A swirling, mangy psychedelia drenched pounder from the Paisleys – who kind of took an acid-steeped Syd Barrett approach to the garage formula, making for one of the densest, bluntest, heaviest lumbering mastodon's of the era! Seven tracks from the original LP: "Cosmic Mind At Play", "Rockin'", "Now", "Smokey Windows", "Diddley", "Wind", and "Musical Journey". There's seven bonus tracks, too, including "Something's Missing", "The Fool With The Jewel", "Elf In A Magic Bottle", "In Dreams" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

"Wireman" has a groove that owes plenty to The Meters, but in the best way possible – as Harbans takes a mix of funky drums, organ, and riffing guitar – then makes it his own with a nicely jazzy sax solo, which has almost a laidback Stanley Turrentine CTI sort of vibe! "Beyond The Cosmic Ray" is slower and spookier – funky drums, but a very cool vibey keyboard sound that makes you feel like you're not getting away from the cosmic ray after all! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Weird and wonderful sounds from a very electric man – the mighty Piero Umiliani, an Italian composer who first rose to fame for a set of groundbreaking film scores in the 60s – then moved into even more experimental sound library work in the following decade! This set has Piero working in all sorts of cool electronic styles – never too outside or avant, but definitely in the darker side of his spectrum – although almost always with that playful sense of a tune that made his 60s music such a delight! The range of instruments varies – Umiliani clearly had a studio that was full of brand-new, top-shelf technologies – and titles are mostly from the mid 70s, with a few later cuts from 1983. Tunes include "Danza Magica", "Soundmaker Blues", "Fruitori", "Batticuore", "Sinistro Carillon", "Dolomiti", "Apocolaisse Atomica", "Description", "Lavorazione A Mare", and "Elettrone". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A lost Duke Ellington gem from the late 50s – a session that has a decidedly different look than some of his other records of the time! We don't know if the Duke was into Sun Ra – but it almost seems like he was copping his thunder with this title and band name – a fair bit more flashy than the usual presentation for the Ellington group! The record's not nearly as trippy as you'd expect – but it's still a prime set of Ellingtonia from those key late 50s years – material played by a smaller group of "Spacemen" than Duke's fuller orchestra – with a bit more room for small group interaction, almost in a Verve mode. Players include Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Clark Terry on trumpet, Paul Gonzalves on tenor, Quentin Jackson on trombone, and Jimmy Woode on bass – and titles include "Avalon", "Midnight Sun", "Spacemen", "Bass-ment", "Early Autumn", and "Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

The Zodiac never sounded so spooky – and the album's one of the first in a trend that explored astrology with funky musical backings! The music for the set was put together by moogy maestro Mort Garson – then making a transition from being a straight easy arranger in the early 60s, to more of a tripped-out pop-psychedelic artist of the latter part of the decade. Garson brings a nice funky undercurrent to the set – in a style that's similar to the work of David Axelrod, but which also uses a bit more electric instrumentation. Each track features a spoken bit on a Zodiac sign – written by Jacques Wilson, and spoken by Cyrus Faryar – and the album also features some nice moog work by Paul Beaver! Titles include "Aries", "Taurus", "Cancer", "Leo", and so on! (P.S.: The label says "Must Be Played In The Dark!") LP, Vinyl record album

A genius bit of work from the legendary Weldon Irvine – a mightily righteous effort that more than lives up to its heady title and cover! After turning out 2 great albums on his own indie Nodlew label, Weldon really steps into greatness with this set – using the bigger budget of his deal with RCA to expand out his musical vision in a number of different directions. Keyboards are still very much at the forefront of his sound – played with that heavily vamping left hand that makes his work so funky – but there's also a focus on lyrics here too – sung by Weldon with support form singers Ojuleba & Nalo, in a way that creates a righteous "many voiced" mode on the lyrical tracks! Things get plenty jazzy on side two, though – and a few key tracks really take off in a heavily jamming way, mixing Weldon's keys with additional reeds, guitar, and percussion. Titles include excellent track "Walk That Walk, Talk that Talk", plus other great ones like "Love Your Brother", "Let Yourself Be Free", "Quiet", "I'll Name It Tomorrow", and "Love Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

This great series keeps on going – and it seems that with each new volume, the realm of Cosmic Discotheque just keeps on getting bigger! As with previous volumes, the feel here isn't standard disco – and the tracks are upbeat, but have a variety of fresh approaches that go far past the mainstream modes of the late 70s clubs – some with European production and instrumentation that really changes things up, some from easy listening sources going for the disco scene, some with global influences stripped down for grooves, all with an approach that will have you digging this volume as much as previous entries! Titles include "Bumerang" by Petr A Pavel ORM, "Hypno Dance" by Who's Who, "I Love Paris" by Zamulo, "Ride The Sky" by Mystic Moods, "Super Woman (inst)" by Surprise Band, "Griffo" by Boro, "Funk Disco Sounds" by The Yetians, "Sugar (part 2)" by Freddie Cannon, "Caliente" by Caliente Orchestra, "Surprise" by Fantastic Soul Invention, and "Shaba Da Ba Dam" by Obah. LP, Vinyl record album

Cosmic soul from Danish singer Astrid Engberg – an artist with a voice that's already great on its own, but sound seven better amidst the album's slightly spacey, slightly jazzy instrumentation! The record has a very contemporary vibe – as although Astrid's vocals could work in an old school soul setting, they seem even better here with the moody electric crackle of the backings – sometimes served up by just a trio, but featuring guest work from the great string master Miguel Atwood Ferguson on a number of tracks – and other appearances from Moo Latte, Maria Dybbroe, and Tobias Wiklund as well. Titles include "Spirits Came Told Me", "Chains", "Loving Contemplation", "I Should Care", "Adaptation", "Body Follows Body", and "Blue Rise & The Fall". LP, Vinyl record album

There's three Evas on the cover, three Evas in the name, and three Evas in the group – a trio of Italian singers whose voices work together in a playful blend of disco and pop! There's almost an Abba-like appeal to the music – really catchy tunes that are unabashedly poppy – upbeat rhythms that borrow plenty from disco, but aren't afraid to add in some other touches too – with some especially cool hints at the Italian cosmic club approach to come on a few more moogy moments! Titles include "Invasione", "Tennis Club", "Argentina", "Love Me Please Forever", "Do", "Vedrai", and an Italian cover of "Stayin Alive"! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare 70s session from guitar genius Eddie Fisher – best known for his early classics on Chess/Cadet Records, and sounding even funkier here overall! Eddie's still a monster on the guitar – and plays with all of the fuzzy energy of his second album, while throwing in a few of the mellower moments of his first – but all with a trippy vibe that really shows just how much Fisher could explore when allowed to step off onto his own self-run label! There's some cool use of pedals, effects, and keyboards on the record too – and Eddie sings as well, bringing in a great current of soul to the funky rhythms – on titles that include "Cosmic Blues", "The Sunrise", "Music Makes Me Feel Good", "Do You Like It", "Give Me Lend Me Loan Me Let Me Have", "Good Old Days", and "Energy". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer compilation – one that's every bit as wild and wooly as the famous image on the cover! The set came out in the mid 70s, and it's a perfect summation of all the greatness that Funkadelic had given the group in just a few short years – their brilliant way of blending together soul, funk, and psychedelic influences pulled from all parts of the Detroit scene – working under the leadership of George Clinton to craft a sound that few folks would ever be able to touch – even though thousands would try over the years! Every cut on the set is a killer – the kind of tight, short cuts that the group served up on singles – and which still blew away more than most other full album sides of the time! Titles include "I Got A Thang, You Got A Thang, Everybody's Got A Thang", "Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On", "Cosmic Slop", "Funky Dollar Bill", "I Wanna Know If Its Good To You", "I'll Bet You", "Loose Booty", "Can You Get To That", and "A Joyful Process". LP, Vinyl record album

Cosmic jazzy goodness from a hip French group – one who are awash in keyboards throughout, while changing up their rhythms nicely! There's no set groove to the record, but the set's also not scattered either – as the whole thing almost feels like a rhythmic evolution through space, unified through the mix of keyboards from Victor Dijoud over grooves from Leo Puccio – with strong guest contributions on flute, saxes, guitar, and Fender Rhodes from other French musicians! All tracks are instrumental, which furthers the future fusion sound – and titles include "Shyance", "Yubaba", "No I Can't Be Free", "Can You Plug My SM58 Tonight", "Crush", and "La Couenne Rance". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Hancock further expands his cosmic vision in this groundbreaking album of free-flowing fusiony tracks – a record that really steps up his range of keyboards, mixing in both acoustic and electric pianos, mellotron, and even a bit of spacey moog from the legendary Patrick Gleeson! The whole thing is wonderful – very open and flowing, and even more organic than Hancock's later work on Columbia – especially given the length of the tracks on the set. In addition to Gleeson, other players include Benny Maupin on reeds, Julian Priester on trombone, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and titles include the 3 long tracks "Quasar", "Sleeping Giant", and "Water Torture" – all good ones! LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet keyboard grooves from Herbie Hancock – and a set that has him taking up some of the territory of younger players he'd inspired – like Bobby Lyle, Webster Lewis, or Rodney Franklin! There's a fair bit of soul in the mix here, including some great work on vocoder – blended in with Hancock's work on jazzy keyboards – all wrapped up in a cosmic level that really fits the image on the cover, and which acts as a preface for some of the electro work to come in the early 80s! The blend is great – with that sublime balance that Hancock did better than anyone else – and titles include "Trust Me", "You Bet Your Love", "Tell Everybody", "Honey From The Jar", and "Knee Deep". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that was originally issued on the legendary Vertigo Records label, but one that's maybe a bit more down to earth than some of its cosmic contemporaries – as Hokus Poke have a style here that mixes some hard rock elements with maybe a more pastoral approach – all served up in a way that's easygoing and understated at times, but with top-shelf presentation throughout! Singer/guitarist Clive Benkhorn is great, and he gets additional guitar leads from Roger Clarke at times too – on original tunes written by various members of the group as they come together with this special sort of sonic ear that makes the album more and more hard to peg as the set goes on! Titles include "Living In Harmony", "The Poke", "Big World Small Girl", "Down In The Street", "Hag Rag", "HP Boogie", and "Sunrise Sunset". LP, Vinyl record album

Espen Horne has a great way of mixing jazz influences with a range of other styles – sometimes cosmic, sometimes kicking – and served up with guest help on vibes, keyboards, and vocals too! There's a vibe here that's almost like that point years ago when Nicola Conte started getting a bit more spiritual – but Espen's also keeping things more in his own production mode – with more soul-based points on the album, depending on the singer in the lead. Vocalists include Fay Houston, Olav Wollo, and Selim Mutic – and titles include "Bakeren", "Bergen Sunrays", "Nada Pode Me Calar", "Rory's Sunrays", "Den Frankse Gitaren", and "O Mar E A Lua". LP, Vinyl record album

The crowning achievement of the legendary Keith Hudson – a landmark album of instrumental dub that started out in very small circulation, but soon grew to become one of the most important albums of the genre! The sound here is spare, stark, and simple – but in the best way possible – as Hudson takes the music right down to its core, yet seems to create even more powerful flow in the process – revising the 60s Jamaican love of American soul into a more cosmic mode for the next decade – but all with a raw approach that makes each element come across with a great deal of focus. Titles include "Black Heart", "Pick A Dub", "Don't Move", "Blood Brother", "Michael Talbot Affair", "In The Rain", and "Satia". LP, Vinyl record album

Fabulous stuff – one of the legendary albums that funky flute player Bobbi Humphrey cut with producer Larry Mizell! The record's a prime example of the Mizell genius at work – as Larry's arranged these fantastic backdrops for Bobbi's flute – soaring keyboard lines, layers and layers of rhythm, and just enough space for Bobbi to come in and send the record to the heavens with her spiritually grooving sound. Harvey Mason plays drums, Jerry Peters is on keyboards, and the rest of the group's an all-star LA studio jazz assemblage – perfectly fit together by Larry's arrangements and production in that classic cosmic mid 70s Mizell wall of sound! Tracks include "Fun House", "Satin Doll", "San Francisco Lights", and "New York Times". LP, Vinyl record album

The regal image on the cover really fits the spirit of the record – as Shafiq Husayn seems to be channeling some sort of subtle majesty throughout – really focusing his already-great talents, and maybe winning himself a rightful spot at the head of the table of the contemporary soul underground! Way back when, Shafiq's work made Sa-Ra Partners sound great – but he's so different here, so much more developed – and fiercely collaborative in a large lineup that features appearances from Anderson Paak, Peyton, Jimetta Rose, Didda Joe, Sharis, Ivory T, Coultrain, and others! There's a crisp, cosmic vibe to the whole record – rising in righteousness on titles that include "No Particulars", "All Night", "Little Miss Petty", "Magi's Love", "Supastar Youngin", "Thorns & Roses", "Maybe Baby Winter", "Crush You", and "Unconditional". LP, Vinyl record album

Illa J seems ready to live up to his long legacy on the Detroit scene here – almost with a vibe that has him refining his sound even more than before, while also opening the door to some of the younger talents on the scene as well! We love the crisply cosmic energy of some of the beats – that way that post-techno roots, Detroit artists have of letting some of that earlier electronic magic flow through their music, but in a very subtle way – qualities that are also augmented by some of the guests on the set too! Tracks have features from Amp Fiddler, Dank, Kid Gotti, Frank Nitt, Maine Soul, SAM, Harleighblu, and others – and titles include "Doin It", "No Traffic", "Off The Tap", "Relapse", "Not Ever", "Shine Your Light", "Snaps", "Boom Bap", "Funny", "Showin Love", "OG Funk", "Good Life", "Plaques", and "Star Struck". LP, Vinyl record album

Not a vocal session from Ray Charles, but instead a set that showcases his great abilities in jazz – a side of Charles' talents that Atlantic was focusing on a bit more at the end of the 50s! The record's a collaboration with vibist Milt Jackson, who's nicely more loose and gritty here than in the company of the Modern Jazz Quartet – and in addition to piano, Ray also plays a bit of alto sax too – which comes as a nice surprise! Other players include the great Billy Mitchell on tenor sax, Skeeter Best on guitar, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Connie Kay on drums – and titles include "Blue Funk", "Cosmic Ray", "Soul Brothers", and "How Long Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early session from vibist Khan Jamal – recorded with his Philly-based Creative Arts Ensemble collective! The group follows strongly in the spirit of similar combos from Chicago and St Louis – particularly the latter – and Jamal's group is working here in a mode that's initiated by the original sonic experiments of the AACM, but taken to deeper, more organic levels. Given Khan's later work, the thing that's most surprising here is the sound texture of the record – because although seemingly improvised, there's also a greater feel towards a whole here – a spacey, ethereal quality that reminds us of some of Sun Ra's most creative moments. Jamal plays vibes, marimba, and clarinet – and the rest of the group includes Monette Sudler on guitar and percussion, Alex Ellison on drums, Dwight James on drums and clarinet, and Billy Mills on both electric and acoustic bass. Although not overly electric, there's a shimmering quality to the music here – as if the production abstracted the original acoustic sound with weird echo and other techniques! Titles include "Inner Peace", "Drum Dance", "Cosmic Echoes", and "Breath Of Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet, smooth, and soulfully beautiful work from John Klemmer – not as all-out cosmic or trippy as some of his earlier albums for ABC, but with some really nice moments! Klemmer's really got the power of his horn in firm control here – playing with that Eddie Harris-schooled use of economy and tone – coming across with an approach that's subtle, but effective, and more deeply soulful than you might expect. Backings are by a small group on most tracks – and include keyboards from Milcho Leviev and drums by Harvey Mason. Klemmer plays a bit of echoplex and phaser alongside his usual tenor, and a few numbers are slightly sweetened by strings – but that's never a problem where Klemmer's concerned! Titles include "Caress", "Quiet Afternoon", "Tough & Tender", "Lifestyle", "Pure Love", "Purity", "Forever", and "Lovin Feelings". LP, Vinyl record album

Kool Keith in fine form and in firm control, spinning wildly profane comic and cosmic wordplay as deftly as he has in years! Junkaz Lou is a solid production partner, laying down funky beats, lean, bright bits of keys and just spacey enough of an overall sound to frame Keith's freewheeling rhymes. Pairing lewd rhymes with creative metaphors, rolling from laugh out loud hilarious put downs to no one in particular to well-earned boasts on his own mic supremacy, Keith is at later era high point here. Includes "Cosmic Power", "Peter", "Rotary Engine", "Back Home" with Big Sche Eastwood, "Ultraman", "Push", "The Pivot", "She Can Play" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Music of a very different style than some of Laraaji's other work – more tuneful and song-based – with shorter tracks that show a whole different side of his talents! Laraaji's gotten great acclaim for his homespun spiritual sounds – long tracks that first found a home in Brian Eno's Ambient series, then came out on a variety of self-released records, and have even seen a big new revival in recent years. But the music here is a mixture of echoey vocals and rhythm patterns – songs that almost feel like special prayers of motivation and uplift – a karmic legacy stripped down more for an 80s generation, but still filled with a rich amount of spirit! The man's a surprisingly strong singer, with a trippy quality that really fits his lyrics – and almost gives some of the songs a late 60s sort of LA underground vibe. Titles include "Is This Clear", "Hare Jaya Jaya Rama", "Great Bells", "Laws Of Manifestation", "Cosmic Joe", "We Shall Be Lifted", and "I Can Only Bliss Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Don Leisure is more of a producer and beatmaker than a jazzman – but he's got a very spiritual vibe here, thanks in part to very strong participation on the album from harpist Amanda Whiting – who brings in this amazing cosmic energy that's very similar to the vibe on her own great records! Most tunes have a mellow groove – laidback beats with harp from Amanda, and saxophone solos on three tracks, trumpet on one more – and two of the selections also feature excellent vocals from Deborah Jordan, the British soul singer we've dug for many years! There's a great blend of slow funk soundscapes and jazzy solos on the set – and titles include "Walk With Us", "Peace Of Mind", "The First Chant", "Just Be Free", "Crying Tiger", "Beyond The Midnight Sun", and "Third Bass". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record from Chicago musician/artist Damon Locks – maybe the album he's been waiting his entire life to make – and the first to really bring together the mighty sum of his many talents! The material was recorded live in performance at Chicago's Garfield Park Conservatory – at an event that also included a group of singers and dancers to augment the musical performance – in a setting that gives Damon's majestic vision the proper setting it really deserves! Locks himself moves between electronics and vocal performances – in a core instrumental group that's heavy on drums and percussion from Dana Hall, clarinets from Angel Bat Dawid, and more percussion from Arif Smith – making music that's even more beautiful when the singers come into the mix, and take the energy to the sky with a very cosmic, righteous vibe. Locks has given us a glimpse of his vision in artwork, music, and writings over the years – but this time around, it feels like we're seeing the full scope at once – with more power and meaning than ever before. Titles include "Solar Power", "Rebuild A Nation", "Which I Believe It Will", "The Colors That You Bring", "The Future", "From A Spark To A Fire", "Black Monument Theme", and "Sounds Like Now". LP, Vinyl record album

A slightly different set than some of the others in this mighty nice series – in that this entry's got a vocalist – singer Lauren Santi, who brings some very soulful, wordless moments to the album! Mario Luciano handles a great range of keyboards, and the tunes have a lean, laidback vibe that's really great – like the mellower moments on the Shaft soundtrack, or those cool cuts from a blacksploitation soundtrack when the hero's either finding love, or back home licking his wounds after a fight! Titles include "Cosmic Portals", "The Yellow Field", "Donte's French", "Excursion", "Solar Journey", "Blue Miles", "When It's Real", and "Inner Search". LP, Vinyl record album

Yoni Mayraz is a pianist, but one who plays keyboards in modes that are much more than conventional jazz – and which instead really reflect the changes in the London scene where he's made his home in recent years! The record bristles with some of the best sort of creative inspirations we'd be likely to hear on a label like Brownswood or 22A – definitely jazz at the core, but with rhythms and instrumentation that really break past the usual format – as Yoni deftly blends his own keyboards with crackling live drums, driving basslines, tenor, flute, and trumpet – all used in these shifting, inventive progressions from track to track. This is cosmic creative jazz at its finest – with tracks that include "Palms", "The Master Wore A White Robe", "Pawnshop", "Painkillers", "As We Entered Jericho", "1999", "South Star", and "The Biggest Fear". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record – the kind of album that no fan of funky jazz should be without! This album is far and away one of the greatest ever cut by Brother Jack McDuff – and it's a baroquely complicated batch of funky jazz cuts that's still light years ahead of any other record! The tracks are much longer than you'll find on Jack's other work – and the group plays these lines that are laidback and trippy, yet which still have a tremendous amount of funk in them. Guitar sets the tone, spacing out over the drums of the great Joe Dukes; electric bass rumbles at all the low, dark spots; flute and tenor sax cut some sharp edges in the void; and the organ of Brother Jack comes in over the top, and soars with cosmic lines of sound! The album includes the monster cut "Oblighetto", sampled by Tribe Called Quest years back – plus other amazing groovers, like "Flat Backin", "Moon Rappin", and "Loose Foot". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing sounds from Chicago flute player Nicole Mitchell – a set of work inspired by the science fiction writings of Octavia Butler – with a striking style to match! Although the music has some arch qualities that live up to the darkness of Butler's writings, the performance here is also still mostly acoustic – in the mode we're used to from Mitchell's Black Earth group – but with odd tones and weird bits of phrasing that keep have us checking the notes to figure out the different instruments! The approach is a bit like the early cosmic visions of Sun Ra – especially when Mitchell hits more spiritual and rhythmic moments – and the well-matched ensemble of players features Nicole on flute, David Boykin on tenor and bass clarinet, David Young on trumpet and srali thom, Renee Baker on violin, Tomeka Reid on cello, Josh Abrams on bass, Jeff Parker on guitar, and Avreeayl Ra on percussion. Mankwe Ndosi sings just a bit on the record – and titles include "Dripping Matter", "Web Of Hope", "Fields Of Possibility", "Resisting Entanglement", "The Inevitable", and "The Ooli Moves". LP, Vinyl record album

You might know the music of keyboardist Tonu Naisso from his work in jazz, but here the approach is slightly different – still jazz-based, but with the more compact approach of vintage sound library work – as Tonu serves up a dozen great instrumentals, all with a range of excellent keyboard styles! The music's not canned, but performed by a live group – one that includes excellent saxes and flute from Markus Holkko, whose edges and inflections really open up the sound next to the electric work from the leader – given rhythms that are both cosmic and funky from Aleksi Heinola on drums and Temu Akerblom on bass. Titles include "Hello Sunshine", "Matsi Mari", "Dangerous Dance", "Cabrera Sundown", "Pacific Breeze", "Shapes & Colours", "Urban Life", and "Pocket Galaxy". LP, Vinyl record album

A compelling take on Afrobeat modes – served up by a group who mix lots of beats and keyboards in with live production, then serve up a leaner style on the classic mode! There's still plenty of horns in the lineup, and two singers who give the music some focus too – but the core energy is very different than groups who go for a more standard approach to 70s territory – almost cosmic at points, given the use of keyboards – and a very fresh take on the groove! Jorge Queijo handles the percussion and production – and the group features two alto saxes, two baritones, a trombone, and even a tuba – on titles that include "Bourgeois", "Execrable", "No More War", and "Pray For Love & Sex". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic full length set from Verve Records – one of those key late 50s albums that helped piece together the scattered legacy of Charlie Parker for the label! This set has a focus on small combo work from Bird – all quartet sessions, captured by Verve with a crispness that really shows his maturing early 50s style at its best, and with a few alternates of some tracks, which also illustrate that way that Parker could effortlessly change a solo from recording to recording! The group features Al Haig on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Max Roach on drums – and titles include "Kim", "Cosmic Rays", "Laird Baird", "Chi Chi", and "Confirmation". LP, Vinyl record album

George Clinton and the P-Funk army in all their 70s glory – presented here in a live performance that was originally done for radio in Detroit! There's not much in the way of notes or personnel listed for the set, but there's definitely some long jamming passages on the set, which are likely served up by some of the more important musicians in the group – mixed with vocal numbers that hone in strongly on classics that include "Flashlight", "Maggot Brain", "Cosmic Slop", "Funkentelechy", and "Mothership Connection". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early moment from the legendary Austrian group Paternoster – sounds that predate their one and only cult-status album – originally created for the equally legendary film, Die Ersten Tage! The music here was never issued commercially at the time – and the release of these sounds adds a much-needed page to the slim book of Paternoster – especially since the creative flair of these songs really fleshes out our understanding of the group! As with their vocal music, most of the style here is slow, but jamming – kind of mellow prog, almost – but lighter, too – and with a moodier vibe, given the absence of lyrics – which lets the offbeat guitar parts do most of the speaking for the group. The whole thing's fragile, yet jagged – earthy, but cosmic – and the set features 30 tracks in all, appearing here on record for the first time ever! LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from Robert Ponger – the guy who gave Falco such a strong groove in the 80s, but who's heard here on a cool late 70s album that's heavy on disco! The music here has a sweet electronic groove – a bit like Munich disco of the time, but more stripped-down and personal – and with spacey qualities that resonate well with the Italian cosmic scene that would burst forth even more strongly in the 80s! Most tracks are heavy on keyboard lines, and feature guitar bits as well – and the usual disco warmth comes into the mix as well, with occasional strings and backing vocals. Titles include "Nights In The City", "Johnny's Discothek", "Love Train", "Jodel Funk", "Starbird", "You Are My Yesterday", and "Firewalk". LP, Vinyl record album

A soaring debut from Audrey Powne – both a jazz musician and a soulful singer, and an artist who manages to wrap both those talents here together in a very righteous way! The album uses larger arrangements to set a very bold sonic scene – clearly informed by spiritual jazz, but taken to more cosmic currents at times – and topped with these airy vocals from Audrey that have a way of gliding effortlessly amidst the charts! Powne also plays a bit of trumpet – soloing with a nice sense of boldness – and overdubbing allows her to create her own choral vibe amidst the gentle strings and other elements – almost like a 21st Century update of the older Cadet/Concept sound from the end of the 60s. Titles include "Feed The Fire", "Souled Out", "Survive", "Indigo", "Overture", "From The Fire", and "Sleep". LP, Vinyl record album

The second set of Heliocentric tracks that Ra recorded for ESP, with a freer feel than the first volume, and a bit more avant-oriented work overall. Ra and the group play a lot of percussion – and Ra himself is on tuned bongos, piano, and clavioline, which has a very nice spooky sound! The reed work on the album is by Robert Cummings, John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, and Marshall Allen – with bass by Ronnie Boykin and percussion by Roger Blank. Tracks include "Cosmic Chaos", "House of Beauty", and "The Sun Myth". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderfully-done collection of work from the legendary Sun Ra – put together by longtime musical partner Marshall Allen, and way way different than the typical mish-mash of tracks you'd find on some of the budget or public domain titles on the market! First off, the track selection is really thoughtful – music that definitely defines the Arkestra in the 60s and 70s, but which also highlights some of its overlooked corners too – pulled together from recordings that appeared on the Saturn, Impulse, and other labels – all curated and remastered by Art Yard, who've done their share of great Ra reissues over the years. Plus, the package features a few unreleased performances as well – and although it would serve as a great introduction to the music of Sun Ra, it's also really perfectly put together for longtime Ra fans as well – given the focus, track selection, and overall quality of the whole thing. The sounds are sublime – maybe one of the best summations of the righteous, cosmic genius of the Arkestra at its best – and titles include "Reflects Motion", "Island In The Sun (extended)", "Somewhere In Space", "The Lady With The Golden Stockings", "Somebody Else's World", "Ancient Aethiopia", "Astro Black", "Have You Heard The Latest News From Neptune", "We Travel The Spaceways", and "Plutonian Nights". LP, Vinyl record album

It's hard to get more powerful and progressive than the message this title – an indication that the record is one of the boldest in the Tribe Records catalog from the 70s – which is saying a lot, given the force of the legendary Detroit label! Trombonist Phil Ranelin is at his best here – not just as a soloist, but also as a guiding spiritual force – as he works here with a very progressive ensemble who are somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the loft jazz groups to come – effortlessly mixing free instrumental solo passages with more rhythmic pulsations – adding in electric elements in just the right way, to almost create a cosmic tension in the acoustic core of the performance. Keith Vreeland is listed as the pianist – and we're not sure if it's him who plays the weird and wonderful keyboards on the record, but they're totally great – mixed with Ranelin's work on trombone, plus Wendell Harrison on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, Charles Moore on trumpet, and Harou El Nil on alto – plus strong work from two drummers, George Davidson and Bili Turner, each in one side of the mix – and bass from John Dana or Reggie Fields. This is message-oriented spiritual jazz at its best – and titles include "13th & Senate", "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". LP, Vinyl record album

It's hard to get more powerful and progressive than the message this title – an indication that the record is one of the boldest in the Tribe Records catalog from the 70s – which is saying a lot, given the force of the legendary Detroit label! Trombonist Phil Ranelin is at his best here – not just as a soloist, but also as a guiding spiritual force – as he works here with a very progressive ensemble who are somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the loft jazz groups to come – effortlessly mixing free instrumental solo passages with more rhythmic pulsations – adding in electric elements in just the right way, to almost create a cosmic tension in the acoustic core of the performance. Keith Vreeland is listed as the pianist – and we're not sure if it's him who plays the weird and wonderful keyboards on the record, but they're totally great – mixed with Ranelin's work on trombone, plus Wendell Harrison on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, Charles Moore on trumpet, and Harou El Nil on alto – plus strong work from two drummers, George Davidson and Bili Turner, each in one side of the mix – and bass from John Dana or Reggie Fields. This is message-oriented spiritual jazz at its best – and titles include "13th & Senate", "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". Very cool 2LP pressing – with alternate takes of three tracks on the album! LP, Vinyl record album

The music of Sun Ra, taken into very different territory – every bit as cosmic as before, but maybe also a bit more down to earth in its presentation! Sun Ra classics are reworked here by a mix of different Brazilian musicians, with contributions from a few key American artists who really enrich the soulful qualities of the proceedings – with results that are tremendous, and which make the record one of the real standout projects in the long legacy of Red Hot recordings! The sounds here are all original, created for the project – and the Brazilian artists include some of our favorite underground talents of the past decade, mixed with a few who are more well-established, yet still very much on the left side of the spectrum! Titles include "Astroblack Orunmila" with Jazzmeia Horn & Orquestra Afrosinfonica, "Interstellar Low Ways" with Hamilton De Holanda Trio, "When There Is No Sun (Intergalactic version)" with Xenia Franca & Tigana Santana, "Eu Sou Um Instrumento" with Fabricio Boliveira & Jazzmeia Horn, "O Codigo" with Fabricio Boliveira & Edbrass Brasil, "Nature's God" with Meshell Ndegeocello & Munir Hossn, and "Nine Rocket For The Planet" with Meta Meta & Edgar. LP, Vinyl record album

We've always loved the music of Logan Richardson, but here he's onto something completely new and groundbreaking – as you might begin to guess from the cover and title! Logan still blows alto sax, but he also handles piano and keyboards, and works in this swirling mix of sound that really lives up to what you might expect – really far-seeing future jazz – with rhythms that shift and soar, instrumentation that shimmers and glows, and a sound that's very cosmic and righteous throughout! The set also features vibes and keyboards from Peter Schlamb, guitars from Igor Osypov, bass from Dominique Sanders, and drums from Ryan Lee and Corey Fonville – set to some occasional vocals from Laura Taglialatela, and light use of strings to really give the music a sense of majesty. Titles include "Say My Nhame", "Awaken", "The Birth Of Us", "Black Wallstreet", "Farewell Goodbye", "For Alto", "According To You", "Praise Song", and "Photo Copy". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard work from the legendary Rodion GA – an artist who barely issued any material during the 20th century, but who's become a real electronic music legend in more recent years! Rodion hails from Hugary, where he worked underground recording all these cool cuts from the 80s onward – material that's a blend between cold wave grooves and more synth-based sound library material – usually instrumental, and with some dark currents on most tracks that really make for some striking sounds throughout! All the cuts here are from Rodion's archive, and even the later ones have an analog vibe that feels like lost cassette culture electronic nuggets from the early 80s – brought forth here with great treatment and detailed notes from Ace Records! The package features 21 tracks in all – and titles include "Vine Iarna", "Tu Rea Ce Esti", "Halou Cosmic", "Aminitiri", "The Final Farewell", "Catacombe", "Acolo Unde E Mister", "Punct", "Balkan", "Stele Si Lumini", and "Intervale". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare west coast funk, soul, and funky soul – all from the vaults of George Semper – an artist that most folks know from a classic organ jazz record in the 60s, but also a backroom figure behind a range of great soul records on the Cali scene of the 70s! This set is a rare collection of George's hippest productions from the time – material that was either issued as rare singles, or only showed up on this label anthology, issued in a small pressing – brought together as testament to the groovy genius of George. The set features a few instrumentals issued under George's own name – "Cosmic Funk" and "Got To Find A Way To Make Some Money" – plus more vocal cuts, including "Goodie Goodie Gumdrops" and "Queen For A Day" by Jimmy Hayes, "You're So Good To Me" and "Never In My Life" by The Love Affair, and the cuts "That's The Way It Is", "Let's Live and Let's Live", and "Never In My Life" by Lewis Flournoy. LP, Vinyl record album

The mighty Lonnie Liston Smith live – sounding every bit as great as he did on his famous studio sessions from the 70s – and maybe even more freewheeling too! The feel of the record is really tremendous – extremely soulful, with Lonnie jamming away on keyboards as the band grooves up these cool spacey rhythms – stepping out in territory that's definitely the more cosmic side of jazz funk, with those righteous currents that always made Lonnie so great. The whole thing's wonderful – with loads of great electric work, and an overall spiritual vibe that's every bit as great as his albums for Flying Dutchman – and players include Donald Smith on flute and a bit of vocals, Dave Hubbard on tenor and soprano sax, and Lonnie himself on Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and Arp. The set includes a nice extended take on "Visions of A New World", plus the tracks "Watercolors", "Sorceress" – which isn't on any of his studio albums, "Prelude", and the classic "Expansions". LP, Vinyl record album

The mighty Lonnie Liston Smith live – sounding every bit as great as he did on his famous studio sessions from the 70s – and maybe even more freewheeling too! The feel of the record is really tremendous – extremely soulful, with Lonnie jamming away on keyboards as the band grooves up these cool spacey rhythms – stepping out in territory that's definitely the more cosmic side of jazz funk, with those righteous currents that always made Lonnie so great. The whole thing's wonderful – with loads of great electric work, and an overall spiritual vibe that's every bit as great as his albums for Flying Dutchman – and players include Donald Smith on flute and a bit of vocals, Dave Hubbard on tenor and soprano sax, and Lonnie himself on Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and Arp. The set includes a nice extended take on "Visions of A New World", plus the tracks "Watercolors", "Sorceress" – which isn't on any of his studio albums, "Prelude", and the classic "Expansions". LP, Vinyl record album