A stunning set of vocal recordings by Tlahoun Gessesse – one of the most important singers during the golden age of Ethiopian Music – caught here on a set of sides that sadly saw that period coming to an end! The tracks on the set are mostly from the early 70s, a time that saw great political changes in Ethiopia – and tremendous censorship and restrictions on cultural production. Gessesse's vocals during this time are perhaps even more melancholy and heartfelt than before, and he's working here on a number of sides with the legendary Mulatu – with arrangements that have a angular, almost modernist edge. Despite the language barriers that keep us from understanding what Gessesse's singing about, there's an incredibly evocative quality to the work that transcends time and place – and titles include "Alegntaye", "Aykedashem Iebe", "Ene Negn Wey Antchi", "Yene Felagote", "Beyet New Mengedu", "Lantchi Biye", "Tchuheten Betsemu", and two versions of "Kulun Mankwalesh". First time on reissue vinyl for this material – which originally appeared on the 17th volume of the Ethiopiques series. LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking improvisations from the British scene of the early 70s – a set that stands as a key demonstration of the tonal genius of Evan Parker on reeds, and one that also marks a seminal mix of percussion and electronics from the great Paul Lytton! Parker blows soprano and tenor saxes, sometimes in those cyclical modes that he can pull off effortlessly – which also seems to open the door to Lytton's electronic pulsations, and some of his percussive touches in a similar way – while both musicians also use other elements, including tape and home made instruments – touching the proceedings with some very cool and unexpected sounds! Titles include "Lytton Perdu", "Shaker", "Cat's Flux 2", "Peradam", "Voice Fragment", and "What's Left Of The Neo Left". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing music from the golden years of Ethiopian Music – a set of tracks that will take you beyond the music of Mulatu, into a wealth of other talents from the scene at the same time! The sound here is incredible – a mix of heavy funk, spacey jazz, and other exotic touches all coming together – a unique sort of sound that's beyond referent, and which is easily some of the freshest music on the planet back in the 70s! The vinyl-only collection pulls tracks from different volumes of the Ethiopiques CD titles – and offers up a strong focus on the funkiest and grooviest numbers from that legendary series. Tracks include "Muziqawi Silt" by Wallias Band, "Hasabe" by Ayalew Mesfin, "Antchin Yagegnulet" by Tamrat Ferendji, "Amlak Abet Abet" by Asselfetch Ashine & Getenesh Kebret, "Temeles" by Alemayehu Eshete & Hirut Bequele, and "Aynotchesh Yerefu" by Samuel Belay. LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing 70s recordings from Ethiopian singer Alemayehu Eshete – one of the greatest stars of the Ethiopiques series next to Mulatu! The style here is often quite funky at times – a strong James Brown influence in some of the rhythms, hitting hard with a heavy funk groove at the bottom, and topped by some sharp-edged, angular horns that further freshen up the sound. Other tracks are a bit more soul-based, and make great use of Eshete's amazing vocal style – kind of a back of the throat style of singing, and one that's quite a change from other expectations you might have of African funk from the 70s! Vinyl-only collection features some of the best tracks by Alemayehu from the Ethiopiques CD series – titles that include "Yeweb Dar", "Tashamanaletch", "Telantena Zare", "Feqer Feqer New", "Hameta", "Tey Gedyeleshem", "Eskegizew Bertchi", and "Quondjit". LP, Vinyl record album

A special vinyl release of one of the most striking volumes of the legendary Ethiopiques series – a set that focuses on the mad saxophone work of Getachew Makurya! The recordings on this collection are all from 1972 – and they feature the deep-toned Mekurya blowing in a strange and otherworldly tone, usually over spare backings that include percussion, piano, and/or organ – making for a sound that's almost like some of Pat Patrick's work for Sun Ra, but with a decidedly more ethnic feel! The compositions are all very basic, and very rhythmic – and Makurya's sax work snakes over the top in a really magical way. Titles include "Akale Wube", "Tizita", "Shemonmwanaye", "Yene Hassab Gwadegna", "Ambassel", "Almaz Yeharerwa", and "Yegenet Muziqa". Note – all tracks are from the Volume 14 CD of Ethiopiques – but appear here on vinyl reissue for the first time! LP, Vinyl record album

A cool jazzy single from Japan – one with live jazz instrumentation in the best clubjazz mode, but topped with Japanese vocals that really give the whole thing a great vibe! The snapping snare is matched by a great acoustic bassline – and the whole approach plays out nicely on the flipside too, but in a different way! 7-inch, Vinyl record

"Skyscrapers" is a classic 70s cut by legendary Brazilian keyboardist Deodato – and here, Nautilus remake the tune for a new generation – using their crackling groove to really invent a piano trio approach to the song! "Another World" is one of their own – a track with this fantastic piano line at the start – really setting the tone with a joyous, upbeat vibe – before cascading over the nicely crackling drums and bass at the core! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two great cuts from this funky Japanese trio! "We Gettin Down" is the classic tune from Weldon Irvine – sampled famously by Tribe Called Quest, and done here with this lean groove that's wonderful – funky drums, bass, and these cool keyboards that are also mixed with a vocoder chant of the title! "Nautical Table" is more full on and intense – the kind of cascading piano groove the group does so well – and a tune that's exploding with color and light! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two keyboard heavy cuts – a great original, and a funky cover too! The group's "Inner Space" is wonderful – and begins with this romping drum part that sets the tune for a mellower keyboard line – all nice and funky, and balanced with each other in a really unusual way! The flipside features a remake of the great Manzel tune "Space Funk" – with a drumbreak that's a nice take on the sound of the original's intro – and a nicely changed-up bassline that's a perfect blend for the cool moogy keyboards! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Funky trio Nautilus plays standards, but not the kind of over-recorded songs from Cole Porter and Irving Berlin – and instead a whole host of mighty cool cuts from the likes of Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, and Woody Shaw! As with the group's other records, the approach is that of a trio – Mariko Nakabayashi on keyboards, Shigeki Umezawa on bass, and Toshihuki Sasaki on drums – but the format is nicely different, as these guys shift up rhythms in all sorts of cool, creative ways – a bit like the Indigo Jam Unit and other Japanese groups who proceeded them – which does great things to some of these already-great cuts! Mizuki Kamata provides guest vocals on the track "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" – and other titles include "The Eye Of The Hurricane", "Little B's Poem", "Sweet Love Of Mine", and "Solitude". LP, Vinyl record album

Nautilus sound every bit as great here as on previous albums, but they've also added a difference too – the use of vocals on many tracks, in a way that really helps expand and open up their sound! The singers vary, as do their approaches – one track has a vocoder filtering the vocals – but they all add plenty to the record when they make an appearance, which then seems to have us loving the core trio even more when they step out on their own! There's plenty of Fender Rhodes and other keyboards next to the bass and drums – and singers include Keyco and Mizuki Mamata, plus members of the group – and titles include great remakes of "Sweet Power Your Embrace", "World Is A Ghetto", "Virtual Insanity", and "Let's Stay Together" – plus "A Story About You", "Jean De Fleur", and "Cathedral". LP, Vinyl record album

The group's just a trio, but they've got a wonderfully full sound – a rich funky groove that comes from just drums, bass, and keyboards – yet which has this soaring reach that almost takes us back to the 70s genius of work on labels like Fantasy or Prestige! Drummer Toshiyuki Sasaki is a monster on the kit – snapping things into the groove from the very first note, and driven on strongly by the basslines of Shigeki Umezawa – while Mariko Nakabayashi warms things up in a wonderful way with all sorts of great keyboard solos – often in an electric piano mode, but sometimes with a wider sonic reach as well! The approach is a bit like the Indigo Jam Unit from years back, but maybe has some more classic touches as well – thanks to versions of cuts by Weldon Irvine, Manzel, and Deodato, all mixed in with the group's own music too. Titles include "Another World", "Space Funk", "Looking Back", "Inner Space", "La Ritournelle", "Skyscrapers", "Caught Up", "Nautical Table", and "We Getting Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool little record – one that takes an older Italian sound library mode and reworks it with some of the contemporary flavor of the Schema label – but all with live instrumentation that's mighty nice all the way through! Lorenzo Morressi handles bass, guitar, and plenty of vintage keyboards – while Luicano Cantone plays live drums throughout, which gives the record a crisp crackle that might be missing if the pair worked with too many programmed rhythms, samples, or overdubs! There's also plenty of live instrumentation on the set too – including sublime flute lines from Tenderlonious, and electric piano from Giovanni Guerretti – on titles that include "Allegro Funerario", "Slalom", "Odeon", "Savana Urban", "Beta Erotica", "Sulla Strada Della Luna", and "Poste Presente". LP, Vinyl record album

You might know the music of keyboardist Tonu Naisso from his work in jazz, but here the approach is slightly different – still jazz-based, but with the more compact approach of vintage sound library work – as Tonu serves up a dozen great instrumentals, all with a range of excellent keyboard styles! The music's not canned, but performed by a live group – one that includes excellent saxes and flute from Markus Holkko, whose edges and inflections really open up the sound next to the electric work from the leader – given rhythms that are both cosmic and funky from Aleksi Heinola on drums and Temu Akerblom on bass. Titles include "Hello Sunshine", "Matsi Mari", "Dangerous Dance", "Cabrera Sundown", "Pacific Breeze", "Shapes & Colours", "Urban Life", and "Pocket Galaxy". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Oliver Nelson's hippest albums – a bold statement of righteous energy, and a fantastic summation of all the genius he'd created during the 60s as an arranger for other people's records! The record is almost at a Duke Ellington level – a complex yet soulful suite of tracks for the post-60s years – complete with some sound effects of rioting and urban strife at the beginning, and a mix of modern, modal, and compositional styles that bursts out with pride and power that we wouldn't have heard in Nelson's music a decade before! The soloists are great – and the album features wonderful read work from John Klemmer, Frank Strozier, and Nelson himself – on great original titles that include "Self Help Is Needed", "I Hope In Time A Change Will Come", "Requiem Afterthoughts", "Lamb Of God", and "Martin Was A Man A Real Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Numero's Eccentric Soul series focuses on a well-named label – the tiny Shoestring company, who must have operated on a shoestring budget – given that most of its work hardly made it out of the Southern Illinois scene in which they worked! Yet the label's home of Alton, Illinois was also not far from St Louis – and these tracks have a tighter, urban vibe than you might expect – some surprising boogie groovers in the mix, and sharp arrangements and a well put-together groove on most of these cuts that's very different than the usual sort of soul music you might expect from a tiny label. Part of that's the date – a number of these tracks come together from the post-disco years, and have a well-crafted 80s vibe – in a set list that includes the tracks "Let Yourself Go" and "I Need You So" by Jimmie Green, "You're All The Woman I Need" and "Disco Fever" by Howard Neal, "We've Got It Made" by The James Family, "You & Me" by Pete & Cheez, "You Keep Holding Back On Love" by Carletta Sue, and "Dance" by Jimmie Green. LP, Vinyl record album

Numero's Eccentric Soul series focuses on a well-named label – the tiny Shoestring company, who must have operated on a shoestring budget – given that most of its work hardly made it out of the Southern Illinois scene in which they worked! Yet the label's home of Alton, Illinois was also not far from St Louis – and these tracks have a tighter, urban vibe than you might expect – some surprising boogie groovers in the mix, and sharp arrangements and a well put-together groove on most of these cuts that's very different than the usual sort of soul music you might expect from a tiny label. Part of that's the date – a number of these tracks come together from the post-disco years, and have a well-crafted 80s vibe – in a set list that includes the tracks "Let Yourself Go" and "I Need You So" by Jimmie Green, "You're All The Woman I Need" and "Disco Fever" by Howard Neal, "We've Got It Made" by The James Family, "You & Me" by Pete & Cheez, "You Keep Holding Back On Love" by Carletta Sue, and "Dance" by Jimmie Green. LP, Vinyl record album

Jazzy goodness galore – a set of really well-chosen tracks that we're not sure we've ever seen reissued before – mostly from obscure sources that might well have remained underdiscovered otherwise! Jazz is at the key, but there's also some soulful vocal moments too – and most tracks are long, and have a vibe that's a nice change from funky jazz or spiritual modes – even though there's still plenty of soulful energy throughout the set! Instrumentation is both electric and acoustic, and styles change up nicely – in ways that make each new track a great discovery, even if you've got ears that are well-trained on years of record digging. Titles include "On Dit" by Sara Alexander, "On A Winder's Day" by Afrodisax, "For You" by Dave Plaehn, "Pre-Stretch Warm Up" by Rick Panzer, "Du Ar Frisk" by Roger Ekman, "Philosophy" by Anne Marie Giortz, "Sengakuji" by Urban Hansson, and "Alcohol" by Rene Van Helsdingen. LP, Vinyl record album

A really wild little funky record – one that's got very obscure origins on the Argentine scene of the 70s, and which serves up an unusual blend of soul, funk, and sound library modes! The tunes have plenty of wicked basslines, heavy drums, and riffing guitar – all of which draw inspiration from American funk of the time – yet there's also weird use of processed vocals, sound samples, moogy keyboards, and other elements that continue to keep things interesting – sometimes with this fake urban vibe that can feature spoken parts that are really cool – augmented even more on a few funky edits that are added to the original album. Titles include "Inspector Jones", "4:00 In The Morning", "Bermilyia Avenue", "Arroz Con Leche", and "Adults Edit" – plus "Inspector Jones (John is missing edit)", "Adults Only (juicy edit)", "Bermilyia Avenue (light touches edit)", and "Arroz Con Leche (stripped extended edit)". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet little record that definitely offers up what it promises in the title – a lower-fi version of the Japanese city pop sound from years back, yet one that's also nicely inflected with some of the hip hop elements that Grey October Sounds use in their music! The image on the cover is nicely fitting, as there's a intimacy here that's nice – kind of a peace within the urban setting, not far from the beats and the streets – but a bit more private too, and done here with contributions from Esu, Lo Film Creation, Monbee, and Adon. Titles are all in Japanese, and if you've dug previous work by the group, you'll find plenty here to love! LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from Smokey Wilson – a southern bluesman by birth, but one who relocated to the LA scene in the postwar years, where he really started to groove! This 70s album is a great example of the way that Wilson merged his roots with some of the soulful currents of the Cali scene – and like some of the other records on the short-lived Big Town label, an offshoot of Kent, the set's got a tight groove and a nicely urban take on earlier modes, but all without hitting any of the more commercial cliches that were creeping into electric blues at the time. Titles include "Go Go Train", "Tell Me Baby", "Straighten Up Baby", "I'm Gonna Put You Down", "I'm Gonna Leave You Baby", "Teach Me How To Love You", and "I Wanna Do It To You Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Warm, soulful sounds from a crucial time in the Japanese music scene – a 70s moment when the nation was finding a special groove of its own – but one that also drew heavily from American soul and jazz as well! It's no secret that the Japanese have always had a great love of American sounds – but by the mid 70s, that longtime love had also turned into some great homegrown sounds of their own – as Japan developed a number of its own strong soul singers, who were often backed by the ever-growing array of great jazz musicians, particularly those of the fusion side of the spectrum. Plus, there also seemed to be a lot more criss-crossing between Tokyo and US studios at the time – particularly those on the west coast – which resulted in a special blend of sounds that had all the class and cool of the Japanese urban scene, but also some of the sunniness of the west coast too. That special mix of music is perfectly summed up here – in a collection that offers up plenty of cuts that were never issued outside of Japan back in the day – with vocals both in English and Japanese, and plenty of grooves that are perfect for any fan of fusion-styled R&B. Titles include the classic "LA Nights" by Yasuko Agawa – plus "Say Goodbye" by Hiroshi Sato, "I Say Who" by Tomoko Soryo, "Sports Men" by Haruomi Hosoni, "Midnight Driver" by Minako Yoshida, "Machibouke" by Tazumi Toyoshima, "Exotic Yokogao" by Hitomi Tohyama, "Lady Pink Panther" by Shigeru Suzuki, "Drip Dry Eyes" by Yukihiro Takahashi, and "Bamboo Vendor" by Masayoshi Takanaka. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most compelling grooves the Talking Heads ever recorded – a set that sparkles with imaginative touches, and railroads forward on a wave of complicated rhythms! The sound is brilliant throughout – a genre-less approach that sheds the group's earlier art nerd aesthetic for one that's clearly influenced by late 70s funk and club – but takes that influence in a whole new direction! The whole thing's even fresher than some of the artier downtown moments that bubbled around at the time – as David Byrne and the group actually managed to cross over big with the record – hitting not only urban markets, but also getting some play from the classic rock crowd too. Brian Eno produced, and co-wrote the songs with the group – and some great Green World-esque electronics bubble through the mix, and hold the whole thing together beautifully. Titles include "Houses In Motion", "Once In A Lifetime", "The Great Curve", "Crosseyed & Painless", "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)", "Listening Wind", "Seen & Not Seen", and "The Overload". LP, Vinyl record album

The archive here appears to be Volcov's own record collection – but that's A-OK with us, because he's got some wonderfully groovy, wonderfully soulful, wonderfully under-discovered records he wants to share with us! The set's got a wicked blend of obscure tracks from decades back, and some contemporary cuts that share a similar vibe – music that's in a really special place between soul, jazz, and fusion – often with a cosmic vibe that gives the whole collection a very righteous sound! Liner notes are by Patrick Forge, who points out how obscure most of these tracks are, and what a special collection this is – and we definitely agree with his words, as most of these tracks are new to us, too. Titles include "Keep The Same Old Feeling" by Hot Quisine, "Do The Right Thing" by JOB, "Go (Chez Damien classic mix)" by The Urban Cru, "The Sound Of The Memory Of Many Living People" by Are & Be, "Arigo (Volcov edit)" by Manfredo Fest, "Turning On To Me" by Oneness Of Juju, "Footprints On The Sand (Shannon Harris Urbanicity reinterpretation)" by Chanan Hanspal, "Sophisticated Disco (Volcov edit)" by O'Donel Levy, "Simon's Melody" by The Antilles, "Part 4" by Shakazulu, and "Sun On My Back" by Bembe Segue. LP, Vinyl record album

A really beautiful collection of music – and work from a scene that we've hardly heard from before – given that all these tracks were taken from the 60s catalog of the Caife Records label in Ecuador! The music is often an unusual hybrid of modes – older folkloric styles mixes with more contemporary expressions – often driven by an urban interest in the nation's traditions, which involve many different cultural strains spread out over its diverse terrain. Caife was an imprint that sought to capture music that might have fallen through the cracks otherwise – and in terms of sound and style, most of this work feels much older than what you might have heard coming from Colombia, Mexico, or Cuba in the 60s – with a fair bit of acoustic instrumentation, and often a strong current of sentiment, as is hinted at in the title. The package is a very well-done resurrection of this near-lost legacy – with a beautiful booklet of notes and rare images – including a shot of the hoarder's office in a high rise, where most of the tapes had been sitting for decades. Titles include "Sendero Del Dolor" by Segundo Bautista, "Ingratitud" by Hermanas Mendoza Suasti, "Cotopaxi" by Biluka Y Los Canibales, "Desesperacion" by Bentiez Y Valencia, "Lejos De Ti" by Los Tres Ases, "Vaca Lechera" by Conjunto Caife, "Pasional" by Lucho Munoz, "El Anacu De Mi Guambra" by Biluka Y Los Canibales, and "Ensonacion" by Los Inaquingas. LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just a typical collection of rare funk and soul – as the selections here not only meet the stunningly high standards of the BGP label – but they've also been sampled in more recent years for hip hop records and other contemporary recordings! Essentially, you've got the best of both worlds – vintage funk from the late 60s and early 70s – brought together in a great collection – and work that's gone onto form the blueprint for contemporary urban sounds as well – which means you'll probably recognize some or part of most of these songs from their use in more contemporary recordings. Nearly every cut's been sampled at least more than once – and titles include "Blind Alley" by The Emotions, "Chick A Boom" by Pazant Brothers, "Eva" by Jean Jacques Perry, "Walk Tall" by Cannonball Adderley, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Bouncy Lady" by Pleasure, "Tramp" by Lowell Fulson, "Take Yo Praise" by Camille Yarbrough, "Thinking Single" by The Counts, "Different Strokes" by Syl Johnson, "Ike's Mood" by Isaac Hayes, "What A Man" by Linda Lynell, and "Smokey Joe's La La" by Googie Rene. Funky funky! LP, Vinyl record album

A warmly wonderful blend of hip hop and contemporary soul from the LA scene – not the first record we've heard from Duckwrth, but one that definitely marks him as being at the best level the city's been giving us in recent years! There's a genre-breaking quality that's effortless here – part of that contemporary scene that no longer needs to draw the lines between hip hop and R&B that were so important in decades past – and are instead free to swim in the best elements of both, charting the way forward for urban music in the farther reaches of the 21st Century. The set features guest appearances from Jordan Ward, Destin Conrad, and Phabo – on titles that include "We Outside", "Make U Go", "4K", "Mask Off", "Link Up Time", and "Clueless". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from the late 80s – one of the first records to really herald the new generation to come with De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest – served up by Native Tongues partners The Jungle Brothers! While this set never got the major label push that debuts by the other groups would have, the set was an instant sensation in the world of hip hop – the start of a new level of wit and wisdom – urban sensibility able to look back at itself, almost a postmodern commentary on the then-short history of hip hop! Production is great – and the JBs not only reworked use of classic samples, but also added a newly jazzy sensibility – on titles that include "On the Run", "Straight Out the Jungle", "Black Is Black", "Braggin & Boastin", "Behind The Bush", "Because I Got It Like That", and the classic "Jimbrownski". LP, Vinyl record album

A great late 80s return to form for Lou Reed – a record set in a New York that's a bit different than the gritty one of his youth, but which is captured here by Lou with that vivid sense of songwriting that always made his urban themes some of the best in rock and roll! The set's designed to be listened to straight through – like a book or a movie, Lou mentions in the notes – and the songs are set to well-crafted guitar work mostly by Reed, augmented with work from Mike Rathke – delivered in a vocal style that's found a newly-confident way of moving between singing and speech. Titles include "Dirty Blvd", "Endless Cycle", "Busload Of Faith", "Sick Of You", "Hold On Mr Waldheim", "Xmas In February", "Strawman", "Dime Store Mstery", "Romeo Had Juliette", and "The Last Great American Whale". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that comes out a decade after the first album by footwork maestro RP Boo, but one that features tracks recorded in the first ten years of the 21st Century – music from a time when footwork was really exploding on the Chicago scene as a wonderful blend of house music influences and some of the grittier elements of hip hop! But as you'll hear on the record, the style here is tied to neither at all – as it offers up a blisteringly rhythm progression of sounds – as urban as some of the Afro-Futurist work from Detroit, but even more stark and spare as well. Titles include "Pop Machine", "Azzoutof Control", "Porno", "Off Da Hook", "Say Grace", "Total Darkness", "Heavy Heat", "Eraser", and "BOTO". LP, Vinyl record album

London's always been one of the hippest cities in the world – but back during the postwar years, there was an especially wonderful outpouring of music on the scene – a rich array of new sounds and styles pulled from around the globe – as so many residents from crumbling British empire came to live in the UK! Musicians and listeners arrived in London with plenty of cultural baggage on hand – influences from the Caribbean, West Africa, and India too – plus other smaller scenes that once fell under the British banner, all now the fuel for the cultural fire that was happening in England! The title here tells plenty about the music being made in this newly-formed scene – bits of African highlife, Jamaican calypso, American jazz, Cuban Latin, and more – all filtered into the modernism of the 50s, and given a new twist that was decidedly urban as well. The package may well be the most impressive so far in this legendary series – and is certainly the one that moves the farthest past any sort of easy expectations or cultural conventions. Titles include "Women Police In England" by Mighty Terror, "My Sorrow" by West African Swing Stars, "Cricket Umpires" by Lord Kitchener, "Jordhu" by Caribbean Swing Band, "Trumpet Highlife" by Shake Keane, "Calypso Mambo" by George Browne, "Cuban Nightingale" by Buddy Pipp's Highlifers, "Kitch" by The Quavers, "Tabu" by Mona Baptiste, and "King Jimmy Foo Foo" by Tejan Sie with The West African Rhythm Brothers. LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous little album from Joyce – a rare session originally only issued in Italy, recorded in a folksy style that's a bit different than her other work! Tracks are all pretty short – many under 2 minutes long – and feature spare guitar, percussion, and lovely vocals from Joyce – really stretching out here in the laidback and open-ended format. The record is a magical treasure, and one of the best she ever recorded – a unique mix of jazzy and folksy stylings, all held together with some of the loveliest vocals ever recorded by a Brazilian singer! Titles include "Pelo Telefone", "Pesadelo", "De Frente Pro Crime", "Joia", "Chora Doutor", "Fado Tropical", and "A Historia Do Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

The only full length album ever issued by Suburban Lawns – a real standout in the southern California scene at the end of the 70s, and a group whose potential seems to know no bounds! These guys are clearly rooted in punk, but already reaching past it – getting creative and playful with their song structure, then rolling back into these short, sharp bursts of guitar energy that shows that they can go head to head with the best of them – a combination that makes the record pretty darn fantastic all the way through! Vocals are nice and jagged, and really fit the spirit of the songs – which were all penned by Su Tissue, who sings lead on a number of them. Titles include "Janitor", "Flying Saucer Safari", "Anything", "Green Eyes", "Jam The Controls", "Intellectual Rock", "Gossip", "Unable", "When In The World", "Not Allowed", and "Mom & Dad & God". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic material from the legendary Polish pianist Krzystof Komeda – best-known as the soundtrack composer on most of the early films of Roman Polanski, including Rosemary's Baby – but also a hell of a jazz modernist in his own right! This live performance captures Komeda right at a time when he was taking off – stretching out with fresh modern ideas of his own, and working with a key group of young associates – all at a level that rivals some of the freshest modern jazz experiments of contemporaries like Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, or Joe Harriott! The group's a quintet – with Michal Urbaniak on tenor and Tomasz Stanko on trumpet – and all tracks are long, and include "Knife In Water", "Roman Two", and "What's Up Mr Basie". LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece from Gerry Mulligan – and one of those key 60s albums that marks such a huge shift in his sound from the 50s! The approach here is very cool and compressed – but not in an LA "cool jazz" way – as the music has a more urbane, sophisticated vibe that's very much in keeping with the cover – as Gerry both blows baritone and plays piano with this spare sensitivity that's perfectly matched by group mates who include Art Farmer on trumpet and flugelhorn, Jim Hall on guitar, and Bob Brookmeyer on trombone! The use of Hall and Farmer is especially key here – as the pair bring in those soulful yet airy sounds they were crafting on their own records – given superb rhythm support from Bill Crow on bass and Dave Bailey on drums. The whole thing is a master class in understated genius – and titles include "Night Lights", "Prelude In E Minor", "Tell Me When", "Festive Minor", and "Morning Of The Carnival". LP, Vinyl record album

A New York album, but one that was oddly recorded in Burbank – and which has Art Pepper sounding very much at the top of his game! The format here is a bit like the other Artist House Pepper sessions, and those he did for the Japanese Atlas label – tight, focused, often tunes that are older jazz or bop standards – but swing with a great rhythm section, and topped with completely sublime alto solos from the leader! The quartet features Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – but one number is a duo between Carter and Pepper, and another features just piano and alto. Titles include "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Duo Blues", "My Friend John", and "Straight No Chaser". LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty happenin' here – a wealth of boogaloo grooves, mad Latin jazz riffs, and lots lots more – all served up on a platter that's easily one of the most cooking ever from trumpeter Willie Rodriguez! Like other releases on the Fonseca label, there's a nicely messed-up groove going on – a style that easily shifts between different Latin modes in search of the rawest sound possible – without any thought of mainstream convention, or the sort of straighter-laced sounds that might have played with the suburban crowds. Willie's band is clearly nice and youthful, and more than willing to follow his leadership – working equally well on both the English and Spanish language tunes on the set. Titles include "Boogaloo Hay", "Sansuyo", "Mi Guajira", "Mi Shingaling", "The Clock", "What You Want Is Boogaloo", "7th Ave Train", and the very tasty "Descarga El Bravo"! LP, Vinyl record album

The bass of Christian McBride has maybe never sounded this bold and clear before – set up in an album of bass duets with Edgar Meyer, a musician whose style complements McBride's in a mighty nice way! The title's question definitely gets answered on the record – as both players switch back and forth between melody and rhythm – doing a really great job of opening up the sound while still swinging too – with a quality that's really rich and soulful, thanks to a superb job of recording! Each musician plays piano on two different tracks – meaning that four out of fifteen have piano/bass duets – and titles include "Canon", "Philly Slop", "Solar", "Barnyard Disturbance", "Green Slime", "Lullaby For A Ladybug", and "Tennessee Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous project from the scene in Uruguay at the start of the 70s – a magical moment of musical creation, put together by the legendary Eduardo Mateo and some of the key artists of his generation! As with Mateo's music, there's an approach here that's both sophisticated and down to earth at the same time – some qualities that resonate strongly with the best Brazilian work of the time, but which have that special bent that was taking place amidst the struggles that were facing Uruguay at this difficult time in their history. Instrumentation is a great blend of acoustic and electric elements, and the shifting voices really help keep things interesting – on titles that include "Pippo" by Urbano & El Kinto, "Principe Azul" by Mateo & El Kinto, "Si Te Vas De Mi Pueblo" by Mateo & Reinaldo, "Mejor Me Voy" by Diane Denoir & Mateo, "Musicasion III" by Urbano, "Muy Lejos Te Vas" by El Kinto, "Sueno De Una Noche De Mermelada" by Horacio, and "Margaritas Rojas" by Mateo, Federico, & Figares. 2LP version features new mastering – and a massive 18 tracks from the same generation, most unreleased! LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of groovers from the Cameo/Parkway label – a company that gave the world the biggest twist record of the 60s, but which also was perfectly poised to deliver all sorts of other upbeat tracks as well! The label was in Philly – a huge dance town in the early days of soul and rock – and the set list here is filled with the kind of cuts that were Philadelphia's answer to the rising sound of Motown – the roots of the Northern Soul sound that would be followed by soul collectors for decades! These aren't novelty hits, but upbeat cuts that groove plenty – most by soul artists, a few by pop singers – but all given the kind of tight instrumentation and strong studio handling that made the Philly scene such a standout. 22 tracks in all – including "Shimmy Shimmy" and "The Wah Watusi" by The Orlons, "Bristol Stomp" and "You Can't Sit Down" by the Dovells, "Mashed Potato Time" and "Do The Bird" by Dee Dee Sharp, "The 81" by Candy & The Kisses, "The Mash" by Tony Young & The Hippies, "Mexican Hat Rock" by The Applejacks, "Baby Do The Frog" by The Dardenelles, "The Swim (part 1)" by The Marlins, "Slow Twistin" by Chubby Checker & Dee Dee Sharp, "The Third House" by Bobby Rydell, "When You Dance" by The Turbans, "Everybody South Street" by The Taffys, "The Popeye Waddle" by Don Covay, and yes, "The Twist" by Chubby Checker. LP, Vinyl record album