A fantastic soundtrack that's maybe even more legendary than the unusual animated film for which it was created – a funky French classic that stands strong in the best tradition of work by Serge Gainsbourg, Jean-Claude Vannier, and Michel Colombier! No surprise, Alain Goraguer is part of the same generation, and did some great early jazzy backings for Serge – but here, his style is much funkier, with lots of sweet keyboard lines, wah wah guitar, and soaring larger orchestrations that really put the whole thing together – clearly one of Alain's best musical moments – and filled with great tunes that include "Le Bracelet", "Deshominisation", "Mort De Draag", "La Femme", "Mira Et Ten", and "Ten Et Medor". Plus, this great reissue is mixed from the original tapes – and features 10 more bonus tracks – all appearing here for the first time ever! CD

A mindblowing journey in sound – a dip into the archives of French composer Pierre Henry – the postwar master of electronics and musique concrete, and an artist who was still very active in the final years of his life! The material here was all either recorded or reworked in Henry's own studio during the last few years of his time on the planet – with some tracks that revisit important early compositions, but with a different sonic perspective – mixed with a few new pieces that really continue that wellspring of recording that Henry was doing from the mid 90s onward! There's a wonderful array of sonic elements throughout – plenty of electronics, compelling tape and analog sounds, and lots more that we're hard pressed to figure out – in the best tradition of Pierre's music. Titles include "Variance (remix de Variations)", "Rock Electronique/La Reine Verte", "Prologue/Messe Pour Le Temps Present", "Danse/Mouvement Rythme Etude", "Final/Utopia Hip Hop", "Tokyo 2002", "Machine Danse", and "Tunne De La Mort/Le Fil De La Vie". LP features bonus tracks "Metamorphose/Fragments Rituels", "Enchevetrements De Spirales/Tam Tam Du Merveilleux", and "Etincell Qui Relie Deux Nuits". LP, Vinyl record album

Life-changing music from Pierre Henry – one of the key French electronic music composers of the 20th Century – and an artist who went on to have a big impact in the 21st Century as well! This set mixes together key Henry compositions with nine never-released works – all remastered by Henry in his own famous studio – where he took up most of his later-life creative activity, after an initial association with the famous RTF Studio in Paris! The sounds here are incredible – truly an illustration of the genius of the man who once said "it is necessary to destroy music" – a thesis that Pierre expounds on more fully in the notes within. The package features a total of 29 works in all, presented on 12 CDs with a big booklet of notes – and works include "Chroniques Terriennes" (2016), "Etudes Transcendantes Pour Un Piano Imaginaire" (2015), "Grande Toccata" (2006), "Gymkhana" (1970), "Pleins Jeux" (2008), "Kyldex" (1973), "Une Tour De Babel" (1988), "La Reine Verte", "Rock Electronique" (1963), "Histoire Naturelle" (1997), "Facies" (1960), "Le Livre Des Morts Egyptien" (1988), "Fragments Pour Artaud" (1970), "La Noire A Soixante" (1961), "Deuxieme Symphonie" (1972), "Spatiodynamisme" (1953), and "Concerto Des Ambiguites" (1950). CD

A western soundtrack, but one that's a bit different than usual – thanks to lots of groovy touches from Angelo Lavagnino! Right from the start, the music steps out with a fresh flavor – a cool instrumental theme that has a nicely heavy bottom that grooves things along – followed by a blend of tunes that range from dramatic to playful, often using some standout instrumentation that changes the flavors up nicely – a bit of ragtime piano here, some malleted percussion there, and even some echoey, abstracted sounds that are especially nice! There's way more to offer here than just the usual spaghetti sounds from the time – and the reissue package has great sound, and a total of 21 tracks that include "Allegro Saloon", "Oggi A Me Domani A Te", "Inseguimento A Cavallo", "Valzer Saloon", "La Furia Di Elfego", "Caccia Spietata", "Scoperta", and "Tensione Mortale". CD

A cool collection of vocal songs from the world of soundtrack maestro Ennio Morricone – many of which are more unusual than some of his bigger themes, and brought together here as a great addition to the Segreto series! The work runs from the early 60s to the early 70s – and the package mixes together dreamy female vocal numbers, catchy western themes, and plenty more great bits – all at a level that also showcases the way the maestro was working in Italian vocal music during the 60s, before moving more firmly into the world of cinema. The package features 21 rare tracks in all – including one number by a singer who's completely unknown – with titles that include "Splash" by Peter Boom, "Fruscio Di Foglie Verdi" by Trio Junior, "Una Stanza Vuota" by Lisa Gastoni, "Pioggia Sul Tuo Viso" by The Sorrows, "Nuvole" by Jimmy Fontana, "You & I" by King Harvest, "Luce Chiara Per Vergine" by Edda Dell'Orso, "Filastrocca Vietnamita" by Sergio Endrigo, "Metti Una Sera A Cena" by Florinda Bolkan, and "Matto Caldo Soldi Morto Girotondo" by I Cantori Moderni Di Alessandroni. LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool work from Quintessence – an overlooked British group at the end of the 60s, and one who've got a sound that's every bit as spiritual as you'd guess from the cover! These guys are so influenced by Eastern thought, their lead singer is named Shiva – and most of the group members have names that follow suit – yet they also work in a style that's equal parts progressive rock, with a current of jazz – which they spin out beautifully with instrumentation that includes a fair bit of flute, next more conventional guitar, bass, and drums. Their earliest material also features sitar and tambura, which are dropped a bit later on – although the group still seems to find the right spiritual currents – and this wonderful set features three full albums by Quintessence – In Blissful Company, Quintessence, and Dive Deep – with 28 tracks that include "Body", "Gange Mai", "Pearl & Bird", "Notting Hill Gate", "Sea Of Immortality", "Burning Bush", "Shiva's Chant", "Maha Mantra", "Twilight Zones", "Sri Ram Chant", and "Dance For The One". CD

Slayer's fastest, darkest, heaviest album ever – and a defining moment in thrash metal! In the world of heavy rock, there's before Reign In Blood, and after Reign In Blood. Slayer redefined the genre, there's just no getting around it! In the 1980s, when pious or otherwise moral watchdogs were eyeing pop culture for boogeymen, Slayer was more than willing to be the world's scariest band – but beyond the calculated outrageousness, it's simply amazing music – bringing hardcore punk speed into the heavy metal mold. Best metal album ever? Includes "Angel Of Death", "Piece By Piece", "Necrophobic", "Altar Of Sacrifice", "Jesus Saves", "Criminally Insane", "Reborn", "Epidemic", "Post Mortem" and "Reigning Blood". CD

A double-length set of work from one of the greatest pianists of the 50s – both of his Atlantic albums together on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Lennie Tristano, from 1955 – darkly imaginative work from the great Tristano – and one of the few full albums he ever cut as a leader! The record features the incredible track "Turkish Mambo" – which has Tristano overdubbed 3 times in this dark modal way that's totally amazing, and which will hook you into his playing immediately! A number of other tracks feature a quartet with Lee Konitz – always a good match for Tristano – and a few others have a great trio that's completed by Peter Ind and Jeff Morton. Tracks include "Requiem", "East 32nd", "You Go To My Head", and "Line Up". New Tristano is an incredible record by Lennie – one that features him playing solo piano, but in a way that's so inventive, so creative, so pyrotechnic, that Atlantic Records had to include text on the back cover saying "No use is made of multi-tracking, over-dubbing, or tape-speeding." The album's also one of the last (the last?) that Lennie ever cut – and although many other players are kind of faltering in last sessions like this, Lennie's sounding better than ever – ready to take on a realm of new challenges in the 60s. Titles include "Love Lines", "G Minor Complex", "Becoming", and "Deliberation". CD

The thunderous, chaotic buzzsaw rumble of the great Link Wray – a batch of the amazing earlier pulp guitar stormers from one of most legendary rock instrumentalists of all time! Early Recordings was released as an LP compilation in 1978 – comprised of his best early material. With that in mind, it's hardly worth mentioning that this is one of the best long playing collections of the great Wray ever put together – featuring many of his signature instrumental gems! Tracks include an exceedingly pulpy take on Neal Hefti's "Batman Theme" plus a bunch of tracks penned or co-penned by Wray, including "Ace Of Spades", "Cross Ties", "Jack The Ripper", "I'm Branded", "Fat Back", "Run Chicken Run", "Turnpike USA", "Mr Guitar", the immortal "Rumble", Willie Dixon's "Hidden Charms" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Vess Ossman, Bert Williams, Al Jolson, Mammie Smith, Sissle & Blake, Kid Ory, Jelly Roll Morton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Red Nichols, Duke Ellington, Ethel Waters, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday & more. CD

Louis Armstrong's opening night set at the first ever Monterey Jazz Festival – recordings now released for the first time ever – a walloping batch of trad jazz perfection from the inimitable Satchmo! The sound quality here is impeccable, and so are the players – including Trummy Young on trombone and vocals, Peanuts Hucko on clarinet, Mort Herbert on bass, Danny Barcelona on drums and occasion vocals from Velma Middleton. Loads of great tunes – with Louis rolling back and forth from avuncular vocals to his heavy trumpet. 18 tracks in all: Includes in intro by the Dizzy Gillespie, plus "When It's Sleepy Down South", "Blueberry Hill", "Tiger Rag", "Now You Has Jazz", "High Society Calypso", "Bucket's Got A Hole In It", "Autumn Leaves", "After You've Gone", "Stompin' At The Savoy", "Undecided", "When The Saints Go Marching In" and more. CD

A landmark album of contemporary jazzy grooves – a set issued at the start of the century, and one of the first to really get a blend of classic elements right – after so many others were foundering around in too-remixed, too-programmed work in the 90s! For years, Nicola Conte was a seminal force in the new Italian scene of the 90s – working as a DJ, promoter, producer, and sometimes recording artist under the odd 12" single. Yet this album marks his first full effort – and after years of bubbling under in the Italian scene, Nicola emerged as a breathtaking mix of 60s bossa, soundtrack, and easy themes – put together with never a dull moment, and always a focus on the kind of mid and uptempo grooves that have been pushing the Italian and German scenes to reinvent older jazz, funk, and bossa. The record features great mixes from a few of Nicola's 12" singles, plus a wealth of excellent new material that really expands his groove wonderfully – with a totally real, totally honest sound that pushes past the gazillion retro remix throwaway albums that usually cluttered the dance racks Tracks include "Il Cerchio Rosso", "Dossier Omega", "Trappola Mortale", "Jazz Pour Dadine", and "Bossa Per Due". LP, Vinyl record album

Electric piano genius from this legendary French group of the 70s – served up here in a set of tracks that were only issued as 7" singles, plus a few other rare gems too! Cortex are maybe best known for their landmark Rhodes album Troupeau Bleu – a classic that stands up next to famous 70s work by Placebo and Marc Moulin – but these singles are equally great, and show the group really moving their sound into a range of different modes! Some tracks have a slight touch of soulful vocals, others are instrumental with a groove that rivals the best of CTI – and throughout it all, there's a strong focus on the kind of keyboard work that has always really made us love these guys. Titles include "Stevie", "Californie", "Les Oiseux Morts", "Mary & Jeff (Fender Rhodes version 77)", "Moanin", "The Sky Is Grey I'm So Blue", and "Les Oiseux Morts (alt take 76)". CD

Gal Costa pays tribute to one of the greatest Brazilian songwriters of an earlier age – the great Ary Barroso, one of the first to also get his songs translated into other global languages too! The language here is all Portuguese, though – but nicely updated by Gal in that range of styles she was using at the end of the 70s – a bit of jazz at times, and with that evolved level of MPB arrangement that was helping song artists find their way forward – done on this set by arrangers Roberto Menescal and Perna Froes. Caetano Veloso joins Gal on a duet of "No Tabuleiro Da Bahiana", and other tracks include "E Luxo So", "Folha Morta", "Camisa Amarela", "Aquarela Do Brasil", and "Novo Amor" – plus Gal's classic reading of "Aquarela Do Brasil". LP, Vinyl record album

The era that catapulted cult heroes Devo into pop culture history – with bubblier synths, catchier hooks, and crazier multimedia shenanigans than ever before from these pioneers of the video era – and time capsule pop angle aside, it's still one of the best and most innovate albums of its time! It's pretty hard to imagine the early 80s without Devo, but the group and this record is just as amazing decades later, since there was never anyone else like them! Includes "Girl U Want", "It's Not Right", "Whip It", "Freedom Of Coice", "Cold War", "Don't You Know", "Gates Of Steel" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Booker Ervin hits a great blue note here – working with a wonderfully soulful group that includes the mighty Carmell Jones on trumpet and Gildo Mahones on piano! These players both help Ervin hit a sound that's much more in the pocket than some of his other work on Prestige at the time – a lot less modern, and more with roots in the Texas tenor tradition from whence Ervin sprang. But as you might guess with Jones – and maybe a bit with Mahones – the overall sound still has some nice modern touches too – subtle, sneaky little bits thrown in alongside the gutsier, more full-on solo moments. Rhythm is by Richard Davis on bass and Alan Dawson on drums – and the album features 4 long tracks that include "Eerie Dearie", "One For Mort", "No Booze Blooze", and "True Blue". CD

Keyon Harrold continues his rise from standard jazz into the realm of soulful superstar – working here with a great array of guests, and also creating a sound that's a fantastic blend of his own work on trumpet and some larger currents of soul and R&B! At some level, the record's almost Harrold's equivalent of the Black Radio projects from pianist Robert Glasper – and maybe no surprise, Glasper's in the lineup of guests here – alongside Laura Mvula, PJ Morton, Common, Jean Baylor, and others – all participants who find just the right spot in the music, yet leave plenty of room for Keyon to blow some solos in a way that mark his role as the visionary leader of the proceedings. Titles include "Beautiful Day", "Well Walk Now", "Don't Lie", "Foreverland", "Find Your Peace", "Gotta Go", "Pictures", and "The Intellectual". CD

Keyon Harrold continues his rise from standard jazz into the realm of soulful superstar – working here with a great array of guests, and also creating a sound that's a fantastic blend of his own work on trumpet and some larger currents of soul and R&B! At some level, the record's almost Harrold's equivalent of the Black Radio projects from pianist Robert Glasper – and maybe no surprise, Glasper's in the lineup of guests here – alongside Laura Mvula, PJ Morton, Common, Jean Baylor, and others – all participants who find just the right spot in the music, yet leave plenty of room for Keyon to blow some solos in a way that mark his role as the visionary leader of the proceedings. Titles include "Beautiful Day", "Well Walk Now", "Don't Lie", "Foreverland", "Find Your Peace", "Gotta Go", "Pictures", and "The Intellectual". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible sounds from the postwar avant scene in France – a small record, but one that's had huge impact over the years! This 3 track EP features compositions based around the "structures sonores" of Jacques Lasry and Bernard Baschet – both of whom create and play these amazing Harry Partch-esque instruments that are part sculpture, part percussive tools – very groundbreaking at the time, and still pretty amazing after all these years. Even more than the instruments, though, the high point of the album is the way that the orchestrations and sonic structures work together – as the whole thing feels like an otherworldly batch of space songs that recalls some of Moondog's work, and some of the other early Musique Concrete composers from the 50s. Tracks include "La Mort Du Clown", "La Danse Du Resort" and "Bolide". 7-inch, Vinyl record

A wonderful package of rare bossa work! The set is a great tribute to the composers mentioned above – and it features some of their best songs in classic renditions, packaged in a cover with an 8 page booklet that's filled with great photos and writings in Portuguese. Titles include "O Barquinho" by Pery Ribero, "Fim De Noite" by Coral De Ouro Preto, "Marcha Da Quarta-Feira De Cinzas" by Elis Regina, "Maria Moita" by Nara Leao, "A Morte De Um Deus De Sal" by Roberto Menescal, "Pau De Arara" by Ary Toledo, "Telefone" by Os Cariocas, and "Invluencia Do Jazz" by Carlos Lyra. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album by Blue Mitchell – one that features some larger arrangements by Duke Pearson, and Blue's soulful trumpet soloing over the top! The use of Pearson is a great addition to the set – as it really sets Mitchell free to concentrate on the best shades, colors, and tones in his solos – allowing him to work in a sweeter, lyrical vein that we really like a lot! The format works surprisingly well for Blue, who could always be a great player, but sometimes faltered as a leader – which is why Pearson's guidance really seems to give the session new life. Titles include wonderful versions of Chick Corea's wonderful compositions "Straight Up & Down" and "Tones For Joan's Bones", both with piano by Chick, plus a reading of trumpeter Dave Burns' seminal groover "Rigor Mortez"! CD

A wonderful album by Blue Mitchell – one that features some larger arrangements by Duke Pearson, and Blue's soulful trumpet soloing over the top! The use of Pearson is a great addition to the set – as it really sets Mitchell free to concentrate on the best shades, colors, and tones in his solos – allowing him to work in a sweeter, lyrical vein that we really like a lot! The format works surprisingly well for Blue, who could always be a great player, but sometimes faltered as a leader – which is why Pearson's guidance really seems to give the session new life. Titles include greatl versions of Chick Corea's wonderful compositions "Straight Up & Down" and "Tones For Joan's Bones", both with piano by Chick, plus a reading of trumpeter Dave Burns' seminal groover "Rigor Mortez"! CD

A groundbreaking moment in Brazilian pop culture! The 3rd International Festival of Song in Rio was fraught with controversy – Brazilian music was at a crossroads, and the new experiments of some of the younger groups didn't really sit well with the more conservative audiences in the country (or the newly repressive government.) This 3rd volume features artists who recorded for Odeon – and includes a rare version of "Dia De Vitoria" sung by Marcos Valle with Golden Boys, and arrangements from Eumir Deodato – plus the tracks "Dois Dias" by Dori Caymmi, "Meu Sonho Antigo" and "Negroide" by Taiguara, "Tempo De Partir" by Clara Nunes, "Pra Nao Dizer Que Nao Falei Das Flores" by Vocalistas Modernos, "Mare Morta" by Mary Lauria, "Plenilunio" by Luiza, and "Sonho" by Maria. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest concepts for a record in the 60s – and a set that's the first, and maybe crowning achievement of Vanilla Fudge! The set's mighty trippy – and often offers up very weird, fuzzy remakes of songs that were more mainstream hits for other artists in the 60s – tunes by The Beatles, Zombies, Impressions, and others – taken into really weird new territory by the group's jamming fuzz guitar, stark rhythms, and dark sensibilities. Genius Shadow Morton produced and directed the whole thing – which is one of his crowning achievements, and a great commentary on some of the more mainstream pop he was producing at the time. Titles include "Illusions Of My Childhood", "Eleanor Rigby", "Ticket To Ride", "Bang Bang", "She's Not There", "Take Me For A Little While", and "You Keep Me Hanging On". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful overview of contemporary sounds from the Brazilian underground – artists all marked by the "10s" in the title, as they've just begun to blossom in the current decade! The set's one of the freshest we've heard in years – and really gives us a great opportunity to sample music we might have missed otherwise – as recent years haven't seen the influx of Brazilian acts to the global market that we've known in decades past – which has kept so much recent music hidden from our ears! The range of styles is wonderful – still plenty of older roots, but often inflected with lots of new ideas, in a manner that's maybe a bit like some of the Cuban experiments that Gilles Peterson has been promoting on his own label – yet maybe even stronger, as these cuts have sprung from the underground on their own. Titles include "Obatala" by Abayomy, "Zulumbi" by Zulumbi, "O Rei De Tupanga" by Iconili, "Cervejas Populares" by Ive Seixas, "Lucifer Colombia" by Burro Morto, "Zebrabeat" by Zebrabeat Afro-Amazonia Orquestra, "Ecos De Niafunke" by Andre Sampaio E Os Afromandinga, "Faria Lima Pra Ca" by Passo Torto, and "Feito Tamborim Para Ceu" by Fabricio. CD

One of the best-ever releases in this amazing series – and a smoking batch of great little cuts that mix dope guitar, funky hammond, and odd off-beat grooves in a very nice way! The whole thing's nicely packaged, with a fresh approach to funk tunes that's quite different from a lot of recent compilations we've stocked – and we're still grooving to this one, even though we've played it three times in a row! Tracks include "Petite Soul" by Little Ed, "Contagious" by Kenneth Wells, "Gasoline Alley" by Dave Grusin, "Pick & Shovel" by The Touch, "Mind Blow" by Roger Hamilton Spotts, "Un Homme De Mort" by Michel Legrand, "Chicano Chaser" by Ian Langley, "Studio 69" by The Mohawks, "Soul Thing" by Tony Newman, "It's Your Thing" by The Invaders, and "Move Your Hand" by La Clave. 20 cuts in all! LP, Vinyl record album

The classic box set featuring so many of the biggest, best, and brightest pop, rock & soul singles of the late 50s and on through the 60s – those ubiquitous, but no less incredible productions from that crazy genius Phil Spector! Back To Mono features many of the best known numbers by the Ronettes, the Righteous Brothers, Darlene Love, the Checkmates, the Crystals and many more – all of it with the appropriately dubbed Wall Of Sound that made Phil Spector the most famous producer of all time! We'd love to see an addendum someday featuring a set of Spector's productions for those idiosyncratic superstars of the 70s (the Ramones, Leonard Cohen, the post-Beatles) – but as a snapshot of an era, this box can hardly be beaten! 60 tracks on the the main 3CDs in the set – plus a 4th CD featuring the classic Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector album from 1963! Titles include "To Know Him Is To Love Him" by the Teddy Bears, "Spanish Harlem" by Ben E King, "I Love How You Love Me" by Paris Sisters, "He's A Rebel" by the Crystals, "(Today I Met) The Boy I'm Going To Marry" by Darlene Love, "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes, "Hold Me Tight" by the Treasures, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by the Righteous Brothers, "River Deep Mountain High" by Ike & Tina, "Love Is All I Have To Give" by Checkmates and tons more – plus the immortal holiday disc featuring the Ronettes, Bob B Soxx & The Blue Jeans, Crystals, Darlene Love and more! All that, and a thick, nearly 100 page booklet! CD

Pierre Dorge pays tribute to the late reedman John Tchicai – a frequent musical partner over the years, and a player who's shaped the sound of countless others on both sides of the Atlantic! Tchicai got his start with Archie Shepp on the New York scene of the 60s, but moved over to Denmark by the end of that decade – and ended up having a good deal of interaction with guitarist Pierre Dorge in years to come, including performances on some of the best sessions by the New Jungle Orchestra! This album really recalls those great ones – as Dorge chooses tunes that seem to have an especially spiritual flavor, and evoke Tchicai in ways that most of the group's recent work might not have – using especially strong passages from reed players who include Jakob Mygind on tenor and soprano, Anders Banke on tenor and bass clarinet, and Morten Carlson on tenor and taragot. Titles include "Mozombo", "A Rufous Mot Mot", "Jungle Sketches", "Autobahn Tchicai Zwei", "Lucianus In Congo", and "Tjak Tjaka Tchicai". CD

One of the best by Red Garland for Prestige – a totally cooking record that features some great added conga work from Ray Barretto! Ray's presence really helps the record live up to its Latin-styled title – and Garland's usual trio with Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums seems to get a whole new life from the added percussion – really stepping things up with a bit more of a groove than usual! The title cut – "Manteca" – is an 8 minute jam that's gone onto become a real jazz dance classic – and other tracks include "Exactly Like You", "S'Wonderful", and "Mort's Report". CD also features the bonus track "Portrait Of Jenny". CD

A fantastic soundtrack that's maybe even more legendary than the unusual animated film for which it was created – a funky French classic that stands strong in the best tradition of work by Serge Gainsbourg, Jean-Claude Vannier, and Michel Colombier! No surprise, Alain Goraguer is part of the same generation, and did some great early jazzy backings for Serge – but here, his style is much funkier, with lots of sweet keyboard lines, wah wah guitar, and soaring larger orchestrations that really put the whole thing together – clearly one of Alain's best musical moments – and filled with great tunes that include "Le Bracelet", "Deshominisation", "Mort De Draag", "La Femme", "Mira Et Ten", and "Ten Et Medor". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic vocal material by Michel Legrand, an artist who's better known to the world for his groovy writing and arranging for soundtracks and instrumental pop albums. Legrand's singing is quite nice, though – and he's got a sweetly raspy voice that has an honest quality that's extremely capitivating, and which doesn't have the over-emotional approach of other French singers from the time. The record also features instrumentation by Legrand's orchestra, which means that the tracks have a nice jazzy sound to them. Titles include "Quand Ca Balance", "L'Amour En Scie", "Qui Es-Tu?", "Mois Je Suis La", and "Regarde Le Mort". LP, Vinyl record album

It's Christmas time in East LA – and Los Lobos have gotten together to give us a real standout of a holiday album! The tunes are mostly originals by the group, and done up in that mix of modes that's always made them so great – border-styled instrumentation on some cuts, straighter sounds on others – and all recorded with a stripped-down, personal vibe that may well make the record one of their most satisfying in years! But, if anything, the group have seemed to just get better with age – something we might never have expected decades ago – and a record like this is proof that they're one of the few older groups who deserve to keep on creating into their twilight years. Titles include "La Rama", "Donde Esta Santa Claus", "La Murga", "Christmas & You", "Regalo De Reyes", "Feliz Navidad", "Reluciente Sol", and "It's Christmas Time In Texas". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the crowning moment on record of the mighty McSolaar – certainly the first French MC to conquer the global world of hip hop, and also maybe one of the first non-American artists to show that other languages could work equally well with the music! The production here is every bit as great as Solaar's lyrics – handled by Jimmy Jay and La Funk Mob, the latter of whom you might know from albums of their own – definitely pioneering European talents in taking the best US modes of the early 90s, and mixing them with a fresher array of beats and samples! Titles include "Obsolete", "Dix De Mes Disciples", "La Fin Justifie Les Moyens", "Sequelles", "Prose Combat", "Nouveau Western", "Superstarr", and "Temps Mort". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more unusual Morricone scores of the 70s – penned as part of a collaboration with director Maximilian Schell, and done in ways that are a bit different than some of the maestro's Italian work! There's plenty of voices at play here – the lead of Edda Dell'Orso, and harmonies from Il Cantori Moderni – used in ways that are sometimes a bit sweeter than usual, with a level of warmth that might not be what you'd expect from the movie! Morricone also throws in a few waltz-like melodies, too – almost the sort of numbers you'd find in a Nino Rota score – but as the soundtrack moves on, things get noticeably darker, too – and move into a rich array of odd sounds and weird tones. CD features a huge amount of tracks issued for the first time ever – a total of 31 tracks that includes "Fox Astratto", "Caduta E Ripresa", "Shake Del Giudice", "Balletto Col Morto", "Meditazione Melodica", and "Fuga In Svizzera". CD

A masterpiece in fuzzy funk from this large Estonian collective – a group who work here with sharp production from Misha Panfilov, with a sound that's every bit as weird and wonderful as all the other projects he's given us over the years! The group do a wonderful job of blending psychedelic guitar with heavy drums and heady basslines – music that's freaky in all the right parts, but never forgets to be funky either – and which sounds much more like the tight energy of a small combo than you'd guess from the large number of musicians on the cover! As with some of Misha's other recordings, there's some great electric moments here that really create a spacey sort of vibe next to the funkier energy at the core – on titles that include "Bullet Fast", "How Do You Swim At Night", "Stompin & Mortorikn", "5000 Hailstones", "Matti Pellonpaa", "Merman", and "Neanderthal Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that definitely lives up to the intrigue promised in the title – an alternative look at British music in the 80s, served up with some more experimental, unusual tracks that go way past the pop hits of the time! There's still some names here you might know, but there's also work from plenty of the hipper indie labels who kept things interesting – especially in the territory of companies like Factory, Rough Trade, and 4AD – who each get some space within! As with other sets done by Steven Wilson, there's some detailed notes that make the overall package a delight throughout – a cool book-styled cover with 80 pages of notes within – and a total of 58 tracks in all, work by Dif Juz, Cardiacs, A Certain Ratio, Perennial Divide, Cocteau Twins, Twelfth Night, This Heat, Ultravox, Durutti Column, Punishment Of Luxury, The Stranglers, Magazine, Bill Nelson's Red Noise, No Man, Slab, In Camera, Swell Maps, Gary Numan, The Sound, Crispy Ambulance, Dali's Car, Scott Walker, David Sylvian, The Shamen, This Mortal Coil, Associates, Section 25, Gang Of Four, PIL, Robert Fripp & The League Of Gentlemen, and Dead Can Dance. CD

One of the best-ever releases in this amazing series – and a smoking batch of great little cuts that mix dope guitar, funky hammond, and odd off-beat grooves in a very nice way! The whole thing's nicely packaged, with a fresh approach to funk tunes that's quite different from a lot of recent compilations we've stocked – and we're still grooving to this one, even though we've played it three times in a row! Tracks include "Petite Soul" by Little Ed, "Contagious" by Kenneth Wells, "Gasoline Alley" by Dave Grusin, "Pick & Shovel" by The Touch, "Mind Blow" by Roger Hamilton Spotts, "Un Homme De Mort" by Michel Legrand, "Chicano Chaser" by Ian Langley, "Studio 69" by The Mohawks, "Soul Thing" by Tony Newman, "It's Your Thing" by The Invaders, and "Move Your Hand" by La Clave. 20 cuts in all! CD

Swan Records was a real powerhouse of Philly Soul back in the 60s – a label whose efforts really set the scene for countless more Philly achievements to come! Swan was primarily a pop label – with some big hits (including early US release of Beatles singles) to its name – but the company was also on the scene to cut some of the best soul in Philadelphia as the 60s got going – a great deal of which is brought together on this set! Swan's sides often have a Northern Soul vibe that rivals the best of Detroit, especially labels away from Motown – and the pop experience gave the label a quality of production and professionalism that few other labels could match! Yet there's also no pop commercialism here, either – as these sides often step back and really let the artist do their thing – as you'll hear on 26 tracks that include "Everybody Crossfire" by Sammy Stevens, "Gotta Draw The Line" by The Three Degrees, "Have Faith In Me" by Sugar & Spice, "Put Yourself In My Place" by Azie Mortimer, "In Love" by Tony Galla & The Rising Sons, "Misery" by Eddie Carlton, "Run Run" by The Persianettes, "You're Everything" by The Showmen, "Put That Woman Down" by John Leach, "Who Do You Love" by The Sapphires, "Handsome Boy" by The Ladybirds, "Trying To Find My Baby" by Troy Dodds, and "Two Steps Ahead" by Herb Johnson. CD

Wonderful early work from Maria Bethania – an album that's put together with a very sophisticated sound, and a really powerful feel overall! The orchestrations are relatively baroque – sometimes using strings in odd ways, other times bringing in bits of voices – all very much in keeping with the genius that was brewing at the time in albums by Gal Costa or Nara Leao. And oddly, the backings for the album are not credited at all – save possibly to Manoel Barenbein, who's listed as the director of the production – and we're guessing that Maria had a good deal to do with the overall sound of the set, not just the vocals! Titles include a wonderful groover called "Mano Caetano", done as a duet with Jorge Ben, and very much in Ben's best style from the time – and other tracks include "Janelas Abertas No 2", "Jesus Cristo", "Que Me Dera", "Folha Morta", "Mariana, Mariana", and "A Tua Presenca Morena". CD

A great collection of work from Ruby Braff's 50s recordings for Vanguard – some of the best sides the trumpeter ever recorded, and material that captures him in wonderfully relaxed company, blowing with some of the best of his contemporaries! There's an easygoing swing to the material – not quite trad, but certainly not boppish either – and players on the records include trumpeter Buck Clayton, trombonists Benny Morton and Vic Dickenson, tenorists Buddy Tate and Sam Margolis, and clarinetist Edmund Hall. Titles include "Wishing", "Linger Awhile", "I'm In The Market For You", "Sweet Sue", "Ghost Of A Chance", and "Keeping Out Of Mischief Now". CD

Michel Colombier created some mighty funky music in the French scene of the late 60s and early 70s – including some with Pierre Henry and Serge Gainsbourg – and this standalone soundtrack effort is definitely part of that really great legacy in music! There's a nice current of funk amidst the larger orchestrations on some of the best cuts – mixed with a few other sweeter sounds too – all handled with that really inventive approach that easily made Colombier one of the key cats pushing forward the sound of the scene at the time. The set's got a vocal tune sung by Drupi – and titles include "Violence Et Solitude", "La Baie", "Constance Et Laurent", "La Mort", and a number of variations on "Le Hasard Et La Violence". LP, Vinyl record album

A great late 80s return to form for Lou Reed – a record set in a New York that's a bit different than the gritty one of his youth, but which is captured here by Lou with that vivid sense of songwriting that always made his urban themes some of the best in rock and roll! The set's designed to be listened to straight through – like a book or a movie, Lou mentions in the notes – and the songs are set to well-crafted guitar work mostly by Reed, augmented with work from Mike Rathke – delivered in a vocal style that's found a newly-confident way of moving between singing and speech. Titles include "Dirty Blvd", "Endless Cycle", "Busload Of Faith", "Sick Of You", "Hold On Mr Waldheim", "Xmas In February", "Strawman", "Dime Store Mstery", "Romeo Had Juliette", and "The Last Great American Whale". LP, Vinyl record album

A Johnny Hammond 2-fer – a pair of very early albums, back to back on a single CD! First up is Talk That Talk – subtle early magic from Johnny Hammond Smith, and the kind of sweet organ jazz set that really set Smith apart from his contemporaries in the 60s! There's a slightly offbeat vibe here that's hard to peg, but which already marks Hammond as one of the more inventive players of his generation – never content to just rehash R&B modes for jazz organ, and instead really exploratory in terms of timings and phrasings – using his instrument to great effect in a hip combo that features George Tucker on bass, Art Taylor on drums, and Ray Barretto on congas – plus some excellent tenor from Oliver Nelson on three tracks! Titles include "Talk That Talk", "Bennie's Diggin", "Portrait Of Jennie", "An Affair To Remember", "The End Of A Love Affair", "Riptide", "Misty", and "Minors Allowed". Getting The Message is a vibes and organ delight – a rare early set from Johnny Hammond Smith, and a date that features a key appearance from vibist Lem Winchester! Winchester only cut a handful of dates before shuffling off this mortal coil far too soon – and he's a hell of a player, with a richly chromatic tone that works beautifully next to Smith's organ lines – a pairing that's quite different than other organ/vibes duos you might know from the time, and one that's got to be heard to be fully appreciated! There's a complexity here that we love, even when things are straight and swinging – and titles include "Lid Flippin", "Getting The Message", "Princess", and "Dementia". CD

A baroque instrumental masterpiece from Jean Claude Vannier – Serge Gainsbourg's right hand man at the start of the 70s, and a key figure in the legendary Histoire De Melody Nelson album! The feel here is very much along the lines of work that Serge was doing at the time – larger orchestrations mixed with smaller instrumentation – in a level that's often funky, always baroque, and very much in the best Sexopolis styles of the French pop scene of the time! There's a marked similarity here to some of the work of Michel Colombier – but unlike Colombier, and Gainsbourg, there's no vocals at all on these tracks – and the main genius is carried by Vannier's incredibly arranged strings, rolling rhythms, fuzzy guitars, and dark little soundtrack-styled groove! Some tracks are wonderfully funky, others are moody and tripped-out – and the whole thing's a masterpiece that we'd file right up there with our favorite French work of the time! Titles include "L'Enfanta La Mouche Et Les Allumettes", "Danse Des Mouches Noires Gardes Du Roi", "Mort Du Roi Des Mouches", "Le Papier Tue-Enfant", "Les Garde Volent Au Secours Du Roi", and "Petite Agonie De L'Enfant Assassin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of their early classics, and still one of the greatest groups with roots in the Chicago AACM scene! The lineup is wonderful – drums and percussion from the late Steve McCall, bass from Fred Hopkins, and alto, tenor, and flute from the always-amazing Henry Threadgill! The group do a wonderful job reworking older themes from Jelly Roll Morton and Scott Joplin – plus Threadgill's own "Paille Street" – a really amazing mix of eras and styles on one record. LP, Vinyl record album

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y-eah, this is one of best art rock albums of all time – the Eno produced full length debut of Devo – the caustic, sarcastic and fun soundtrack to society's devolution! There's nothing we don't love about Devo at this point, from their unprecedented use of multimedia, to the hard to pull off fusion of sneering social and pop culture satire with good humored fun, and that's just the conceptual stuff. The songs are original and inimitably great, too, with those squeeling synth punk dynamics. Tracks include (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (best rock cover ever?) "Jocko Homo", "Mongoloid", "Uncontrollable Urge", "Space Junk", "Come Back Jonee", "Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Gettin')" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from The Meters – and an album that's essential for just about any collection of old school funk! The record's a blueprint for grooves that have been copied for generations to come – yet nobody does it better than these Crescent City kings – working here with a sound that's lean, mean, and completely on the money! The mix of organ, guitar, and bad-walking rhythms is completely sublime throughout – and made even better by massive production from the team of Marshall Sehorn and Allen Toussaint. Imagine taking the best instrumental funk 45s from your collection, then playing them back to back – and you'll get a good idea of the solid sound of this landmark set. Titles include "Funky Miracle", "Oh Calcutta", "Yeah You're Right", "Pungee", "Look-Ka Py Py", "Dry Spell", "Little Old Money Maker", "The Mob", "9 Til 5", "Rigor Mortis", and "This Is My Last Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from The Meters – and an album that's essential for just about any collection of old school funk! The record's a blueprint for grooves that have been copied for generations to come – yet nobody does it better than these Crescent City kings – working here with a sound that's lean, mean, and completely on the money! The mix of organ, guitar, and bad-walking rhythms is completely sublime throughout – and made even better by massive production from the team of Marshall Sehorn and Allen Toussaint. Imagine taking the best instrumental funk 45s from your collection, then playing them back to back – and you'll get a good idea of the solid sound of this landmark set. Titles include "Funky Miracle", "Oh Calcutta", "Yeah You're Right", "Pungee", "Look-Ka Py Py", "Dry Spell", "Little Old Money Maker", "The Mob", "9 Til 5", "Rigor Mortis", and "This Is My Last Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

The bugged sci fi maestro MF Doom's mid 00s masterpiece – and a straight up tie with Madvilliany for the championship title of best Doom-related LP since his immortal debut! As you'd guess from the title, this album has a running theme with food, each title funnier than the last, but stays fresh throughout the 15 tracks thanks to tight production, masterfully spliced samples, and a verbal flow that's cooked and spiced to some kind of freakish perfection. The great "Hoe Cakes" single gets served early in set, and it sets the tone for a truly strong album. "Boss like King Koopa. . .". Includes "Beef Rap", "Potholderz" with Count Bass D, "One Beer" produced by Madlib, "Poo Poo Platter", "Fillet-O-Rapper", "Gumbo", "Fig Leaf Bi Carbonate", "Kon Queso" produced by PNS, "Vomitspit", "Kookies" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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The Beatles at their late best – 1968's self-titled set, now immortalized as The White Album! The White Album capped offed a period of intense creativity for the band with a double that's as freewheeling as anything they'd ever release. It's got raw rockers with wry lyricism, tender acoustic balladry, psych blues jams and some flat out weird bits. As was always the case, John's and Paul's songs cover the majority of the sides, but The White Album also features what's arguably George's most vital moment as a Beatle with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Other tracks include "Back InThe USSR", "Dear Prudence","Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", "Martha My Dear", "Rocky Raccoon", "Why Don't We Do It In The Road", "Julia", "Yer Blues", "Sexy Sadie", "Helter Skelter", "Revolution 1", Good Night" and more. CD

The film soundtrack version of this famous 60s musical, which was based around the sounds of Belgian singer Jacques Brel. The film version shares many similarities to the broadway one – translations by Eric Blau and Mort Shuman, vocals by Shuman and Elly Stone – but the overall sound is quite different, as the versions presented here are more subtle, less campy, possibly due to the freer range of expression allowed to the actors on a film soundstage. Plus, this version also includes a few of Brel's best songs that were left out of the original show – making for a total of 26 titles that include "The Bulls", "Sons Of", "The Desperate Ones", "Amsterdam", "The Statue", "Brussels", "Funeral Tango", "Bachelors Dance", "Carousel", and "Next". If you want Brel in English, this may well be the best way to get it – as nearly all other English language versions of his work (by Scott Walker, Marc Almond, and others) came from these translations. LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal west coast recordings by Clifford Brown – recorded in LA in 1954, with a mixture of hard bop and lyricism, in that sparkling mode that Brownie left as his indelible imprint on the west coast scene of the 50s! Players include Bob Gordon on baritone, Stu Williamson on trombone, Zoot Sims on tenor, and Russ Freeman on piano – and Jack Montrose arranged the set. Titles include "Tiny Capers", "Bones For Jones", "Joy Spring", "Finders Keepers", and "Daahoud". CD

One of the coolest collections of work we've ever heard from the great Mort Garson – a selection of tracks that were done during the same years as his famous album releases in the world of moog and analog synth, but done for much more obscure sources that include television, film, and other avenues of expression! The title's a reference to a cut here that was used during a 1969 broadcast of the moon landing – but there's so much more here too, and as always with Garson, there's a blend of electronic experimentation and tunefulness that make the whole thing pretty darn groovy – and not just a trip on the farther reaches of experimental electronics. Titles include "Moon Journey", "Zoos Of The World", "Music For Advertising #8", "Love Is A Garden", "The D-Bee's Cat Boogie", "Black Eye", "Western Dragon (part 3)", "Captain DJ Disco UFO", and "The Big Game Hunters See The Cheetah". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning book – even more amazing than we were expecting, and we were really expecting a lot! This is a heavy, hardcover, full color volume that takes a deep dig into the world of British jazz during some crucial modern years – presented with oversized images throughout, in the manner of some hefty art book from Taschen or one of those other fancy publishers! Author Richard Morton Jack presents listings for hundreds of crucial albums – each with both front and back cover artwork reproduced in full, in a size that's about a square 9" for most of the records, on pages that are much larger, with text at the bottom on each record, and even inner label reproductions! If you love Brit jazz from this period as much as we do, you'll find plenty to love – as the book contains listings for crucial records by giants like Joe Harriott, Stan Tracey, Graham Collier, Mike Westbrook, John Stevens, Don Rendell, and dozens of others – not just familiar albums, but really rare ones we've never seen before – work on the Lansdowne series on Columbia, and other labels that include RCA, EMI, Argo, and CBS – plus smaller indies too. The book is as beautiful as having an original pressing of one of these gems in your hands – and given that most of the originals go for hundreds of dollars, if/when you can find them, the book is a hell of a deal. Hardcover, 372 pages, and in full color throughout. Book

A rare British set, originally issued only on cassette – which means that most copies of the album were lost to the hinterland of oxide decay! The set's got a sound that's way more immortal than its original format deserved – very much in the best mode of early Factory Records – spare, stark, and moody sounds from sometime-Coil and Current 93 collaborator Gary Ramon! The tunes are surprisingly catchy, even when dark – and the music is a masterpiece of understatement – those great sounds before the industrial underground of the 80s got a bit too full of itself. Titles include "TV Screen", "Hello/Goodbye", "46 Botanical Species", "Protect & Serve", and "Tropic Of Cancer". CD

A really playful little western soundtrack from Bruno Nicolai – lots of short tunes that often have isolated instrumental sounds – a bit of keyboards here, banjo there, and even some harmonica from Franco De Gemini! The tunes are usually a bit slower, and more quietly melodic than other scores of this nature – but in a way that really makes for a standout soundtrack – one that does a very careful job of creating little scenes that are almost as vivid from the instrumentation as they would be with images on the screen. CD features 26 tracks in all, all remastered – for a pretty creative soundtrack overall! CD

Tremendous saxophone interplay throughout – and 2 great 50s sessions that both feature Art Pepper and Warne Marsh! The first half of the CD is the legendary Vanguard album Free Wheeling – one of the few sessions ever cut by tenorist Ted Brown – working here with a group that features Warne Marsh and Art Pepper in the frontline, with rhythm by Ronnie Ball on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Jeff Morton on drums. The session's got the outward appearance of a west coast session, but has much more soul overall – the kind of Back Bay Boston sound you'd hear in 50s sessions by Charlie Mariano or Dick Johnson – with plenty of rasp on Pepper's horn, and some nice edges on Brown's as well! Tracks are short, and often with ensemble heads – but the production is beautiful, and the interplay between the three saxophonists comes through with amazing quality! Titles include "Crazy She Calls Me", "Arrival", "Once We Were Young", "Avalon", "Foolin Myself", "Aretha", and "Long Gone". The remaining 7 tracks on the CD were recorded on the same day, but with a lineup that features Ted Brown dropping out, so that the main interplay is between Pepper's alto and Warne Marsh's tenor. Again, the sound is incredible – far fresher than most of Pepper's so-called "classic" sessions, and it shows the edge and creativity of his alto playing in a way that few other albums ever do. We really recommend this one if you've ever been disappointed by another Pepper album – because there's a sharpness here that really comes through. Titles include "All the Things You Are", "What's New", "Avalon", "Warnin", "Stompin At The Savoy", and "Tickle Toe". CD

Amazing work from one of the hippest comedians of the postwar years – not only filled with razor-sharp wit about politics and society of the period, but delivered in a long stream, without any "bits" – a real revolution that made Sahl a huge influence on standup for years to come! LP, Vinyl record album

Great material from the second chapter of Del Shannon – a time when the previous pop legend opened up to trippier modes – which makes for a really great blend on this gem of an album from 1968! Even at his pop best, there was always a genuine strain of soul-searching sadness in his voice that underscored the material, going all the way back to "Runaway" and on some of the better, if lesser-remembered work after that immortal hit. He manages to carry that trait strongly into the psych era here, with a lot of lusher baroque pop elements, and some great instrumentation – all orchestrated by Don Peake. Includes "Thinking It Over", "Be My Friend", "Silver Birch", "Rover Cool", "Colour Flashing Hair", "Gemini", "Runnin' On Back", "Conquer", "Been So Long", "Magical Musical Box", and "New Orleans (Mardi Gras)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last couple of great records Waits made for Island, and a defining moment in his career! Leave it to Waits to cut a bunch of songs that wrestle with mortality and the fleeting nature of life head on, but have as much fun with it as he does worry or mourn. It's got some rumbling raw material as gritty as anything he'd recorded before or since, beautifully sung ballads and cool, creaky speak-singing tunes. Truly a signature effort and one for both the casual fans and Waits diehards. Includes the classic "I Don't Wanna Grow Up", "Earth Died Screaming" "Dirt In The Ground", "Such A Scream", "All Stripped Down", "Let Me Get Up On It", "Whistle Down The The Wind", "That Feel" and more. CD

One of the last couple of great records Waits made for Island, and a defining moment in his career! Leave it to Waits to cut a bunch of songs that wrestle with mortality and the fleeting nature of life head on, but have as much fun with it as he does worry or mourn. It's got some rumbling raw material as gritty as anything he'd recorded before or since, beautifully sung ballads and cool, creaky speak-singing tunes. Truly a signature effort and one for both the casual fans and Waits diehards. Includes the classic "I Don't Wanna Grow Up", "Earth Died Screaming" "Dirt In The Ground", "Such A Scream", "All Stripped Down", "Let Me Get Up On It", "Whistle Down The The Wind", "That Feel" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Nice small combo work from Lester Young – recorded with the obscure Jessie Drakes on trumpet! Titles include "Lester Warms Up", "Body & Soul", "Up & Atom", "Lester's Blues No 2", and "How High The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

A 60s album that brings together sides recorded by Young in earlier years for Savoy – put together as a "memorial" album after his death. Players include Junior Mance, Roy Haynes, Freddie Green, Count Basie, Shadow Wilson, Buddy Tate, and Joe Newman – and most of the material's in a small group swing style. Titles include "Ding Dong", "Ghost Of A Chance", "Crazy Over Jazz", and "Basie English". LP, Vinyl record album

There's a 4AD-styled image on the cover – and the set looks at a moment in late 80s music when things were nicely swirling together – when production was getting a bit more layered and sophisticated from a few years before – yet not in a way that was overly polished or commercial! Instead, the style represented a new level of sonic sophistication – ways of taking core sounds and spinning them out with greater depth – which made for some really wonderful textures and shapes in the music – pushing things forward in ways that helped the vocals a lot too! The title references a few styles of the time, but there's plenty more going on within – a huge array of work on a special book-style, 4CD package that comes complete with loads of detailed notes on the music. Dozens of tracks in all – work by Ultra Vivid Scene, This Mortal Coil, Shelleyan Orphan, The Chameleons, Louis Philippe, Cranes, Breathless, Kitchens Of Distinction, The Wake, Lush, His Name Is Alive, Lycia, The Sweetest Ache, Smashing Orange, Sweet Jesus, Cranberries, Telescopes, Innocence Mission, Mazzy Star, St Etienne, Low, Dubstar, Pale Saints, and many others. CD

With selections by King Oliver's Dixie Syncopators, New Orleans Rhythm Kings, Johnny Dodds' Black Bottom Stompers, Red Nicols & His Five Pennies, Jimmy Noone's Apex Club Orchestra, Jelly Roll Mortion, Pine Top Smith, James P Johnson, Elmer Schoebel's Friar Society Orchestra, Benny Goodman, Eddie Lang & Joe Venuti, and Duke Ellington. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest collections of work we've ever heard from the great Mort Garson – a selection of tracks that were done during the same years as his famous album releases in the world of moog and analog synth, but done for much more obscure sources that include television, film, and other avenues of expression! The title's a reference to a cut here that was used during a 1969 broadcast of the moon landing – but there's so much more here too, and as always with Garson, there's a blend of electronic experimentation and tunefulness that make the whole thing pretty darn groovy – and not just a trip on the farther reaches of experimental electronics. Titles include "Moon Journey", "Zoos Of The World", "Music For Advertising #8", "Love Is A Garden", "The D-Bee's Cat Boogie", "Black Eye", "Western Dragon (part 3)", "Captain DJ Disco UFO", and "The Big Game Hunters See The Cheetah". CD

One of the coolest, moogiest records we've ever heard from Mort Garson – and that's saying a lot, given that the man gave us the Wozzard Of Iz and a host of moog-based astrological records too! The album's billed as "mood music especially composed to aid the growing of your plants" – and while we doubt that claim, it's more than groovy enough without any herbaceous activity at hand – these cool keyboard lines that are often sweetly tuneful, but nicely tripped-out too – played by one of the best cats to really grab hold of the moog right at the start of its great musical run! Titles include "A Mellow Mood For Maidenhair", "You Don't Have To Walk A Begonia", "Concerto For Philodendron & Pothos", "Ode To An African Violet", and "Plantasia". CD

One of the coolest, moogiest records we've ever heard from Mort Garson – and that's saying a lot, given that the man gave us the Wozzard Of Iz and a host of moog-based astrological records too! The album's billed as "mood music especially composed to aid the growing of your plants" – and while we doubt that claim, it's more than groovy enough without any herbaceous activity at hand – these cool keyboard lines that are often sweetly tuneful, but nicely tripped-out too – played by one of the best cats to really grab hold of the moog right at the start of its great musical run! Titles include "A Mellow Mood For Maidenhair", "You Don't Have To Walk A Begonia", "Concerto For Philodendron & Pothos", "Ode To An African Violet", and "Plantasia". LP, Vinyl record album

The Zodiac never sounded so spooky – and the album's one of the first in a trend that explored astrology with funky musical backings! The music for the set was put together by moogy maestro Mort Garson – then making a transition from being a straight easy arranger in the early 60s, to more of a tripped-out pop-psychedelic artist of the latter part of the decade. Garson brings a nice funky undercurrent to the set – in a style that's similar to the work of David Axelrod, but which also uses a bit more electric instrumentation. Each track features a spoken bit on a Zodiac sign – written by Jacques Wilson, and spoken by Cyrus Faryar – and the album also features some nice moog work by Paul Beaver! Titles include "Aries", "Taurus", "Cancer", "Leo", and so on! (P.S.: The label says "Must Be Played In The Dark!") LP, Vinyl record album

Better than it sounds – as this one, like the initial Jungle Drums album, is low on the drums, and much more in the mode of Gould's usual light classic work. In fact, we're kind of hard pressed to hear any percussion at all – as the main groove is orchestral performances of Latin standards, like "Brazil", "Siboney", "The Peanut Vendor", "Ay Ay Ay", and other tunes of that nature. LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual slice of work by trumpeter Charlie Shavers – proof of his vitality and the range of his powers during the 50s! The first 4 tracks feature Shavers in a sextet with Hank D'Amico, Bennie Morton, Ken Kersey, Aaron Bell and Panama Francis, and some narration by Al Jazzbo Collins! Collins provides some hipster speak that sets that stage for a variety of older tunes featuring Shavers on solo. The set list includes "Dark Eyes", "Dawn On The Desert", "Story Of The Jazz Trumpet", and "Moten Swing" – all done in pretty cool, swinging versions. Side 2 of the LP features Shavers leading another sextet in front of the John Kirby Orchestra with vocalist Maxine Sullivan alongside too, and all of which include Buster Bailey on clarinet, Russell Procope on alto, and Billy Kyle on piano – on tunes that include "Windy", "Rose Room", "If I Had A Ribbon Row", "Flow Gently Sweet Rhythm", and "Molly Malone". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic! This is one of the best of the early Morton Subotnick albums – and it's one long composition filled with raw anologue synth sounds, mixed in such a way that resembles some of the best early French work in the same vein. Very scary stuff – and with less nonsense than some of Subotnick's other albums! LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from the immortal Tribe Called Quest – one of the absolute essential hip hop LPs, and a record that should be an anyone's shortlist of the best albums in several subsections of hip hop – just a straight up masterpiece anyway you cut it. The album is so high up on the ladder, we're a loss to add any fresh insight o the critical consensus, so just get it. Classics one after another, steeped in bass note snapping, head nodding funk jazz beatcraft of the first order! "Buggin Out", "Excursions", "Rap Promoter", "Verses From The Abstract", "Check The Rhyme", "Everything Is Fair", "Jazz (We've Got)", "What?", "Scenario" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning tribute to the great Alan Lomax – the legendary musicologist, historian, and recording engineer who captured so many wonderful American sounds in the 20th Century! Lomax's work has been crucial to both the Library Of Congress and Smithsonian/Folkways Records – yet there's also a fair bit that has never seen the light of day before – amazing recordings that make up a surprisingly large part of this box set – which compiles work in many different styles recorded by Alan in the field – blues, folk, gospel, and global modes, plus compelling regional genres – all presented here in a special 6LP set. The box features 55 never-issued tracks, and lots more great ones too – with music by Shirley Collins, Fiddlin Joe Martin, Compagna Sacco, Calvin Frazier, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jelly Roll Morton, Ernest Williams, Neal Morris, Skip James, Son House, Elmer Barton, Brendan Behan, George Sea Island Singers, Big Bill Broonzy, Elizabeth Austin, Jean Ritchie, Bascomb Lamar Lunsford, Bessie Jones, Duke Of Iron, Charles Barnett, and many others. The box features a nice booklet of notes, too – and some rare photos from the archive! LP, Vinyl record album