Original, rare and/or extended versions of classic chart funk by the Gap Band! The set features original vinyl versions of the cuts, many available for the first time on CD! Tracks include "You Dropped A Bomb On Me" (original 12" mix), "Burn Rubber", "Early In The Morning" (original 12" mix), "Party Train" (original 12" special dance mix), "Outstanding" (original 12" mix), "I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up And Dance (Oops), "Shake" (original 12" disco version), and "Humpin". CD

Rare work from one of our favorite Dizzy Gillespie groups ever – the quintet that featured Lalo Schifrin on piano and Leo Wright on alto and flute! The combo was easily one of Dizzy's most compelling of the postwar years, and really helped break him into a whole new groove rhythmically – thanks to Schifrin's key influence on rhythms – working here with bass from Bob Cunningham and drums from Mel Lewis. Yet the group only cut a handful of records together, which makes this well-recorded live date a key addition to their catalog – a set you'll proudly stack next to your early 60s Philips recordings from Diz. Titles include "Con Alma", "Willow Weep For Me", "The Mooche", "Kush", "I Can't Get Started", and "Oops Shoo Be Doo Be". CD

Ellen Brekken on bass, Magnus Bakken on tenor sax, Espen Berg on piano, and Magnus Sefaniassen Eide on drums. CD

... CD

... CD

A sharp blend of edgey guitar, offbeat vocals, and lots of other electronic elements – but still served up with plenty of warmth, thanks to the unique approach of Thiago Nassif! Nassif works here with contributions from Vinicius Cantuaria and Arto Lindsay – and in a way, his music is in a similar territory to both of those artists – but as unique as any of their recordings over the years too! Nassif clearly understands the deeper corners of Brazilian music, and has an ear for more experimental modes – but also finds a way to make music with a very personal statement, as he weaves together electric drums with real percussion, guitar loops and keyboards, and even some "Venom synth" of his own. Titles include "Pele De Leopardo", "Voz Unica Foto Sem Calcinha", "Plastico", "Trepa Trepa", "Feral Fox", and "Transparente". CD

A stunner from the legendary living ghost that is Scott Walker – possibly the most archly dramatic, unique and strangely alluring work he's ever done! Since Scott Walker albums have become once per decade events, a lot more is at stake with each one, and it's nothing short of amazing that he manages to get more and more exciting with each effort. The Drift finds Scott tackling obscure historical drama, his pop-operatic vibrato as chilling as ever – backed up by his long-relied upon backdrop of string arrangements, guitars, drums and keys – along with (way) off-kilter percussion. But the sounds made with those tried-and-true materials are often unprecedented, from Scott or anyone else on the planet. The voice wails with authority, the backing is often quiet and subtle until the ever-approaching gail swoops in and carries you away. We could probably write a book about this album (and someone undoubtably will) – so we'll leave you to pick it up and experience it for yourself! Tracks include "Cossacks Are", "Clara", "Jesse", "Jolson And Jones", "Cue", "Hand Me Ups", "Buzzers", "Psoriatic", "The Escape" and "A Lover Loves". CD

Bill Frisell on guitar, loops and music boxes, Ry Cooder on electric guitar, Greg Leisz on pedal steel guitar, dobro, lap steel guitar, Weissenborn guitar, National guitar, and mandolin, Wayne Horvitz on piano and sampler, Viktor Krauss on bass, and Jim Keltner on drums and percussion. CD

Ahhh. . . Nice! Wonderful intelligent, spiritual rhymes, full of Islamic prayer references, blunt antagonist rhymes, a battle with the ugliest of inner demons and broken artist poverty all hugged by catchy bouncing hook filled choruses. And all the production is handled by Ant, a true autuer akin to Pete Rock, now becoming more comfortable with his art with each release: tight organ loops, snapping drums, bright horns and nice upright basslines. "Soulful" is the key adjective here. Tracks include "Star Quality", "Pay Them Back", "Shadows On The Sun", "Forest Whitiker", "Room With A View", "Back Stage Pacin", "Missing Teeth", "Dorian", "Soul Whisper", "Champion", "Prince Charming", and more! CD

Wonderfully righteous work from Burnt Sugar Arkestra – a group who've been giving us great records for years, but who are maybe even more important to the scene than ever before! The core of the record is the long title track – a very jazzy tune that builds up over loops set down by composer Greg Tate, with a flowing, snakey vibe that allows for plenty of long trumpet, tenor, flute, and alto solos over the guitars and Fender Rhodes that work the rhythms – maybe almost in electric Miles territory, but more laidback. That tune is then reworked on a number of variations that are very different – mostly instrumental, as the main track – but finishing up with a bit of vocals near the end of the record – a great contribution from singer Lisala Beatty! Titles include "Angels Over Oakanda", "Repatriation Of The Midnight Moores", "Oakanda Overdrive", and "Lisala Oer Inna Oakanda". CD

Bill Frisell plays electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo, loops, and bass. CD

A rare soul jazz session from alto saxophonist Leo Wright – a player that we mostly know from his bossa work of the early 60s! The session's extremely noteworthy as being one of the few to feature female organist Gloria Coleman – a player with whom Wright worked on her classic 1963 date Soul Sisters, and who returns here in a very similar hard-wailing sax-and-organ mode! Wright's work on alto is incredibly deep – with a sharper bite than much of his other 60s sessions, and a gutsy down-n-dirty quality that makes the record feel like one of the best organ jazz albums at the time from Prestige. Coleman's approach to the Hammond is great too – freely skipping around with a liberated sense of rhythm, in a way that matches Wright's every twist and turn with ease – and throws a few of its own into the mix as well! The group's completed by Kenny Burrell on guitar (also sounding harder here than usual!) and Frankie Dunlop on drums – and titles include some fresh originals "Poopsie's Minor", "State Trooper", "Blue Leo", "Blues Fanfare", and "Soul Talk". CD

The highly anticipated full length from the Minneapolis hip hop RhymeSayers crew. Slug rhymes like a storyteller, in his prime when weaving songs of demented heartbreak, his voice pushes forth in a tortured singing style, hook friendly, ironic, and angry (dude still hasn't gotten over Lucy). Ant does all the production, with some dubby beats, some nice spidery piano loops, some drums are a little more quirky and off kilter (in a good way) than his previous work. 18 tracks in all, including "Onemosphere", "The Bass And The Movement", "F#ck You Lucy", the creepy anthem "God Loves Ugly", "Saves The Day", "Vampires", "Modern Man's Hustle", "Blamegame" and "Shrapnel". CD

Features Bill Frisell on guitar and loops in a live set with Viktor Krauss on bass, and Kenny Wollesen on drums on the first disc – with Tony Scherr replacing Krauss for the second half. CD

... CD

Jef Neve on piano and synthesizer, Ruben Samama on double bass, sampler and loops, and Teun Verbruggen on drums. CD

We love Sly & Robbie – really we do. And while they were responsible for many of the toughest rhythms ever laid to wax, they did cut their share of material that hits nice and hard, but may not be as sublime as their finest and fattest. While on paper this Bill Laswell produced session that finds the Rhythm Twins meeting up with an all star cast including Rammellzee, Bernie Worrell, Henry Threadgill and D. St. among others, it somehow manages to result in a sum that's that's less than the combination of all the dope parts. But you could do a lot worse, and we're guessing if you heard any of these 6 tracks in a different context, you might well consider it the heat: "Fire", "Boops (Here to Go)", "Let's Rock", "Yes We Can Can", "Rhythm Killer" and "Bank Job". CD