A beautiful album from this very hip trio – and like the first, a set that's got a vibe that's very different than most other work of its nature! Sure, it's a guitar trio album – Oren Ambarchi on guitar, Johan Berthling on bass, and Andreas Werliin on drums – but the way the instruments relate is often very different – especially the use of guitar from Ambarchi, which often has this sort of subtle sonic energy rather than tautly plucked notes – qualities that get a lot of resonance next to the always-fantastic basswork of Berthling, a player we've really come to love for fresh ideas in music! Titles include "Tre", "TVA","Fyra", and "En". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't let the "alternate" in the title fool you, because it's not like the Art Ensemble Of Chicago are getting all alt-rock or anything – nor is the album a set of alternate takes! Instead, the album's one of their best from the time – a well-crafted set of tunes, recorded in very familiar company in Chicago – issued only for the Japanese market by DIW. There's a richly organic quality to some of the tunes – as many of the numbers are sparer, more thoughtful tracks that focus on spare percussion and instrumental interplay between members of the group. The album also features the longer tune "Kush", which gets fairly outside at times – plus shorter numbers that include "Imaginary Situations", "And There Was Peace", "Whatever Happens", and "Alternate Express". CD

2 classics by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – back to back on one CD! At the time they were taking Paris by storm, the Art Ensemble recorded these brilliant albums – both of which are some of their strongest early work, far more well-formed than any of their individual expressions recorded earlier in Chicago! The CD features the group at their best – playing very tightly, but also with a sense of whimsy and imagination, and the kind of free-thinking exploration that informed a whole generation of jazz musicians, offering a different mode of expression than the spiritualism of the post-Coltrane years. Includes "A Brain For The Seine", a real classic by the band – plus "Jackson In Your House", "Get In Line", "Song for Charles", "Dexterity" and "Old Time Religion", and "Rock Out". CD

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago – and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer – and plays with a creative tightness that you'll be hard pressed to find on other record. Some tracks are almost straight jazz – but there's all these wonderful little breakdowns and burst of creative energy that keep the AACM spirit alive and true. The centerpiece of the album is the massive "Theme De Yoyo", a righteous powerful groover that features vocals by Fontella Bass (wife of Lester Bowie of the group), and which has become an all-time jazz dance classic! Other tracks have a sparer soundtracky feel, and a few more are in the experimental vein of the Art Ensemble's other Paris work at the time. Wonderful overall though – and an incredibly righteous album filled with power and imagination! Titles include "Theme De Celine", "Proverbes", "Theme Libra", and "Variations Sur Un Theme De Monteverdi". Very hard to find original French pressing – with different cover image! LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from the Art Ensemble – and one of their undisputed classics! The record features some of the most perfectly realized moments the band ever cut to wax, with a blend of whimsical multi-instrumental improvisation, and a strong sense of the spiritual tradition in jazz. The album features one long piece – "Reese & The Smooth Ones" – and it's a stunning array of spontanteous instrumentation, with a jagged sound that never stops reinventing itself! CD

A trio of solo albums from Phillip Bailey – presented here with bonus material too! First up is Continuation – an 80s soul classic from Philip Bailey – stepping out here from Earth Wind & Fire in a set that has him sparkling strongly as a solo act! The vocals still have that trademark Bailey sound – a wonderful range that's never overdone, and which seems to shine especially well on the mellow and midtempo tunes in the set! Production is by George Duke, who does a lot to preserve the jazzier warmth of Bailey's previous settings – and although there's a bit more crossover potential here, the sound is still never too commercial or aimed at the charts. Titles include "It's Our Time", "Trapped", "I Know", "I'm Waitin For Your Love", "Desire", "The Good Guy's Supposed To Get The Girls", and "Your Boyfriend's Back". Next is Chinese Wall – a big breakthrough for Philip Bailey – and a record that was kind of a second-level explosion for the Earth Wind & Fire sound in the 80s! There's a definite crossover feel to the record – a style that takes Bailey's soulful vocals, and mixes them with lots of catchy hooks – in ways that push the Kalimba aesthetic even more into mainstream modes. Yet the album's still got some solid soul grounding, too – thanks to arrangements by Tom Tom and Arif Mardin – which is a nice contrast to the production by Phil Collins, who also guests on the hit "Easy Lover". Other cuts include "Time Is A Woman", "Go", "Walking On The Chinese Wall", "Photogenic Memory", "I Go Crazy", and "Children Of The Ghetto". Last is Inside Out – a set that has Philip Bailey working with Nile Rodgers, who gives him a lean, clean sound that works perfectly with his vocals! The sound is a nice change from the direction Bailey was heading in previously – a return to the focused soul of the later Earth Wind & Fire years, with his amazing lead opening up in ways that few other singers can match. Tunes are pretty well-penned too – catchy, but never cloyingly commercial – and titles include "State Of The Heart", "Welcome To The Club", "Special Effect", "Because Of You", "Take This With You", "The Day Will Come", "Back It Up", and "Echo My Heart". 3CD set features nice bonus material – "I Know (ext dance mix)", "Love Is Alive", "Easy Lover (with Phil Collins)", "Walking On The Chinese Wall (single)", "State Of The Heart (dub mix)", "Twins (with Little Richard)", "Twins (club mix)", and "Easy Lover (ext dance mix)". CD

A really heady album with a nicely trippy vibe – almost as if some of the spirit of Kingston had seeped into a more psychedelic West African setting – with a really wild, unique album as the result! There's some great slow-stepping rhythms on the set, very heavy on bass – and the vocals of singers Danny Black and Moore Black are often recorded with a bit of echo that brings out all these cool qualities – and which, with the bass, almost make the whole thing feel like a more laidback take on territory explored a few years earlier by Cymande! The set's also got some lean keyboards sewing the rhythms together, but never getting in the way of the darkness of the grooves – on titles that include "I'm A Living Man", "I Know You Know What I Know", "Be What You Are", "Smiling Girl", and "Doing It If You Can". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool project, and one that's even cooler than you might guess from the title – as the graphic novel is a very well-done exploration of key strands of electronic music – starting with the early years, moving through disco, Chicago House, Detroit Techno, and beyond – all with individual chapters that really do a great job of telling the story! At some level, the book is a bit like the hip hop history of Ed Piskor, but there's a different approach to storytelling too – as the scenes are interwoven with more personal, reflective elements – almost a Harvey Pekar quality at times, which really makes the narrative come alive. The artwork is great – mostly black and white, but with some color as things move to the 21st Century – and we're really pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable the book is, and especially proud of the way it handles Chicago. Harcover edition is 239 pages, with images throughout – and a smaller text section at the end. Book

An amazing second chapter for The Music Machine – working here with the last name of leader Sean Bonniwell in their name – in a groove that's even weirder and wilder than before! The group take on an odd new sound here – still the heady brew of fuzz and Hammond on their original garagey recordings from LA – but with a mode that also really lets Bonniwell's offbeat character come to the forefront – both in the odd lyrics, and his stark presentation in the lead – a Sunset Strip sense of personality that's almost up there with Kim Fowley at times! The record's definitely one of the weirder, more edgey sides cut for Warner Brothers in the mid 60s – and titles include "Astrologically Incompatible", "Double Yellow Line", "The Trap", "Soul Love", "Bottom Of The Soul", "Me Myself & I", and "The Eagle Never Hunts The Fly". CD features an insane 49 tracks in all – the full 14 track album, other Warner singles, and demos and rare material that includes solo tracks by Sean Bonniwell too! CD

The beautiful debut as a leader from pianist Surya Botofasina – an artist you may know from early work in the spiritual Build An Ark ensemble – finally given a chance here to shine on his own! The album's produced by Carlos Nino, with whom Botofasina worked in Build An Ark – and Nino also plays some percussion on the set, and brings some of his own meditative qualities to the music. Yet things are still very much Surya's own, with long tracks that stretch out on lots of sublime piano and keyboard passages that are almost harp-like at times – touched by some of Nino's percussion – and guest vocals on one track by Dwight Trible, and on another by Mia Doi Todd. Titles include "I Love Dew Sophie", "Surya Meditation", "Everyone's Children", "Beloved California Temple", "Waves For Margie", and "Sun Of Keshava". CD

There's nothing broken about this set – as the album's one of the strongest, most spiritual sessions we've ever heard from the Chicago Tentet of Peter Brotzmann – a really great group who gave us some amazing albums on the Okka Disk label! The set features two great guests – trumpeter Roy Campell and bassist William Parker – and at some level, the rest of the lineup seem to be opening up into modes that welcome the territory of both jazz giants – especially on the long first track, which is a very different reworking of a composition the group explored on another album! As usual, reedman Peter Brotzmann is at the helm – on tenor, alto clarinet, and tarogato – with Ken Vandermark, Mars Williams, and Mats Gustafsson on other reeds – plus Joe McPhee on trumpet and valve trombone, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello and violin, Kent Kessler on bass, Michael Zerang on drums, and Hamid Drake on drums and frame drum, plus some great vocalizations. Titles include "Stonewater" and "Broken English". CD

One of Chico's strongest albums of the late 70s – a masterful set of sophisticated tunes, recorded with some great guest help from Milton Nascimento, Zizi Possi, and Elba Ramalho! The album's got a slightly melancholy feel overall – not completely somber, but a slightly world-weary sound that makes the album a bit different and more mature than some of Chico's earlier work – and which beautifully unlocks a new chapter in his tremendous talents. The style is great – perfect for Buarque's growing international fame at the time, but not in a way that's ever too commercial. Titles include "Calice", "Feijoada Completa", "Tanto Mar", "Apesar De Voce", "Pequena Serenata Diurna", and "Ate O Fim". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Chico's mid 80s period – a record filled with strong and subtle songs, often backed by some nicely jazz-tinged arrangements from Cristovao Bastos! The album's not as revolutionary as some of Chico's earlier records, but it more than makes up for that with an incredibly solid quality overall – and a mature, sophisticated approach to songwriting that easily matches some of Caetano Veloso's best work of the same time. Titles include "Pleas Tabelas", "Samba Do Grande Amor", "Mil Perdoes", "Vai Passar", "As Cartas", and "Suburbano Coracao". CD

An overlooked gem from Chico's mid 80s period – a record filled with strong and subtle songs, often backed by some nicely jazz-tinged arrangements from Cristovao Bastos! The album's not as revolutionary as some of Chico's earlier records, but it more than makes up for that with an incredibly solid quality overall – and a mature, sophisticated approach to songwriting that easily matches some of Caetano Veloso's best work of the same time. Titles include "Pleas Tabelas", "Samba Do Grande Amor", "Mil Perdoes", "Vai Passar", "As Cartas", and "Suburbano Coracao". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing work from a young Chico Buarque – a record that seems to draw on all the best elements of 60s Brazilian pop, and forge them into a sound that's all its own! At one level, there's a post-bossa style of larger arrangements here that recalls the work of Edu Lobo – handled by Maestro Gaya in a mode that recalls some of the best bits of the time on the Elenco or Forma labels. But at another level, there's also a personal and slightly folksy style that reminds us of the initial power of Geraldo Vandre – a sound that's clearly present in Buarque's work, and which stands in a direct line to the best strengths of the emerging Tropicalia generation. The set's filled with classics that include "Carolina", "Roda Viva", "O Velho", "Ate Pensei", "Sem Fantasia", and "Desencontro" – and a few tracks feature Chico in duets with either Toquinho, Cristina, or MPB4! LP, Vinyl record album

An album with as much depth and richness as the title might imply – a wonderful record from Chico Buarque's newly sophisticated years at the end of the 70s! The set's got a quality that's almost timeless – an interwoven blend of styles that features some of Chico's modes from earlier years, but also an influence that's almost European at times – an approach that has Buarque rising up with some of the great global singer/songwriters, transcending standard MPB with a sense of confidence and personality that's really amazing. Arrangements are by Francis Hime, Tom Jobim, and Roberto Menescal – and most tracks have some prominent guitar played gently, but effectively next to the vocals – handled by players who include Octavio Burnier, Arthur Verocai, and Geraldo Azevedo. Titles are nearly all originals by Chico – with tracks that include "Vida", "Ja Passou", "Fantasia", "Qualquer Cancao", "Nao Sonho Mais", "Bye Bye Brasil", "Morena De Angola", and "De Todas As Maneiras". CD

A magnificent set from the Chicago Afrobeat Project – the kind of group that makes us plenty proud we live in the Windy City! The record's got a quality that's a bit more ambitious than you might guess – a complicated style that's still plenty grooving, but which really features some sophisticated instrumentation overall – mostly in familiar Afrobeat modes, but served up with a freshness that we really love! The group's quite large – with instrumentation that's heavy on horns and percussion, but also features some killer keyboards too – snaking through the mix with a soulful vibe that really hits home, especially on the more righteous numbers in the set. Ugochi sings on one track, but the main focus is instrumental – and the great Bobby Broom also plays guitar on one cut too! Titles include "Superstar (part 7)", "Chupacabra", "Carcass", "Fix & Release", "Media Man", "Cloister", and "BSCG2". CD

A really cool Canadian group from the 60s – an all-native lineup of members from the Tsimshian Nation – but working here in a raw garagey style that's totally great! The drums are lean and powerful, guitar follows suit, and vocals often have a surprisingly charming quality – tuneful, and harmonized with a nice sort of sweetness at times. The group famously recorded on Wisconsin's powerhouse Cuca label, home to some great raw singles back in the day – and this set brings together their rare 45 for that label, plus rare demos and unissued material – in their first-ever full length set, with titles that include "Don't Let It Bother You", "Do Lord", "I Won't Be Around", "The Sun Is Shining", "Ebony Eyes", "You Don't Need Me Anymore", "Don't You Leave Me Behind", "I Shouldn't Have Did What I Done", and "I Need Your Lovin". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The name of the group may be obscure, but it's one of the key ensembles who recorded as part of the legendary Deram jazz series at the turn of the 70s – directed by cellist Paul Buckmaster, and featuring trumpet from Ian Carr and soprano sax from Brian Smith! The style here mixes together strings and freer jazz styles – in a tightly scored way that makes for shifting patterns in sound and mood. Overall, there's a quality to the work that always seems to be yearning for the next level – especially on the earlier tracks on the album, which kind of set the stage – and then open up at the final half of the record in some especially groovy numbers that feature Chris Karan on tabla! Other players include Peter Robinson on electric piano, Diana Lewis on acoustic piano, and Barry Morgan on drums – and titles include "Chitinous", "Dance", "Aldebaranian Song", and "Ronkproat'tn". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes 1933 recordings by Condon and orchestra and 1940 recordings by Bud Freeman & His Famous Chicagoans. LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Chick Corea – recorded in the early 80s, but with a sweet electric groove that takes us back to his best from a decade before! Chick plays Fender Rhodes and other keyboards – and works here with a group that has a nice sort of angular edge – none of the too-smooth moments that were sometimes showing up in Corea's other early 80s work, and instead some of the driving, soulful undercurrents that really sparkled in the Return To Forever years. The Fender Rhodes sounds great – clear and clean, just like back in the old days – and the group features reeds from Steve Kujala, bass from Carlos Benavent, drums from Tom Brechtlein, and hip percussion from Don Alias. Titles include "Twang", "Quintet #3", "Waltze", "Again & Again", and "Diddle Diddle". LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing childish here – as the album's a beautiful set of short, spare numbers from Chick Corea – a perfect reminder that he could still maintain a subtle approach to his music, even after years of more dramatic electric sides! The bulk of the album features short "Children's Songs", numbered 1 to 20 – played by Chick in spare, swirling ways that are mighty nice – a much more sensitive Chick Corea than we remember, dancing a nice balance between lyricism and sentimentality, yet without any of the too-popular trappings of some of his 80s contemporaries in the solo piano mode. The CD also features one slightly longer track – "Addendum" – which has Corea's piano with violin and cello. CD

Amazing modern work from the young Chick Corea – a set that captures the pianist in much more avant territory than his famous 70s sets – at a time when he was just coming off some years working in a variety of modes on the New York scene! The group here is as revolutionary as Chick's own work on piano – a trio with Miroslav Vitous on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – generations coming together to really unlock the possibilities of a piano trio, with the same sort of freshness that you'd hear in the earliest work by Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett from the same time. By that, we mean that there's still elements here that tie the approach to older modes – but with a quality that's also instantly Chick's own – especially on the very compelling original material on the set. Titles include "Now He Sings – Now He Sobs", "Steps – What Was", "Matrix", and "The Law Of Falling & Catching Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Daft Punk's epic second live album – an uncommon feat for an electronic act of their era, in that they had that kind of pop or rock cache to build a reputation as a must see live "band', without compromising their club floor shaking genius – and a bit of a classic in its own right. This one came a decade after their first, and again somehow harnessing the show's energy in perfect form and blasting it outta the speakers – and it includes Robot Rock", "Oh Yeah", "Steam Machine", "Brainwasher", "Superheroes", "Rock N Roll", "Alive", "Da Funk", "One More Time", "Prime Tiem Of Your Life", "Short Circuit" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the headier groups in the Mainstream Records psychedelic scene of the late 60s – and that's saying a lot, considering the company the act were keeping on the label! December's Children features both a male and female vocalist, each of whom sing a bit solo, but also come together in occasionally majestic ways – a bit like the mode of Jefferson Airplane at times, but with a lot more complexity. Styles range from funky blues rock to gentler, folksier modes – and although the instrumentation is conventional for a rock combo, the group manage to get a lot of unusual sounds out of what they have on hand. Titles include "Afternoon", "Hide The Water", "Sweet Talkin Woman", "Slow It Down", "Livin Way Too Fast", and "Back Road Rider". LP, Vinyl record album

The heavy groove of Deep Purple continues – in a style that's a bit more song-focused and guitar-led than the group's debut – but still pretty darn great nonetheless! Some of the rumbling bass of before has been toned down a bit, but that leaves plenty of space for more jamming guitar work from Ritchie Blackmore – as well as more soaring Hammond lines, and vocals that almost hint at soulful influences from time to time. The record's got a slightly heartfelt quality that's almost a surprise – and titles include covers of "Kentucky Woman", "We Can Work It Out", and "River Deep Mountain High" – plus the originals "Wring That Neck", "Listen Learn Read On", and "The Shield". LP, Vinyl record album

Really wonderful early work from pianist Berndt Egerbladh – a player who's gotten a lot more global attention in recent years, but who sounds especially great on this rare date from the 60s! The album's a masterful showcase for Berndt's warm, fluid approach on the keys of the piano – a style that's really quite unique for the time, and a very strong precursor to modes that wouldn't show up that strongly on other scenes until the following decade. There's a really mature sound to the record, but one that never tries to hard to be "new", nor pushes its own sense of specialness too strongly. Instead, Berndt manages to stretch out spaciously, but in an understated way – a beautiful balance of color and sound that gives the record a really timeless quality. Bass is by Bjorn Alke, drums by Sten Oberg – and titles include "Mr Idrees", "Eva", "Sarek", "Monique", "Schizo", and "Days Of Wine & Roses". CD

Includes 1935 recordings with the Windy City Five and in 1939-40 with the Summa Cum Laude Orchestra. LP, Vinyl record album

Sublimely spiritual work from trombonist Charles Greenlee – a player who's best remembered for work as a sideman with Archie Shepp, but who really sparkles as a leader on this rare Japanese set! The vibe here is totally great – a righteous approach to soul jazz that rivals the best work of the Strata East scene in the US, but which is carried off with the poise and power of some of the best mid 70s Japanese-only dates of this type – clearly a great deal of respect and freedom given to Greenlee in the studio, but also some good help in putting together the record in as solid a way as possible. Jean Carn makes a great appearance singing on 3 tracks here – with a quality that's even more righteous than her work with Doug Carn on Black Jazz – and one more number features the great Joe Lee Wilson on vocals too. Players include Hubert Eaves and Art Matthews on piano, Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Archie Shepp on tenor and soprano, Buster Williams on bass, and either Charlie Persip or Beaver Harris on drums – and titles include "I Know About The Life", "He's Gone", "Steam", "Someday", "Crusificado", and "Miss Barbara". LP, Vinyl record album

Chico and his group perform tunes from the Rodgers & Hammerstein score to South Pacific – a surprisingly good choice, actually, as the Rodgers & Hammerstein tunes have a great exotic bent to them, working well with the off-beat rhythms and melodies of the combo. Players include Paul Horn on alto and flute, Fred Katz on cello, and John Pisano on guitar – and tunes include "Bali Hai", "Honey Bun", "Cockeyed Optimist", "Younger Than Springtime", and "Happy Talk". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie's still in electro-grooving mode here – not groundbreaking as earlier records, but still handled by Bill Laswell, and with a tackhead groove pretty firmly in place. The tracks are a bit more complicated than before, with vocals by Sugarfoot, and bass by Bootsy Collins. Titles include "Vibe Alive", "Perfect Machine", "Chemical Residue", "Beat Wise", and "Maiden Voyage/P Bop". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Two great female blues talents, recorded at a time when they were still alive and well in Chicago – Alberta Hunter on vocals, and Lovie Austin on piano! CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Pure genius from tenor saxophonist Richie Kamuca – a magical exercise in tone and balance, played by Richie with that warm and raspy style that we love so much in his work! Kamuca's probably best known for his bigger group work of the 50s, but on a session like this he steps out as a marvelously creative soloist – working at a good bop-inspired clip, but also taking the time to explore deeper, more personal ideas through his well-voiced solos on the set. Even on more familiar numbers, Richie steps out with a sense of personality that transforms the tunes to his own way of thinking – and he's very well aided in this work by a crack rhythm section that includes Carl Perkins on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. Titles include originals like "Fire One", "Early Bird", "Rain Drain", "My One & Only Love", and "What's New". LP, Vinyl record album

A hard-swinging session that's much hipper than you might guess from the "hi fi" or "west coast" in the title – recorded with none of the cliches that both tags might make you think – and instead a well-crafted set of solos from the mighty Richie Kamuca! Back in the 50s, Kamuca really had a tremendous tone – one that was often buried in larger groups, but occasionally got to take the solo spotlight on gems like this – stepping out with a raspy, almost gritty undercurrent – a sense of deeper soul in the sound that was uncommon for the west coast scene, and which we might almost compare to the similar qualities of a young Charlie Mariano on the alto sax. Although the group here is fairly largeish – with Bill Holman on baritone sax, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Conte Candoli on trumpet, and Vince Guaraldi on piano – Kamuca's clearly the main solo star, and is set up nicely in some subtle arrangements by Holman. Titles include "Linger Awhile", "Star Eyes", "Stella By Starlight", "Blue Jazz", and "Way Down Under". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant set from Japanese pianist Masabumi Kikuchi – two long, leaping, loping tracks that almost feel like some of McCoy Tyner's best work! Kikuchi plays acoustic piano, and the group's a quartet with Terumasu Hino on trumpet, Koshuke Mine on tenor, Eric Gravatt on drums, and Juni Booth playing some really wonderful bass. Booth's bass leads the tracks with a soulful quality that you don't always hear on Kikuchi's other work – really giving the record a strongly-rooted vibe, while the musicians are still free to really open up and explore. The album's tracks, "East Wind" and "Green Dance", are both excellent examples of the soulful freedoms allowed in the Japanese scene of the 70s – side-long numbers that are different both from contemporary performances on both the US and European scenes of the period. CD

Two very groovy soundtracks from UK great Basil Kirchin – an artist who's sometimes known for darker, moodier music – but who serves up some great 60s work here! The first half of hte set features tunes from the spy film Assignment K – which Kirchin scores with styles that borrow a bit from Italian modes of the period, mixed with some of the more sensitive sounds of British scoring from a few years before – all wrapped up with a wonderful sense of sound that brings out the best of instruments that include piano, vibes, and saxes. Work for the film Strange Affair follows – which is maybe even more in that sense of texture and tone that marks some of the more complex sides of the Basil Kirchin spectrum – especially his way of taking familiar instruments and making them sound very strange and offbeat – often light woodwind elements mixed with a bit of guitar, the produced with these very hip effects! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the rarest dub work ever cut by this legendary Jamaican producer – music that originally appeared on two different records that only ever circulated in shabby TK Records 12" sleeves, often with the wrong information printed on the labels! Yet the set is every bit as seminal as the music on the Aquarius Rock collection of work from Herman Chin Loy – very late in the game for Jamaican dub, but also at a level that almost seemed to give Loy and the musicians a lot more freedom in their ways to explore and experiment in the studio! All the work was done at Herman's Aquarius Studio, with players who include Aston Family Man Barrett on bass, Mickey Chung and Willie Lindo on guitars, and Leslie Butler on keyboards. Titles include "It's Alright Dub", "Armagideon War Dub", "She's Gone Dub", "Troubled World Dub", "You'll Never Know Dub", "Song Of My Mother Dub", "Them A Fight Dub", "No Malice Me Chalice Dub", "Why Do You Idle Dub", and "The Greatest Love Dub". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking Latin Jazz – and an essential 2LP set! The album brings together classic work for Norman Granz' Verve and Clef labels in the cubop mode – including Dizzy Gillespie's Manteca Suite, Machito's Afro-Cuban Suite, titles by Chico O'Farrill, and others recorded in 1949 and arranged by Rene Hernandez. Players include Machito, Charlie Parker, Diz, Mario Bauza, Eddie Bert, Flip Phillips, Chano Pozo, and Jos Mangual – and the quality of the work unifies the sessions wonderfully, even though they were recorded separately over a 5 year period. LP, Vinyl record album

Striking sounds from Michel Magne – an artist who's best known for his groovy soundtracks of the 60s – but who steps out here with a rare experimental set from the late 50s! The style is very much in keeping with the most compelling of the postwar generation in France – as Magne mixes together electronic and acoustic sounds with amazing power – modes that are sometimes as spacious as Pierre Henry, other times as sonically powerful as Xenakis – yet always very much Michel's own unique musical vision! Instrumentation includes some great cymbalum, plus piano, violin, vibes, and percussion – as well as some amzing vocalizations from Jaqueline Dano and Christiane Legrand. Titles include "Memoire D'Un Trou", "Self Service", "Concertino Triple", "Meta Mecanique Saccadee", "Larmes En Sol Pleureur", and "Pointes De Feu Amorties Au Dolsal". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange 60s chapter in the career of trumpeter Chet Baker – but one that we sure like a heck of a lot! These sides were recorded as an answer to the big success of Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass over at A&M Records – and for the sessions, Chet's trumpet was backed by jaunty, brassy arrangements penned by Jack Nitzsche. And while it might be easy to dismiss the tunes as copycat sound-a-likes, they're really not – as Nitszche brings in a much fuller groove to most of the numbers than Herb Alpert ever did – more of a sunny LA pop feel that has the whole group really gliding along on bold waves of sound all topped off by Baker's horn – sounding stronger and more confident here than on most of his other recordings of the 60s! There's a definite Latin undercurrent to most of the numbers, but also a fair bit of mainstream pop instrumentation as well – a style that's bolder and not nearly as compressed as the A&M approach to Tijuana – and one that explodes with some youthful LA energies! 10 numbers in all, including "Flowers On The Wall", "Mexico", "Hot Toddy", "El Paso", "Come A Little Bit Closer", "Speedy Gonzales", "Cuando Calienta El Sol", and "24 Hours To Tulsa". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning solo effort – Teena's second on Epic, and proof that she could still put out the goods on her own! Don't worry about the absence of Rick James here – as things are mighty tight, and right on the money – that wicked blend of funk and soul that got Lady T a great start right out of the box – still undeniably one of the most powerful one-woman moments in soul music! Teena wrote, arranged, and produced the whole thing – and tracks include "Light", "Jammin", "Out On A Limb", "Alibi", "Youngblood", "Lovergirl", and "My Dear Mr. Gaye". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic record – a righteous blend of jazz and spoken word, served up at a level that rivals some of the famous collaborations between Langston Hughes and Charles Mingus! The tunes have a similar introspective quality to that work, but are delivered with a style that's maybe more 70s spiritual jazz overall – instrumentation by a quartet that features Jim Work on acoustic and electric piano, next to bass, drums, percussion, and some very cool effects! Words were all penned and spoken by Jim Marks – who also wrote the music, even though he doesn't play any of the instruments – on beautiful tracks that include "Jazz Is Ourselves", "On Black", "Eulogy For Dewey", "I Out To Watch That Ego", and "It's Time To Become". LP, Vinyl record album

Wynton Marsalis' second date for Columbia Records, and an album that already has him stretching out from the first! Unlike before, when Wynton was given a few older players to help establish his sound, the group here is all Marsalis' own – with brother Branford on tenor and soprano sax, Kenny Kirkland on piano, Jeff Watts on drums, and either Phil Bowler or Ray Drummond on bass. Tracks are a mix of originals, and well-chosen modern moments from years past – played with a mix of soulful colors and more angular sounds, almost in the manner of VSOP from a few years before. Titles include "Fuschia", "Knozz Moe King", "Later", "The Bell Ringer", "Think Of One", and "Melancholia". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal early set on the Okka Disk label – the important Chicago avant imprint who began documenting an important stretch of the career of Joe McPhee – much as the Hat Hut label had begun 20 years before! The set features performances recorded during McPhee's first appearance in Chicago during the mid 90s – the start of a beautiful relationship that would continue for decades to come – and McPhee blows both reeds and trumpet, in a trio with Ken Vandermark on saxes and Kent Kessler on bass – all working together in a very open studio format that has the players shifting between trio work, to solo and duo performances too. The recording is crucial – as McPhee's sensitivity brings out a whole new side of both Chicago players – on titles that include "Heart Of The Matter", "A Meeting In Chicago", "Breakneck Ridge", "Lalibela", "Empty Bottle Blues", "Fourteen Years Later", and "I Leave You Love". CD

A rich legacy of music from David McWilliams – a UK artist with a sound that's based in folk music, but set to these magnificent larger arrangements that really send things over the top! There's a soaring majesty to the music – maybe somewhere in the Scott Walker camp, in part because of the sense of self-importance that McWilliams brings to the delivery of the songs, which is tremendous – a quality that would be cloying a few steps to the side, but which is perfect all the way through on these cuts! Mike Leander provides some wonderful arrangements on these tracks, David's voice is recorded with a nicely moody style, and the whole blend of modes here is incredible. Some of McWilliams' music from this time has been issued before, but this package brings together all his albums for the Major/Minor label – Singing Songs By David McWilliams, David McWilliams Vol 2, and David McWilliams Vol 3 – plus bonus tracks from a variety of singles too, and a great set of notes! CD

A set with maybe the most striking cover image that Monday Michiru's given us in years – and a record that really delivers on that promise, too – filled with really captivating tunes that represent a new high level in Monday's already-high career! There's a depth and maturity to the record that we never would have guessed when we first fell in love with her music – and we thought she was already pretty darn deep way back then – as Monday delivers hers vocals alongside musical complexity that takes strong advantage of the many great guest jazz musicians in the lineup – players who include Misha Tsiganov and David Kikoski on Fender Rhodes, Gil Goldstein on piano, Lew Tabackin on flute, and Steve Wilson on soprano sax. But at the center of it all is Monday – far more a jazz singer in recent years than the soul artist of her start – but balancing the spirit of both worlds beautifully, and with command of her vocal instrument that's completely stunning! Where most singers seem to get a bit more casual about their craft over the years, Michiru's just continued to master her natural instrument with a fantastic range and wonderfully expressive quality. Titles include "Ombre Of Time", "Pivot", "Cycles", "The Sound", "Ringo Oiwake", "Hope Pretend To Sleep", "Rise Above", "Life", and "Gossamer's Touch" – plus "Untethered", which features some great guest work from Ursula Rucker! LP, Vinyl record album

Four killer tracks from Narg Funk Machine – a group whose first name stands for Nigerian Army Rhythm Group! Despite that name, though, there's nothing military about the set – as the grooves have this loose, fluid quality that's totally wonderful – as skittish as rootsier styles on the West African scene, but served up with an instrumental tightness that's great, especially on the horns and guitar lines! And despite the title, the set's not disco at all – much more raw, funky, and earthy – with titles that include "Orimi", "Akiti", "Eko Ile", and "Mo Gbayo De". LP, Vinyl record album

An Italian prog classic from the New Trolls – a group who sing in English throughout, and work with a quality that makes us wonder why this set never broke big on the British or American scenes of the 70s! The record's got a very special vibe right from the start – a blend of acoustic guitar and stronger electric elements – served up in modes that use the acoustic instrument to underscore some of the darker, personal currents in the lyrics – almost a departed spirit that seems to leave the singer in this soul-searching position that really colors the tunes. Other instrumentation is a blend of heady guitars, keyboards, and drums – but often used in these really thoughtful ways – not just jamming for jamming's sake, and instead balanced with the lyrics in a very careful manner. Titles include "St Peter's Day", "Percival", "Searching", "Giga", "Bright Lights", "Lying Here", and "A Land To Live A Land To Die". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a very careful approach to sound – very slow-building work on soprano sax from Evan Parker, matched with equally thoughtful electronics from Matthew Wright – both players coming together in one of the most subtle executions of this mode we've ever heard! And that quality is only heightened by the fact that the group's a quartet – Peter Evans on trumpet and piccolo trumpet, and Mark Naussef on percussion – players who share the sensitivity of the dual leaders, as they build things up over long improvisations that really showcase that thoughtful sonic sensitivity that's always made Parker such a distinct reedman on the European scene. The whole thing is definitely a free jazz expression of electro/acoustic ideals first forged in the middle of the 20th Century – and titles include "At Altitude", "Drawing Breath", and "Engaged In Seeking". CD

A killer set from Italian trumpeter Guido Pistocchi – and one with a very specific old school vibe as well! Pistocchi's going for a 50s California jazz approach here, but one that's also focused on the contributions of Italian-American players Conte Candoli and Tony Fruscella – both of whom are referenced strongly in Guido's approach on his horn, and on the album's choice of tracks! Walter Ricci sings on a few numbers – echoing a bit of Chet Baker's old sound of the 50s – and other cuts are sparkling instrumentals, with Pistocchi on trumpet, Max Ionata on tenor, Gruno Cesselli on piano, Paolo Ghetti on bass, and Marcello Di Leonardo on drums. Title sinclude "Old Hat", "Macedonia", "Zizanie", "You Can't Go Home Again", "Some Day", and "I Can't Get Started". CD

A stunner of a set from Ken Vandermark & co as Powerhouse Sound – a riveting 2CD batch of rhythmic juxtaposition inspired by dub, sound collage production, and free rock caterwauling – done with a pair of line-ups in both Oslo and Chicago! The Oslo group is heavy with bass and stuttering electronic manipulations, and features Vandermark, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten and Nate McBride on electric bass, Pall Nilssen-Love on drums and Lasse Marhaug on electronics. The Chicago crew runs through variations of the material and changes up the instrumentation with Vandermark, John Herndon on drums, Jeff Parker on guitar and McBride on bass. Disc one (Oslo version) includes "Shocklee (For Hank Shocklee)", "King To Crown (For King Tubby), "Coxsone (For Coxsone Dodd)", "2-1-75" (For Miles Davis), "Acid Scratch (For Lee Perry)", "Exit-Salida (For Burning Spear)" and "New Dirt (For The Stooges)". Disc two (Chicago version) includes "Old Dictionary (For Bernie Worrell)", "King To Crown Pt 1/Acid Scratch Pt 2", "Coxsonne", "2-1-75" and "New Dirt/King To Crown Pt 2". CD

One of the greatest moments ever from Psychic TV – and a really stunning surprise after the breakup of Throbbing Gristle! Genesis P Orridge and Peter Cristopherson go in a completely different direction here – a mode that still holds onto some of the noise lessons learned in TG, but which also shows this incredible love of both more complicated pop modes from the 60s, and some of the farther reaches of minimalism as well! The album sports these tremendous ballads with eerie vocals by Genesis – including "The Orchids" and "White Nights" – which are both eerie recastings of an older mode of UK pop love songs – and there's other tracks that maybe echo a bit of Meredith Monk, or some of the underground experimentalists on the Lovely Records scene – including bits that have weird phone rings, dog barks, and other great touches. A spare and subtle use of noise and darker sounds wends its way throughout – but never with the heavier handed touches of later years – and titles include "Hymn 23", "The Orchids", "Botanica", "Iron", "Glove", "Always Is Always", "White Nights", "Finale", "Eleusis", "Medmenham", "Ancient Lights", "Proof On", "Eden 1 Eden 2 Eden 3", "Clouds Without Water", "Black Moon", "Silver And Gold", "In The Nursery", and "Circle". LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing blues-like about this great little cut from 1979 – one that has Warren Raye singing deep soul vocals over a slow-stepping groove with some warm modern soul production – very much in that warmer shift in southern soul that was taking place on labels like Malaco in the latter half of the 70s – a quality that's carried through on the flipside – an excellent cut that wasn't even issued back in the day! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Some of the coolest music we've ever heard from Tomeka Reid – a soundtrack for a film based on the Chicago school of imagist painting in the 60s – nicely scored with music from the windy city itself! Reid composed the different selections on the soundtrack – most of which are different themes for Hairy Who artists, such as Ed Paschke, Ray Yoshida, Jim Nutt, and others – and the music features Reid's cello and the percussion of Adam Vida, plus some slight vocalizations at a few haunting moments! The music is surprisingly tuneful at most points – and quite beautiful as well – and titles include "Jizz & Jazz", "Hairy Shoes", "Tin Eared Tenor", "Dappled Pleasure Dress", "O Number I", "The Design & The Dilemma", and "Snooper Trooper". CD

An album with a righteous cover, but one that follows strongly in the soaring disco mode that made the Ritchie Family such a strong act on the dancefloors in the late 70s! The trio are working with disco maestro Jacques Morali here – and side one features the extended "African Queens" suite – a long track that tells the tales of Nefertiti, Cleopatra, and Sheba – all set to lush disco rhythms that make the whole thing more of an extended disco suite than some sort of lesson in knowledge and power. Side two features some shorter numbers – one of which is a great remake of "Quiet Village", given some great disco rhythms and lyrics – plus "Summer Dance" and "Voodoo". CD features bonus tracks – 7" versions of four tracks on the set! CD

A brilliant set with a real 60s modern feel overall – in case you couldn't guess from the hip cover image! The group's got a sound that's definitely in the sharper side of the Italian jazz spectrum – kind of a Basso-Valdambrini groove, but with some bolder tones at times – all handled wonderfully by a quintet that features Oscar Rocchi on piano, Sergio Fanni on trumpet, Hugo Heredia on flute and sax, Giovanni Tommasso on bass, and Gianno Cazzola on drums! The horn parts are especially great – coming together with some nice tension on the heads, the burning out into solos that are filled with soul and feeling – the kind of sparkling energy that makes digging up older Italian sessions like this so great. Titles include "Thema", "Elixir", "Preposition", "Action Up", "Kind Words", "Wafers", "Relax Love", and "Example". CD also features 6 bonus tracks too – "Nigredo", "Gold Fast", "Rubedo", "Solution", "Silver Bop", and "Sulphur". CD

A wealth of funky instrumentals – never issued before! Sam & The Soul Machine were a funky New Orleans combo that had a sound that was a heck of a lot like the Meters – dubby bass, tight snapping drums, and some warm and bubbling organ work that gave the music a sweetly soulful finish. This fantastic set of tracks was recorded in 1969 – right at the height of the Crescent City funk scene – but was never issued before, due to a strange twist of fate (not to mention the IRS!) Rough and ready – and a perfect slice of deep deep funk! 12 tracks in all – including "T-Time", "Stand", "Mercy D", "Slow Motion", "Wanted Alive", "Meditation", and "Thesis". LP, Vinyl record album

A really compelling little set from Satisfaction Unlimited – a group we only know from this one corker of a record on the Hot Wax label! The style's a bit in some of the harmony modes of the east coast scene of the time – yet like most Hot Wax/Invictus work, there's also a bit of an odd twist too – a quality that's hard to peg in words, but which is sometimes slightly trippy, other times warmly soulful – almost a Cali indie sort of vibe – with a bit of sunshine that breaks through amidst some of the darker, heavier themes of the record. There's plenty of great numbers with a catchy vibe that could have almost gotten these guys the radio play of some of the RCA groups of the time – and titles include "Time For Us", "Think of The Children", "Bright City Lights", "Let's Change The Subject", "Come On Back", and "Why". CD

A mad mix of loud guitar, wild samples, and heavy Brazilian percussion – all nicely topped with the soulful vocals of Chico Science! The record's one of the group's earlier ones, and it's filled with a sense of raw power and experimentation that easily demonstrates why the band grabbed so much attention so quickly. Forget all those cliches you keep hearing about the postmodern power of Tropicalia – this stuff's equally as complex, and filled with bits and pieces you wouldn't even imagine! Titles include "Da Lama Ao Caos", "Salusatiano Song", "Riso Flora", "Coco Dub", "Rios, Pontes & Overdrives", and "A Cidade", which has a nice little snippet from Mark E Smith! LP, Vinyl record album

A very heady combo from the French scene at the start of the 70s – one who seem to have really been inspired by the free jazz experiments of the BYG/Actuel scene right at the end of the 60s! The group's a septet, as you'd guess from their name – and they shift between unified expressions and very frenzied moments when each individual player is doing their own thing – yet somehow managing to make a sense of the sound as it rises together! Players include Sonny Grey on trumpet – a surprise if you know his straighter work from earlier years – plus William Treve on trombone, Jean-Francoise Sicard on alto sax and flute, Gerard Coppere on tenor and flute, Jean-Louis Mechali on vibes and drums, Francois Mechali on bass, and Manuel Villarroel on piano. Titles include "Parisionophobie", "Theme Z", "Relaxin", "Terronesia", "Brack", and "Amma". CD

A very heady combo from the French scene at the start of the 70s – one who seem to have really been inspired by the free jazz experiments of the BYG/Actuel scene right at the end of the 60s! The group's a septet, as you'd guess from their name – and they shift between unified expressions and very frenzied moments when each individual player is doing their own thing – yet somehow managing to make a sense of the sound as it rises together! Players include Sonny Grey on trumpet – a surprise if you know his straighter work from earlier years – plus William Treve on trombone, Jean-Francoise Sicard on alto sax and flute, Gerard Coppere on tenor and flute, Jean-Louis Mechali on vibes and drums, Francois Mechali on bass, and Manuel Villarroel on piano. Titles include "Parisionophobie", "Theme Z", "Relaxin", "Terronesia", "Brack", and "Amma". LP, Vinyl record album

Archie Shepp in Europe is always an amazing thing – and here, the spiritual master is captured right between his late 60s free French recordings, and some of his more tightly-controlled Italian albums of the second half of the decade! There's a great balance here – as Archie's still flowing forth with some of the inspirations of his Impulse sessions, while also pushing that spirituality into an exploration of older jazz material too – at that level that would really evolve in his recordings of the following decade. The lineup here is nicely unusual – with some superb piano from Dave Burrell, plus bass from Donald Garrett, percussion and flute from Zusaan Fasteau Garrett, and drums from Muhammad Ali. Shepp plays piano on one track, and Jasper Van't Hof plays piano on another – and titles include "Dr King The Peaceful Warrior", "Little Willie Leaps", "Round Midnight", "Sonny's Back", "African Blues", and "Sophisticated Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child". CD

Straight, soulful work from Archie Shepp – an overlooked gem from the start of the 90s, and a set that we'd rank right up there with his classics from his great "straight" period of the late 70s! The album's got frequent partner Horace Parlan on piano – who already helps things get grounded in all the right territory – and the excellent Wayne Dockery is on bass, a player with subtle power that really helps give the album all the right depth. George Brown completes the group on drums – and Shepp blows both tenor and alto sax – the latter of which has this raspy quality that's maybe overblown, but in this really powerful way. Title sinclude "Ask Me Now", "Party Time", "Billie's Bossa", "Go Down Moses", and "Now's The Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album for all those folks who ever crabbed about Shepp going back "inside" during the late 70s! The record is straight jazz – not as righteous as Attica Blues or some of the other Impulse albums, yet done with a wonderfully soulful quality that shows that even without a large group backing him up, Shepp could blow wonderfully on the sax. Most tunes feature him on soprano, and the album also features a bit of tenor – and the group is a quartet with Walter Bishop on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums. Tracks are all long, and Shepp's got this great laidback and mellowly searching tone. Titles include "In A Mellow Blues", "Enough", "The Scene Is Clean", and "On Green Dolphin Street". CD

One of the most perfectly-realized early Archie Shepp albums on Impulse Records – a set that brilliantly brings together all the different influences that inspired his sense of creation, but with a lean energy that takes everything far from its roots – and puts the music firmly in the best "new thing" territory of the mid 60s! The players shift around a bit from track to track – that sense of creative combination that really marked this moment in avant jazz expression – and about half the record features Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, in a lineup that also includes Henry Grimes and Barre Phillips on bass, and David Izenzon, Rashied Ali, and Joe Chambers on drums and percussion! Shepp contributed some of his most haunting compositions to the set – including "On This Night", "The Mac Man", and "The Pickaninny" – and the whole thing's amazing enough to make you an Archie Shepp convert for life! CD

A very late session from trumpet legend Chet Baker – recording here in the very unusual company of tenorist Archie Shepp – a player that few could have imagined working together a few years before! By the time of the date, Shepp had become more of a traditionalist, but still with an ear for the modern edge that graced his earlier work – and while Chet had gotten more modern in his music, the direction was very different than Archie's – in part because of some of the physical changes Baker had gone through. At some level, the session's maybe more one in the mode of Shepp in Europe during the 80s, with Baker along for a guest – as the rhythm section is more suited to Shepp too – with work from Horace Parlan on piano, Herman Wright on bass, and Clifford Jarvis on drums. Both Archie and Chet sing a bit, and titles include "My Ideal", "When Lights Are Low", "Confirmation", "Dedication To Bessie Smith's Blues", "My Foolish Heart", and "How Deep Is The Ocean". CD

A mindblowing little record – one of those jazz meetings you might never have thought possible, and every bit as great as you'd expect! By the time of this set, Lars Gullin had already reached the heights of jazz in Scandinavia – one of the hippest players of the 50s, ready to branch out into even new ideas and expressions in the 60s! Enter Archie Shepp, quite young at the time, but already a fiercely creative talent on the tenor – blowing here alongside Gullin in the relaxed, open format of a live date at the Club Montmartre in Copenhagen – a well-recorded performance that was done for Swedish radio, and which has both players taking very long solos. It's great to hear Lars really stretch out – sounding looser and grittier than on some of his studio work – and Shepp's really on fire blowing through the standards on the date – almost hinting at that approach he'd use in the late 70s, but with all the burning quality of his youth! Other players include Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – and titles include "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "The House I Live In", "I Should Care", and "Sweet Georgia Brown". LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked bit of Japanese soul, and a rare album done by an American singer who was working on the scene at the time! Shoody sings in English throughout, with a soulful style that's wonderful – mixing her own great vocals with jazzy backings in a level that's a bit like some of the Japanese fusion of the late 70s that was recorded over in Cali when an American singer might drop in vocals on a track or two! Yet here, the vocals are throughout, and work wonderfully with the backings put together by Hiroyuki Namba, who plays keyboards throughout the record too. Shoody steps out on a few mellower cuts too – and titles include "Tokyo Melody", "AM Lonely", "Don't Say Hello Say Goodbye", "Melodies Of Love", "Chased The Blue", "Ecstasy", and "Tomorrow's Child". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that may have the year 1993 permanently locked into its title – but a set that's got more than enough strength to survive strongly over the decades – the first great statement from Cali giants Souls Of Mischief, and a record that would set the tone for the Hiero Imperium scene for years to come! The set's filled with jazz inspired, headnodding boom bap production at its finest – topped with some of the finest ensemble rapping of the time, all at a level that breaks new lyrical boundaries with cuts that include "That's When Ya Lost", "Let Em Know", "Live & Let Live", "Make Your Mind Up", "A Name I Call Myself", "Disseshowedo", "What A Way To Go Out", "Never No More", "93 Til Infinity", "Limitations", "Anything Can Happen", "Make Your Mind Up", "Batting Practice", and "Tell Me Who Profits". LP, Vinyl record album

A remix-heavy version of a record that may have the year 1993 permanently locked into its title – but a set that's got more than enough strength to survive strongly over the decades – the first great statement from Cali giants Souls Of Mischief, and a record that would set the tone for the Hiero Imperium scene for years to come! The set's filled with jazz inspired, headnodding boom bap production at its finest – topped with some of the finest ensemble rapping of the time, all at a level that breaks new lyrical boundaries! This set is a mix of instrumentals and 12" tracks – with titles that include "93 Til Infinity (12" remix)", "That's When Ya Lost (I ain't trippin rmx)", "Never No More (78 Seville mix)", "Good Feeling (12" version)", "Make Your Mind Up (rock on mix)", "Never No More (LP inst)", "That's When Ya Lost (LP inst)", and "93 Til Infinity (rmx inst)". LP, Vinyl record album

Overlooked spiritual jazz genius from Chicago trumpeter Malachi Thompson – a player who was making 70s-styled sessions when most folks had given up on the music! The vibe here is right between Strata East and some of the more righteous 70s sessions on Muse – and the group features superb work from tenorist Carter Jefferson, who's at the level of his Rise Of Atlantis work from back in the day – in a group that also features Albert Dailey on piano, James King on bass, Nasar Abadey on drums, and Randy Abbott on congas. Arnae Burton sings on the track "Back To The One", Leon Thomas guests on "No More Hard Times" – and other instrumental tracks include "A Rising Daystar", "Spirit Of Man", "Dhyia Malika", and "I Remember Clifford". CD features the bonus track "Dearly Beloved". CD

An unusual group that we only know from this one Italian soundtrack – and a combo who's not nearly as electronic as you might guess from their Kraftwerk-sounding name! Instead, the approach here is a bit like that of Goblin on their horror scores from the same time – a style that uses keyboards, guitar, and bass that come from a more progressive music background than other Italian soundtrack composers – but which also comes off here with a lot less of the jamming modes that you'd hear in Goblin's work. Instead, the overall sound is relatively laidback – lessons learned from the great Italian composers of the early 70s, especially in their balance of subtle and more experimental sounds – all poised nicely to build over the course of the film. There's some great use of electric bass here – often quite spare and pulsating – and the CD reissue features 26 tracks in all, including a number of bonus tracks! CD

A sweet 70s groover from Italian soundtrack maestro Armando Trovajoli – one that has some nice funky tracks! There's a bit more electricity running through the mix than on Trovajoli's 60s recordings – sweet keys and bass bubbling under the strings, and often hitting some nice laidback funky tunes in a sexy 70s Euro style. Some cuts are mellower and more traditional, but the electric ones, especially those with a bit of moog, are totally great – and the album's a great reminder of why Trovajoli continues to be one of our favorite soundtrack composers ever! Titles include "Racconto Televisivo", "Brutti Sporchi E Cattivi", "Nonna Antonecca", and "Il Sogno". This stunning version is overflowing with bonus tracks – a total of 22 numbers in all, and way more than the previous CD release! CD