Tim Blake looks like he's sitting at the helm of a spaceship on the cover – and in a way, that's what his music was at the time – a way of taking off to the skies on waves of electronics, in the kinds of sounds that Blake first created in his Crystal Machine project, but which have an even sharper focus here! The album's got more vocals than Tim's previous effort, and in a way that's what really sets it apart from the rest – as Blake's got this warmly positive approach that would be at home in progressive folk, but which here comes across with a very unique style – given the mostly electronic setting of the album! All the banks of knobs, slides, and keys pictured on the cover are used to strongly skillful effect – on titles that include "Generator", "Passage Sur La Cite", "New Jerusalem", "Song For A New Age", and "Lighthouse". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set that's part of a big early 80s run from Kool & The Gang – a time that saw the funk legends really hitting the mainstream, and winning over a huge new audience in the process! Given that the Gang virtually invented ensemble funk at the start of the 70s, they're perfectly poised here to move into modes that so many of their younger competition were trying – but never did so well – that blend of 80s elements and more sharply-fused funk instrumentation, all honed down into a tightly snapping groove. The real surprise, though, is the group's growing ability for ballads – which put records like this into hands of folks who never would have dug their funk a few years before. And while we might have had a few problems with that shift at the time, the passage of years has got the whole thing sounding pretty darn great to our ears – especially in comparison to so much weaker work from the time. Titles include "In The Heart", "Joanna", "Tonight", "Straight Ahead", "September Love", "You Can Do It", and "Home Is Where The Heart Is". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic to end all classics – and the record that showed the world that the kung fu genre could be every bit as funky as American crime and action films! Lalo Schifrin's at the height of his powers on this set – working in a blend of raw guitars, rolling bass, and choppy rhythms that groove about as fast as Bruce Lee's hands move on the screen in the film – and the album's a real standout in the 70s soundtrack scene, well worth all the hype and attention that's been given to it over the years! The record's one you'll dig if you're a fan of funk, or a student of Schifrin – and even after the passage of decades, it's still a tough soundtrack to beat. Titles include the classic "Theme From Enter The Dragon", plus "Bamboo Bird Cage", "The Monk", "Han's Island", "The Big Battle", and "The Human Fly". LP, Vinyl record album

A really hip record from fluteman Jeremey Steig – and a set that's nice and lean, with a very cool groove! The lineup just features Eddie Gomez on bass, Ray Mantilla on congas, and Marty Morrell on drums – and Gomez is fantastic, with a rich sound that's very different than his work with Bill Evans – funky at times, and sounding great next to the percussion! Titles include "Djinn Djinn", "Space Maiden", "Monium", and "Dream Passage". LP, Vinyl record album

Terri Walker's every bit as great here as when we first fell in love with her music many years back – so much so that it's hard to believe there's been any passage of years, as the album's got all the freshness and sense of promise of the neo soul generation from back in the day! As before, Terri knows that keeping it lean is her best approach – and the record really benefits from the center placement of her vocals, as she delivers lyrics that are both personal and honest, warm and open. Titles include "I Surrender", "You're Not Coming Home", "Fearless", "I Remember", "Finally Over You", "Rhythm Of Change", and "I'm Not The One". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from funky harpist Amanda Whiting – one of a handful of 21st Century artists who are continuing the soulful legacy of Dorothy Ashby on this age-old instrument! Whiting's got a great approach to the harp, one that is mostly plucked, sometimes strummed – and set up perfectly here in some well-done grooves from a small combo – very lean and groovy, which lets the harp do all these wonderful things over the top! Two cuts have vocals from female singer Peach, and one other tune features guest flute from Chip Wickham – on titles that include "Facing The Sun", "Alchemy", "Feels So Far Away", "Intertwined", "Rite of Passage", "Waiting To Go", and "No Turning Back". LP, Vinyl record album

An expanded edition of an earlier 10" LP – featuring a group led by bassist Max Bennett, one that includes Charlie Mariano on alto, Stan Levy on drums, Claude Williamson on piano, and Frank Rosolino on trombone! Helen Carr makes a vocal appearance on a track or two, and the album's got a nicely rich style that pushes it past simple expectations – really cooking with a mean Mariano solo one minute, and laying back for a mellower vocal passage the next – all proof that Bennett was one of the cooler leaders of his time, and it's a damn shame he didn't make more records like this! Titles include "Rubberneck", "Just Max", "They Say", "TK", "Do You Know Why", and "I'll Never Smile Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Really mindblowing work from Fela – a seminal 70s set that may well open up even more than any other album from the time – as the leader and Africa 70 stretch out on a single track that takes up the entire record! "Confusion" is almost proggish at the start – with a long passage that just features drums from Tony Allen and some really offbeat electric piano from Fela – slowly building up a groove out of the darkness, then letting the rest of the group come into the mix – all at a level that definitely sets the tune on fire for the righteous politics of the lyrics! The whole thing's no sloppy, over-extended jam – and instead, the record's a great demonstration of the care and craft that Fela brought to his musical vision at the time. LP, Vinyl record album

It's been over 15 years since the last Liberation record from Talib Kweli and Madlib, and the planet's changed a lot – and maybe not for the better, which is a good reason the duo are back to serve up a heady helping of their message-oriented music! We've always thought that Talib sounds best in the company of Madlib, and this time around he's also got plenty of help – from a great leadoff spoken passage by Diani, through work from Seun Kuti, Mac Miller, Amani, Q Tip, Goapele, Meshell Ndegeocello, Jaimie Branch, and even Roy Ayers – all present as maybe a tribute to what's at the core! Titles include "Loop Digga's Revenge", "One For Biz", "Nat Turner", "Air Quotes", "Wild Beauty", "Ad Vice", "Assata's Code", "After These Messages", "Something Special", and "Marathon Through Babylon". LP, Vinyl record album

War became so popular on their own in later years that it's easy to forget how they first sprung onto the soul charts – here, in an album of many styles that was put together by the wayward Eric Burdon after the dissolution of The Animals. We have to admit that Burdon was a genius to hook onto the rich talents of this LA combo – even though he really didn't know what to do with them on this record. Part of the album's an homage to Roland Kirk, part is an extended reworking of "Tobacco Road", and part is an overly-long bluesy passage called "Blues For Memphis Slim". Fortunately, the record also includes the monster groover "Spill The Wine", one of the first big crossover tracks to popularize the Chicano funk sound of LA – and a great little groover that still hooks us in today. LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet little 80s session from Bill Withers – a lot less acoustic than his soul of the 70s, but in a way that works surprisingly well! As always with Bill, the vocals are the main thing, and the passage of time has done nothing to take off his edge – that warmly raspy quality that's instantly recognizable, and which comes through with all of its original charm – even amidst the smoother, more electric approach of the album's backings. There's a number of tracks on here that hit a mellow, midtempo groove that works quite well – and Bill did most of the production himself, with help from collaborators who include Ralph MacDonald, Michel Colombier, and Denny Diante. Titles include "Watching You Watching Me", "Oh Yeah", "Something That Turns You On", "You Try To Find A Love", "We Could Be Sweet Lovers", and "Heart In Your Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that definitely lives up to the sixth decade legacy noted in the title – as it takes work of the remaining members of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and expands it with contributions from a number of musicians – both from Chicago and the global scene as well! The feel here is a mix of some of the larger concepts that Roscoe Mitchell has been working on of late, and some of the more organic expressions that the Art Ensemble helped encourage in the world of jazz – performed by a lineup that has Mitchell on sopranino and alto, and Don Moye on drums and percussion – joined by a huge lineup that includes Junius Paul on bass, Tomeka Reid on cello, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Hugh Ragin on trumpet, and a larger lineup of basses, piano, and percussion as well. Moor Mother delivers a spoken word passage, and Roco Cordova and Erina Newkirk sing a bit – on titles that include "Kumpa", "Bulawayo", "I Feel Like Dancing", "Jigiba", "Funky AECO", "Improvisation Two", "Ritual Great Black Music", "Cards", and "Leola". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure little comedy set on Groove Merchant – featuring Chicago comedian James Wesley Jackson, who rose to fame in the early 70s for his work with Funkadelic on tour. The set was (oddly) recorded at University of Chicago, but has a hip, laidback, "talkin at ya" sort of feel that was clearly Jackson's routine for smaller clubs – and although most of the set is just him speaking, there's a small passage where he gets some backing from Harold Bean on guitar and Bernie Worrell on organ! LP, Vinyl record album

It's been many years since Ural Thomas recorded his first soul single – and if anything, the passage of time has only made his voice sound even more wonderful – with a contemporary richness that we never would have heard back at the start! The set's not the first "comeback" album that Ural has cut with his younger group, The Pain – but it may well be the one that pushes him over the top, and gets the singer the sort of newfound global attention he finally deserves after all these years! Titles include "Heaven", "Gimme Some Ice Cream", "Second Dimension", "Apple Pie", "Ol Safiya", "El Ey Em Eh", "Do You Remember The Times", "Hung Up On My Dream", and "My Favorite Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet electronic grooves from the great Yan Tregger – French sound library composer and all-around electric genius – equally well-skilled at making the best sort of sounds in both the analog and digital generations! As you'll hear in the set, the collection brings together some of Treggers best from both generations – and there's a wonderfully unified feel to the whole batch of cuts, despite the space of almost 20 years – as Tregger showcases the best sort of cosmic clubby sounds that made him such a pioneer of outer space-styled funk! Titles include "Slow Zoom", "Chandigargh", "The Crash", "Deo Volente", "Passage Of The Red Sea", "Creative Blow", "Zodiac", "Gold Calf Dance", and "Pavilion Des Reves". LP, Vinyl record album

An Italian comedy take on the story of Robinson Crusoe – one that's served up with lots of light musical touches, thanks to the team of Guido and Maurizio DeAngelis! The music here is a blend of tropical themes and some of the comedic 70s modes you'd guess from the cover art – rootsier percussion and a bit of light ukulele to create the "island" elements – and some warmer, fuller passages that evoke the Italian placement of the film – although overall, the music is probably more attuned to the acoustic elements than most of its type from the time. Heavy vinyl pressing features 12 tracks from the film – plus the 7" single versions of "Signor Robinson" and "L'Isola Di Robinson". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first great Italian cop movies of the 70s – and a superbly-scored film with a really wonderful soundtrack! The DeAngelis brothers are clearly drawing heavily from an American tradition initiated by Lalo Schfrin – using heavy guitar, funky undercurrents, and even some soulfully righteous touches to really set this one apart from other Italian films of the time. Yet the approach here is also a bit more different, touches with some of the darker modes and more redemptive themes of Italian westerns – a sense of suspension and drama that's incredibly powerful, and heard to best effect on the solo instrumental passages – which include guitar by Maurizio and flute by Guido. Titles include "Festa A Genova", "Gangster Story", "Chicca", "The Life Of A Policeman", "Il Libanese", "Casa Di Moda", "Rock Al Porto", and "La Storia Comincia". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky funky Don Ellis – a great set of electric groovers released at the same time that Don scored big with his soundtrack for The French Connection! As you'd guess from the title, the feel here is quite similar – funky electric big band jazz, with a very hip 70s action soundtrack feel – one that mixes acoustic sax and trumpet passages with some groovier keyboards and electronic bits – all wrapped up in production that's tight, but never too slick to be funky! The album features a great take on Don's excellent "Theme From The French Connection" – plus great electric jazz covers of "Alone Again Naturally", "Superstar", "I Feel The Earth Move", "Roundabout", and "Lean On Me" – as well as album originals "Chain Reaction" and "Train To Get There". LP, Vinyl record album

The final studio album from Family, and a set that really has the group coming down strongly on all the best elements they crafted together on previous records! The vocals of Roger Chapman, as always, are a real charm – some of the most distinct of his generation, and perfectly at home in rootsier modes and more hard rocking passages – which are balanced out nicely on the record, and given a lean push forward with great guitars and keyboards – but never in a style that's too polished or commercial. In fact, given the lack of huge chart success for the group – at least on our side of the ocean – it's a strong testament to the quality of their work that they kept on going this strongly. Titles include the instrumental "Banger", plus "Sweet Desiree", "Suspicion", "Leroy", "Buffet Tea For Two", "Boom Bang", and "It's Only A Movie". LP, Vinyl record album

A really well-chosen set of classic Afro Funk records from Fela Kuti – hand-picked by Idris Elba, and brought together in this limited box set! Open & Close is an early classic from Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – the kind of early 70s record that helped both the leader and the group establish themselves as a global powerhouse of funk and soul! The set begins with the side-long "Open & Close" – a righteous tune that's driven onward by lots of tight drums from Tony Allen – young, focused, and completely amazing here – while Fela delivers all these madly leaping electric piano lines amidst the super-sharp horn section – all moving instrumentally for many minutes before the vocals come into play! Side two features two shorter tracks, but still nice and long in comparison to most funky groups – the wonderful "Swegbe & Pako" and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo" – tunes that really send the record over the top! Fela teams up with vibist Roy Ayers on Music Of Many Colors – one of the best soul collaborations ever – a whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Opposite People is seminal work from one of Fela's most crucial periods – recorded at a time when his soul was the deepest! The album features 2 long tracks – "Opposite People" and "Equalisation Of Trouser & Pant" – and they both have beautiful spooky keyboards in the instrumental passages, then leap into hard soul vocals by Fela. Tremendous stuff – done in a style that shows that no matter how many people cop or remake Fela's sound, he's still the best one to do it! The rare Stalemate album features the side-long tracks "Stalemate" and "Don't Worry About My Mouth" – both really hard-driving numbers, with a fantastic mix of vocals and grooves! Live In Amsterdam is an excellent live set from Fela – one that shows that he was still very capable of going over the top during the 80s! The set's a double LP – and it features 4 great numbers by the group, with Fela on soprano sax, piano, and organ, and plenty of other great work on tenor, alto, and trumpet. Titles include "Gimme Shit I Give You Shit", "Custom Check Point", "Movement Of The People", and "Political Statement Number 1". I Go Shout Plenty is a great one from Fela – with a date of 1986, but a sound that's pure late 70s! The record features 2 long tracks – "I Go Shout Plenty" and "Why Black Man Dey Suffer" – and they're both hard groovers with a strong political feel. "Why Black Man" is especially nice, and has some great keyboard riffing in the middle, with that great tinny sound that you'll hear on the best Fela albums. One that we almost never see – and issued on the Decca subsidiary Afrodisia. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic record by this important Japanese band, and one that was actually made in Canada, despite the title – at a time when the group were visiting, and managed to create this wonderful record with a very relaxed, organic vibe! Vocals are in English, and lead singer Joe Yamanaka has a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – not afraid to really run up with expressive passages when needed, but also sometimes nestled right down next to the fuzzy guitar and heady bass – which occasionally have echoes of some of the new hard rock modes of the UK, but with more of a sense of space between the notes, which Joe is more than happy to fill in a really great way! Guitarist Hideki Ishima also plays a bit of sitar – and titles include "Spasms", "Heaven & Hell", "That's All", "Hiroshima", "Aw Give Me Air", "Kamikaze", and "Unaware". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic record by this important Japanese band, and one that was actually made in Canada, despite the title – at a time when the group were visiting, and managed to create this wonderful record with a very relaxed, organic vibe! Vocals are in English, and lead singer Joe Yamanaka has a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – not afraid to really run up with expressive passages when needed, but also sometimes nestled right down next to the fuzzy guitar and heady bass – which occasionally have echoes of some of the new hard rock modes of the UK, but with more of a sense of space between the notes, which Joe is more than happy to fill in a really great way! Guitarist Hideki Ishima also plays a bit of sitar – and titles include "Spasms", "Heaven & Hell", "That's All", "Hiroshima", "Aw Give Me Air", "Kamikaze", and "Unaware". LP, Vinyl record album

A group that's not really folk, but who definitely have a special magic of their own – a collective ensemble who played on the Italian scene of the 70s, and who bring together free improvisation with a range of other earthy and organic elements! There's definitely some global currents going on here – and at points, the record's not far from some of the Don Cherry experiments of this nature – especially on passages that are heavy on percussion elements. But the size of the ensemble really gives them a strong force once they get going – and the saxes and flutes are sometimes merged with use of voice – only conventionally singing on one more straight ahead track on the record. Most musicians are ones that we don't recognize from other jazz efforts of the time – but the group does include flute from Nicola Stilo, who later played with Chet Baker – plus soprano and alto from Giancarlo Maurino, tenor from Mario Fulci, and altos from Sandro Satta and Luciano De Bonis. Titles include "Inno Per L'Imperatore", "Grass Leaf Rag", "Alice Alice Che Piange E Che Ride", "Free Bop New Bop", and "Monkey". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing setting for the righteous words and message of Nikki Giovanni – as the set has the poet working with backing vocals by the New York Community Choir, who also recorded a great soul album on RCA around the same time – and an overall approach that elevates Nikki's poetry into a very spiritual realm! There's definitely some gospel currents to the music, but Givoanni's words and spoken passages have much more down to earth concerns – the mix of political and personal themes that made her one of the most important young black poets of her generation. The whole thing is fantastic – very powerful throughout, with titles that include "My Tower", "Poem For A Lady Of Leisure Now Retired", "Second Rapp Poem", "Great Pax Whitey", "Poem For Aretha", and "Ego Tripping". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly rich soundtrack for this famous Andy Warhol horror film – one of his key cinematic collaborations with Paul Morrissey! Claudio Gizzi's music is way more than schlock, or even the usual horror bag – as he mixes light orchestrations with these spare instrumental passages in a way that links together older thriller traditions, particularly British ones, with some of the new spareness of the 70s. LP, Vinyl record album

Over the years, we've come to realize that the best thing about the Peanuts cartoons isn't the actions of Charlie Brown and Lucy, but the wonderful music from Vince Guaraldi – perhaps the one aspect of the cartoons that's kept on giving over the years, and which we can proudly carry into adulthood! Vince's music is sublime – often simple, but groovy – a mix of rhythmic vamps and more lyrical passages that perfectly underscore the melancholy that graced the characters of Charles Schultz, and which perhaps defines them even better than the clunky stories or voiceovers on the screen. This set features all the best numbers from the glory days of those cartoons – mostly holiday numbers, but some other gems too – titles that include "Skating", "Little Birdie", "Baseball Theme", "Linus & Lucy", "Happiness Is", "Oh Good Grief", "Christmas Is Coming", "Great Pumpkin Waltz", "Thanksgiving Theme", and both vocal and instrumental versions of "Christmas Time Is Here". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazz vocal set, but one that offers up a very different version of the format – as the dark vision of pianist Tord Gustavsen is shaped here by singer Simin Tander – who can move between sweet moments, poetic passages, and some much moodier moments! The tunes include a fair bit of numbers from both traditional and global sources, but the presentation is very modern, and very effective – with Gustavsen setting the scene on piano, plus a bit of bass and electronics, and very gentle, spare drums from Jarle Vespestad – while Tander lets the songs slowly flower, seeding lyrics amidst the piano notes – with a gentle blending of voice and instrumentation that's not unlike some of the spare sessions that Karin Krog cut with John Surman, although with a style here that's very much its own. Titles include "Sweet Melting", "A Castle In Heaven", "Imagine The Fog Disappearing", "I See You", "Your Grief", and "Sweet Morning Afterglow". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool little record – way more so than you might expect! Actor Laurence Harvey reads passages from the cheesy book in the title, but the set also features some cool instrumental work from Herbie Mann – with an unusual group that includes Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass, Hagood Hardy on vibes, Ray Mantilla on conga, and Joe Puma on guitar! LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Isaac Hayes albums from the post-Stax years – a wonderful late 70s set that has the man returning strongly to the mellow roots of his early solo years! Ike sounded great on his disco tracks at the time – but we really love his mature, laidback way of laying down a tune on this sweet set – mostly longer numbers that feature lots of the spoken, soulful passages that Hayes delivered on his first few albums of the 70s. The record does have two great groovers – a remake of "Shaft" – called "Shaft II" – one that really follows the format of the original, but extends the length of the tune significantly, throwing in lots of instrumental fills for the disco crowds – and the quirky "Zeke The Freak". But the mellower cuts are our favorites here – and include "Believe In Me", "Just The Way You Are", "If We Ever Needed Peace", and "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

Pivotal work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a tight, edgy quintet performance that's done with a modern jazz sound that approaches the Blue Note "new thing" sound, but which stays just this side of the fence to keep in line with Freddie's other soulful work of the 60s – yet still with an edge that you never would expect if you only know his electric and funky work of the 70s! The group features some great work by James Spaulding, who gets a lot of solo room on alto and flute – and Ronnie Matthews is on piano, effortlessly shifting between rhythmic and soulful lines, and passages that get a bit darker and deeper. The tunes are nearly all Freddie Hubbard originals, except for the classic "Mirrors", written by drummer Joe Chambers, who's also a key part of the group – and other tunes include "Breaking Point", "Far Away", "Blue Frenzy", and "D Minor Mint". LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing innocent about this record – because the groove is hard and heavy, wild and trippy – a really heady brew of funky jazz and more psychedelic influences – all recorded with some weird sounds in the background too! The album's a great one from Japanese groove pioneer Takeshi Inomata – and it's almost a fusion of earlier 60s funky band jazz with some of the more tripped-out modes of the jazz rock era. Vamping rhythms and full-on organs are undercut by wiggy guitar parts and soaring organ lines – all augmented by spoken Japanese passages, sound effects, and production styles that abstract out some instruments into very unusual modes. There's plenty of soulful and funky moments throughout – and titles include "The Death Of Janis", "Child & I", "Blue", "Alone", and "Go For Nothing". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic blend of funk, jazz, and Cuban rhythms – served up by the youthful Irakere, working here at the height of their powers! There's a sense of boundless energy throughout the entire record – an effort to try on so many things at once, and somehow get them all really right – from the complicated piano passages of Chucho Valdes, to the slight use of electricity on the fuzzy guitars or keyboards, to the soaring horns that really show some great sparkle from the young Paquito D'Rivera! Tunes are short, but almost have the full drive of much longer descarga numbers – and titles include "Valle Picadura", "Bacalao Con Pan", "Danza De Los Nanigos", "Quindiambo", and "Misaluba". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the first album from this fantastic group, but a set that's their initial outing for Impulse Records – the old home to John Coltrane, Sun Ra, and Pharoah Sanders – and a very fitting place for their boundless sense of expression! The group really seem to have upped their game for this album – finding a way to move into darker, deeper territory that really blows us away – really layering their sound with a richness that's almost weaponized at times, especially given the message in their songs – as if these guys have drunk deep of the complexity of ESP Albert Ayler material, the fused it to a spaceship towards the cosmos! Moor Mother delivers some spoken passages of knowledge on the album – alongside the saxes of Keir Nueringer, trumpet of Aquiles Navarro, bass of Luke Stewart, and drums of Tcheser Holmes. Titles include "Our Land Back", "Free Love", "Celestial Pathways", and "Root Branch". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully ambitious project from these two legendary improvising musicians – a larger project for stage that was created by both pianist Alexander Von Schlippenbach and drummer Sven Ake Johansson – the latter of whom here is very much into his later life role as a composer! The set features a mix of voice, vocals, and music – some spoken parts by Johansson, sung passages by the great Shelly Hirsch – and work from a very hip group that includes Wolfgang Fuchs and Dietmar Diesner on saxes, Paul Lovens on drums, Tristan Honsinger on cello, Anne Le Baron on harp, and Schlippenbach on piano. There's a mixture of free jazz, structure, and voice that almost feels as if Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill had the chance to record an album for FMP – and this beautiful set presents the first-ever release of the important 1994 performance of the material. LP, Vinyl record album

Daisaku Kume did a fantastic job with the music for this excellent film from Takeshi Kitano – serving up a fair bit of the keyboard sounds that you'd know from his work in the famous fusion group T-Square, but in a way that's nicely different than those records too! There's definitely lots of 80s elements in the production, yet the sound is often nice and spare – matching the directorial genius of Kitano – with slow-moving drum machine rhythms, nicely chromatic keyboards, and a glow in the overall sound that's mighty nice. A few passages have lead tenor solos, and there's also two takes on work from Erik Satie – which might stand as a good inspiration for Kume's direction with the music. LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal MPS session – and quite possibly the greatest record ever cut by French organist Eddie Louiss! The album features a trio that includes John Surman on soprano and baritone sax and Daniel Humair on drums – with a guest appearance on one track by bassist Niels Henning Orsted-Pedersen. The real strength, though, is Louiss – whose amazing post-Coltrane organ riffing is unlike anything else we've ever heard, rolling out in spiritual sheets of sound that provide a perfect foil for the gutsy soloing of Surman. The record's got a mix of outside and inside playing – with some breakout modal moments in an MPS mode, and other freer passages that reflect the label's commitment to new music. The whole thing feels almost like some of the more challenging work that Larry Young did for Blue Note – and it's got four long tracks that include "Our Kind Of Sabi", "Zafe Ko Ida", "Song For Martine", and "Out Of The Sorcellery". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer soundtrack from Henry Mancini – a record that's got both the terror promised in the title, and some sweeter moments that are pure Mancini all the way! Instrumentation is relatively jazzy overall – with some tight horn passages that shift between swinging saxes and lighter woodwind moments – a mixture of west coast cool and grittier elements that really does a nice job of marking the generation of the score. Players aren't listed, but we're betting they're some of Hank's hippest associates – and titles include "Flutter's Ball", "Kelly's Tune", "Tooty Twist", "Teen Age Hostage", "White On White", and "Down By The Wharf". LP, Vinyl record album

Kind of a 3-in-1 package – as the album features tunes written for the first 3 of the Friday the 13th films – all of them either electro-slasher type numbers, or dark and moody passages of strings – with an atonal haunting quality that stretches back to Morricone. Included is the famous "da-da-da-da-shreeet" sound of the strings in the theme – and each set of tracks kind of works as its own mini "suite". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning spinoff from the first incarnation of King Crimson – a brilliant record from the team of Ian MacDonald and Michael Giles – both of whom move into territory that's quite different than their work with the more famous Fripp-led group! There's definitely elements here of the music the pair brought to King Crimson – but the songs are looser, more personal, and often have more jazz-rock elements in the mix – which can even result in some cool funky passages at times that are a quite soulful surprise! The album also features strong lyrical contributions from Peter Sinfield, who also sounds a bit hipper here – and work from Steve Winwood, who may well be one of the forces for the more soulful side of the spectrum. Lots of nice flute lines – almost Harold McNair-ish at times – and titles include "Suite In C", "Flight Of The Ibis", "Is She Waiting", "Tomorrow's People The Children Of Today", and "Birdman". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal funk from the Brazilian scene of the 70s – one of those really rare, really one-of-a-kind albums – but one that also seems to perfectly sum up the sound of the times as well! Di Melo's a mighty funky cat – and works here with these bass-heavy arrangements from Geraldo Vespar – very groovy and filled with lots of influence from American soul of the time, yet delivered in a style that's decidedly Brazilian too! There's a sense of sparkle to the album that recalls the charm of Jorge Ben in his funkiest modes – but Vespar also brings in some nicely jazzy flourishes too – especially on the keyboards and horn passages, which really go past the usual EMI/Odeon modes of the time. The whole thing's great – a soulful treasure all the way through – and titles include the funky classic "A Vida Em Seus Metodos Diz Calma", plus "Kilario", "Aceito Tudo", "Pernalonga", "Jodao", "Alma Gemea", "Se O Mundo Acabasse Em Mel", and "Minha Estrela". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark record – not only in the history of the western, but in that of Ennio Morricone! The soundtrack, written for this hit Clint Eastwood spaghetti western, is everything you'd want in a 60s western – driving orchestral passages, twanging guitar parts, and spooky little bits that isolate the mood of a scene nicely. The work's an instant classic, and is still one of Morricone's strongest western soundtracks – even if it is one of the most familiar. Titles include "Without Pity", "Almost Dead", "Square Dance", "The Chase", and the extended "Fistful Of Dollars" suite, which takes up all of side two. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastically dark Morricone score! Morricone originally wrote this material for the film Quattro Mosche Di Velluto Grigio, the third part of Dario Argento's cult terror trilogy – and until the release of this reissue, only 2 of the tracks ever made it to the public, on a rare single issued by Cinevox in 1971. The leadoff track – "4 Mosche Di Vellutto Grigio (titoli)" – is actually a bit funky, with some very heavy drums and cascading fuzzy guitar riffs that sound very nice. Then, the record moves into spookier material – like the cut "Come Un Madrigale", and a number of self-titled themes – all of which feature strange harpsichord work, dark orchestral passages, and some very spooky production work! Fortunately, the score ends on an upbeat note – a hard driving, beat group sounding version of the main theme that's a nice cap to the whole package! LP, Vinyl record album

Sweetness and darkness – perfectly blended together in this classic mid 70s soundtrack by Ennio Morricone! The main theme of the film – "Bambole" – is one of those Mondo Morricone type numbers that floats along on a gossamy sheen – vocals gliding softly over light woodwinds, stepping rhythms, and a bit of electric harpsichord – all used gently, but beautifully to create a wonderfully groovy little tune. But other numbers on the album are much more tense – strings drawn tighter, and sometimes into more atonal passages – and offset by descending woodwind passages that further underscore the melancholy of the film! Additional instrumentation includes some abstracted and slightly fuzzy guitar – and the whole album beautifully blends the sweet and dark tracks together with a great sense of pacing. Titles include "Bambole", in a number of variations – plus variations on "Spasmo" and "Stress Infinito". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost western score from Ennio Morricone – directed with some nice musical flourishes by the great Bruno Nicolai! The work's got the feel of some of Morricone's more famous spaghetti western scores – with some great moody passages that hint at the offbeat instrumentation of his horror work, coupled with more driving action-related tunes that have a more driving feel overall – and together, these tunes weave a very visual tapestry of sound – possibly even more compelling than the actual film! Titles include "Viva La Revolucion", "Tepepa E Price", "A Meta Strada", "Una Povera Casa", "Consegna Delle Armi", and "Tradimento Secondo". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool recording, done in Kenya on a cell phone in contemporary years – but one that comes across with a very timely vibe, given that Oduor Nyagweno is one of the last living masters of his craft! That craft is his handling of the nyatiti instrument – an eight stringed smallish harp that has these stark tones that are often as metallic as they are melodic, and played here with these modal, cyclical passages alongside his vocals – so that the instrument is often doubling in rhythm while also providing melody! There's a few other guests along the way, but almost all of the album features Nyagweno just on vocals and nyatiti – on titles that include "Olang", "Otieno", "Kwetu Nyawara", "Asuka", "Dero", and "Maya Thumwa Manyaka Nene". LP, Vinyl record album

Pianist Roberto Olzer is great here, but the album also really sparkles with the excellent basswork of Yuri Goloubev – not just an accompanist, but also a creative force who's helped arrange part of the record and deliver a few tunes as well! Olzer's got this sense of tone and timing that's almost virtuostic, and the bass balances things out really well – so that there's a subtle soul to the record, encouraged by the drums of Mauro Beggio – which lets Roberto take off on some really expressive passages, but still swing at all the right moments. Titles include "Ferragosto", "Dreamsville", "Beau Piece", "Novembre", "Morgen", "Maybe Next Time", "The Oldest Living Thing", and "Unlikely Taiko". LP, Vinyl record album

A spookier than usual soundtrack from the great Riz Ortolani – one that features some very spare tracks that make wonderful use of subtle sounds, and in a way that's quite different than his more popular work for the screen! Some of the passages are very dark, and almost seem to court that point where conventional religion crosses into paganism – served up with offbeat percussion, voice, and oddly-tuned spare string instruments – balanced with these very low-end sonic elements that give the whole thing a brooding intensity that's hard to deny! The tracks are mostly short, but there's a few longer ones that sum up the energy of the record beautifully – and the whole thing features 14 titles in all. LP, Vinyl record album

A further stunning chapter in the career of guitarist Jeff Parker – a musician who's just grown in leaps and bounds on a succession of records for the International Anthem label! Here, Jeff plays solo guitar throughout – in modes that occasionally hearken back to his earlier material for other labels, but which really shows that amazing understanding of sound and tone that he's developed more recently – this incredible ear for all the possibilities of the electric guitar, at a level that moves beyond just jazz too – with moments on the record that almost have a John Fahey-like understanding of his instrument, as Parker creates all these fantastic passages in sound that are completely sublime. Titles include "Suffolk", "Flour Of Fur", "Four Folks", "La Jetee", "Ugly Beauty", and "Excess Success". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A fantastic bit of female funk from the 70s – and a set that was recorded in Germany by a very exotic singer! The album is Asha Puthli's first – and includes some unusual interpretations of work by JJ Cale, John Lennon, Bill Withers, and George Harrison – plus a great tune of her own – set to these cool backings that have lots of spacey electric modes blended with smoother funk passages – kind of a precursor to later Munich disco modes, but with a slower, slinkier feel. Asha's voice is very weird – a bit in the "love to love you baby" mode, and with a range of sounds that moves up and down the scale almost as much as Minnie Riperton. The record's got a nice mix of jazzy arrangements, and Asha's unique high-pitched vocals work great on tracks like "Lies", "Right Down Here", "I Dig Love", "Truth", "I Am A Song", "Let Me In Your Life", and "This Is Your Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful under-discovered performance by Sun Ra & The Arkestra – a complete live set from 1984, presented here with really stunning fidelity! The package is a great antidote to some of the fuzzier Ra live sets on the market – as it's got the care that the Trost label has brought to their reissues of material by Peter Brotzmann and the FMP generation – with sound that's more than sensitive enough to capture some surprisingly great spare piano passages, as well as the full force of the Arkestra when they really get going. Sun Ra is still a tremendous force on the keys at this time – and delivers a lot of solos that are interspersed between larger, more structured songs – played with fire by a lineup that includes John Gilmore on tenor and clarinet, Marshall Allen on alto and flute, James Jackson on bassoon and infinity drum, and Danny Ray Thompson on baritone and flute. Titles include a number of "untitled improvisation" tracks – plus "Big John's Special", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "What's New", "Nuclear War", "East Of The Sun", "Yeah Man", "Mack The Knife", "Day Dream", and "Love In Outer Space". This great 4LP box set includes an insert card with notes and photos. Beautiful! LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued performances from Sun Ra and his legendary Arkestra – recorded live at Slugs in New York, and featuring the group in two very different modes! Side one features "Calling Planet Earth/We'll Wait For You" – from the same performance that also gave the world the Universe In Blue album – but presented with a very wild, freely improvised sound! The tune runs for well over 20 minutes, and features lots of shifts in presence and power from the individual instruments – with some especially great bass clarinet from Eloe Omoe, who takes a great solo – as well as work from John Gilmore on tenor, Danny Davis on alto, Ronnie Boykins on bass, and Kwame Hadi on trumpet. June Tyson also sings a bit – although the instrumental passages are the strongest draw. The remaining two tracks are much more in the Strange Strings sound of the group – although maybe looser and freer than the work on that album – as they feature mostly stringed instruments, from a variety of global sources, mixed with some woodwind elements and a bit of percussion – almost with a vibe that's like the mid 50s Moondog discovering free jazz! Titles for these two tracks include "Moonshots Across The Sky" and "Thunder Of The Gods". LP, Vinyl record album

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

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

A stunning album of spiritual majesty from American pianist Rafael – a player who'd worked in New York during the bop years, but who ended up overseas, and cut this completely unique album in the early 70s! Tracks are all long, and have a quality that owes a bit to the spiritual modes of the post-Coltrane years – but the progression of sounds is very unfamiliar, in part because many of the cuts have these long wordless passages from singer Rose Thompson – who's almost as much of an "instrument" in the music as Rafael's piano! The leader also plays a bit of flute, and the rest of the group features bass, drums, and a mix of vibes and bongos from Johnny Peret – on these beautiful long tunes that include "Night Crawler", "Dead Sea Scrolls", "Archangelo", and "Hommage A Kabylie". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best albums that Lou Rawls cut with the team of HB Barnum and David Axelrod – that incredible duo who made some of his 60s Capitol albums so great! The style here is wonderful – upbeat grooves from Barnum – who brings more soul into Lou's music than before – recorded by Axelrod with the right sort of sharpness and punch – that special quality he brought to Cannonball Adderley's 60s soul classics too! Rawls is really at home in the setting – stepping out in some points with these hip monologue passages that are as great as his singing – maybe even better, too – as they show a whole new side of Lou's personality – that badass, totally hip quality that people might never have expected from the early days. One of the best of these is the excellent "Old Man's Memories", about a guy sitting on a bench in Washington Park on the south side of Chicago, which then rolls into an amazing version of "It Was A Very Good Year". Other tunes have a great mix of soul and jazz – and titles include "Love Is A Hurtin Thing", "A Whole Lotta Woman", "Don't Explain", "Old Folks", and "Breaking My Back (Instead Of Using My Mind)". LP, Vinyl record album