Soaring Italian disco from the end of the 70s – a set arranged and conducted by Rudy Trevisi, with superb polished production from Jacques Fred Petrus! The style here is very commercial, but still pretty great – long tunes that spin out with gimmicks that might appeal to a crossover club scene – including catchy pop vocals that might have you humming some of these tunes more than others as you're riding home in a cab from Studio 54! Titles include a cover of "White Room", plus "Just Take My Body", "Thank You Baby", and "Can You Stop Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A heavy-hitting album of keyboard funk that's right up there with the best Deodato work for CTI! Brazilian arranger Daniel Salinas was clearly influenced by the success that his fellow countryman Deodato was having in the US during the early 70s – and he's working here in a style that would have made CTI proud – one that blends larger orchestral backings with tight electric rhythms, jazzy soloing, and a few nicely placed moments of Brazilian percussion! The real star of the set is keyboardist Sergio Sa – who plays Fender Rhodes on the standout track "Staussmania" – a killer bit of dancefloor electric jazz that has a very strong "2001" feel! Sergio also wrote the nice little groover "Baiao" – which comes across with a slight sort of Airto/Hermeto mix of percussion and reeds – and the album also features a great fuzzed out take on Donovan's "Atlantis", plus the super-beautiful soundtracky groove "Like A Rainy Night"! CD

A heavy-hitting album of keyboard funk that's right up there with the best Deodato work for CTI! Brazilian arranger Daniel Salinas was clearly influenced by the success that his fellow countryman Deodato was having in the US during the early 70s – and he's working here in a style that would have made CTI proud – one that blends larger orchestral backings with tight electric rhythms, jazzy soloing, and a few nicely placed moments of Brazilian percussion! The real star of the set is keyboardist Sergio Sa – who plays Fender Rhodes on the standout track "Staussmania" – a killer bit of dancefloor electric jazz that has a very strong "2001" feel! Sergio also wrote the nice little groover "Baiao" – which comes across with a slight sort of Airto/Hermeto mix of percussion and reeds – and the album also features a great fuzzed out take on Donovan's "Atlantis", plus the super-beautiful soundtracky groove "Like A Rainy Night"! LP, Vinyl record album

A crossover Latin Funk classic – with the kind of soaring guitar/organ grooves that were the brilliant sound of the 70s for the West Coast scene, a whole new way of playing Latin Soul that blew away the New York sound of the late 70s. Titles include "Persuasion", "Evil Ways", "Savor", "Jingo", "Soul Sacrifice", and "Shades of Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A crossover Latin Funk classic – with the kind of soaring guitar/organ grooves that were the brilliant sound of the 70s for the West Coast scene, a whole new way of playing Latin Soul that blew away the New York sound of the late 70s. Titles include "Persuasion", "Evil Ways", "Savor", "Jingo", "Soul Sacrifice", and "Shades of Time" – plus previously unreleased material from the original sessions and a live set from Woodstock. CD

A landmark in Brazilian music – the first album ever from arranger Moacir Santos, and a groundbreaking blend of jazz, larger arrangements, and Brazilian rhythms – still as fresh today as it was back in the 60s! The group's a large one – with instrumentation that includes vibes, guitar, saxes, percussion, and trombone – but the music seems to hang magically in air, suspended on light waves of sound and space that encircle the recording with incomparable warmth. Santos' conception is a highly rhythmic one – but the recording differs greatly from other bossa and samba sessions of the time, and comes across as a masterpiece of understatement, thanks to impeccable production from the great Roberto Quartin! Titles include "Coisa No 4", "Coisa No 10", "Coisa No 1", "Coisa No 8", "Coisa No 6", "Coisa No 2", and "Coisa No 7". LP, Vinyl record album

An early album by this groovy Brazilian rock group that featured Ney Matogrosso on vocals! The record has a haunting sound that mixes nice vocal production with spare arrangements supported by guitar, piano, and bass. The sound is difficult to describe – but the record has some extremely compelling songwriting, and great vocal work that carries the strength of the tracks, whether or not you understand Portuguese. Titles include "Flores Astrais", "Nao Nao Digas Nada", "Tercer Mundo", "Angustia", "O Doce E O Amargo", and "Delirio". LP, Vinyl record album

A great showcase for the endless talents of the San Francisco Jazz Collective – as the set features some stunning original material, balanced with classics from Ornette Coleman, Thelonious Monk, and Stevie Wonder – all served up here in a beautiful extended performance! As always, the group are really brilliant with color – with this special quality that really sets them apart from so many other all-star groups, and which always seems to give their performances such a strongly unified vibe. Players include David Sanchez on tenor, Miguel Zenon on alto, Warren Wolf on vibes, Robin Eubanks on trombone, Sean Jones on trumpet, Edward Simon on piano, Matt Penman on bass, and Obed Calvaire on drums – and titles include the originals "Off Kilter", "Perseverance", "Tune For June", "Tidal Flow", "Venezuela Unida", and "Give The Drummer Some" – plus versions of "Creepin", "When Will The Blues Leave", "School Work", "Una Muy Bonita", "Reflections", "Criss Cross", and "Sir Duke". Includes a bonus DVD – four songs from a Music Of Miles Davis performance! CD

Sublime overseas work from these two legendary musicians – both players from different scenes in the US, and who never would have crossed paths back in the day – but who really sparkle here with a sense of brilliance that brings out the best in both artists! There's no other accompaniment at all – just the piano of Horace Parlan alongside the tenor and soprano sax of Archie Shepp – right at that point when Shepp was exploring more conventional structures of jazz, but with all the knowledge he'd learned from the avant scene – which makes for wonderfully soulful ballads here that are unlike anything you might expect. Parlan is great too – stretching out in the very resonant space of the recording – and titles include "Deep River", "Goin Home", "Amazing Grace", "Go Down Moses", and "My Lord What A Morning". CD

Sublime overseas work from these two legendary musicians – both players from different scenes in the US, and who never would have crossed paths back in the day – but who really sparkle here with a sense of brilliance that brings out the best in both artists! There's no other accompaniment at all – just the piano of Horace Parlan alongside the tenor and soprano sax of Archie Shepp – right at that point when Shepp was exploring more conventional structures of jazz, but with all the knowledge he'd learned from the avant scene – which makes for wonderfully soulful ballads here that are unlike anything you might expect. Parlan is great too – stretching out in the very resonant space of the recording – and titles include "Deep River", "Goin Home", "Amazing Grace", "Go Down Moses", and "My Lord What A Morning". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime overseas work from these two legendary musicians – both players from different scenes in the US, and who never would have crossed paths back in the day – but who really sparkle here with a sense of brilliance that brings out the best in both artists! There's no other accompaniment at all – just the piano of Horace Parlan alongside the tenor and soprano sax of Archie Shepp – right at that point when Shepp was exploring more conventional structures of jazz, but with all the knowledge he'd learned from the avant scene – which makes for wonderfully soulful ballads here that are unlike anything you might expect. Parlan is great too – stretching out in the very resonant space of the recording – and titles include "Deep River", "Goin Home", "Amazing Grace", "Go Down Moses", and "My Lord What A Morning". LP, Vinyl record album

A perfect illustration of the rich new directions Wayne Shorter was taking at the start of the 70s – an amazing flurry of sounds and styles that's light years ahead of where he began in the 60s! Shorter's one of those players who was already great at the start – an amazing tenorist, both on his own and with the groups of Art Blakey and Miles Davis – yet by the time of this record, he'd absorbed a huge amount of influences from Brazilian music, modal jazz, the spiritual underground, and even the free European scene – all of which come to play on the long, complex tunes on the set! The record has Shorter working with some other key contemporaries of this new moment in jazz – John McLaughlin on 12 string guitar, Chick Corea on marimba and percussion, Dave Holland and Miroslav Vitous on bass, and Ron Carter on cello – all players who have the same open, exploratory vibe as Wayne's own lines on tenor and soprano sax. Titles include an excellent cover of Milton Nascimento's "Vera Cruz", plus the tracks "Antiqua", "Iska", and "Montezuma". CD

An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". LP, Vinyl record album

An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Wayne Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". LP, Vinyl record album

An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". CD

An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". Plus, the CD includes a bonus alternate take of the track "Dance Cadaverous". CD

An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". CD features a bonus alternate take of "Dance Cadaverous". CD

An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". CD

Moody and atmospheric vocals from Dani Siciliano – a singer with a voice that has lots of strange twists and turns! At one level, Dani could be a classic vocalist from older jazz years – but the backings on the set hearken more towards a New York downtown style of the early 80s – a bit electronic, a bit avant, but also still soulful and swinging throughout. The approach is really unique – far better than the usual "female vocalist with beats" sound that seemed to come across endlessly in the post-trip hop years – and overall, Dani seems like a much deeper artist with a heck of a lot to offer in years to come! Titles include "All Thee Above", "Extra Ordinary", "She Say Cliche", "Come As You Are", "Canes & Trains", "Walk The Line", "One String", and "Collaboration". CD

Another nice set of wholly unique avant grooves from Dani Sicilano – with sweet vocals and a completely engrossing leftfield vibe from Dani – and production by Matthew Herbert and arrangements by Max De Wardener. The bubbling, thumping off kilter touches are wonderful – and done a really tuneful way! Many of the tracks were done with fairly standard instrumentation, but processed in a way to bring in a wonderful otherworldly vibe. Nice! Tracks include "Slappers", "Didn't Anybody Tell You", "They Can Wait", "Why Can't I Make You High", "Frozen", "Too Young", "Think Twice", "Big Time", "Repeats", "Wifey" and "Be My Producer". CD

One of the very best rock albums of the late 60s from overlooked genius Doug Sahm and his Sir Douglas Quartet – a brilliant hybrid of the laconic country and rural rock ragged glory that was piping through so many under appreciated groups at the time (and went on to be bastardized by crap factories like The Eagles) and classical Spanish and Mexican folk guitar playing. Sahm plays fiddle, guitar, pedal steel and just about anything with strings, along with the amazing Augie Meyers (who you may remember from the beautiful organ work he contributed to Bob Dylan's late masterpieces Time Out Of Mind and Love And Theft) and others. Beautiful stuff! Includes "Mendocino", "I Don't Want", "I Wanna Be Your Mama Again", "At The Crossroads", "Lawd, I'm Just A Country Boy In This Great Big Freaky City", "She's About A Mover" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant brilliant work by Sleep Walker – a soaring, soulful album of spiritual jazz – one that we'd rank right up there with our favorites from the era of John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders on Impulse Records! The vibe here is incredible – jazz played live on tenor, soprano sax, piano, bass, and drums – spinning out in modal lines that groove tremendously, but not with any tricks or gimmicks that get in the way of genuine jazz expression. Sleep Walker are easily one of the deepest and most talented combos of the current club jazz scene – and their music never resorts to fake samples or heavy-handed rhythms to move the tunes along – just glows in the genius of its own bright light, spreading forth in waves of soul and sound that are tremendous from the first note of the album to the last! The record features guest work by Pharoah Sanders and Bembe Segue – and titles include "Ai No Tabi", "The Southern Cross", "Voyage", "Reminiscence", "Lost In Blue", "Kaze", "Afloat", and "Into The Sun". CD

The very first album from Sons Of Kemet – and a set that already has the group burning hard, at the level that have made them one of the key forces on the brilliant British jazz scene over the past decade or so! The mighty Shabaka Hutchings is fantastic on both tenor and clarinet – and the group has a unique two-drum lineup, with work from Tom Skinner and Seb Rochford, who provide these great criss-crossing rhythms – while the tuba of Oren Marshall moves between both work as a bass-like instrument, and as a painter of deeper tones on the set! The blend of elements is wonderful – and titles include "Song For Galeano", "Beware", "Inner Babylon", "All Will Surely Burn", "The Godfather", "Rivers Of Babylon", and "The Junglist". LP, Vinyl record album

A great batch of Brazilian soul from Sorry Drummer – an artist with a touch that's a lot more open and laidback than some of his contemporaries – much more strongly influenced by American underground hip hop than some of the more booty-shaking beats of the Brazilian mainstream – at a level that makes this whole set come across with a surprisingly timeless, durable vibe! There's a really nice blend of guests here – Sorry Drummer acts as the head of the sound system, opening things up for Filiph Neo, Groove Coletivco, Silvera, Mr Reed, Summer Azul, and even Patricia Marx – as the vibe changes nicely from track to track, while the album still holds onto a great sense of quality throughout. Titles include "If You Let Me", "Slow Down", "Fly Away", "Na Vitrola", "Aeroporto", "Life Is Too Short", "Dias De Sol (rmx)", "Sunshine", and "Yeah Love". CD

A brilliant set from the Chicago scene – a trio that features cornet from Rob Mazurek, drums from John Herndon, and some mighty vibes from Jason Adasiewicz – easily one of the most important players on his instrument in the past decade! There's a mixture of freeness and togetherness here that really reminds us of the 60s new thing generation – like Bobby Hutcherson coming together with Tony Williams – yet infused with the genre-crossing energy that all three players embrace – that rich legacy that both Mazurek and Herndon bring to the session, and help show the way for a new chapter in the music of Adasiewicz. Proof that Delmark is suddenly as hip again as it was in the late 60s – with cuts that include "Orange Blossom", "Double Demon", "Vodou Cinque", "Skull Cave", and "Triple Hex". CD

Rod Stewart steals from Jorge Ben – and gets the biggest hit of his career with "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy", this Brazilian funk-influenced disco tune that crossed over big! Also includes "Dirty Weekend", "The Best Days Of My Life", "Is That The Thanks I Get", "Attractive Female Wanted", "Last Summer", and "Scarred And Scared". LP, Vinyl record album

Rod Stewart steals from Jorge Ben – and gets the biggest hit of his career with this Brazilian funk-influenced disco tune that crossed over big! The single features a special disco mix by Jim Burgess. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Genius, pure genius – and a record that will completely revise your thinking about Rod Stewart – a set that will blow away all the cliches you might know from later years, and will have you re-examining his early years in all their glorious brilliance! The sound is amazing right from the start – heavy on acoustic instrumentation that offers up a much rootsier side of Stewart than his work with The Faces or Jeff Beck – yet at a level that still packs a hell of a lot of punch, thanks to these incredible drums that get the whole thing going right from the start – urging on the vocals to a crackling charm that's even more powerful here away from any big chart hits. Even familiar tunes are completely remade by the godlike early Rod – as you'll year on tracks that include "Only A Hobo", "Gasoline Alley", "My Way Of Giving", "Cut Across Shorty", "Lady Day", "Jo's Lament", and "Country Comforts". CD

Genius, pure genius – and a record that will completely revise your thinking about Rod Stewart – a set that will blow away all the cliches you might know from later years, and will have you re-examining his early years in all their glorious brilliance! The sound is amazing right from the start – heavy on acoustic instrumentation that offers up a much rootsier side of Stewart than his work with The Faces or Jeff Beck – yet at a level that still packs a hell of a lot of punch, thanks to these incredible drums that get the whole thing going right from the start – urging on the vocals to a crackling charm that's even more powerful here away from any big chart hits. Even familiar tunes are completely remade by the godlike early Rod – as you'll year on tracks that include "Only A Hobo", "Gasoline Alley", "My Way Of Giving", "Cut Across Shorty", "Lady Day", "Jo's Lament", and "Country Comforts". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius, pure genius – and a record that will completely revise your thinking about Rod Stewart – a set that will blow away all the cliches you might know from later years, and will have you re-examining his early years in all their glorious brilliance! The sound is amazing right from the start – heavy on acoustic instrumentation that offers up a much rootsier side of Stewart than his work with The Faces or Jeff Beck – yet at a level that still packs a hell of a lot of punch, thanks to these incredible drums that get the whole thing going right from the start – urging on the vocals to a crackling charm that's even more powerful here away from any big chart hits. Even familiar tunes are completely remade by the godlike early Rod – as you'll year on tracks that include "Only A Hobo", "Gasoline Alley", "My Way Of Giving", "Cut Across Shorty", "Lady Day", "Jo's Lament", and "Country Comforts". CD

Stone Alliance move down to a duo here – the mighty team of Don Alias on drums and Gene Perla on bass – and the pair bring in a whole host of great guest stars to take the place of recently-departed reedman Steve Grossman! To us, the record would be more than great enough on its own with just the grooves of Perla and Alias – but the set really warms up from contributions by artists who include Michael Brecker on tenor, Dave Liebeman on reeds, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Alex Acuna on percussion, and Jan Hammer on keyboards – keeping things as tight and focused as on his best 70s funky fusion outings. Perla and Alias keep things tight and choppy in the rhythms – a nice undercurrent of funk on most tracks – and titles include "Pedra Da Lua", "Trampoline", "Aunt Remus", "Tribute To Afreeka", and "Uncle Jemima". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant pairing of talents – Brazilian trumpeter Marcio Montarroyos and the soulful Stone Alliance group of the 70s – coming together here in Rio with extra help from Hermeto Pascoal on reeds, and added work from Brazilian musicians David Slon, Dom Bira, and Erasto De Holanda Vasconcelos! The style is tighter and harder than the usual Brazilian jazz of the time – a bit fusiony at points, but always with a richer vibe that's almost more in a 70s Latin jazz mode – maybe because of the strong bottom end from the trio of Gene Perla on bass, Don Alias on drums, and the mighty Steve Grossman on reeds! It's an especially nice treat to hear Grossman in this setting – a nice change from usual, but one that he really illuminates with his soulful lines – and titles include "Hey Bicho Vamos Nessa", "Risa", "The Greeting", "On The Foot Peg", "A Child Is Born" and "Libra Rising". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime set of piano and bass duets – one that comes across with a depth of feeling and richness of expression that takes it way past the usual! The presence of Isao Suzuki is an instant indication that things are going to be pretty darn fresh – as the bassist always has a way of moving past the obvious, trying for interesting little rhythms and offbeat phrasing – and often shifting from conventional bass to piccolo bass as well. Pianist Kunihiko Sugano comes across wonderfully too – sometimes lyrical, sometimes very punctuated in his phrasing – shifting his phrasing effortlessly in the course of the set, and working with Suzuki to create a really fresh set of moods. Brilliantly inventive throughout – way better than most American dates like this from the time – and proof that there was really something great bubbling in Japan during this stretch. Titles include "The Midnight Sun Will Never Set", "Autumn In New York", "The Very Thought Of You", "Goodbye", and "Mean To Me". CD

Never-heard music from the enigmatic Jim Sullivan – the singer/songwriter who disappeared in the New Mexico desert after giving the world his fantastic album UFO! The style here is a bit different than that one, and maybe even more to the heart of Jim's spirit – as the work was all recorded in 1969, with just vocals and guitar – in a way that lets the brilliance of Jim's songcraft come across even more strongly than before – but all without ever feeling like scratchy demo tapes, or half-finished ideas! Instead, the album stands as a much-needed addition to the tiny Sullivan catalog – and really has us wondering what else Jim would have given us, if the shadows of mystery hadn't taken him away. Titles include "Roll Back The Time", "Walls", "Sandman", "Jerome", "Close My Eyes", "What Is My Name", and "So Natural". CD

A real turning point in the career of David Sylvian – and his first album to feature moody soundscape-type tracks! The double-length album has Sylvian really exploring sound and space in ways never imagined on his earlier work with Japan – stretching out from the album's first few vocal numbers, and eventually nodding into a realm of darkness that's completely sublime! The vocal tunes – like "River Man", "Gone To Earth", "Taking The Veil", and "Laughter And Forgetting" – are as captivating as any of the tracks on Brilliant Trees, but even better in that they're more laidback and personal. They're followed by beautiful instrumental tunes – "The Healing Place", "Answered Prayers", "The Wooden Cross", and "Where the Railroad Meets The Sea" – done in the same shamanistic/mystic mode of some of Sylvian's later more experimental work, but with more of a tuneful song-like structure. CD

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

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

Some of the most compelling grooves the Talking Heads ever recorded – a set that sparkles with imaginative touches, and railroads forward on a wave of complicated rhythms! The sound is brilliant throughout – a genre-less approach that sheds the group's earlier art nerd aesthetic for one that's clearly influenced by late 70s funk and club – but takes that influence in a whole new direction! The whole thing's even fresher than some of the artier downtown moments that bubbled around at the time – as David Byrne and the group actually managed to cross over big with the record – hitting not only urban markets, but also getting some play from the classic rock crowd too. Brian Eno produced, and co-wrote the songs with the group – and some great Green World-esque electronics bubble through the mix, and hold the whole thing together beautifully. Titles include "Houses In Motion", "Once In A Lifetime", "The Great Curve", "Crosseyed & Painless", "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)", "Listening Wind", "Seen & Not Seen", and "The Overload". CD

Some of the most compelling grooves the Talking Heads ever recorded – a set that sparkles with imaginative touches, and railroads forward on a wave of complicated rhythms! The sound is brilliant throughout – a genre-less approach that sheds the group's earlier art nerd aesthetic for one that's clearly influenced by late 70s funk and club – but takes that influence in a whole new direction! The whole thing's even fresher than some of the artier downtown moments that bubbled around at the time – as David Byrne and the group actually managed to cross over big with the record – hitting not only urban markets, but also getting some play from the classic rock crowd too. Brian Eno produced, and co-wrote the songs with the group – and some great Green World-esque electronics bubble through the mix, and hold the whole thing together beautifully. Titles include "Houses In Motion", "Once In A Lifetime", "The Great Curve", "Crosseyed & Painless", "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)", "Listening Wind", "Seen & Not Seen", and "The Overload". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most compelling grooves the Talking Heads ever recorded – a set that sparkles with imaginative touches, and railroads forward on a wave of complicated rhythms! The sound is brilliant throughout – a genre-less approach that sheds the group's earlier art nerd aesthetic for one that's clearly influenced by late 70s funk and club – but takes that influence in a whole new direction! The whole thing's even fresher than some of the artier downtown moments that bubbled around at the time – as David Byrne and the group actually managed to cross over big with the record – hitting not only urban markets, but also getting some play from the classic rock crowd too. Brian Eno produced, and co-wrote the songs with the group – and some great Green World-esque electronics bubble through the mix, and hold the whole thing together beautifully. Titles include "Houses In Motion", "Once In A Lifetime", "The Great Curve", "Crosseyed & Painless", "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)", "Listening Wind", "Seen & Not Seen", and "The Overload". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant album from Kaidi Tatham – deeper by far than anything we've ever heard from him, and way more than you might expect if you only know his singles from the London scene! This set's got a very strong jazz component – monstrous keyboard work from Kaidi that stretches and soars with the kind of sound you might expect from George Duke on MPS – coupled with some leaner, more rhythmic elements that show Tatham's strong ties to the London scene – yet still in ways that really break from its conventions! There's mostly a great groove to the tracks, but there's also a warmth, depth, and spirituality to the record that's really amazing – the kind of new territory that others have found on the excellent Freedom School label – a place that offers a rare outlet for creative expression in times like these. The whole thing's instrumental, and Kaidi played all instruments himself – mixing acoustic percussion with beats, electric keyboards with piano, and coming across with a sound that's far richer than the sum of its core elements. Titles include "Simiya", "I'm High", "So Amazed", "Swift Inspiration", "In Search Of Hope (part 1)", "Do What You Gotta Do", "On A Vibe", "These Things Will Pass", and "He Laughs She Cries". CD

Thievery Corporation are back after a long hiatus – and they've returned to the fold with a host of surprising guest stars! The set's got a really wide range of grooves – as one might expect when the group's working with artists that include David Byrne, Perry Farrell, and The Flaming Lips! But over and above these bigger crossover names, the team's also sticking very true to their roots on other tracks – bringing in some great downtempo and Brazilian influences, and fleshing out tunes with an equally great array of lesser-known talents that includes Sista Pat, Gunjan, Verny Varela, Gigi Rezende, and Patrick De Santos. Titles include "Marching The Hate Machines", "Pela Janela", "Sol Tapado", "The Time We Lost Our Way", "A Gentle Dissolve", "Holographic Universe", "The Heart's A Lonely Hunter", and "The Cosmic Game". CD

Amazing sounds from British pianist Keith Tippett – a startling crossroads of musical scenes that beautifully brings together the best jazz, rock, and jazz rock impulses on the UK scene at the time – still with a freshness and clarity that the work would never reach a few years later! The sound here is brilliant – often a bit funky at the bottom, and definitely stretching out to freer jazz ideas on the solos, yet always managing a sense of soul and swing that really gives the record a rock solid core – so that even loopy lines seem to land back on the ground, and set the group on fire with a whole new energy. In addition to Tippett's work on electric and acoustic piano, the set also features Elton Dean on alto and saxello, Marc Charig on cornet, Nick Evans on trombone, and Robert Wyatt on drums – on titles that include "Gridal Suite", "Five After Dawn", "This Is What Happens", "Thoughts To Geoff", and "Black Horse". CD

Amazing sounds from British pianist Keith Tippett – a startling crossroads of musical scenes that beautifully brings together the best jazz, rock, and jazz rock impulses on the UK scene at the time – still with a freshness and clarity that the work would never reach a few years later! The sound here is brilliant – often a bit funky at the bottom, and definitely stretching out to freer jazz ideas on the solos, yet always managing a sense of soul and swing that really gives the record a rock solid core – so that even loopy lines seem to land back on the ground, and set the group on fire with a whole new energy. In addition to Tippett's work on electric and acoustic piano, the set also features Elton Dean on alto and saxello, Marc Charig on cornet, Nick Evans on trombone, and Robert Wyatt on drums – on titles that include "Gridal Suite", "Five After Dawn", "This Is What Happens", "Thoughts To Geoff", and "Black Horse". CD

A set that hugely expands the legacy of British 80s singer Tracie Young – a great artist, but one who only got a single record issued back in the day! First up is that set, Far From The Hurting Kind – a fantastic bit of soulful UK pop from the 80s that was originally issued on Paul Weller's Respond label, and done with plenty of the touches that Weller was bringing to his own Style Council music at the time! Tracie's got a voice that's right at home in some of the British period styles, but which sounds even better with some of the mod soul inflections that Weller's production brings to the record – definitely 80s in instrumentation and execution, but with a richness that really seems to open up the vocals of singer Tracie Young. Titles include "The House That Jack Built", "When You Sleep", "Moving Together", "Thank You", "I Can't Hold On Till Summer", "Souls On Fire", and "Spring Summer Autumn". Next is the album No Smoke Without Fire – a second set that was not issued at the time, and which has maybe some deeper soulful currents in the music – a bit like the work that Corinne Drewery would do with Swing Out Sister. Titles include "Italian Girl", "I Think You're Lucky", "When You Call Me", "No Smoke Without Fire", "Invitation", and "Fingers Crossed". Both albums are presented here with bonus tracks – and the package features lots more too – CD3 adds in 17 more Rarities, with remixes and singles; CD4 features live material and later radio mixes; DVD adds in some rare promo videos and TV appearances too! The whole package is huge – 84 titles in all. CD

Italian reedman Gianluigi Trovesi partners with the Filarmonica Mousike to perform works by Monteverdi, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, and Mascagni – nicely interwoven with brand new, original compositions by Trovesi himself. CD

Sweetly funky and very slinky – this is one of the best early 70s scores by the great Italian composer Piero Umiliani! The record has lots of bubbling electric piano, rumbling electric basslines, warm acoustic percussion, and moody wordless vocals. At some level, the album sounds a lot like the contemporaneous work by the great Italian Fender Rhodes combo Crossfire – but it's also filled with a spacey madness that could only come from the pen of Umiliani! One of the best of the recent Easy Tempo reissues – and very nicely put together, with a consistent sound throughout! Titles include "The Body", "Tidal Stream", "Chaser", "White Sand", "In The End", "Free Life", "Stream", and "Dusken". CD

Sweetly funky and very slinky – this is one of the best early 70s scores by the great Italian composer Piero Umiliani! The record has lots of bubbling electric piano, rumbling electric basslines, warm acoustic percussion, and moody wordless vocals. At some level, the album sounds a lot like the contemporaneous work by the great Italian Fender Rhodes combo Crossfire – but it's also filled with a spacey madness that could only come from the pen of Umiliani! One of the best of the recent Easy Tempo reissues – and very nicely put together, with a consistent sound throughout! Titles include "The Body", "Tidal Stream", "Chaser", "White Sand", "In The End", "Free Life", "Stream", and "Dusken". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most seductive sound library albums ever recorded by Piero Umiliani – a set that was originally issued under his Zalla pseudonym, but which has all the best jazzy grooves of some of his famous soundtrack material from the end of the 60s! As on those records, Umiliani plays a host of great keyboards, especially organ – over rhythms that are mellow-stepping and slightly funky – often updated with modes borrowed from bossa nova, but brought into a more sensuous Italian soundtrack setting – balanced with nice touches on flute, guitar, and other instrumentation as well. The whole thing's wonderful – as lovely as your favorite soundtrack work by Umiliani, Piero Piccioni, or Armando Trovajoli – with titles that include "Porta D'Oriented", "Tanto Lontano", "Pianure D'Asia", "Oriente Rosso", "Prime Nebbie", "Nel Parco", "Vecchie Strade", and "Laguna Tropicale". CD

One of the most seductive sound library albums ever recorded by Piero Umiliani – a set that was originally issued under his Zalla pseudonym, but which has all the best jazzy grooves of some of his famous soundtrack material from the end of the 60s! As on those records, Umiliani plays a host of great keyboards, especially organ – over rhythms that are mellow-stepping and slightly funky – often updated with modes borrowed from bossa nova, but brought into a more sensuous Italian soundtrack setting – balanced with nice touches on flute, guitar, and other instrumentation as well. The whole thing's wonderful – as lovely as your favorite soundtrack work by Umiliani, Piero Piccioni, or Armando Trovajoli – with titles that include "Porta D'Oriented", "Tanto Lontano", "Pianure D'Asia", "Oriente Rosso", "Prime Nebbie", "Nel Parco", "Vecchie Strade", and "Laguna Tropicale". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from one of the greatest talents on the Chicago soul scene of the late 60s – guitarist Phil Upchurch, a player with an amazing sound! Phil could work in worlds that were equal parts soul and psychedelia – making his guitar a perfect accompaniment for the best Chicago soul of Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway, Minnie Riperton, and other greats of the time. This album's easily one of Phil's best – a mindblowing set of arrangements put together by the groundbreaking producer Charles Stepney – bringing together bits of jazz, rock, soul, and funk – all providing the perfect genre-blending space for Upchurch to solo! Given that there's no singer on the set, Phil's work on guitar is a lot freer than you're used to hearing – in a really great way, one that puts him in a space somewhere between Shuggie Otis and Jimi Hendrix! Brilliant all the way through, with tracks that include "Adam & Charlene", "You Wouldn't You Couldn't Be True", "Crosstown Traffic", "More & More", "Black Gold", "America", and "As You Said". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking moment in Brazilian pop culture! The 3rd International Festival of Song in Rio was fraught with controversy – Brazilian music was at a crossroads, and the new experiments of some of the younger groups didn't really sit well with the more conservative audiences in the country (or the newly repressive government.) This 3rd volume features artists who recorded for Odeon – and includes a rare version of "Dia De Vitoria" sung by Marcos Valle with Golden Boys, and arrangements from Eumir Deodato – plus the tracks "Dois Dias" by Dori Caymmi, "Meu Sonho Antigo" and "Negroide" by Taiguara, "Tempo De Partir" by Clara Nunes, "Pra Nao Dizer Que Nao Falei Das Flores" by Vocalistas Modernos, "Mare Morta" by Mary Lauria, "Plenilunio" by Luiza, and "Sonho" by Maria. LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most personal, most evocative album we've ever heard from Brazilian singer Moreno Veloso – a set that's summed up wonderfully by its title, as these are songs that Veloso sung to his children at night during the darkest months of 2020! The record features just vocals and guitar – but as with his father Caetano in such a setting, Moreno actually seems to make more with less – allowing us to hear him in a way that's maybe even more up-close than ever before –with the mix of emotional currents that you'd get on the best bossa recordings of this nature – even though Veloso is far beyond bossa with this music! Most tracks are penned by others, but given these fantastic new interpretations – and titles include "Fazenda", "Unga Dorme Nesse Frio", "Luna Caprese", "Tigresa", "Noche De Ronda", "Normelia", and "Tres Da Madrugada". CD

A pair of wonderful records from this legendary soul group – back to back on a single CD! First up is the Voices Of East Harlem album – masterpiece of sweet group soul! This was the first secular record cut by The Voices Of East Harlem – a group who'd had an earlier gospel-tinged album on Elektra, but who are soaring out here in a brilliant mix of righteous mainstream soul styles – courtesy of the Curtom power team of Rich Tufo, Leroy Hutson, and Curtis Mayfield! The album's an unusual non-Curtom effort by the Hutson and Curtom – who collaborated in producing the record with Tufo, who himself did most of the arrangements with Hutson – in a mode that's wonderfully in the same spirit as Leroy's seminal work for Curtom in the mid 70s. There's a depth here that makes the album one of our favorite-ever soul records from the 70s – brilliant not just for the overall sound, but also for the pointed lyrics and really personal feel of the songs. Lead vocals shift between the different tunes – but are mostly handled by Gerri Griffin and Monica Burress, with warm support by the rest of the group. Titles include "Giving Love", "Cashing In", "Could This Be Love", "New Vibrations", and "Wanted Dead or Alive". Next is Can You Feel It – amazing work from The Voices Of East Harlem – a group with roots in gospel, but working here in a wonderfully soaring secular soul style – complete with arrangements and production from the legendary Leroy Hutson! The style here is similar to some of Leroy's best work, and that of his contemporaries on Curtom – a sound that's righteous and often funky, but able to hit some sweeter, warmer notes as well. Individual voices step out from the larger ensemble and take key leads on some tracks – and the overall style is simply mindblowing, at a level that makes us easily rank this as one of our favorite soul albums of all time! A must-have album, and one we've treasured for years – with tracks that include "Just Got To Be Myself", "So Rare", "March Across This Land", "Amazing Love", "Take A Stand", and "Can You Feel It". CD

A slightly overlooked film score by the great John Williams – but a true classic that's every bit as great as his wildly famous work of the late 70s for bigger films! Williams is at the height of his powers here – really transforming modern film orchestrations in ways that strongly shake off any lingering modes from the 50s and 60s – very serious from a compositional perspective, and able to embrace a rich range of new ideas for orchestra – yet also able to come across with a lean, focused sort of energy that never has the soundtrack overwhelming the image on the screen – just rising to meet its needs in all the best ways. Titles include "For Gillian", "Vision On The Stars", "Hester's Theme & The House", "Gillian's Escape", and "The Search For Robin". CD

The music of Egbergo Gismonti means many things to many people – as the Brazilian music legend worked in so many styles and settings, he really offered a lot to the world with his many albums! And here, arranger Gaia Wilmer approaches Gismonti's music with a real love of his work in a larger setting – those sublime, soaring arrangments that Egberto did so well, and which really helped elevate Brazilian music to new heights on important albums in the 70s! The setting here is nicely different than those, though – with arrangements by Wilmer, and a great instrumental lineup that even includes guest piano from Egbergo himself, plus work from Jacques Morelenbaum on cello and Gabriel Gross on harmonica. Titles include "Em Familia", "Folia", "Loro", "Karate", "Maracatu", "Baiao Malandro", "Infancia", and "7 Aneis". CD

A massive 70s album from the great Bill Withers – one that's sometimes overlooked next to his huge crossover records that preceded it – but which is every bit as wonderful! Withers is still on Sussex Records, and still has that completely unique approach that made him a soul genre unto himself – a fantastic voice, a nicely acoustic core, and this sense of flow that's completely magnetic – augmented here with maybe a bit more funk than before, and some great use of keyboards too! The material has a conversational, wise and world weary tone that's brilliantly effective and more intimate than Bill's bigger hits of the day – and there's also some subtly innovative parts to the production that are really moving, from the harp accented piano on "Stories" and the funky percussion flavored rambler of a closing number "Railroad Man". Other tracks include "You", "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh", "Heartbreak Road", "Green Grass", "Ruby Lee", "Can We Pretend", "Liza", and "Make A Smile For Me". CD

A whole new world of grooves we've never heard before – music from a short stretch on the Italian scene when local artists were really taken with the new developments in Afro Funk, and started to serve up some fresh styles of their own! The music here is maybe a blend of West African sounds and sound library modes – often leaner than the large group ensembles of Fela and some of his contemporaries, which also makes the tracks perfect for the clubs as well – but with a vibe that's sharper and tighter than some of the Afro/disco crossover cuts of the time! The selection of tracks is wonderful, and the whole thing is very revelatory – with titles that include "Why O" by Beryl Cunningham, "Kumbayero" by Weyman Corporation, "L'Unica Chance" by Walter Rizzati, "Amore" by Chrisma, "Tabu Tuba (part 1)" by I Robots, "Africa Sound" by Jean Paul & Angelique, "Contrabbando Di Fagioli" by Ramasandiran Somusundaram, "MAAGO" by Prognosi Riservata, "The Voodoo Lady" by Lara Saint Paul, and "Soul Makossa" by African Revival. CD

A whole new world of grooves we've never heard before – music from a short stretch on the Italian scene when local artists were really taken with the new developments in Afro Funk, and started to serve up some fresh styles of their own! The music here is maybe a blend of West African sounds and sound library modes – often leaner than the large group ensembles of Fela and some of his contemporaries, which also makes the tracks perfect for the clubs as well – but with a vibe that's sharper and tighter than some of the Afro/disco crossover cuts of the time! The selection of tracks is wonderful, and the whole thing is very revelatory – with titles that include "Why O" by Beryl Cunningham, "Kumbayero" by Weyman Corporation, "L'Unica Chance" by Walter Rizzati, "Amore" by Chrisma, "Tabu Tuba (part 1)" by I Robots, "Africa Sound" by Jean Paul & Angelique, "Contrabbando Di Fagioli" by Ramasandiran Somusundaram, "MAAGO" by Prognosi Riservata, "The Voodoo Lady" by Lara Saint Paul, and "Soul Makossa" by African Revival. LP, Vinyl record album

Wild funky grooves – and even crazier than the first volume! The set follows the format of the first, in that tracks are selected by the enigmatic Barry 7 – but the source material is completely different, making for a very unique sound. This time around, Barry's dipped into the rich catalog of Italian soundtrack label CAM – one of Italy's greatest sources of work for film scores, and home to plenty of wonderful tunes over the years! Tracks here are a mad blend of guitars, keyboards, voices, orchestrations, rhythms, electronics, and strange instrumentation – as groovy and cool as they are upbeat and funky. Many of the titles are unfamiliar to our ears, and they sound even better laid back to back in this great-looking package! Titles include "Margaret" by Giuseppe De Luca, "Iniziazone 72" by Ennio Morricone, "Motivi Psichedelici" by Daniele Patucchi, "Sisy" by Giampiero Boneschi, "Rio A Los Angeles" by Giuseppe De Luca, "Dies Irae Psichedelico" by Ennio Morricone, "Saturns Ambush" by Giampiero Boneschi, "Omicidio Per Vocazione" by Stefano Torossi, and "Secondo Rito" by Ennio Morricone. LP, Vinyl record album

A fuzzed out treasure trove of rare Brazilian psychedelia – wild stuff that's in many ways akin to the freewheeling sounds of the Tropicalia movement, but not necessarily taking on the cultural and political weight of that movement – and more about the boundless spirit of psychedelia and funk rock around the globe! The sounds are buzzing and indeed fuzzy throughout, ranging from raw and ramshackle guitar jams to more organ and drum driven funky, and it's really incredible stuff all around. We've been purveyors of hard to find Brazilian music for many many years, and this set – compiled by Joel Stones who also provides the richly detailed – brings to light some numbers we've never heard! 16 tracks in all: "Tema De Banana", "Era Uma Nota De" Loyce E Os Gnomes, "I Wanna Be Your Man" by Youngsters, "Ourico" by Serguei, "Lindo Sonho Delirante" by Fabio, "Cinturao De Fog" by Marisa Rossi, 'Som Imaginario De Jimmi Hendrix" by The Pops, "The Lantern" by Mac Rybell and more. CD version comes with a thick booklet of notes, in both English and Portuguese, and it's an enhanced CD – with the short documentary What Are Fuzz Bananas?. CD

A fuzzed out treasure trove of rare Brazilian psychedelia – wild stuff that's in many ways akin to the freewheeling sounds of the Tropicalia movement, but not necessarily taking on the cultural and political weight of that movement – and more about the boundless spirit of psychedelia and funk rock around the globe! The sounds are buzzing and indeed fuzzy throughout, ranging from raw and ramshackle guitar jams to more organ and drum driven funky, and it's really incredible stuff all around. We've been purveyors of hard to find Brazilian music for many many years, and this set – compiled by Joel Stones who also provides the richly detailed liner notes – brings to light some numbers we've never heard! 16 tracks in all: "Tema De Banana", "Era Uma Nota De" Loyce E Os Gnomes, "I Wanna Be Your Man" by Youngsters, "Ourico" by Serguei, "Lindo Sonho Delirante" by Fabio, "Cinturao De Fog" by Marisa Rossi, 'Som Imaginario De Jimmi Hendrix" by The Pops, "The Lantern" by Mac Rybell and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from one of the greatest periods in Brazilian music – that heady late 60s/early 70s stretch when it seemed like everything was up for grabs – and new genres, new sounds, and new styles were being created all the time! This cooker of a collection focuses on the unique hybrid of funk and samba that took place at the time – a sound also known as Samba Soul, but served up here with a really well-selected batch of tracks that goes way past the obvious – to really reinscribe a whole new version of this musical generation, pulled together from rare wax of the 70s! The groove is bouncy and upbeat, but often has some cool unexpected twists and turns too – with titles that include "Mister Brown" by Bebeto, "Quem Vem La" by Marisa Rossi, "Turma Do Pole" by Arnaud Rodriguez, "16 Toneladas" by Moriel Vilela, "Sou Negro" by Toni Tornado, and "Tatarue" by Giovana. CD

Tracks from Unation, River Ocean featuring India, Liberty City, Shara Nelson, Barbara Tucker, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Lisa Lisa, K-Klass, Richard Darbyshire, Eternal, and Sagat. CD

Brilliant work from the Picante label – the Latin-styled offshoot of the main Concord Records imprint – home to some of the best west coast Latin music for the past few decades! At a time when so many other labels were going for hits and crossover material, Picante started things out right with a real back-to-basics approach to Latin jazz – one that stripped the music back down to its roots, and focused on key instrumental contributions from top-shelf players. This approach continued even when the label moved into some vocal work too – and when it took on the amazing Tania Maria, who brought a bit of Brazilian flavor to their roster too – and over the years, Picante's west coast work really took over the helm from New York gians like Fania or Alegre. This 4CD package is filled with Picante gems from the glory days of the label – and titles include "Spain" by Tito Puente, "Mambo Mindoro" by Cal Tjader, "Think Twice" by Monty Alexander's Ivory & Steel, "Up Late" by Jeff Linsky, "Soca Me Nice" by Mongo Santamaria, "Night In Tunisia" by Caribbean Jazz Project, "Ran Kan Kan (Thunderball vs Fort Knox Five rmx)" by Tito Puente, "La Voz Del Caribe" by Eddie Palmieri, "La Cuna" by Pete Escovedo, "El Shing A Ling" by Poncho Sanchez, "Bom Bom Bom Tchi Tchi Tchi" by Tania Maria, "Sonando" by Poncho Sanchez, "Evil Ways" by Carmen McRae & Cal Tajder, and lots lots more. 50 tracks in all! CD

Music from Lulu Reed & The Teeners, Ron & The Motions, Joe Caldwell, The Velps, The Rollettes, Lillian Brooks & The Moroccos, The Nobles, Shirley Ross, The Twilighters, The Toneblenders, Chris Powell & Five Blue Flames, and more - 26 tracks in all. CD

Life! Liberty! Vengeance! A wild and very cool soundtrack for Tarantino's dual Blacksploitation/Spaghetti Western homage Django Unchained – featuring bits from some of our favorite Italian western composers mixed up with classic and contemporary funky soul and hip hop! It's the kind of soundtrack that could only happen for Quentin Tarantino – with rare and hard-to-find compositions by Luis Bacalov, Ennio Morricone, Riz Ortolani and Jerry Goldsmith on one hand – along with a few seemingly antithetical new compositions on the other – including a track penned by star Jamie Foxx for Rick Ross, a James Brown "Payback" remix with a vocal from the 2Pac archive, plus ones by Anthony Hamilton, John Legend and others! Last but not least, it's got some great bits of film dialogue by Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio. Titles include "Django" by Luis Bacalov, "The Braying Mule" by Ennio Morricone, "Nicaragua" by Jerry Goldsmith with Pat Metheny, "Day Of Anger" by Riz Ortolani, "Unchained (The Payback/Untouchable)" by James Brown with 2Pac, "Who Did That To You?" by John Legend, "100 Black Coffins" by Rick Ross, "Trinity (Titoli)" by Annibale E I Cantori Moderni and many more. CD

Fantastic soundtrack remix madness! The work of some of the greatest Italian composers of the late 60s and early 70s is updated for the modern dancefloor – and this set may well be the best of Easy Tempo's "Experience" series! Tracks include Piero Umiliani's "L'Uomo E La Citta" remixed by Raphael Sebbag, Umiliani's "Lady Magnolia" remixed by Kid Loco, Stefano Torrossi's "Walking In The Dark" remixed by DJ Vadim, Umiliani's "Panoramica" remixed by Cinematic Orchestra, Lesiman's "Messaggio" remixed by Gak Sato, Piero Piccioni's "Colpo Rovente" remixed by Benja & Fatalis, and lots lots more! LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Stefano Torossi, Alberto Balden Bembo, Romano Mussolini, Lesiman, Lee Selmoco Orchestra, Francesco De Masi, Piero Piccioni, Armando Trovajoli, Giancarlo Barigozzi, and Piero Umiliani – 16 tracks in all. CD

Slammin's a definite good choice for the title of this one – as this 5th entry in the Easy Tempo series seems even funkier than the other volumes – a set that's got plenty of full-on grooves, hand-picked from the genius Italian soundtrack years of the 60s and 70s! If you're looking for a place to start digging the full range of talents of the maestros of this time, you'd be hard pressed to find a better collection – as the Easy Tempo name always means the best bits from this scene, served up in a package that packs a lot more punch than any single individual soundtrack! Titles include "Loco Love Motor" and "The Frog" by Augusto Martelli, "Montreal Non Stop" and "Anice Nuraghi" by Luiz Bacalov, "L'Arcangelo" by Piero Umiliani, "Running Fast" by Stefano Torossi, "Blazing Magnum" by Armando Trovajoli, "Trop's" by Alberto Baldan Bembo, "Vuca" by Tony Mimms, and "The Chicken" by Dick Oliver. CD

That's a mighty sexy cover on the front – and the grooves inside definitely have the flavor to match! The work here is from the obscure French disco underground – a European scene that never got the same exposure as German or Italian work for clubs – which makes the whole package a really great discovery in sound! The music is surprisingly fresh, and often quite funky too – and done in modes that are arguably warmer and more soulful than most other European disco – and often a lot like the best American underground club of the period. Some tracks have breathy female vocals, while others have bolder lyrics that almost echo some of the global musical crossovers happing in 70s Paris and a few of the later tracks bring in electro elements, but in a subtle way we totally love. The collection's a follow-up to the Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds compilation – and like that one, it's really a cut above the usual! Titles include "Super Star" by Contessa, "Lady Jones" by Over Drive, "Music Madness (ext Charles Maurice version)" by Beckie Bell, "Y'A Du Blues" by Marche Noire, "Un Fait Divers & Rien De Plus (re-remix)" by Le Club, "Pour Moi Ca Va (Charles Maurice version)" by France Lise, "Polar (Charles Maurice version)" by Bernard Guyvan, and "Minuit L'Heure Du Swing" by Didier Makaga. LP, Vinyl record album

This first volume of Compost's Glucklich series is one of the most groundbreaking compilations of the 90s! It brings together 10 stunning rare German fusion tracks that have a deeply Brazilian groove – and the set is not only interesting from a cross-cultural perspective, but it's also a fantastic treat for funky listening. Nearly all of these tracks are totally rare, and you'll never find them in the original. They all sparkle with a deep sense of imagination, creativity, and a strong desire to groove – and titles include "Ocean Song" by Sunbirds, "Mixing" by Rainer Pusch Quartet, "Mato Pato" by Kitty Winter, "Mystic Latin" by Namaz, "Onkle Joe" by Catch Up, and "Glucklich" by To Be. Great stuff, and one that we still come back to again and again! CD

Rare 78 rpm recordings from Fess Williams, Taylor's Dixie Orchestra, Ross Deluxe Syncopators, Eddie Johnson's Crackerjacks, Williamson's Beale Street Frolics Orchestra, Jimmie Lunceford & his Chickensaw Syncopators, Mart Britt, Blue Steele, Andy Kirk & his Twelve Clouds of Joy, and Slatz Randall. CD

Not just jazz travels, but Brazilian, funk, and soul as well – all pulled together by Oli Stewart (Casbah 73) into one of the hippest compilations we've heard in years! Before making his own music, Oli spent more than a decade travelling the globe on record-buying trips – not just the US, but Brazil, Brussels, and many points global – all in search of an unheard snippet of funky soul or jazzy groove! This incredible little set brings together a dozen nuggets from those key crate-digging years – a good deal of which have never been reissued before, and especially not in such fantastic company. The overall vibe is warm, jazz-influenced, and filled with great keyboards, vocals, and rhythms that run from bossa-influenced to European modal, with plenty of American touches in between! Titles include "Silly Savage" by Adam Ross Reeds, "Don't Kill Your Fantasy" by Chinchilla, "Enfa" by Gerardo Batiz, "David" by Celia, "Cross Country" by Archie Whitewater, "Right Now" by Salena Jones, "Consolacao" by Luiz Eca, "Tornei A Caminhar" by Sebastiao Tabajos & Pedro Dos Santos, "Snowflake" by Ronnie April's Positive Energy, "Tocata" by Fernando Tordo, "Just Say Goodbye" by Esther Phillips, and "Negro En Sol Menor" by Daniel Lencina & Candombes De Van Guardia. CD

One of our favorite volumes in the London Is The Place For Me collection – and a brilliant batch of work that criss-crosses West African, West Indian, and postwar jazz styles! Most of the recordings here were done under the leadership of Ambrose Adekoya Campbell – a transplant to London from Lagos in the postwar year, and an artist who had a huge influence on the changing rhythms of his scene. Campbell mixed styles of his roots with those of the larger London community around him – in a way that let in more Latin and Caribbean influences to more traditional African styles – often using guitar in a high-life styled way, but also bringing in some key jazz phrasings as well. As usual with Honest Jons' reissues, the notes are quite detailed, but ultimately a bit unspecific about the actual recordings in the set – although we can say that Campbell's on nearly all of these, and they were all done as 50s 78rpm singles for the Melodisc label. Titles include "We Have It In Africa", "Iku Koni Payin", "I Am A Stranger", "Lagos Mambo", "Ela Da Awa", "and "Calabar-O" by West African Rhythm Brothers; "The Wind In A Frolic" and "Unity" by Nigerian Union Rhythm Group; "Ibikunle Alakija" by Ayinde Bakare & His Meranda Orchestra; and "Late Ojo Davies" and "Geneva Conference" by West African Rhythm Stars. LP, Vinyl record album

Two groundbreaking collections in one cool package! Volume 3 is one of our favorite volumes in the London Is The Place For Me collection – and a brilliant batch of work that criss-crosses West African, West Indian, and postwar jazz styles! Most of the recordings here were done under the leadership of Ambrose Adekoya Campbell – a transplant to London from Lagos in the postwar year, and an artist who had a huge influence on the changing rhythms of his scene. Campbell mixed styles of his roots with those of the larger London community around him – in a way that let in more Latin and Caribbean influences to more traditional African styles – often using guitar in a high-life styled way, but also bringing in some key jazz phrasings as well. Titles include "We Have It In Africa", "Iku Koni Payin", "I Am A Stranger", "Lagos Mambo", "Ela Da Awa", "and "Calabar-O" by West African Rhythm Brothers; "The Wind In A Frolic" and "Unity" by Nigerian Union Rhythm Group; "Ibikunle Alakija" by Ayinde Bakare & His Meranda Orchestra; and "Late Ojo Davies" and "Geneva Conference" by West African Rhythm Stars. Volume 4 features a collection of incredible work from the postwar, post-colonial years in the UK! As with other volumes, there's an array of Carribean and African influences at work here – often highly rhythmic and performed with lots of percussion, but also served up in ways that has the original modes coming into contact with more contemporary UK styles! Most of the work here was recorded in London, but overflowing with global styles that include mentos, high life, calypso, Latin, and even a bit of jazz – played by an array of artists who all found new means of expression in the capital. Titles include "Mambo Indio" by Shake Keane, "Alphonso In Town" by Lord Kitchener, "Give Her The No 1" by Eric Hayden, "Khauleza" by Dorothy Masuka, "Chicken & Rice" by Young Tiger, "Egyptian Bint Al Cha Cha" by Ginger Johnson, "Don't You Go Away" by Cab Kaye, "Highlife Piccadilly" by The African Messengers, "Darling Don't Say No" by Nat Akins, "African Jazz Cha Cha" by Ginger Johnson, "Piccadilly Folk" by Lord Kitchener, and "Ilu Oyinbo Dara" by Victor Coker. CD

Modal jazz galore – a collection of rare Italian tunes that move with a loping, soaring sense of energy – often very classic in their sound and style, but mostly pulled from a range of more obscure recent sources! Most of the tracks here were never issued outside of Italy – and even then, only on small labels that never achieved wider distribution – making almost the whole collection a new discovery in jazz to our ears, and one that's filled with countless delights throughout! As you'd guess from the title, the rhythms here are well-paced and lively – soaking up a lot of influences from the Coltrane generation, but also coming across with the tightness of a classic Blue Note or Prestige session. Most groups here are quartets, quintets, or sextets – and the longer than usual tracks offer plenty of room for solos on tenor, trumpet, trombone, and piano. Titles include "Spagna" by Piana Valdambrini Sextet, "Babir" by Alliance, "Proof Of The Pudding" by Michael Cochrane, "Calypso" by Dino & Franco Piana, "Naima" by Antonio Farao, "Tutankhamon Dance" by Nuevo Sestetto Italiano, "Woody" by Flavio Boltro, "Spring" by Antonio Farao, "La Stalla Di Pegaso" by Abbate Nicola Fontana Albano, and "New Born" by Idea 6. LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked tunes hand-picked by the Japanese maestro of the groove – a heady batch of tracks collected by Yukihiro Fukutomi, with a brilliant melding of jazz, soul, and Latin influences! The set compiles 10 tracks from American and European sources – and features many hard-to-find remixes that surfaced briefly on expensive singles, but which have long gone by the wayside – making this collection even more essential to fans of the groove. Fukutomi presents the tracks in their entirety, unmixed – and titles include "Don't Mean A Thing (Incognito mix)" by Space Jazz Dub Men, "I Got Somebody New (original)" by Georg Levin with Clara Hill, "Everything (Yam Who rmx)" by Dwayne Morgan, "Life Rhythms (Raw Deal rmx)" by E Smoove, "Dreams Come True (Afronaught mix for Bugz In The Attic)" by Alison David, "Listen (Just Listen Louie's Master mix)" by Urban Species, "Cosmic Gypsy (Fila Brazilia rmx)" by United Future Organization, "I Just Wanna Say (Domu's Number One Mix)" by Michelle Lawson, and "Cloud 9 (Quenti Harris Shelter mix)" by Donnie. CD

A totally excellent collection of rare western soundtracks from MGM – vintage material that we've never seen on CD before, packaged together in a beautiful limited set! The style here is a bit more dramatic than the western scores you might know from the spaghetti generation – but there's also some great echoes of those modes too – kind of the early inklings of styles that were picked up later by Italian composers, but handled here mostly with fuller American orchestrations. The package really lives up to the usual Film Score standards – great sound and supporting materials, and lots of movie tracks that never would have been on any LP release. 3CDs – with material from Northwest Passage (1940) by Herbert Stothart, Many Rivers To Cross (1955) by Cyril J Mockridge, Thunder Of Drums (1961) by Harry Sukman, and The Godchild (1974) by David Shire. Also features the song "Yellow Stripes" from Escape From Fort Brave (1953). CD

A brilliant showcase for the best of the London scene in recent years – a special live recording done in Studio Two at Abbey Road – put together by the Jazz Refreshed label, and featuring some of its best artists in a set of exclusive recordings! The work here bristles with the kind of new energy that's made the London scene so amazing in recent years – and the live performance means that these cuts have less of programmed elements of some of their studio recordings – just fresh, spontaneous performances on titles that include "This Too" by Doom Cannon, "Ekpe" by Camilla George, These Days" by Daniel Casimir & Tess Hirst, "Panda Village"b y Theon Cross, "Red" by Noya Rao, and "Helsinki Trio" by Richard Spaven. LP, Vinyl record album