The second and final chapter in the career of Cristina – the female singer who was a key link in the New York club scene between Grace Jones and Madonna! Like the former, Cristina was not a singer at heart – but rose into the mainstream with a quirky ear for a tune and model-like looks that helped carry off her act. And like the latter, she clearly marched to the beat of her own tune – and did so with enough charisma and self-assured star power to get that tune out into the clubs. This second album features Cristina working in a very different style than on her debut – teaming with Don Was in a set of Detroit recordings that also featured a fair bit of original lyrics by Cristina. The camp/retro mode of the first album is still present here, but in a more subtle way – and the disco grooves have been replaced by more of the Was Not Was proto-funk approach, which means heavier beats and noisier guitars overall. The core album features original tracks "What's A Girl To Do", "Ticket To The Tropics", "The Lie Of Love", "Quicksand Lovers", and "He Dines Out On Death" – plus covers of "Blue Money" and the Brech/Weil tune "Ballad Of Immoral Earnings". The CD adds in some bonus tracks – "Things Fall Apart" and "Disco Clone (7" mix)". CD

Yussef Dayes works here under a title that was first coined by Rahsaan Roland Kirk to refer to jazz – but Dayes takes the term to a whole new level with this groundbreaking set – really moving past jazz to unlock a whole field of soulful expression – served up an excellent group at the core, and key contributions from very hip guests throughout! Dayes has always been someone who defies expectations, but here he's going past just some sort of unconventionality to really make his own mark in music – letting an instrumental solo take center stage when needed, or working through vocals in another moment – but all with this effortless flow that really comes together over the course of the album! The group features Charlie Stacey on keyboards, Alexander Bourt on percussion, and Venna on tenor – and guests include Shabaka Hutchings, Leon Thomas, Miles James, Theon Cross, Chronixx, and others. Titles include "Early Dayes", "Afro Cubanism", "Black Classical Music", "Rust", "The Light", "Pon Di Plaza", "Marching Band", "Tioga Pass", "Cowrie Charms", "Crystal Palace", and "Presidential". CD

A great overview of the early soundtrack work of Georges Delerue – one of the first great composers to emerge from the French new wave/nouvelle vague generation – and an artist whose music was often a key part of those films! Some of the new wave cinema used music by jazz artists and combos – and while Delerue often worked in larger instrumental settings, he certainly borrowed plenty from that spirit – as there's often some nice touches of jazz here, amidst fuller orchestrations – a contrast between a single lead instrument and the rest of the group – in ways that also hint towards greater cinematic changes to come. The set features work from films directed by Francois Truffaut, Alain Resnais, Edouard Molinaro, Pierre Kast, Georges Lautner, Claoude Boissol, and Philippe De Broca – music from the movies Hiroshima Mon Amour, Marche Ou Creve, Le Bel Age, Les Jeux De L'Amour, Tirez Sur Le Pianiste, Jules Et Jim, Jusqu'Au Bout Du Monde, Les 3 Etc Du Colonel, Le Bonheur Est Pour Demain, and Une Aussie Longue Absence. CD

A rootsy set with a jazzy vibe – a set that blends the wonderful vocals of Eloah with some heavy percussion, soaring horns, and other great instrumental touches – all in a blend of modes that's pretty darn unique! The album might belong in the school of samba, but it's got a much more ambitious vibe overall – as if those core samba inspirations were taken to new heights through some of the larger, fuller arrangements that were bubbling in the Brazilian scene of the period – as you might find in the music of Edu Lobo or Marcos Valle! Eloah's also got a power that's all her own, too – some of the soul of a singer like Elza Soares, but also the kind of majesty we love in the music of Zelia Barbosa – or in a male version, maybe Geraldo Vandre – who's an equally unique artist of his own. The whole thing's a real lost treasure – with a vibe that's more late 60s than late 70s, given the production and instrumentation – and titles include "Oxala", "Exu", "Ogun", "Xango", "Yemanja Berimbau", "Axe Opo Afonja Aluja", and "Logun Ede". CD

Amazing box set – five full albums of material, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Flowers – a soaring classic from The Emotions – thanks to some supreme help from the Earth Wind & Fire side of the soul spectrum! This set has the trio really sounding great – with Kalimba Productions by Maurice White and Charles Stepney – and a good deal of EWF help on the instrumentation as well! The girls break out of the rootsier style used on their earlier Stax recordings, and manage to fit perfectly with the jazzy tinges of the new grooves – and, along with Ramsey Lewis and EWF, the Emotions were part of a hugely successful trinity during the late 70s – one that took the indie soul roots of the Chicago scene and turned it into landmark big business for Columbia Records. The album's got a new approach to female group soul that would go onto shape R&B for years to come – and titles include "Flowers", "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", "We Go Through Changes", "Special Part", and "You've Got The Right To Know". Next is Rejoice – a huge hit for both The Emotions and Maurice White – whose Kalimba Productions handled this album in the same hit mode they'd been using for Earth Wind & Fire! There's a polished, soaring bounce her that definitely shows the Earth Wind & Fire touch – and which takes the girls miles from their rougher, rootsier soul of the Stax/Volt years – yet like all the best EWF records of the time, the sound is also plenty soulful, with lots of righteous undercurrents. The album includes the group's wonderful track "Don't Ask My Neighbors", a heavenly tune that builds on a long tradition of sweet female soul from Chicago; the super-huge "Best Of My Love", a hit on dancefloors and radios for years to come – and many other nice numbers like "Blessed", "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away", and "Key To My Heart". Sunbeam is great little album from The Emotions – largely because it sounds a lot like prime mid 70s Earth Wind & Fire, with female vocals added over the top – ultimately, pulling away with a soulful charm all its own! Maurice White produced the whole set, and it's got a soaring spacey sound that provides a perfect spiritual edge to the girls vocals – taking them way past the hits, into much more sophisticated soul territory. There's a beautifully righteous vibe going on throughout – a sound that's almost like Minnie Riperton at her 70s Capitol best – and titles include "Love Vibes", "Walking The Line", "Time Is Passing By", "I Wouldn't Lie", "Smile", and "Spirit Of Summer". Come Into Our World has the sweet Emotions at the top of their game – one of the brilliant albums that has the soulful trio working hand in hand with Earth Wind & Fire! The girls were plenty great in their early years, but working with Maurice White and company, they really took off – hitting a whole new level that really unlocked some deeply spiritual power in their vocals! And sure, the approach also yielded the group plenty of hits – but for good reason, too – given the classic quality and all-great nature of a set like this. Maurice White produced, and the lineup is filled with plenty of Earth Wind & Fire players too – working with some great arrangements from Tom Tom 84, Wade Marcus, and others. Tunes are balanced between clubby numbers and some nice midtempo moments – and titles include "Where Is Your Love", "Cause I Love You", "Come Into My World", "On & On", "I Should Be Dancing", "Layed Back", and "Yes I Am". New Affair has The Emotions breaking free a bit from the Earth Wind & Fire influence, and grooving nicely with a sweet 80s feel! The girls' voices are still quite wonderful – some of the deepest harmonies in the female soul world at the time – and the tunes kick it up nicely in a blend of snapping bassy club tracks and mellower cuts that sweetly sway with their great vocals! Loads of wonderful tracks – and an album not to miss! Titles include "Turn It Out", "There'll Never Be Another Moment", "Now That I Know", "Love Lies", "When You Gonna Wake Up", and "Here You Come Again". 3CD set features 8 bonus tracks – including "Boogie Wonderland (12" mix", "Don't Ask My Neighbors (single version)", "I Should Be Dancin (single version)", "My Baby Dance", "Changes", "Where Is Your Love (single version)", and "Flowers (single version)". CD

An album as lovely as its title, and John Fahey's 8th record – mostly solo guitar, but with guest drums and bass on 2 cuts – "March For Martin Luther King" and "Dance of The Inhabitants Of The Invisible City Of Bladensburg". The sound is extremely magical – introspective, yet far-seeing – with that fragile sense of being in the world that's made Fahey's work endure far longer than that of most of his contemporaries. Other titles include "Irish Setter", "Commemorative Transfiguration & Communion At Magruder Park", and "Lion". CD

A really wonderful project that was years in the making – a mix of American club and Brazilian elements – put together by a group that includes members of Azymuth and Banda Black Rio, as well as the legendary Arthur Verocai! Jose Roberto Bertrami's the strongest contributor here – and the music really echoes that great late 70s/early 80s point when the Azymuth fusion groove crossed over into tighter, funkier territory – coming off here with a sound that's got really universal appeal and a wickedly classic vibe overall – like some unusual cross-breeding of Brazilian grooves and Salsoul Records! Vocals are by Mia Mendes and Marcina Arnold, but the instrumentation is even better than the lyrics – filled with jazzy touches, blended with bits of strings, and perfectly produced all the way through. Really tremendous stuff – one of the freshest records we've heard from Far Out in years – with titles that include "Mystery", "Keep Believing", "Dead Dance", "The Last Carnival", "A Disco Supreme", "Vendetta", and "Don't Cha Know He's Alright". 2CD set features 8 more bonus remix tracks too! CD

A seminal record in the transition from the funky 45 underground to the world of the full length LP – a record we'd put right up there with early classics by The JBs and Kool & The Gang! As with the latter, Fatback Band grew up first getting some great play on instrumental 45s – and right out of the gate, they set this on fire with the same sort of energy – impeccable instrumentation that needs to be heard to be believed – all live, all pre-sampling, but with a quality that's gone on to transform the worlds of funk, soul, and hip hop over the decades! Every cut is great, and the album's a non-stop party – with titles that include "Nija Walk", "Fatbackin", "Soul March", "Soul Man", "Kiba", "Clap Your Hands", "Gotta Have You", and "Baby Doll". CD

The classic sound of Funkadelic, reworked by a key selection of contemporary talents from the Detroit scene – but never in a way that wrecks the originals at all! Unlike other remix projects, which might break up the music to a point that you can hardly recognize the original grooves – this set does a wonderful job of maintaining all the integrity of the famous funky recordings by the group, while also letting some artists from the group's hometown also include a few of their own contributions too – all in ways that really expand the original vision of the music, while keeping things in a funky soul vein all the way through! Given all the greateness of Detroit grooves in recent years – from that city's very fertile underground of producers and musicians – the sound here is still even more amazing than we expected, and the album's a very fitting one to be issued on the Westbound label. The set's double-length, and for good reason too – and titles include "Music 4 My Mother (Underground Resistance mix)", "Sexy Ways (Recloose disco flip)", "Get Your Ass Off & Jam (Marcellus Pittman rmx)", "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure (Alton Miller mix)", "Super Stupid (Dirtbombs version)", "Music For My Mother (Andres Wo Ahh Ay voc mix)", "Cosmic Slop (Moodymann mix)", "Be My Beach (Mophono & Tom Thump)", "Let's Make It Last (Kenny Dixon Jr edit)", "Let's Take It To The Stage (Amp Fiddler @Ya mix)", "Undisco Kidd (Gay Marvine edit)", "Looking Back At You (Ectomorph stripped & dubbed)", and "Standing On The Verge (Anthony Shake Shakir & T Dancer rmx)". CD

One of the most heavenly albums ever recorded – a sublime post-60s session by Joao Gilberto, one with even more fluid grace than his original bossa nova classics! The setting here is extremely spare – Joao on vocals and acoustic guitar, backed by only a slight bit of percussion – and recorded with an sound that's incredibly clear and incredibly precise – so that each gentle note, each slight rasp of the guitar comes through beautifully – as do Joao's breathily personal vocals! There's a sense of poise and presence here that Gilberto hardly matched again – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given how great most of his other records already are. The whole thing's tremendous – a true treasure, and easily one of the top classics in Brazilian music from the 70s. Titles include a landmark version of "Aguas De Marco", plus "Undiu", "Falsa Baiana", "Avarandado", "Na Baixa Do Sapateiro", "Izaura", "E Preciso Perdoar", "Valsa", and "Eu Vim Da Bahia". CD

A groundbreaking set of work from the team of Jef Gilson and Hal Singer – a uniquely cross-cultural session recorded in the Paris scene of the 70s, and easily some of the best work ever from both musicians! Singer's probably best remembered on these shores for his older R&B tenor work of the 50s – but sometime during the 60s, he moved over to Paris, where he cut some mighty great music – including the legendary Paris Soul Food album, which predates this one by a few years. Gilson was always a great artist on the French scene – a modern pianist whose work of the 60s was always fresh and new, and a player who moved into more of a world jazz sensibility as the 70s approached. Together, both players work some real magic here – deep soul from Singers tenor, sharper tones from Gilson's piano – and a range of weird and wonderful notes from other players who include Bernard Lubat on vibes, Jacky Samson on bass, Frank Raholison on drums, and both Del Rabenja and Gerard Rakotoarivony on percussion – really helping the record live up to its "Africa" title! Samson's bass is especially amazing – roundly-toned, and incredibly soulful – as much so as his legendary work with Marco DiMarco, but pitched slightly differently here – and titles include "The High Life", "Liberation", "Mother Africa", "Chant Inca", and "Garvey's Strut". Plus, as an added bonus the CD also features 2 incredible earlier tracks by Gilson – material recorded with Lloyd Miller back in the 60s – playing "micro organ" and balaphon, with a sound that's almost even more haunting than the main album. Other players include "Pierre Caron on tenor and Alain Tabar-Nouval on alto – and titles include "Le Grand Bidou" and "Fable Of Gutenberg". CD

A beautiful little session from one of the greatest guitarists ever! The album's part of Blue Note's tendency to "churchify" Grant Green on some albums – giving his guitar a gospelly groove that has some nicely soulful connotations – but it's also a record that's maybe the strongest of that bunch, as it's got this approach that's loose and open – and which has this fantastic flow that's aided by the piano of Kenny Drew! Drew is the equal star on this set – and the longer tunes on the record really allow for plenty of open solo space – and the whole thing shines with Drew's piano matching lines with Green's strung-out single-note solos. The groove is pretty hard, and the recording quality keeps the whole thing nice and lively – thanks also to work from Ben Tucker on bass and Ben Dixon on drums. Titles include "Sunday Mornin", "Come Sunrise", "Exodus", and "Freedom March". CD

One of the most classic albums on the Tribe Records label from Detroit – music that was too heavy for most of the world when it was issued in the 70s – but which has gone onto achieve legendary status over the years! Reedman Wendell Harrison leads the group in a set of soaring, spacious, righteous tunes – with great help from Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, and assorted other instruments, which he and Harrison play in the best AACM tradition. Phil Ranelin's also in the group on trombone – and other players include Charles Eubanks on keyboards, Ike Daney on drums, and Will Austin on bass – and the album also features some spoken passages by the Black Messengers, Oba and Vajava. The whole thing's fantastic – that strong collaborative spirit that graced the best part of the American jazz underground of the time – and titles include "Mary Had An Abortion", "Vol II Angry Young Man (parts 1 & 2)", "Consciousness", and "Rebirth". CD

The rare first version of Message From The Tribe – still done with all the Detroit underground qualities of the better-known versions – but with a completely different song list overall! As with the more-circulated versions, the record is the brainchild of saxophonist Wendell Harrison and trombonist Phil Ranelin – and the pair work together with other key players from the spiritual avant scene in their city at the start of the 70s – Marcus Belgrave and Charles Moore on trumpets, Will Austin on bass, Ike Daney on drums, and Charles Eubanks on some mighty nice Fender Rhodes! All group members handle other instrumentation too – usually a bit of percussion– and Jaemel Lee comes in with some vocals and poetry as well. The album features two side-long suites – the 20 minute "Evening With The Devil" on side one, with passages that include "Mary Had An Abortion", "Angry Young Men", and "Where Am I" – and the 21 minute "What Now" on side two – with passages that include "What We Need", "Angela's Dilemma", and "How Do We End All Of This Madness". CD

Genius work from the Detroit underground of the 70s – one of the greatest records ever on the now-famous Tribe Records label, and a masterpiece of soul, jazz, and righteous spirit! The session's headed by tenor player Wendell Harrison – and it's got an all-star Motor City lineup that includes Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Jeamel Lee on vocals, Charles Eubanks on electric piano, and Charles Moore on flugelhorn. The tracks have a spacious spiritual approach that recalls some of the later Archie Shepp on Impulse – a blend of soul jazz with slight touches of electric instrumentation, some vocals, and a very progressive spirit overall – stepping proud in the new freedoms of the 70s, yet still swinging and very groovy. Titles include "Angela's Dilemma", "What We Need", "How Do We End All Of This Madness", "Merciful", and "Beneficent". This second version of the album features mixes of the tracks done in 1973. CD

A stunning side project from Albert Toodie Heath of the Heath Brothers – a musician who was sometimes a bit staid in the past, but who was really feeling the vibe of the spiritual scene in the post-Coltrane years! The set resonates with a vibe that's very similar to the rare Heath Brother's album on Strata East, Marchin On – and the lineup here is incredible, with reeds from Jimmy Heath, trumpet from Don Cherry, piano from Herbie Hancock, bass from Buster Williams, percussion from Mtume, and drums from Ed Blackwell – all coming together for a session that's nearly lost to the history books, but which is one of the strongest spiritual jazz sessions of the late 60s! Herbie plays all acoustic piano throughout, and the tracks are long, leaping, and loping – with stretched-out spiritual solos from Jimmy Heath and Don Cherry – and a proud and righteous sound that's extremely free-spirited without going too far out. Titles include "Baraka", "Maulana", "Dunia", and "Kamili". CD

Rare small group work from the great Johnny Hodges – an unissued live set from the start of the 60s, and one that has Johnny working with key Ellington sidemen in a very Ellington-like setting! Solo Hodges could usually take one of two forms – more soulful small group material that has less of the arrangements of his longtime leader, the Duke – and more Ellington-based performances, of which this set is definitely one – as Hodges leads a hip combo with Ray Nance on trumpet, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Harry Carney on baritone, Al Williams on piano, Aaron Bell on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums. Tunes are almost all numbers by Ellington or Billy Strayhorn, but done in a nice lean style, with key solo performances throughout – and titles include "Rocking In Rhythm", "Jeep Is Jumpin", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Sophisticated Lady", "Mood Indigo", and "Solitude" – plus "Good Queen Bess", "Perdido", and "Autumn Leaves". The sound quality is great – very clear, with a nicely crisp tone on the horn parts, especially Hodges and Carney! CD

A trio of later gems from this legendary South African pianist! Mindif is a great set that features Abdullah Ibrahim's soundtrack music for the 1988 Clair Denis film Chocolat – some of his best group recordings of the 80s! The feel here is a bit more African-styled than usual – even for Ibrahim – with strong use of reeds to inflect the tunes with the right degree of color and tone for their use in the film. The ensemble on the record features Ricky Ford on tenor and soprano, Craig Handy on flute and tenor, Benny Powell on trombone, David Williams on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the tracks have a languid groove that recalls some of Dollar Brand's best South African recordings with Kippie Moketsie. Titles include "Earth Bird", "African Market", "Pule", "Star Dance", and "Serenity". African River is one of the great larger group recordings that pianist Abdullah Ibrahim gave us in the 80s – from a moment when he was able to use added horns to really expand that amazing sense of color and rhythm he'd brought to his music on earlier trio recordings! There's a sense of musical vision here that really lives up to Abdullah's majestic look on the cover – a fantastic merging of flute and tenor from John Stubblefield, soprano and alto from Horace Alexander Young, tuba and baritone from Howard Johnson, and trombone from Robin Eubanks – all vibrant horn players who seem to have just about every tone and mood covered with their horns – given this wonderfully warm support from Buster Williams on bass, and Brian Adams on drums. All titles are originals by the leader – and tunes include "Chisa", "Sweet Samba", "Duke 88", "The Wedding", and "Joan Capetown Flower". Yarona is a beautifully sensitive set from Abdullah Ibrahim – recorded live at the Village Vanguard, and with an open, lyrical sound that almost seems to recall some of Bill Evans' magical moments in the venue! Ibrahim's quite a different player, of course – but there's an open, exploratory quality to his music that's a bit unusual here – maybe not as rhythmically based as it is balanced between sound and silence – given very respectful company in the bass of Marcus McLaurine and drums of George Johnson. Titles include "Cherry/Mannenberg", "Duke 88", "African River", "Stardance", "Tuang Guru", "Tintinyana", and "African Marketplace". CD

A sublime solo set from pianist Masaru Imada – one that really opens up with the kind of warm, spacious approach to jazz that he showcased on his famous albums for the Three Blind Mice label! Imada's got a completely captivating sound here – really bringing us in with a personal approach, but one that's never too easygoing to be casual either – graced with an understanding of just the right touch on the keys and timing of the groove and resonating with a really great sound throughout! Titles include "Menina Moca", "Pico", "Sometime Ago", "Little Blue", "Spring March", "I Thought About You", and "3 x 3 Steps". CD

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". CD

Proof that Elvin Jones wasn't just riding on the laurels of the Great One during his years with John Coltrane – as the album's a breakout date that has Jones firmly establishing his own voice in jazz! There's an explosive power here that makes us think that Elvin must have really just been biding his time with Coltrane – waiting for the chance to try out his own new ideas in music, and finding the perfect accompanists here in a trio that includes Jimmy Garrison on bass and a young Joe Farrell on tenor, soprano sax, and flute! The lack of a piano in the group really makes for a sense of new freedom that's totally great – not dreamy, melodic piano-less work, as in some of the LA groups of earlier years – but a searing, soaring intensity that Farrell was a perfect choice to head up. And while the format might serve to be an excuse for Coltrane-styled blowing, the approach here is decidedly not – a more focused, energy driven approach that really makes strong use of Jones' work on the drum kit, throbs with soulful undercurrents from Garrison's bass, and is topped off by angular, effortlessly-blown lines from Farrell – clearly pointing the way towards a generation of players that would emerge in his wake during the 70s. Tracks include "Village Greene", "Reza", "Kei Ko's Birthday March", and "Sweet Little Mama". CD

A brilliant pairing of piano talents – and a record that also features some incredible horn work from Billy Harper and Hannibal Marvin Peterson too! Masabumi Kikuchi plays electric piano throughout – working with a large Evans-led ensemble that also includes Harper on tenor and flute, and Peterson on trumpet and flugelhorn – not to mention some surprising sounds on ring modulator from Evans himself! The arrangements are quite bold – like the best of Gil's work of the time – and really do a great job of mixing electric and acoustic elements in a really fresh way – quite different from any other big band styles of the time, and with all the modernism you'd expect from Evans' music. Titles include "Priestess", "Ictus", "Cry Of Hunger", "Eleven", "Drizzling Rain", and "Thoroughbred". CD

A long-overdue look at the mini-soul empire of Leo Gooden – an tiny little enclave in East St Louis that was making some mighty hip music in the early 60s! Gooden wore many hats at the time – politician, club owner, and local businessman – but he also put together his own band and record label, and worked in a very hip mix of R&B and 60s soul jazz modes! Through his nightclub, The Blue Note, Gooden came into contact with a variety of great musicians, both national and local – and he brought their inspiration to play on sessions recorded here for his LG family of labels – issued on a handful of singles and two rare LPs. Although rough-edged at times, these tracks have a really great sound – kind of a grittier take on the Prestige Records groove of the 60s – helped out by musicians who include Oliver Nelson and Hamiet Bluiett – and singers who include Albert King and Charles Drain. The package is a bit loose on discographical details, but definitely includes all the best moments from these mighty years on the East St Louis scene – and the full story in the notes more than helps to fill in the gaps in Gooden's compelling tale. The titles by Leo's Five – Gooden's group – are all hip jazz instrumentals, often with a strong mix of Hammond, guitar, and tenor – and these titles include "Hold It", "Sunrise Serenade", "Something You Got", "Tippin", "Johnnie Come Marching Home (Country Style)", "Minor Over Matter", "Mop Water", "Fredrick's Dream", and "Cookin With Chezie Mae". Other cuts include "COD" and "Worsome Baby" by Albert King, "So Glad" and "Stop & Think About It Baby" by Charles Drain, "Winkee Do" and "Ugly Ugly" by Leo Gooden, and "Let's Do The Cat" by Jamie Ross. CD

Never-heard music from one of the hippest groups ever led by flute man Herbie Mann – a killer lineup that includes Roy Ayers on vibes, Sonny Sharrock on guitar, and Steve Marcus on tenor! The tracks here are all previously unreleased – pulled from the same recordings that gave the world the Live At The Whiskey A Go Go album, but much more far-reaching overall – in a way that not only shows the full range of sounds the group could produce, but which also really brings out some individual moments of genius from each player! Roy's vibes are wonderful – with some very bold chromes, but his usual sense of warmth, too – which can make for a striking comparison with the edges in Sharrock's guitar and the soulfulness of Marcus' tenor. Linda Sharrock sings a bit on the record, but most of the album features long, extended jams from a group that also includes Miroslav Vitous on bass and Bruno Carr on drums – on titles that include "Untitled Jam", "Black Woman", "All Blues", "Portait Of Linda In Three Colors All Black", "Chain Of Fools", "Tangier/If I Were A Carpenter", "Scarborough Fair", "Philly Dog", and "Comin Home Baby/Battle Hymn Of The Republic". CD

A tremendous lost masterpiece from Jose Mauro – a less-remembered figure in Brazilian music at the start of the 70s – but one we'd rank right up there with the best of the time, on a short list that would include Marcos Valle, Milton Nascimento, and Arthur Verocai! Like those three giants, Mauro's got a way with a tune that's completely his own, and very different than music taking place in the Anglo scene at the time – sophisticated, but never full of itself – personal, but also always reaching for higher ideas too – set up in these sublime arrangements by Roberto Quartin, who recorded the date for his own famous label – with a killer studio group that includes Dom Salvador on organ and piano, Paulo Moura on alto, sax, and Wilson Das Neves on drums. Jose's vocals are fantastic, as is his subtle use of acoustic guitar – and arrangements on the set are by Maestro Gaya, who you might know from a wealth of brilliant work for the EMI/Odeon label in Brazil. The set includes three never-issued tracks – "Rua Dois", "Moenda", and "Variacao Sobre Um Antigo Tem" – plus "A Viagem Das Horas", "O Nino", "Morango Encanto", "O Oitava Morada", "Romanza", and "O Cavaleiro De Antonina". CD

Mighty bold work from bassist Christian McBride – heading up the wonderful New Jawn quartet, a pianoless combo that really allows all players to shine with an unexpected sense of freedom! Drummer Nasheet Waits is helping McBride out with the rhythms – often with a touch that's nice and loose, and very open – a fluid way of moving around that seems to really encourage strong work from the trumpet of Josh Evans and tenor and bass clarinet of Marcus Strickland – both players who have a sense of structure, but are nicely loose too – really working with a sort of energy we never would have expected on a Christian McBride record many years back. Titles include "Moonchild", "Lurkers", "Dolphy Dust", "Obsequious", and "Head Bedlam". 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

Lyrical beauty from trumpeter Blue Mitchell – one of those records that really has him coming into his own, sounding fantastic on Blue Note in a way he never did on his earlier albums as a leader! it's clear that Blue learned a lot while playing in the group of Horace Silver – a way of balancing rhythm with warmer emotion – and moving past more standard hardbop into the more sophisticated territory you'll hear on this set. A young Chick Corea is on the set on piano, shading the tunes with some slightly Latin touches – and fitting in surprisingly well with a quintet lineup that also includes Junior Cook on tenor, Gene Taylor on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Cook is great too – matched with Mitchell as on some of the Silver sessions – and titles include an early version of the Terumasa Hino tune "Alone Alone & Alone", plus "One Shirt", "March On Selma", and "Samba De Stacy". CD

A fantastic lost legacy in European free improvisation – the complete works of a group who were first known as Modern Jazz Quintet Karlsruhe, then later as Fourmenonly – presented here in a beautiful 3CD set! First up is the album Trees – issued on a small label in 1968, but a set that matches the groundbreaking energy of the early work on FMP – played by a group that features Helmuth Zimmer on piano, Wilfreid Eichorn on tenor and soprano sax, Claus Buhler on bass, Rudi Thielmann on drums, and Herbert Joos on flugelhorn, Mellophon, piston, and percussion! The group have a melodic vibe at the core – often feeling out the initial space as a unit, then exploding with sound and color – and really making especially great work of the talents of Joos and Eichorn – players who work together with great power, driven on by the others. Titles include "Lonely Time", "Trees", "Schnee Verbrennt", "Change Of Beauty", and "The Devil Is Green Blue Yellow". CD also features a bonus unreleased improvisation too! Next is Position 2000 – a record of even longer improvisations, and one that shows the quintet really developing their sound – strongly aware of the farther reaches, but always beginning in some more colorful passages that almost have a melody, before exploding out with very vibrant energy! The lineup is the same as on the debut – with Herbert Joos on flugelhorn, mellophone, Indian flute, and percussion – and Wilfried Eichorn on tenor, soprano sax, bass clarinet, flute, and percussion – alongside Helmuth Zimmer on piano, Klaus Buhler on bass, and Rudi Thielmann on drums. Titles include "The Sun Is Coming Over", "Position 2000", and "Where Love Forever Shines". CD also features an unreleased improvisation. For the next album, bassist Buhler has departed the group – who are renamed Fourmenonly! Their first record is a brilliant set of free jazz from the German scene of the 70s – very different than other work of the time, in that there's maybe more of a future-thinking balance between sounds and silence, frenzy and fragility – all served up by a quartet that features Herbert Joos on trumpet and flugelhorn, Wilfried Eichhorn on tenor and soprano sax, Helmuth Zimmer on piano and percussion, and Rudi Theilmann on drums and percussion. Titles include "Viridiana/Ich Und Meine Bruder/Compulsion" and "Count Down/Excess". On the album Eight Science Fiction Stories, the Fourmenonly lineup is expanded by trombonist Wolfgang Czelusta – and perform some fantastic work billed as "science fiction stories", all composed by Herbert Joos. The sound is as revolutionary as on the group's earliest material, but also maybe more compact as well – nicely focused, with especially strong emphasis on the interplay between Czelusta on trombone, Wilifried Eichorn on bass clarinet, flute, and oboe, and Herbert Joos on flugelhorn, trumpet, and mellophone. The piano of Helmuth Zimmer is amazing – almost Cecil Taylor-like in intensity at times – and drummer Rudi Theilmann does a great job of moving from passages of full-on power to more spacious percussion. Titles include "Lucifer Is Marching On", "Dead Season", "The Beauty Without A Face", "Departure", "Plastic Happiness", and "Space Wall". CD

Really early work from the legendary Derrick Morgan, and a set that was one of the earliest full length sets in the Island Records catalog – the start of a legendary run of Jamaican music, with proof that Morgan was one of the originators who was there at the start! As you might guess from his look on the cover, Derrick is working in a ska-based mode on the set – but he's also drawing plenty from American soul for inspiration too – wonderful vocals that float in a dreamy way over the tight-stepping rhythms in the tunes! There's a few cuts that feature duets with Patsy Todd – and titles include "The Hop", "Look Before You Leap", "Last Chance", "Don't You Worry", "Blazing Fire", "Housewife's Choice", "Don't Be A Fool", and "It's True My Darling". CD features a massive amount of bonus tracks – 46 titles added to the original record, some from The Best Of Derrick Morgan, many of which are new to CD too. Titles include "Real Ring Ding", "Revenge", "Try Me", "Greedy Gal", "Don't Say", "Horse Dead Cow Fat", "Sunday Morning", "Gypsy Woman", "Be Still", "Corner Stone", "Sail On", "Tell It To Me", "Loving Baby", and lots lots more! CD

That's Antonio Neves wielding a trombone on the cover – but the set's got elements that move way past his great work on that horn – drawn from very collaborative contributions from different members of the contemporary scene in Rio! The record's got a jazz basis at the core, but quickly explodes into a real style-shifting approach – that legacy of easily mixing modes that has been the hallmark of some of the most creative work from Brazil in recent decades – guided perfectly here by Neves on drums as well as trombone! Antonio sings on one track, and the record also features vocals at points from Leda, Alice Caymmi, Ana Frango Eletrico, and Marcos Esgulera – amidst a whole host of guest musicians too, including Edu Neves on flute, Leo Gandelman on alto, and Hamilton De Holanda on mandolin. Titles include "Lamento De Um Perplexo", "Forte Apache", "Simba", "A Pegada Agora E Essa", "Noite De Temporal", and "Jongo No Feudo". CD

Really great small group work from tenorist Sal Nistico – a player who worked famously in larger ensembles, but who we especially love on a session like this! The album's got that strong, mature tone that Sal discovered in his later years, especially on overseas sessions – and the proceedings are easygoing at times, but also pick up a nice edge at others, really emphasizing the sometimes-overlooked depth that Nistico has in his music. The rest of the group features Rita Marcotulli on piano, Marco Fratini on bass, and Roberto Gatto on drums – and titles include a great reading of the Joe Henderson tune "Inner Urge", plus "Lush Life", "Empty Room", "The Hymn", and "I Should Care". CD

One of the best-remembered groups from the Detroit scene of the early 70s – thanks to the massive title track on this album, and a whole host of other wonderful cuts as well! The group features the great Steve Marcus on vocals – an artist who'd cut some key Northern soul singles for smaller labels in the 60s – but who really bursts out of the box here with great presentation from the Holland Dozier Holland empire! The record features some great songs by General Johnson and Greg Perry – and Perry also handled some of the production work for the record – really pushing the group with the sort of full, rich sound the Chairmen Of The Board brought to their own work. Titles include "Somebody's Been Sleeping", "Too Many Cooks (Spoil The Soup)", "One Man's Leftovers", "Love is Sweeter", "Age Ain't Nothin' But a Number", and "Back Track". CD features five bonus tracks – "90 Days Freeze", "Somebody's Been Sleeping (UK single edit)", "If I Could See The Light In The Window (version 1)", "Driveway", and "Somebody's Been Sleeping (US single)". CD

A really striking mid 80s effort from the legendary Lee Scratch Perry – done at a time when his name and reputation had risen strongly on the global scene – which also seems to come through in the music as well! There's a wider range of styles going on here than before – and Scratch is more upfront, less hidden behind his own production – feeling that sense of mission as a messenger for madness that he seemed to take up at the time – a quality that comes through both in his lyrics and vocals, and in the nicely mish-mashed production as well! The set is credited to The Upsetters, but not the classic lineup – more a cast of characters behind much of the classic Black Ark material, though in good command of Scratch's brand of funky reggae. Titles include "Introducing Myself", "Time Marches On", "The Joker", "All Things Are Possible", "Grooving", "Drum Song", "I Am A Madman", "Show Me That River", and "Sexy Lady". Plus, 2CD set features all sorts of bonus tracks – 12 of which show up on CD for the first time ever – including "Time Marches On (take 1)", "Time Marches On Dubwise", "Rain Day In London", "The Perry Christmas Dub", "Madman Dubwise", "All Things Are Possible (12" mix)", "I Am A Madman (12" mix)", "I Am The Upsetter (1985)", and a number of different takes and mixes of "Merry Christmas Happy New Year". CD

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". CD

An excellent lost classic from Detroit soul jazz powerhouse Phil Ranelin – now a legendary figure, but recording here back at the start of his career in the Motor City! Trombonist Ranelin was one of the key figures in the city's Tribe Records scene – and this album is one of the greatest that the label ever issued – a perfect blend of the spiritual currents that were bubbling under in the scene, and some of the funky touches that helped make Ranelin and the label legendary over the years. The set features Ranelin on trombone, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Kenny Cox on electric piano, and Harold McKinney on piano – plus other luminaries from the incredibly strong Detroit scene of the time – and titles include the funky classic "Sounds From The Village", the slow spacey breakbeat number "Vibes From The Tribe", and the jazzy groover "For The Children". Also includes "He The One We All Knew", an extended piece that features members of The Griot Galaxy that takes up all of side two! CD

A record that really lives up to its title – as it comes on with a sound so strong, so fierce, it can certainly be called an "attack"! The dub here isn't just the lazy-stepping, head-nodding variety – but very much on point and on the money – with the studio used almost as an additional instrument alongside the core rhythmic elements – which themselves have the best Channel 1 power of the studio's glory days in the 70s! And the lack of any vocals somehow makes the whole thing even more powerful – giving the spare instrumentation a hell of a lot of focus, in ways that so many later dub-imitators always tried to reach, but never did this well. Titles include "Semi Classical Natty Dub", "Skyjuice & Festival Dub", "Everybody Dubbin", "Dub For Marcus Garvey", "Is Dub I Deal With", "Dub Development", and "Musical Dub Attack". CD

The last-ever recording of drumming great Buddy Rich – and a set that we'd put right up there next to his best records of the previous two decades! Buddy's in familiar formation here, but the sound is wonderful – recorded live at Ronnie Scott's nightclub in London, with this mixture of band tightness and solo freedoms that's really striking – all driven by the kind of energy that always made Buddy one of the few folks who could help a larger ensemble continue with vitality into later years! The formation of the whole group is great – that bold, brash, Buddy Rich sound – and soloists include Steve Marcus on tenor, Bob Bowlby on alto, Tom Garling on trombone, Greg Gisbert on trumpet, and Matt Harris on piano – each of whom get some key solo moments on the set. Titles include "Wind Machine", "Night Blood", "Ready Mix", "Winding Way", "Love For Sale", "Just In Time", and "Harco Shuffle". 2CD version features a 31 minute long take of "Good News" – with a very long tenor solo from Steve Marcus! CD

One of the few albums ever issued under the name of Emil Richards – an important percussionist on the LA scene, and one who played on countless jazz albums and other sessions over the years! This set has Richards working almost exclusively on vibes – as a rare outing for the mostly-rock Del-Fi label, done in a mode that seems to challenge the Latin jazz styles that Cal Tjader was developing at the time on Fantasy Records! And as a bit of a surprise, Emil's working with a similar group to Cal's – one that includes Francisco Aquabella on congas, Cuco Martinez on timbales, and Marcelino Valdez on other percussion instruments – alongside a core trio that features Richards' vibes with Al McKibbon's bass and Paul Moer's piano. The tunes are filled with lots of great modal moments – and titles include "Little Niles", "Green Dolphin Street", "Friday The 13th", "Oh Very Well", "Half & Half", and "Yazz Per Favore". CD

A tremendous collection of early work by The Spinners – their sublime second album for Motown, plus 13 additional bonus tracks, most of which appear here for the first time ever! The core of the set is the 2nd Time Around album – pre-Philly magic from The Spinners – a wonderful early album recorded for Motown – done with a heady Detroit sound that's quite different than their later work in the 70s! The album already has the group sounding amazing on the harmonic tip – definitely a cut above the groups that came before them – with that brilliant Spinners ability to harmonize heavily while still hitting a groove! Arrangements are by Paul Riser, Wade Marcus, and David Van DePitte – all of whom keep things full, but never overblown – presenting music with a perfect polish for the group, but in quite different ways than the later Philly groove. Titles include the classic original version of "It's a Shame", plus "My Lady Love", "Souly Ghost", "Ooh Child", "In My Diary", "My Whole World Ended", "I've Got To Find Myself A Brand New Baby", "Bad Bad Weather", and "Pay Them No Mind". But the bonus tracks are pretty amazing, too – really showcasing the group as they grew tremendously in a few short years – on gems that include "I Can't Let You Go", "Sunshine Train", "Mental Telepathy", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "Why Don't You Try It", "Just A Little Part Of Your Life", "Sadder Words Were Never Spoken", "Don't Take Your Love Away I Can't Stand It", "Your Sweet Love Is All I Need", "Gonna Keep On Tryin Till I Win Your Love", and "When It Starts To Rain It Pours". CD

The fantastic first record from Chicago's Territory Band – a project headed up by saxophonist Ken Vandermark, and one that definitely builds the Transatlantic Bridge that's promised by the title! During the second half of the 90s, the Chicago avant scene really exploded with some great younger players – and also drew a lot of guests from other global scenes too – creating a lively cross-breeding of sounds, styles, and ideas – all of which are represented strongly by this group! The lineup features Jim Baker on piano, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Axel Dorner on trumpet, Dave Rempis on alto and tenor, Kent Kessler on bass, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, and both Paul Lytton and Tim Mulvenna play drums – which makes for a super heavy sense of energy throughout. Vandermark blows tenor, bass clarinet, and b flat clarinet – on titles that include "Collage (for Kurt Schwitters)", "RM (for Marcel Duchamp)", "Mobile (for Alexander Calder)", and "Stabile (for Hans Hoffmann)". CD

A stunner of a set from legendary trumpeter Charles Tolliver – and a record that shows that he's lost none of his brilliance since the years of his 70s recordings for the Strata East label! The format here is a bit like those – long tracks by a small group, with an outward appearance of familiarity – but a clearly resonant sense of individuality right from the very first note! All tracks are originals by Charles, and have that soaring quality that's always made him one of the most righteous talents in jazz – working with a group here that features Jesse Davis on alto, Keith Brown on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Lenny White on drums. The group's also joined by the great Binker Moses on tenor on two tracks – and titles include "Suspicion", "Copasetic", "Emperor March", and "Blue Soul". CD

An east coast psych classic from Ultimate Spinach – a group who recorded for MGM, but who would have been equally at home next to some of the trippy rock groups on Mainstream or Vanguard at the time! Alan Lorber handles production, and he really lets the group's freak flag fly – using that great ear for psychedelic elements that he brought to some of his own groovy records, which gives familiar instrumentation some nicely shaggy edges that really help push the album over the top! There's all sorts of cool things going on here – especially on the longer tracks, of which there are a few – and titles include "Jazz Thing", "Mind Flowers", "Suite Genesis Of Beauty", "Fragmentary March Of Green", and "Fifth Horseman Of The Apocalypse". CD

An incredible record from Marcos Valle – maybe our favorite-ever of his recent-revival years! The sound here is sublime – a warm blend of funky rhythms, bossa roots, and larger orchestrations – all very much in the spirit of those legendary albums that Valle recorded for EMI/Odeon right at the start of the 70s – soaring, sophisticated, and never without a groove! Valle did all the arrangements for the set, but gets some great help on strings and horns from Jesse Sedoc – whose touches are really a key part of the Odeon-styled sound here – and a number of the tracks feature female vocals duetting with Marcos' lead, in a mode that's just like his classic work with Anamaria! Titles include "Prefixo", "Vamos Sambar", "Novo Acorde", "1995", "Esphera", "Eu Vou", "Papo De Maluco", and "Baiao Maracatu". CD

A wicked collaboration between Marcos Valle and Celso Fonseca – a set that's different than other recent work from both artists, and pretty darn great overall! The style's a bit fuller and more soulful than some other recent Valle albums – and Fonseca's got more force too – not nearly as gentle as on some of his own albums, and working with Marcos in a mode that recalls some of the best soul-based sound of Valle's records from years back! Both Marcos and Celso sing on the set – and Valle plays lots of Fender Rhodes, in ways that remind us that he was one of our favorite musicians to handle the keyboard back in the 70s – and most cuts on the record are co-composed by Valle and Fonseca. Titles include "Quase Perto", "Tres Da Tarde", "Pagina Central", "Pra Tocar Assim", "Faz De Conta", "Azul Cristal", "Voo Livre", and "Curvas Do Tempo". CD

One of our favorite Walter Wanderley albums ever – and a record that moves past the more familiar bossa trio style used on his hits for Verve, into groovier new territory with added players who include Dom Um Romao on drums and Marcos Valle on guitar! And not only is the lineup expanded, but the styles are too – as Wanderley moves away from the straighter bossa and samba jazz of his roots, into the world of more unusual, more complicated rhythms that were showing up in the Brazilian scene at the end of the 60s. Marcos Valle's contribution is felt strongly here – as the album includes a fantastic instrumental take on his classic "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" (aka "Os Grilos") – plus other Valle compositions that include "Ainda Mais Lindo", "Batucada", and "E Preciso Cantar". Other tracks include "Wave", "So What's New", and "O Barquinho". CD

A record from a pianist we totally love, but one who also seems to have really unfurled a bold new chapter in his life as well – with music that's very different than some of the previous albums that Spike Wilner's given us, full of joy, life, and this boundless sense of optimism that comes as a real surprise! Spike's never been one to be lazy on the keys – but here, he feels like he's bursting forth with all this fresh imagination – as if he's seen some sort of life that's driving him onward, and which is also shared by trio members Paul Gill on bass and Anthony Pinciotti on drums – a group who seem to move effortlessly, driven by the vision of the leader. Titles include "Contrafactus", "Happy Ending", "Cognitive Dissonance", "At First Blush", "Kinetic Neurosis", and "Ants Go Marching". CD

A special set of all-instrumental tracks – culled together from the sessions that went into some of the previous editions of this mighty great series – including collaborations with Gary Bartz, Joao Donato, Marcus Valle, and Roy Ayers! As the title implies, the cuts here are all instrumental – some are stated as being exclusive to the set, and likely in variations on the vocal versions – all given that impeccable studio production work of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, who find a way to wrap together so many wonderful strands of music! The whole thing's funky, but there's plenty of jazz, soul, and Brazilian currents as well – on instrumental versions of titles that include "African Sounds", "Gravity", "Gotta Love Again", "Forever More", "Hey Lover", "Visions Of Love", "Aquarius", "Soulful & Unique", "A Gente Volta Amanha", "Nao Saia Da Praca", "Synchronized Vibration, "Day By Day", "Sunflowers", and "Quiera Bem". CD

A fantastic setting for the sublime vocals of Marcos Valle – the Brazilian singer who first rose up during the bossa years, soon expanded into mindblowing styles of his own – and has then had a few great revivals over the years! Yet this record may well give Marcos the fresh spin he really needed – while also respecting the soulful, jazzy currents of his early 70s work – set up with the kind of perfect arrangements and production that Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad have brought to this Jazz Is Dead series – but which comes out sounding completely different here, thanks to the qualities of Valle's vocals – which maybe sound more rhythmic and jazzy than we've heard in years. Incredible throughout – with titles that include "A Gente Volta Amanha", "Our Train", "Gotta Love Again", "Oi", "Isso E Que Eu Sei", "Quiera Bem", and "Nao Saia Da Praca". CD

An imagined soundtrack to a journey through London in the generation of Get Carter and Carnaby Street – and one that showcases not just the rich array of sounds and styles that were taking place in the city at the time, and in a way that highlights all sorts of different locations around town! This isn't a package of well-worn British rock classics – and as with other Bob Stanley sets on Ace Records, the music comes from a deep dig and decades-long understanding of records in many modes – which makes for a track selection that's as sublime as it is surprising, and another revelatory collection from Mr Stanley! There's two dozen gems on the collection – some we've never heard, some we'd forgotten about – all of which sound great in the company of each other – with titles that include "Hampstead Way" by Linda Lewis, "Cutty Sark" by John Barry, "Sunny Goodge Street" by Marianne Faithfull, "Marcel's" by Herman's Hermits, "London Bridge" by Cilla Black, "Mayfair" by Nick Drake, "Vauxhall To Lambeth Bridge" by Brian Auger & Julie Driscoll, "City Road" by Dave Evans, "Beckton Dumps" by Humble Pie, "Notting Hill Gate" by Quintessence, "Friday Hill" by Bulldog Breed, "Goodbye Post Office Tower" by Cressida, "Kew Gardens" by Ralph McTell, and "Euston Station" by Barbara Ruskin. CD

A great set that's way way more than the "chill out" promised in the title – a collection of Brazilian groovers pulled from some of the best labels in the business! As with previous volumes in this series, the focus is on work done for the groundbreaking Far Out label – but this time around, they've also thrown in some choice bits from outside sources, including some killer underground bits from Brazil and a few choice classics! Titles include "Without Words" by 4 Hero Presents Nature's Plan with Ed Motta, "Na Batida Do Agogo (Osunlade rmx)" by Grupo Batuque, "Os Oculos Escuros De Cartola" by Max De Castro, "Papa" by Azymuth featuring Sabrina Malheiros, "Preguiciman" by Mamond, "Falso Amour" by Jirzinho Oliveira, "Escape" by Marcos Valle, "Beleza Nao Vai Embora" by Orlandivo, "E O Meu Amor Vi Passar" by Patricia Marx, and "Vera Cruz" by Vox Populi. CD

The evolution of Far Out's excellent Brazilian Love Affair series – featuring standouts from earlier volumes as well as new and exclusive tracks! Brazilian Love Affair Revisited celebrates the series to date as well as it charts the evolving sounds of Brazil and its London interpreters – and shows where the sound is going via newer material and younger talents. A great set with both classic and contemporary legends such as Ed Motta, Marcos Valle, Joyce, Azymuth and others, respectful remixes and interpretations by Osunlade, Mark Pritchard and Kirk Degiorgio, newer tracks from more recent Far Out arrivals such as Raf Vilar and Clara Moreno. 15 tracks in all: "Os Escravos Do Jo (Precussion Edit)" and more by Friends From Rio 2, "Ponteio" by Da Lata, "Nova Bossa Nova" by Marcos Valle, "Paz" by Troubleman feat Nina Miranda, "Todos Os Santos" by Joyce, "Preguiciman" by Mamond, "Bossa Me" by Raf Vilar, "Without Words" by 4 Hero Presents Nature's Plan feat Ed Motta, "Sem Pressa (Remix By Danny Wheeler)" by Alex Malheiros And Banda Utopia feat Sabrina Malheiros and more. CD

Hard to believe it's been 20 years since the Far Out label first started making wonderful music – because their sounds are always so ahead of their time, it's as if they're still coming to us from the future! This wonderful 2CD set perfectly sums up all that's great about Far Out – their longstanding commitment to Brazilian music, their London-based ear for new styles of expression, and their way of reaching out to the globe with a vision that's continued to captivate listeners around the world for the past two decades! CD 1 features key Far Out cuts – including "Meu Samba Torto" by Clara Moreno, "Escape" by Marcos Valle, "Samba Da Silvia" by Joyce, "Brisa Mar" by Sabrina Malheiros, "Aos Pes Do Redentor" by Banda Black Rio with Caetano Veloso, "Ups & Downs" by Kirk Degiorgio, "Vagalume" by Democustico, and "Agua" by Nina & Chris. CD 2 features a huge mix of 27 tracks all handled by Spiritual South – including 11 numbers that appear here for the first time ever! CD

A wonderful compilation of Lee Hazlewood songs performed by others in the 60s – magnificent pulp pop, girl groups, starlets, rockers and more covering prime era Lee tunes – songs about lovers, fools, rebels and heartbroken examples of all of the above! There's little we can add to the lore of Lee – but these songs are atypically diverse and the set as a hole does a terrific job of showing just have far the Hazlewood touch could reach! Features Lee duets with Nancy Sinatra & Suzi Jane Hokum, and covers by Duane Eddy, The Hondas, The Darlenes, Al Casey, Sanford Clark, Ann Margaret, The Wildcats, Dino, Desi & Billy, The Sharps, Peggy March and many more1 25 tracks in all: "Lady Bird' by Nancy & Lee, "Sweet Ride" by Dusty Springfield, "You Turned My Head" by Ann Margaret, "Don't Look Now, But I've Got The Blues" by BB King, "(I'm Afraid) You'll Hurt Me" by The Darlenes, "The City Never Sleeps At Night" by The Shacklefords, "Guitar On My Mind" by Duane & Miriam Eddy, "Das Ist Zauberei (And I Loved You Then)" by Peggy March, "Twelve Feet High" by The Hondas and many more. CD

A great presentation of work from the legendary Tribe Records of Detroit – all handled by DJ Muro, who's posed on the front in a way that recalls one of the label's rarest albums! The style here is different than other collections of Tribe Records material – as Muro goes for cuts that showcase some of the more soulful, funky sides of the label – still very righteous overall, but with less of the longer or more avant-oriented tracks that came from the Detroit underground at the time. Muro's been giving us amazing collections for many years, and this one is no exception – a fantastic demonstration of his magical ear, as he makes his way through cuts that include "The Wok" by Wendell Harrison, "Ode To Africa" by Harold McKinney, "Why Don't Love Make Everything Right" by Cosmic Force, "Ginseng Love" by Wendell Harrison, "Freedom Jazz Dance" by Harold McKinney, "For Real" by Doug Hammond, "Glue Fingers (part 2)" by Marcus Belgrave, "Vibes From The Tribe (prelude)" by Phil Ranelin, "What We Need" by Wendell Harrison & Phil Ranelin, "In The Moog" by Harold McKinney, "Farewell To The Welfare" by Wendell Harrison & The Tribe, "Wake Up Brothers" by Doug Hammond, "Sounds From The Village" by Phil Ranelin, and "Belle Isle" by Wendell Harrison. CD

The birth of Miami soul, and a beautifully done document of the rare Deep City label – home to Willie Clarke, Clarence Reid, and Betty Wright in the years before Alston and TK Records! Way before Miami soul started cracking the charts at the start of the 70s, Deep City was already putting the best parts in place – working with a tight roster of artists and an equally tight in-house band that rose from the ranks of Florida A&M's Marching 100 band – razor-sharp instrumentalists who helped forge a groove worthy to rival the sounds of Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and even the best of Detroit at the time – given that some of the work here has a much sweeter soul sound than other 60s southern soul. As usual, the Numero team have done an incredible job with the package – pulling out rare photos, personal stories, and just the right amount of information to breathe new life into the Deep City label and help it live anew. CD features 17 tracks in all – including "Paralyzed" and "Good Lovin" by Betty Wright, "Am I A Good Man" by Them Two, "Someone To Fulfill My Needs" and "I Love You Baby" by The Moovers, "I Am Controlled By Your Love" and "Willing & Able" by Helene Smith, "Good Thing (part 1)" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "It's My Baby" and "The Upset" by Paul Kelly, and "Stay Away From My Johnny" by Freda Gray & The Rocketeers. CD

Heavy grooves from the Far Out label – a set of cuts from the company that don't just fall into their usual Brazilian bag – and which stretch out in a sweet array of styles that include funky fusion and African-inspired rhythms! Most of the artists here normally work in a Brazilian vein, but the collection offers up some fresh takes on their sound – and also manages to pull together some more obscure Far Out tracks, including a few unreleased cuts too! Titles include "Poweride" by Marcos Valle, "Pembe (unreleased version)" by Future Warriors, "Somewhere Beyond (unreleased version)" by 4Hero Presents Natures Plan, "Eighties Times" by Jose Roberto Bertrami, "Magnetic Feel (unreleased version)" by Roc Hunter, "Chameleon (Offworld rework)" by Azymuth, "Strike Hard" by Troubleman, "Jazz Carnival" by Azymuth, and "New Morning" by Sabrina Malheiros. CD

Strictly Samba, and strictly great stuff – a mix of contemporary work from the Far Out label and a host of other artists too – almost all of whom work here in a relatively classic mode! Although most of the tunes are recent, they'd fit right next to some of your classic samba sides from years past – thanks to an adherence to rootsy percussion, acoustic instrumentation, and recording techniques that really let the vocals come through strongly – adding a bold sense of soul to the music that really makes it groove. The package is really well done – and the non Far Out tracks make it way more than a straight label sampler – with work that includes "Beleza Beleza Beleza" by Trio Mocoto, "Era Bom" by The Ipanemas, "Maria Jose" by Nereu Mocoto & Swing, "Swingue Do Samba" by Roge, "Foi Um Rio Que Passou Em Minha Vida" by Tereza Cristina E Grupo Semente, "Sorri Pra Nos" by Armando Marcal, "Na Cadencia Do Samba" by Grupo Batuque, "Tudo De Bom" by Arthur Verocai, "Jongo Jade" by Aparecindinha, "Casamento Na Favela" by Zaira, and "Samba De Silvia" by Joyce. CD

Tremendous work from the Spanish scene of the 60s and early 70s – way more than just a batch of obscure jazz cuts, and instead a true testament to this very vibrant musical community! The package brings together some really special tracks from Spanish labels like Edigsa, Ensayo, Hispavox, and others – and really shows that in Spain at the time, there was musical growth that was every bit as strong as in better-known scenes in Germany, France, and Italy – a really rich step forward from American inspiration of the postwar years – into a world of freshly inventive rhythms, really imaginative solos, and some key local touches that really made the music sparkle! Not all players here are of Spanish origin, as the set also shows the key crossroads the scene was offering at the time – a wealth of wonderful hardbop, soul jazz, and modal numbers that include "El Cant Dels Ocells" by Catalonia Jazz Quartet, "Movimiento" by Lou Bennett, "Psique" by Juan Carlos Calderon, "Tema Per Alicia" by Jazz Group, "Asteriscs" by Nits De Jazz Al Jamboree, "Bosnia Calling" by Dusko Goykovich, "Israel" by Modern Jazz Sextet, "Rememberance To Madrid" by Elia Fleta, "Marcha De Los Dioses" by Tino Contreras, and "Laberinto (2nd part)" by Vlady Bas. CD

Fantastic work from the UK soul scene – music from a time when some of the bigger names overseas were starting to grab interest on US charts, but were only the tip of the iceberg next to some of the overlooked artists on this set! If you dig the sounds of Loose Ends, Soul II Soul, and Mica Paris, you'll find plenty to love here – as the set's overflowing with 80s and 90s-styled soul tracks that make great use of beats and more contemporary production in a great way – almost bringing back a more organic approach in the music, at a time when American R&B could come off sounding a bit too stiff or commercial. And we'll be honest in saying that although we were scouring the racks for imports during this generation, there's plenty of cuts here that are still new to our ears – a superb set list that includes "Straight to The Top" by Purely Fizzycal, "Passion" by Taffy, "Hold Your Head Up" by Weekend In Paris, "Don't Touch "by Cavalier, "Coming Back" by Bovel, "What You Do For Me" by Pure Silk, "Take Me There" by Marcelle Moncrieffe, "Life (club mix)" by Sam, and "Step By Step" by Kofi. CD