inside. Titles include "Four On Six" by Kwartet Martin Verlinden, "So Why" by Kwartet Leo Meyer, "Amsterdam Blues" by Diamond Five, "Lady Elisabeth" by Tony Vos Quartet, "Blues For Eddy" by Red & Brown Brothers, "Sem" by Frans Elsen, "Relaxin With Rhythme" by The Rhythme All Stars, "Mensen Van Morgen" by Herman Schoonderwalt, "Wives & Lovers" by Rita Reys & Oliver Nelson, "Comin Home Baby" by Trio Tony Vos, "Sing Sing Sing" by Leddy Wessel with Jack Van Poll, "Blues Minor" by Boys Big Band, and "Afro Blues" by Herbie Mann with Wessel Ilcken Combo. LP, Vinyl record album

Mr Bongo reminds us once again why they've been one of our favorite labels of the past few decades – delivering a masterful collection of rare funky dancefloor grooves around the globe for their Record Club Volume 3! True to form, it's vintage rare funk, bossa, Afro Soul and underground dancefloor rooted with a hearty focus on Brazil, including tracks by JB De Carvalho, Trio Ternura, Impacto 5 and others – and spans the globe further for tracks by legendary composer Galt MacDermot, Ghana's Gyedu Blay Ambolley, the Luther Davis Group and more. Includes "Fui A Umbanda" by JB De Carvalho, "A Gira" by Trio Ternura, "Coisa Sentimental" by Tobias, "Don't Stop" (unreleased long version) by Spaceark, "Let Me Try" by Kaleidoscope, "Peacock" by Splash, "You Can Be A Star" by Luther Davis Group, "Highlife" by Gyedu Blay Ambolley, "Ze Do Trem", "by Cesar Roldao Viera, "Dance Of Maria" by Elias Rahbani, "Coffee Cold" by Galt MacDermot and more. 20 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

A really revelatory collection – one that showcases a West African influence on sounds in Colombia – in a way that's almost a further shift of the way that Afro-Cuban sounds had an impact on Congolese and other rhythmic styles on the other side of the Atlantic! The music often features guitar lines lifted from a highlife tradition, mixed with rhythms that are a bit more straightforward – in some examples of the benga style in action, but blended with a more diverse array of sounds as the set moves on! The package is very well-researched, and is overflowing with work we'd never have heard otherwise – titles that include "Bi Sophia No 1" by Maroon Commandos, "Ateka" by Issa Juma & Waanyka, "Diabanza" by Orchestre Shika Shika, "Safari" by Viva Makale, "Trouble (part 1)" by La Mangelepa, "Wakumbuke Wazai" by Les Kilimambogo, and "Safi" by Lawi Somona. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest entries in the Red Hot series so far – a set of tracks dedicated to the legendary Fela Kuti – felled by AIDS after years of influential grooves – still being felt strongly by the rich array of artists collected in the set! Most tracks are contemporary, but feature a strong influence of the 70s modes of Fela's generation – those sharp percussive lines at the bottom of the tracks, soaring Afro-styled horn passages, and a righteous energy that really drives the whole thing all the way through! The package was put together in support of AIDS/HIV awareness, but is hardly an act of charity – as it's overflowing with great cuts that more than make the set stand as an Afro Funk collection on its own. Most tracks are remakes of older Fela numbers – and titles include "Buy Africa" by Baloiji & L'Orchestre De A Katuba, "Yellow Fever" by Spoek Mathambo & Zaki Ibrahim, ""Gentleman" by Just A Band & Baja, "Go Slow" by King, "Sorro Tears & blood" by Kronos Quartet & Kyp Malone, "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am" by My Morning Jacket, "Afrodisco Beat 2013" by Tony Allen & M1, and "Lady" by Tune Yards, ?uestlove, and Angelique Kidjo. LP, Vinyl record album

The Nigerian scene might be best-remembered as a hotbed of Afro Funk in the 70s – but during the same key stretch, the nation also gave rise to a heady rock underground, too – one that often mix psychedelic inspirations with some of the soul and funk that were coming from the bigger names on their scene at the time! In other words, there's plenty of guitars here – but also plenty of groove – basslines that really get the tunes going, and a mix of funky drums and rootsy percussion that make the music way more than just standard rock of the time – and even a lot groovier than some of the Zamrock or South African sounds that got a bit more exposure. The package is as great as the sound within – a big book that's filled with detailed notes on the music, the scene, and the tumultuous Nigerian politics of the period – plus lots of photos and images as well! The collection features 18 tracks in all – titles that include "Mother" by Waves, "Never Never Let Me Down" by Formulars Dance Band, "Keep On Moving" by The Hygrades, "Everybody Likes Something Good" by Ify Jerry Krusade, "Onye Ije" by The Strangers, "Stone The Flower" by The Hykers, "Never Too Late" by The Apostles, "Tell Me" by PRO, "Float" by Tirogo, "I Can't Be Satisfied" by Founders 15, and "Ballad Of A Sad Young Woman" by Wrinkar Experience. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic sounds for fans of funk and rock alike – music from the freaky, fuzzy 70s scene in Zambia – a place where styles effortlessly criss-crossed to really produce something new and unique! The work here is often heavy on fuzz guitars, but also has some wickedly soulful basslines and drums – so that although the tunes can be psych-styled, they're also pretty darn funky too – often at a level that's a bit like the Nigerian Afro Funk of the time, but much grittier and more righteous! The quality of the music and scene is explored in depth in the package – which includes a very detailed booklet of notes and photos – all to support the selection of music, which may well be the hippest so far from the Now Again label – and that's really saying a lot, if you know their other titles! Titles on volume 2 include "Really" by Crossbones, "History Of Man" by Amanaz, "Poor Man" by Five Revolutions, "Hold On" by Ngozi Family, "Katonga" by Musi-O-Tunya, "Request To God" by Oscillations, "Mpundu" by Tinkles, "Otenta" by Dr Footswitch, "Mad Man" by Born Free, "SM" by Mike Nyoni, "Hot Do" by Jesper Siliya Lungu, "I'm Not Made Of Iron" by Chrissy Zebby Tembo, "Umbwalwa Ne Chamba" by Peace, "Umwana Wakusanga Mung'Anda" by Fire Balls, and "See The Storm" by Salty Dog. LP, Vinyl record album

A really mind-bending collection of African grooves – one that digs deep into the West African scene of the early 70s – and comes up with a massive batch of tunes that really opens up our understanding of the music! The sound here isn't just 70s Afro Funk – as the tunes include a range of tripped-out styles that make the best use of electric instrumentation, psychedelic production, and important influences from American soul artists at the time. There's some amazing guitar on some of the best tracks – ringing out with a sound that's chromatically complex while also being tripped-out and funky – in a way that complicates the rhythms without totally taking them apart. If you've dug the tunes on previous sets like Africa Funk or Ghana Soundz, this is one to take that sound to the next level – and really open up your ears! Titles include "Keleya" by Moussa Doumbia, "Love's A Real Thing" by The Super Eagles, "Minsato Le Mi Dyihome" by Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo De Cotonou Dahomey, "Porry" by Sorry Bamba, "Allah Wakbarr" by Ofo & The Black Company, "Sanjina" by Orchestre Regional De Kayes, "Ifa" by Tunji Oyelana & The Benders, and "Zinabu" by Bunzu Sounds. LP, Vinyl record album