One of the hippest compilations of boogaloo work we've ever stocked – and one that goes way past the bigger names on Fania or Tico, into the underground of small labels from the late 60s! The tunes here are all especially rare – issued originally on labels that include Speed and Ghetto, and brought together beautifully here with an ear for soulful vocals, snapping rhythms, and some of the grooviest styles of the Latin Soul generation! The Speed recordings are especial favorites of ours, because the label had a really great way of setting up a groove, and often broke from more conventional Latin modes to hit some very unique rhythms. But all the work here is totally great – and titles include "Alla Tu" by Conjunto Universal, "Do Your Shing A Ling" by Pijuan, "I'll Be A Happy Man" by Latin Blues Band, "Return To Spanish Harlem" by Tony Middleton & Bobby Matos, "Latin Soul Boogaloo" by Paul Serrano, "One Way Ticket" by The Real Thing, "Symphony Sid In Acapulco" by Frankie Nieves, "Brass Boogaloo" by Sounds Tropicana, "Hippy Skippy Moon Strut" by Moon People, and "Mi Negra Va Gozar" by Paul Ortiz. LP, Vinyl record album

The hippest side of the late 60s Latin Soul years – work from a number of tiny little New York labels – all of which are a good deal rarer than some of the bigger indies of the time! The collection here is totally great, and totally fresh – filled with numbers that were not even hits back in the day, and which are almost the Latin counterpart to funky 45s! Most work is from the Speed and Ghetto labels, with a few more bits thrown into the mix as well – and tunes are both vocal and instrumental numbers, all put together with a heck of a lot of Spanish Harlem soul! Titles include "Heavy Together" by The Real Thing, "Hot Buns" by Willy Baby, "Spanish Maiden" by Tony Middleton with Chuito & The Latin Uniques, "Oye Tomasito" by Joe Pappy & His Combo, "Fishin With Sid" by Dave Cortez & The Moon People, "Shake It Don't Break It" by Pijuan, "Sweet Soul Music" by Milton Zapata, "The Four Corners" by Frankie Nieves, and "African Guajira" by Orquesta Olivieri. LP, Vinyl record album

An imagined take on the Mid-East scene – not authentic tracks, but a mix of postwar recordings in a variety of styles – most of which mix rocking rhythms with the kind of exotic touches that fed fantasies back in the day when the area was known as Asia Minor! As with other "destination" series collections, the mix of work here is wonderful – all sorts of cool and unusual tunes, of the sort you might have found in The Cramps' record collections – music that moves between rock and soul, instrumental and vocal, jazz and exotica – as they chart a path for a desert caravan to follow! 32 tracks in all – and titles include "Pasha" by The Ramrocks, "Rockin In Bagdad" by Jerry Reid, "Turkish Doghouse Rock" by Kent Westberry, "Ali Baba" by Dave & The Customs, "Ali Baba's Boogie" by Preston Love", "Camel Walk (part 1)" by The Saxons, "Ali Ben Ghazi" by Jack Hammer, and "Habibi Twist" by The Latins. CD

Two classic Lloyd Charmers albums – both new to CD, and presented here with lots of first-time CD bonus tracks too! First up is the great Gold Connection album – an obscure little record, but a soulful one too – a rare 70s Federal Records session that mixes together reggae and soul – with vocals by a trio of female singers that includes a young Marcia Griffiths and Cynthia Schloss! Lots of tracks take a disco inspiration, but slow the pace down a lot more for the Kingston scene – so that the grooves are dubby steppers with a lot more going on at the bottom than their American counterparts up north – laidback, and given some nice instrumentation from Willie Lindo on bass, Harold Butler on keyboards, and Cedric Brooks on tenor! Titles include "That's The Way I Like It", "Fly Robin Reggae", "Love's Theme", "Soul Charm", "Do It Anyway Reggae", "Latin Hustle Reggae", and "Darling I Like It". Next up is Sweet Dreams, a very unique album from Jamaican sweet soul singer Dobby Dobson – an artist who seems to owe a bit to Sam Cooke, and who references music from Sam's era too – remaking some older cuts with a warmer, sweeter 70s vibe overall! The Lloyd Charmers production makes for an unusual blend of reggae and classic soul – and titles include "Little Stars", "Sweet Dreams", "Oh Gee", "You're Mine All Mine", "Muriel", "My Special Prayer", and "It's A Miracle". 2CD set features 20 more bonus tracks – including the great Supernatural Thing project from Richard Ace with Lloyd Charmers – and more tracks from Sister Stern, The Africans, Richard Ace, Delroy Wilson, and CHARM! CD

A beautiful collaboration between Miles Davis and the great Gil Evans – and perhaps the most perfectly realized of all their projects! The album's got a wonderfully unified feel – as it begins with long compositions that have a distinct Spanish-tinge (and not a Latin-tinge, which is an important distinction to the way the album progresses.) Evans' arrangements have a majesty that takes the songs to the next level – working them as lush, lively backings for Davis' equally majestic trumpet solos, some of the finest he ever recorded with large group backing. Wonderful all the way through – and with the tracks "Concierto De Aranjuez", "Saeta", "The Pan Piper", and "Solea". CD

Hi Note, indeed! Gerardo Frisina's latest is awe-inspiring – a completely seamless blend of Italian and Latin jazz, bossa rhythms and percussion, and some of the most tasteful and naturally blended electronic elements you could ever expect to hear on an album so steeped in a genuine affinity for live jazz instrumentation! If memory serves, earlier Frisina recordings relied a bit more on the production side of the coin, but this one's so strong on great instrumentation we're rendered pretty close to speechless. Lots of great horn arrangements, rolling bass lines and piano, sublime vibes and driving drums and percussion. Totally sweet throughout – this is way up there with the best dancefloor jazz Schema's ever released! Tracks include "Inviolatin", "Joyas", "Bluesanova", "Beyond The Moon", "Ombroso", "Sophisticated Samba" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A far reaching late 70s set from Gato Barbieri – a record that blends fusiony jazz funk, lush stings, and Latin rhythms and fluid solos on a varied batch of tunes! One of the more interesting things about the production is that those varied approaches often come into play within the same tunes – with clean, lean fusiony bass and percussion underneath swelling string accents, showing Barbieri was unafraid to intermingle myriad influences at the time. Titles include a take on Caetano Veloso's "Odara", plus "Poinciana (Song Of The Tree)", "Latin Lady" (which guest Carlos Santana trading solos with Gato over tropical jazz funk backing), "She Is Michelle", "Where Is The Love", "Evil Eyes" and "Bolero". LP, Vinyl record album

A mad mix of Latin and funky rhythms – a 70s classic from the Belgian group Chakachas! The album's best known for its title hit "Jungle Fever" – an insane cut that features heavy drums, choppy guitar, and a stop/start action that's peppered with sounds of female pleasure! The track was a worldwide hit, and continues to be a funky classic today – thanks to a heavy sample history, and a life in playlists worldwide – but the rest of the album's pretty darn great too, and even weirder. Some tracks mix easy Euro grooving with heavy conga, others have kind of an LA Chicano funk approach, and still others throw in some mad horns to complicate matters with nice jazzy riffing. Really great throughout – and maybe one of the best funky albums to ever come out on a major label! Titles include "Jungle Fever", "El Canyon Rojo", "Chica Chica Bau Bau", "Eso Es El Amor", "Ay Mulata", "Cha Ka Cha", "Latin Can Can", and "Yo Soy Cubano". CD

Funky keyboards galore – and one of the greatest records ever from this legendary Brazilian jazz talent! The album follows nicely off Deodato's Prelude classic for CTI – and like that one, this set's built on long-flowing tunes that rise and fall with a wonderful sense of rhythm – a sublime electric piano groove that's quite different than anything Deodato recorded before – and possibly never realized this perfectly again after his CTI years. Other players include Stanley Clarke on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, and Hubert Laws on flute – and titles include the massive Latin funk track "Super Strut", plus the tunes "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Skyscrapers", and a great version of "Nights In White Satin". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary Latin funk album – spearheaded by Eddie Palmieri! The record is a landmark crossover album from the early 70s – cut at the end of the Latin soul era, but featuring that genre's wonderful mix of Puerto Rican soul, Spanish Harlem Latin, and New York funk – which are then given a new sort of push in this era of strong Latin pride and new opportunities for the youthful scene in New York! The grooves are all nice and long – with plenty of hard jamming, Latin rhythms, funky solos, and even soulful lyrics in English – sung with a very righteous, positive message that's kept the album at the top of the stacks for years. Eddie Palmeri plays piano and directs the group – and titles include "Seeds Of Life", "Harlem River Drive", and "Idle Hands". CD

A great set of tracks – even if it is a discographer's nightmare! 12 tracks on the album are from a session originally done under the name of Machito – and features Herbie as the main soloist, over a set of wonderfully lush Latin jazz backings! The feel is nicely exotic – right up there with Herbie's best work of this nature, and done with a heavy groove, thanks to Machito's touch – sounding very similar to his legendary Kenya album. The remaining 8 tracks on the set are pulled from a late 50s session for the tiny Mode label – a tasty bit of west coast jazz that has a very different feel than the Machito material, but which is equally nice! Herbie plays piccolo and tenor in addition to flute – working with a small group that includes Jimmy Rowles, Mel Lewis, and Buddy Colette. Titles on the CD include "Answer Me", "Give A Little Whistle", "Bacao", "Perdido", "Afternoon Death", "Brazilian Soft Shoe", "African Flute", "The Davis Cup", and "Carabunta". CD

A groovy set of late 60s soul jazz piano tunes – played by Les McCann in a swinging style that pre-dates his 70s funk work – and which also features him playing in a strictly instrumental setting! The core of the material is by Les' trio with Leroy Vinnegar on bass – but most tracks feature an expanded sound, either by adding Willie Bobo and Victor Pantoja on Latin percussion, or by backing the group with off-beat arrangements by the great William Fischer, whose talents had graced some of the best Atlantic jazz albums at the time! Titles include "Burnin Coal", "Doin That Thing", "Roberta", and a groovy version of "Love For Sale". LP, Vinyl record album

A box packed with nothing but cracking hard bop! All of Lee Morgan's seminal 50s sides for Blue Note assembled in one package, including the albums Indeed!, Volume Two, Volume Three, City Lights, the Cooker and Candy. Morgan's quite young on these sessions, but his voice is fully formed and he plays with fire throughout, as do the sidemen, who include Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Benny Golson, Gigi Gryce, Bobby Timmons, Philly Joe Jones, Art Taylor, Sonny Clark, Curtis Fuller, and Wynton Kelly. There's 37 tracks in all, spread out over 4 discs, including "Reggie Of Chester", "Little T", "Stand By", "Latin hangover", "D's Fink", "Slightly Hep", "Hasaan's Dream", "I Remember Clifford", "Mesabi Chant", "Domingo", "City Lights", "Kin Folks", "Heavy Dipper", "New-Ma", and "CTA". CD

The great Latin arrangements of Chico O'Farrill meet the groovy production of late 60s Verve – and the result is an excellent album of groovy instrumentals that just won't quit! Chico's arranging skills are still in excellent shape here – and they're augmented by some very nice instrumentation that includes organs, Varitone sax, and electric guitar – from players who include Lennie Hambro, Seldon Powell, Grady Tate, Patato Valdes, and Candido. The record includes swinging Latin versions of 60s pop tracks like "A Man & A Woman", "Hip Hug Her", and "Georgy Girl" – as well as straighter Latin jazz on cuts like "Manteca", "Descarga Numero 1000", and "Llora Timbero". Very groovy, baby! LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant early work by one of the sharpest bandleaders of the Latin Soul era! A young Joey Pastrana leads his sharp little combo through a stunning mix of Latin jazz, Latin soul, and descarga tracks – all with the kind of hard playing, jazzy grooves, and dark edges that characterized a lot of the best late 60s albums on Cotique. There's a nascent salsa groove on here that bubbles forth amidst some more stripped down Latin soul numbers – making for a really winning album overall, one that's got loads and loads of solid tunes! Tracks include "That's How Rumors Start", "Yehco De Rumbon", "Ricki Chi", "Orquesta Pastrana", "King Of Latin Soul", "Dance Donna", and "Cotique All Stars". Great stuff by one of the most-overlooked talents of the late 60s! CD

Rich-voiced tenor work from Diego Rivera, a player who just seems to get better and better with each new album as a leader! The set follows strongly on Diego's previous – and as with that one, features that top-shelf Posi-tone presentation – with a focus on original material, a strong group of sidemen, and a nicely unified vibe! Other players include Art Hirihara on piano, Luques Curtis on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – plus Pete Rodriguez on trumpet, also adding in some percussion at points that have a slightly Latin vibe. Titles include the originals "With Just A Word", "Tinte Latino", "Machete", and "Dignified Response". CD

Dexter Wansel keeps up the space jazz funk groove that was begun on Life On Mars – with those fat, thumping bass lines, elastic lead guitar, atmospheric soul vocals and loads and loads of keys – spatial work on Rhodes, Moogs and ARPs! It's all done in a funky style not always heard on Philly! Dexter arranged and produced just about everything – and cuts include "All Night Long", "Voyager", "Solutions", "Latin Love", and "Time Is The Teacher". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unusual albums we've ever heard on the Moserobie label – and that's saying a lot, given the groundbreaking material the Swedish imprint has given us for almost 20 years! Daniel Bingert heads up a group that's very heavy on reed interplay, on a set of tunes that are Monkish at points, but also have some surprising funky touches – not in a conventional way, but at a level that really keeps things interesting! Moussa Fadera handles some plenty heavy drums, and gets bass accompaniment from Torbjorn Zetterberg – a player we always love, but who shows off a whole new side of his talents here. The reeds soar, cross, and sparkle – work from Per Texas Johansson on tenor and bass clarinet, Jonas Kullhammar on alto, and Charlie Malberg on baritone – who also plays piano. The leader Bingert also brings in some moog at times, and Karl Olanderson provides key work on trumpet – on titles that include "Tom Of Norway", "Mobley Phone", "Ulla My Dear", "Soul Nedgangen", "Kennet Lemur", and "Latin Good Times Spela Roll". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly soulful album from this novelty singer from the 70s! Back in the day, Charo was everyone's idea of a joke on TV, but this album's actually a pretty great little session – thanks to help from Vince Montana and the Philly crew! The album has Charo breathily singing and talking most of the lyrics – inflecting them with a slight Latin accent, as you'd expect from her many appearances on game and variety shows in the late 70s. Vince more than keeps things cool, though – providing some great soulful grooves, and a bit of vibes, to really flesh out the tunes, and keep them from being simple disco knockoffs. Titles include "Cookie Jar", "Speedy Gonzalez", "Only You", "Dance A Little Bit Closer", "El Reloj", "More Of You", and "Borriquito". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early genius from the Clarke Boland Big Band – proof that Kenny and Francy were onto something great, right from the start! The album really has the group hitting the heights of their MPS years – stretching out way past earlier big band modes, into the hip mix of rhythms and soulful solos that made the ensemble unlike any other group in the 60s – a really groundbreaking approach to their music, delivered by a range of top-shelf players! Arrangements are by Boland, who also plays piano – and other group members include Benny Bailey and Jimmy Deuchar on trumpets, Derek Humble on alto sax, Carl Drewo and Zoot Sims on tenor, Sahib Shihab on baritone sax and flute, and Ake Persson on trombone – plus rhythm from the rock-solid duo of Jimmy Woode on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include the Latin-tinged "Los Bravos", and more great originals by Boland – including "Volutes", "The Styx", "Charon's Ferry", and "Box 703 Washington DC" – plus versions of "Gloria" and "Last Train From Overbrook". CD

The cover's a bit stark, but the music is warm and wonderful – a collection of cuts by an obscure Venezuelan group of the 60s – a Latin combo who were originally formed by a bunch of engineering students – hence the name of the group! The music's not the stuff of slide rules and pocket protectors, though – as these guys clearly know how to let their hair down once their books are closed – drawing the best influences from the hippest New York groups of the moment, and presenting them with a lean style and that slightly offbeat approach that can make Venezuelan work of the period such a refreshing change from better-known Latin work on labels like Tico, Fania, or Alegre! There's clearly a no rules approach going on here, as the guys throw in lots of creative touches of their own – on titles that include "Mambo Silbado", "Aefo", "La Bola", "Eso", "Mambo Rock", "Mambo Sancocho", "Extasis", "Dame Boogaloo", and "El Alacran". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of classics from Deodato – back to back on a single high-quality CD! First up is Prelude – a legendary album from the 70s funk scene – and one of the crowning achievements of keyboard maestro Eumir Deodato! Deodato got his start during the bossa years of the 60s – where his sophisticated charts were already enough to make his career a landmark – but in the following decade he picked up the Fender Rhodes, and really took off in a great new direction with classic records like this! The set's a wonderful blend of larger charts and jazzy soloing – with sublime Rhodes lines from the leader, plus a mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation in the best CTI mode – underscored by percussion from both Ray Barretto and Airto. The features Deodato's remake of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" into the funky "2001" – soaring with Fender Rhodes lines that set a new standard for the instrument, with a funky undercurrent that few would have expected for the tune. Other tracks are nice too – and include a great bossa-y version of "Baubles Bangles & Beads", plus "Spirit Of Summer", "September 13", and "Carly & Carole". Deodato 2 is filled with funky keyboards galore – and one of the greatest records ever from this legendary Brazilian jazz talent! The album follows nicely off Deodato's Prelude classic for CTI – and like that one, this set's built on long-flowing tunes that rise and fall with a wonderful sense of rhythm – a sublime electric piano groove that's quite different than anything Deodato recorded before – and possibly never realized this perfectly again after his CTI years. Other players include Stanley Clarke on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, and Hubert Laws on flute – and titles include the massive Latin funk track "Super Strut", plus the tunes "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Skyscrapers", and a great version of "Nights In White Satin". Plus, this CD reissue features 3 bonus tracks – "Venus", "Do It Again", and "Latin Flute"! CD

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin rhythms – all to push along some wonderfully soulful vocals! The record's got a very different feel than most east coast Latin work of the time – one that's a bit like some of the Chicano soul of the west coast, but not nearly as smooth, and with a definite nod towards both funk and singer/songwriter work of the mainstream! The guitar's really upfront in the mix – riffing off at the start of most tracks – and the vocals have a slightly sweet quality, supported by harmonies from the rest of the group at times – making for a wicked blend of modes that's extremely compelling. A record that's as filled with soul and feeling as it is with hard-edge groovers – featuring titles that include "You Say You Are My Friend", "Ghetto Brothers Power", "I Saw A Tear", "Girl From The Mountain", "There Is Something In My Hearth", "Got This Happy Feeling", and "Viva Puerto Rico Libre". This great deluxe edition from Truth & Soul comes inside a beautifully done, 80-page booklet – full of rare photos of the band in action and behind-the-scenes – plus richly detailed notes. CD

A totally cool Cuban gem from the 70s – one of those wicked little records from a time when the scene in Havana were mixing together all sorts of styles, and really coming up with a fantastic blend of modes that never got much exposure on our American market at the time! The set's got this great way of blending rootsier elements with warmer electric instrumentation – sweet basslines next to heavy congas, soaring trumpet over keyboards – often with vocals in the mix, but never in a way that gets in the way of the jazzy instrumentation in the lead! The whole thing's great – a very different take on New York Latin funk of the early 70s – and titles include "Banana", "Yo Mejor Te Doy", "Ruta 30", "Abuela Tula", "Mi Pequeno Gran Paolo", "Paco La Calle", "Tu No Me Puedoes Conquistar", and "Del Copacabana A 34". LP, Vinyl record album

The big single off our favorite Grace Jones LP, driven by an irresistibly snapping Sly & Robbie rhythm, with a percolating, slick 80s groove. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A very nice small combo album from Peggy Lee – singing here with live backings by the George Shearing Quintet, in a style that's very different from a lot of her other work for Capitol! The set's got a slight Latin feel, thanks to George's mix of percussion, vibes, piano, and guitar – and Peggy's never sounded better, stepping out strongly on tunes that include "Do I Love You", "Get Out Of Town", "There'll Be Another Spring", and "Mambo In Miami". Features 2 bonus tracks. CD

Percussionist Sabu Martinez is one of the all-time greats of Latin music – and this record is probably the rarest he ever cut! The album came out of Sweden, where Sabu was residing during the 70s – enjoying some success as an expatriot jazz player in the European scene. The album mixes Latin grooves and hard funk in a way that's rarely been duplicated, and which has ensured Sabu a place in the funk hall of fame for all time! Breakbeat fanatics have always sought out the album for the cuts "All Camels Hump" and "My Cristina" – but the whole thing's a stunning batch of hard percussion grooves, and it's well worth its rare reputation! Other tracks include "Para Ti, Tito Rodriguez", "Martin Cohen Loves Latin Percussion", "My Son Johnny & Me", and "Wounded Knee". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer Verve Records set from vibist Cal Tjader – a set that brings together both his Latin inclinations and his groovier 60s mod style – all in a blend that's handled perfectly by arranger Oliver Nelson! Other players include Jerry Dodgion and Jerome Richardson on flutes, Attila Zoller on guitar, Chick Corea on piano, and Jose Mangual, Patato Valdez, and Victor Pantoja on Latin percussion! Titles include "Descarga Cubana", "Morning", "Oran", "Curacao", and "Chuchy Frito Man". Very nice! CD

The classic soundtrack to Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing – lead, of course, by Public Enemy's "Fight The Power" – and beyond that is a pretty wonderful, and not always as intense cross-section of some of the finer urban soul and New Jack Swing, circa '89, breezy vocal-centric R&B, a touch of Latin and Afro-Carribbean pop. The Bed-Stuy melting pot bubbles over to tragic consequences in the film, but the diverse soundtrack is plenty harmonious, and sounds fresh to this day. Includes "My Fantasy" by Teddy Riley featuring Guy, "Never Explain Love" by Al Jarreau, "Party Hearty" by EU, "Tu Y Yo" by Ruben Blades, "Can't Stand It" by Steel Pulse and "Don't Shoot Me" by Take 6. CD

A magnificent record from John Coltrane – one of his earliest expressions of unbridled spirituality, and a session that we've treasured for years! As you might guess from the title, there's a slight Latin focus to the record – but not one that has congas and bongos creating choppy rhythms – most just a bold, driving, modal sort of inspiration – of the sort that allows the tracks to open up and flow with some of the genius that Coltrane would show more fully later on Impulse! But honestly, we'd rate this one right up there with the best modal sides on Impulse – as the record's got a sense of flow and energy that's simply breathtaking – with lots of long tracks that let Coltrane open up on tenor and soprano sax, and which also feature work from Eric Dolphy (under the "nom du date" George Lane) on alto, plus Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Elvin Jones on drums, and Art Davis and Reggie Workman on twin basses! The title track "Ole" runs for a whopping 18 minutes, and takes up all of side one – and side two features the great numbers "Dahomey Dance" and "Aisha". LP, Vinyl record album

A heck of a charmer from Haircut 100 – one of a handful of great UK albums from the early 80s that mixed post-punk energy with warmer touches from jazz and Latin – all in a blend that's completely wonderful overall! Haircut 100 were never trying to change the world – and they certainly never passed themselves off as a real jazz combo – but they've got a great way of adding in just the right touches on sax, congas, and even a bit of vibes – all to create a captivating setting alongside Britpop guitar lines and the great vocals of Nik Heyward. Nik's way more appealing here than on his later work – unabashedly groovy, on tunes that include the classic "Love Plus One", alongside "Snow Girl", "Lemon Firebrigade", "Favourite Shirts", "Milk Film", "Surprise Me Again", and "Fantastic Day". This 4CD package is totally great – in a 7" square book, with a bonus 44 page booklet of notes and new interviews! CD2 features Pelican Plus – 15 more bonus tracks that include the non LP cuts "Skip Club" and "Ski Club Of Great Britain" – plus all sorts of 12", 7" , and extended versions. CD3 features Junction Box – 11 more unfinished tracks, including some very cool instrumentals that really show the jazzier side of the group. And CD4 features a 14 track live set, recorded at Hammersmith Odeon in 1982! CD

A trio of key albums from the Pink Fairies – served up with lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Never Never Land – the fantastic debut of the Pink Fairies – easily one of the shaggiest, headiest bands on the UK scene at the start of the 70s – and a group who rose from the ashes of the equally important Deviants! The record's an unusual mishmash of modes – a set that confidently swaggers between psych, hard rock, and maybe even a bit of proto-punk – very confident in its approach, and coolly compressed in the production, but never in the slick style that would dominate British rock more strongly in the mid 70s. The Fairies aren't afraid to let their freak flag fly, but they're also clearly moving past hippiedom too – on titles that include "War Girl", "Do It", "Say You Love Me", "Tack One Side Two", "Thor", "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout", and "The Dream Is Just Beginning". What A Bunch Of Sweeties is filled with freaky fuzz from the Pink Fairies – a seminal UK group who were maybe trapped in a space between late psych and early glam – and somehow equally important to both! There's lots going on in the set – modes that are as offbeat as styles put forth by The Fugs in the late 60s, but a lot sharper overall from a musical perspective – especially in the way the group uses great guitar work and a few catchy numbers to sew the whole thing together – on titles that include "Portobello Shuffle", "Marilyn", "Pigs Of Uranus", "Walk Don't Run", "X-Ray", "I Went Up I Went Down", and "I Saw Her Standing There". Kings Of Oblivion is maybe the most fully-formed album from the legendary Pink Fairies – and a set that's got some really searing guitar from Larry Wallis – a melodic genius whose sound really holds things together, and gives the group a stronger focus than ever before! The guitar lines seem to bring out and amplify all the ideas the group were going for before – and maybe give the group a sense of darkness that they never fully reached – not hard rock cliche, but this tightness that's also completely individual – maybe like early Thin Lizzy at their best, yet in a completely different way. Titles include "I Wish I Was A Girl", "City Kids", "When's The Fun Begin", "Chromium Plating", "Street Urchin", and "Chamber Maid". Bonus tracks include "Going Down", "Walk Don't Run (first version)", "War Girl (alt mix)", "The Snake", "Do It (single mix)", "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout (alt mix)", "Well Well Well (alt mix)", "City Kids (alt)", and "Hold On (single)". CD

Smoking early work from the team of Ricardo Ray and Bobby Cruz – the kind of record that marked the pair as one of the freshest new voices to hit Latin music in the New York scene of the 60s! The rhythms and modes are all familiar ones, but they're delivered with a different sort of edge here – partly because of Ricardo's heavy use of dark notes on the piano, but also because there's a nice sense of space in the arrangements that almost points the way towards some of the freer thinkers of the Latin Soul years. Bobby's vocals are well-placed, and very soulful – and Chivirico Davila and Felo Brito also sing a bit on the record too. Titles include an incredible mambo reworking of "Parisian Thoroughfare", done as a longer descarga number that's really great – and other tracks include "Chachita", "Mirame", and "Yenyere". LP, Vinyl record album

Mongo cooks mightily – working here at the Montreux Jazz Fest in 1971, with a soaring group that's even more spiritual than any of his records in the 60s! There's definitely a dose of Latin Soul in the mix, but there's a fiercer, more righteous quality to the album too – thanks to the presence of players like Carter Jefferson on tenor and flute, Roger Glenn on vlute and vibes, and Ray Maldonando on trumpet – soloists who really know how to soar at the right moments. The percussion's a bit more rootsy too – showing Santamaria's concern with classic Afro-Cuban sounds at the time – and alongside Mongo's congas, you'll also hear percussion from Steve Berrios and Armando Pereza. Marty Sheller handles the arrangements – and titles include "Come Candela", "Climax", "Disappear", "Marty's Tune", "I Wanna Know", and "Cloud Nine". LP, Vinyl record album

An insanely fantastic book on one of our favorite record labels of all time – the All Platinum family of labels from the New Jersey scene of the late 60s/early 70s – a precursor to the later Sugar Hill hip hop empire, and home to The Moments, Whatnauts, and countless other great groups! The book is way more than just the story of the label – as it's super-heavy, weighs as much as a stack of records – and features hundreds of pages with full color images, both of rare records and artists who recorded for All-Platinum too – all in support of chapters that approach the label and its related imprints in a range of different ways. The book not only looks at the big stars, but tackles the lesser-known acts too – and traces all the many sub-labels like Stang, Vibration, A1, Turbo, and Astroscope – then looks at the company's relationship to Chess Records too. The book features an illustrated discography of all the related labels after the main content – with color images of labels and covers – and the whole thing is 532 heavy, glossy pages – well worth the price! Book

Coco Maria hosts a mighty cool radio show on BBC Worldwide – one that showcases all sorts of unusual Latin music hybrids that have come up over the years – including a good range of contemporary music, such as the tracks featured on this really well-done compilation! The music here has echoes of older Colombian, Tropical, and Afro-Cuban modes – but often served up with really inventive arrangements and instrumentation that turn things completely around – not in any sort of Latin remix style, but with more of a groove that shows what some of the more unusual Latin hybrid combos have been working on! Titles include "Children's Favourite" by Guess What, "Lepidoptera" by Iko Cherie, "El Bravo" by Candeleros, "Vamonos Cocos" by Raz Olsher, "Off The Groove" by Ronald Snijders, "Always Ready To Smile" by Juan Hundred, "Seguimos Sonriendo" by Acid Coco, and "Sacudete" by Lola's Dice. CD

A well-done look at a genre that kind of snuck in under the wire – music that carries some late traces of electro, touched with underground club styles, but also delivered in a way that's plenty darn catchy, with a great ear for a hook and a groovy sort of sing-song lyric! The music is heavy on beats, basslines, and keyboards – all bursting out with plenty of energy – maybe a brightened up take on street soul from the early 80s, but usually with a younger female singer, which helps the music bubble along in a really great way! The package is new territory for Ace Records, but they've done a great job of bringing together both key cuts and overlooked gems – all hand-picked by Bob Stanley, with a set list that includes "Two Of Hearts (12" version)" by Stacey Q, "Don't Be Shy (radio voc)" by Janelle, "Lover Girl" by Meg, "Let's Go (radio)" by Nocera, "Funky Little Beat" by Connie, "When I Hear Music" by Debbie Deb, "I Wonder If I Take You Home" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force, "Together Forever (radio)" by Lisette Melendez, "Dreamin" by Will To Power, "Take Me In Your Arms" by Lil Suzy, "Thief Of Hearts" by Cynthia, "Fascinated (12" version)" by Company B, and "Baby Talk" by Alisha. CD

Cedar Walton on piano, Cucho Martinez on bass, and Ray Mantilla on percussion. CD

Includes tracks by Tito Puente, Joe Cuba, Cachao, Bobby Tauneto, and more. CD

... CD

A true revolution in Cuban music – not the familiar cha cha and pachanga modes of the pre-Castro years, but instead the huge wave of fresh styles and combinations that sprung up in the years to come! The tracks here aren't the kind of Cuban sounds that are locked in time by the all-star representations of the scene that circle widely – and instead, this music represents the younger, more experimental side of the scene – continually creating new styles and hybrids during the 70s and 80s, even at a time when most of the records weren't making it out to the world at large! Make no mistake, there's certainly elements of older Afro Latin rhythms, and Latin jazz instrumentation – but those are blended with new approaches to rhythm, instrumentation, and the overall role of the musicians and singers – on tracks that will really open up your ears. Gilles Peterson helped put the package together for Soul Jazz – and the whole thing's got the same hybrid hallmarks as his more recent recording forays in Havana – with cuts that include "Cancion Con Todos" by Grupo De Experimentacion Sonora Del Icaic, "Hast Las Cuantas" by Grupo Monumental, "Luna Wanestain" by Emiliano Salvador, "Te Quiero Porque Te Quiero" by Pablo Milanes, "Un Lamento Heco Cancion" by Los Reyes 73, "Dacapo" by Raul Gomez, "La Patica" by Paquito D'Rivera, "Rompe Cocorioco" by Juan Pablo Torres, "Mi Ritmo Caliente" by Juan Formell & Los Van Van, "Chequere Son" by Grupo Irakere, "El Son Del Campeon" by Conjunto Rubavana, and "Con Cadencia Y Con Dulzura" by Las D'Aida. CD

A dozen tracks from Medeski Martin & Wood, Pat Martino, Charlie Hunter & Pound For Pound, Brian Blade, Don Byron, Chucho Valdes, Jane Bunnett, Eliane Elias, Jacky Terrasson Trio, Tim Hagans & Marcus Printup, and Jacky Terrasson & Cassandra Wilson. CD

Music from Augie Colon, Miguelito Valdes & His Orchestra With Machito & His Cubans, Xavier Cugat featuring Lina Romay, Yma Sumac, Hugo Montenegro, Perez Prado, the John Buzon Trio, Lenny Dee, Orizaba & His Orchestra, Richard Hayman, Sir Julian, Belmonte & His Afro-American Music, and Duke Ellington. CD

A totally wonderful little record – a jazz set with a bit of a Latin vibe – part electric, thanks to some great Fender Rhodes – which is mixed with percussion and a really well-crafted horn section! The tracks are long, and very jazzy – put together with a style that's laidback, but tight at the same time – in a group led by trumpeter Rahdy Montero, with electric piano from Amuni Nacer, tenor from Michael Lawrence, trombone from Tim Sessions, and plenty of percussion too! Titles include a fantastic version of "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" – plus "Mambo Ajeno", "Planeta Pimienta", and "Extasis". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from one of our favorite Dizzy Gillespie groups ever – an early 60s lineup that not only features a young Lalo Schifrin on piano, but also the great Leo Wright on alto sax and flute! Dizzy's maybe best known for his bebop material – and he recorded famously in that mode earlier on the Parisian scene – but here at the start of the 60s, he's opening up an entirely new chapter in his book – blowing on much longer tracks that are really set free in new rhythmic modes – in large part by Schifrin's input in the group, which comes not just from his piano work and arrangements, but also from some of the great material he penned for the set! There's plenty of influences from Latin and Brazilian music – but at a level that's nicely submerged, and very different than Dizzy's earlier cubop – more matured, and taken in all these new righteous directions, which unlocks all these incredible elements in Gillespie's trumpet too. This isn't the scat-singing, bebop jokester from the past – and instead a proud, powerful talent who sounds incredible throughout. The 1960 material also features Art Davis on bass and Chuck Lampkin on drums, plus guest congas from Candido – on the long "Gillespiana Suite", plus "Caravan" and "Cripple Crapple Crutch". The 1961 material features Bob Cunningham on bass and Mel Lewis on drums – on titles that include "Kush", "Lorraine", "Desafinado", "Long Long Summer", "Pau De Arara", and "Cripple Crapple Crutch". CD

A great collaboration from two fantastic players – alto genius Bobby Watson and percussionist Ray Mantilla – both coming together here in a style that's even more than the sum of their mighty parts! The group has lots of Watson elements at the core – bass from Curtis Lundy, drums from Victor Lewis, and piano from Ronnie Mathews – but the presence of Mantilla's congas really changes up the groove, and the trumpet of Jack Walrath further emphasizes some Latin currents, while also linking up to the soulful energy of Watson's horn! Tracks are penned by all members of the group – and the record's overflowing with the sense of good spirit and boundless energy we always love from Bobby's dates as a leader. Titles include "Karita", "Chili Plaza Suite", "Ella Dunham", "Los Apolypticanos", "Know One Has To Know", and "River Jordan". CD

A hell of a collaboration – core sounds by Madlib, which are then re-arranged by Kieran Hebden – at a level that seems to open up new dimensions in both artists! The sound is definitely Madlib's, but there's also a sense of majesty that seems to flow through the whole thing – almost as if David Axelrod was helping the beatmaker to find a new vision in the studio. And while some of Hebden's work can be a bit cold or too obtuse, there's none of that here at all – as the Madlib elements really keep things rooted to the ground, and in strongly funky territory too – all instrumental, but with voices drifting in and out of the mix as needed. Titles include "Theme De Crabtree", "Road Of The Lonely Ones", "Riddim Chant", "Hopprock", "Loose Goose", "One For Quartabe/Right Now", "Latino Negro", and "The New Normal". LP, Vinyl record album

The cover's a bit goofy, but the record's one of those great back to basics Latin jazz sides that Tito Puente cut in the 80s – with a group that has Tito on vibes, plus the great Sonny Bravo on piano, Bobby Rodriguez on bass, Jose Maderas on congas, and Mario Rivara on a variety of saxes and flute! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few Blue Note albums with a bossa groove – and a great one too! The record features soulful tenor star Ike Quebec blowing in front of Brazilian-styled rhythms laid out by a combo that includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, and a duo of Latin percussionists! Willie Bobo plays drums on the session, and the cuts have a short groovy feel, with a sax-heavy lead, in a similar style to Stan Getz's bossa work on Verve – but much more soulful overall, and with a nicely rougher feel on the rhythms. Really great stuff, and with titles that include "Loie", "Goin Home", "Favela", "Blue Samba", and "Shu Shu". CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes – of "Loie", "Shu Shu", and "Favela". CD

Some of the tightest funky 70s jamming ever – a lost gem from Ray & His Musical Court, a group that perfectly fuses JB/Horny Horns funk with beat-heavy Afro-Cuban groove! Ray and the group are one of the more obscure funky combos of the era, and it's a damn shame, because the group's tight-as-can-be amalgam of JB's style horn riffing and thumping Afro-Cuban percussion is some of the absolute best of its kind. This group seriously smokes any of the current funk bands on the road! On these sessions Ray wrote, produced, played "organ flute" and provided some vocals in a large group that includes three trumpets, bass clarinet, sax, two drummers, congas, electric bass, and a line of mostly Spanish vocalists. Amazing 70s super funk with a very proud Latin edge – and featuring tracks that include "Sunny", "Soul Freedom", "Cookie Crumbs", "De Eso Nada Monada", "Lo Sabia", "Venimos Acabando", "La Pena", and "La Senorita Lola". LP, Vinyl record album

A sound library set, but one that's got a grittier feel than most – and which ends up feeling a lot more like a stack of funky 45s overall! Gabriel Rowland hails from Los Yesterdays, and he definitely brings a current of west coast funk to the set – some Latin elements mixed with echoey guitar that sounds like a surf instrumentalist getting stoned – while heavy drums step out strongly on nearly every track, often sounding better and more funky they slower they are! Titles include "Mad Quakes", "Cry Folder Cry", "Spy Carnalito", "Vitamin Psych", "Rub Buster", "Skerd", "Panorama", "TOF", "Wrong Hustle", and "So F'D Up Inside". LP, Vinyl record album

A great tribute to Lalo's classic years with Dizzy Gillespie – performed by himself and the WDR Big Band, with players that include Jon Faddis, Paquito D'Rivera, Alex Acuna, and Markus Stockhausen. Faddis handles most of the trumpet parts, and with a style that's different enough from Diz to open the work up nicely – yet still hearken back to the sweet and Latinesque style of the early 60s Gillespie group that included Schifrin. Titles include "Blues", "Panamerica", "Africana", "Tocata", and "Bachianas Brasileiras No 5". CD

One of the most obscure albums of the 70s from jazz vibes legend Cal Tjader – a set that was originally done as a direct-to-disc session for an audiophile label, but one that has Tjader recording with some of his grooviest modes of the time! The group here is wonderful – and the album sparkles with all these wonderful electric piano lines from the great Clare Fisher, a player who always seems to bring out the best in Cal – working alongside Gary Foster on flute and alto, Willie Bobo on timbales, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Pancho Sanchez on congas! The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Ritmo Caliente", "Desposado", "Funquiado", "Tres Palabras", and "Huracan". Very likely Cal Tjader's best Latin LP of the 70s! CD

Totally wonderful spy soundtrack work from Piero Umiliani – done in his best groovy style of the 60s, with a brilliant mix of jazz and mod elements throughout! Umiliani's extrapolating from the more famous spy sounds of Bond and Barry, and takes things very strongly into his own territory with a blend of light woodwinds, moody Hammond, snapping snare, and a bit of strings as well – interwoven with a really fresh feel that includes a bit of the bossa styles you'd hear in other Italian work of the time! Given the obscurity of the film, the soundtrack's a great discovery – and steps out boldly here on this set of 21 tracks from the movie. CD

Totally wonderful spy soundtrack work from Piero Umiliani – done in his best groovy style of the 60s, with a brilliant mix of jazz and mod elements throughout! Umiliani's extrapolating from the more famous spy sounds of Bond and Barry, and takes things very strongly into his own territory with a blend of light woodwinds, moody Hammond, snapping snare, and a bit of strings as well – interwoven with a really fresh feel that includes a bit of the bossa styles you'd hear in other Italian work of the time! Given the obscurity of the film, the soundtrack's a great discovery – and steps out boldly here on this set of 21 tracks from the movie. CD

A lost masterpiece of modern jazz from the Venezuelan scene at the start of the 70s – a record that mixes together acoustic and electric elements with effortless ease – maybe echoing some of the best Gil Evans experiments of the time, but also vibing with the cooler European work on labels like MPS! Gerry Weil plays both acoustic and electric piano – in a group that features alto from Ramon Carranza, alto and soprano from Bill Bucci, and tenor from Victor Cuica – all shifting amidst the larger ensemble of trombones, trumpets, electric guitar, bass, and plenty of percussion – the last of which echoes some slight Latin currents, while never getting in the way of more modern jazz expressions! The title track, "The Message", is a funky monster with great fuzzy guitar – and other titles include "Johnny's Bag", "Little Man", "The Bull's Problem", and "The Joy Within Yourself". LP, Vinyl record album

An ear-opening collection of work from the Peruvian scene of the late 60s – kind of a secret hotbed of Latin grooves, at least to our American ears – and one that was overflowing with some of the best elements of the small combo scene at the time! These guys clearly take a lot of inspiration from the groundbreaking material of the Joe Cuba Sextet, but they also move the music in lots of other directions too – sometimes with a bit of cumbia in the rhythms, other times more of a descarga mode, and almost always with a lot of jazz instrumentation over the top. There's plenty of the soulful elements you'd expect from the boogaloo reference in the title, but there's also lots more too – served up in a set of 28 gems from the Mag label, with titles that include "Kintos Instrumental" by Los Kintos, "Saludo Maracaibo" by Pedro Miguel Y Sus Maracaibos, "Cumbayea" by Mario Allison Y Su Combo, "La Guarachera" by Nico Estrada Y Su Sonora, "Malambo" by Los Diablos Rojos, "La Charanga Del Espacio" by Carlos Pickling Y Orquesta, and "Busco Una Chiquita" by Coco Lagos Y Sus Orates. CD

A stunning blend of soul, Latin, jazz, and Brazilian numbers – and a set that may well be our favorite entry in the Mr Bongo Record Club so far! If you know the Mr Bongo label, you'll know that for decades, they've turned us on to the sort of rare gems we might not have heard otherwise – especially Brazilian, Global, and Latin bits – and the way they intersect with American grooves of the 60s and 70s – an intersection that's explored heavily here in a really fantastic assortment of tunes! Titles include "Talkin" by Vee Gees, "Africa Bossa" by The Drive, "Okosa Bushi" by Chiemi Eri, "Japao" by Dora Morelenbaum, "Bakom Glaset" by Dina Ogon, "Copa Sete No Samba" by Copa 7, "Estrada" by Hareton Salvanini, "Ye Me Le" by Hazel Scott, "I Do Love You" by Ash Soul Inc, "Eternal Life" by Shira Small, "A Volta" by Mirna, "I'll Keep My Light In My Window" by New York Community Choir, and "Um Amor Para Toda A Vida" by Ines Soares, and "Easy Going" by Sven Wunder. CD

An extremely rare Latin Soul treasure – the legendary Power Of Love set by Joe Acosta – served up with some killer soul vocals by a young Joe Cruz! As you might guess from the "love" in the title, the set's got a focus on the sweeter sounds of Latin Soul – particularly on the English language numbers, which come across with a soulfulness that recalls Joe Bataan during the same period – but even when the record is mellow, it's still got a nice sense of "bottom" – and there's a number of tracks on here that really groove along nicely – rolling with heavy piano or basslines! Instrumentation includes a Bataan-esque trombone section that provides plenty of dark notes alongside the rhythms – and titles include "I Need Her", "Bendita Illusion", "Una Tracion", "Phoenix", "La Bendicion", "La Realidad", and "Amor Perdido". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the deepest albums that Count Basie ever recorded – thanks to some great arrangements and backings by Oliver Nelson! Nelson's working in the same groovy mode he used with Jimmy Smith's excellent Verve sessions – and although the record doesn't have the same sort of star soloist in the lead, the Basie band members do a great job of trading off solos over the enigmatic backings crafted by Nelson. A number of the tracks have a Latin flair – and work on electric bass grooves that push the set farther than the usual Basie outing of the time – with a flavor that's right up there with the hippest Nelson sessions for Flying Dutchman, and maybe even a bit like spiritual ensemble material too. Titles include versions of Albert Ayler's "Love Flower" and Pharoah Sanders' "Japan", plus originals by Nelson like "Afrique", "Kilimanjaro", and "African Sunrise". CD

An incredible little record with a sound that's unlike anything else we've ever heard before – a set that mixes jazzy inflections on vibes, organ, guitar, percussion, and flute – the last of which is played here by a young Hermeto Pascoal! The set was done after Pascoal's work in Quarteto Novo but before some of his more complicated jazz albums of the 70s – and it's got a style that mixes his own love of playful rhythms and complicated shadings with a lighter, freer approach to the music – one that's almost in line with some of the EMI/Odeon work of the time, but which comes off with a slightly different feel. The drums get quite funky at times, and the mix of instruments reminds us a fair bit of the legendary Aquarians album on Uni from the US – but with an influence that's more bossa-driven, in comparison to the Latin modes of that set. At times, there's a lightly dancing beauty to the record that's almost in soundtrack mode – but tunes are more focused overall, and clearly aware of their own instrumental power. Titles include "Gamboa", "Rhodosando", "Cancao Latina", "Summer Hill", "Pavane", "Chaye", "Gosto De Ser Como Sou", "Casa Forte", and "O Passaro". LP, Vinyl record album

A heck of a charmer from Haircut 100 – one of a handful of great UK albums from the early 80s that mixed post-punk energy with warmer touches from jazz and Latin – all in a blend that's completely wonderful overall! Haircut 100 were never trying to change the world – and they certainly never passed themselves off as a real jazz combo – but they've got a great way of adding in just the right touches on sax, congas, and even a bit of vibes – all to create a captivating setting alongside Britpop guitar lines and the great vocals of Nik Heyward. Nik's way more appealing here than on his later work – unabashedly groovy, on tunes that include the classic "Love Plus One", alongside "Snow Girl", "Lemon Firebrigade", "Favourite Shirts", "Milk Film", "Surprise Me Again", and "Fantastic Day". CD features 5 bonus cuts from singles – including "Boat Party", "Ski Club", and "October Is Orange Today". CD

J Boogie delivers track after track on Undercover – warm dancefloor material that spans genres and skirts boundaries – electronic soul rave-ups and moodier ones, spacey leftfield hip hop, horns and percussion flavored funk, Latin club bangers and beyond! Includes "Type Of Girl" feat The Mamaz, "Undercover" feat Chrys-Anthony, "It's On Fire" feat Lateef The Truthspeaker, "Go To Work" feat The Pimps Of Joytime, "El Ritmo" feat Deuce Eclipse & Caipa of Bang Data, "Blue Mountain Dub" feat Jazz Mafia, "Salaam", "Big Brother's Drunk", "Space And Time"f eat Gina Rene & Rich Armstrong and more. CD

Latin big band led by trumpeter Arturo Sandoval – with special guests Michael Brecker on tenor saxophone, Tito Puente on timbales, and Patti Austin and Rey Ruiz on vocals. CD

One of Chick Corea's first true moments of genius – a record that has the pianist stepping out into more experimental territory, after doing years of 60s material in a more soul jazz and Latin-styled mode! The tracks have a great sense of arrangement, but also balance that with really well-crafted solos that get nice and free – played by a lineup that includes Woody Shaw on trumpet, Benny Maupin and Hubert Laws on reeds, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – really opening up to Corea's fresh sense of rhythm! The whole thing's great – and titles include the long tracks "Is", "Jamala", "The Brain", "This", "It", "Song Of The Wind", and "Sundance". Features lots of bonus tracks too! CD

Given that Chick Corea first got his start working in the New York Latin scene back in the 60s, the album's a bit of a return to his roots – even if the general theme here is Spanish, and not Afro-Cuban! The Corea Spanish Heart here is cast in some darker, more contemplative tones than more traditional Latin sides – but it borrows a wonderful array of modes from genres past – including bits of strings, percussion, and an overall more ambitious approach that sometimes shows up in Chick's piano work, or in the general construction of the tunes. The double-length set features a wide variety of Spanish-influenced numbers – played by Corea on acoustic piano and a variety of keyboards, with other players who include Don Alias, Jean Luc Ponty, Stanley Clarke, and Steve Gadd. Titles include "Love Castle", "The Gardens", "Night Streets", "The Hilltop", "Armando's Rhumba", "Prelude To El Bozo", "Spanish Fantasy", and "My Spanish Heart". CD includes the bonus track, "The Clouds". CD

A key album in Chick Corea's shift from Latin jazz to arch-modern – recorded with Circle bandmates Dave Holland on bass and Barry Altschul on drums, and done with a free sound that's quite unusual for Blue Note at the time! Chick's out on this one – way out – in that free mode of his first great rise to fame, without any of the silly Scientology of later years – and Holland and Altschul are in some of their greatest form ever, working with Chick to craft a starkly compelling album of tunes that showed that jazz piano still had a lot of room to grow at the start of the 70s! Titles include "Toy Room", "Ballad I", "Flesh", "Rhymes", and "Nefertitti". CD

An early 60s killer from Lou Donaldson – one that more than lives up to the promise of its great cover and compelling title! The lineup has Lou blowing in an easy, soulful style – working with a combo that includes Herman Foster on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums – plus additional conga work by Alec Dorsey, which gives the session a wonderfully rolling groove. The tunes lope along with a nice mellow vibe – that midtempo rolling soul jazz mode that Prestige was also handling at the time, with a touch of Latin from the congas – and Lou blows it clean and lean on titles that include "Gravy Train", "Twist Time", "Avalon", and "South Of The Border". CD also features bonus tracks – alternate takes of "Gravy Train" and "Glory Of Love". CD

Juan Garcia's at his best here on Exploring New Sounds In Stereo – gazing into a telescope on the cover, looking at the stars and contemplating his next musical direction. For that, the session leaps into a swinging hi-fi mode that brings the hi-ghest fi-delity to the band's nutty approach to arrangements. Esquivel's definitely swinging on a star here – especially on the cuts "My Blue Heaven", "Spellbound", "Whatchamacalit", "La Ronde", and "Bella Mora". Despite the "strings" in the title on Strings Aflame, this one actually swings quite well, and has a bit of an exotic gypsy flavor to it, augmented by cool spacey production that makes the strings hum with a strange other-worldly tonality. The set's filled with the usual crazy Esquivel arrangements, and includes the cuts "Turkish March", "Andalusian Sky", "Misirlou", and "Gypsy Lament". CD

Heavy trumpets here – lead lines from both Dizzy Gillespie and Arturo Sandoval, playing together in a sweet session recorded in Finland! The set's got an open, flowing feel – one that matches some of the best Gillespie work on Pablo – those sides where the label really was able to let Gillespie hit that mature later groove – a strong fusion of soul, Latin, and other jazz modes! The core rhythm group is definitely hip enough for the spirit of the date – Esko Linnavalli on piano, Pekka Sarmanto on bass, and Esko Rosnell on drums – and the tracks are all nice and long, and nicely inventive, too. Titles include "Dizzy The Duck", "Rimsky", "And Then She Stopped", "First Chance", and "Wheatleigh Hall". CD

Tripped-out grooves from this legendary combo from Uruguay – a mix of candomble roots and wilder rockish touches – but also served up with a bit of Latin in the mix too! There's some great heavy percussion on the bottom of most tracks – and even when the guitars are fierce and fuzzy, the overall sound is nicely rhythmic, and often a bit funky – a great blend of global elements, and coming across with the same sort of power as the best Latin funk albums from Peru! There's perhaps a bit more psychedelia here than on those records, but never in a way that's too indulgent or dated – thanks to some lean, clean arrangements. Titles include a cover of Tito Puente's "Guayaba", plus "Adios A Jimi Hendrix", "Cajon De Castanas", "Llamada Del Sur", "Buscado", "Donde Esta El Doctor", and "Mas Alla Del Sahara". CD

Oh how we love this album – and we think it may well be the best album ever from Charles Mingus! The set was recorded in that magical Mingus year of 1957, but oddly not released until 1962 – missing some of the initial frenzy of his discovery during the Atlantic and Columbia years. But the album's actually a treasure that predates the better-known latter sides – with a sharpness and intensity that Mingus hardly ever matched again! The group is one of his strongest ever – with Shafi Hadi on alto, Clarence Shaw on trumpet, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and Bill Triglia on piano. There's a slight Latin vibe, as you might expect from the title – but it's very slight overall, and most of the tunes are in that sharply angular, fully expressive style that flowered most strongly for Mingus in the late 50s. There's not a wasted moment of music on the whole album – with tight solos and incredible rhythms that dominate every second of the extended tracks – and titles include "Dizzy Moods", "Flamingo", "Los Mariachis", "Ysabel's Tabel Dance", and "Tijuana Gift Shop". CD also features the amazing bonus track "A Colloquial Dream (aka Scenes In The City)" – an incredible piece of jazz-meets-poetry – with a narrative spoken by Lonnie Eldger, penned by Langston Hughes! CD

A legendary bit of Latin fusion from the 70s – one of the few albums ever recorded by vibist Bobby Vince Paunetto, and a monster! The session was recorded in New York with a cream-of-the-crop group that includes Tom Harrell, Ronnie Cuber, and Ed Byrne – but the real highlight of the session is Bobby, whose work on vibes, and unique angular way of cutting a groove is simply amazing. The record is a sublime blend of electric and acoustic playing – soaring with the majesty of an underground soul jazz release, but beats with the heart of a smoking Latin combo! The album's incredible all the way through – and tracks include "Spanish Maiden", "Good Bucks", "Delta", "Taz", and "Dragon Breath". CD

A record that's recorded by a duo, but one that's got a much fuller sound than you might expect – thanks to the magic of overdub, and to some great production help from Quincy Jones! Alfredo Rodriguez plays piano, Fender Rhodes, and keyboards – Pedro Martinez plays percussion – and both artists sing a bit too – and the whole thing sounds a lot richer than just a keyboard and percussion album might, as the songs bristle with the energy of a small combo – mixing together elements of Latin jazz and other global elements, in a mode that's warmly soulful and sometimes funky. Titles include a nice remake of "Thriller", plus "Estamos Llegando", "Yo Volvere", "Mariposa", "Cosas Del Amor", "Duologue", "Africa", and "El Punto Cubano". CD

3 years' of music spread out on 5 different CDs – some of the best albums recorded by Sonny Rollins in the 60s! The package is a great look at the key sides that Sonny recorded for RCA in the years right after his return to playing in the early 60s – and every record here is a treasure, each different in its own way! Sonny Meets Hawk features a landmark live meeting with Coleman Hawkins; Our Man In Jazz is an extended live workout, with some of his most adventurous blowing to date; What's New has a great inflection of Latin and Caribbean rhythms in the music; Now's The Time is a wonderful quartet date with Herbie Hancock on piano, and guest cornet from Thad Jones; and Standard Sonny Rollins is a return to inside playing, but with key evidence of the modern lessons from previous records. Each album comes packaged in a tiny 5" record sleeve – just like the original – and all are contained in a larger slipcase too. A few records feature bonus tracks – and the set includes 38 tracks in all, including bonus cuts! CD

A Brazilian rock classic! The band had a very sophisticated sound that mixes nice vocal production with spare arrangements supported by guitar, piano, and bass. The sound is difficult to describe – but the record has some extremely compelling songwriting, and great vocal work that carries the strength of the tracks, whether or not you understand Portuguese. Titles include "Sangue Latino", "O Vira", "Primavera Nos Dentes", "Amor", "Assim Assado", and "As Andorinhas". Nice cover, too – with the band's heads on a table! LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant batch of James Brown funky covers! This is one of the best compilations we've ever seen on the Harmless label – a collection of obscure version of tracks by James Brown or dedicated to James Brown, all with a funky sound that would make The Godfather himself pretty darn proud! Titles include "Hot Pants" by St Vincent Latinaires, "Mother Popcorn" by Dillard Crume & The Soul Rockers, "Cold Sweat" by Bernard Purdie, "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose" by The Daktaris, "James Brown" by The Last Poets, "Money Won't Change You" by Aretha Franklin, "There Was A Time" by Jerry O, "Ain't It Funky Now" by Grant Green, "Lickin Stick" by Larry Willis, "I Got The Feeling" by Chollo Rivera & The Latin Soul Drives, and "Calm & Cool" by James Brown himself! CD

18 exotic groovers from the glory days of the bachelor pad! The set's a well-chosen bunch of rare ones from the catalogs of labels like Capitol, Liberty, and United Artists – and the tunes are tied together with a Latiny theme, as you've probably already expected from the "bongo" in the title! Tracks include "Latin Fever" by Jack Costanzo, "Caravan" by Dick Hyman, "Balinese Bongos", "The Young Savages" by Martin Denny, "Moderna Muchacha" by Joe Loco, "Club Caballeros" by Laurindo Almeida, "Bernies Tune" by Al Caiola, "Dr No's Fantasy" by Elliott Fisher, "Taboo" by Leo Arnaud, and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" by Terry Snyder. CD