Very hip work from the Boston modern scene of the mid 50s! The album's one of Serge Chaloff's few as a leader – and is much harder to find than his more widely-issued work for Capitol – an obscure date for the Storyville label, and one that originally only circulated as a 10" LP! The set's also unusual in that it features Serge at the head of a nonet – with strong players that include Charlie Mariano on alto, Herb Pomeroy on trumpet, and Dick Twardzik on piano – all working wonderfully with Chaloff in a groove that's sharply modern, but also plenty darn swinging! There's a strong dose of Boston soul in the mix here, thanks to contributions from the horn players – and the album's got a freshness that's a nice contrast to Serge's more familiar work at Capitol. Titles include originals like "Sherry", "Slam", "A Salute To Tiny", and "Ennie Meenie Minor Mode" – written by group members Mariano and Twardzik! Includes 5 alternate takes. CD

Solo piano from Thelonious Monk – ten tracks recorded in London in 1971! CD

One of the weirdest, wildest albums from percussionist Big Black – a set that stretches out with a vibe that's a lot trippier and jazzier at times than some of his other work! Part of the album's strength comes from the arrangements – which are partly handled by Phil Moore, an artist who created all these other great album projects in the late 60s – often, like this one, a cool mix of exotic currents with new trends in funk and jazz – served up here by a lineup that features Moore on piano, Herman Riley and Chester Washington on tenors, Bruce Langhorn and the mysterious Brother Soul on guitars, and Thurman Green on trombone. Curtis Peagler adds in some alto and flute, and Owen Marshall plays the wild hose-a-phone, plus a host of percussion instruments too – while Big Black himself handles congas and a bit of vocals. Side one features the long jamming "Lion Walk" – and side two features "Tell Me, Do Your Conscience Bother You", "Love Sweet Like Sugar Cane", and "Come On Down To The Beach". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unusual second chapter of the first album from 80s underground psych giants Black Sun Ensemble – material that was recorded for that initial record, but which was lost in all sorts of different ways over the years – finally unearthed and brought together here as a stunning second album, thanks to the research that went into a recent reissue of the debut! There's plenty of freak, fuzz, and drone going on here – the group in territory that just about nobody else was touching on the American scene at the time – very dark, heady styles that are completely different from the polished pop of the paisley underground, and much more like some of the more substance-altered psych that was beginning to emerge in the UK. Titles include "Mayan Dance", "Ice Breaker (alt)", "Red Ocean", "Blue Thunder", "Heart Of The Sky", "Ruby Eyes Of China", "Mandolin Winds", "A Chunk Of Mandolin Love", and "Dove Of The Desert". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost prog nugget from a group who mix keyboards and woodwinds in a really great way – almost complicated, but with a down to earth quality overall – and one that seems to work especially well with the French language lyrics of the set! The record's one of those obscure French sets from the mid 70s with a sound that almost seems out of time – made far away from the mainstream, without any idea of the punk or disco changes that were taking place elsewhere – and with that more intellectual, more personal approach that often marked records of this nature as both a standout strength, and quality that would keep them from forever getting picked up by bigger labels for global circulation. Yet that balance is what makes the record so great, especially decades later – with titles that include "Divertimento", "Tramontane", "Laure", "Naissance", "Premiers Pas", and "Dernier Village Premieres Neiges". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

With Dr John, Freddie Kohlman, and the New Orleans Brass Band. LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from trumpeter Ted Curson – a set that's issued under his own name, but which continues a string of key early 60s performances with tenorist Bill Barron – who's work together here with Ted is fantastic! The group has no piano – just Herb Bushler on bass and Dick Berk on drums – both players with a fluid, open sense of rhythm – one that allows for plenty of horn interplay, at a level that almost has Curson borrowing some of the lessons he learned from Mingus, then taking them into small group formation and really opening things up! Curson also blows a bit of pocket trumpet, and Barron handles some clarinet – on a set of all original material that includes a great version of Curson's "Quicksand", plus the tracks "Kassim", "East 6th Street", "Tears For Dolphy", "7/4 Funny Time", and "Desolation". LP, Vinyl record album

A Kenny Dorham-billed version of the only full album ever issued by tenor player Rocky Boyd – but a set so great, it's definitely made a name for him over the years! Boyd's got a wonderful tone on the set – sharp and soulful, with an approach to the tenor that almost reminds us of early 60s Jackie McLean – particularly in the way that Jackie could hit dark corners with raspy, personal tone. The rest of the group's no slouch either – and features Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Walter Bishop Jr on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums – a lineup so great, they give the album a real Blue Note sort of polish – and the album's definitely one that would have been a better-known date, if it hadn't died quickly on the short-lived Jazztime label. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "West 42nd Street", "Avars", "Ease It", "Samba De Orfeu", and "Why Not". CD features bonus tracks too – alternates of 4 tracks on the album! CD

Dexter Gordon at his European best – working at his very familiar haunt, the Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen – a city that welcome Dexter Gordon with welcome arms in the 60s, as Dex left America to take care of himself and renew his energy overseas – expanding his sound and styles in ways that made him a much more revolutionary tenorist than during his earlier time on the US scene! The group features Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pederson on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – and tracks are all nice and long. LP, Vinyl record album

With Doc Cheatham on trumpet, Rudy Rutherford on clarinet, alto, and tenor, Jack Wilkins on guitar, Jimmy Leary on bass, and Ray Mosca on drums. Arrangements by Buck Clayton and Ernie Wilkins. LP, Vinyl record album

Solo piano performance from the 1974 Montreux Jazz Festival. Titles include "Close To You", "In My Solitude", "Why Do I Love You?", "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", and "West Side Story Medley". LP, Vinyl record album

Great small combo work – with Gonsalves on tenor, Hines on piano, Al Hall on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Very late work from the legendary Thelonious Monk – but surprisingly great as well! The session was recorded in London – as you might guess from the title – and although Monk's not working with his regular quartet with Charlie Rouse, he does interact wonderfully with a trio that includes Art Blakey on drums and Al McKibbon on bass! Blakey's drums have this nice crispness that transforms the Monk experience – and some performances stretch out in a nicely inspired way. CD

Wonderful late work from pianist Bud Powell – recorded in France, where Bud seemed to do all of his best recordings in the early 60s! The setting is a trio – with Art Taylor on drums and Michel Gaudry on bass – but as always in such a mode, Powell has a way of opening the tunes up wonderfully – exploring the boppish currents that he first helped unveil years before, but also showing a newfound lyricism that makes us wonder what strong role Bud would have played on the European scene, had he survived into the 70s! Titles include "Una Noche Con Francis", "Like Someone In Love", "Blues For Bouffemont", "Moose The Mooche", "Little Willie Leaps", and "My Old Flame". CD

Original tunes and arrangements by Buck Clayton – played by a group that features Buddy Tate on tenor and clarinet, Bruce Turner on alto, and Humphrey Lyttelton on trumpet. LP, Vinyl record album

Solo recordings with a side's worth of originals and standards on the flipside. LP, Vinyl record album

Kenny Dorham on trumpet – with Curtis Fuller on trombone, Frank Haynes on tenor sax, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums. CD

Rare LA bop sides from Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray – two of the heaviest tenors to ever grace the west coast, recorded here in the prime of their late 40s careers. Tracks were recorded during the years 1946, 1947, and 1952 – and 6 tracks (including "The Rubiayat", "My Kinda Love", "Citizen's Bop", and "Man With A Horn") feature Gordon and Gray together in a group with Gerry Wiggins on piano and organ. The remaining 6 tracks feature Gray heading up bop quartets with either Dodo Marmaroso or Errol Garner on piano – and titles include "Dell's Bells", "One For Prez", "Blue Lou", and "Easy Swing". LP, Vinyl record album

Ben Webster's tone is wonderful here – that mature, mellow sound that he brought to some of his standout live dates – and which is captured here in the kind of relaxed, soloist-focused setting that always makes 60s recordings from the Cafe Montmartre so great! The group is a familiar one for the house – Kenny Drew on piano, Nils Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – but it's clear that Ben's the main star, and steps out on the kind of tenor solos really set him apart from the rest – on a record that's also one of his best from the decade! Titles include "I Can't Get Started", "Londonderry Air", "My Romance", and "Blues For Herluf". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal early moment from the legendary Albert Ayler – an important session recorded overseas in Copenhagen – where enthusiasm for Ayler's music caught fire more strongly than in the US! The group's got an edge that's maybe even sharper than some of Ayler's ESP material, but no less powerful – with Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums – working through tremendous readings of six Ayler classics that include "Ghosts", "Children", "Holy Spirit", "Vibrations" and "Mothers". A wonderful precursor to the ESP years – and equally great! CD

Jack Lesberg on bass, Ruby Braff on cornet, Don Lamond on drums, George Wein on piano and Buddy Tate on tenor sax. CD

With Alan Clarke on piano and celeste. CD

One of the greatest mainstream 70s efforts from Lee Scratch Perry – a wonderful collaboration with Jah Lion – who serves up rhymes of knowledge and wisdom over some dubby genius from Scratch himself! The album skews towards the roots side of the spectrum, but has a looser, more open vibe too – as Jah Lion (aka Jah Lloyd) really lets his words space out amidst the fantastic production – really waiting his time for the rhythms to flow, then letting his vocals come in right on the money! The whole thing is great – virtually a blueprint for the entire On-U Sound label – with titles that include "Wisdom", "Dread In A Jamdong", "Flashing Whip", "Black Lion", "Fat Man", "Black Lion", "Little Sally Dater", "Hay Fever", and "Colombia Colly". LP, Vinyl record album

We're not sure what "lion style" is, but we can definitely say that the album's heavy on dub – a darkly bubbling masterpiece with Prince Jammy at the controls – crafting his magic to grooves by a top-shelf set of Kingston musicians! Winston Wright plays lots of keyboards – organ, clavinet, and even some harpsichord – and the real energy of the rhythms come from the young Sly & Robbie – very much in their prime here, without some of those later modes when they were trying to recopy themselves for the mainstream. Chinna Smith throws in lots of riffing guitar to the echoey brilliance – and titles include "No Bride", "Jammy's In The Arena", "Black Trap", "The Big Apple", "Rough Voyage", "Uhru Express", "King Forever", "Tiger Dub" and "Mystic Feelings". LP, Vinyl record album

A roots reggae classic from the 70s – a much more obscure set than the giants of the generation by Bob Marley and Black Uhuru, but a set that's got a similar sort of righteous power – maybe even more so, given that Yabby You has the freedom of an indie label setting to get his message across! The set actually took years to put together, which you can hear in the mix of approaches that are used from track to track – material recorded at Black Ark, Dynamic, Channel One, and Harry J – which has creates a sense of variety that you'd not as likely to hear on a record of this nature at the time – although the sound is completely unified, thanks to the spirit of Yabby You's message. King Tubby handled the mixing, and creates a deep sound to match the lyrics – on titles that include "Covetous Men", "Anti Christ", "Carnal Mind", "Love Thy Neighbour", "Run Come Rally", "Jay Vengeance", and "The Man Who Does The Work". CD edition features 12 more bonus tracks – all the dubs from the album! CD

All the great early albums from Creation Rebel – plus their excellent comeback too! The set begins with Dub From Creation – not just the debut album from Creation Rebel, but also a set that marks the first studio work from the young Adrian Sherwood – part of the long On-U Sound legacy to come, and a wealth of other wonderful music! There's a spareness here that's great – maybe a bit less dark than later Sherwood projects, but no less stark – with melodica and keyboards weaving nicely amidst the dubby rhythms! Titles include "Basic Principals", "Dub Fusion", "Liberation", "Rising Star", "Vision Of Creation", and "Creation In A Iration". Next is Close Encounters Of The Third World – an early part of the On-U Sound legacy, even if the set wasn't issued on the label – a key effort by Creation Rebel that features recording work done both in London and Kingston, layered together in a beautifully dubby way! The sound here is definitely underground – full of message-oriented lyrics from Crucial Tony, who sings in a style that definitely earns him his name – with great melodica and organ flowing through the mix next to Lizard's bass – topped with added horn work from The Arabs in all the right spots! The production is superb – flat on the drums, wide on the sides, which makes for a really wonderful groove – on titles that include "Know Yourself", "Conspiring", "Creation Fever", "Natty Conscience Free", and "Joyful Noise". Rebel Vibrations features early production genius from Adrian Sherwood – and a record that sets the tone for all the On-U Sound genius to come! The set's a huge step forward from even the previous excellent Creation Rebel album – as the way the sounds are layered together is incredible – almost modes learned from post-punk production, but used to deliver a pure, righteous dub album – one that drops out all the vocals, and allows you to concentrate even more on the totally wicked instrumentation! The set features stunning drums from Style Scott, heady bass from Lizard, and all sorts of very cool keyboard work from Clifton Morrison – used in these ways that float about like a swarm of sounds, especially when mixed with the melodica of Doctor Pablo. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Diverse Doctor", "Hunger & Strife", "Jungle Affair", "Rebel Vibration", "Black Lion Dub", and "Mountain Melody". Starship Africa is a brilliant Creation Rebel effort for On-U Sound from the dawn of the 80s – landing in the futuristic dub spacecraft that is their Starship Africa – percussion heavy and spaced out ingenuity from Adrian Sherwood & co! Tripped, echoey atmospherics that's cast as a soundtrack to movie that doesn't exist, the music is forward thinking, boundary busting dubby grooves exists out of time and sounds great to this day. Includes "Starship Africa" (Sections 1-5) and "Space Movement" (Sections 1-4). On Psychotic Jonkanoo, Crucial Tony is back in the mix for this righteous early 80s album from Creation Rebel – a set that has Adrian Sherwood only furthering his production genius as he layers together stunning instrumental work from the group! The presence of the vocals has the instrumentation slightly back in the mix – but there's still a great run of rhythms throughout, all driven by the mighty heady basslines of Lizard Logan! There's less keyboards than before, but still some nice electronic bits all over the place – and titles include "The Dope", "African Space", "Threat To Creation", "Highest Degree", "Mother Don't Cry", and "Drum Talk". From 2023, Hostile Environment is the first album in many years from this legendary studio project from On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood – and one that makes us feel as if the passage of decades hasn't happened at all! Sherwood's production is still wonderful – and, if anything, maybe less showy, or more soulful, or less moody – just something that seems to let the work of the group come through with energy that's wonderfully warm and organic, while still resonating with plenty of touches that will make longtime label fans proud! Vocals are shared between Charlie Eskimo Fox and Mr Magoo, and the set also features guest appearances from Prince Far I and Daddy Freddy – on titles that include "That's More Like It" "Jubilee Clock", "Swiftly", "Stonebridge Warrior", "Crown Hill Road", "The People's Sound", and "Whatever It Takes". CD

Early production genius from Adrian Sherwood – and a record that sets the tone for all the On-U Sound genius to come! The set's a huge step forward from even the previous excellent Creation Rebel album – as the way the sounds are layered together is incredible – almost modes learned from post-punk production, but used to deliver a pure, righteous dub album – one that drops out all the vocals, and allows you to concentrate even more on the totally wicked instrumentation! The set features stunning drums from Style Scott, heady bass from Lizard, and all sorts of very cool keyboard work from Clifton Morrison – used in these ways that float about like a swarm of sounds, especially when mixed with the melodica of Doctor Pablo. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Diverse Doctor", "Hunger & Strife", "Jungle Affair", "Rebel Vibration", "Black Lion Dub", and "Mountain Melody". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice small group set of Ellington sidemen – with Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Ray Nance on trumpet and violin, Norris Turney on alto, and Hank Jones on piano! LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a much harder edge than you'd expect from the cover – not the ancient vibe of a medieval crusade, or the religiosity in the title – and instead this searing entry to the hard rock underground at the time! The group have a really heavy Black Sabbath sort of sound – with excellent lead guitars from Bob Cooke, and a sinister sound that has the grooves really dipping down into the depths, pushed even further by evil-edged vocals from singer Lynden Williams. The album's got the raw power of Sabbath's best work – and the whole thing's a killer record that should have been an instant classic. Titles include "Midnight Steamer", "Frustration", "Hooded Eagle", "Primitive Man", "She Came Like A Bat Out Of Hell", and "When The Wolf Sits". LP, Vinyl record album

Seompi may not have been the first group to bring some wilder sounds to the scene down in Texas – but they're definitely one that are years ahead of their time, and work with a doom-heavy approach here that's very different than more conventional psych and fuzz! There's a very heady vibe to most tracks – darker even than hard rock, with moody production that makes the vocals and guitars sound especially spooky – which is maybe why most of these tracks were never issued at the time. Titles include "Summer's Comin On Heavy", "Almost In The Whole", "Slide Slide", "Lay On The Floor", "Awol/Elijah", "Question Of Nobility", and "We Have Waited". LP, Vinyl record album

A great new showcase for the legendary keyboard work of Doug Carn – and a set that's very different both from his famous albums for the Black Jazz label, and some of his organ jazz records in more recent years too! The set's maybe got a more pronounced influence from Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad than some of the others in this series – as Carn's Hammond B3 and Fender Rhodes still get center stage, but the grooves are very much in the heavy funk style of Younge's legacy of recent recordings – sharp drums, strong basslines, and horns that are sometimes jazzy, sometimes seemingly touched by currents of Ethiopian work from the past. All tracks are originals, and titles include "Processions", "Dimensions", "Windfall", "Down Deep", "Freedom At Sunset", "Nunca Um Malandro", and "Lion's Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive overview of work from the legendary Front Line label – an imprint started by Virgin Records in the mid 70s, and one that quickly became as important as Island or Trojan in the growing world of reggae! Front Line was heavy on roots, but also released some great dub material as well – all of which is brought together in this huge box of 92 tracks – which includes 11 previously unreleased selections, and 30 that had never been issued on CD! The package is divided up into sections – with a three chapter evolution of the label, plus additional 12" mixes on one CD, and another devoted entirely to material from the vaults – which makes the collection an essential set for collectors, and not just an introduction to the label. Artists include The Mighty Diamonds, U Roy, Twinkle Brothers, Gladiators, Gregory Issacs, Sly Dunbar, Jah Lloyd The Black Lion, Big Youth, Delroy Washington, I Roy, Tapper Zukie, Althea & Donna, Prince Far I, Poet & The Roots, Johnny Clarke, The Revolutionaries, Keith Hudson, and many many more! CD

Essential! The mighty debut album from African disciples Culture pairing up with the Mighty Two, Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson is one of the landmark sets of roots reggae, a defining moment of the genre dropped during the year when two sevens clashed. And though the apocalypse didn't rain down from the skies in '77, this album was certainly a world-changing event, one of the finest moments in Kingston's rich musical history! Gibbs provides the trio with a set of uplifting rhythms over which to harmonize, and Culture comes correct on every track, combining a tightly harmonized approach with a rawer, rootsier sound. 10 tracks in all, including "I'm Alone In The Wilderness", "Pirate Days", "Two Sevens Clash", "Caling Rastafari", "I'm Not Ashamed", 'Get Ready To Ride The Lion To Zion", "Black Starliner Must Come", "Jah Pretty Face", 'See Them A Come" and "Natty Dread Taking Over". CD

A record with a much harder edge than you'd expect from the cover – not the ancient vibe of a medieval crusade, or the religiosity in the title – and instead this searing entry to the hard rock underground at the time! The group have a really heavy Black Sabbath sort of sound – with excellent lead guitars from Bob Cooke, and a sinister sound that has the grooves really dipping down into the depths, pushed even further by evil-edged vocals from singer Lynden Williams. The album's got the raw power of Sabbath's best work – and the whole thing's a killer record that should have been an instant classic. Titles include "Midnight Steamer", "Frustration", "Hooded Eagle", "Primitive Man", "She Came Like A Bat Out Of Hell", and "When The Wolf Sits". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of legendary albums by Lee Perry – Super Ape, Return Of The Super Ape, and Roast Fish, Collie Weed & Cornbread – back-to-back-to-back in a great 2CD package complete with a handful of bonus tracks! Super Ape is the King Kong of dub albums – classic Lee Perry and an essential dub album, rendering Scratch's dense, multi-layered Black Ark rhythms in all their raw glory – with toasts and vocal snippets darting in and out of the dubs courtesy Prince Jazzbo, the Heptones, Dillinger and Scratch himself. Tracks include "Zion's Blood", "Croaking Lizard", "Dread Lion", "Patience", "Dub Along", "Black Vest", "Underground Root", "Curly Dub" "Three In One" and "Super Ape". Roast Fish, Collie Weed & Cornbread is Scratch's funky reggae party, put together at the Black Ark, with Boris Gardner, Mickey Boo, Sly Dunbar & Winston Wright. A nice batch of skanking Jamaica funk, with the requisite Black Ark smoke blowing throughout. Includes a bunch of classic Perry-isms, like "Yu Squeeze My Panhandle", "Roast Fish & Cornbread", "Soul Fire" & "Free Up The Weed". Return Of The Super Ape is mostly instrumental, but not quite dub, though some cuts do have Perry's vocals on top. Slow rolling and a bit murky, this set bears no relation to the Super Ape set, other than the freaky cover, but is still infused with Perry's unique vision. Includes the title track, "Bird In Hand", "Psyche & Trim", "Huzza A Haha" and "High Rankin Sammy". Includes 7 bonus tracks! CD

The first album from Culture, and still their most classic – a set that takes its title from a prediction by Marcus Garvey – who said that there would be trouble in the world when "two sevens clash" on July 7, 1977! Fortunately, we made it all through that date in one piece – and good thing too, as the record's gone on to even more legendary status as the years have gone on – with a righteous sort of energy that just seems to get more important over the decades. Joe Gibbs produced, and arranged with Errol Thompson – and the slow-stepping rhythms of the set, heavy on bottom-end sounds, are a perfect backdrop for the message-oriented lyrics in the music. Every cut's a classic – and titles include "I'm Alone In The Wilderness", "Pirate Days", "Two Sevens Clash", "Calling Rastafari", "I'm Not Ashamed", "Get Ready To Ride The Lion To Zion", "Black Starliner Must Come", "Jah Pretty Face", "See Them A Come", and "Natty Dread Taking Over". This 30th anniversary edition combines the 10 tracks of the original LP with 5 bonus numbers! CD

A wonderful mid 80s effort from the Don Pullen Quintet – a group that features young lion Donald Harrison on alto sax – recording in a setting that's nicely fresh, compared to some of his other work! Other players include the under-recorded trumpeter Olu Dara, and a wonderful elastic rhythm section of Fred Hopkins on bass and Bobby Battle on drums – all working with Pullen's piano in a groove that's angular at times, but never loses its sense of swing – that wonderful balance that always made Pullen a real standout amongst the jazz communities in which he worked. Titles include "The Sixth Sense", "In The Beginning", "Tales From The Bright Side", "Gratitude", and "All Is Well". CD

A wonderful mid 80s effort from the Don Pullen Quintet – a group that features young lion Donald Harrison on alto sax – recording in a setting that's nicely fresh, compared to some of his other work! Other players include the under-recorded trumpeter Olu Dara, and a wonderful elastic rhythm section of Fred Hopkins on bass and Bobby Battle on drums – all working with Pullen's piano in a groove that's angular at times, but never loses its sense of swing – that wonderful balance that always made Pullen a real standout amongst the jazz communities in which he worked. Titles include "The Sixth Sense", "In The Beginning", "Tales From The Bright Side", "Gratitude", and "All Is Well". LP, Vinyl record album

A great new showcase for the legendary keyboard work of Doug Carn – and a set that's very different both from his famous albums for the Black Jazz label, and some of his organ jazz records in more recent years too! The set's maybe got a more pronounced influence from Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad than some of the others in this series – as Carn's Hammond B3 and Fender Rhodes still get center stage, but the grooves are very much in the heavy funk style of Younge's legacy of recent recordings – sharp drums, strong basslines, and horns that are sometimes jazzy, sometimes seemingly touched by currents of Ethiopian work from the past. All tracks are originals, and titles include "Processions", "Dimensions", "Windfall", "Down Deep", "Freedom At Sunset", "Nunca Um Malandro", and "Lion's Walk". CD

One of the three great collaborations between David Bowie and Brian Eno – and possibly the ultimate statement from his years in Berlin! The album's got some tunes that still show some of the guitar power of the early 70s Bowie – but it's also got some of the beautiful spacier moments brought forward on Low – and which are every bit the Brian Eno of Another Green World. The balance is beautiful – stark and dark on one half, then airy and spacious on the next – handled without any sense of gimmickry, and a bold mainstream experiment that still resonates strongly today. Titles include "Beauty & The Beast", "Joe The Lion", "Heroes", "Sons Of The Silent Age", "Blackout", "V-2 Schneider", "Sense Of Doubt", "Moss Garden", "Neukoln", and "The Secret Life Of Arabia". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever full length global collection of material by one of the funkiest cats working the Ethiopian scene in the early 70s – an artist who works here in a mode that's even more hard-hitting and funk based than contemporaries like Mulatu or Mahmoud Ahmed! The band on most tracks is the Black Lion Band, who've clearly learned the best modes of the James Brown Band of the late 60s – with riffing guitars and horn blasts that are right on the rhythms – moving, grooving, doing it to the max – while Ayalew Mesfin sings in these wonderfully-inflected vocals that are pure Ethio soul all the way through, and also provides some great lines on organs and keyboards! The set brings together cuts from a host of rare funky 45s – most lost to the sands of time after Ayalew had to go underground after the Ethiopian governmental change in 1974. Titles include "Hasabe", "Wubeet", "Yewefe Ber Abeba", "Sak Sak Beyelegni", "Gubeleye", "Endet Liyesh", "Tezetash Rekik", and "Ewedish Neber". LP, Vinyl record album

The King Kong of dub albums, a real standard-setting record that put both the movement and Lee Perry forever on the musical map! The whole thing is classic Lee Perry and an essential dub album – one that mixes Scratch's dense, multi-layered Black Ark rhythms in all their raw glory, with toasts and vocal snippets darting in and out of the dubs – courtesy of a lineup that includes Prince Jazzbo, the Heptones, Dillinger and Scratch himself! With 10 essential tracks from the original release: "Zion's Blood", "Croaking Lizard", "Dread Lion", "Patience", "Dub Along", "Black Vest", "Underground", "Curly Dub" "Three In One" and "Super Ape". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever recording by Black Stallion, but one that was lost for years until the recent rediscovery of the tapes! The set was recorded in London in 1974, and is a very early example of that special, soulful take on roots reggae that the UK scene would serve up so strongly in years to come – fantastic harmonies from the members of the group, with lead vocals from Othniel Francis as the stallion at the head of the pack! The group arranged and produced themselves – and titles include slow and fast versions of "Jah Children Got Rhythm" – plus "Suffering Man", "Supernatural Feeling", "We Are Men", "Love & Affection", "Light Of My Life", and "Selassie Say We Should All Come". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – Donald Byrd's first session with producer Larry Mizell, the man who went onto forever change the face of jazz funk! After rumbling around for a few years attempting electric styles that really didn't fit his mode, Donald wisely hooked up with Larry, and hit a groove here that would carry him for many many years. The album's a masterpiece of soul – heavy production with great keyboards, creating a nice set of grooves that let Byrd solo over the top, sounding better than he had in years! Great all the way through, and with tracks that include "Flight Time", "Sky High", "Black Byrd", "Slop Jar Blues", "Mr Thomas", and the prophetically-titled "Where Are We Going?" CD

A beautiful record of light, lyrical piano jazz – and one of the best-selling jazz albums ever on Fantasy Records! Vince Guaraldi started the set as a tribute to the film Black Orpheus – and some of the album features his nice renditions of Jobim/Bonfa tunes like "Manha De Carnaval" and "Samba De Orpheus". However, Guaraldi also managed to pen his own amazing track – "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" – a lyrical romping piano instrumental that went onto become a huge charting instrumental hit during the 60s. The track's been heard a million times over the years, but it's still pretty darn great – and it's surrounded in a nice set with other tunes that have the same feel – including "O Nosso Amour", "Alma-Ville", "Since I Fell For You", and "Moon River". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of 70s gems from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes! Black & Blue is classic Philly soul from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – a killer batch of studio tracks, despite the live image of the group on the cover! The album's got a slightly more expansive feel than some of the other Teddy Pendergrass-era albums by The Blue Notes – almost a mini-symphony of soul, and one that takes arrangements from Bobby Martin, Norman Harris, and Vince Montana – and wraps the vocals up in a soaring, righteous sort of feel! The rougher, more personal Teddy Pendergrass style of I Miss You is folded a bit more into the harmonies of the rest of the group here – and the result is a powerful wave of soul that pushes The Blue Notes right to the top of the pack. The album features classics like "The Love I Lost" and "Is There A Place For Me" – plus other nice material like "Concentrate On Me", "It All Depends On You", and "I'm Weak For You". On Wake Up Everybody, Teddy Pendergrass and crew get a bit more political than on earlier releases, and adopt the righteous bubbling soul groove that had put the O'Jays over the top a few years earlier – with incredible results! The title cut – "Wake Up Everybody" – would prove to be a great example of the political Philly International hit formula applied to socially conscious themes, but the record probably scored even bigger with the club crossover hit "Don't Leave Me This Way". Other tracks include "Keep On Lovin You", "Tell The World How I Feel About Cha Baby", "I'm Searching For A Love", and "You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good" – the latter two of which also feature female vocals by Sharon Paige. Bobby Martin, Norman Harris, and Ronnie Baker did the arrangements – and this was Teddy's last LP with the group. CD

The second album from Aaliyah, and a huge step forward from the first – shifting both away from production by R Kelly, and towards a more adult approach that really has the singer coming across as a mature solo artist on her own! This time around, Timbaland handles much of the key production, and Missy Elliott plays a key role too – and both appear on the record as well, although it's always clear that the leading lady is the very strong main attraction. Slick Rick guests on a great remake of the Marvin Gaye classic "Got To Give It Up", big singles include "One In A Million" and "If Your Girl Only Knew" – and other tracks include "Hot Like Fire", "The One I Gave My Heart To", "Giving You More", "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" and "Choosey Lover (Old School/New School)". LP, Vinyl record album

A chilling statement from the west coast scene of the 70s – the first album from The Watts Prophets, the ultra-powerful group who emerged from the LA turmoil of the 60s. Like the Last Poets, the group blends together righteous spoken word passages and some spare rhythms and a touch of jazz – all stepping forth in the kind of message-driven recording that was too powerful for radio at the time, but which had an undeniable influence as it circulated amongst underground circles. The whole thing's summed up perfectly by the cover, which shows a fist held high in rebellion over the flag on the front, and an open hand freeing a black dove on the inside! Titles include "I'll Stop Calling You N*ggers", "Kill", "Black Pussy", and "The Meek Ain't Gonna". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Aaliyah, and a huge step forward from the first – shifting both away from production by R Kelly, and towards a more adult approach that really has the singer coming across as a mature solo artist on her own! This time around, Timbaland handles much of the key production, and Missy Elliott plays a key role too – and both appear on the record as well, although it's always clear that the leading lady is the very strong main attraction. Slick Rick guests on a great remake of the Marvin Gaye classic "Got To Give It Up", big singles include "One In A Million" and "If Your Girl Only Knew" – and other tracks include "Hot Like Fire", "The One I Gave My Heart To", "Giving You More", "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" and "Choosey Lover (Old School/New School)". CD

An excellent hard bop side from the late 80s, an era when the new "young lions" were getting a lot of press, and some nice recordings were being made with any eye on the future while their feet were firmly planted in tradition. This set features two players of Cindy's generation in the front line: Wallace Roney and Kenny Garrett, with some older masters filling out the rest of the group: Joe Henderson, Buster Williams and Larry Willis. The recordings are filled with energy and imaginative playing as they run through originals like "Arcane", "Late Autumn", "Dual Force" and "Mirrored Glances". CD

A beautiful record of light, lyrical piano jazz – and one of the best-selling jazz albums ever on Fantasy Records! Vince Guaraldi started the set as a tribute to the film Black Orpheus – and some of the album features his nice renditions of Jobim/Bonfa tunes like "Manha De Carnaval" and "Samba De Orpheus". However, Guaraldi also managed to pen his own amazing track – "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" – a lyrical romping piano instrumental that went onto become a huge charting instrumental hit during the 60s. The track's been heard a million times over the years, but it's still pretty darn great – and it's surrounded in a nice set with other tunes that have the same feel – including "O Nosso Amour", "Alma-Ville", "Since I Fell For You", and "Moon River". CD

A beautiful record of light, lyrical piano jazz – and one of the best-selling jazz albums ever on Fantasy Records! Vince Guaraldi started the set as a tribute to the film Black Orpheus – and some of the album features his nice renditions of Jobim/Bonfa tunes like "Manha De Carnaval" and "Samba De Orpheus". However, Guaraldi also managed to pen his own amazing track – "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" – a lyrical romping piano instrumental that went onto become a huge charting instrumental hit during the 60s. The track's been heard a million times over the years, but it's still pretty darn great – and it's surrounded in a nice set with other tunes that have the same feel – including "O Nosso Amour", "Alma-Ville", "Since I Fell For You", and "Moon River". Great expanded edition – with 16 more tracks added to the original album – alternate versions of album titles from the sessions, plus a few takes on "Jitterbug Waltz" as well! LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the last moments of genius from Public Enemy – and a set that still has their power and politics very much at the top of their game! The message may even be more powerful than the music at points – no surprise for Chuck D and crew at this point in their career – but in comparison to so many other weaker records from the time, the whole thing's still held up very well with age – and has managed to slide strongly into the rest of their previous catalog. Titles include their popular "Bring Tha Noize" duet with Anthrax – plus "Get the F–- Outta Dodge", "Can't Truss It", "By The Time I Get To Arizona", "Nighttrain", "Shut Em Down", "A Letter To The New York Post", "1 Million Bottlebags", and "More News At 11". CD

Maybe one of the last moments of genius from Public Enemy – and a set that still has their power and politics very much at the top of their game! The message may even be more powerful than the music at points – no surprise for Chuck D and crew at this point in their career – but in comparison to so many other weaker records from the time, the whole thing's still held up very well with age – and has managed to slide strongly into the rest of their previous catalog. Titles include their popular "Bring Tha Noize" duet with Anthrax – plus "Get the F–- Outta Dodge", "Can't Truss It", "By The Time I Get To Arizona", "Nighttrain", "Shut Em Down", "A Letter To The New York Post", "1 Million Bottlebags", and "More News At 11". CD

Maybe one of the last moments of genius from Public Enemy – and a set that still has their power and politics very much at the top of their game! The message may even be more powerful than the music at points – no surprise for Chuck D and crew at this point in their career – but in comparison to so many other weaker records from the time, the whole thing's still held up very well with age – and has managed to slide strongly into the rest of their previous catalog. Titles include their popular "Bring Tha Noize" duet with Anthrax – plus "Get the F–- Outta Dodge", "Can't Truss It", "By The Time I Get To Arizona", "Nighttrain", "Shut Em Down", "A Letter To The New York Post", "1 Million Bottlebags", and "More News At 11". LP, Vinyl record album