A pretty sharp trio with incredible energy – a German prog group of the early 70s, but one who've got a hell of a lot of dexterity – so much so, they may well rival the greatness of big UK acts like ELP or Yes! The keyboards are all handled by Thomas Molin, who's got this ability to move as fast as the drums and bass – spinning out flowing lines of color, but also stopping on a dime and turning in another new direction quickly – as do the other two members of the group, with fantastic instrumental interplay throughout. The album's got vocals, mostly in English – but the instrumentation is what really leaves us breathless – on titles that include "Shoebread", "Got The Feelin", "Escape", "Important Matter", "First Key", and "Dragon's Walk". CD

The title's no lie – as the mighty Earl Palmer has handled the drums on countless rock and soul classics – and also cut some great records on his own! And while Earl's got a huge legacy that even extends through studio work in the 70s, and famous projects with David Axelrod – this set concentrates on the key contributions that Palmer made towards establishing the groove on the LA scene of the late 50s – served up here in a set of key recordings for labels like Aladdin, Specialty, Modern, and Class – which all have Palmer on drums – either behind a heavy soul singer, or leading an instrumental group on his own. The set's got a whopping 30 titles in all – all heavy stompers – and tracks include "Drum Village (parts 1 & 2)" and "Johnny's House Party (parts 1 & 2)" by Earl Palmer – plus "Rockville USA" by The Turks, "Chicken Shack Boogie" by Amos Milburn, "I'm Beggin With Tears" by Eddie Lang, "Mad About You" by Richard Berry, "Don't Feel Sorry For Me" by Jimmy Beasley, "King Kong" by Big T Tyler, "Koko" by Don & Dewey, "Jerry Jerry" by Artie Wilson, "Red Hot Rockin Blues" by Jesse James, and "In The Mood" by Ernie Fields – plus some other big hits you'll certainly recognize, but maybe not in this context! CD

Soaring salsa from the mighty Lebron Brothers – a group who first burst on the Latin scene with a strong run of Latin Soul recordings, but who are taking a more straightforward approach here! Yet that change hardly makes any difference, as the Lebrons still have that bold, youthful energy that made their records such a great change from some of the too-big bands of the previous generation in Latin music – and their shift from boogaloo to salsa is a great example of the way the key younger acts were helping make the waves that so many other artists would follow! Pablo Lebron sings lead vocals, and Angel and Jose Lebron co-lead the mighty tight grooves – which include alto from Gabe Gill and tenor from Herman Saldana – both players who keep a soulful sound to the set. Titles include "Mi Fracaso", "Si Ti", "Todo Lo Hechaste Ha Perder", "Orgullo, Riqueza Y Lujo", and "Tus Recuerdos". CD

Soaring salsa from the mighty Lebron Brothers – a group who first burst on the Latin scene with a strong run of Latin Soul recordings, but who are taking a more straightforward approach here! Yet that change hardly makes any difference, as the Lebrons still have that bold, youthful energy that made their records such a great change from some of the too-big bands of the previous generation in Latin music – and their shift from boogaloo to salsa is a great example of the way the key younger acts were helping make the waves that so many other artists would follow! Pablo Lebron sings lead vocals, and Angel and Jose Lebron co-lead the mighty tight grooves – which include alto from Gabe Gill and tenor from Herman Saldana – both players who keep a soulful sound to the set. Titles include "Mi Fracaso", "Si Ti", "Todo Lo Hechaste Ha Perder", "Orgullo, Riqueza Y Lujo", and "Tus Recuerdos". LP, Vinyl record album

A tripped-out batch of hard jamming tracks from ex-Mutante Rita Lee – recorded with assistance from all the members of the group at the time, but in a mode that's quite different overall! Lee is clearly the star of the show here – singing all lyrics with a much fiercer vocal approach than on her earlier solo album – pushing things hard to keep up with the jamming keyboards of Arnaldo Baptista and guitar of Sergio Dias – both of whom are working with the energy that would show up in the Mutantes styles in the years after Lee departed. One of the most compelling aspects of the record is the structure of the tunes – less conventionally rockish overall than the direction Os Mutantes were moving towards – and still with that strong dramatic flair that Lee always provided when in the group. Titles include "Vamos Tratar Da Saude", "Amor Branco E Preto", "Superficie Do Planeta", "Teimoisia", "Tapupukitipa", "Beija Me Amor", and "Frique Como". LP, Vinyl record album

A tripped-out batch of hard jamming tracks from ex-Mutante Rita Lee – recorded with assistance from all the members of the group at the time, but in a mode that's quite different overall! Lee is clearly the star of the show here – singing all lyrics with a much fiercer vocal approach than on her earlier solo album – pushing things hard to keep up with the jamming keyboards of Arnaldo Baptista and guitar of Sergio Dias – both of whom are working with the energy that would show up in the Mutantes styles in the years after Lee departed. One of the most compelling aspects of the record is the structure of the tunes – less conventionally rockish overall than the direction Os Mutantes were moving towards – and still with that strong dramatic flair that Lee always provided when in the group. Titles include "Vamos Tratar Da Saude", "Amor Branco E Preto", "Superficie Do Planeta", "Teimoisia", "Tapupukitipa", "Beija Me Amor", and "Frique Como". CD

Fantastic funky fusion from the 70s Argentine scene – a set that begins with a killer take on the Led Zeppelin tune "Black Dog", and only gets even groovier after that! Jorge Navarro leads the group on piano, Hammond, and Fender Rhodes – and the group is a tight combo with guitar, bass, drums, and percussion – shifting rhythms nicely to match the dynamic mood of Jorge's work on the keyboard – as he moves through 70s fusion styles and Latin jazz in a wonderful array of grooves! At times, Navarro's not afraid to use some funky phrasing on his electric keys – ala Herbie Hancock – and at other times, he's way down in the groove and really going to town. Titles include "Funk Yourself", "Black Dog", "Vamos Quedando Pocos", "Lucky Southern", "Despues De La Polenta", and "Repartamos El Funky". 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

An incredible record from Marcos Valle – maybe our favorite-ever of his recent-revival years! The sound here is sublime – a warm blend of funky rhythms, bossa roots, and larger orchestrations – all very much in the spirit of those legendary albums that Valle recorded for EMI/Odeon right at the start of the 70s – soaring, sophisticated, and never without a groove! Valle did all the arrangements for the set, but gets some great help on strings and horns from Jesse Sedoc – whose touches are really a key part of the Odeon-styled sound here – and a number of the tracks feature female vocals duetting with Marcos' lead, in a mode that's just like his classic work with Anamaria! Titles include "Prefixo", "Vamos Sambar", "Novo Acorde", "1995", "Esphera", "Eu Vou", "Papo De Maluco", and "Baiao Maracatu". CD

New music, but all recorded with an older Italian soundtrack feel – cuts that recall the spookier modes used in the famous Satanik, Diabolik, and Kriminal films of the 60s, with a few later elements as well! The music here is performed El Reverendo M, but the set also features contributions from Neuropa, Mirco Martelli, and Charles E Hall Band – all artists who mix in plenty of spooky keyboards, weird bits, and occasional spacier touches – almost an early 80s Cosmic nightclub twist, added to the soundtrack inspiration for the tunes! Most numbers are stark and spare, with a chilling feel to match the images – even when grooving – and titles include "The Man Behind The Mask", "The Way Of Killing", "Satanik Dream", "Liberazione Dana", "Vamos A Killing Companeros", "Sonatine For The Diabolikal Super Kriminal", and "Open Air". CD

A really ear-opening set of music from the Portuguese scene of the postwar years – instrumental tracks that follow some of the stylistic developments of fado, but which often branch into wonderful sounds that are all their own! In a way, the set is a counterpart to the growth of flamenco guitar in Spain during the same stretch – but the instrument here is the fuller-bodied, more-stringed Portuguese variant of the instrument – almost a cross between an acoustic guitar and a mandolin, but played in ways that aren't really like either instrument! As you might be able to tell from the title, the set focuses on key musicians in two different scenes in the nation during the 50s – and is overflowing with rare instrumental gems from Carlos Paredes, Coimbra Quintet, Domingos Camarinha, Caravalinho, Casimiro Ramos, Artuer Parades, Jorge Fontes, Joao Alexio, and others. The set features 58 tracks in all – and complete notes in English and French! CD

Post-Tribe Records work from Detroit reedman Wendell Harrison – a set that was issued on his own Wenha label, and which is kind of an update of an older soul jazz mode! There's a fair bit of electricity in the instrumentation – guitar from Larry Barris, and keyboards from Harold McKinney and Pamela Wise – the latter of whom plays some nice vibes at times too! The rhythms mix both acoustic percussion and a few drum programs – the latter of which are used lightly, and more than balanced out with some warm solo work from Wendell on flute and tenor – gliding over the top in a mode that's maybe a more homegrown take on 80s fusion. Dennis Rowland sings on the record just a bit, but the set is mostly instrumental – and titles include "Fly By Night", "The Time Has Come", "Birth Of A Fossil", and "Witch Doctor Amos". LP, Vinyl record album

Post-Tribe Records work from Detroit reedman Wendell Harrison – a set that was issued on his own Wenha label, and which is kind of an update of an older soul jazz mode! There's a fair bit of electricity in the instrumentation – guitar from Larry Barris, and keyboards from Harold McKinney and Pamela Wise – the latter of whom plays some nice vibes at times too! The rhythms mix both acoustic percussion and a few drum programs – the latter of which are used lightly, and more than balanced out with some warm solo work from Wendell on flute and tenor – gliding over the top in a mode that's maybe a more homegrown take on 80s fusion. Dennis Rowland sings on the record just a bit, but the set is mostly instrumental – and titles include "Fly By Night", "The Time Has Come", "Birth Of A Fossil", and "Witch Doctor Amos". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funky fusion from the 70s Argentine scene – a set that begins with a killer take on the Led Zeppelin tune "Black Dog", and only gets even groovier after that! Jorge Navarro leads the group on piano, Hammond, and Fender Rhodes – and the group is a tight combo with guitar, bass, drums, and percussion – shifting rhythms nicely to match the dynamic mood of Jorge's work on the keyboard – as he moves through 70s fusion styles and Latin jazz in a wonderful array of grooves! At times, Navarro's not afraid to use some funky phrasing on his electric keys – ala Herbie Hancock – and at other times, he's way down in the groove and really going to town. Titles include "Funk Yourself", "Black Dog", "Vamos Quedando Pocos", "Lucky Southern", "Despues De La Polenta", and "Repartamos El Funky". LP, Vinyl record album