A rare bit of hardcore poetry by the Watts Prophets – the legendary LA group who were kind of a west coast answer to the Last Poets! The group have a sound that's as striking as the best early work by The Last Poets – a hard-hitting blend of poetry, rhythms, and righteous energy – all recorded in a style that's stripped down, proud, angry, and in stark contrast to the rest of the work coming out in the soul music industry at the time. Their work was not only some of the most radical and striking of the early 70s, but it's also gone onto become a key blueprint for hip hop of later years – especially the rough-edged style of the west coast that began to emerge at the end of the 80s. CD brings together all the tracks from the group's 2 albums – a total of 41 short tunes that pack the punch of a hand grenade! Titles include "Pain", "A Pimp", "Take It", "Amerikkka", "The Prostitute", "F*cked", "Black In A White World", "Funny How Things Can Change", "Pimping Leaning & Feaning", "Keep You Doing Things", "The Meek Ain't Gonna", "Saint America", "They Shot Him", and "Response To A Bourgeois Nigger". CD

Genius work from the World Sax Quartet – a really unique ensemble who not only set the tone for a generation of jazz musicians to come, but also gave focus to some richly expressive talents from the 70s underground! The quartet is something of a supergroup right from the start – graced with tremendous reed work by David Murray, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, and Hamiet Bluiett – all key American players who really helped transform the sound of jazz in the 70s – coming together here in a whole new way on seminal sides for the Black Saint/Soul Note label! The format – which inspired many others – is really compelling – as the group's sounds come only from saxes, no other instrumentation at all – with the four wind players handling all rhythm and melody, and making some really amazing music in the process. Horn interplay had never been heard so clearly before – especially as here, the stars put aside their egos, and never try to overblow each other – and instead have this brilliant way of working together to craft a new sort of groove. The box set features the albums Steppin With, WSQ, Revue, Live In Zurich, and Live At The Brooklyn Academy Of Music – all with the classic lineup – plus Moving Right Along, which actually features a quintet with Bluiett, Murray, and Lake – joined by James Spaulding and Eric Person. CD

With Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, and David Murray on a multitude of saxophones, clarinets – even a bit of flute. Titles include "Ming", "David's Tune", "I Heard That", "Quinn Chapel AME Church", "Affairs Of The Heart", and "Little Samba". CD

With Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, David Murray, and Oliver Lake – each playing a variety saxophones. Titles include "R&B", "Hearts", "PO In Cairo", "Steppin", and "Ra Ta Ta". CD

Really groundbreaking work from the World Sax Quartet – one of the first, and best, all-horn ensembles! The strength of the album definitely hangs on the backgrounds of the players – Julius Hemphill, Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, and David Murray – all already key reedmen in left field jazz, with a sense of sound and identity that makes each part of the group as strong as its whole – a great trading of musical minds, spirits, and sounds. Instrumentation includes alto, tenor, baritone, clarinet, soprano sax, and bass clarinet – and titles include "Sundance", "Pillars Latino", "Suite Music", "Sound Light", "Connections", and "Fast Life". CD

A sort of a lost Larry Heard record, from the late 80s, when he was briefly basking in the spotlight in England and Europe. The set here has a stripped down sound, with Fingers' warm keys over nice bubbling mid tempo rhythm tracks, most with a laid back clubby approach, but others with a very soulful or slightly hip hop sound creeping in. 10 tracks in all, including "In This Place Called Nowhere", "Endless Journey", "Brazilian Love Dance", 'When Will We Learn", "On Top Of The World (the It Theme)" and "Never Let You Down". CD

Eric Person, Oliver Lake, Hamiet Bluiett, and David Murray on a saxophones and other reed instruments – plus special guest James Spaulding on two tracks. CD

Live and lively work from the World Sax Quartet – a perfect illustration of the group's unique powers, recorded in concert at BAM, a very welcome setting for their creative energy! The album's one of our favorite ever by the group – as it has the players coming together perfectly – really knowing each others strengths, and forging a rich new sound out of their unique combinations of horns – truly one of the most inspiring jazz inventions of the 80s! As on other albums, the lineup features Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, and David Murray on a variety of saxes – and titles include "One/Waltz/Time", "Great Peace", "Kind'a Up", "Paper Works", "Open Air (For Tommy)" and "Georgia Blue". CD

Hard to go wrong with a set like this – because in our opinion, just about every track recorded by Fela is a "best" – which makes the collection a massive batch of goodness all the way through! Every track here is presented in its original extended version – a dozen massive slices of Afro Funk, which packaged together equal the equivalent of at least 5 or 6 separate albums by Fela – another factor that makes the collection a great one! The 2CD set is filled with gems that helped redefine the sound of funk, soul, and world music back in the 70s – titles that include "Monkey Banana", "Everything Scatter", "Expensive Sh*t", "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am", "Underground System (part 2)", "Sorry Tears & Blood", "Colonial Mentality", "Yellow Fever", "He Miss Road", "Black Man's Cry", "Mr Follow Follow", and "Na Poi". Also features a bonus DVD – with Fela's 1984 performance at the Glastonbury Festival, and an interview too! CD

An earnest, kinda lovable hard rock soundtrack to the modern classic movie version of the earnest, TOTALLY lovable SNL-sketch Wayne's World! Naturally opening with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", thanks the flick's most unforgettable scene, the soundtrack is a goofy, but fun mix of glammy and hard rock, classic 70s jams and early alt rock of the time, plus glam pop tunes by co-star Tia Carrarre and Mike Myers and Dana Carvey on the Wayne's World theme. Party on! Includes "Foxey Lady" by Jimi Hendrix, "Ballroom Blitz" by Tia Carrere, "Feed My Frankenstein" by Alice Cooper, "Dream Weaver" by Gary Wright, "Time Machine" by Black Sabbath, "Loving Your Lovin" by Eric Clapton and more. CD

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, "Zinabu" by Bunzu Sounds, and "Awon-Ojise-Oluwa" by Gasper Lawal. CD

Nice one! Although Evidence and other labels have been reissuing lots of work from Ra's classic years, there's been a real dearth of material from the crucial early 70's period – when the band was hitting lots of strange grooves, and going way way out, farther than ever before. This essential 2 CD set reissues the rare MPS album It's After The End Of The World, and adds a lot of unreleased material that wasn't on the original album, but which was also recorded on the same date at the Donaueschigen Musik Festival in 1970. Plus, the package also contains a full set of live recordings from Berlin, recorded only a month after the MPS release, and never before released to the public! The whole set's chock full of rare Ra material, and it's packaged with a great set of notes to help you make it through the whole thing! CD

Heavy funk, hand-picked by Will "Quantic" Holland – and an incredible set that's easily one of the best funk collections we've ever stocked! Will definitely knows his thing, and for the collection, he's dug through the rich catalog of Jazzman 45 reissues in recent years – pulling together some of the best bits from 7" wax, and putting them together into one completely tight collection. The package not only features tremendous tracks all around – most of which are making their CD debut here – but it also includes full liner notes on each number, scans of each label, and even a "funk 45 rarity guide" that's pretty darn handy! And sure, you may already have some of these in your collection as Jazzman or Funk 45 reissue 7" singles – but at this price, the collection's a heck of a great way to get them all together – and it's got the Quantic stamp of approval too. Titles include "Egg Roll" by The M&S Band, "Ooh Ah Ee" by Vern Blair Debate, "Ain't No Other Way" by Herman Hitson, "Tra La La" by The Great Deltas, "Just Plain Funk" by James Polk & The Brothers, "The World (part 1)" by Sandi & The Matues, "Fast Man" by PC's Ltd, "Stay Together" by Soul Excitement, "The Loneliest One" by Gene Anderson, "Boilin Water" by Tony Bowens & The Soul-Choppers, "I Turn You On" by Latin Breed, and "Mystery Of Black (part 1)" by Shades Of Black. CD

Huge, dark, and heavy – an album of mythical proportions, and that's a lot to say for a mainstream album – especially one that crossed over as big as this one! It would be hard to imagine the modern rock landscape without this album or group, who provided the template for so much music to follow – and the soundtrack to many bong-fueled excursions to the dark side – a huge legacy in sound, but one that may well still be best begun on this landmark self-titled album! Titles include "Black Sabbath", "The Wizard", "Behind The Wall Of Sleep", "NIB", "Wicked World", and "Warning". CD

The third album by Black Sabbath – the album that put the heavy in metal – one of the most influential rock albums of all time and a record that finds Sabbath at absolute peak perfection! This is the one that set the Sabbath style in stone, honing in the the heavy riffs, thundering drums and eerie mood perfectly. Includes the ultra classics "Sweet Leaf" and "Children Of The Grave", plus "After Forever", "Lord Of This World", "Solitude", "Into The Void" and the instrumentals "Embryo" and "Orchid". CD

The first truly great David Bowie electric guitar album – an all-out, power-driven set of tracks played by a group that included Mick Ronson and Tony Visconti! Bowie's in prime pre-Ziggy mode here – ripping into tunes that blister with dark energy that are some of the first truly dangerous songs he ever recorded – with this strong undercurrent of mania that follows some of the darker whimsy of his earliest records – set to searing sounds that would forever help Bowie cross over to audiences who might previously have thought him an arty wimp. The set includes classics like "Saviour Machine", "The Width Of The Circle", "All The Madmen", "Black Country Rock", "The Supermen", and the title track, "The Man Who Sold The World". Great Ryko pressing – with bonus tracks "Moonage Daydream", "Hang Onto Yourself", "Holy Holy", and "Lightning Frightening". CD

2 of Peggy's best albums of the 50s – both Decca sides cut with incredibly strong backing! Black Coffee has Peggy singing with some great late night jazz overtones – moving past the gimmicky hits of the Capitol years, and establishing herself as a sensitive jazz vocalist with a real talent for moody expression. Sea Shells is even more compelling – and has Peggy singing with strange spare backing led by a harp – creating a wispy and sad tone that's quite unique for the time – and which seems to bring out even more blue tones in Peggy's voice than any other album we can remember! The set features 28 tracks in all – with titles that include "Black Coffee", "Easy Living", "Love Me Or Leave Me", "When The World Was Young", "Sea Fever", "The Wearing Of The Green", "A Brown Bird Singing", and "Little Old Car". CD

Some of the trippiest soul music ever recorded – an amazing collection of work by the legendary Rotary Connection – early home to vocalist Minnie Riperton and arranger Charles Stepney! Rotary Connection was a unique late 60s combination of soul, jazz, and rock-based modes – all inflected by more baroque production styles coming down in the Chicago scene of the time – balanced perfectly by the genius of Stepney – who often drew inspiration from avant classical work to round out his sound! Stepney gave the group a heady heady sound that went far beyond the airy vocal sound of Minnie Riperton or the rougher edge of Sidney Barnes – and the mix of unusual instrumentation, odd recording techniques, and strange timings made the group's music years ahead of its time – at a level that's really only fully appreciated these many years later. This 2CD set goes way beyond previous collections of Rotary Connection work, because it shows a real appreciation for the more adventurous sounds of Stepney in the studio – and brings together the trippiest, most freewheeling cuts from the group's 4 albums for Chess/Cadet – as well as a number of key tunes that have been heavily sampled over the years. 33 tracks in all – including "The Salt Of The Earth", "Rapid Transit", "Magical World", "I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun", "A-Muse", "Sursum Mentes", "Memory Band", "Hey Love", "The Sea & She", "Song For Everyman", "Love Is", "We're Going Wrong", "Life Could", "Teach Me How To Fly", "VIP", "Let Them Talk", "Love Has Fallen On Me", "Respect", "Pink Noise", "Want You To Know", and "This Town". CD

An understated gem recorded early in the comeback years of Eddie Higgins on Venus Records – exactly the kind of date that showed the world that the pianist still had plenty to offer in his later years! The album's got a simple, unassuming approach that digs deeply into the vibe Eddie first picked up in his 50s years on the Chicago scene – piano trio grooving that's never too forced, lyrical one minute, swinging the next – with support from Don Wilner on bass and James Martin on drums. Titles include "Pavane", "Vocalise", "Liebslied", "Siciliano", "Just In Time", "Danny Boy", and "Retrato Em Branco E Preto". CD

A massive return to form for Maxwell – his first album in many years, but definitely well worth the wait! The set's supposedly the start of a trilogy – but hell, we're more than happy to have it all on its own – a wonderful reminder of the deeply soulful sound that first made us fall in love with Maxwell's music many years back – at a time when few mainstream soul artists could hit such a classic vibe – equally amazing all these years later, as Maxwell's still doing it better than most! Tunes are beautifully-written – straightforward, without any gimmicks, and cascading in warm beats, laidback grooves, and those sweetly crackling vocals that make Maxwell a winner on both mellow and funky numbers. Titles include "Bad Habits", "Cold", "Pretty Wings", "Playing Possum", "Phoenix Rise", "Stop The World", and "Love You". CD

A wonderful collection of modern Nu Jazz takes on bossa, with 14 tracks in all: "Nacer Do Sol" by Kyoto Jazz Massive, "People From The Sun & The Earth (MKL vs Soy Sol Dark Sun mix)" by Calm, "Aracaju" by Modaji, "Plein Soleil (MAW mix)" by Yasushi Ide, "Illusion (Rollercone mix)" by Limbo Experience, "Candomble (Anthony Nicholson rmx)" byUtsumi, "Vai Minha Tristeza (FK & Eric Kupper jazzy vocal mix)" by Tom & Joyce, "Tres Bien" by Jazzanova, "Black Shrine (Waiwan mix)" by Chari Chari, "Searchin' (At Jazz mix)" by Little Big Bee, "Outro Lugar" by Salome de Bahia and "Ms Loneliness (Bougie Soliterre rmx)" by Jazztronik. CD

A groundbreaking ensemble – akin to the World Saxophone Quartet, and no doubt inspired by their experiments at the same time. The difference, though, is the range of experience of the players – as the group features David Murray, Jimmy Hamilton, Alvin Batiste, and John Carter, all playing b-flat or bass clarinets. No other accompaniment is featured, and titles include "Fluffy's Blues", "Beat Box", "Perdido", and "Southern Bells". CD

One of the best American psyche albums we've heard from the late 60s – a near-perfect record that's head and shoulders above the rough experimentation of most other groups from the period! Colours spell their name with a definite British twist, and there's clearly a Beatles influence going on here – a sound that's almost pre-Sgt Peppers, but which has wonderfully complicated time changes, vocal parts, and production techniques that must have cost a pretty penny to such a little-known group! Horns and strings are arranged by Dave Roberts, and handled with a sensitivity that almost matches The Zombies' best at times – and the tunes themselves are a fresh variety of odd themes, including one number about robbing a liquor store. Titles include "Brother Lou's Love Colony", "Bad Day At Black Rock Baby", "Love Heals", "Rather Be Me", "I'm Leaving", "Cataleptic", "Don't You Realize", and "Lovin". CD

With Jimmy Heath on tenor and Roland Hanna on piano – soloing in an ensemble led by Maurice Peress. Works include "New World A Comin", "Harlem", "Black Brown & Beige", and "Three Black Kings". CD

2 great Paris live sets from Gerry Mulligan – with his Concert Jazz Band at L'Olympia in 1960 – followed by a 1962 quartet set at the same venue serving as bonus tracks! The 11 titles on the first CD and the first titles on the second CD are culled from the 1960 set – a tight affair with great solo work from a larger group of players – which includes Don Ferrara and Conte Candoli on trumpet, Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone, Willie Dennis and Alan Raph on trombone, Bob Donovan and Gene Quill on alto, Jim Reider and Zoot Sims on tenor, Buddy Clark on bass and Mel Lewis on drums. A real triumph! Titles include "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Black Nightgown", "Body And Soul", "Barbara's Theme", "Apple Core", "Out Of This World", "Go Home", "I'm Gonna Go Fishing", "Blueport" and more! The second CD is closed out by a 1962 set by the the Gerry Mulligan Quartet – originally released as the LP Gerry Mulligan & His Quartet Live At The Olympia Theatre 1962! The tracks are long, and the setting fluid – as Gerry plays baritone on most tracks, but piano on a couple; and Bob Brookmeyer does the same, taking a break from valve trombone to play piano for one track as well. Rhythm is by the team of Bill Crow on bass and Gus Johnson on drums – and titles include "Spring Is Sprung", "Five Brothers", "Subterranean Blues", "Blue Port", and "Utter Chaos". More than 2 1/2 hours of music on 2CDs! CD

The greatest DJ in the world spins live in a wonderful set of grooves that perfectly displays Petersen's huge rep as a genre-bending DJ! The set's similar to some of Peterson's other music mix compilations – in that it blows away any expectations you'd have about the way genres should be put together, running through a stunning mix that includes funk, dub, Brazilian, jazz, jungle, and a heck of a lot more. Sounds like a mess, but the magical Mr P makes everything come out sparkly white in the wash – which is why he's still numero uno in our book! Titles include "The Ghetto/El Barrio" by George Benson, "Slowly Surely" by Jill Scott, "El Capitalismo Foraneo" by Gotan Project, "All I Have In Me (Original Musiquarium Mix)" by Young Disciples, "Blue Mosque" by Don Rendell & Ian Carr, "Black Mary" by Pariss Clemons, "Respect" by Rotary Connection, "Waltz For Koop" by Koop, "Mystery Of Man" by Sarah Vaughan, and "Mind Of A Killer" by Polar. 24 tracks on 2CDs! CD

An amazing James Brown live set from the crucial year of 1968 – the show that marked the debut of "Say It Loud I'm Black & I'm Proud" – a cut that would become an anthem for much of America in the years to come! The feel here is somewhat similar to Brown's famous Boston show of the same year – a mix of blistering uptempo funk tracks, played by the band at a clip that's even faster than their studio sides, mixed with a few more stripped-down, personal cuts that feature James getting a bit more intimate with the audience. The production quality of the set is wonderful – and it leaves in all the hip spoken bits between tracks, really preserving the liveness of the concert, and packaging the whole thing with some great notes and photos too! Titles include "I Guess I'll Have To Cry Cry Cry", "Say It Loud", "If I Ruled The World", "There Was A Time", "Maybe The Last Time", "I Got The Feeling", "Cold Sweat", "Please Please Please", "Tighten Up", "Licking Stick", and lots more! CD

Essential! The mighty debut album from African disciples Culture pairing up with the Mighty Two, Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson is one of the landmark sets of roots reggae, a defining moment of the genre dropped during the year when two sevens clashed. And though the apocalypse didn't rain down from the skies in '77, this album was certainly a world-changing event, one of the finest moments in Kingston's rich musical history! Gibbs provides the trio with a set of uplifting rhythms over which to harmonize, and Culture comes correct on every track, combining a tightly harmonized approach with a rawer, rootsier sound. 10 tracks in all, including "I'm Alone In The Wilderness", "Pirate Days", "Two Sevens Clash", "Caling Rastafari", "I'm Not Ashamed", 'Get Ready To Ride The Lion To Zion", "Black Starliner Must Come", "Jah Pretty Face", 'See Them A Come" and "Natty Dread Taking Over". CD

Seminal work from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a half dozen albums recorded for the Black Saint/Soul Note labels, all of which show his depth and diversity – some with Douglas as a leader, some as a key player in other groups! Even at the start, Douglas showed a tremendous ability to step out into new settings and explore new ideas – which he certainly does on the albums in this set – each of which represents a different facet of his abilities, in ways that together make the package one hell of a collection! Albums include Parallel Worlds, which features a quartet with Mark Feldman on violin and Mark Dresser on bass; Force Green, led by bassist Mark Dresser, and featuring very interesting work on voice by Theo Bleckman; Bounce, a record by the John Lindberg Ensemble – led by bassist Lindberg, and also featuring saxes from Larry Ochs, and great drums from Ed Thigpen; Rova's 1995 recording of John Coltrane's Ascension, with three tenor saxes, two altos, two trumpets, two bassists, piano, and drums; Convergence, which features a group with Fedman on violin and Erik Friedlander on cello; and Dave Douglas Five, which has a quintet with Mark Feldman on violin, Erik Friedlander on cello, Drew Dress on bass, and Michael Sarin on drums. 6 albums in all – all in tiny LP-styled sleeves. CD

A stunning extended set from the great Woody Shaw – a majestic, spiritual album that almost feels more like something that you'd hear on the Strata East label than you might expect from the more straight ahead Contemporary Records imprint! The lineup is as majestic as the music – and Woody's trumpet is joined by alto and soprano sax from Gary Bartz, electric piano from Geroge Cables, tenor and flute from Benny Maupin, bass from Clint Houston, and drums from Lenny White – all very hip players who really help the record soar! If you dig the early work of Gary Bartz, or some of Shaw's more soul jazz outings of the early 70s – you'll definitely dig this one – and the double-length nature of the record gives all players plenty of room to do their thing! All the tracks are long, and the set list includes "Deed For Dolphy", "Boo Ann's Grand", and "New World". CD

As near as we can tell, this wasn't actually recorded live, but features Duke Reid and Coxsone Dodd cuts compiled back to back soundclash style. Top to bottom it makes a great set, of bouncy good time reggae, with 16 tracks in all: Clue J & The Blues Blasters "Milk Lane Hop", Delroy Wilson "Duke & The Sir", Bunny & Scully "Don't Do It", Clue J & The Blues Blasters "Five Minutes On Beeston Street", Owen Gray "Grandma, Grandpa", Rolando & Karl McLaughling "Shocker's Hop", Basil Gabbidon "I'll Find Love", Clue J & The Blues Blasters "Swanee River Rock", Dukies Group "Dukies Cooking", The Skatalites "Twilight Zone", Roland Alphonso "Blackberry Brandy", Bunny, Skita & Count Ossie "Cool Breeze", The Skatalites "What Makes Honey", Duke's Group "Pink Lane Hop", Tommy McCook & The Supersonics "Pink Champain" and Busty & Cool "What A World". CD

A set of incredible records from Charles Mingus – all presented together in one mighty nice package! First up is Mingus Moves – a fantastic fresh new chapter in the career of Charles Mingus – a set that features the addition of two key players who would really shape his sound in the 70s – Don Pullen on piano and George Adams on tenor, both completely wonderful here! The group also features excellent trumpet from Roland Hampton, a player we don't know from many other settings – and the set also features some really nice vocal work from Honi Gordon and Doug Hammond. Titles include "Canon", "Moves", "Wee", "Flowers For A Lady", "Opus 3", and "Newcomer". CD also features bonus tracks – "Big Alice" and "The Call". Changes is key 70s work from Charles Mingus – an album that was recorded over the course of three days of creative activity at the end of 1974, but somehow split into two different albums under the Changes name! The lineup here is prime 70s Mingus – George Adams on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Don Pullen on piano – young players who really give a fresh voice to Mingus' musical ideas, and help him find this beautiful late life sense of color, tone, and timing that's completely sublime! Titles on this second volume include "Sue's Changes", "Devil Blues", "Remember Rockefeller At Attica", "Free Cell Block F Tis Nazi USA", "Black Bats & Poles", "For Harry Carney", and "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love" – which features a guest appearance by Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and Jackie Paris on vocals. On 3 Or 4 Shades Of Blues, Charles Mingus is returning to the soulful gospel-influenced mode he swung big in the early 60s! The record's something of a later predecessor of the classics Blues & Roots for Atlantic and Mingus (x5) for Impulse – and the style is slightly less dramatic, but still quite steeped in soulful explorations that feature plenty of notes from the bluer side of the spectrum! Players include George Coleman and Ricky Ford on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Larry Coryell on guitar – and titles include new takes on "Better Git Hit In Your Soul" and "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" – plus"Nobody Knows", "Noddin Ya Head Blues", and "Three Or Four Shades Of Blues". Next is Cumbia & Jazz Fusion – one of the most enigmatic albums that Charles Mingus ever recorded – especially in his later years! The set features two very long tracks done by Mingus for use in a film about cocaine traffic between New York and Columbia – but considering the nature of the music, and the freely exploratory style, both numbers here stand very well on their own! Although touched with some of the Latin influences you might expect from the title, the sounds are often darker and more brooding than, say, the Mingus style on the classic Tijuana Moods set. And instead, there's a very serious soundtrack-like vibe going on through most of the set – larger jazz orchestrations used to beautifully underscore subtle themes, and breakout solo moments from players who include Mauricio Smith on flute, Paul Jeffrey on tenor sax, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. The album also features a fair bit of added percussion – and features two long tracks, "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion" and "Music For Todo Modo". Me Myself An Eye is complicated later work from Charles Mingus – a great illustration of the way his power to command a large ensemble never wavered as the years went on! The album features two different large groups of players – filled with modernists young and old – including Ricky Ford, George Coleman, and Michael Brecker on tenors; Ronni Cuber and Pepper Adams on baritone; Randy Brecker and Jack Walrath on trumpets; Lee Konitz on alto, Larry Coryell on guitar, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Eddie Gomez on bass. Side one features the 30 minute track "Three Worlds Of Drums", and side two contains a remake of "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "Devil Woman" and "Carolyn Keki Mingus". Something Like A Bird is one of the last albums Charles Mingus ever gave us – before departing this planet way way too soon! The set shows the increasing sophistication of Mingus' music in these later years – a mode that almost echoes the path that Duke Ellington would take in his final decade – a move towards some larger-form material that still holds onto all the raw energy of the early days, but finds a way to not only bridge larger musical ideas – but musical generations as well! As part of this, the set's got a wonderful lineup – with Lee Konitz on alto, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, George Coleman on tenor, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – and titles include the long title track, "Something Like A Bird", split up over 2 sides of the LP, plus "Farewell Farwell". CD

Sun Ra's made the move here from Egyptian pyramids to Mayan temples – but the sound is every bit as cosmic and compelling as ever! The album's one of Ra's last – a studio set recorded in Italy in 1990, and one that draws strongly from the tightening of tradition the Arkestra experienced in the 80s – working at a time of some of their greatest acceptance by jazz audiences worldwide, and able to express themselves fully in a range of different modes! The sense of tone and timing here is beautiful – almost Ellington-like at points, but still with a decidedly Sun Ra-like quality – and players on the date include Michael Ray and Ahmed Abdullah on trumpets, John Gilmore on tenor, Noel Scott and Marshall Allen on alto sax, and Tyrone Hill on trombone – and June Tyson also sings just a bit on the set. Ra plays both piano and synth, and titles include "Alone Together", "Discipline 1", "Sunset On The River Nile", "El Is The Sound Of Joy", "I'll Never Be The Same", "Theme On The Stargazers", and "Opus In Springtime". A double-length set too – nearly 80 minutes of music! CD

Way more than just a random jazz compilation – and instead a set that comes with a hefty book about the Boston jazz underground in the 70s – almost 80 pages in length, complete with images of records, vintage photos, and lots of notes on this under-documented scene! And while Boston's always been something of a hotbed of jazz activity – thanks to the younger students who hit the city to study at Berklee and other schools – this material represents a much deeper, more spiritual current of jazz – work that's in the same territory of the AACM or loft jazz scenes of the period, but also with a current of freewheeling electric material too! At this price, the whole thing would already be great as a collection of rare spiritual jazz, but with the book and overall package it's a hell of a deal – packed with musical goodness on cuts that include "Sketch (parts 1 & 2)" and "Road Through The Wall (parts 2 & 3)" by Thing, "For Margot" and "Tarot The Moon" by Mark Harvey Group, "The Creator Is So Far Out" and "Egypt" by Phil Musra Group, "9 Degrees Black Women Liberation" by Worlds, "Year Of The Ear Herds & Hoards" by Baird Hersey with Dave Liebman, and "Play Sleep" by Stanton Davis' Ghetto Mysticism. CD

Rare Motown – a treasure trove of obscure singles, b-sides, and collectors favorites from the glory days of this Detroit soul powerhouse! The set was put together for the UK soul market – and as such, it features a wealth of tunes that go beyond the usual Motown collections in the US – really excellent tracks that conjure up a whole new picture of the label that goes way beyond the hits. There's loads of killers on here – the kind of top-shelf numbers that make you say "Hey, why wasn't this one a hit too?" – and titles include "Blackmail" by Bobby Taylor, "California Soul" by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, "My Love For You" by Marvin Gaye, "Come See About Me" by Choker Campbell, "Take Me Back" by Freddie Gorman, "You Got Me Hurtin All Over" by Barbara Randolph, "Look What You Done Boy" by The Lollipops, "Tear It On Down" by The Originals, "Red Hot Love" by The Four Tops, "Don't Wanna Play Pyjama Games" by GC Cameron, "Way Over There" by Edwin Starr, "It Happens Every Time" by Barbara McNair, and "If I Could Give You The World" by Hearts Of Stone. 21 tracks in all! CD

A wild mix of late 60s/early 70s Nashville songcraft and worldly psychedelic country rock from Rex Allen Jr! Rex is the son of the legendary cowboy singer Rex Allen – and later on he carried the old man's wandering western troubadour torch – but this lost record is darker, stranger and groovier than we would have imagined! The weirdness is in the lyricism – Allen sings in a husky smooth baritone about youth rebellion, LSD, Vietnam, the face of mortality and topical concerns of the era – but he approaches it in the straightforward country music tradition. There are no metaphors – the words aren't surreal, they're severe – and we love it! The production is by Steve Singleton, another legacy candidate – his pops helped resurrect Jerry Lee Lewis and handled other left of center, difficult to pigeonhole country classics with Tom T Hall and Charlie Rich. With Rex he provides unfussy, steel accented honky tonk arrangements with trippy washes of organ, harpsichord and mellotron. Almost certainly too tough a tab to dissolve in the culture of its time – way too weird for country, way too country for the weirdos – now's the time to savor this one! Titles include all from the original LP plus 3 bonus tracks from other SSS recordings – "The Younger Generation", "I Back Up", "The Children", "Other Husbands And Wives", "Home Song (Dreams OF What May Come)", "The Father Needs A Man", "Black Skies", "The Corners OF My Life", "Blow The Winds Away", "Country Comfort", "Two Worlds Collide" and more. CD

One of the most memorable Esquivel albums, and perhaps the first record that really let him hit his fantastic mix of off-beat orchestrations and spacey electronicized production! The arrangements are splendid, with echoey piano lines in the front that seem to trail off into the stratosphere. Behind them, the orchestra swings in a tight rocket-fueled way, soaring and dipping to match the oddly arranged piano lines. Titles include "Playfully", "That Old Black Magic", "Speak Low", "It Had To Be You", and "Night & Day". Plus, the cover's got a groovily attired model, hanging out in a very green lunar scene! CD

One of the most ambitious albums ever recorded from Clifford Jordan – a totally righteous little effort that was the first installment in the legendary Dolphy Series on the Strata East label! The set has Jordan working with a larger group than usual – an all-star array of players that includes Kenny Dorham and Don Cherry on trumpets, Julian Priester on trombone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Wilbur Ware and Richard Davis on bass, and drums from Roy Haynes, Ed Blackwell, and Albert Heath. The titles are originals by Jordan – long numbers that flow out slowly as they build up new musical ideas – all in a style that's somewhat laidback and spacious, very organic, and a bit like some of the best early 70s Impulse material by Archie Shepp. Album features 4 long tracks – "872", "Vienna", "Doug's Prelude", and "Ouagoudougou". CD

A really amazing set of work from tenorist Clifford Jordan – a player who first rose to fame in the hardbop scene of the late 50s, but who moved into tremendous new territory with these Strata East recordings of the late 60s and early 70s! Jordan was a Chicago contemporary of players like Johnny Griffin and Von Freeman, but he was never content to rest on his laurels – and stretched out on these records with a spiritual vibe that he'd never expressed before – and which would go onto inspire countless other musicians in years to come! This set brings together all the Dolphy Series recordings that Jordan recorded – either as an artist or producer – two of which were never issued on record at the time. Jordan's own albums for the label are wonderful enough – the double-length Glass Bead Games, one of our favorite records ever – and the killer In The World, which is great too. But this set also adds in other Strata East albums that really help illustrate the scene in which Jordan was working – including the excellent Pharoah Sanders non-Impulse session, Izipho Zam; the modern music of Charles Brackeen on Rhythm X, with Don Cherry on trumpet and Brackeen on tenor; and the great Cecil Payne album Zodiac, which has some of the last trumpet work ever from Kenny Dorham. Plus, the set also features two extremely rare albums – the never-issued Shades Of Edward Blackwell – led by the drummer, with Don Cherry on trumpet and Luqman Lateef on tenor, plus a bit of log drum from Jordan – and the obscure Super Bass album from Wilbur Ware, which features Jordan on tenor, in a quartet with Ware on bass, Don Cherry on trumpet, and Ed Blackwell on drums! These two albums are worth the price of the package alone – even if you have other Strata East albums in your collection – and the whole thing features the usual sublime Mosaic package and booklet. CD

One of the deepest records we've ever heard from Nicole Mitchell – and that's saying a lot, given all her other fantastic albums! This richly-textured piece was first commissioned in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the AACM – that legendary jazz organization of which Mitchell is a part – and as a whole, it really demonstrates both the strong legacy of the group, and the farther territory it's reached over its decades-long span – music that has pushed past the initial moment of improvisation, through the AACM's standard of "great black music" as a replacement for classical – to the sorts of spiritual, cosmic sounds that Mitchell does so well. In addition to Nicole on flute and electronics, the group also features Avery R Young on vocals, Kojiro Umezaki on shakuhachi, Renee Baker on violin, Tatsu Aoki on bass and shamisen, Jovia Armstrong on percussion, Tomeka Reid on cello and banjo, and Alex Wing on electric guitar, oud, and theremin – a mix of instruments that is global in scope, electric and acoustic, and really used to effortlessly express the spiritual vision of Mitchell. The notes go into great detail about the thoughts and inspiration behind the music – and titles include "Egoes War", "The Chalice", "Dance Of Many Hands", "Listening Embrace", "Forestwall Timewalk", "Staircase Struggle", "Shiny Divider", "Timewrap", and "Mandorla Island". CD

Tracks include Quasimoto's "Microphone Mathematics", Defari's "Say It Twice", Dilated Peoples' "Guaranteed", Mykill Miers's "The Illest", Lootpack's "Whenimondamic", Saukrates's "Keep It Movin" featuring Xzibit, Chris Lowe's "CT To NY" featuring Large Professor, Grand Agent's "Mingling With Mayhem", LMNO's "Grin & Bear It", and more. CD

One of the crowning classics from the early years of Deep Purple – and a set that will forever be remembered for giving the world the classic rock anthem "Smoke On The Water"! Yet the record as a whole is even better – and is filled with some long-burning, hard-wailing tracks that easily put Deep Purple in the company of the heaviest groups of their generation – thanks to some killer contributions from Ritchie Blackmore's guitar! The whole thing packs a hell of a punch when taken in a full dose – from the start of "Highway Star", to the last notes of "Space Truckin" – and all the great in-between sounds from "Pictures Of Home", "Maybe I'm A Leo", "Never Before", "Lazy", and "Smoke On The Water". CD

Curtis Mayfield's lasting classic – and an album that the world will remember forever! Apart from being his hugely successful entry into the blacksploitation soundtrack field, this album's also a monster set of grooves that includes some of Curtis' funkiest work ever – a record that works as well as a 70s soul album as it does a hip action film score! The track list alone reads as a who's who of 70s funk – filled with gems that include "Pusherman", "Freddie's Dead", "Little Child Runnin' Wild", "Give Me Your Love", and "Superfly" – and the rest of the set is equally great, essential listening throughout! Plus, this set also features a whole bonus CD – one that brings together extra tracks, unreleased cuts, alternate versions, instrumental versions, and even some cool radio promotional spots! with the "Check Out Your Mind" instrumental studio jam, the full-length version of the instrumental "Junkie Chase", the demo version of "Ghetto Child", and lots more! Great stuff – and in a lovely fold-out package, with the same foldover die-cut cover of the original LP! CD

An excellent "comeback" LP for Ernest Ranglin, though astute observers realize he never really went away in the first place! Ranglin was always able to move back and forth easily between the worlds of groovy jazz, playing alongside Monty Alexander on some of his finest 70s sides, and Jamaican studio work, serving guitar duties at Studio One, cutting some of the rhythms that would serve as the foundation for much of the Jamaican music throughout the years! This set finds him in fine form, rendering excellent jazzy versions of numerous classic rhythms with a crack band that includes old mates Monty Alexander on piano, Roland Alphonso on saxes, and funky drummer Idris Muhammad! 11 tracks in all: "Congo Man", "Surfin'", "King Tubby MeetsThe Rockers", "Satta Massagana", "54-46 (Was My Number)", "None Shall Escape The Judgement", "Ball Of Fire", and "Black Disciples" CD

A real lost treasure from Pacific Jazz – a rare late 50s west coast session from Pepper Adams, featuring the amazing baritonist in a group with Lee Katzman on trumpet, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums! The sound is incredible – on a par with that rare few of Adams' other magnificent albums as a leader – modern, yet soulful, and with a fluid feel that makes it hard to believe that Pepper's working with a baritone sax. Adams' work is always top-shelf, but this album's an even further cut above – and its proof that Pepper was one of the strongest talents burning in jazz in the late 50s! Tracks are all longish, and feature some nice unusual numbers that include "Minor Mishap", "Blackout Blues", "High Step", "5021", and "Zec". CD also features the bonus track "Four Funky People". CD

One of the three great collaborations between David Bowie and Brian Eno – and possibly the ultimate statement from his years in Berlin! The album's got some tunes that still show some of the guitar power of the early 70s Bowie – but it's also got some of the beautiful spacier moments brought forward on Low – and which are every bit the Brian Eno of Aother Green World. The balance is beautiful – stark and dark on one half, then airy and spacious on the next – handled without any sense of gimmickry, and a bold mainstream experiment that still resonates strongly today. Titles include "Beauty & The Beast", "Joe The Lion", "Heroes", "Sons Of The Silent Age", "Blackout", "V-2 Schneider", "Sense Of Doubt", "Moss Garden", "Neukoln", and "The Secret Life Of Arabia". Features great bonus tracks – the unreleased "Abdeumajid", from the Berlin years – plus a remix of "Joe The Lion". CD

One of the crowning classics from the early years of Deep Purple – and a set that will forever be remembered for giving the world the classic rock anthem "Smoke On The Water"! Yet the record as a whole is even better – and is filled with some long-burning, hard-wailing tracks that easily put Deep Purple in the company of the heaviest groups of their generation – thanks to some killer contributions from Ritchie Blackmore's guitar! The whole thing packs a hell of a punch when taken in a full dose – from the start of "Highway Star", to the last notes of "Space Truckin" – and all the great in-between sounds from "Pictures Of Home", "Maybe I'm A Leo", "Never Before", "Lazy", and "Smoke On The Water". CD

Curtis Mayfield's lasting classic – and an album that the world will remember forever! Apart from being his hugely successful entry into the blacksploitation soundtrack field, this album's also a monster set of grooves that includes some of Curtis' funkiest work ever – a record that works as well as a 70s soul album as it does a hip action film score! The track list alone reads as a who's who of 70s funk – filled with gems that include "Pusherman", "Freddie's Dead", "Little Child Runnin' Wild", "Give Me Your Love", and "Superfly" – and the rest of the set is equally great, essential listening throughout! CD