A group with a name that might not easily roll of the tongue, but one who've got a sublime harmony sound that's wonderfully fluid overall – a combination of nine young voices from the scene in Soweto, working without any other instrumentation at all! The combination of vocals almost takes us back to the sound of Take 6 on their first album – and as with that group, the message here is spiritual, but not entirely pointed at the church – with much more of a universal appeal that's perfect for the subtly righteous power of the harmonies! Titles include "Too Late For Mama", "Nomalizo", "My Brother", "Who Knows", "Sip", and "Baninzi". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of very righteous albums that American reedman Hal Singer made overseas – very different material than the more R&B-based tenor material that started out his career! Here, Hal's got this easygoing approach to soul jazz – stretching out on these really long tracks that also feature superb work from the great Alain Jean Marie on piano – a player we totally love, and who rarely makes an appearance in a session like this! The set is equally Alain's and Hal's – as both balance long, creative solo energy beautifully – with spacious accompaniment from August Nemeth on bass and Oliver Johnson on drums. The album was originally only released in South Africa, and is even more obscure than some of Singer's French releases – and titles include "Deacon Johnson", "Soweto To Harlem", "Blues After Six", and "The Gospel". LP, Vinyl record album

There's no disco going on here, and no battling either – as the set's got this wonderfully warm, fluid groove that mixes township rhythms with some sweet jazzy touches – plenty of reed work from Bra Sello on the top, but also plenty of great ensemble instrumentation too! The record features two side-long tracks, but the vibe is very different than Nigerian funk records that follow a similar format – as the musicians here are all rooted in jazz, and really stretch things out with plenty of jazzy solo action, even though the rhythms are more grooving in an extended way. Titles include "Washa" and "Call & Go" – both long, both great! LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a really unique vibe – definitely jazzy, but different than most other South African jazz of the time – as the set spins out two very long tracks that take their groove from township modes of the period, but then use some of the longer-form rhythmic jazz instrumentation that bubbled up on the SA scene from the 60s onward! Bra Sello plays some great alto on the set, but there's also guitar, flute, organ, and other solo instrumentation too – and although some vocals might come into the mix here and there, they never get in the way of the solos – on the extended tracks "African Queen" and "Butterfly". 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

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully wide-ranging collection of work brought together in support of a long-running music festival in France – done here as a double-length set that offers up a "Past" disc of material recorded at the festival in previous years – and a "Future" disc that points the way towards new directions in European jazz! The set's worth it for the Past disc alone – as it offers up some never-heard recordings in jazz, Latin, and Brazilian modes – a nicely diverse array of tracks that have that open vibe of a really special live moment at a concert – similar to some of the best Montreux jazz recordings over the years! Titles include "Toda Menina Baiana" by Gilberto Gil, "Panamerica" by Lalo Schifrin with David Sanchez on tenor, "Chan Chan" by La Banda De Santiago De Cuba, "Delilah" by the Milt Jackson/Hank Jones Quartet, "Manalyuca" by McCoy Tyner with Gary Bartz & Ravi Coltrane, "I'll Stay" by Roy Hargrove & RH Factor, and "Soweto Sorrow" by the trio of Louis Sclavis on bass clarinet, Henri Texier on bass, and Aldo Romano on drums. The Future disc is great too – with new recordings in a range of jazzy styles, mostly by younger French artists – with titles that include "On Dimanch Maten" by Arnaud Dolmen, "Baby Rover" by Jasual Cazz, "Strength" by Emile Londonien, "Olioqui Valley" by Ishkero, "Soulful" by Leon Phal Quintet, and "Tryin Times" by Abraham Reunion. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most compelling albums we've heard from the African scene of the 70s – a rare set from a Soweto group, and one that's got a heavy dose of spiritual jazz in the mix! The album almost feels more like the kind of set you'd hear by a Paris group, extrapolating African sounds in the post-colonial era – or an American group, inspired by roots from the homeland – and the group sports some especially great work on tenor, played by Themba Koyana, a player we've never heard before! Rhythms are great, with lots of percussion, and some nice funky undercurrents at times – and other instrumentation includes organ, which often works well with the echoey production. The album does have some occasional vocals, but the main focus is instrumental, which is very jazzy too – and titles include "Itume Leng", "Anishilabi", "Lishonile", and "Emampondweni". LP, Vinyl record album

A record as earthy as you might expect from its cover – a rare 70s gem from the Kenyan scene, and one that mixes some killer funky nuggets with a few more straightforward tunes! There's lots of driving rhythms on the album, and snakey guitar that criss-crosses in a great way underneath the vocals and horns – all on short tracks that pack plenty of punch throughout! The whole thing's got the harder-hitting approach of Nigerian work of the same generation – and titles include "Mambo Bado", "Wacha Maneno", "Africa Tuungane", "Mama Come Home", "Nifanye Nini", "Baruwa Ya Soweto", "Mapendo Mapendo", "Bring Your Love", and "Wacha Tabia Mbaya". LP, Vinyl record album

Nubiyan Twist really open up their sound here – in part by opening the door to a rich array of guest singers and instrumentalists – a lineup that includes Cherise, Pat Thomas, Soweto Kinch, Ria Moran, and Nick Richards – all artists who help bring a different personal flavor to each track, helping to expand the mix of contemporary soul and global elements that we loved on the last record by the group! The vibe is very much in the best contemporary London mode – right down to the rhythms, which are continuously shifting and fresh – on titles that include "Keeper", "Buckle Up", "Morning Light", "Tittle Tattle", "24/7", "Wipe Away Tears", "if I Know", and "Ma Wonka". 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

Athur Baker was a producer with a slightly bumpy path in the 80s, but there's no denying his impact on music at the time – particularly the way he had of funneling sounds from the streets to the dancefloors in the mainstream! Baker was one of the first to really have an ear for both hip hop and other styles of grooves – super-sharp on the right electro elements, yet with a richer understanding of soul, R&B, and club – all of which he brings to work here, on versions of tracks that have all the excitement of a special take on the tune from the clubs back in the day! This 2LP package features 14 classic mixes by Baker, with titles that include "Big Love (ext rmx)" by Fleetwood Mac, "Sun City (last rmx)" by Artists United Against Apartheid, "Running Away (Arthur Baker rmx)' by The Colourfield, "C'Est La Vie (ext rmx)" by Robbie Nevil, "Out Of Touch (club version)" by Daryl Hall & John Oates, "Living In A Box (dance mix)" by Living In A Box, "IOU (mega mix)" by Freeez, "Walking On Sunshine (12" version)" by Rockers Revenge, "Soweto (rmx)" by Jeffrey Osborne, "A Love Supreme (jazz in the house rmx)" by Will Downing, "Message Is Love (cupid mix)" by Arthur Baker & The Backbeat Disciples with Al Green, "Ever Fallen In Love (club senseless)" by Fine Young Cannibals, "Buffalo Stance (1/2 way 2 house mix)" by Neneh Cherry, and "Planet Rock (12" voc version)" by Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force. LP, Vinyl record album