One of the more avant albums on MPS at the time – with work from Manfred Schoof on trumpet and flugelhorn, Peter Trunk on bass, and Cees See on drums, percussion, tabla, flute, and harp! LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A really unusual project from electronic music legend Delia Derbyshire – sounds that were created for a film of abstract photographic images, but which work beautifully here on their own! Partner Elsa Stansfield contributes a lot of core elements to the music – Derbyshire works in sounds that are even more abstract and beautiful than her better-known music for the BBC Radiophonic Workshop – and together, they create something that we'd be more likely to call a "sonic painting" than just an ordinary record album! The set also features a bit of spoken introduction by Pamela Bone – whose photographs formed the core of the images – but overall, most of the proceedings are instrumental, and come from the team of Derbyshire and Stansfield. LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant little set from Keef Hartley – a blend of jazz, blues, and rock that's really tremendous – quite different than other efforts of its sort at the time, with a gritty edge that really makes the record stand up strongly over the years! Keef's on drums, and has a great way of rumbling up the bottom of the tunes – a feature that's always made his records a favorite of beatheads – and vocals here are from Miller Anderson, who definitely has a touch of Eric Burdon in his approach. Other instrumentation includes organ, harpsichord, and some wickedly fuzzy guitar – plus occasional brass from a section that includes Harry Beckett and Henry Lowther, the latter of whom did arrangements. Titles include "Born To Die", "Just To Cry", "Think It Over/Too Much To Take", "Just To Cry", "Leavin Trunk", and "Sinnin For You". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare meeting of these two American giants of the tenor sax – brought together at the end of the 60s in Europe, both recording late in their careers, but with a laidback and open approach that's really wonderful! The format here is quite loose – a bit like some of the late hours, swing-based sides on Prestige at the end of the 50s – with longish tracks that let both players state their solos in clean, well-recorded phrasings – with gentle support from a trio that includes Tete Montoliu on piano, Peter Trunk on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. There's a few faltering moments at times, but they also add a nice degree of humanity to the record – kind of a dimming genius that might not have been allowed on an American session by either player, but which speaks volumes here for the time and distance both players had travelled! Titles include "Caravan", "Sundae", "Blues For Dottie Mae", and "Perdido". LP, Vinyl record album

Late work by Webster and Byas – playing here with backing by a European rhythm section that includes Tete Montoliu on piano and Peter Trunk on bass, plus American Albert Heath on drums. The tracks are mostly long and open – with the main focus on letting the two tenor giants solo as much as possible. Tracks include "Caravan", "Sundae", "Blues For Dottie Mae", and "Perdido". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album in a mighty legendary run from Taj Mahal – one of the first generation of blues musicians to really learn to recast their sound for the younger crossover generation! By that, we don't mean that Taj is commercial at all – it's just that he's kind of reclaiming the blues roots that had been filtered into mainstream rock by the late 60s time of this recording – stripping things down, and getting back to basics in a mighty nice way! He gets key help on the record from a young Ry Cooder, and from guitarist Jessie Ed Davis too – and titles include "Leaving Trunk", "EZ Rider", "Dust My Broom", "Diving Duck Blues", "The Celebrated Walkin Blues", and "Statesboro Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A great pianist and a great rhythm section – two factors that make this one of the best albums ever from Spanish pianist Tete Montoliu! The session's got a tightness that some of Tete's other records are missing – a style that still allows him to display his free command of the keys, but which also holds him into a structured groove that produces even more intensity. Tete's working here with Peter Trunk on bass and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – both excellent players who bring plenty of their own spirit to the session, and work well in a three-pronged approach to the tunes that has plenty of melody coming from the drums and bass – and a fair bit of rhythm coming from Montoliu's heavy left hand as well! Titles include some great originals – like Trunk's "Tranquillogy" and "Visca L'Ampurda" – as well as Montoliu's "Blues For Nuria", and versions of "Stablemates" and "I Surrender Dear". LP, Vinyl record album

A second mighty batch of rare work from points south – the kind of tunes we'd never have tracked down on our own, making us even more grateful for a set like this! As before, the music's a blend of obscure African tunes and other bits picked from the Caribbean – the latter of which represents a strongly untapped source of funk from the 70s, finally getting its due in recent years! There's a strong influence on most numbers from American funky 45s – heavy drums, riffing guitars, and blasting horns – but all put together with a slightly different approach, especially on the bottom – which makes for more than enough interesting grooves throughout the set. Titles include "Dig It Babe" by Jojo L'Explosif, "Rising" by WJC & Roots Trunks & Branches, "Dou Dagbe We" by Black Santiago, "Almamy" by Super Tentemba Jazz, "Rhythm On Rhythm" by Sookie, "Joe" by Marius, "Play Up Play Up" by Roland Louis Orchestra, "Let's Stay Up Vickings" by Les Vickings, and "Wish Upon Love" by Cool Creation. LP, Vinyl record album