One of the best moments ever from the Sun City Girls – a set recorded after the group had soaked up a fair bit of global influences on a trip to India, which really shows in the range of styles and instrumentation used on the record! The core sound is still pretty noise-based – and still often with that tripped-out, sometimes nonsensical approach that made the group so unique – but there's also lots of global percussion elements at play, plus African oboe, lute, bamboo shakers, raita, and more – as well as "waters of space", "stolen casino velvet", "freshly cut foliage", and "Chino valley witchcraft" at play. The guitars still dominate – linking the record to earlier albums– and titles include "Radar 1941", "Papa Legba", "Space Prophet Dogon", "Blue Mamba", "Tarmac 23", and "Cafe Batik". CD

The debut of Tom Waits – a prettier, less gravelly-voiced and less knowingly seedy effort as the albums to come – and a set that's as tender as any that Waits would ever record! This is Waits in after hours yearning mode, still upright on a barstool or a piano bench, not yet having fallen in a gutter. It's one of his best records. Includes "Ol' 55", "I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You", "Midnight Lullaby", the beautiful "Martha" – which still one of his best written songs), plus "Rosie", "Lonely", "Ice Cream Man", "Closing Time", "Grapefruit Moon", and "Little Trip To Heaven". CD

A silly title, but a pretty nice album overall! This 2CD set features a cool selection of downtempo and retro-styled grooves from some of the hipper overseas labels of the past few years. There's a number of cuts on here by artists that we stock and love, but there's even more by artists we haven't – including some pretty cool groups that we were happy to discover. The package was selected by 45 Dip, and not only includes a number of their own tracks, but also has a feel that's pretty much in keeping with their own end of the musical spectrum – laidback, funky, with elements of classic instrumentation. Titles include "Gorgeous George", "Docking", "Something In Space", and "Va Va Voom (Space Lounge mix)" by 45 Dip, plus "Buddha Cowboy" by John Howard, "Mooger Fooger" by Bermuda Triangle, "She's Groovy" by Akasha, "In Spring" by Les Hommes, "Bubble Love" by Chunking, "Sea Of Change" by Broadway Project, "Angel" by Zohar, "One Day Trip In An Elevator" by Hand Polished, "Love Is Incredible" by Bastian, and "Party" by Sporto Kantes. 29 tracks in all! CD

The second issue of this track, when MoWax picked it up and helped really put Air over as one of the leading lights of the new French beat movement. The original is a spacey, atmospheric trip hop classic, while notches the beat up a bit, but maintains the chill vibe, as does Cam, who drops a slightly harder, more hip hop influenced beat with some nice cuts over the top. CD

One of the last records made by avant sax legend Albert Ayler – a really mind-expanding album that's unlike anything else he ever did! By the time of the record, Ayler had made a full round trip between the New York and European jazz scenes – leaving important influences wherever he went, and trying desperately to pick up new ones the further he moved on. Here, he's working in a style that's a bit like that of Archie Shepp at the time – still steeped in free jazz and new thing ideals, but infused with a free-thinking approach to the music that allows for bold new styles and sounds. In addition to his own stunning work on tenor, Ayler's also blowing bagpipes and vocalizing a bit next to singer Mary Maria, who does a great recitation on one track of the record. Rhythm is by the two-bass team of Stafford James and Bill Folwell, next to drums by Muhammad Ali – and the whole thing's capped off by guitarist Henry Vestine, who plays in modes that range from bluesy to free. At the time, this one was kind of dismissed as a messed-up mistake that occurred at the end of Ayler's too-short life – but honestly, over the years, this record really really opens itself to us more and more, and we have to say that we think it's one of his most groundbreaking albums! Titles include "Island Harvest", "Drudgery", "Oh Love Of Life", "Masonic Inborn (part 1)", and "A Man Is Like A Tree". CD

One of the last records made by avant sax legend Albert Ayler – a really mind-expanding album that's unlike anything else he ever did! By the time of the record, Ayler had made a full round trip between the New York and European jazz scenes – leaving important influences wherever he went, and trying desperately to pick up new ones the further he moved on. Here, he's working in a style that's a bit like that of Archie Shepp at the time – still steeped in free jazz and new thing ideals, but infused with a free-thinking approach to the music that allows for bold new styles and sounds. In addition to his own stunning work on tenor, Ayler's also blowing bagpipes and vocalizing a bit next to singer Mary Maria, who does a great recitation on one track of the record. Rhythm is by the two-bass team of Stafford James and Bill Folwell, next to drums by Muhammad Ali – and the whole thing's capped off by guitarist Henry Vestine, who plays in modes that range from bluesy to free. At the time, this one was kind of dismissed as a messed-up mistake that occurred at the end of Ayler's too-short life – but honestly, over the years, this record really really opens itself to us more and more, and we have to say that we think it's one of his most groundbreaking albums! Titles include "Island Harvest", "Drudgery", "Oh Love Of Life", "Masonic Inborn (part 1)", and "A Man Is Like A Tree". CD

Two classic early albums from San Francisco pianist Dave Brubeck! Jazz at Oberlin was famously recorded at the mid-Ohio college and haven of bohemiana, and a growing hotbed of jazz activity centered around students in the college's conservatory of music at the time of the recording! Dave and crew made the trip at the request of the kids – breaking from their mostly San Francisco-based recording career to cut what would end up becoming a very successful album in Dave's catalog, and begin a whole "at" or "goes to" series in his career – followed up at many other locations. The group's the early quartet with Paul Desmond on alto, Ron Crotty on bass, and Lloyd Davis on drums – and tunes include long and jamming versions of "The Way You Look Tonight", "How High The Moon", and "Stardust". College Of The Pacific is another great live set from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – already humming along nicely with some great alto sax from Paul Desmond! The group's in fine form here – a bit more relaxed and open than on their Columbia recordings – with plenty of creative piano lines from Dave, showing just a slight dose of modernism, and lots more of that cool, icy alto sax work that made Desmond a standout right from the start. Rhythm is by Ron Crotty on bass and Joe Dodge on drums – and titles include "Laura", "Lullaby In Rhythm", "For All We Know", "All The Things You Are", and "I'll Never Smile Again". CD

The second volume of work that Donald Byrd recorded live at the Olympia in Paris in 1958 – even harder-hitting in tone than the first! The set features Byrd playing some tight hardbop lines – working in a cool group that also features Bobby Jaspar on tenor, Walter Davis Jr on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all players who come together with the sound and style of some of those great late 50s Prestige blowing sessions! The difference, though, is that Byrd is the clear leader here – working his trumpet solos with techniques that really show him growing as an artist on this Paris trip – forging a tight vision into the music that makes it way more than just a loose bop exercise on stage. You'll hear that especially on "52nd Street Theme", but the whole set's pretty darn great – and tracks include "At This Time", "Formidable", "Two Bass Hit", "Parisian Thoroughfare", and "Stardust". CD

Bo Diddley we already love you – but this set gives us another reason why! Although Bo's probably best known for his classic R&B work of the late 50s and early 60s, but during the 70s he also managed to cut some massively funky albums for Chess – working in the blues revival/funk turnover sound that was pioneered in the Cadet Concept studios with some of the label's classic artists of earlier years. The grooves on this set are amazing – heavy funk all the way, and filled with a ripplingly strong guitar sound over heavy drums and bass – still handled with the same offbeat sense of humor that we love in Bo's older work, but retuned nicely for the hip heavy sound of the 70s! The CD features 20 tracks in all – pulled from 4 albums on Chess from the early 70s – and titles include "I Don't Like You", "Funky Fly", "Shut Up Woman", "Elephant Man", "Down On The Corner", "The Shape I'm In", "Bad Trip", "Hey Jerome", "Infatuation", "Take It All Off", "Bo Diddley-It Is", "Stop The Pusher", and "Hit Or Miss". CD

A legendary set of live performances from Jimi Hendrix – both sets recorded in Maui in July of 1970, presented here officially for the first time ever – along with a bonus documentary on the performances too! The set is kind of the true counterpart to the botched Rainbow Bridge project – and features Jimi with Billy Cox on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums – really stepping out on some extended tracks that are filled with searing solos, and that undeniable charisma of Hendrix on stage – still wonderful, even near the end. Titles include "Hear My Train A Comin", "Fire", "Dolly Dagger", "Ezy Rider", "Message To Love", "Lover Man", "Spanish Castle Magic", "Purple Haze", "Red House", "Hey Baby/Midnight Lightning", "Straight Ahead", "Stone Free", "Jam Back At The House", and "Freedom". Also features a great DVD – with the documentary Music Money Madness – about the group's trip to Maui and the ill-fated Rainbow Bridge project – plus all of the existing 16mm footage of the two performances that day! Comes with a 32 page booklet, too – lots of never-published photos. CD

One of the wildest records of the early 70s – and it's still pretty darn hard to argue with the power of this one – even if the purists' issues with the production are nearly as legendary as the album itself! There's plenty of manic energy the original release mix – one that clearly inspired, if not altogether gave birth to the punk scene – and make the album one of those quintessential examples of great art being made under compromising circumstances. Fierceness personified! Includes classics like "Search & Destroy", "Death Trip", "Gimme Danger", "Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell (aka Hard To Beat)", "Raw Power", "Shake Appeal", and "Death Trip". This legacy edition includes the original 1973 David Bowie mix, now remastered, with a second disc featuring a previously unreleased hour long live set from Richards in Atlanta, recorded in October of 1973 (titled Georgia Peaches) featuring Raw Power tracks plus "Head On", "Heavy Liquid", "Cock In My Pocket" and "Open Up And Bleed". Includes 2 bonus studio tracks, too: "Doojiman" (Raw Power sessions outtake) and "Head On" (rehearsal performance). Also includes a 24 page color booklet with new liner notes and previously unseen photos. CD

One of those records that we remember dismissing at the time – but honestly, it really lives up to repeated listenings in later years! Sure, Michael Jackson's no longer working with Quincy Jones – and instead goes for Teddy Riley and some other (then) contemporary producers – but that all makes for a very solid 90s crossover vibe – perfect for radio play a the time, not to mention heavy video rotation too – and definitely still another jewel in the crown of the King of Pop! Titles include "Remember The Time", "Why You Wanna Trip On Me", "In The Closet", "Jam", "Dangerous", "Gone Too Soon", "Will You Be There", "Black Or White", "She Drives Me Wild", and "Can't Let Her Get Away". CD

A huge record in its day and it hasn't aged a minute since! On Psychocandy the Reid brothers took all the underground Brit indie psych revival modes and filtered them through the Velvet Underground at their noisiest, then paired melodies learned from sources as sweet as 60s Wall Of Sound pop and the Beach Boys to ferociously fuzzy guitars – and stunning found a way to spring this onto to fringes of the mainstream on both sides of the Atlantic! Hugely influential – a record that points the way towards sounds so many would soon follow. Titles include "In A Hole", "The Hardest Walk", "Taste The Floor", "Just Like Honey", "Never Understand", and "You Trip Me Up". DualDisc audio is advanced resolution 96khz/24 bit stereo sound and Dolby stereo sound. CD

The never predictable, always endearing spacey pop soul chanteuse Kelis's debut for Ninja Tune – working with producer Dave Sitek – and it's her best record in years! We've loved Kelis from get-to around here, going back to when her vocal presence grounded the spacier sounds of the young Neptunes production style in genuine soul, and she's doing that again here with Sitek in the production booth. As you'd guess from the album and song titles, it's got a foodie theme, but it's a loose one, and the songs stand strongly on their own. The surprising thing is how rooted in timeless soul it is; if you thought the move to Ninja Tune would beget a farther trip to the dancefloor cosmos, think again. Keep on defying expectations, Kelis. It's just one of the reasons we've always loved ya! Includes "Breakfast", "Jerk Ribs", "Forever Be", "Floyd", "Runnin'" Hooch". "Cobbler", "Bless The Telephone", "Friday Fish Fry", "Change", "Rumble", "Biscuits N' Gravy" and "Dreamer". Bonus CD edition includes a disc with remixes by Mount Kimbie, Machinedrum, Will Saul & Komon, Ben Pierce and more! CD

Pure beauty! In October of 1998, Misha Mengelberg made an historic visit to Chicago – a rare trip programmed to coincide with a showcase of Dutch jazz that featured him and the Ab Bars trio, playing at Fred Anderson's legendary Velvet Lounge. The trip was notable in that it also became the occasion for Mengelberg to record some fantastic material – part in the studio (with Kent Kessler, Hamid Drake, Fred Anderson, Fred Lonberg-Holm, and others), part during the live session which transpired on the second day of his trip. This excellent double CD set from Hat Art brings together the recordings, and is a great glimpse into the interplay between the ever-growing Chicago avant scene and the larger legacy of European free jazz! The studio work is pretty darn great, but the real treat is the live set – as Misha plays solo on a few lovely tracks – like "Chicago Solo" and "Round Midnight" – and in a beautiful duet with Ab Bars on tenor, on a haunting reading of "Body & Soul". The set really captures the range of Misha's rich talents – and the inclusion of some jazz standards like "Off Minor" and "Eronel" gives the CD a well-rounded feel. CD

One of Metheny's seminal sides for ECM, in a trio with Jaco Pastorius and Bob Moses. 8 tracks in all, including "Bright Size Life", "Sirabhorn", "Unity Village", "Missouri Uncompromised", "Midwestern Nights Dream", "Ubiquity Road", "Omaha Celebration" and "Round Trip/Broadway Blues". CD

A killer debut from Rasputin Stash – a funky group who work with all the long-haired inspiration you'd expect from their name! The groove is a mix of guitars and tight horns – undercut by the kind of heavy basslines that later made the group a good fit for Curtom Records, and lots of cool percussion touches that pepper the bottom of the rhythms nicely – with a pretty spontaneous feel! At times, there's almost a Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band vibe to the record, but mixed with some of the trippier influences of the Westbound crew – especially on the guitar – and like those artists, these guys have no trouble at all dipping into a touch of rock here and there to trip out their groove. Titles include "Mr Cool", "You Are My Flower", "Dookey Shoe", "I Want To Say You're Welcome", "Take Me On Back", and "Freaks Prayer". CD

Minnie Riperton's first album for Epic – and the record that broke her from a hip Chicago underground artist into one of the seventies' biggest female soul stars! The record moves past the baroque soul of Minnie's early years with Rotary Connection and Charles Stepney – and hits a mix of mellow compressed LA styles and slicker funkier numbers that do the same thing for her Chicago-trained vocals that Rufus' backing did for that of Chaka Khan. Of course, it helps that she's got some superbly sensitive writing and arranging help by husband Richard Rudolph – and Stevie Wonder's definitely lurking in the background, too – not credited with production, due to contractual reasons, although he helped put most of the album together. Includes Minnie's huge crossover hit "Loving You", a perfect showcase for her beautiful 5 octave voice, plus the tracks "Our Lives", "Every Time He Comes Around", "Perfect Angel", and "Reasons". This legendary album finally gets its proper treatment – with very detailed notes from Minnie's husband/co-creator Richard Rudolph – and 11 bonus tracks from the vault – including "Lovin You (single version with countdown)", "Reasons (ext version)", "It's So Nice (ext version)", "Take A Little Trip (duet with Stevie Wonder)", "Seeing You This Way (acoustic)", "Edge Of A Dream (ext version)", "Perfect Angel (ext version)", "Every Time He Comes Along (ext version)", "Don't Let Anyone Bring You Down (Perfect Angel version)", "Lovin You (alt band version)", and "Our Lives (ext version)". Really fantastic – great sound and the bonus tracks are beautiful! CD

An incredible batch of work – the complete Black Saint/Soul Note recordings of George Russell – easily his greatest uninteruppted stretch of albums ever! Some of the material here is from the late 60s – owned by George and licensed to Soul Note – and the rest was done for the label, almost as an expansion of the ideas that Russell first explored in the earlier period. Together, the records make for an amazing batch of music – much more experimental and far-reaching than George's better-known US sides of the 50s and early 60s – really taking off in the freedoms of the European scene, with help from an array of European and American avant players! The 9CD set features mini-LP sleeve versions of albums that include Electronic Sonata For Souls Loved By Nature 1980, Othello Ballet Suite/Electronic Organ Sonata No 1, Vertical Form, Listen To The Silence, Trip To Prillarguri, Electronic Sonata For Souls Loved By Nature 1968, New York Big Band, Essence Of George Russell, and Live In An American Time Spiral. CD

A hell of a classic from UK singer Lewis Taylor – one of the best blue-eyed soul albums recorded in the 90s, and a record that's still years ahead of its time! In a stretch when so many others were putting out fake soul – or breathing heavily on downtempo records – Taylor found a way to really deliver something new and unique, yet also come across with the classic mellow flow of 70s work by artists like Marvin Gaye or The Isley Brothers! Taylor's vocal delivery here owes plenty to both, but the production is very crisp and individual – handled by Lewis himself, and in a spare mix of modes that's quite different than some of the more stock "beats and keys" modes that would take over underground soul in the next decade! Instead, there's this great range of subtle tones and textures that work beautifully alongside Taylor's sublime vocals – all to suit some beautifully-written tunes too. Titles include "Lucky", "Track", "Betterlove", "Right", "Spirit", "Bittersweet", and "Whoever". 2CD set is wonderful – and includes 12 more bonus cuts from singles and other projects – including "Asleep When You Come", "You Got Me Thinking", "Waves", "Trip So Heavy", "A Little Bit Tasty", "Lewis III", "Pie In The Electric Sky/If I Lay Down On You", "I Dream The Better Dream", "Bittersweet (ext)", and "Lucky" in three different mixes by Kruder & Dorfmeister! CD

Jazz organ explodes to the next level – on this brilliant and rare session by Larry Young from 1969! The record was Young's last recording for Blue Note, and was never issued at the time – only making a brief appearance in a short series at the end of the 70s – and its obscurity makes it all the more important, as it's the kind of record that would have transformed jazz tremendously if released at the time. On the set, Young delivers on all his 60s experimentation with modal grooves and Coltrane-styled playing – working with a quartet that includes Lee Morgan on trumpet, Herbert Morgan on tenor, and Eddie Gladden on drums – soaring to the skies on long tunes that push the Hammond farther than any organist had ever imagined! And while modern, and freer than before, Young is also playing here without some of the over-indulgent styles of his later jazz-rock work – still sticking to the Blue Note mode, while managing to record in a "new thing" mode long after the label had abandoned the "new thing" sound! Mindblowing – and with titles that include "Visions", "Love Drops", "Trip Merchant" and "Street Scene". CD

Here it is, the mother of them all! The set's got 8CDs worth of killer soul, funk, and Rhythm & Blues – all culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! Although this sort of set usually tends to be a bit simplistic, this box actually features a beautiful mix of tracks, lots of which are hard to get in any format. It's a lot to go through, but it's worth the trip! We can't even begin to list the tracks here, there's 203(!) of them in all, but some of the artists include the Bar Kays, the Beginning of the End, Archie Bell & The Drells, Ruth Brown, Solomon Burke, the Capitols, Clarence Carter, the Chords, the Cookies, Don Covay, King Curtis, Tyrone Davis, the Drifters, Roberta Flack, King Floyd, Aretha Franklin, Major Harris, Donny Hathaway, the Ikettes, Willis Jackson, Nat Kendricks & The Swans, Barabra Lewis,the Mar-keys, Les McCann & Eddie Harris, Stick McGhee, Otis & Carla, the Persuaders, Percy Sledge, The Spinners, Willie Tee, Joe Tex, Chuck Willis, Betty Wright and loads more! CD

If you dig Latin Soul, you can't get better than this – a chock-a-block set filled with classic groovers from the 60s! The set's one of the finest in Harmless Records' exploration of the classic sounds of the New York underground, and it's stuffed with goodies that define the unique crossover Latin and Soul styles of Spanish Harlem in the 60s. Every cut's a winner, and the CD's an instant groove party from the very first note. How could it not be? With cuts like "Subway Joe" by Joe Bataan, "The Fuzz" by Dianne & Carole & The Latin Whatchamacalits, "Mercy Mercy Baby" by Ray Barretto, "Hey Sister" by Monguito Santamaria, "Arrecotin Arrecotan" by Cortijo & Ismael Rivera, "Pete's Boogaloo" by Pete Rodriguez, "Cab Driver" by Charlie Palmieri, "Take A Trip" by The Latin Blues Band, "Jive Samba" by Jack Costanzo & Gerrie Woo, "Out Of My Mind" by Orlando Marin, and "Descarga Boogaloo" by Tico All Stars. CD

The genius of Ziggy Stardust didn't just spring out of the blue – as David Bowie spent years listening to other music by a range of different artists – engaging them, supporting them, and absorbing them in the process – all to weave into the rich tapestry that became his own musical legacy! Bowie famously covered 60s tunes on his Pin Ups album, and did others' tracks on some other studio sides as well – and his live performances were famous over the years for surprising remakes that offered unabashed homage to those who influenced him – a few of whom would become musical partners as well. This loving package features 24 tracks that were all later performed by Bowie, but delivered here in their original versions – all with detailed notes that trace the lines between the initial takes and the remakes – with the kind of flourish we've come to love from Ace Records. Titles include "Fill Your Heart" by Biff Rose, "It Ain't Easy" by Ron Davies, "Sorry" by The Merseys, "Rosalyn" by The Pretty Things, "Dancing In The Street" by Martha & The Vandellas, "Nite Flights" by The Walker Brothers, "Alabama Song" by Lotte Lenya & The Three Admirals, "Kingdom Come" by Tom Verlaine, "Where Have All The Good Times Gone" by The Kinks, "White Light White Heat" by The Velvet Underground, "Louie Go Home" by Paul Revere & The Raiders, "If There Is Something" by Roxy Music, "Criminal World" by Metro, "Amsterdam" by Jacques Brel, "Wild Is The Wind" by Johnny Mathis, "I Took A Trip On A Gemini Space Ship" by The Legendary Stardust Cowboy, and "Pablo Picasso" by The Modern Lovers. CD

Essential! A hard to find compilation of seminal grooves, the long-out-of-print first volume to the legendary Headz compilation! This one blew everyone's mind back in the mid 90s, and it shaped the world of beathead production dratically for the next few years. Loads of great titles, including "Slipper Suite" by Palmskin Productions, "2000" by R.P.M., "In Flux (alternative interlude '93 version)" and "Lost & Found (SFL)" by DJ Shadow, "They Came In Peace" by Tranquility Bass, "Stars" by Nightmares On Wax, "Contemplating Jazz" by Attica Blues, "The Time Has Come" by UNKLE vs Major Force Orchestra, "Head West – Gunfight At The OK Corrall" by Howie B, "Destroy All Monsters" by Skull, "Lowride" by Autechre and 'Ravers Suck Our Sound" by La Funk Mob, plus a bunch of other smoked out trip hop grooves! CD

An incredible trip through the 70s Japanese jazz scene – a second volume of J Jazz that's even bigger and better than the first – with unknown gems from private presses, indie labels, and rarities from the Japanese branches of the major labels, too! Compilers Tony Higgins & Mike Peden (who are both also responsible for the nicely done notes) follow through on all of the things we loved about the first J Jazz compilation, but improve on it by going bigger and digging deeper. The majority of the tracks were recorded from 1969 through the late 70s – with a few recorded in later years – and all have a wonderful way of being open to the stylistic inventions of the time without getting hung up on trends. So while there's some fusiony funk and electric piano, there's plenty of acoustic instrumentation and timelessly inventive material. BBE has outdone themselves on this excellent collection – and titles include "Dragon Dance" by Makoto Terashita & Harold Land, "Daguri" by Kohsuke Mine Quintet, "Distant Thunder" by Mabumi Yamguchi Quartet, "Animal Garden" by Miyasaka + 5, "Mother Of The Future" by Electro Keyboard Orchestra, "Serenade To A Dimly Lit Street" by Hiroshi Matsumoto/Hideo Ichikawa Quartet, "Teru-Teru Bozu" (Black Keys) by Teru Sakamoto Trio, "Little Giant" by Nobuo & Sharps & Flats, "Brown Trout" by Akira Miyazawa and more – plus the CD bonus track "Original Bill" by Koichi Matsukaze Trio. 15 tracks on 2CDs. CD

Music from Steve Hackett, Giles, Giles & Fripp, Anthony Phillips, Atomic Rooster, Rick Wakeman, GTR, Dave Greenslade, Stackridge, Robert Wyatt, Gong, Van Der Graaf Generator, Fission Trip, Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come, Audience, David Bedford, Third Ear Band, Ginger Baker, Slapp Happy, Hawkwind, Birth Control, Atlantis, Embryo, Cosmic Jockers, Mogul Thrash, Anima, Blonde On Blonde, and more! CD

A gorgeous collection of music – brought together in an equally gorgeous package! We'll rave about the latter in a minute – but first onto the music, which is the most important part! The sounds were all recorded by Paul Bowles in Morocco at the end of the 50s – at a time when Bowles and other key counter culture figure were drawn to the nation, and began richly extrapolating its various cultures in ways that went onto have a huge global impact. Bowles' fascination with the music of Morocco led to some of the first wider exposure of the unique vocal strains and hypnotic qualities of Moroccan sounds – and in a way, his efforts with this project were almost as important to the Saharan scene as the previous field recordings by Alan Lomax were to the south of the United States. Some of these recordings have been issued in the past, but this is the most complete set we've ever seen of Bowles' recordings – served up in a lavish fabric-covered box, along with a leather-bound book that feels like one of Paul's journals from the trip – complete with photos, notes on the music, and even writings on the overall project and its legacy. Very much in the best Dust-To-Digital presentation – and stunning throughout! CD

A massive live set from Cannonball Adderley – and a record that really shows the growth he'd undergone in just a few short years! The album's done in close collaboration with David Axelrod – who'd handled Cannon's big live dates for Capitol in the 60s – but this record is much more freewheeling, open-ended, fuzz, funky, and electric overall! Tracks are all nice and long, and really trip out in the best way – with keyboards from George Duke in the core group, plus some heavy basslines from Walter Booker, drums from Roy McCurdy, and guitar from Mike Deasy on a number of key tracks. Deasy plays with lots of great wah wah and fuzz – and the album also features guest work from Airto on percussion and Ernie Watts on tenor – plus Cannonball's great alto and the cornet of brother Nat Adderley too. There's a really collaborative feel to the whole thing – as the record steps easily between a lot of heady styles – and titles include "Zanek", "Eye Of The Cosmos", "The Scene", "The Chocolate Nuisance", "The Steam Drill", "Little Benny Hen", and "The Black Messiah". CD

Great stuff! From Motown songwriters to world-class superstars, the trip was a well-deserved one for Valerie Simpson and Nick Ashford – and this album's perhaps their crowning achievement in sophisticated club soul! The record's got a great groove that offers a more soulful version of disco than most of the competing albums on major labels at the time – a perfect summation of the care and craft that Ashford & Simpson had always put into their music right from the start! The pair handle all production on the record, and also contributed all the songs too – and the whole thing's so wonderfully tight, right, and on the money, the album soars to the top even before the vocals come into the mix. Titles include more than a few club classics, like "Found A Cure", "Stay Free", and "Nobody Knows" – plus the cuts "Dance Forever", "Crazy", "Follow Your Heart", and "Finally Got To Me". CD

The MC Gift of Gab serves your ears melodic, driving, challenging wordplay at it's best on this album from the Quannum Projects label out of the Bay Area, who brought you DJ Shadow and Latyrx. The jazzy, soulful, reflective, bouncing music is entirely produced by DJ Chief Xcel and features cameos by Lyrics Born and Lateef from Latyrx on two separate tracks ("Do This My Way" and "Smithzonian Institute Of Rhyme", respectively.) It also includes the single "Deception" and the tracks "Searching", "The Fabulous Ones", "A To G", "Cliff Hanger", "Shallow Days", "Ego Trip By Nikki Giovanni", "You Didn't Know That Though", "Trouble (Eve Of Destruction)", "Reanimation", "Beyonder", "Making Progress", "Sleep", and more. CD

A classic album from San Francisco pianist Dave Brubeck – recorded at Oberlin College, the mid-Ohio haven of bohemiana, and a growing hotbed of jazz activity centered around students in the college's conservatory of music at the time of the recording! Dave and crew made the trip at the request of the kids – breaking from their mostly San Francisco-based recording career to cut what would end up becoming a very successful album in Dave's catalog, and begin a whole "at" or "goes to" series in his career – followed up at many other locations. The group's the early quartet with Paul Desmond on alto, Ron Crotty on bass, and Lloyd Davis on drums – and tunes include long and jamming versions of "The Way You Look Tonight", "How High The Moon", and "Stardust". CD

"New York is now" – a pretty bold statement from saxophonist Ornette Coleman, but one that definitely shows his shift in role – from a major force on the LA underground of the early 60s, to an artist who was helping pave the way for a huge wave of growth on the New York downtown scene in years to come! Ornette's at his most late 60s unbridled here – freer than before, and working with a lineup that includes Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – still no piano at all – plus great work from Dewey Redman on tenor, who really burst into new prominence with this album. Ornette plays a bit of violin alongside alto sax – and tracks include "Toy Dance", "Round Trip", "Broad Way Blues", and "We Now Interrupt For A Commercial". CD

"New York is now" – a pretty bold statement from saxophonist Ornette Coleman, but one that definitely shows his shift in role – from a major force on the LA underground of the early 60s, to an artist who was helping pave the way for a huge wave of growth on the New York downtown scene in years to come! Ornette's at his most late 60s unbridled here – freer than before, and working with a lineup that includes Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – still no piano at all – plus great work from Dewey Redman on tenor, who really burst into new prominence with this album. Ornette plays a bit of violin alongside alto sax – and tracks include "Toy Dance", "Round Trip", "Broad Way Blues", and "We Now Interrupt For A Commercial" – plus an alternate take of "Broad Way Blues"! CD

A wonderful set of work by this fantastic east coast harmony group – a short-lived early 70s ensemble who were discovered by the great George Kerr when on a trip to a prison! The Escorts were handled by Kerr with the same flair he brought to other groups like The Whatnauts and The Moments – a wonderful mix of ballads and well-crafted vocal numbers that show the fragile New Jersey style of singing at its best. The set features 20 tracks in all – all the tunes from the group's 2 albums, plus some bonus material, and even an interview snippet! Titles include "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow", "Brother", "Corruption", "Disrespect Can Wreck", "Let's Make Love (at Home Sometimes)", and "All We Need (Is Another Chance)", their plea to society to forgive them for their past crimes. Classic New Jersey! CD

Hard to go wrong with the insanity of this one! The record broke the bank of Genesis, but really allowed Peter Gabriel to trip out nicely as his swan song to the band. CD

We've been loving the vibes of Stefon Harris for years – and each new record with his Blackout group seems to have the musician pushing his envelope more and more! The vibes are still very strongly in place, but there's also some soulful elements that really shine through in the overall arrangements – linking Harris' more modern inclinations with a style that might help him grab all those ears he's deserved over the years, but who've not yet found his music! The set's not commercial at all – but has some qualities that put Stefon's righteous musical mission a bit more upfront – as he takes on songs by Wayne Shorter, Horace Silver, Bobby Timmons, and even the team of Bobby Hutcherson and Eugene McDaniels – whose "Now" is one of the best cuts on the record, delivered here with vocals from Jean Baylor and violin from Regina Carter. Other tracks include "Song Of Sampson", "Chasin Kendall", "Let's Take A Trip To The Sky", "Dat Dere", "Go", "Gone Too Soon", and "Throw It Away". CD

One of those records that we remember dismissing at the time – but honestly, it really lives up to repeated listenings in later years! Sure, Michael Jackson's no longer working with Quincy Jones – and instead goes for Teddy Riley and some other (then) contemporary producers – but that all makes for a very solid 90s crossover vibe – perfect for radio play a the time, not to mention heavy video rotation too – and definitely still another jewel in the crown of the King of Pop! Titles include "Remember The Time", "Why You Wanna Trip On Me", "In The Closet", "Jam", "Dangerous", "Gone Too Soon", "Will You Be There", "Black Or White", "She Drives Me Wild", and "Can't Let Her Get Away". CD

A trio of albums from Junie Morrison, plus bonus tracks too – all to document the genius of the guy who really helped the Ohio Players find their groove! First up is When We Do – the solo debut of Junie – a crazy little album recorded for Westbound in the time after he split company with The Ohio Players – and a set that's definitely got the weirdly wonderful mix of music that group was known for in their pre-Mercury years! Junie effortlessly moves between a number of styles, all with a great degree of wit – still keeping things funky in all the best ways, but also really experimenting with larger sounds and unusual arrangements – which come into play here in a really wonderful way! The album's an overlooked funk treasure from the 70s – far too sophisticated for its own time – and titles include "Walt's Third Trip", "Tight Rope", "Johnny Carson Samba", "Anna", "Loving Arms", "Married Him", and "The Place". Freeze is a wonderful set from Junie – a record that has all the offbeat funk he was crafting with the Ohio Players during their Westbound years – and the same sort of heady sound that would make Morrison a perfect match with the P-Funk empire! The record contains the legendary track "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", which features a meeting between the Funky Granny (a near folklorish character from the early 70s, who'd appeared on records by Kool & The Gang and Ohio Players) and an alien, who tells urges to "buy this record, buy this record, buy this record" in a very silly voice! The funky comedy of this track is nicely matched by a range of other odd numbers and straighter soul cuts – and titles include "Freeze", "Super J", "Musical Son", "Junie II", "World of Woe", and "Cookies Will Get You". Suzie Super Groupie is a funky tribute to all the "Super Groupies" who were helping out the 70s music scene – maybe the closest thing that Junie Morrison every came to a concept album – and a set that's got all the same wonderful complexity of his other solo albums on Westbound! As with those records, there's a pre-Prince approach to funk that draws heavily from Ohio Players and P-Funk elements – but which really gets a sharper, more sinister focus with Junie in the lead – at a level of soulful stardom that could have made him another Bootsy Collins, if folks were ever smart enough to figure out what he was doing at the time! Titles include the funky classic "Suzie Thundertussy" – plus "Super Groupie", "Surrender", "Junie III", "What Am I Gonna Do", "Stone Face Joe", "Suzie", and "If You Love Him". Set also features rare Junie cuts – including "Junie's Ultimate Departure", "Walt's Second Trip", "Tight Rope (single)", "Loving Arms (mono)", "If You Love Him (single)", "Super J (single)", and "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce (mono)". CD

It may not be the BeAllEndAll that the Matador hype machine is trying to cook up, but Large Professor's waaaay too long in the making first LP (first to be officially released, anyway) is a very solid effort, and a strong, raw head bumper all the way through. Nothing fancy, just tried and true hip hop, with a loud and clear, confident verbal flow and stable beats and samples. A welcome trip back to not so distant era of hip hop that the Professor first made his mark (Breaking Atoms, Illmatic, etc) without sounding self-consciously retro. Includes "'Bout That Time", " Kool", "Blaze Rhymes", "Stay Chisel" featuring Nas, "In The Sun" featuring Q Tip, "Born To Ball", "Alive In Stereo", and more. CD

Dreamy sounds from the legendary Michel Legrand – working here in a mode that's maybe a bit more lush and romantic than some of his later soundtrack work – yet at a level that's still head and shoulders above most of his 50s instrumental contemporaries! The set's got a melancholy vibe throughout – that sense of leaving that not only evokes a visitor having to head home after a trip in Paris, but also all the sadness and loss that the city experienced during the wartime years as well – even later, as American Gis had to head home – and were an obvious market for a record like this in the US! Tracks include "Bonjour Paris", "French Can Can", "Le Mer", "Two Loves Have I", and "A Paris Dans Chaque Faubourg". CD features lots of bonus tracks – including Yves Montand singing "Joli Maie", plus the tracks "Domino", "Pigalle", "Clopin Clopant", "Le Gars De Rochechouart", and "Boum". CD

The record that put the Bristol sound of the era on the map – and pretty much delivered the opening salvo for the coming trip hop movement! Heady instrumental hip hop clashes with dub and new school soul on this seminal set, one that really existed outside of most early 90s trends, even if it relished the technical possibilities, so it really stands the test of time and sounds fresh to to this day. Shara Nelson and Horace Andy provided some well placed guest vocals on a few numbers, and titles include "Safe From Harm", "One Love", "Blue Lines", "Be Thankful For What You've Got", "Five Man Army", "Unfinished Sympathy", "Daydreaming", "Lately" and "Hymn Of The Big Wheel". CD

Strong second album from Massive Attack! Protection sets the stage with stunning one-two punch of the title track and "Karmacoma" – 13+ minutes of flawless, hypnotic trip hop with a strong sense of moody soul, thanks in the always impeccable (to this point, anyway) production and all the more wonderful thanks to some strong guest vocals by Tracey Thorn. If the opening couple tracks set the bar a little to high to be sustained to the end, there's still a lot to love here, and the other titles include "Weather Storm", "Spying Glass", "Better Things", "Eurochild", "Sly", "Heat Miser" and "Light My Fire". CD

Excellent single off the Mezzanine LP, an album filled with great cuts by the godfathers of the Bristol trip hop scene. Liz Fraser of the Cocteau Twins vocals float over the dense, bass heavy beats, which gets a spacy modern dub treatment by the Mad Professor and as well as another nice remix courtesy of Primal Scream. CD

Heavy dubs by the Mad Professor of Massive Attack's great Protection LP. The Professor takes the trip hop pioneer's album into uncharted territory with some great atmospheric dub renderings of the tracks. 8 tracks in all, including "Radiation Ruling The Nation (Protection)", "Bumper Ball Dub (Karmacoma)", "Trinity Dub (Three)", "Cool Monsoon (Weather Storm)", "Eternal Feedback (Sly)", "Moving Dub (Better Things)", "I Spy (Spying Glass)" and "Backward Sucking (Heat Miser)". CD

British blues meets LA's Laurel Canyon – a trans-Atlantic (or is it Pacific?) blend that makes for one of John Mayall's most compelling albums of the 60s! The album was recorded after the breakup of the Blues Breakers group – but it still features strong support from Mick Taylor on guitar – a key factor in the previous combo's sound, given almost even more space here to stand out front with Mayall. Other instrumentation includes bass and drums, plus a bit of tablas – and the overall approach is a lot more spare than other Blues Breakers sets – still bluesy in approach, but with some definite freer-thinking moments too, picked up from a trip to Laurel Canyon that was Mayall's inspiration for the set. Titles include "Walking On Sunset", "Vacation", "Ready To Ride", "Medicine Man", "Miss James", "The Bear", "First Time Alone", and "Fly Tomorrow". CD

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". CD features amazing sound and a whopping 7 bonus tracks – including "Ruffell Foot", "What It Is", "Rooster Poot", "Gone Forever", "Dimensions In Time", and "Introducing The Players". CD

Van Dyke Parks is at his finest here – painting a unique picture of early 70s America that's touched with the same mad vision as his classic Song Cycle album! The styles are a bit wider-ranging here – and in a way, Parks seems to draw from a sonic space as wide-ranging as the "discover America" bus trip promised on the cover – shifting between Caribbean, country, classical, and soul styles – but all in a weird blend that comes off sounding very strange in the end. As before, there's a certain sense of nostalgia to the music – but any sweetness is undercut by the offbeat arrangements and instrumentation. Titles include "Jack Palance", "Bing Crosby", "John Jones", "FDR In Trinidad", "Stars & Stripes Forever", and "G-Man Hoover". CD

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – on titles that include "You Go To My Head", "The Trip", and "Cherokee". CD

A beautiful collection of rare 78 rpm material – the complete 1929 recordings of Charlie Poole & The Highlanders – some of the smokingest string band music you'll ever find from the time! The set was lovingly remastered from vintage 78s cut for Paramount and Brunswick – and titles include "A Trip To New York (parts 1, 2, 3, & 4)", "Flop Eared Mule", "Under The Double Eagle", "Tennessee Blues", "Lynchburg Town", "San Antonio", "What Is Home Without Babies" and "Richmond Square". CD

A fantastic collection of unreleased material from Prince – not spare demos or home recordings, or studio snippets either – but instead some fully-formed songs that come right from the glory days of the singer's career! Almost all the material here is from the early 80s – and most tracks were later recorded by other artists in the Prince spectrum – including The Time, Apollonia 6, Mazarti, The Family, Jill Jones, and Sheila E – but are done here by the man himself, with all of the slinky, funky qualities that he brought to his own music at the time – qualities that are especially well-noted on some of the other cuts that were recorded by The Bangles and Kenny Rogers – which really feel different in the hands of Prince. Titles include "Love Thy Will Be Done", "Nothing Compares 2 U", "Baby You're A Trip", "Manic Monday", "Jungle Love", "Sex Shooter", "Noon Rendezvous", "Make Up", "The Glamorous Life", "Holly Rock", "You're My Love", "100 MPH", "Dear Michaelangelo", "Wouldn't You Love To Love Me", and "Gigolos Get Lonely Too". CD

One of the greatest soundtracks ever from Leonard Rosenman – and a key example of his strong talent for mixing acoustic instrumentation with very offbeat and eerie electronics! Rosenman had offered up this blend on other important science soundtracks of the 60s – but probably hit his apex with this gem – penned for mid 60s film about a bunch of scientists who shrink down, and take a trip inside the human body! The electronics are sublime – used in these stark, sharp ways that are very compelling, and downright evil in nature – providing a real contrast to some of the warmer woodwind touches in the orchestrations, even when they try to echo the electric energy. The whole thing's pretty darn great – a lot bleaker musically than the actual film – and titles include "Proteus Moving Through Sac", "Group Leaves", "The Proteus", "The Chart", "Pulmonary Artery", "Get The Laser", and "The Human Brain". CD

Japanese pianist Masahiko Sato is in a great trinity here – working with European players Peter Warren on bass and Pierre Favre on drums – on two side-long tracks that bristle with imagination! The music was recorded live at Studio 70 in Munich, and has the flow of some of the best free improvisation of the time – these boundless lines on piano from Sato, who's almost in a Cecil Taylor mode, but takes these nice pauses of introspection – while Favre does a great job of holding back, then kicking forth with energy – often in bursts that are nicely unified with Warren's bass. Titles include "Trinity" and "Far Trip". CD

Moody and atmospheric vocals from Dani Siciliano – a singer with a voice that has lots of strange twists and turns! At one level, Dani could be a classic vocalist from older jazz years – but the backings on the set hearken more towards a New York downtown style of the early 80s – a bit electronic, a bit avant, but also still soulful and swinging throughout. The approach is really unique – far better than the usual "female vocalist with beats" sound that seemed to come across endlessly in the post-trip hop years – and overall, Dani seems like a much deeper artist with a heck of a lot to offer in years to come! Titles include "All Thee Above", "Extra Ordinary", "She Say Cliche", "Come As You Are", "Canes & Trains", "Walk The Line", "One String", and "Collaboration". CD

Excellent second album from one of the few truly great American acid jazz bands. Stellar bass/drum/keyboard arrangements, with the occasional "junglist" update to the sound that they made popular on their classic Rhode Trip LP. This CD version comes with 4 extra tracks which comprise a "lost" e.p. recorded in between this one and Rhode Trip. The sound is cool, funky, and very mellow, with Fender Rhodes in the lead, and warm basslines in the back. Cuts include "KC Doppler" and "Travelogue". CD

A landmark album for Dusty Springfield – one in which she more than proves her soul music talents, by taking a trip to Memphis, and recording in a sweet Atlantic soul mode! The album's handled by stellar talents all the way through – arrangements by Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin, production by those two and Jerry Wexler, backing vocals by The Sweet Inspirations, and studio work from the likes of Tommy Cogbill, Bobby Wood, Bobby Emmons, and other talents that were huge on the Memphis scene at the time. Titles include Dusty's famous reading of "Son Of A Preacher Man", plus "The Windmills Of Your Mind", "So Much Love", "Just A Little Lovin", "In The Land Of Make Believe", and "No Easy Way Down". This deluxe edition fits in a huuuuuge amount of extra tracks from the sessions – expanding the original 11 track album to 25 songs – a motherlode of sweet vocal soul! CD

A new recording for the legendary ESP label – and one that definitely continues in the best tradition of their avant jazz sides from the 60s and 70s! The music here features the lineup of reedman Mat Walerian, pianist Matthew Shipp, and drummer Hamid Drake – coming together in space that's often open, and quite spiritual – maybe directed a bit more in the spirit of Walerian's style, in a way that makes for some especially compelling sounds from Shipp! Mat plays alto, bass clarinet, soprano clarinet, and flute – thinner reed lines that often demand some more sensitive sounds from Shipp's piano – although he can also be a bit bold at times, too – and Drake, as always, is the perfect accompanist no matter what direction the music takes – unfolding in a double-length live performance, with tracks that include "Ultimate Insurance", "Shrine", "Teleport", "Gentle Giants", "Gate", "Coach On Da Mic", "Tiger", "Sit Back Relax & Watch", and "Good Trip Is A Safe Trip". CD

Jazz organ explodes to the next level – on this brilliant and rare session by Larry Young from 1969! The record was Young's last recording for Blue Note, and was never issued at the time – only making a brief appearance in a short series at the end of the 70s – and its obscurity makes it all the more important, as it's the kind of record that would have transformed jazz tremendously if released at the time. On the set, Young delivers on all his 60s experimentation with modal grooves and Coltrane-styled playing – working with a quartet that includes Lee Morgan on trumpet, Herbert Morgan on tenor, and Eddie Gladden on drums – soaring to the skies on long tunes that push the Hammond farther than any organist had ever imagined! And while modern, and freer than before, Young is also playing here without some of the over-indulgent styles of his later jazz-rock work – still sticking to the Blue Note mode, while managing to record in a "new thing" mode long after the label had abandoned the "new thing" sound! Mindblowing – and with titles that include "Visions", "Love Drops", "Trip Merchant" and "Street Scene". CD

The fourth fantastic chapter in this wonderful trip through the 60s – headed up by author Jon Savage, as a great soundtrack to his documents of the time! If you know Savage at all, you'll know to expect something different and fresh – an unusual take on the period, and one that goes way past the chart hits and overplayed oldies – to instead uncover currents of cultural activity at a much deeper level! And sure, there's a number of familiar songs here – but they're mixed with lesser-known gems, and presented in this great double-length package that features 48 tracks in all – all with notes from Savage himself. Titles include "Talkin About The Good Times" by Pretty Things, "Eastern Organ" by Brother Dan All Stars, "Hard To Handle" by Otis Redding, "Freedom Train" by James Carr, "Say It Loud (part 1)" by James Brown, "Omnibus" by The Move, "Sunshine Help Me" by Spooky Tooth, "Everydays" by Buffalo Springfield", "How Does It Feel To Feel" by The Creation, "Dear Delilah" by Grapefruit, "Machines" by Lothar & The Hand People, "Tomorrow Street Puzzle" by Fairport Convention, "I Got A Line On You" by Spirit, "Kick Out The Jams (preview pressing)" by MC5, "World In A Jug" by Canned Heat, "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams, "Honey Chile" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, "Danse A La Musique" by The French Fries, "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker, and "Why Does It Feel So Right" by The Shades Of Jade. CD

Wonderfully tripped-out pop from the late 60s – served up by a few famous names and an even better band of lesser-knowns – all of whom recorded for Warner Brothers and related labels at the time! The package does a great job of showing the "pop" side of psychedelia – a sound that's a lot harder than the Sunshine Pop end of the spectrum, but which also shares a similar love of groovy themes, sweet vocals, and cool production techniques! A few of the tunes get a bit way out, but most of the numbers manage to pack a whole trip's punch within a short little 3 or 4 minute song – leaving us to marvel even more at the deft economy in the studio, and the wonderful quality this kind of music had before it succumbed to too many of its own excesses. Titles include "Her Name Is A Melody" by Adrian Pride, "It's Love" by The Misty Wizards, "Break Away" by Next Exit, "Hallucinations" by Baker Knight & The Knightmares, "That's The Way It's Gonna Be" by Lee Mallory, "Wildflowers" by The Holy Mackerel, "Smell Of Incense" by West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, "My Mind Goes High" by MC2, "Straight Aero" by Jeff Thomas, and "The White Pony" by Ellen Margulies. CD

Fantastic material from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – tracks recorded during their same crucial Paris trip of 1969 that also gave the world the better-known BYG/Actual albums – but delivered in a style that's slightly different overall! There's maybe more of the cerebral side of the group at play here – that great love of small shifts, textures, and instrumental interplay – similar, maybe, to their People Of Sorrow album at times – but with a lot more force, especially in the freer moments. In addition to bass, Malachi Favors plays electric bass, sitar, and banjo – all worth the price of admission alone – and Lester Bowie plays trumpet, flugelhorn, and other instruments, while Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman handle a variety of reeds and percussion. Titles include "Tutankhamun", "The Ninth Room" and "Tthinitthedalen". CD

One of Maria Bethania's best albums of the 80s – a set that has the singer almost hitting a more personal, more intimate mode – working with music from Caetano Veloso that helps bring in a closeness that Bethania was sometimes missing in her sound! The approach is a bit jazzy at times – with warm keyboard currents that allow Maria to trip lightly on the vocal tip, while still moving with the kind of sophisticated songwriting that serves her best – and Caetano also sings a bit on the record, as does Milton Nascimento. Titles include "Anos Dourados", "Doce Espera", "Yorubahia", "Gostoso Demais", "Tranchan", "Errei Sim", and "Cancoes E Momentos". CD

One of the grooviest albums of the 60s – and the first album in Donovan's legendary run with producer Mickie Most! The sound here is light years away from the heavy Dylan of Donovan's first recordings – and is steeped in eastern influences that sparkle in both the songwriting and arrangements – and which can be most strongly heard in the album's trademark use of tablas and electric sitar! Donovan's vocals are completely sublime, too – done in that raspy, almost lispy style that brings out all the best edges in his songwriting – and the lyrics of the tunes are a mind-expanding array of themes that really pushed the boundaries of 60s pop. Titles include the sublime classic "Sunshine Superman", plus "Bert's Blues", "The Fat Angel", "The Trip", "Celeste", "Three Kingfishers", and the funky funky "Season Of The Witch"! CD