... CD

A well-written book, and one that's about way more than just the records hinted at in the cover – as music critic Rashod Ollison tells his tale of growing up in the south during the 80s, living with upheavals in his household, struggles with his own sexual identity, and other issues that challenged him constantly – through times during which music provided a key solace. The book is Ollison's story, but also serves well as an essay on the role of music in the larger realm of African-American culture – and the way it can provide both inspiration and escape, motivation and a space for reflection. Hardcover, 228 pages. Book

The Oregon sound, still alive and well into the 80s – perhaps given even more room to express itself in an ECM setting like this! The album's a mix of angular notes and warmer tones – very much the experimentalism that the group prided itself on at the time – and which really set the tune for a whole generation of imitations, some of which were already showing in the rest of the jazz world by the time of this release. Yet Oregon proves by the set that they're still the leading lights of the this side of the jazz spectrum – keeping things fresh with an ever-changing array of instrumentation from Ralph Towner, Colin Walcott, Paul McCandless, and Glen Moore. Titles include "Skyline", "Impending Bloom", "Beacon", "Rapids", "Taos", and "Beside A Brook". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really special look at the sound of the Pacific Northwest – served up here on a host of rare recordings from legendary Seattle producer Kearney Barton – all pulled from never-issued tapes that were stored at his home for decades, and released here to the public for the first time ever! The music is a really great mix of modes – rare funk and soul, trippy psych, and some of the leaner, meaner cuts that first put the northwest scene on the map at the start of the 60s – music that spans a much wider spectrum than you might expect from a city like Seattle – a huge cultural cache that really reflects the wider musical version of Barton! The spirit's a fair bit like some of the best genre-crossing Numero compilations from years back – and the whole thing's overstuffed with rare nuggets we'd never have heard otherwise, backed up with plenty of notes on the music, and on Barton himself. Titles include "Happy" by Secret Dynamics, "Looking Through Eyes Of Glass" by Ann Wilson & The Daybreaks, "Sticky" by James Henry & The Olympics, "Occupation Soul" by Occupation Soul, "Wrong Age" by Muf, "High Flyer" by Magic Ferns, "All My Nights All My Days" by The Wailers, "Qui El Petit" by Wilkins, "Everybody Knows" by Sweet Rolle, "Hold To God's Unchanging Hand" by Beacon Hill First Baptist Choir, "Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Dave Lewis, and "Don't Ask Me" by Tiki & The Fabulous. LP, Vinyl record album

Adrian Younge is best known as a studio genius – and he's certainly working in that setting here – but in a live environment, with a larger group – in a way that really shows off a whole new side of his talents! Younge's partner here is Ali Shaheed Muhammad – who plays bass alongside Adrian's keyboards – and the pair work with a core combo that includes alto, trumpet, guitar, and drums – plus a string duo who really give the whole thing a special vibe! The sound is very different than just a regular funk group – and while strings are normally used as an overdubbed add-on for many recordings, it's great to hear them working live here – a perfect complement to the deep ideas that Younge and Muhammad bring to the music. The vibe is a bit like a live David Axelrod session – save for occasional guest vocals from Loren Oden and Angela Munoz – and titles include "Black Beacon", "Better Endeavor", "Do It Together", "It's You", "Dans Un Moment D'Errance", "Bitches Do Voodoo", "Ravens", "Gate 54", and "Redneph In B Minor. CD

A really special look at the sound of the Pacific Northwest – served up here on a host of rare recordings from legendary Seattle producer Kearney Barton – all pulled from never-issued tapes that were stored at his home for decades, and released here to the public for the first time ever! The music is a really great mix of modes – rare funk and soul, trippy psych, and some of the leaner, meaner cuts that first put the northwest scene on the map at the start of the 60s – music that spans a much wider spectrum than you might expect from a city like Seattle – a huge cultural cache that really reflects the wider musical version of Barton! The spirit's a fair bit like some of the best genre-crossing Numero compilations from years back – and the whole thing's overstuffed with rare nuggets we'd never have heard otherwise, backed up with plenty of notes on the music, and on Barton himself. Titles include "Happy" by Secret Dynamics, "Looking Through Eyes Of Glass" by Ann Wilson & The Daybreaks, "Sticky" by James Henry & The Olympics, "Occupation Soul" by Occupation Soul, "Wrong Age" by Muf, "High Flyer" by Magic Ferns, "All My Nights All My Days" by The Wailers, "Qui El Petit" by Wilkins, "Everybody Knows" by Sweet Rolle, "Hold To God's Unchanging Hand" by Beacon Hill First Baptist Choir, "Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Dave Lewis, and "Don't Ask Me" by Tiki & The Fabulous. CD

Tim Shaghoian on tenor saxophone, Chris Janzen on guitar, Kevin Person Jr on piano, Richard Lloyd Giddens Jr on bass and Antonio Montanez on drums. CD

A diverse display of hard grooving avant instrumental soundscapes from Tortoise! All the descriptions of how groundbreaking Tortoise was in the earlier years, and forward looking they've remained throughout their career is all fine and good (and true) – but it isn't often discussed how flat out fun the group is at its best – and that's what we love about this record. Here they blend dynamics built from Krautrock and elastic proggy influences, electronic experimentalism, dubby bass, hypnotic soundtracky vibes, and even a little bit of raw, rugged punk into an overall approach that's Tortoise through and through. Titles include "High Class Slim Came Floatin In", "Prepare Your Coffin", "Northern Something", "Gigantes", "Penumbra", "Yinxianghechechengqi", "The Fall Of The Seven Diamonds Plus One", "Minors", Monument Six Thousand One Hundred", "De Chelly" and "Charteroak Foundation". LP, Vinyl record album