Very cool work from Les Abranis – a group with Algerian roots, but who also had a big influence on the post-colonial scene in France – where their unusual blend of elements was a key bridge between cultures! There's plenty of North African elements in the music, but mixed with 70s influences from funk, rock, and club music – in styles that are reminiscent of hybrids from the time in Iran and Turkey, with a vibe that really has scenes and generations coming together in a timeless sort of style! The package brings together a fair bit of cuts from the group's Album No 1 from 1983, plus earlier tracks too – and titles include "Chenar Le Blues", "Akoudar", "Id Ed Was", "Thilelli", "El Guoum Agui", and "Athedjaladde". LP, Vinyl record album

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 set of merengue tracks, but from a very focused source – as the package features all numbers recorded in the Dominican Republic during the 60s and 70s – often with a groove that sets them apart from the rest! The rhythms here are often blindingly fast – so much so, you might be tempted to make sure you're not playing the album at 45rpm – which makes for an even more amazing discovery once you realize that live musicians are moving at such speed with such dexterity – in a way that also creates all this weird tension in the vocals and other instrumentation too! As with other Bongo Joe sets, the track list is great – and titles include "La Negra" by Bilo Y Sus Tipicos, "Me Gustan Las Pegajosas" by Trio Ramirez, "Que Mala Suerte" by Rafaelito Roman, "La Mecha" by Victor Suriel Y Trio Rio Verde, "La Pasion De Cristo" by Trio Royecell, "Por La Manaita" by Negrito Figueroa, "Cana Brava" by Fefita La Grande, and "Los Lanbones" by Aristides Ramirez. CD

A set of merengue tracks, but from a very focused source – as the package features all numbers recorded in the Dominican Republic during the 60s and 70s – often with a groove that sets them apart from the rest! The rhythms here are often blindingly fast – so much so, you might be tempted to make sure you're not playing the album at 45rpm – which makes for an even more amazing discovery once you realize that live musicians are moving at such speed with such dexterity – in a way that also creates all this weird tension in the vocals and other instrumentation too! As with other Bongo Joe sets, the track list is great – and titles include "La Negra" by Bilo Y Sus Tipicos, "Me Gustan Las Pegajosas" by Trio Ramirez, "Que Mala Suerte" by Rafaelito Roman, "La Mecha" by Victor Suriel Y Trio Rio Verde, "La Pasion De Cristo" by Trio Royecell, "Por La Manaita" by Negrito Figueroa, "Cana Brava" by Fefita La Grande, and "Los Lanbones" by Aristides Ramirez. LP, Vinyl record album

A very wild record – maybe more free jazz than you'd guess from the image on the cover, and the Guatemala in the title! These guys are a brass band, but the way they mix their horns together often feels more like some Lester Bowie experiment, or some other AACM-related project – as folkloric modes really get changed up in a blend of cornet, baritone horn, and c melody sax – all combined with spare percussion, and an occasional touch of violin! Given the cultural currents, we might also link this one slightly to some of Charlie Haden's Liberation Music records – even though the group themselves are the authentic real deal, a funeral band from a remote mountain village. Titles include "Las Tres Botellas", "Marcha Numero Cuatro", "Chufa", "El Son De Los Altos", "Noches Eternas", and "Marcha Numero Seis". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of work from one of the biggest bands on the scene in Sao Tome & Principe years ago – combo who rocked the small island nation with a great blend of West African modes and more tropical sounds! The guitar work is often very lively, and percolating strongly with the rhythms – which themselves maybe have a bit more punch than usual, almost hitting funky drummer moments at times – while the larger ensemble top the sound with these gently cascading horn parts that have the same unified feel as the vocals! Given that the group never got much circulation at the time, and that some of the cuts here were only issued on cassette, the well-done collection is a great addition to our ever-growing knowledge of sounds from this part of the globe – served up on titles that include "Saozinha", "Vence Vitoria", "Carambola", "Ple Can", "Zun Zon Pedelelu", "San Tome Plodozu", "Pedlelo", and "12 De Julho". LP, Vinyl record album

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. LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool work from Les Abranis – a group with Algerian roots, but who also had a big influence on the post-colonial scene in France – where their unusual blend of elements was a key bridge between cultures! There's plenty of North African elements in the music, but mixed with 70s influences from funk, rock, and club music – in styles that are reminiscent of hybrids from the time in Iran and Turkey, with a vibe that really has scenes and generations coming together in a timeless sort of style! The package brings together a fair bit of cuts from the group's Album No 1 from 1983, plus earlier tracks too – and titles include "Chenar Le Blues", "Akoudar", "Id Ed Was", "Thilelli", "El Guoum Agui", and "Athedjaladde". CD

A double-length collection of work from Pedro Lima – maybe not the biggest name in global music, but a really key figure in his home nation of Sao Tome E Principe! Pedro's got a voice that's both sweet and down to earth at the same time – perfect for the well-crafted rhythms of the tunes, which are heavy on acoustic percussion and electric guitar on most of these numbers – but also shift slightly as the years move on! Yet much of the music is still nicely spare and free of some of the more polished, commercial modes that were coming into play during the big rise of the world music years – still always with a strong focus on the lyrics and message that made Pedro way more than just a singer on his scene, with a political and cultural legacy that's built up strongly from the tracks on the set. The collection features a few unreleased numbers too – and titles include "Balanca Cunxenca", "Non Conveta Qua", "Glavi Funcon", "Floli Xacla", "Meu", "Subocha", "Ami Cu Manu Mu", "Philomene", "Inen Mina Fleguedja", and "Sueste". CD

Joe Loco was one of the most amazing early Latin piano talents, and in an album like this, you can really hear him go to work in a savage way! On this set, Joe moves all over the keys in a number of different ways – from heavy left-handed stride playing, to light and lovely jazz soloing, to hard and rhythmic Latin grooving. The backing is spare, with mostly conga and bongo behind Joe, so you hear his amazing piano work right up front, in a way that doesn't always happen on other albums of his. Titles include "El Baion", "Gee", "Why Don't You Do Right", and "Don't Be That Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive batch of boogaloo gems – all wrapped up in one mighty package! Tico Records was one of the first great New York indie labels to focus on Latin music in the postwar years – and by the time of the huge late 60s boom in the world of Latin Soul, the label were definitely in a great position to turn out some killer work from a variety of artists! Some of the label's artists were aging, but reinvigorated by the energy of the younger generation – who also got access to the top shelf Tico presentation, as they brought in some of the best soul styles from East Harlem to trim things down from the larger Latin ensembles of the previous generation, and really send things home with a funky sort of groove. This set's a great overview of these key years at Tico – and titles include "Sock It To Me" and "Psychedelic Baby" by Joe Cuba, "Tighten Up" and "The Horse" by Al Escobar, "Fever" by La Lupe, "Be's That Way" and "Bobo Do That Thing" by Willie Bobo, "El Watusi" and "Babalu" by Ray Barretto, "Hit The Bongo" and "Coye Como Va" by Tito Puente, "My People" by Joe Panama, "Come An Get It" and "The African Twist" by Eddie Palmieri, "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In" by Celia Cruz & Tito Puente, "Madrid" by Candido, "Times They Are A Changin" by Jimmy Sabater, "El Pito" and "Bang Bang" by Joe Cuba, "Fat Mama" and "TP's Shing A Ling" by Tito Puente, and "Yes I Will (part 1)" by Gilberto Sextet. LP, Vinyl record album

A selection of rare tracks that appeared on the Bongo Man label from Studio One – the company's very hip imprint in the roots reggae generation – and a package that also includes a number have never been released on LP! Titles include "Ring A Ting" by Prince Jazzbo, "Stepping Into Zion" by El Tibby & The Stingers, "Nanny Version Skank" by Big Joe, "Burn Collie" by Cliff Stewart, "Jah Jah Rock" by Emperor DP, "Jah Jah Way" by Jackie Bernard, "Little Joe" by Prince Jazzbo, "Burn Collie (version)" by The New Establishment, "Got To Be Cool" by The Classics, "Money Worries" by Ernest Wilson, "Soul People" by The Beltones, and the extended "Skylarking (disco mix)" by Sleepy & Jazzbo. CD

Brilliant work by Terry Callier – and his greatest album in years! If you, like us, have loved Terry's older work, but been a bit disappointed by the heavy production of recent albums, then you'll probably love this excellent live set – recorded recently at London's Jazz Cafe, with small combo jazz backing that really brings out the best of Terry's sound! The group's got a warmly soulful sound that really adds a lot to Terry's vocals – yet which also lets them stand out in all their jazzy folksy brilliance. The mix of electric piano, guitar, and saxes is some of the best support Terry could hope to have in recent years – and it returns him to the glory of his classic years at Cadet, like no other recent recording we've heard. Songs are great, production is wonderful, and the album's one you'll proudly stack with your classic work by this legendary Chicago soul singer! Titles include "People Get Ready", "Step Into The Light", "Lament For The Late AD", "Timepiece", "African Violet", "Ordinary Joe", "Dancing Girl", "You're Gonna Miss Your Candy Man", and "I Don't Wanna See Myself". CD

Candido cut sooo many great Latin records over the years, spanning a wide range of styles, we have a hard time deciding which we love the best. We like to think this may be his best album from the early part of his career, specifically because it features the master conga player amidst a tight jazz lineup, who leave him plenty of room to solo and just plain get down doing his thing. Dick Hyman's on organ, Joe Puma's on guitar, and Ernie Royal's on trumpet, with George Duvivier and Charlie Persip in the rhythm section. 8 tracks in all, including "Afro Blue", "Caravan", "Softly But Blue", "Blue Lou", "Blue Prelude", "Bongo Baby", "Blue Dirge" and "Candido Cocktail". LP, Vinyl record album

Galactic get some heavy production from Dan The Automator – really chunking up their groove with lots of bass on the bottom and plenty of low-end sounds! The approach isn't really hip hop, but it does give the group's homegrown funk approach a sound that fits more closely next to modern sample records in the crates – but the real appeal of the record is the way it manages to do this while still holding a lot of appeal for fans of instrumental funk. Titles include "The Moil", "Bongo Joe", "Bittersweet", "Doomed", "The Beast", "Kid Kenner", and "Uptown Odyssey". CD

Excellent work by Lonnie Smith – a free-flowing album of long jazzy grooves that's kind of an extension of his Blue Note albums, touched with more of the electricity of his 70s playing! There's some killer rhythms on the album – courtesy of drummers Jamey Hudad and Ben Riley, and electric bassists Ron Carter and Ralphe Armstrong – and Lonnie's on organ grooving alongside a young Joe Lovano, who plays some killer tenor and soprano sax – and the album's got these really long, open cuts that definitely hint at the more spiritual look of the cover. Titles include the 15 minute jammer "Spirits Free", plus "Afrodesia", "Favors", "Straight To The Point", and "The Awakening". CD

An incredible album – and a real surprise in the catalog of Harold Vick, one of those players who just gets hipper the more you listen to him! Harold's working here with a really great group that includes Bobby Hutcherson, Blue Mitchell, Montego Joe, Walter Booker, and Mickey Roker – all of whom perform the extended "Carribean Suite", a long Latin-tinged piece written by Kenny Graham – the famous 50s British leader who's work with Afro-Cuban jazz was as important to the London scene as the work of Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo was to that of New York! The album's filled with fire and some very unusual twists – and titles include "Letitia", "Dance Of The Zombies", "Haitian Ritual", "Beguine", "Mango Walk", "Bongo Chant", and "Wha Hupp'n". CD

A stunning document of culture in and around the Texas scene of the postwar years – never-heard recordings done by blues enthusiast Robert Mack McCormick, who also photographed most of his subjects as well – a lost legacy that finally gets exposure to the world at large here in a big box set that includes both music and a big book that includes 128 pages of rare photos and other blues artifacts! The whole thing is like discovering a lost side room in the world of postwar field recordings of blues – material from the generation of similar projects by Alan Lomax, Chris Strachwitz, and George Mitchell, but which has never been tapped until now – brought out with a great level of care by the Smithsonian, who currently house McCormick's life's work. The package is almost worth it alone for the book – but you also get 3CDs with 68 tracks in all – music by Bongo Joe Coleman, Lightnin Hopkins, Hop Wilson, Jimmy Womack, Walter Britten, Buster Pickens, Andrew Everett, James Tisdom, Doc Webster, Mance Lipscomb, Leroy Country Johnson, RC Forest, Billy Bizor, and many others CD

During the late 30s and early 40s, the team of Slim Gaillard and Slam Stewart cut some of the grooviest little records ever pressed on shellac! Slim had a crazy vocal style that was augmented by his tight guitar work – and Slam kept the whole thing rolling with a big warm bass, and with occasional comments directed in Slim's direction! The style of the music is part early R&B, part jazz vocal, and all hipster jiving and jamming! Slim had an influence on an entire century of hipsters – and this CD is the only one we've ever seen that does a good job of bringing together his early early work with good sound and notes on the material. The set includes 20 cuts in all, including a few unreleased ones – and titles include "Flat Foot Floogie", "Chicken Rhythm", "Matzoh Balls", "Bongo", "Dopey Joe", "A Tip On The Numbers", "Groove Juice Special", "African Jive", and "Ti Pi Tin". CD

Excellent work by Lonnie Smith – a free-flowing album of long jazzy grooves that's kind of an extension of his Blue Note albums, touched with more of the electricity of his 70s playing! There's some killer rhythms on the album – courtesy of drummers Jamey Hudad and Ben Riley, and electric bassists Ron Carter and Ralphe Armstrong – and Lonnie's on organ grooving alongside a young Joe Lovano, who plays some killer tenor and soprano sax – and the album's got these really long, open cuts that definitely hint at the more spiritual look of the cover. Titles include the 15 minute jammer "Spirits Free", plus "Afrodesia", "Favors", "Straight To The Point", and "The Awakening". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning document of culture in and around the Texas scene of the postwar years – never-heard recordings done by blues enthusiast Robert Mack McCormick, who also photographed most of his subjects as well – a lost legacy that finally gets exposure to the world at large here in a big box set that includes both music and a big book that includes 128 pages of rare photos and other blues artifacts! The whole thing is like discovering a lost side room in the world of postwar field recordings of blues – material from the generation of similar projects by Alan Lomax, Chris Strachwitz, and George Mitchell, but which has never been tapped until now – brought out with a great level of care by the Smithsonian, who currently house McCormick's life's work. The package is almost worth it alone for the book – but you also get 6LPs with 68 tracks in all – music by Bongo Joe Coleman, Lightnin Hopkins, Hop Wilson, Jimmy Womack, Walter Britten, Buster Pickens, Andrew Everett, James Tisdom, Doc Webster, Mance Lipscomb, Leroy Country Johnson, RC Forest, Billy Bizor, and many others. LP, Vinyl record album

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

A classic album from one of the hippest groups on the UK scene of the 50s – Kenny Graham's excellent Afro-Cubists ensemble – an outfit with a sound as great as its name! There's a fair bit of percussion in the approach here – a sound that's definitely informed by the Cubop experiments of Dizzy Gillespie, Machito, and others on the US scene at the end of the 40s – and the music also features some slightly more exotic touches too, served up with an especially well-arranged approach to the horns. In addition to Graham's strong work on tenor, other players on the date include Stan Tracey on piano and vibes, Joe Hunter on trumpet, and Phil Seamen on drums – on titles that include "I'll Get By", "Olwen's Dream", "Swallowin The Blues", "Cuban Fantasy", "Rockin In Rhythm", and "Bongo Chant". CD features 4 bonus tracks – 2 from the album Tenorama, "Teddy Boy" and "Poinciana" – and 2 more from All The Winners, "Mood Indigo" and "Top Score" – played by the Melody Maker All Stars. CD

Supposedly the end of Willie Colon's early "crime" career – as the title and cover imply that he's finally been brought to trial! Don't worry about Willie being beaten down, though, because the music on the album is every bit as fierce and powerful as ever – and features a number of long tracks that really stretch out in a highly percussive groove! The group's great – with Jose Mangual on bongos, Joe Torres on piano, and Milton Cardona on conga – as well as Hector Lavoe still in the lead on vocals. Titles include "Aguanile", "Pan y Agua", "Seguire Sin Ti", "Timbalero", "Pirana", "Ah Ah O No", "Si La Ves", and "Sonando Despierto". LP, Vinyl record album

Great jazzy work from keyboardist Jorge Dalto – a set that's got a warmer, more acoustic feel than some of his other fusion-based material from the time! Jorge still plays both electric and acoustic keyboards for the date – but the overall format is a lot more stripped down, and strongly rooted in Latin jazz – with great work from Nicky Marrero on timbales, Carlos Patato Valdez on congas, and Art Webb on flute! Adela sings a bit on the record, but things are mostly instrumental – and other guests include Jose Mangual on bongos and Jose Neto on guitar – on titles that include "Killer Joe", "Samba All Day Long", "Ease My Pain", "Skydive", and "La Costa". CD

Jaleel Shaw on alto saxophone, Charlie Kohlhase on baritone saxophone, Russ Gershon on tenor and soprano saxophone, Rick McLaughlin on bass, Vicente Lebron on congas, bongos and percussion, Harvey Wirht on drums, Dan Kaufman on piano and organ, Joel Yennior on trombone, and Colin Fisher and Tom Halter on trumpet and flugelhorn. CD

With Frank Morgan on alto, Sonny Bravo on piano, Bobby Rodriguez on bass, Tito Puente and Orestes Vilato on timbales, Johnny Rodriguez on bongos and percussion, and Joe Madera on congas and percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark record in the west coast jazz scene – not only for the music, but for its understanding of addiction on the scene! The album brings together a set of jazz players currently spending their time at Synanon – the Santa Monica-based program of drug rehabilitation that was working some incredible magic with longtime addicts in the early 60s. Synanon had been a temporary home to more than a few great players over the years, and this set brings together some of its lesser-known residents – one of whom was guitarist Joe Pass, who would rise from the session as a real success, and go onto record heavily after this record. The rest of the group includes Dave Allan on trumpet, Ronald Clark on bass, Arnold Ross on piano, Candy Latson on bongos, Bill Crawford on drums, and Greg Dykes on baritone sax. Tracks are pretty long, and more solo based than the usual Pacific Jazz sides – and titles include "CED", "Aaron's Song", "Projections", "Stay Loose", "Hang Tough", and "Last Call For Coffee". LP, Vinyl record album

Early recordings by the King Cole Trio, with Nat King Cole on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Johnny Miller on bass, and also with a later line-up of Irving Ashby on guitar, Joe Comfort on bass, and Jack Costanzo on bongos. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic early record by Sahib Shihab – a motherlode of modal jazz grooves, cut during the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record features a core group of players from that ensemble – including Shihab on alto, baritone, and flute, plus Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, Ake Persson on trombone, Francy Boland on piano, Joe Harris on bongos, and Kenny Clarke on drums – all coming together here with a groove that's really groundbreaking – a style that's sweet and soulful, but rhythmically revolutionary too! The tracks are all long and grooving – with the kind of dancing jazz tone that you'd expect from the Saba/MPS label during the mid 60s – a big change from the Argo label that originally issued the record. But that's no surprise, either, as the session was actually recorded in Europe by Gigi Campi – the man behind the CBBB albums on MPS – with a feel that's quite similar to other Shihab classics, like Companionship or Seeds. The whole thing's great – one of Shihab's most wonderful records, and totally worth owning – and titles include "Lillemor", "Please Don't Leave Me", "Waltz For Seth", and "Herr Fixit". CD

A fantastic early record by Sahib Shihab – a motherlode of modal jazz grooves, cut during the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record features a core group of players from that ensemble – including Shihab on alto, baritone, and flute, plus Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, Ake Persson on trombone, Francy Boland on piano, Joe Harris on bongos, and Kenny Clarke on drums – all coming together here with a groove that's really groundbreaking – a style that's sweet and soulful, but rhythmically revolutionary too! The tracks are all long and grooving – with the kind of dancing jazz tone that you'd expect from the Saba/MPS label during the mid 60s – a big change from the Argo label that originally issued the record. But that's no surprise, either, as the session was actually recorded in Europe by Gigi Campi – the man behind the CBBB albums on MPS – with a feel that's quite similar to other Shihab classics, like Companionship or Seeds. The whole thing's great – one of Shihab's most wonderful records, and totally worth owning – and titles include "Lillemor", "Please Don't Leave Me", "Waltz For Seth", and "Herr Fixit". LP, Vinyl record album

Peggy Lee's at Basin Street, but the set's an upbeat, swinging date that's right up there with her studio work for Capitol in the 60s! The album's billed as an "after hours" performance – and it's definitely got the relaxed feel to live up to that promise – a feel that's more small combo jazzy than other Lee work of the period, although it's still got that upbeat punch we love from the Capitol years. The group is directed by Joe Harnell, who also plays piano – and other members include Bob Donovan on flute, Willie Thomas and Phil Sunkel on trumpets, Dennis Budimir on guitar, and Chino Pozo on congas and bongos. Titles inlcude "I Got A Man", "The Second Time Around", "Fever", "Moments Like This", "Day In Day Out", and "Them There Eyes". CD also features a bonus track – "Call Me Darling". LP, Vinyl record album

Peggy Lee's at Basin Street, but the set's an upbeat, swinging date that's right up there with her studio work for Capitol in the 60s! The album's billed as an "after hours" performance – and it's definitely got the relaxed feel to live up to that promise – a feel that's more small combo jazzy than other Lee work of the period, although it's still got that upbeat punch we love from the Capitol years. The group is directed by Joe Harnell, who also plays piano – and other members include Bob Donovan on flute, Willie Thomas and Phil Sunkel on trumpets, Dennis Budimir on guitar, and Chino Pozo on congas and bongos. Titles inlcude "I Got A Man", "The Second Time Around", "Fever", "Moments Like This", "Day In Day Out", and "Them There Eyes". CD also features a bonus track – "Call Me Darling". CD

A rock-solid swinger from the great Carmen McRae – working here in a live setting with a very cool combo! The group's more than just a trio – although it is grounded by excellent piano work from Norman Simmons – and the record features nice use of flute from Ray Bernstein, guitar from Joe Puma, and bongos from Jose Mangual – all of whom bring some additional instrumental flourishes that work perfectly with that amazing range that McRae was exploring in the 60s – a way of moving past some of the more traditional (but still great) recordings of the late 50s, to find a voice in her style that's almost conversational at times, and extremely powerful without ever overstating itself. The subtlety of Carmen's genius is something that still blows us away after all these years – and it definitely comes through here, on titles that include "Woman Talk", "Kick Off Your Shoes", "Run Run Run", "Look At That Face", "Feelin Good", and "The Sweetest Sounds". LP, Vinyl record album

Hilton Ruiz on piano with Charlie Sepulveda on trumpet, David Sanchez on tenor Saxophone, Papo Vazquez on trombone, Andy Gonzalez on bass, Ignacio Berrios on drums & timbales, Steve Berrios on timbales & percussion, Joe Gonzalez on bongos & chekere, and Giovanni Hidalgo on conga & cowbell. CD