One of our favorite Bobby Hutcherson albums ever – and a magical session filled with electric Latin vibes! The album's quite a different one for Bobby at the time – as it has him working with some larger arrangements, in a soulful west coast groove that's almost got the feel of a hip 70s soundtrack. Bobby's vibes are nicely set up against Fender Rhodes on most tracks – and the group's got some added Latin percussion that really opens up the rhythms. The whole thing's totally wonderful – brimming over with sun and soul, the kind of magic record that will never be made again! Tracks include "Camel Rise", "Yuyo", "Montara", "La Malanga", "Little Angel", and "Love Song". CD

A very different picture of the British scene than you might know from the worlds of classic rock and chart hits of the early 70s – as this collection focuses on a really special sort of sound that hints at the bleaker, less satisfying sides of English life – often with a slightly sinister quality that might come as a big surprise! The package is a follow-up to previous gems from compilers Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs – like the compilations English Weather and State Of The Union – and like those, there's a wonderfully unified vision to the whole package – almost a mini-sociology statement, but one that's completely fun – given the fantastic range of music chosen for the album. Tracks are a non-stop surprise all the way through – as glammy bits mix with offbeat pop, catchy prog, and plenty of other tunes that maybe defy any sort of generic description altogether! Titles include "Rod" by Matchbox, "Kill" by Mike McGear, "Part Of The Union" by The Brothers, "The Hertfordshire Rock" by Ricky Wilde, "Sailing" by Sutherland Brothers Band, "And The Fun Goes On" by Lieutenant Pigeon, "War Against War" by Pheon Bear, "Roly Pin" by Roly, "Stardust" by David Essex, "What Ruthy Said" by Cockney Rebel, "Why Am I Waiting" by Robin Goodfellow, "Urban Guerilla" by Hawkwind, "Londonderry" by Phil Cordell, and "Cut Loose" by Stud Leather. CD

A fantastic group that just seems to get better and better each time we hear them – one comprised of some of our favorite Swedish avant players of the past decade or two – coming together here in a way that's even greater than the sum of its parts! There's a bold energy to the group that seems to take off from the Charles Mingus ensembles of the late 50s and early 60s – that balance of unified message and individual voices – painterly sometimes, swinging at others – with work from Johan Berthling on bass, Magnus Broo on trumpet, Eirik Hegdal on baritone, Goran Kajfes on cornet, Martin Kuchen on alto and tenor, Mattias Stahl on vibes, Andreas Werliin on drums, Alexander Zethson on piano, and Mats Aleklint on trombone. There's a richness here that's undeniable, and which puts these guys in instant-classic territory – at least for avant jazz – on titles that include "Beyond Us", "Mali", "Against The Permanent Revolution", "Samar & The Egyptian Winter", and "U(n)happiez Marriages". CD