Kind of a meeting of two different generations of Dave Brubeck – as the group here features Paul Desmond's alto sax, a key force in Dave's early recordings – and the baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan, a player who'd worked often with Brubeck in the late 60s and early 70s! The blend of horns is really amazing, and the live recording really moves past other obvious Brubeck modes – showing Dave's whole new conception after the breakup of the original quartet – and his willingness to open into new rhythms, and even freer modes of expression. Mulligan's baritone is wonderfully powerful – coming across here with a depth that we'd hardly have expected a few years before – and rhythm is from Jack Six on bass and Alan Dawson on drums, both players who also add to the transformation of the Brubeck groove. Titles include "Koto Song", "Unfinished Woman", "Truth", "Take Five", and "Rotterdam Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Pao Com Manteiga are a pretty hairy bunch of guys from mid 70s Brazil – at least according to their image on the back cover of the record – and they serve up a nicely fuzzy blend of styles that takes off from 60s psych modes, moves into 70s soft rock harmonies, yet never has any sort of too-commercial approach to lose its edge! The vibe is maybe a bit like those sublime We All Together albums that came from the Peruvian scene at the start of the 70s – but there's also elements here that echo that generation of Brazilian rock in the years past the politics and art of the Tropicalia scene – maybe more personal, human motivations – on tunes that include "Mister Dra", "Virgem De Andromeda", "A Feiticeira", "Historia Do Futuro", "Montanha Purpura", "Multi Atmos", and "Merlin". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most amazing graffiti book you'll ever hope to own – an amazingly heavy, oversized volume that tells the tale of the birth of the format and its global spread – served up in dozens of articles brought together in the space of an imaginary newspaper! The pages are huge, and the writing really matches the vivid images alongside – and is augmented by loads of cool details like subway and train route maps, a New York graffiti timeline, and pages and pages of full-color artwork! To be honest, we'd thought the graffiti book was done a long time ago, but this volume has really re-inspired our interest – and is essential reading not just for fans of graf art, but also of hip hop culture and urban spaces in general. 406 super-heavy pages, full color, oversized. Book

Wonderful work from the Kasai All-Stars – a group we first discovered in the Congotronics series with Konono No 1 – and who still have the same wonderful blend of raw rhythms, fuzzy distortion, and very powerful vocals! Their music has this powerfully organic vibe – with acoustic and electric elements bumping together in a fantastic way – that special sort of immediate power that really grabs you, and never asks for deeper cultural understanding as the price of admission. And the record's also got some interesting surprises too, in that a few numbers are performed by the larger Orchestra Symphonique Kimbanguiste, used in the soundtrack of which the main Kasai music is a part – versions of a few compositions by Arvo Part, which creates a heavenly juxtaposition next to the earthier numbers – with a vibe that's quite unusual, and makes the Kasai music seem even more powerful. Titles include "Kapinga Yamba", "In Praise Of Homeboys", "Tshalemba", "Mabela", "Quick As White", and "Tshitua Fuila Mbuloba". CD

One of the most compelling tributes to Duke Ellington we've ever heard – a performance of his music that really deviates from the sound of the original, yet which also keeps all the complicated spirit of Duke intact! Trumpeter Franz Koglmann is really at the helm of the core groups on the set – leading the Monoblue Quartet on some tracks, an ensemble that features Tony Coe on clarinet and tenor, Burkhard Stangl on guitar, and Klaus Koch on bass – and the Pipe Trio on others, with Rudolf Ruschel on trombone and Raoul Herget on tuba. Lee Konitz joins in on alto with both ensembles, save for one track – and the whole record is a brilliant piano-less and drum-less outing that has the horns coming together in ways that are almost inspired by Jimmy Giuffre, but which take on some richer chromatic tones in their exploration of Ellington themes. The whole record really opens up the Ellington concept tremendously – and titles include "Love Is In My Heart", "Lament For Javanette", "Ko Ko", "Zweet Zurzday", "Pyramid", and "The Mooche" – plus a few variations on "Thoughts About Duke", an original by Koglmann. CD

Four Trojan Records albums, all produced by Linval Thompson – and featuring some bonus tracks too! First up is Poor Man Style – a gem of a record from Barrington Levy – done in that laidback, easy-stepping style that always worked perfectly for the singer's vocals! Linval Thompson produced, and he brings in all these cool touches around the edges – early dancehall modes that are nicely understated, and which still maybe resonate more with the roots generation than later crossover hits – a righteous vibe that makes the whole album simmer beautifully all the way through! Titles include "She Is The Best Girl", "Don't Give Up", "Sensimella", "True Love", "Poorman Style", "This Little Boy", "Rob & Gone", "I Can't Wait Too Long", "Man Give Up", and "I Love I Love You". Next is Scientist & Jammy Strike Back – a record in which Scientist and Prince Jammy look an awful lot like Star Wars characters on the cover – but with grooves that are every bit as deep as their other dub classics from the time – completely amazing from conception to execution! If anything, the stars might be the perfect place for the music – given that the sounds here are very open, spacious, and way-out – full of as much echo as attack, at a level that reminds us that the pair are maybe some of the most minimalist of the dub generation! Rhythms are by the Roots Radics, but are always nice and spare – and there's plenty of splash and electro echo to link together the space between the notes – on titles that include "Flash Gordon Meets Luke Skywalker", "Crushing Of The Stormtroopers", "The Princess Takes Her Revenge", "Buck Rogers In The Black Hole", "Death Of Mr Spock", and "Storming The Death Star". Next is We Must Unite – a tremendous album from The Viceroys – a Jamaican vocal trio that we'd rank right up there with The Paragons and Melodians, and who work in this beautiful message-oriented mode next to wicked production from Linval Thompson! The record's got some slight electro-styled touches at the edge – used gently next to slow-tripping rhythms – while the trio step out with these warm harmonies that really bring a lot to the lyrics of the songs – a righteous batch of tracks that include "We Must Unite", "The Intelligence Of Her Mind", "Come Closer My Love", "They Can't Stop Us Now", and "Rising On The Strength Of Jah". Singer Tristan Palma follows in a very similar mode, but as a solo lead – on the well-crafted Settle Down Girl, also produced by Linval Thompson! Titles include "Settle Down Girl", "Run Around Woman", "Losted My Wife", "Don't Make Me Cry", "Come Turn Me On", and "Rosie Bell". CD also features bonus tracks – "If I Didn't Want Your Loving (12" mix)" and "Loving Version" by The Melodians – and "Settle Down Girl (12" mix)", and "Settle Down Girl Version" by Tristan Palma. CD

A real lost gem from Motown – and a whole lot more! Greetings! We're The Monitors is the only full album ever cut by The Monitors – a 3-man, 1-woman vocal group who were in a popular Motown mixed harmonies mode. The quartet had a wonderfully strong vocal presence – blasting away at most tracks with a strength that groups like The Miracles or Gladys Knight & The Pips could never match – and like those groups, they bridge that key period between late doo wop-oriented harmonies, and tighter 60s group soul. The LP brings together singles the Monitors cut for Motown during the previous few years, but it also works extremely well as a unified album – and it's a refreshing change from some of the oft-heard Motown material. Titles include "Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)", "Number One In Your Heart", "Bring Back The Love", "Step By Step (Hand In Hand)", and "Baby Make Your Own Sweet Music". This incredible anthologogy from Kent starts off with that album and includes 12 unissued tracks – a whole album's worth – plus 2 B-Sides. Unissued tracks include "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" , "The Letter", "Poor Side Of Town", "Anything", "Guilty" and more. 26 tracks in all! CD

A compilation of previously unreleased tracks from the one-and-only O'Jays – numbers produced by the Gamble-Huff team, mostly in the 80s with some stray numbers from the late 70s and 90s – but never included on any of the O'Jay's albums of the time! The albums are mostly synthesizer and electro-influenced ballads and tracks that strayed a bit from any defining formula the group was working at the particular time, so stylistically it's a bit of a hodgepodge. But if the tracks lack the classic characteristics of the group's and the production team's best, it's still pretty striking how durable the sound holds up in the present day – with cleaner sound mixes than they might have had if released nearer the recording dates! 12 tracks including "All Eyes On Africa", "Together We Are One", "Your Place Or Mine", "Ruler Of The Universe", "Promises", "When Sunny Gets Blue", "Hurry Home" and more. CD

One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by Abbey Lincoln at her most biting – really stepping out here in just a few short years from her previous role as a straight jazz singer, and firmly grabbing up territory no other female vocalists had touched! For this momentous event, Roach gathered together a really special group for the record – players who include regular partners Booker Little on trumpet and Julian Priester on trombone – alongside surprising guests like Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Olatunji on percussion, and Ray Mantilla on congas. There's no piano at all on the record, and the tracks are all long ones – stretching out with soaring horn passages next to the vocals, and plenty of percussion at the bottom to get things moving! Titles include "Driva' Man", "Tears for Johannesburg", "Freedom Day", "All Africa", and "Prayer/Protest/Peace". CD

A beautifully done look at the music of Harvey Scales – a damn funky cat from the Milwaukee scene, finally getting his due! The package is overflowing with groovers – hard funky 45 cuts that Scales recorded for the Magic Touch label – mostly in the late 60s and start of the 70s – wrapped up here in a lavish booklet that's filled with well-researched notes, and vintage photos – a set that really sets a whole new standard for the Tuff City label! Scales' groove is one that we've always loved on 45 – a dancefloor-directed version of soul that falls somewhere in a space between Archie Bell & The Drells and Dyke & The Blazers – but with a heavier sound overall. Yet having all these cuts together in one place seems to give them even more intensity than before – a powerhouse package of 20 rare tracks that run the gamut from upbeat soul to heavy funk to a few early disco numbers as well. Titles include "Love-It is", "Broadway Freeze", "Get Down", "The Yolk", "The Funky Yolk", "Get Down 1970", "Funky Football", "Trying To Survive", "Bump Your Thang", "Groove On Sexy Lady", "Rock The World", "Welcome Home", "The Sound Of Soul", "Too Good To Be True", and "Love Is A Gas". Beautifully done package – with an almost Numero-like feel inside the booklet! CD

Although reed player Sahib Shihab made a few records in the US in the late 50's, it wasn't until he moved to Europe and started hanging out with the likes of the Clarke-Boland Big Band that his talents really started to flower. This cool new LP brings together 15 small-combo recordings made by Shihab and other members of the CBBB (like Fats Sadi, Benny Bailey, Francy Boland, and Jimmy Woode) during the mid 60's. All the material was recorded by CBBB manager/producer Gigi Campi, and none of the stuff's been issued before as far as we can tell. The groove is nice and swinging, with excellent rolling grooves by Sadi on bongos and vibes. Shihab plays both flute and baritone, and the set swings with the same sort of modal groove as the best Saba/MPS recordings from the time. Cuts include "Campi's Idea", "Dijdar", "Companionship (I + II)", "Peter's Waltz", "Om Mani Padme Hum", and "Herr Fixit". As with the other titles in this series, the music's accompanied by a great package, with loads of excellent photos, good notes, and stellar sound quality. This is the kind of stuff we collect jazz for, and it's great to have it in stock at a nice low price! LP, Vinyl record album

Girls with guitars – a very dangerous combination, and one that's served up nicely by this sweet little vinyl set! The package brings together obscure girl rock tracks from the 60s – most of them in a rough garagey mode that stands as a very nice counterpoint to the sweeter girl group sound that's usually associated with the period. The tracks on the set are from a variety of labels, and include loads of work by groups we'd never heard of before, but who really sound great – most likely languished in obscurity due to the fact that their sound was years ahead of its time. The set has a nicely focused lineup from the CD series – with 12 titles that include "A Ladies Man" by Colette & The Bandits, "Shake A Tail Feather" by The Debutantes, "Climb That Tree" by She Trinity, "Outta Reach" by She, "International Girl" by The Beas, "I'm Gonna Destroy That Boy" by The What Four, "I Idolize You" by Gail Harris & The Wailers, "Please Please" by Goldie & The Gingerbreads, "Bo Diddley Is A Lover" by The Liverbirds, and "Stones" by The Ace Of Cups. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of rare 45s from the powerhouse TK Records label and all it's many smaller imprints – Dade, Glades, Alston, and many others – brought here together with a focus on a really special side of the label! TK was one of the first to really promote the 12" single in the disco generation – but before, during, and after the label maintained a strong commitment to the funky 45 too – and really used the format to showcase some of its stronger soul singers, in a way that made sure that the 7" singles packed plenty of punch! This set features 24 of those rare nuggets from TK, with plenty of obscure numbers in the lineup – and titles include "All Because Of Your Love" by Otis Clay, "Rules Are Made To Be Broken" by The Diamonettes, "Never Had A Love So Good" by Charles Johnson, "I Can't Speak" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "Don't Waste My Time" by Jerry Washington, "Hold On To It" by Barry Smith, "Please Don't Stop" by Wildflower, "Stop Hurting Me Baby" by Purple Mundi, "One Night Affair" by The Rising Sun, "That Is Why" by Sherlyn Wittiker & Touch, "Even Though" by King Tutt, "Do What You Wanna Do (part 1)" by Frank Howard & The Continentals, and "How Can I Do What's Right" by Vanessa Kendrick. CD

London is exploding again with fantastic music – and this time around, it's the city's jazz underground that comes forward to remind us what a unique musical crossroads the city can be! The work here represents an incredible new scene that's pushing boundaries all over again – not the avant jazz of London improvisers, nor the electric sounds of the broken beat world, or retro funk of another scene – but fantastic acoustic jazz that at one level brings back deeper spiritual sounds from generations back, but at another flings forward its sounds with inspiration that will be setting the standard for years to come. We've only had a few of these artists on record before, and together they work beautifully as a strong new proclamation of talent – on titles that include "Once" by Nubya Garcia, "Inside The Acorn" by Maisha, "Pure Shade" by Ezra Collective, "The Balance" by Moses Boyd, "Brockley" by Theon Cross, "Walls" by Triforce, "Black Skin Black Masks" by Shabaka Hutchings, "Go See" by Joe Armon Jones, and "Abusey Junction" by Kokoroko. CD

Massive work by Lee Dorsey – recorded years after his classics in the 60s, and even funkier overall! Lee's really cooking on all burners here – working with the production team of Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn, and getting some incredible backing from The Meters – who are at the height of their powers during this period! In a way, the set's one of the ultimate New Orleans sessions of the 70s – a culmination of all the best elements that were percolating together in the 60s indie underground, simmered together perfectly in a tighter 70s Polygram funk mode! Includes the massive original version of "Yes We Can Can" – way better than any of the subsequent cover versions – plus great takes on"Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further", "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley", "Gator Tail", "Tears Tears & More Tears", "When The Bill's Paid", and "Occapella". Includes previously unreleased tracks "If I Were A Carpenter", "A Place Where We Can Be Free", "As Quiet As It's Kept", and "Lonely Avenue". CD

A tremendous little record from LV Johnson – an obscure indie soul effort from the early 80s, but one that's recorded with a really great sound overall! The production is quite professional – full backings done with help from Chicago arrangers Willie Henderson, Floyd Morris, and Sonny Saunders – all working in a style that's more like mid 70s modern soul than you'd guess from the date of the record – quite warm, and beautifully poised to capture the full range of LV's great vocals. At points, the set's got the depth of a southern soul record, but the poise and class of the best soul up north – a bit like the best blends going on with Detroit artists during the 70s. Titles include "Dancing Girl", "I Don't Really Care", "The Whole Town's Laughing", "I'm A Lucky Guy", "We Belong Together", and "I Love You I Want You". CD

One of the funkiest combos we've heard from the African scene of the 70s – and that's saying a lot, given how much great music was going on at the time! These guys really know how to lean into a long song, and open it up with incredible instrumental sharpness – a way of coming together, and stepping into a solo that's a bit like the JBs in the early 70s – who we think must have been an influence on the way these guys make their music! The set's got two especially great funky numbers – "World People" and "Take Your Soul" – both of which could easily stand next to American funk work of the time. Also includes the earthy groover "Alikali Adajo", and the message cut "Freedom For Africa". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal sounds from the Kansas City scene of the late 70s – a wealth of power pop work from the tiny Titan label – all brought together in one of the most brilliant packages we've ever seen from the Numero Group! Like most Numero releases, there's a great story behind this set – a tale of bounced checks, interstate culture, and a cadre of great groups who would have been huge – had they recorded this music out on the coast! Titan's way more than just a tiny label that managed to put out some killer singles back in the day – it's a pop powerhouse that shows just how much under-discovered genius the American scene can hold – music that really helps break down simple understandings of late 70s rock, especially when presented this well. The 2CD set features 42 tracks and a 40 page booklet – a great counterpart to Numero's Yellow Pills set – filled with notes on Titan, a complete discography, and a wealth of wonderful photos that really make this unique scene come alive. Titles include "Shark" and "Real Life Saver" by Gary Charlson, "No Way Baby" and "I Wanna Be" by Arlis, "It's Your Heart Tonight" and "Radio Heart" by Secrets, "Please Change Your Mind" and "Baby It's You" by Boys, "Rock N Roll Song" and "Radio City" by Bobby Sky, "The Last Song" by JP McClain & The Intruders, "Cry" and "Didn't Like It Anyway" by Gems, "Coit Tower" and "Drink A Toast" by Millionaire At Midnight, and "I Think About You" by Scott McCarl. CD

Nothing fancy – but some great straight-ahead blowing from Stitt and Jug! The album's a quintet session, with John Houston piano, Buster Williams bass, and George Brown drums providing all the rhythm. But the real focus is on the twin-sax frontline – with Sitt taking up the alto on a few numbers, but mostly blowing tenor head to head with Jug. Recorded in 1961 during Jug's great year of contract-breaking – and issued later in the 60s by Prestige under a different title. Titles include "A Mess", "Water Jug", "New Blues Up & Down", "Red Sails In The Sunset", and "A Pair Of Red Pants". LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing fancy – but some great straight-ahead blowing from Stitt and Jug! The album's a quintet session, with John Houston piano, Buster Williams bass, and George Brown drums providing all the rhythm. But the real focus is on the twin-sax frontline – with Sitt taking up the alto on a few numbers, but mostly blowing tenor head to head with Jug. The album was supposedly recorded in 1961, but not issued until later in the 60s by Prestige – and it's right up there with the excellent work that the team were cutting at the time for Verve and Argo. Titles include "A Mess", "Water Jug", "New Blues Up & Down", "Red Sails In The Sunset", and "A Pair Of Red Pants". CD

Two Atlanta soul nuggets from the great John Edwards! "We Always Come Back Strong" is exactly the kind of track that makes Edwards so special – deep soul vocals up top, but fuller, richer production that points the way towards modern soul – very much in the best Sam Dees mode! "Tin Man" will have you loving the group America all over again – as John Edwards covers the tune here with a warm Atlanta groove, strings and soul sliding together, making the tune a bit of a dancer with a nicer sound than the hit! 7-inch, Vinyl record