Rare work from one of the most obscure sides of the Studio One catalog – dub recordings that were issued in small press runs, usually with handmade covers, and which barely saw circulation outside of Jamaica at all! This is Studio one at its most experimental – following the new wave of creative activity on the Kingston scene in the 70s, and letting the Dub Specialist access older tracks from the Studio One catalog, break them down, and build up these spare dub tracks that really live up to the "space age" promise of the title! The whole thing is almost more of a Dub Specialist album overall, save for the fact that the core of the tracks is from material by a host of other artists – on titles that include "Tricky", "Disco Dub", "Still Water Version", "Marcus Dub", "Accra", "A Lie Gal A Tell", "Pick Up", "Red Neck", "Wailing Sounds", "Barb Wire Version", and "Juk's Inc". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A notorious EP from Japanese actress Kaoru Kuroki – who both bares herself on the cover, and on the songs within! The approach is a bit like city pop from the time, but with a style that's a bit more fluid – as the leadoff track is an electric take on a famous folk melody, followed by an erotic poem written by Kaoru and set to music! There's also a bit more of an erotic current through the other tunes too – and titles include "The Age Of Innocence", "A Love Note For You", "Chinatown Love", and "Birth From Time". LP, Vinyl record album

One long piece, played with searing intensity by the trio of Cene Resnik on tenor, Giorgio Pacorig on piano, and Mark Lasic on drums – joined here by Rob Mazurek on some great pocket trumpet too! The piece builds with this resonant interplay between all four forces in the quartet – and Mazurek sometimes steps back, to wait for his space, then provides just the right punctuation – in a manner that really reminds us of the way that he can be an improviser who's patient, but powerful too! CD

Rare work from one of the most obscure sides of the Studio One catalog – dub recordings that were issued in small press runs, usually with handmade covers, and which barely saw circulation outside of Jamaica at all! This is Studio one at its most experimental – following the new wave of creative activity on the Kingston scene in the 70s, and letting the Dub Specialist access older tracks from the Studio One catalog, break them down, and build up these spare dub tracks that really live up to the "space age" promise of the title! The whole thing is almost more of a Dub Specialist album overall, save for the fact that the core of the tracks is from material by a host of other artists – on titles that include "Tricky", "Disco Dub", "Still Water Version", "Marcus Dub", "Accra", "A Lie Gal A Tell", "Pick Up", "Red Neck", "Wailing Sounds", "Barb Wire Version", and "Juk's Inc". CD

Joe Morris on guitar, Timo Shanko on bass, and Luther Gray on drums. CD

Includes the albums New York New York, Jazz In The Space Age, Stratusphunk, George Russell Sextet In KC, Ezz-Thetics, The Stratus Seekers, and The Outer View. CD

15 songs from the Hues Corporation, the Ohio Players, Earth Wind & Fire, KC & the Sunshine Band, Thelma Houston, the Emotions, A Taste Of Hones, Cheryl Lynn, Gloria Gaynor, Anita Ward, and more. CD

Strings of many shapes and sizes – not just violins, but guitars as well – all coming together in a host of instrumental pop classics! The package is a lot cooler than you might expect – and features about a decade of chart-topping instrumentals – the kind of clever little tunes that made radio so great back in the day, and which often took familiar instrumentation and played around with it a bit in the studio – so that the end result was a heck of a lot more than just the sum of its parts! Styles are great – and run from folksy to rocking to exotic, and more – really creative stuff spun out over a set list of 28 tracks that include "The Dis-Advantages Of You" by The Brass Ring, "Love Is Blue" by Paul Mauriat, "Fly Me To The Moon" by Joe Harnell, "Flying Circle" by Frankie Slay, "Image" by Hank Levine, "Mexico" by Bob Moore, "Beautiful Obsession" by Sir Chauncey & His Exciting Strings, "Summer Set" by Monty Kelly, "Baby Elephant Walk" by The Minature Men, "Java" by Al Hirt, "The Enchanted Sea" by The Islanders, "More" by Kai Winding, "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" by Sounds Orchestral, "Swingin Safari" by Billy Vaughan, "Calcutta" by Lawrence Welk, and "Lost Love" by HB Barnum. CD

25 songs from Tom Donahue, Spirit, the Chambers Brothers, the Byrds, the Youngbloods, Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, Donovan, Ten Years After, Canned Heat, Quicksilver Messenger Service & more. CD

Music from the Three Suns, Sir Julian, Esquivel & his Orchestra, Henri Rene & his Orchestra, John Klein & Sid Ramin, Marty Gold & his Organ Ensemble, Dennis Farnon & his Orchestra, Henry Man cini, Perez Prado, Russ Case & his Orchestra & more. CD

Classic bachelor pad music – work by Leo Addeo, Ray Martin, Marty Gold, Esquivel, Dick Schory, Three Suns, Bernie Green, and others! CD

A wonderfully beautiful package – filled with gems from the central African scene of the 50s – all packaged together with a huge book of notes that's as wonderful as the music itself! The set culls together vintage singles from the Congo, Tanganyika, Zanzibar, and Kenya – not as random rare records, but instead to showcase some fantastic musical trends that were taking place in African music during the postwar years – particularly as influences from the Caribbean were starting to hit those shores in the form of imported phonograph records. Many of these tracks showcase some fantastic acoustic guitar work along with a very hypnotic singer – while others show maybe the beginning of the Cuban influence that would come into the fold even more during the 60s – and as usual with Dust-To-Digital, the book-like presentation is as much of a history lesson and travelogue as it is a treasure trove of music. 47 tracks in all – presented beautifully! CD

Music from the Three Suns, Henri Rene, Russ Case, Bernie Green, Henry Mancini, the Markko Polo Adventurers, Perez Prado, Esquivel, and more! CD

They definitely got the title right on this one – as the box set's overflowing with rare gospel tunes from the late 40s and 1950s – a period when the style was really coming into its own, thanks to a confluence of great talents, key songwriters, and important indie labels! The package was put together and annotated by Opal Louis Nations, who clearly knows his stuff – and the 4CD set features 105 tracks in all, all remastered too! Includes work by Deep River Boys, The Charioteers, Hazel Chatman, Five Blind Boys Of Alabama, Brownie McGhee, Golden Gate Quartet, The Orioles, Dixie Hummingbirds, Golden Melodeers, and many others. CD

A stunning set of work from the glory days of the Italian film scene – a huge CD collection that brings together nine different soundtracks from the Cinecitta studios – a really wonderful range of music, with styles that go way beyond some of the more familiar modes usually associated with Cinecitta! This isn't just a batch of short tracks from each film – as the soundtracks here are presented in great depth, with many songs from each – and detailed notes within the very well-designed package – to really illuminate not just the music, but the way it was created for the individual films. The package has a massive 207 tracks – and features the full soundtracks to the films La Ragazzola, Il Trapianto, Cara Sposa, Una Jena In Cassaforte, Il Divorzio, Eutanasia Di Un Amore, Il Prato Macchiato Di Rosso, Il Debito Coniugale, and Verso L'Avventura! CD

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John Escreet on piano, Fender Rhodes, and keys – with David Binney on alto sax and electronics, Wayne Krantz on guitar, and Marcus Gilmore on drums and percusssion. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

We're not normally ones to ooh and ah over hotels – but they do tend to be some of our favorite semi-public spaces in big cities, and this wonderful book looks at a time when lodging was really stepping up to the next level – as firms like Schultze & Weaver were redesigning hotels as palaces in the sky! The book features entries on a host of classic architectural projects from the 20s in Havana, New York, Miami, and other cities – famous spots that include the Hotel Pierre, Waldorf Astoria, Breakers, Biltlmore, and Nautilus – each of which get their own chapter, complete with amazing images of interiors and exteriors, vintage advertising, and details on the buildings – preceded by a large section on Schultze & Weaver, and the development of new standards and styles for hotels in the early 20th century. The book is an oversized hardcover volume of 248 pages, with images in both color and black and white. Book

Janelle Monae took a bit of a rest between this album and her last – but given the results, it feels like she's really recharged her groove in that surprisingly long stretch! Not that Janelle needed recharging at all – but there's something here that sets the record apart from earlier chapters in her career – and not in a commercial way, or something that feels like a sidestep – maybe just a bit like Sade after the first few records – able to space out her creative activity, and always keep us wanting more! There's maybe a more down to earth approach here than before – but at a level that makes the whole thing feel more heavenly overall – and Monae works with guests who include Sister Nancy, Seun Kuti, and Grace Jones – on titles that include "The Rush", "The French 75", "Float", "Black Sugar Beach", "Phenomenal", "Ooh La La", "Lipstick Lover", "Paid In Pleasure", "A Dry Red", and "Only Have Eyes 42". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s issue of 2 seminal sides from George Russell, originally recorded in the 50s. The first, New York New York is a wonderful album from George Russell – and a refreshing change from his overly-academic modernist work! The session's an unusual one – a musical portrait of New York City, performed with an all-star cast that includes John Coltrane, Art Farmer, Bill Evans, Phil Woods, Benny Golson, Max Roach, and Hal McKusick – all working together to paint tones on the tunes that George has crafted to set up his scene of New York in the 50s. Most importantly, though, Jon Hendricks acts as the narrator of the album – talking and scatting in hipster mode, laying out a bit of beat rapportage about the Big Apple, all done in a very cool 50s style that's a bit different from his own vocal work. Titles include "Manhattan", "Big City Blues", "Manhattan-Rico", and "A Helluva Town". And don't let the title of the second, Jazz In The Space Age, mislead you into thinking it's a record of bachelor pad musi. The set's one of Russell's finest recordings of the 50s, and it features some wonderful work in odd tones and scales, executed by another awesome cast of players, including Bill Evans, Paul Bley, Hal McKusick, Bob Brookmeyer, and David Young. An essential chapter in Russell's career, and nice to have in any form. Titles include "Chromatic Universe (parts 1, 2, & 3)", "Dimensions", "Waltz From Outer Space", and "The Lydiot". LP, Vinyl record album

Features James Blood Ulmer on guitars, Bernie Worrell on Hammond and clavinet, Amina Claudine Myers on Hammond and piano, Bill Laswell on bass, and Joseph Zigaboo Modeliste on drums and percussion. CD

One of the great modern genre-busting debuts we've had the pleasure of being so stunned by in quite a while! Thundercat's Golden Age is dizzyingly brilliant mix of 80s clubby synths and keys, future soul & funky soundscapes, 70s soul jazzy atmospherics and more – but it's hardly a mere genre-mash, Thundercat's got a unique and inventive vision all his own. A number of tracks feature vocals, but it's really about the mood – and what an expansive mood it is! He shows love here for influential figures from George Duke to Brainfeeder honcho Flying Lotus, to Erykah Badu – great stuff and we're thinking he's only gonna get better from here. Titles include "Hooooooo" (inspired by mid 70s George Duke), "Daylight", "For Love I Come", "Jamboree", "Boat Cruise", "Walkin", "Mystery Machine", "Return To The Journey", "Golden Boy", "Walkin'" (feat Erykah Badu) and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic collection of work from a real golden age in hip hop – a period that you'll probably guess from the image of the Native Tongues posse on the front – served up here in a compilation that brings together classics from De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, and many others! The set list is superb – and while most of the tracks are well-remembered gems, and not the kind of rare cuts we usually hear from Ace Records – taken together, they're a tremendous reminder of a time when hip hop really came alive – bursting with wit, wisdom, and a whole new sense of musical imagination! As usual with Ace, the liner notes and other details are great – making this way more than just a slap-dash mix of hits – and titles include "You're Not Coming Home (Mase's funkay recall mix)" by Groove Garden, "Age Ain't Nothin But A #" by Chi Ali, "Bonita Applebum" by Tribe Called Quest, "Sunshine Men" by Freestyle Fellowship, "Peachfuzz" by KMD, "K Sera Sera" by Justin Warfield, "It's A Shame" by Monie Love, "Doin Our Own Dang" by Jungle Brothers, "OPP" by Naughty By Nature, "Doowutchyalike" by Digital Underground, "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" by De La Soul, "The Choice Is Yours" by Black Sheep, "All For One" by Brand Nubian, "My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style" by Dream Warriors, "Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children" by Queen Latifah with De La Soul, "Where I'm From" by Digable Planets, and "We Run Things (It's Like Dat)" by Da Bush Babees. CD

A fantastic collection of work from a real golden age in hip hop – a period that you'll probably guess from the image of the Native Tongues posse on the front – served up here in a compilation that brings together classics from De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, and many others! The set list is superb – and while most of the tracks are well-remembered gems, and not the kind of rare cuts we usually hear from Ace Records – taken together, they're a tremendous reminder of a time when hip hop really came alive – bursting with wit, wisdom, and a whole new sense of musical imagination! As usual with Ace, the liner notes and other details are great – making this way more than just a slap-dash mix of hits – and titles include "You're Not Coming Home (Mase's funkay recall mix)" by Groove Garden, "Age Ain't Nothin But A #" by Chi Ali, "Bonita Applebum" by Tribe Called Quest, "Sunshine Men" by Freestyle Fellowship, "Peachfuzz" by KMD, "K Sera Sera" by Justin Warfield, "It's A Shame" by Monie Love, "Doin Our Own Dang" by Jungle Brothers, "OPP" by Naughty By Nature, "Doowutchyalike" by Digital Underground, "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" by De La Soul, "The Choice Is Yours" by Black Sheep, "All For One" by Brand Nubian, "My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style" by Dream Warriors, "Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children" by Queen Latifah with De La Soul, "Where I'm From" by Digable Planets, and "We Run Things (It's Like Dat)" by Da Bush Babees. LP features two bonus tracks – "Case Of The PTA" by Leaders Of The New School and "What's Up Doc (K-Cut's fat trac rmx)" by Fu Schnickens. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing compilation – and a really groundbreaking attempt to get to the true heart of new age music – that initial moment of meditative sound on records from the American underground – very pure in both spirit and execution before the whole thing got watered down and commercial! The massive set digs way deeper than we might have expected – way past the Bay Area indies who rose the genre to prominence, to a whole host of tiny US labels from the postwar years onward – home to individual players with a very personal sound – on instruments that range from conventional piano to global sources, electronics, and even some items of their own invention. The choice of tracks is perfect – really getting back to the basics of the genre in a great way – and the music is very laidback and meditative, with ethereal qualities that are completely sublime – especially in the context of the great packaging and notes of the whole collection. Many tracks here were never issued on CD – and many were only from rare tapes, too – and the double-length batch of work is one of the most unique musical journeys we've ever taken! Titles include "Lifting Off" by Joanna Brouk, "Arabian Fantasy" by Daniel Emmanuel, "Formentera Sunset Clouds" by Iasos, "Seventh Chakra Keynote B" by Steven Halpern, "Om Mani Padme Hum" by Constance Derby, "Unicorns In Paradise" by Laraaji, "Blue Spirals" by Daniel Kobialka, "As The Earth Kissed The Moon" by Michael Stearns, and "Waterfall Winds" by Alice Damon. CD

Features vintage Bluebird 78 rpm material – a few tracks each by Red Nichols, Phil Napoleon, Ben Pollack, and the duo of Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang! CD

A set that's heavy on the kind of country artists who often made key appearances on TV in the 60s – artists who were as much visual showfolks as they were singers – with an illuminating quality that really holds through in their recordings, even if you can't see their images on the screen! The cuts here often have a very animated, well-presented approach – especially on some of the numbers that require a slight current of drama or wit to send the lyric home! The package features 18 titles in all – and tracks include "A Million Years Or So" by Roger Miller, "The Good Lord Giveth" by Webb Pierce, "I Am The Grass" by The Stonemans, "Wino" by Porter Wagoner, "I Wouldn't Buy A Used Car From Him" by Norma Jean, "I Could Have Gone Right" by Mel Tillis, "Oriental Twist" by Pete Drake, and "Loser's Cocktail" by Dick Curless. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic look at the righteous current of energy that swept through American music at the end of the 60s – that huge wave of knowledge and political inspiration that still stands as one of our favorite moments in jazz and soul! The Civil Rights generation had gotten some things accomplished, but not everything – and a new wave of action arose in various scenes of the underground – not just pushing the musical formats past anything that had happened before, but also doing so with a strong message of pride and empowerment! This collection surveys some of the best tracks of that moment – and also provides a great batch of historical notes to put the whole thing in context – done in collaboration with the book of the same name, but equally great as a soundtrack and document on its own. The package is overflowing with Dusty Groove classics – and titles include "Sweet Songs" by Sarah Webster Fabio, "Surtal Ihklas" by Doug Carn, "Vibes From The Tribe" by Phil Ranelin, "Desert Fairy Princess" by Horace Tapscott & The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, "Sounds From The Bush" by The Mandingo Griot Society with Don Cherry, "Is It Too Late" by Duke Edwards & The Young Ones, "Strong Men" by David McKnight, "Black Narcissus" by Joe Henderson, "Malcolm X" by Phil Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble, "Mother Of The Future" by Carlos Garnett, "Red Black & Green" by Roy Ayers, "African Rhythms" by Oneness Of Juju, and "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by Gil Scott-Heron. CD

A landmark record – even if nobody thought so at the time! The Buggles were the first group of Trevor Horn – soon to be more famous through his work with Yes, Art Of Noise, and the ZTT label – and the group's lasting legacy will forever be the tinny pop number "Video Killed The Radio Star", contained on this album, and the first video ever played on MTV. The rest of the album's pretty darn great – in a similar mode to the more famous tune, with quirky little pop styles colliding with each other, all handled by Horn and Geoff Downes, in a flutter of keyboards, spare backings, and slight guitars – kind of a last gasp of the British mainstream pop sound of the 70s, trying to exist in a post-punk world. Titles include "Kid Dynamo", "Living In the Plastic Age", "I Love You Miss Robot", "Astroboy", and "Johnny On The Monorail". . LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Europa & The Pirate Twins", "Flying North", "Weightless", "Leipzig", "Windpower", "Commercial Breakup", "Urges", "Airwaves", "Radio Silence" and "Cloudburst At Shingle Street". LP, Vinyl record album

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The first far-reaching collection of vocal tracks recorded by Sun Ra and his Arkestra over the years – perfectly put together, and featuring a number of previously-unissued tracks as well! The Space Age Is Here To Stay covers a wide range of the cosmic jazz styles Ra traveled (and pretty much invented) from the late 50s to early 80s – from the immediate post-doo wop underground sound he worked in the late 50s, to the impeccable mix of free jazz and subtle, soulful tones a decade later, to the searching spiritualism that came later still. For all that's going here stylistically, the vocals and thematic lyricism hold it all together aesthetically, with Ra himself on chants and spoken passages, June Tyson and Hattie Randolph bringing an angelic quality on some numbers, and all around excellent Arkestra ensemble vocals throughout! The incredible opener "Along Came Ra/The Living Myth" is a live recording from Paris in 1983 that sets the creative bar quite high with feverish percussion, the sweetly soulful voice of June Tyson, and spacey spoken word by Ra. That said, the quality soars high throughout – and other titles include "Interplanetary Music No. 1", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Space Is The Place", "Forest Of No Return", "Truth About Planet Earth", "Space Chant (Third Heaven)", "Antique Blacks", "Enlightenment" and more. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Rare singles from the early 80s – most of which get their first global release outside of their regional release in Kenya and Tanzania – served up here in a batch of grooves that are a lot more stripped-down than some of the more slickly-produced West African work of the time! The tunes here really put the guitars in the front of the mix – cascading in these wonderful lines that are completely fluid throughout, and every bit as important to the rhythms as the basslines and percussion. And although there are vocals on the cuts, it often feels as if it's the guitars that are doing most of the "singing" – with a soaring, lilting quality that's very beautiful throughout. Titles include "Manimba" by Orchestra Mjoa One, "Ni Uranjuhigirie" by The Lulus Band, "Margy Sugar Na" by Gem Lucky Jazz, "I Love You Posha" by Founder International Sound, "Ombi" by Orchestra Bima Lee, "Uchawi Ni Mbaya" by Kangundo D Boys, and "Iveti Matuku Aya" by Kyanganga Boys Band. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Lurrie Bell just seems to get better and better with age – taking on a depth of tone in his guitar work that definitely marks his long years on the Chicago scene! This set's got Lurrie in mostly a small combo mode – singing and playing guitar with just a bit of organ, bass, and drums – plus additional horns and harmonica on a few other cuts. Titles include "Blues In My Soul", "My Little Machine", "South Side To Riverside", "If It's Too Late", and "Blues Never Die". CD

A wild set of electronic work from the American heartland of the 70s – a set that claims to bring you to a "higher stage of truth" – but which has a sound that's a lot more bracing at times than more meditative electronic and new age albums from the decade! Steve Birchall works on a Putney EMS, and really pushes the boundaries of its sonic spectrum – soaring out into space at times, while ruminating in dirtier territory at others – all with a really well-crafted approach that does show a sense of direction amidst the madness! Titles include "Music of the Spheres", "Summer Memories", "Cosmic Carousel", "Abacaba", and "Poseidon's Meditation." LP, Vinyl record album

This ultra-hip ensemble is celebrating its 10th Anniversary – and in doing so, has maybe given us their best album yet! The group's overflowing with work from an all-star lineup – Wayne Escoffery on tenor, Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, James Burton III on trombone, Victor Gould and Xavier Davis on pianos, Vicente Archer and Rashaan Carter on basses, and Johnathan Blake and Mark Whitfield Jr on drums – the last two pairs of whom shift in and out of the ensemble as the set moves on – but with such rock-solid energy, there's a unified vibe to the whole set. Some of the best tracks have this soaring, searching energy – and the whole album's got a very visionary approach, served up by musicians who are looking to do way more than just run through a few standards. Titles include "Black Heart", "Cold Switching", "Soliloquy", "Lookin For Leroy", "Coming Of Age", and "Truth To Power". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of spacey classics from Tim Blake – all brought together in a single set! First up Crystal Machine – fantastic sounds from Tim Blake, an artist who previously worked with Gong, and sometimes worked with Hawkwind – but who really came into his own on this legendary album of electronics! Tim works here on a self-constructed "crystal machine" – a bank of electronics that was often played in performance to front some trippy film installations (as shown on the cover) – which perfectly suited the stretched-out spacey style of his music! The vibe is maybe a bit like early Tangerine Dream, but with some of the warmer modes of the French electronic scene of the time – and titles include "Midnight", "Last Ride Of The Boogie Child", "Synthese Intemporel", and "Crystal Presence". On the cover of Blake's New Jerusalem, Tim looks like he's sitting at the helm of a spaceship on the cover – and in a way, that's what his music was at the time – a way of taking off to the skies on waves of electronics, in the kinds of sounds that Blake first created in his Crystal Machine project, but which have an even sharper focus here! The album's got more vocals than Tim's previous effort, and in a way that's what really sets it apart from the rest – as Blake's got this warmly positive approach that would be at home in progressive folk, but which here comes across with a very unique style – given the mostly electronic setting of the album! All the banks of knobs, slides, and keys pictured on the cover are used to strongly skillful effect – on titles that include "Generator", "Passage Sur La Cite", "New Jerusalem", "Song For A New Age", and "Lighthouse". Magick is a really great later set from electronic genius Tim Blake – an album recorded 15 years after his early classics, and done in his windmill home in France – but all played live, in a way that makes the electronics and keyboards here maybe more amazing! Blake has certainly picked up some of the elements from the 80s generation who were influenced by his earlier work – but also keeps the more open sense of song structure from his classics at points – with a sound that still knows when to revel in the best analog moments, next to the digital ones. Titles include "Tonight", "Strange Secret Of Ohm Gliding", "A Dream", "More Magick", and "Waiting For Nati". Also features the bonus b-side "The Woodland Voice". CD

A nice bit of space age disco fantasy from Boney M – a set that's got a few more electronic touches than some of the group's other records, but which still continues in a straight ahead poppy vein! There's a sound here that's arguably a bit more sophisticated than before – especially on some of the rhythms, which almost hint at Bohannon like complexity at the bottom. There's almost a bit more club appeal than you might expect – although other tunes are definitely more the stuff of hotel lobby dancefloors than warehouse parties in New York. Titles include "King Of The Road", "Nightflight To Venus", "Voodoonight", "Brown Girl In the Ring", "Heart Of Gold", and the hit version of "Rivers Of Babylon". LP, Vinyl record album

Lester Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn, Steve Turre on trombone, James Carter on tenor saxophone, Amina Claudine Myers on organ, Philip Wilson on drums, and Famoudou Don Moye on drums and percussion. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Anthony Braxton – an album that has him playing straight ahead jazz – but at a time when he was also making some of his most complex recordings of the 70s! The approach here is sublime – as Braxton's reputation has ears already anticipating some far-out playing, but then marvel at his restraint – his care for keeping alto and bass clarinet work inside a straight jazz tradition, yet always hinting at the modern inflections he can bring to his music! Tunes are almost all jazz standards, blown beautifully – with a tone that's crisp, cool, and very inviting – surprisingly soulful, and never cold at all – matched well with the rhythm trio of Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Titles include "Goodbye Porkpie Hat", "Ornithology", and "Marshmallow". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from Joanna Brouk – an artist who was sometimes lost amidst the new age scene of the 80s, but one who's got a much deeper, more intellectual approach overall! True, Brouk's music does have a certain meditative spirit – but she also was a student of Terry Riley and Robert Ashley, and drank deep of the new compositional spirit of the time – especially in the work of Riley, which is often reflected here, but in a more contemplative way than his own recordings. Music sometimes features a core line on flute, opening up and unfolding slowly – and there's also some nice piano, and even a bit of conch shell and Orca sounds too. Double-length set features the usual strong Numero Group level of notes and history – and contains 22 tracks in all, some of which were only ever issued on cassette! CD