A spiritual jazz classic – one of the rarest albums of its type from the 70s! This legendary session was recorded by Roy Ayers' keyboardist Harry Whitaker – working here as the leader of the Black Renaissance group, a one-shot ensemble that featured Woody Shaw on trumpet, Azar Lawrence on saxes, Buster Williams on bass, and Mtume on percussion. The session was cut in New York in 1976, but only issued on a rare album that came out briefly in Japan. Yet somehow, the quality of the work and the depth of soulfulness have created a strong aura about the session – making it an oft-cited influence by a generation of DJs and soul jazz listeners. The album only features 2 long tracks – both of them strong ensemble numbers that build modally searching grooves in a Strata East-like style, peppered with voices, both sung and spoken, in a hip, socially conscious mode. Both tracks – "Black Renaissance" and "Magic Ritual" are excellent, on a par with the best 70s spiritual soul jazz! LP, Vinyl record album

Gianluca Petrella has come a long way since his initial work as a straight jazz trombonist – and has really risen up with his Cosmic Renaissance project as a bold messenger of righteous energy in the 21st Century! The set's just an EP, but it's got a flowing, spiritual quality that makes the whole thing feel much fuller overall – core instrumentation from Petrella on a variety of instruments, and a small combo that features percussion from Riccardo Di Vinci and trumpet from Mirco Rubegni – but with key work from guests who include Soweto Kinch on vocals and tenor on the track "Universal Language" – and Anna Bassy on vocals on the cut "Connection (revisited)". Other tracks include "Universal Message"," Mutation", and "Universal Language (revisited)". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful project from Gianluca Petrella – one that seems to take all the deeper currents he used in his work with Nicola Conte, and push them even farther here on his own! There's a righteous depth to the record we never would have expected from Petrella a few years before – an album-length set that's full of jazz and soul, equally intertwined – with a quality that almost feels a lot more like some of the best London work in recent years than some of the more familiar modes we know from the Schema label. Petrella's at the helm of the proceedings, leading the group on trombone – and there's plenty of key guests on the record throughout – including Soweto Kinch on tenor and vocals, Beppe Scardino on baritone, Pasquale Calo on tenor, Vanja Contu on harp, and Anna Bassy on vocals. Titles include "Nomads", "Ancient Jazz", "Unknown Dimension", "Natsu", "Comes From The Ground", "Universal Language", "Wonder", and "Connection". LP, Vinyl record album

A massively sweet groover from Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes – smoother and warmer than some of his earlier albums, with a really soulful fusion vibe – and this perfect mix of jazz, funk, and soul that really takes Smith's music to a whole new level! Lonnie plays acoustic piano and "electric colorations" – working with a group that includes brother Donald on flute and vocals, Dave Hubbard on trumpet, and Leon Pendarvis on clavinet – and the whole thing's got a laidback, superdope feel that shows Smith at the top of his game – working earlier spiritual jazz currents into a tighter groove for the 70s, but never losing his soul at all! There's still a nice degree of spirituality to the set, and titles include "Renaissance", "Space Lady", "Between Here & There", "Mardis Gras", "Starlight & You", "Song Of Love", and "Mongotee". LP, Vinyl record album

A previously unreleased live date from late in the career of Ben Webster – recorded at The Renaissance in Hollywood in 1960, but unissued until nearly 25 years later! The group features Jim Hall on guitar, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – and tracks are all longish, and live-feeling – with that sense of fragility that marked some of Webster's later recordings in this mode, and even further deepened the humanity in his tone. And while the recording quality is definitely "live" at times, Ben's tone comes through loud and clear – different than on some of the tighter Verve recordings of a few years before, but in a way that's really great. Titles include "Georgia On My Mind, "Caravan", "Stardust", and "Ole Miss Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A definite renaissance for Beyonce – and a set that continues the surprisingly strong run she began with Lemonade! This set's the first in a planned trilogy, but is already more than enough of a step forward on its own – as Beyonce carefully mixes pop pleasures and more thoughtful moments, mainstream inclinations and more underground inspirations – all at a level that we never would have guessed when she first got started many years back! Titles include "America Has A Problem", "Alien Superstar", "Break My Soul", "Virgo's Groove", "All Up In Your Mind", "Church Girl", "Pure/Honey", "Move", "Heated", "Thique", "Cuff It", "Cozy", and "Summer Renaissance". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from this great pianist – one of his few dates as a leader, and maybe the boldest of them all – as the session really soars with a heck of a lot of spiritual energy! The vibe here is maybe more in the Muse Records side of the spectrum than Strata East, but that's OK with us as the whole thing really soars with all this searching, modal energy – delivered by a very cool group that features Carter Jefferson on soprano and tenor sax, Cecil McBee on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums! Cheryl Alexander sings on one track – giving the record a slightly soulful vibe. Titles include "Dues We Have To Pay", "Black Raspberry", "I Love You", "Gee Monetti", and "Autumn Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning debut from Doomcannon – a set that's billed as a love letter to his native London, and which bristles with the best sort of experimental energy of that city's contemporary scene! As with work from some of his contemporaries, Doomcannon has a way of taking jazz roots and pushing them way past conventional generic descriptions – handling most of the instruments here himself, in a blend of acoustic and electric elements – soaring drums one minute, a found sound the next, echoed by a moody keyboard line, or a dreamy trumpet solo – and opening the door to so many other elements along the way! Very much in the spirit of Chicago experiments from International Anthem, too – with titles that include "Thesis", "Amalgamation", "Black Liberation", "This Too", "Times", "Dark Ages", and "Entrance To The Unknown". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the best work so far from this really wonderful group – a magnificent match of the keyboards of Robert Glasper, the saxophones of Terrace Martin and Kamasi Washington, and the superb production talents of 9th Wonder – all working together in a stunning blend of jazz, soul, funk, and hip hop! The tunes have a sharpness and focus that's even more powerful than previous work by the lineup – like they've really found that special space where the all-stars can come together in a united voice that really soars – working with key contributions from Phoelix on vocals, alongside Arin Ray and Ant Clemons. Titles include "Insane", "Watts Renaissance", "For Granted", "Secure", "Can't Go", "The Lower East Side", "Love Love", and "Answered Prayer". LP, Vinyl record album

No need to be cautious here – as the album's the sort you can jump into right away – thanks to some wicked grooves from legendary guitarist Calvin Keys! Calvin's had a great revival in recent years, but this album's the stuff that first put him on the map – a brilliant early date for the Black Jazz label, done in a unique blend of spiritual and soul jazz modes! Keys' guitar has a sharper focus here than on his other 70s set for the label – and he's working with some beautifully complex arrangements, played by a group that includes Charles Owens on tenor, soprano sax, and flute – plus Kirk Lightsey on electric piano, Henry Franklin on bass, Oscar Brashear on trumpet, Owen Marshall on percussion, and Ndugu Chancler on drums. Most titles are originals – and tunes include the nice groover "Aunt Lovey", plus "Tradewinds", "Night Cry", "Renaissance", and "Efflugence". LP, Vinyl record album