The second album recorded by Cuban vocal legend Ibrahim Ferrer in the wake of the Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon – and maybe the best! Ferrer's vocals are superb throughout – and the production is relatively stripped down, and never too intrusive – even when producer Ry Cooder is getting some time on the tracks on guitar. To our ears, the best musical element may be the bassist Cachaito – whose rock-solid lines ground everything perfectly – on titles that include "No Tiene Telarana", "Naufragio", "Fuiste Cruel", "Boquinene", "Boliviana", and "Hay Que Entrarle A Palos A Ese". This new version features fresh mastering by Ry Cooder, a shifted song order, and unreleased tracks that include "Ojos Malvados", "Me Voy Pa Sibanicu", "Mujer", and "Ven Conmigo Guajira". LP, Vinyl record album

"Cha Cha Cha" stars Spliff Star, Busta Rhymes, Rah Digga & Baby Sham, "We Got You Open" stars Rah Digga, Spliff Star, Baby Sham, Rampage, Lord Have Mercy, Busta Rhymes & Buckshot. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Busta Rhymes, Rampage, Lord Have Mercy, Spliff Star, Rah Digga and Baby Sham. 12-inch, Vinyl record

British saxophonist Art Themen played on some killer records back in the day – including modern classics from Stan Tracey and Graham Collier – and here, he brings his legendary sound to a project with the younger Greg Foat – an artist who's always doing great things to open up the boundaries of the music, and provided a wonderful showcase for Themen's well-crafted lines! The album's got some of the sunny sparkle you might guess from the cover, but it's definitely a jazz record at the core, and not some sort of advertisement for a vacation in Aspen – glistening with all the hip keyboard lines and electronics we love in Foat's other music, and warmed up nicely by saxophone lines from Art that give the whole thing plenty of soul. Titles include "Fresh Snow", "Off Piste", "Sis No Hyp", "Yrsno", "Apres Ski", and "La Partida". LP, Vinyl record album

A wild little record, as you might expect from a group who named themselves after the place where Abraham Lincoln was shot! There's a lot of organ in the mix, next to the expected fuzzy guitar – and the group even uses a string quartet at points, to great effect – all with an ambitious sound that's very different than the usual sort of material coming out at the time! The set's even got a more complicated vibe than some of the other ABC releases of its type at the time – maybe in part because jazz great Bob Thiele produced the whole thing in the years before he launched his Flying Dutchman label, and really knows how to balance all the rich inspirations of the group. Titles include "From A Back Door Window", "Back To Philadelphia", "101 Harrison Street", and "Theme For The Masses". CD

A big one from Aretha Franklin's 80s comeback years on Arista Records – a set that features a surprising guest appearance from Keith Richards, but mostly concentrates on Franklin's successful run with producer/arranger Narada Michael Walden – who continues to do a great job of updating her sound! There's less deep soul numbers here than in the early days, and instead Aretha goes for a gentler expression of her range – but one that still soars in all the right places. The album features duets with Larry Graham and George Michael – and titles include "An Angel Cries", "Rock A Lott", "He'll Come Along", "Jimmy Lee", "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me", "Jumpin Jack Flash", and "Look To The Rainbow". CD

A big one from Aretha Franklin's 80s comeback years on Arista Records – a set that features a surprising guest appearance from Keith Richards, but mostly concentrates on Franklin's successful run with producer/arranger Narada Michael Walden – who continues to do a great job of updating her sound! There's less deep soul numbers here than in the early days, and instead Aretha goes for a gentler expression of her range – but one that still soars in all the right places. The album features duets with Larry Graham and George Michael – and titles include "An Angel Cries", "Rock A Lott", "He'll Come Along", "Jimmy Lee", "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me", "Jumpin Jack Flash", and "Look To The Rainbow". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's certainly right on this one, because the album is soft and beautiful – recorded by Aretha Franklin in a moody late nite mode that's similar to early 60s work by Sarah Vaughn or Dinah Washington on Roulette! Backings are by Belford Hendricks – relatively full, with strings and sometimes a bit of backing vocals – and Aretha's vocals drift nicely over the top with a relatively slow pace overall. And while this isn't the hard-hitting Atlantic soul that made her fame, the record's still a great demonstration of Franklin's many talents – and heck, if she'd cut a set like this these days, we're sure she'd get a Grammy for returning to the classics! Titles include "Only The Lonely", "Shangri-La", "A Mother's Love", "Jim", "Friendly Persuasion", and "People". LP, Vinyl record album

Friendship is Alex Acuna on drums and timbales, Ernie Watts on sax and piccolo, Don Grusin on keys, Abraham Laboriel on bass, Steve Forman on percussion, and Lee Ritenour on guitar. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare spiritual jazz session from the Full Moon Ensemble – a very groovy French group headed up by drummer Claude Delcloo – who was better known for his avant jazz work on sides for the BYG/Actuel series of albums! This time around, Delcloo is working in much trippier territory – a style that still shows some of the freedoms of the post-68 generation of French jazz, but which also takes on some strong spiritual tones too – mixing spoken passages with rich organic sounds on percussion – and these bold, snaking lines on Fender Rhodes and guitar that really help hold the whole thing together! The record works as one long suite on side one, and continues that groove on side two – and although the band's jamming great in the studio, there's still a sense of structure and purpose that really drives the music. In addition to Delcloo on drums, the group also features Jeff Sicard on alto and tenor, Gerard Coppere on tenor and soprano sax, Mratine Tourreil on Rhodes, and Joseph Dejean on guitar – and the vocals bits are by the enigmatic "Sarah". Titles include the side a suite "Tribute To Bob Kaufman" – plus "101 W 85th Street" and "King Kong". LP, Vinyl record album

A really groovy little record – and one by a group who might well be better-named "Funky Duck", given all the heavy drums and sharp riffing on the tunes! These guys are definitely a rock group, but they've also got the sort of instrumentation that would be right at home on a funky soul session – massive drums from Paul Francis, who also handles a lot of percussion, plus wicked basslines from Mick Hawskworth, who works with Francis very hand-in-glove – while Roy Sharland delivers lots of organ and electric piano, and Graham White handles the sharp guitar and vocals too. Were this set issued in the US back in the day, it would have been the kind of crate-digging funky rock record valued by the true school generation – and cuts include "Time Will Be Your Doctor", "Mrs. Prout", "Just Look Around You", "Afternoon Out", "More Than I Am", "Country Boy", "In Our Time", and "A Word From Big D". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the first album from saxophonist Camilla George, but the set where it really feels like she's found her voice in music – weaving together her own strong solo on alto sax with the work of a top-shelf array of players from the London scene, while also nodding towards her roots in the Ibibio culture of southeast Nigeria! Camilla's got a soulful warmth on her horn that reminds us of Gary Bartz at some of his best moments – yet the presentation here is very much her own, and inflected with contributions from a wonderfully rich lineup that includes Daniel Casimir on bass, Sarah Tandy on piano, Rosie Turton on trombone, Sheila Maurice Grey on trumpet, Daru Jones on percussion, Shirley Tetteh on guitar, and Renato Paris on piano and Fender Rhodes – the latter of whom also provides a bit of vocals – as does Sanity, who makes a guest appearance on three tracks with Jones. Titles include "The Long Juju Slave Route Of Arochokwu", "Creation Nnyin Ido Ibibio", "Abasi Enyong", "Ukpong", "Journey Across The Sea", and "Creation Abasi & Atai". CD

Cascading vibes from Behn Gillece – easily one of our favorite contemporary players on his instrument, and a musician who always seems to find a great way to resonate with his bandmates on a session! This date has Gillece mixing his warmly chromatic sound with great contributions from Art Hirahara on piano and Fender Rhodes, Diego Rivera on tenor, Altin Sencalar on trombone, and Patrick Cornelius on alto, soprano, and bass clarinet – musicians who don't all crowd in at once, but are nicely spaced in ways that really help shape the sound of the record when they appear. Rhythm is from Peter Slavov on bass and Vinnie Sperrazza on drums – and the record is filled with great original tunes from Behn – including "Between The Bars", "Mindful Moments", "Roamers", "It's Like Magic", "Due Up Next", "Thinking Cap", "Celestial Lullaby", and "Horizons". CD

In recent years, Behn Gillece has risen to become one of the most consistent musicians on the vibes in jazz – both in terms of his own music, and the ever-growing legacy of records he's been giving us! This set finds Behn at the top of his form – effortlessly ringing out these bold, beautiful notes on the vibes – as he runs through a set of his own compelling compositions, in the company of a sextet who definitely matches his groove! Gillece is a master of color and rhythm throughout – and he's joined here by Stacy Dillard on tenor, Bruce Harris on trumpet, Art Hirahara on piano and Rhodes, David Wong on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – a combo who really keep things lively throughout. Titles include "Break The Ice", "Bossa For RM", "Ready For Tomorrow", "Smoke Screen", "Evening Glow", "Alice's Journey", and "Shadow Of The Flame". CD

A very famous moment from Dizzy Gillespie – tracks from his famous concert at Salle Pleyel, in Paris, from 1953! Gillespie's in fine form throughout – working in a great mix of bop and modern elements, with a few occasional playful touches to please the crowd – but never in a way that cuts into the integrity of his music at all! Players include Bill Graham on alto and tenor, Wade Legge on piano, Lou Hackney on bass, and Al Jones on drums – and Joe Carroll sings guest vocals on a number of tracks. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "The Champ", "The Bluest Blues", "Birk's Works", "Mon Homme", "Ooh Shoo Be Doo Be", "School Days", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", and "Good Bait". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A pair of early albums from the great Gordon Giltrap – both released by Transatlantic Records when Gordon was a very young fellow! The self-titled Gordon Giltrap is a gem from 1968 – a record that has Gordon stepping out as a hell of a guitarist, and a very dark-tinged songwriter – certainly of the generation that was budding with John Renbourn and Bert Jansch – but with a distinct quality that really set Giltrap apart from the rest, maybe making him as much of an individualist as Davy Graham! Although just 18, Giltrap's acoustic guitar work is fantastic– and his vocals are much more biting than some of his contemporaries – almost mean at times. Titles include "Window Pattern", "Blythe Hill", "Won't You Stay Awhile Suzanne", "Don't You Feel Good", "Birth Of Spring", "Don't You Hear Your Mother's Voice", and "Ives Horizon". Portrait is an amazing record – at one level filled with mastery of the 12 string guitar has has Gordon Giltrap matching the best of the Takoma generation in the US – but also graced with vocals that are very distinct, very pointed, and which make the tunes with lyrics such a contrast to the instrumentals! The whole thing is fantastic – a true testament to the legend that has grown up around Giltrap over the years – with titles that include "Thoughts In The Rain", "Never Ending Solitude", "Young Love", "Lucifer's Cage", "Portrait", "Tuxedo", and "Hands Of Fate". CD

One of the strangest records you'll ever buy! Even on our storied pages this one's a bit of anoddball to describe – kind of a sound play of words, songs, noises, and lots of odd effects – an effort of classic rock proportions, but the brainchild of Lol Creme and Kevin Godley after their departure from pop group 10CC. It's nearly impossible to believe how a record like this got made – especially in the year that punk was taking over the British record industry – but the fact that it became an instant cutout may say a lot about its ill-chosen release. Whatever that history, though, the album's a near-legendary one now – some where between Ivor Cutler-esque sound poetry and some of the weirder pop of British mid 70s groups. Peter Cook wrote and performed all the spoken bits on the record, and Sarah Vaughan even makes a guest appearance! LP, Vinyl record album

British tenorist Binker Golding has always been a compelling musician, no matter what the setting – maybe best known for his sharp-edged duo with drummer Moses Boyd – but here really stepping out with a fresh voice that's unlike anything we've heard from him before! There's a warmth, and maybe even a sense of optimism to the music here – a really different quality, but also not one that's too soft, commercial, or anything negative – just a rising up of a voice that Golding really seems to have tapped into with this group! Part of the record's strength is the work of Billy Adamson on guitars, both electric and acoustic – the latter of which really shape the sound in different ways – in a lineup that also features great piano from Sarah Tandy, excellent bass from Daniel Casimir, and drums from Sam Jones. Titles include "Wide Open Lows", "My Two Dads", "Til My Heart Stops", "All Out Of Fairy Tales", and "With What I Know Now". CD

A trio of albums from one of our favorite trumpeters on the European scene! First up is Portrait – a set that stands as a tribute to trumpeter Dusko Goykovich's 70 years on this planet – and a record that features him in a variety of settings too! Other players include Ferdinand Povel on flute and tenor, Tony Lakatos on tenor, Steve Gut on trumpet, Isla Eckinger and Ray Drummond on basses, Abraham Burton on alto, and Kenny Barron and Tommy Flanagan on pianos – on titles that include "Recado Bossa Nova", "Balkan Blue", "Adriatica", "One For Klook", and "Inga". Next is Swinging Macedonia – a legendary German session from the 60s – and a record that really showcases the unusual criss-crossing of modes that was going on in the European scene at the time! There's a very strong MPS vibe here – as trumpeter Dusko Goykovich leads a swinging sextet that includes Nathan Davis on flute, soprano, and tenor – blowing some tremendously soulful reed lines – plus incredible rhythms from Mal Waldron on piano, Peter Trunk on bass, and Cees See on drums. The record's an attempt to bring traditional Macedonian rhythms into a jazz perspective – but with players like these, it swings in a way any Macedonian album never could – damn soulful, and with a great exotic vibe. Davis is especially great, and plays in a soaring modal vein that's similar to his work on his classic MPS sides, and on the records he cut in America in the early 70s. The album's a beautiful session that often get's overlooked because it blends it with the Enja catalog – but it's really more of a record that belongs in an MPS reissue series, and is a great lost groover that's waiting to be rediscovered by the Dusty Groove crowd. Titles include "Macedonia", "Old Fisherman's Daughter", "Jumbo Uganda", "Bem Basha", "Saga Se karame", and "The Nights Of Skopje". Brandenberg Concert features one of the greatest trumpeters on the European scene of the past few decades – heard here in a completely sublime setting! Dusko Goykovich has played in many styles and many ways, but hasn't ever done a date with full strings before – a long-overdue placement for his wonderful tone on trumpet – shimmering out front of a larger ensemble, in the manner of classic "with strings" dates by Dizzy Gillespie or Art Farmer! Altoist Peter King arranged the album – and titles are all originals by Dusko, some of which you might know from earlier records – reworked here beautifully for the new setting. King also solos on a handful of tracks too – a rich voice that provides a nice balance with Dusko's trumpet. Strings are never overdone, and the album's always got a nice swing from a core rhythm trio that features Renato Chicco on piano. Titles include "Good Old Days", "Handful O Soul", "Danca Comigo", "St Germain Des Pres", "Adriatica", "In My Dreams", and "I Miss You So". CD

Prepare to discover your new favorite artist – a tremendously hip cat who never got his due – and who should be held as high on these shores as British talents like Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, or John Martyn! Like all of those three, Davy Graham is a complete original – a guy with an acoustic guitar, but light years beyond familiar folk – often using all these jazzy changes in his style, and mixing his own music with songs by Dylan, The Beatles, Muddy Waters, and even Art Blakey – but all in ways that are completely transformative, and which maybe use the familiar songs just as a way for Graham to show us how individual he can be – because even a song we know sounds nothing like the original. His guitar work is superb – full of all the fresh ideas, unusual phrasings, and special sounds that the best of his generation were bringing to acoustic music – and titles include "Lotus Blossom", "Down Along The Cove", "Stan's Guitar", "Bulgarian Dance", "Buhaina Chant", "I'm Ready", "Getting Better", "Hornpipe For Harpsichord Played Upon Guitar", and "Pretty Polly". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work from an artist we totally totally love – a really unique British singer and guitarist, and one who can effortlessly channel together so many different strands of music, and make them all come together like nobody else at all! Davy Graham draws here from Indian music, American blues, and even some up and coming styles in the folk underground – but the sound here is completely his own, and has a vibe that's as unique, and groundbreaking as some of the better-known British acoustic talents of his generation! Tremendous work throughout – on titles that include "Sunshine Raga", "Both Sides Now", "Electric Chair", "Blue Raga", "Beautiful City", "Tristano", "Bad Boy Blues", and "Bruton Town". CD

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Two Atlanta soul tracks from the 70s – back to back on a funky 45! "Higher Than High" has a great quick-stepping groove – almost a blacksploitation sort of vibe, which is matched by some nice Curtis Mayfield-type changes as the lyrics progress – but served up by Joe Graham in a style that's definitely his own! The flipside has John Edwards working some great magic on a sweet tune by Sam Dees – really opening up that emotion that Sam can bring to a song like "It's Got To Be The Real Thing"! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A classic album from one of the hippest groups on the UK scene of the 50s – Kenny Graham's excellent Afro-Cubists ensemble – an outfit with a sound as great as its name! There's a fair bit of percussion in the approach here – a sound that's definitely informed by the Cubop experiments of Dizzy Gillespie, Machito, and others on the US scene at the end of the 40s – and the music also features some slightly more exotic touches too, served up with an especially well-arranged approach to the horns. In addition to Graham's strong work on tenor, other players on the date include Stan Tracey on piano and vibes, Joe Hunter on trumpet, and Phil Seamen on drums – on titles that include "I'll Get By", "Olwen's Dream", "Swallowin The Blues", "Cuban Fantasy", "Rockin In Rhythm", and "Bongo Chant". CD features 4 bonus tracks – 2 from the album Tenorama, "Teddy Boy" and "Poinciana" – and 2 more from All The Winners, "Mood Indigo" and "Top Score" – played by the Melody Maker All Stars. CD

Sweet modern soul from Larry Graham – a set that's miles from his earlier work, but in a great way that really shows him stretching out in new directions! In keeping with the times, the grooves here are often heavy on the beats, bass, and keys – fused together especially nicely on some cuts that have additional production or arrangement help from George Duke – but still sounding great when Larry's at the helm on his own, and singing with a slightly sharp edge in his vocals. Titles include "Sooner Or Later", "Don't Stop When You're Hot", "Walk Baby Walk", "Hold Up Your Hand", "Easy Love", "Still Thinkin Of You", and "I Feel Good". LP, Vinyl record album

A definite victory for Larry Graham – an album that really put him on top of the early 80s mainstream soul crowd with a great mix of styles! Some of the tunes here are in the bouncy, bubbly mode you might expect from Larry's 70s work – but they're also tuned a bit more towards an 80s groove – basslines brought up from the bottom, and other instrumentation turned towards a clean, lean sound. Other tracks have Graham hitting some of the mellower modes of his Just Be My Lady record – a mature romantic style that showed a whole new side of his talents in this decade. Production, arrangements, and most of the songwriting is handled by Larry – and titles include "You've Been", "Just Call My Name", "I Never Forgot Your Eyes", "Baby", "I'd Rather Be Loving You", and "Victory". LP, Vinyl record album

Larry Graham's definitely got his groove back – and steps out here with his funkiest album in years! Graham's not content to just recall the glory days of Graham Central Station – as he really goes for a nice range of flavors in the set – including a taste of New Orleans, heard in the opening drumline on the record – then echoed by some of the tight horn parts in other sections – even though other numbers move into a tighter electric funky style. As before, the bass is definitely driving the bus on most numbers – and Larry's got help on the set from both Prince and Raphael Saadiq – whose vocals really help expand the sound too. Titles include "Throw N Down The Funk", "Raise Up", "Shoulda Coulda Woulda", "Higher Ground", "Welcome 2 Our World", "Movin", and "One Day". CD

Bass heavy funk from Larry Graham – a record done when he was moving into the solo spotlight a bit more than before, but a set that's still got an undeniable Graham Central Station groove! The tunes are tight, but never too polished – and lie in a sweet little space that's somewhere between Bootsy Collins & Zapp, with all the best elements that both of those artists were showing at the time. A few tunes get a bit more sweetly soulful, but never too much so – just a nice change of pace to showcase Larry's growing confidence in his vocals. Titles include "Sneaky Freak", "Star Walk", "Foxy Lady", "Tonight", "Scream", and "The Entertainer". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary first album by Larry Graham and Graham Central Station – Larry's bold move away from Sly & The Family Stone, and the beginning of a new dynasty in mainstream funk! Larry's bass work really drives the set along – pushing the riffing guitars over the top of the heavy drums in a style that's tight, but never too "easy" – still with enough of the raw energy of his roots, despite the later crossover fame of the set. All tracks are Graham originals – except for a version of Al Green's "It Ain't No Fun To Me" – and titles include "Tell Me What It Is", "Ghetto", "Can You Handle It?", "Hair", "We Be's Gettin' Down", and "People". CD

The legendary first album by Larry Graham and Graham Central Station – Larry's bold move away from Sly & The Family Stone, and the beginning of a new dynasty in mainstream funk! Larry's bass work really drives the set along – pushing the riffing guitars over the top of the heavy drums in a style that's tight, but never too "easy" – still with enough of the raw energy of his roots, despite the later crossover fame of the set. All tracks are Graham originals – except for a version of Al Green's "It Ain't No Fun To Me" – and titles include "Tell Me What It Is", "Ghetto", "Can You Handle It?", "Hair", "We Be's Gettin' Down", and "People". LP, Vinyl record album

Larry Graham and crew are definitely going for a fuller sound on this set – starting off the record with a funky marching band, in Tusk-like fashion – then rolling into some bass-heavy funk that tops even their previous records for tightness! The groove is a key element in the growth of west coast funk in the 70s – bass in the lead, but keyboards percolating in all over the place, in a style that's almost got touches of jazz – and which sets the stage for many of the Zapp-sounding projects of the future! A surprisingly great little record – and one we like almost better than the first few! Titles include "Love", "Mirror", "Entrow", "Do Yah", "Save Me", and "I Got A Reason". CD

Larry Graham and crew are definitely going for a fuller sound on this set – starting off the record with a funky marching band, in Tusk-like fashion – then rolling into some bass-heavy funk that tops even their previous records for tightness! The groove is a key element in the growth of west coast funk in the 70s – bass in the lead, but keyboards percolating in all over the place, in a style that's almost got touches of jazz – and which sets the stage for many of the Zapp-sounding projects of the future. Titles include "Love", "Mirror", "Entrow", "Do Yah", "Save Me", and "I Got A Reason". LP, Vinyl record album

The title song from one of the early hip hop movie classics! The track's an ode to the film's slain graffitti writer Raheim, and one of the last dope Melle Mel/Furious Five tracks. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Maybe the first vocal album we've heard on London's Jazz Refreshed label, but one that really lives up to the high quality of the imprint's legacy of well-chosen music! Sofia Grant's got this style that warmly wraps around the jazzier backings of the music – relatively lean on most numbers, in a way that seems to have Grant pushing the more soulful qualities of her voice with these really nice inflections – not like standard jazz vocals, but also not commercial either, given that the presentation of the album is relatively laidback and easygoing. Sofia handled production and arrangements herself – and the set features guest trumpet from Poppy Daniels and flute from Sarah Wackett – on titles that include "Walk On Water", "Extinction", "Circular Motion", "Ochre", and "Storm". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner! Al Green returns to the glorious, exuberant soul brilliance of the Hi Records years for his Blue Note debut – an amazing return to form that we could kick ourselves for not anticipating! Al Green asserted long, long ago that he had no intention of ever making another secular soul album – and God bless Rev. Green for turning around on that. Of course we wouldn't try to tell you that anything on I Can't Stop is as revelatory as "I'm Still In Love With You" or "Let's Stay Together", but a lot of it comes pretty damn close, believe or not. Al's voice has held up almost unbelievably well over the years, having picked up just enough rough edges to make Willie Mitchell's wonderfully tight, smooth and heavy Memphis soul arrangements that much more striking, but still hitting those knee-shaking high notes and that famous vibrato. And yes, you read the previous sentence correctly – the legendary Willie Mitchell's back in Al's corner for the set – and his horn-drenched Memphis sound is as big and beautiful as ever. If projects like this are going to characterize how Blue Note is going to spend all of that Norah Jones money, we should nominate that girl for president next time. Let's hope Al and Willie live up to the title and keep on going after this one. Another classic from one of the greatest artist/producer teams in the history of modern music! 12 tracks in all, including "I Can't Stop", "Play To Win", "Rainin' In My Heart", "You", "Not Tonight", "Million To One", "Too Many" and more. CD

A wicked late Blue Note album from Grant Green – quite different than his smaller combo work from the early years, and done with some great larger arrangements that feature some ultra-hip vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten! Wooten's as great here as on his famous work with the Ninteenth Whole, and his vibes bring a nice edge to the record – ringing out in bold chromatic tones behind Green's guitar – amidst some warm electric backings that feature keyboards from Emmanuel Riggins, drums from Idris Muhammad, and congas from Ray Armando. Wade Marcus helped a bit on the music, and there's some tracks that definitely show his sophisti-soul touches – and the whole thing's almost got a CTI-funk sort of feel overall – with a great undercurrent of soul, no matter what the choice of material. Titles include a very groovy version of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" – plus "Cantaloupe Woman", "Blues For Abraham", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Love On A Two Way Street", and "We've Only Just Begun". CD

A wicked late Blue Note album from Grant Green – quite different than his smaller combo work from the early years, and done with some great larger arrangements that feature some ultra-hip vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten! Wooten's as great here as on his famous work with the Ninteenth Whole, and his vibes bring a nice edge to the record – ringing out in bold chromatic tones behind Green's guitar – amidst some warm electric backings that feature keyboards from Emmanuel Riggins, drums from Idris Muhammad, and congas from Ray Armando. Wade Marcus helped a bit on the music, and there's some tracks that definitely show his sophisti-soul touches – and the whole thing's almost got a CTI-funk sort of feel overall – with a great undercurrent of soul, no matter what the choice of material. Titles include a very groovy version of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" – plus "Cantaloupe Woman", "Blues For Abraham", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Love On A Two Way Street", and "We've Only Just Begun". LP, Vinyl record album

A warm tribute to the great Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and one that features Griffin's trombone in a group with Gary Bartz on alto sax, Stanley Cowell on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and either Billy Hart or Idris Muhammad on drums – all wonderful players who really fit the soulful spirit of the session. The material is hardly a batch of easy covers of Kirk tunes, and instead features some really wonderful numbers penned by Griffin – tunes filled with all the sense of soul and joy that Rahsaan brought to his own music. Titles include "There Is A Time For Love", "Darkness Of Duke", "It's About That Time", "A Dream For Rahsaan", and "Come Dance With Me". LP, Vinyl record album

With Carlos Vega, Jimmy Johnson, Paulinho Da Costa, Alex Acuna, Harvey Mason, and Abraham Laboriel. LP, Vinyl record album

Don Grusin on piano, keyboards and vocoder, Gary Herbig on saxophone, Oscar Castro-Neves, Lee Ritenour and Michael Sembello on guitar, Michael Boddicker on synth, Abraham Laboriel and Nathan East on bass, Alex Acuna on drums, and Efrain Toro and Steve Forman on percussion with Kate Markowitz on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from bassist Charlie Haden and his Quartet West – a lovely look back at the styles and chanteuses of the 50s & 60s noirish jazz – with some lush strings accompaniment and guest vocalists including Cassandra Wilson, Melody Gardot, Norah Jones, Ruth Cameron and Diana Krall! It's the kind of thing that could come of hokey without a genuine love if the material in the mix, and the Haden & co. pull it off wonderfully. The quartet players include Ernie Watts on tenor, Alan Broadbent on piano and Rodney Green on drums. Includes "If I'm Lucky" with Melody Gardot, "Sophisticated Lady", "Today I Am A Man", "Ill Wind" with Norah Jones, "My Love And I" with Cassandra Wilson, "Theme From 'Markham'", "Angel Faces", "Goodbye" with Diana Krall, "Wahoo" and more. CD

Graham Halliwell performs on saxophone using feedback and electronic processing, accompanied by field recordings from Lee Patterson, who also performs on various amplified devices. CD

One more amazing chapter in the mighty development of drummer Chico Hamilton – a killer 70s session for Blue Note – and a record that goes way beyond his earlier experiments of the 50s, modal grooves of the 60s, and funk work for the Flying Dutchman label! The style here is fusion, but way fresher than the usual type – neither jamming rock-styled, nor mellow and smooth – and instead always tickled by Hamilton's sense of a unique rhythm, and his continued great ear for inventive use of reeds – in this case handled by Arthur Blythe on alto and Arnie Lawrence on soprano and tenor sax. The set's also got Steve Turre on bass and trombone, and both Barry Finnerty and Joe Beck on electric guitars – but the real genius is Chico himself, who handled arrangements and wrote most of the album's great tracks. Titles include the exotic number "Abdullah & Abraham" – plus "Andy's Walk", "Peregrinations", "It's About That Time", "Sweet Dreams", "On & Off", "Little Lisa", and "Space For Stacy". CD

An incredible session from the legendary Tribe Records scene – an equal effort from leader Doug Hammond and keyboardist David Durrah, who contributes some groundbreaking Fender Rhodes and moog work to the set! Hammond handles drums plus a bit of vocals and synthesizer on the session – working alongside Durrah in a groove that mixes electric and acoustic instrumentation into a totally righteous sound with lots of heavy Afro Jazz leanings. A number of tracks feature great vocals from Hammond – righteous, and with a beautifully soulful message-oriented approach – and a few other tracks, such as the classic "Space I" and "Space II", feature a sparer all-electric sound. The whole thing's wonderful – skittishly rhythmic, warmly flowing, and righteously beautiful. Titles include "Sea Of Nurnen", "Fidalgo Detour", "Reflections", "Space II", and "For Real". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Wayne Shorter on saxophone and Dave Holland on bass – plus vocals from Leonard Cohen, Norah Jones, Tina Turner, Luciana Souza, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Joni Mitchell herself! CD

Just when you thought Prince Paul and Cat Power would never make a record together PRESTO – it's the new Handsome Boy album! HBMS takes a bit more of a chillout tack with this long overdue second opus – with lots of laidback beats and samples, and a surprising amount of live instrumentation! The gleeful, sarcastic comedy of the stellar first album remains intact, with some genuinely amusing skits (including one with Jay Z appearing under the pseudonym Hines Buchanan), and the deep range of guest vocalists isn't as surprising as how strong their work is in the best tunes. It would have been pretty easy for Prince Paul and Automator to find a bunch of interesting names to flesh out their big pop culture frappe, but something else altogether to make trippy hip hop tracks featuring Cat Power and the Hieroglyphics make sense on the same record. A pretty solid set from the most adventurous pseudo duo in the game! Guests include Del The Funky Homosapien, De La Soul, RZA, Lord Finesse, AG, Rahzel, Jazzy Jay, Qbert, Mike Patton, Casual, Hieroglyphics, Grand Wizard Theodore, El-P, John Oates, Pharrell, Kid Koala, and George W. Bush (just kidding). Tracks include "If It Wasn't For You" with De La, "Are You Down With It" with Mike Patton, "The World's Gone Mad" with Del and others, "It's Like That" with Casual, "I've Been Thinking" with Cat Power, "Rock And Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This) Pt 2" featuring Lord Finesse, Qbert and others,"First. . .And Then" featuring Dres from Black Sheep, "A Day In The Life" featuring RZA, AZ and others and more, plus intro/outro by Father Guido Sarducci. LP, Vinyl record album

Hanrahan's 3rd LP for American Clave – and slightly more of a confused effort than the first two, although still with a tremendous vision that marks it as an incredibly lucky bit of work to come out of the often-turgid New York scene of the mid 80s! Hanrahan's got no qualms about baring himself in the vocal numbers of the songs – and the range of performers (Milton Cardona, Jack Bruce, Leo Nocentelli, Charles Neville, and many others) he's got to back him up, ensure that his vision is handled with the right degree of professional courtesy. Titles include "Ah Intruder", "Road Song", "The First & Last To Love Me", "American Clave", "Love Is Like A Cigarette", and "A Model Bronx Childhood". LP, Vinyl record album

Always the master storyteller, Kip Hanrahan turns his unique musical vision to source material from 1001 Arabian Nights – interweaving stories from the text with jazz-based expression, augmented by spoken and vocal passages. Carmen Lundy sings quite a bit on the record – which is a real treat to our ears, as its great to hear her in such a left-field project – and other artists on the set include Don Pullen, Milton Cardona, Mike Cain, Jack Bruce, JT Lewis, and Henry Threadgill. Tracks include "Diente De Oro", "Aziz & Azizah", "Dunya's Nocturnal Realization", "The Hasheater's Tale", "The Angel Charles & The Caravans Of Jinns & Dreams", and "The Jewish Doctor's Tale". CD

Wonderful stuff – one of Kip Hanrahan's unique albums recorded for American Clave during the mid 80s, a daring blend of jazz, vocals, and influences from various Latin sources. The players on the set are as diverse as the sounds – and incluce Jack Bruce, Milton Cardona, Steve Swallow, Arto Lindsay, David Murray, and Hanrahan on percussion – and although the album should just sound like a mess, it ends up coming across wonderfully, with some of the most daringly intimate vocal tracks recorded in the jazz field during the 80s. Titles include "Shadow Song", "Small Map Of Heaven", "Two Heartedly", "Chances Are Good", "Make Love 2", "What Do You Think", and "Describing It To Yourself As Convex". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal bit of Japanese rock from the early 70s – performed by a group that included Haruomi Hosono, and who has a style that borrows from the best of the LA scene of the late 60s! The tunes are extremely catchy – done in a folksy style that has compressed guitars and spacious production that evoke bits of The Byrds, Graham Parsons, Beau Brummels, late Association, and some of our other favorite work from those magical years. Lyrics are all in Japanese, but sung in a simple and compelling style that somehow makes you forget that fact! CD

A seminal bit of Japanese rock from the early 70s – performed by a group that included Haruomi Hosono, and who has a style that borrows from the best of the LA scene of the late 60s! The tunes are extremely catchy – done in a folksy style that has compressed guitars and spacious production that evoke bits of The Byrds, Graham Parsons, Beau Brummels, late Association, and some of our other favorite work from those magical years. Lyrics are all in Japanese, but sung in a simple and compelling style that somehow makes you forget that fact! LP, Vinyl record album

The lovely Francoise Hardy is one of our favorite singers in 60s French pop – and here she tells the story behind her music and her long and storied career – all with a voice that's nicely different than the one she uses in her tunes, and which gives us a whole different version of an artist that we already love! This is the first translation of Hardy's book into English, done by Jon E Graham – and the story moves up to the final years of the 20th Century, and offers a glimpse into Francoise life long past her hit records on the charts, to show the evolving challenges and triumphs of an artist who kept on creating, and challenging the world around her. 309 pages, hardcover, with some black and white images. Book

The first album to document a great new chapter in the career of drummer Billy Hart – his ultra-hip quartet with saxophonist Mark Turner and pianist Ethan Iverson – both younger players who have brought back a real edge to his music! The group has a very different feel than some of the other recent "revival" projects by older jazz drummers – and the focus here is extremely equal, if not even more heavily weighted towards, the younger members of the group. Turner's tenor has all the dark tones and edgey post-Shorter modes heard on his best albums under his own name – and Iverson's angular piano lines revel in a style that's almost in the legacy of Andrew Hill, but more swinging overall. Hart's rhythms are as fluid and complex as ever – making nice use of the cymbals on the fringe, but returning home to the core of the kit when a tighter groove is needed. Titles include "Mellow B", "Lorca", "Irah", "Lullaby For Mike", "Iverson's Odyssey", "Neon", "Charvez", and "Moment's Notice". CD

Features Billy Hart on drums – with Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Ralph Moore on tenor, Dave Liebman on soprano, Bill Frisell on guitar, Kenny Kirkland on piano, and Eddie Gomez or Buster Williams on bass! CD

A warmly well-crafted second set from the trio of pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Ben Street, and drummer Billy Hart – one that has an even more cohesive, group-directed vibe than their debut! The setting's a bit different, the group have grown a lot together, and there's a resonance here that's wonderful – with Hays' piano ringing out on all these long, lyrical lines – as Street wraps things together with a sense of flowing spirit – and Billy Hart continues to be a mature master showing that less is often more on the drums! The approach is maybe illustrated perfectly on the group's take on "With A Little Help From My Friends" – which could be a thematic title for the album – but the whole thing's great too, on titles that include "Song For Peace", "Irah", "Throughout", "Butterfly", "Capricorn", and a very fresh take on Milton Nascimento's classic "Bridges". CD

A warmly well-crafted second set from the trio of pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Ben Street, and drummer Billy Hart – one that has an even more cohesive, group-directed vibe than their debut! The setting's a bit different, the group have grown a lot together, and there's a resonance here that's wonderful – with Hays' piano ringing out on all these long, lyrical lines – as Street wraps things together with a sense of flowing spirit – and Billy Hart continues to be a mature master showing that less is often more on the drums! The approach is maybe illustrated perfectly on the group's take on "With A Little Help From My Friends" – which could be a thematic title for the album – but the whole thing's great too, on titles that include "Song For Peace", "Irah", "Throughout", "Butterfly", "Capricorn", and a very fresh take on Milton Nascimento's classic "Bridges". CD

A warmly well-crafted second set from the trio of pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Ben Street, and drummer Billy Hart – one that has an even more cohesive, group-directed vibe than their debut! The setting's a bit different, the group have grown a lot together, and there's a resonance here that's wonderful – with Hays' piano ringing out on all these long, lyrical lines – as Street wraps things together with a sense of flowing spirit – and Billy Hart continues to be a mature master showing that less is often more on the drums! The approach is maybe illustrated perfectly on the group's take on "With A Little Help From My Friends" – which could be a thematic title for the album – but the whole thing's great too, on titles that include "Song For Peace", "Irah", "Throughout", "Butterfly", "Capricorn", and a very fresh take on Milton Nascimento's classic "Bridges". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Abraham Burton on tenor and David Hazeltine on piano. CD

Drummer Louis Hayes always finds a way of working with great groups – and here he's got an especially well-chosen lineup with Abraham Burton on tenor and Steve Nelson on vibes! Both players ring out with this strongly soulful vibe that's clearly inspired by the leader – Burton's very deep tones a perfect complement to some of the sharper, more modern lines from Nelson – driven strongly by the work of David Bryant on piano and the excellent Dezron Douglas on bass. Hayes' power can be felt strongly, even in mellower moments – and Nelson's oft-percussive approach to his tones makes for an excellent choice for the group. Titles include "Shape Shifting", "Groovin For Nat", "Soul Leo", "Simple Pleasures", "Vagabond Ron", and "Lou's Idea". CD

With David Sanchex on tenor sax, Kenny Garrett on alto and soprano sax, Graham Haynes on flugelhorn, and David Kikoski on piano. CD

Anthony Hervey on trumpet and vocals, Sarah Hanahan on alto saxophone, Isaiah J Thompson and Sean Mason on piano, Philip Norris on bass and Miguel Russell on drums. CD

One of the most unusual entries in this amazing set of releases from the Habibi Funk label – a set that's definitely what's promised in the title – in that Ibrahim Hesnawi delivers a really unique take on the sound of Kingston! The music is certainly in a rhythm that echoes conventional reggae, but the instrumentation is often nicely different, with ties to some of the more mainstream Mid-East modes of the period, especially on the keyboards – a quality that's also echoed in the lyrics here, which on most tracks are in Libyan Arabic, with phrasing that's miles away from the world of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff! Titles include "Only World", "Tayr Al Salma", "Kesati", "Enti", "Watany Al Kabir", "Tendme", and "Fouhi Ya Nesma". CD

One of the most unusual entries in this amazing set of releases from the Habibi Funk label – a set that's definitely what's promised in the title – in that Ibrahim Hesnawi delivers a really unique take on the sound of Kingston! The music is certainly in a rhythm that echoes conventional reggae, but the instrumentation is often nicely different, with ties to some of the more mainstream Mid-East modes of the period, especially on the keyboards – a quality that's also echoed in the lyrics here, which on most tracks are in Libyan Arabic, with phrasing that's miles away from the world of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff! Titles include "Only World", "Tayr Al Salma", "Kesati", "Enti", "Watany Al Kabir", "Tendme", and "Fouhi Ya Nesma". LP, Vinyl record album

Two beautifully righteous albums from an obscure Bay Area group – presented here together in a single set! The first record is their debut album Truly Free – a set that has spiritual voices served up in a more secular style – still very message-oriented, and righteous enough to live up to their Sunni Muslim identity, but with a warmth that's also very soulful too – although presented without much instrumentation on some of the tracks, which only seems to enhance the warmth of their music. There's definitely currents here that resonate strongly with more progressive underground soul work of the period – and titles include "Deadly Deceiver", "Wake Up", "Rise Of A Mighty People", "Faith & Deeds", and "We Are Rising". Next is the unreleased album Time – a set from a few years later, and one that still has great vocals from the group, but backed with sounds that are a bit more borrowed from mainstream soul – still nicely far from commercial music, and imbued with a very righteous message – but carried forward with a bit more bassline and groove. Titles include "Choices", "I Don't Want To Die", "Remote Control", "At The Top", "Time", and "Possibilities". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Art Hirahara is a player who keeps winning us over with each new release – a wonderfully sensitive musician and thoughtful composer, but also one who's got a great way with a soaring, swinging sound as well! Part of that latter quality comes here from the superb accompaniment of Boris Kozlov on bass and Rudy Royston on drums – players who've worked with Hirahara before, and who seem born into his energy with their efforts – rising up as a cohesive whole to bring vision to the album's all original tracks – material penned by Hirahara, with a few by Kozlov as well. Titles include "Ali Blu", "Spider's Dance", "Mia Bella", "Major Waltz", "To The Sky", and "Echo Canyon". CD

Wonderful work from The Hollies – from a time when the group was moving way past simple Brit Invasion pop – as you 'can probably guess from the cover and title! The Hollies hit a really special sort of sound here – slightly trippy, but still razor-sharp – making great use of the voice of Graham Nash, and also getting some perfect assistance on arrangements from Mike Vickers – who knows how to be ambitious with arrangements, but still keep things very focused! The tunes are overflowing with new ideas, but are still super-catchy too – and titles include "Water On The Brain", "Then The Heartaches Begin", "Rain On The Window", "Games We Play", "Lullaby To Tim", and "When Your Light Turned On". LP, Vinyl record album

A bundle of soul from Freddie Hubbard – one that has him blowing beautifully over full arrangements from Bert DeCoteux – the 70s super-soul maestro who really brings a new sound to Hubbard's music! The style's a bit smoother than other Freddie albums of the time, but still really great – a wonderful plenty of his well-timed, well-punctuated work on trumpet with warm grooves supplied by Bert – filled with instrumentation that includes David T Walker on guitar, Ernie Watts on sax and flute, Azar Lawrence on tenor, David Garfield on keyboards, and even Dorothy Ashby on flute. Titles include "Portrait Of Jenny", "Rainy Day Song", "Bundle Of Joy", "From Now On", "From Behind", and "Rahsaan". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Some of the most beautiful work we've ever heard from this legendary pianist – and that's really saying a lot, given how many beautiful records Abdullah Ibrahim has given us over the years! The set expands from Ibrahim's solo performance for Gearbox Records, and takes things into a trio – but a different format than the usual piano trio mode – as bassist Noah Jackson also plays cello, and instead of drums the group's third member is Cleave Guyton Jr, who blows both flute and piccolo in very unique ways! The setup really changes the usual approach that you might know from Abdullah, in a way that shows just how fluid and open his ideas are even at this point in his career – a time when so many others would be content to just rehash the past. All material was recorded live at the Barbican in London – but the first half uses the wide expanse of the room without an audience present, and the second then presents different songs recorded live with a full concert setting. Titles include "Nisa", "The Wedding", "Mindif", "Water From An Ancient Well", "Blue Bolero", "Skippy", "Giant Steps", "Barakat", "Tsakwe", "Krotoa/Crystal Clear", and "Ishmael". CD

Some of the most beautiful work we've ever heard from this legendary pianist – and that's really saying a lot, given how many beautiful records Abdullah Ibrahim has given us over the years! The set expands from Ibrahim's solo performance for Gearbox Records, and takes things into a trio – but a different format than the usual piano trio mode – as bassist Noah Jackson also plays cello, and instead of drums the group's third member is Cleave Guyton Jr, who blows both flute and piccolo in very unique ways! The setup really changes the usual approach that you might know from Abdullah, in a way that shows just how fluid and open his ideas are even at this point in his career – a time when so many others would be content to just rehash the past. All material was recorded live at the Barbican in London – but the first half uses the wide expanse of the room without an audience present, and the second then presents different songs recorded live with a full concert setting. Titles include "Nisa", "The Wedding", "Mindif", "Water From An Ancient Well", "Blue Bolero", "Skippy", "Giant Steps", "Barakat", "Tsakwe", "Krotoa/Crystal Clear", and "Ishmael". LP, Vinyl record album

A larger suite of tracks by Abdullah Ibrahim – performed by a core trio that includes Belden Bullock on bass and George Gray on drums, plus additional orchestral backing arranged by Daniel Schnyder. The feel of the album's quite different than some of Ibrahim's other work – less rhythmically-focused, and more concerned with sound, shape, and tone – in a way that's incredibly captivating, and which makes us love Ibrahim's music even more. Titles include "Mindif", "The Call", "Barakaat", "Aspen", "Tintinyana", "Tsakwe", and "Blanton". CD

Beautiful solo work from pianist Abdullah Ibrahim – a player with a sound so rich and rhythmic, his sessions like this are often every bit as captivating as his trio and group recordings! There's a really special sort of poetry going on here – first in the way that Ibrahim brings out these unusual tones in the piano – a warmth that almost feels like a Fender Rhodes at times, even though the instrument is acoustic – secondly in the structure of the tunes, which are sometimes short and very poetic – packing a lot of meaning into just a very short space in sound! To balance that out, the record has many different selections – twenty in all – some older compositions reworked, some less familiar. Titles include "Sotho Blue", "District 6", "Tokai", "Blues For A Hip King", "In Tempo", "Dreamtime", "Nisa", "Mindiff", "Trieste My Love", and "Signal On The Hill". CD

Beautiful solo work from pianist Abdullah Ibrahim – a player with a sound so rich and rhythmic, his sessions like this are often every bit as captivating as his trio and group recordings! There's a really special sort of poetry going on here – first in the way that Ibrahim brings out these unusual tones in the piano – a warmth that almost feels like a Fender Rhodes at times, even though the instrument is acoustic – secondly in the structure of the tunes, which are sometimes short and very poetic – packing a lot of meaning into just a very short space in sound! To balance that out, the record has many different selections – twenty in all – some older compositions reworked, some less familiar. Titles include "Sotho Blue", "District 6", "Tokai", "Blues For A Hip King", "In Tempo", "Dreamtime", "Nisa", "Mindiff", "Trieste My Love", and "Signal On The Hill". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful solo work from pianist Abdullah Ibrahim – a player with a sound so rich and rhythmic, his sessions like this are often every bit as captivating as his trio and group recordings! There's a really special sort of poetry going on here – first in the way that Ibrahim brings out these unusual tones in the piano – a warmth that almost feels like a Fender Rhodes at times, even though the instrument is acoustic – secondly in the structure of the tunes, which are sometimes short and very poetic – packing a lot of meaning into just a very short space in sound! To balance that out, the record has many different selections – twenty in all – some older compositions reworked, some less familiar. Titles include "Sotho Blue", "District 6", "Tokai", "Blues For A Hip King", "In Tempo", "Dreamtime", "Nisa", "Mindiff", "Trieste My Love", and "Signal On The Hill". CD

Includes the songs "Imam", "Zikr", "For Monk", "Zimbabwe", "Mandela", "The Mountain", "Pule (Rain)", "Chisa", "Toi-Toi", "Calypso Minor", "Tsidi", "Cape Town", "African Marketplace",and "Mountain Of The Night". CD

One of the great larger group recordings that pianist Abdullah Ibrahim gave us in the 80s – from a moment when he was able to use added horns to really expand that amazing sense of color and rhythm he'd brought to his music on earlier trio recordings! There's a sense of musical vision here that really lives up to Abdullah's majestic look on the cover – a fantastic merging of flute and tenor from John Stubblefield, soprano and alto from Horace Alexander Young, tuba and baritone from Howard Johnson, and trombone from Robin Eubanks – all vibrant horn players who seem to have just about every tone and mood covered with their horns – given this wonderfully warm support from Buster Williams on bass, and Brian Adams on drums. All titles are originals by the leader – and tunes include "Chisa", "Sweet Samba", "Duke 88", "The Wedding", and "Joan Capetown Flower". CD

One of the great larger group recordings that pianist Abdullah Ibrahim gave us in the 80s – from a moment when he was able to use added horns to really expand that amazing sense of color and rhythm he'd brought to his music on earlier trio recordings! There's a sense of musical vision here that really lives up to Abdullah's majestic look on the cover – a fantastic merging of flute and tenor from John Stubblefield, soprano and alto from Horace Alexander Young, tuba and baritone from Howard Johnson, and trombone from Robin Eubanks – all vibrant horn players who seem to have just about every tone and mood covered with their horns – given this wonderfully warm support from Buster Williams on bass, and Brian Adams on drums. All titles are originals by the leader – and tunes include "Chisa", "Sweet Samba", "Duke 88", "The Wedding", and "Joan Capetown Flower". CD

Really fantastic material from legendary pianist Abdullah Ibrahim – a set cut with a larger group of musicians, which we like even more than Ibrahim's work in a solo or trio format! The group here is his Ekaya ensemble – who flesh out Abdullah's larger musical ideas in a really great way – providing this sensitive soul and spirit for his work on piano – which, after all these years, still echoes the rhythmic impulses that made him such a standout in the 60s – but which also has this matured approach to color and tone that's really wonderful – and beautifully illuminated by the group! Players include Cleave Guyton Jr on alto and flute, Lance Bryant on tenor, Andrea Murchison on trombone, and Marshall McDonald on baritone – and the rhythm section features great work from Will Terrill on drums, and Noah Jackson on bass and cello. Titles include "Jabula", "Tuangu Guru", "ZB2", "Dreamtime", "Nisa", "Tonegawa", and "Devotion". LP, Vinyl record album