Fantastic stuff – and one of the greatest records ever by Brazilian keyboardist Antonio Adolfo! The album was recorded at the end of the 70s, and has a sound that's a lot like the best fusion work by Azymuth – a great mix of jazz and funk, plus more dynamic Brazilian elements – all wrapped together in a way that a rare few hybrids do this well! There's great keyboards right up front in the mix – and the backing has some tight percussion that crackles along and gives the album a heavy bottom and a great groove. The album was originally only issued on the tiny Artezanal label – but it feels like a lost gem from the classic funk years at Fantasy Records – internationally funky, far past just a Brazilian music gem. Titles include the massive break cut "Cascavel", plus other nice tracks like "Viralata", "A Marcha", "Assanhada", "Vermelhinho", and "Brincadeira Em Mi Bemol". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Azymuth – rare demo recordings done at the home studio of keyboardist Jose Roberto Bertrami, in the short space before the group issued their legendary debut! The tracks here are as much jazz funk as they are the later modes that Azymuth would put forth – killer instrumentals that are really driven by great keyboard lines from Bertrami, who'd already been making music in other formats for years – and who works here on Fender Rhodes, Arp, Clavinet, Hammond, and a range of other keyboards too! The drums are fantastic, too – handled by a young Ivan Conti, who gets help on percussion from an early fourth member of the group, Ariovaldo Contesini – and as you might guess, the incredible basslines of Ivan Mamao Conti really help the whole thing groove. All material is very well-recorded – these aren't rough or unfinished tracks at all – and the whole thing should just be thought of as a first chapter for the group, right before they started putting out their famous records. Titles include "Prefacio", "Castelo", "Melo Do Cuica", "Xingo", "Laranjeiras", "Eqiupe 68", "Unknown Song For Mario Telles", "Manha", "Duro De Roer", "Quem Tem Medo", "Juntos Mais Uma Vez", and "Bateria Do Mamao". CD

Really mindblowing work from legendary drummer Ivan "Mamao" Conti – a key part of Azymuth through that group's many years – and still going strong here as a solo artist on his own! The album's almost a 21st Century realization of the sound that Azymuth was going for back in the day – cascading percussion with plenty of influences from Brazilian music and jazz, often given some electric elements along the way – but always in a style that's warmly organic, and right on the groove! Conti gets help from younger Azymuth and Incognito generations – as Alex Malherios plays bass on the record and Daniel Maunick handles keyboards, more percussion, and production – all at a level that never stomps on Ivan's vision at all – and which instead makes the whole thing as rewarding as any Azymuth session we've heard over the past few decades. Most tracks are instrumental, save for some airy wordless vocals – but Thiago Martins sings lead on "Que Legal", and other titles include "Aroeira", "Bacurau", "Poison Fruit", "Jemburi", "Ecos Da Mata", "Encontro", and "Tempestades". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Brazilian album from the legendary keyboardist Deodato – recorded right around the same time as his classic CTI albums Prelude and Deodato 2 – but much more obscure! This set's got a similar electric vibe, but is much more compact – with maybe more organ than Rhodes, on tunes that are short, groovy, and very much to the point – graced with the kind of arranging genius that Eumir showed during the bossa nova years, but with a lot more soul and funk elements in the mix! The whole thing's very unique – not like any other Deodato album – and it was partly recorded in New York, with help from Phil Bodner and Romeo Penque on saxes and flute, and trumpet from Marvin Stamm. Titles include "Arranha Ceu" – a remake of his "Skyscrapers" – plus "Puma Branco", "Extremo Norte", "Menina", "O Jogo", "Flap", "Atire A 1a Pedra", and "Carlota E Carolina". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime little set – quite possibly the greatest album ever from Brazilian keyboardist Manfredo Fest! Manfredo first cut his teeth on the bossa scene of the 60s – but by the time of this rare indie session, he'd moved up to the US – and was working with sweet keyboards to really electrify his groove! The record's a wonderful blend of 70s Brazilian fusion modes and just a dash of American soul – and in addition to Manfredo's wonderful work on Fender Rhodes, the set also has these brilliant vocals from Roberta Davis – a singer who works wordlessly, using her voice as an instrument in this really cool way – sliding along with the grooves, and making the album sound unlike anything else we can think of. The overall feel is a bit like Joao Donato's excellent Quem E Quem album – and titles include "Jungle Cat", "Facing East", "Who Needs It", and "Brazilian Dorian Dream". CD

A sublime little set – quite possibly the greatest album ever from Brazilian keyboardist Manfredo Fest! Manfredo first cut his teeth on the bossa scene of the 60s – but by the time of this rare indie session, he'd moved up to the US – and was working with sweet keyboards to really electrify his groove! The record's a wonderful blend of 70s Brazilian fusion modes and just a dash of American soul – and in addition to Manfredo's wonderful work on Fender Rhodes, the set also has these brilliant vocals from Roberta Davis – a singer who works wordlessly, using her voice as an instrument in this really cool way – sliding along with the grooves, and making the album sound unlike anything else we can think of. The overall feel is a bit like Joao Donato's excellent Quem E Quem album – and titles include "Jungle Cat", "Facing East", "Who Needs It", and "Brazilian Dorian Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever full length set we've seen from Daniel Maunick – an artist who you might know from his remix work as Venom, or for his ties to the Incognito universe – given that Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick is his father! Yet the sound here is definitely Daniel's own – rootsier than some of his remix work, but with the feature future-sounding elements of those tracks too – almost a globe's worth of sonic elements, fused with more contemporary keyboards and beats – providing a great bridge between some of the 12" releases of the Far Out label, and directions they might take in the future. The percussion on some tracks is especially nice – and maybe ties Daniel's music to some of the global house currents at the start of this century – on titles that include "Sombra Do Dragao", "Until The End", "A Vicious Circle", "One Nite Stand", "Red Doves", "Orbitus", "As Light Fades", and "Amnesia Haze". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing album of vocal Brazilian jazz and sweet electric funk – a standout classic that's forever been at the top of our stack of 70s Brazilian music! Singer Ana Mazzotti is at the head of the session – singing with this breezy style that's at once cold and warm, cool and emotive – and she's backed by a small jazz combo with some incredible moog, Arp, and organ from Jose Roberto Bertrami of Azymuth! The record's got a bucketful of groove-heavy tracks that feel like CTI meeting up with Joao Donato – and the album's a treasure that should be in the collection of any fan of 70s Brazilian funk! Titles include "Cordao", "Soul", "Bairro Negro", "Eu Sou Mai Eu", "Roda Mundo", "Sou", and "Agora Ou Nunca Mais" – plus an incredible version of "Feel Like Making Love"! LP, Vinyl record album

Really mindblowing work from legendary drummer Ivan "Mamao" Conti – a key part of Azymuth through that group's many years – and still going strong here as a solo artist on his own! The album's almost a 21st Century realization of the sound that Azymuth was going for back in the day – cascading percussion with plenty of influences from Brazilian music and jazz, often given some electric elements along the way – but always in a style that's warmly organic, and right on the groove! Conti gets help from younger Azymuth and Incognito generations – as Alex Malherios plays bass on the record and Daniel Maunick handles keyboards, more percussion, and production – all at a level that never stomps on Ivan's vision at all – and which instead makes the whole thing as rewarding as any Azymuth session we've heard over the past few decades. Most tracks are instrumental, save for some airy wordless vocals – but Thiago Martins sings lead on "Que Legal", and other titles include "Aroeira", "Bacurau", "Poison Fruit", "Jemburi", "Ecos Da Mata", "Encontro", and "Tempestades". CD features bonus mixes – "Ilha Da Luz (Tenderlonius rmx)", "Encontro (Glenn Astro rmx)", "Que Legal (Reginald Omas Mamode IV rmx)", "Encontro (Max Graef rmx)", and "Poison Fruit (Dokta Venom's digital dub rmx)". CD

An organ bossa classic from the legendary Eumir Deodato – one of his strongest albums from his early years in Brazil! There's a very jazzy feel to the set all the way through – thanks to a tightly arranged group that not only features the organ and percussion you might expect from such a date, but which also features some great horn work as well! Trombone, tenor, and baritone sax all get in some nice licks – and Deodato's organ cooks wonderfully throughout, often with a quick-stepping bossa jazz sound that really keeps things lively. Titles include "O Sol Nascera", "Samba Do Dom Natural", "Terra De Ninguem", "E Bom Parar", and "Ataque". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever full length set we've seen from Daniel Maunick – an artist who you might know from his remix work as Venom, or for his ties to the Incognito universe – given that Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick is his father! Yet the sound here is definitely Daniel's own – rootsier than some of his remix work, but with the feature future-sounding elements of those tracks too – almost a globe's worth of sonic elements, fused with more contemporary keyboards and beats – providing a great bridge between some of the 12" releases of the Far Out label, and directions they might take in the future. The percussion on some tracks is especially nice – and maybe ties Daniel's music to some of the global house currents at the start of this century – on titles that include "Sombra Do Dragao", "Until The End", "A Vicious Circle", "One Nite Stand", "Red Doves", "Orbitus", "As Light Fades", and "Amnesia Haze". CD

Wonderfully groovy work from Marcos Valle – one of the artists who first inspired us to start a record store many years ago! Marcos is back, and in very soulful formation – working here in a mode that recalls some of his fantastic soul-based sounds in the early 80s – including his great collaborations with the legendary Leon Ware! The tunes are upbeat and funky, but still have all the personal warmth that Valle brings to his music – a special blend that few folks could ever touch, even back in the day – and which, all these many years later, reminds us just how distinct the music of Marcos has always been. Valle sings and plays plenty of great keyboards – and the whole thing was produced and arranged by Daniel Maunick, a perfect partner in crime for Marcos. Titles include "Minha Roma", "Olha Quem Ta Chengado", "Sempre", "Sitancia", "Vou Amanha Saber", "Odisseia", and "Alma". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully fuzzy work from Amanaz – one of the trippiest, headiest groups of the Zamrock scene of the 70s! The guitars here are very full and present – not at a hit you over the head jamming label, but with this rich sonic element that has lots of bassy undercurrents – at a level that makes the album a head-nodding gem all the way through – poised perfectly between some of the more psyche styles of the African scene of the time, and some of the more thoughtful singer-songwriter material. The group have a quality that's surprisingly deep – very soulful, and with a subtle power that comes through strongly – thanks to a mostly-English batch of lyrics (although a few tunes here are in their native Bemba.) No cuts are all-out funky, but all have this great slow-funk sort of charm – and titles include "I Am Very Far", "Sunday Morning", "Khala My Friend", "Green Apple", "Africa", "Making The Scene", "Easy Street", "Big Enough" and "Kale". 2CD package features a full bonus "reverb mix" of the album – even trippier! CD

Wonderfully fuzzy work from Amanaz – one of the trippiest, headiest groups of the Zamrock scene of the 70s! The guitars here are very full and present – not at a hit you over the head jamming label, but with this rich sonic element that has lots of bassy undercurrents – at a level that makes the album a head-nodding gem all the way through – poised perfectly between some of the more psyche styles of the African scene of the time, and some of the more thoughtful singer-songwriter material. The group have a quality that's surprisingly deep – very soulful, and with a subtle power that comes through strongly – thanks to a mostly-English batch of lyrics (although a few tunes here are in their native Bemba.) No cuts are all-out funky, but all have this great slow-funk sort of charm – and titles include "I Am Very Far", "Sunday Morning", "Khala My Friend", "Green Apple", "Africa", "Making The Scene", "Easy Street", "Big Enough" and "Kale". 2LP edition features both versions of the album that were released – one a heavy drums mix, the other a more fuzzy guitar mix! LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from Roman Andren – a genre-defying set that's filled with warmth, soul, and imagination – all recorded live in the studio with a really organic feel! The music's a cross between a few different jazz, Afro, and Latin modes – played by a group that features Roman on Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano, with tenor, flute, trumpet, guitar, and some especially great rhythms – lively percussion that brings a bit of a Latin or Brazilian flavor to the music at points, and pushes the set with some great club jazz energy. There's a bit of vocals on the record too – sung by Susanne Ottebring or Miriam Aida – and Fredrik Kronkvist also plays a bit of guest alto sax too. The whole thing's wonderful – a warmly seductive album that really grabs us from the get-go – filled with wonderful tunes that include "Long Ago & Far Far Away", "Felaflight", "Nawana", "Bumblebee", "Let's Live Forever Love", "It's Nice", and "O Mundo E Seu". CD

An overlooked album from Kevin Ayers – a record that's a bit out of time, given all the changes that were taking place in the UK scene – but which still has Ayers doing all those wonderful things that made his solo career so great! The tunes are fantastic – filled with unusual images, and that sense of removed wit that Kevin always had, and which always made him so far less indulgent than the rest of the prog generation. And while the cover and some of the production almost hint at an AOR approach, the whole thing instead is hiding with a more unique vision underneath – maybe in the way that Phil Manzanera could do the same on his late 70s albums. Like those records, there's a lot of elements here that are hard to compare to anything else – but in a good way, as that's always been the charm of Ayers. Titles include "Ballad Of A Salesman Who Sold Himself", "Rainbow Takeaway", "View From The Mountain", "Goodnight Goodnight", and "Hat Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record that's really grown strongly over the years – issued in the mid 70s to almost no notice at all, but a set that's gotten plenty of attention from crate-diggers, club-goers, and collectors over the past few decades! Sandy Barber's got a hell of a voice – singing with this soaring vibe that's a lot richer than some of her 70s club contemporaries – and working here with tight arrangements from Nat Adderley Jr and David Wofford, under production from the great Clyde Otis – whose previous studio experience really knows how to bring out the depth in Barber's singing! The set's pretty upbeat on most numbers – a tight vibe that's far more indie club than mainstream disco – and the set also features a few mellower moments that really let Sandy open up and show off her chops. Titles include "I Think I'll Do Some Steppin On My Own", "Can't You Just See Me", "Dont' You Worry Baby", "The First Time", "I've Got Something Good", and "Look Out Sky". CD features some bonus tracks too – "I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own (John Morales alternative mix)", and "I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own (Al Kent disco jam)". CD

A Count Basie trio set – the second meeting of the Kansas City Three, a combo that features Ray Brown on bass an Louis Bellson on drums! Basie's really great here – out front, and moving with modes that are quite different than his fuller group sessions – surprisingly sensitive at points, even though still imbued with all of his trademark swing! Bellson's touch on the kit really helps – punctuating things, while never going too far at all – a nice punch, right when needed – and Ray Brown proves once again that he's just the right fit for just about any combo. Titles include "Racehorse", "Blues For Eric", "Draw", "Sandman", "If I Could Be With You For One Hour Tonight", and "I Surrender Dear". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice tune! The groovy main theme to this one far outlived the film, and showed up all over the place in the 60s – on instrumental theme records, TV spoofs, and other oddball sources. The rest of the score's pretty great, too – and features some compelling orchestrations by Bernstein, who's working at his hardest here to top him work on the Bridge On The River Kwai. Some tracks reprise the theme, and others have more of a dramatic sound. Titles include "On The Road", "Cooler & Mole", "Blythe", "Discovery", "Premature Plans", and "The Chase". This 3 CD set features the complete score as well as the original 1963 album. CD

Four lost albums from David Blue – a really compelling singer/songwriter, ripe for rediscovery! First up is These 23 Days In September, recorded for Reprise – a really moody little record from David Blue – a folksy singer who's got a style that definitely lives up to the melancholy promise of his name! Blue's definitely an artist with a difference – working in the familiar mode of vocals and acoustic guitar, but with an edge and distinctness that really sets him apart from the folkies of a few year before – that sense of different that really set apart a new wave of contemporaries, like Leonard Cohen, Fred Neill, or Tom Rapp. Titles include "These 23 Days In September", "The Sailor's Lament", "Scales For A Window Thief", "You Will Come Back Again", "Slow & Easy", and "The Grand Hotel". Stories is an overlooked early set on Asylum – the kind of really special singer/songwriter material that really set the label apart at the start of the 70s! David Blue has this compelling vocal style that's moody, but down to earth – inflected here and there with guitar contributions from Ry Cooder, who's understated, but really brings out some special qualities in the tunes. Jack Nitzsche adds in some light strings at points – but overall, things are pretty spare and personal – and titles include "Looking For A Friend", "Another One Like Me", "Sister Rose", "The Blues", "Come On John", "Marianne", and "Fire In The Morning". Nice Baby & The Angel shows David Blue really starting to get some star power in his mix – a fuller set, produced by Graham Nash – with work from Nash on guitar, plus more guitar from Dave Mason and David Lindley – in a nice mix of roots elements, but which never overwhelm that unique sense of songwriting and vocals that set David Blue apart from the rest. Titles include "Darlin Jenny", "Troubadour Song", "Train To Anaheim", "True To You", "On Sunday Any Sunday", and "Outlaw Man". On the cover of Cupid's Arrow, David Blue might look a bit cheesy, what with his open shirt and all – but he's definitely the real deal, and very down to earth in his singer/songwriter approach – with a quality that's only underscored by the lineup on the set – a group that features Levon Helm on drums, Jesse Ed Davis on guitar, David Lindley on mandolin and slide, and Barry Goldberg on piano and organ, and also handling production of the album too. The shift from David's roots is a bit like that taken by other contemporaries who once started in more folksy territory, then found a new way to grow in the west coast singer/songwriter scene – and that means that things are more electrified, but still quite far from mainstream music – with original tunes from Blue throughout, and titles that include "I Feel Bad", "Maria Maria", "Primeval Tune", She's Got You", "Tom's Song", and "Run Run Run". CD

Latin Bird, but way more Latin than Bird ever was – if that makes any sense! In other words, TK Blue really steps out nicely with this album – doing way more than just a Charlie Parker tribute, and certainly not rehashing the cubop elements of Bird's early 50s sides – and instead, taking the whole thing into the rich colors and joyous rhythms of the contemporary Latin jazz scene – far more involved and complicated than the old days! The album's got a lot more to offer than you might expect – a soulful acoustic vibe that's mighty nice – not just from TK's work on alto and flute, but from piano by Theo Hill, percussion by Willie Martinez and Roland Guerrero, guest trombone from Steve Turre, and even a bit of drums from Lewis Nash. Titles include "Chi Chi", "Si Si", "Blue Bird", "Visa", "Buzzy", "He Flew Away Too Soon", and "Moods Of Parker". CD

The alto sax of Arthur Blythe finds a great way to stretch out in this classic album from the mid 80s – a set that mixes some of the sharper edges of Blythe's earlier records with a few more contemporary touches – but always at a level that still has the reedman standing far from the mainstream! The core group here features Olu Dara on trumpet, Cecil McBee on bass, John Hicks on piano, and Bobby Battle on drums – and on the acoustic tracks, there's some great energy between them that soars with a soulful spirit birthed in the loft jazz years, maybe swung a bit straighter than before. A few other tunes add in some extra elements – an electric bass on one number, some light strings on another – but the core of the album still has a magnificent focus on that tone that Blythe had only perfected even more on records like this, especially on the more laidback numbers, which come as a real surprise, and reflect a ballad style we might not have guessed in the early days. Titles include "Odessa", "Esquinas", "After Paris", "Crescent", and "Break Time". LP, Vinyl record album

The lovely vocals of Mari Boine are paired with the far-thinking production work of Bugge Wesseltoft, who also plays keyboards on the set. Bugge's presence makes for an album that's quite different than some of Mari's earlier work – a bit starker, and with less of the easy world production that's always kept us from enjoying her fully. That's not to say that the charms of earlier records are gone, or that the album's an all-out electronic affair that resembles Wesseltoft's own work – just to say that it's a strong blending of cultures with a really unique sound. Titles include "Liegga Gokcas", "Guovssahasaid Ajagattis", "Song For The Unborn", "Boadan Nuppi Bealde", and "Sarakha Vina". CD

Heavy fuzz with a good deal of funk as well – a very unique set from the Italian sound library scene – and one that comes across with the feel of some lost psych record from the underground! The album was produced by Piero Piccioni – and features soundtrack/sound library maestros Alessandro Alessandroni and Oronzo De Filippi, working as the pseudonymous Braen and Gisteri – in a batch of heavy drums and basslines, topped with lots of fuzzed up guitar – but all with a tightness that's a lot more forward-moving than the usual set of this nature! Things never get to overdone, but still go plenty far out – and titles include "Flying", "Imphormal", "Murder", "Gap", "New Experiences", "Fall Out", "Description", and "Obstinacy". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Anthony Braxton – an album that has him playing straight ahead jazz – but at a time when he was also making some of his most complex recordings of the 70s! The approach here is sublime – as Braxton's reputation has ears already anticipating some far-out playing, but then marvel at his restraint – his care for keeping alto and bass clarinet work inside a straight jazz tradition, yet always hinting at the modern inflections he can bring to his music! Tunes are almost all jazz standards, blown beautifully – with a tone that's crisp, cool, and very inviting – surprisingly soulful, and never cold at all – matched well with the rhythm trio of Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Titles include "Goodbye Porkpie Hat", "Ornithology", and "Marshmallow". LP, Vinyl record album

Three never-issued albums from Brother Ah – the enigmatic musician who may be known best for his work with Sun Ra, and his rare album on Strata East! Both of those moments date from earlier years, though – and past that time, Brother Ah was still working strongly on some amazing musical ideas of his own – work that includes the three albums presented in this package, which together really mark a shift for both Ah and some of his spiritual jazz contemporaries as the 70s moved on! The set begins with the beautiful set The Sea – recorded in 1978, with a long-flowing sound that's quite hypnotic, and very much in the spiritual territory of post-Coltrane material – including work by Trane's wife Alice. Brother Ah plays flute, in these fantastic lines that spin out slowly and echo strongly – amidst a mix of percussion, violin, mbira, bass, and drums – often used in ways that build beautifully, and which provide a great introduction to both the sung and spoken passages – presented by Abena Walker, Jeanean Gibbs, and Nataska Hassan Youssef. Titles include "Nuba", "Far Away", "The Village Drum", "Visoins", and "Africa We Are Your Children". Meditation is from a few years later, and has a different makeup – a sound that's much more spare overall, and which just features Brother Ah on flute, zither, and "nature sounds" – with help from Cleo Jomo Faulks on mbira and gong! The tunes have an earthier feel than you might guess from the album's title – still somewhat meditative, but also more open to the vibes of nature than the space of the studio – with moments that feel more more like the organic sounds of the young Moondog, or maybe some of Alice Coltrane's more home-made moments. Titles include "Stillness", "Spirit World", "Close Your Eyes & See", and "Song Of The Unseen". Last up is Searching – a record from 1985 that maybe moves the spiritual agenda from the political to the personal – that shift towards more interior solutions that some musicians took in the 80s, especially as funding for some kinds of spiritual jazz albums fell by the wayside, and some artists had to adapt to the new age underground. Yet although that shift might be in place here, Brother Ah is still as righteous as ever – just equipped with a slightly different voice – as he works alongside some electronics and percussion from Richard Ashman, and blows trumpet and a variety of flutes, while also handling percussion and harmonica in very spacious ways. The record is more about extended sound textures than individual instrumentation – and titles include "I Am", "Going Within", "Inner Voice", and "Know Thyself". First time release for all three records – presented in a really great package! CD

An unbelievable recording! As Archie Shepp made his first album for Impulse a tribute to Coltrane, Marion Brown made his a tribute to Shepp – a wonderful lineage of avant talent in the 60s, stated boldly here, given Brown's amazing talent on the record! The album's filled with hard, soulful playing that goes out, but never too far – like Shepp in his best sixties moments – and Brown's working with a great lineup of players that includes Grachan Moncur on trombone, Beaver Harris on drums, and Stanley Cowell on piano! The tunes include three Marion Brown originals on side one, plus three tracks by Shepp on side two. "Spooks" alone will leave you loving this album for years to come – and other tracks include "West India", "Delicado", "New Blue", and "Fortunato". A brilliant blend of 60s "new thing" playing and 70s underground jazz! LP, Vinyl record album

Far-thinking genius from Tim Buckley – and one of his most experimental albums ever! Lorca really takes off from the sound of earlier albums – pushing the jazz side of the spectrum even more, and stretching out on longer tracks that have his vocals riffing a lot more than usual. Backing is relatively spare – with some nice use of pipe organ and electric piano – and Tim himself is playing 12-string guitar on the sessions. Tunes are all long, and feature some really haunting, echoey vocals. Titles include "Lorca", "I Had A Talk With My Woman", "Anonymous Proposition", and "Driftin". A bizarre but brilliant effort! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most ambitious projects ever from vibist Gary Burton – an extended piece written by Carla Bley – and billed as "A Dark Opera Without Words"! The work has a feel that's much more fluid than opera, though – and is a great instrumental outing that not only features Gary's vibes at their youthful best, with support from his quartet – but which also includes extra work from Steve Lacy on soprano sax, Gato Barbieri on tenor, and Carla Bley herself on piano. The music is never too far out, but with angular tones and strange time changes that mark the record as being quite different from Gary's other sides for RCA. It also makes the record one of his best, too – as the set has that wonderfully fresh sound that you get from early work by Bley – never too silly, and with a serious approach to composition that also never loses sight of its roots in jazz. Titles include "The New Funeral March", "Silent Spring", "Mother Of The Dead Man", "Death Rolls", and "The New National Anthem". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from vibist Gary Burton – two RCA albums back to back on a single CD! First up is Lofty Fake Anagram – a standout classic from Burton, and the kind of fresh-voiced and angularly modern session that showed why his sound on the vibes was one of the most revolutionary in jazz at the time! The session features a quartet with Larry Coryell on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass, and Bob Moses on drums – all working in a style that's got touches of modal jazz, and fragments of the Walt Dickerson sound – yet which is also a bit looser, freer, and more spacious – all without going too far "out". Titles include "Lines", "I'm Your Pal", "Fleurette Africaine", "Feelings & Things", "June The 15th, 1967", and "Good Citizen Swallow". Next up is Genuine Tong Funeral – billed as "A Dark Opera Without Words", an extended piece written by Carla Bley, and performed by the Burton quartet with help from a larger group that includes Steve Lacy, Gato Barbieri, Michael Mantler, and Bley herself. As such, the album's probably the most ambitious one that Burton ever recorded during the 60s – never too far out, but with angular tones and strange time changes that mark the record as being quite different from his other sides for RCA. It also makes it one of his best, too – as the record has that wonderfully fresh sound that you get from early work by Bley, never too silly, and with a serious approach to composition that also never loses sight of its roots in jazz. Titles include "The New Funeral March", "Silent Spring", "Mother Of The Dead Man", "Death Rolls", and "The New National Anthem". CD

Adam Caine has lots of sounds in his bag here – work that varies not just as he switches between electric guitar, electric bass, and synthesizer – but which also brings out a range of different qualities on each instrument! The approach is a bit hard to describe, but is not that far from some of the older ECM sessions of the 70s – a key instrumentalist in the lead, always willing to take chances and move past conventional modes of expression – with support from a well-matched group that includes Bob Lanzetti on second guitar, Adam Lane on acoustic bass, and Billy Mintz on drums. Nick Lyons plays alto sax on one track – and titles include "The Girls", "Heavenly Bodies", "Cloud Over", "Night Driver", "Alien Flower", "The Spiral", and "The Core". CD

An incredibly dense book on the psychedelic scene of the 60s – a huge volume that not only looks at an impressive array of music, but also the wider trippy culture, too – but all with a level of text that goes far beyond most of the thinner volumes on the period! Many of the chapter titles refer to key musical texts, but then quickly extrapolate from those moments – soaring out from "I Am The Blackgold Of The Sun", "The Greta Garbo Home For Wayward Boys & Girls", and "Painting With Light" – and looking at psychedelia on both sides of the Atlantic in the 60s, with lots of surprising insights along the way. Despite a very vivid cover, the book itself is all text, no images – a hefty 638 pages, hardcover, and a very deep read! Book

A pretty amazing effort from country rock progenitor Gene Clark! This one blends breezy songcraft that's not too far off from his previous couple of great solo albums – rustic harmonies and memorable lyricism flavored by acoustic guitars – with far more deft studio touches such as synths and densely layered backing vocals. There really was no other album in '74 like No Other, and initially it had the poor reception to show for it! It has a somewhat laidback and laconic vibe overall – infused with that Cali country rock groove that Gene helped invent – yet the production is richly produced on an epic scale, an effort that seems to seek flat out perfection. A couple years later, California fellow travelers would utilize a similar approach and sell LPs by the ton. Here's hoping those groups bought Gene a dinner or two to thank him for the inspiration! Includes "Life's Greatest Fool", "Silver Raven", "No Other", "Some Misunderstanding", "The True One", "Lady Of The North", "Strength Of Strings" and "From A Silver Phial". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the hippest of the Clarke-Boland Big Band Records from the classic years – a set of hard grooving tracks that really pushes the envelope of their style! There's a few elements here that are different than usual – such as the presence of electric piano on a few tracks, which creates a very new sound for the group, the presence of some exotic jazz influences (perhaps borrowed from the MPS Jazz Meets The World series), and the use of some edgier compositions on the set, including work by late 60s European free-thinkers, like Eddie Louiss, Albert Mangelsdorff, and John Surman. The reed work is really incredible in this setting – and is handled by Sahib Shihab, Ronnie Scott, Billy Mitchell, and Derek Humble – all of whom seem to blow with inspiration from Surman – using tones that are far more out there than usual. Titles include "Exorcisme", "Sakara", "Our Kind Of Sabi", "Osaka Calling", "Wintersong", and "Astrorama". CD

A rare and unusual chapter in the career of Al Cohn – and an incredible set cut in the mid 50s with Bob Brookmeyer on trombone! The style's a bit like that used by Al and Zoot Sims together – tightly arranged shorter tracks, with a focus on well-crafted horn work, but enough space to allow each of the leaders break out and express their personality on the record. The rest of the group features Mose Allison on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – and the arrangements are all pretty darn fresh, handled by Al and Bob themselves. Titles include "So Far So Good", "Winter", "Back To Back", "Shine", "Good Spirits", and "Lazy Man Stomp". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work from Alice Coltrane – an album of incredible beauty that easily sits with the best of her classic early recordings for Impulse! The album's got a spare, contemplative quality, but it's also never sleepy – and instead steps forth with the tonal building and modal moving styles of classics albums like Ptah The El Daoud and Huntington Ashram Monastery. Most tracks feature a trio or quartet – with players that include Ravi Coltrane on saxes, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Charlie Haden on bass. Alice plays some great Wurlitzer organ on a few cuts – getting this really wonderful "flat" tone to the instrument, one that almost has the same spiritual undertones as a harmonium. The whole thing's great – far better than we could have expected – and titles include "Sita Ram", "Translinear Light", "This Train", "Blue Nile", "Triloka", and "Crescent". CD

John Coltrane returns to the Village Vanguard – but his sound here is a lot more far-reaching than a few years before! The album's a great counterpart to the first Vanguard session – as it takes all of the bold, soaring energy of that date, and balances it with the newly introspective sound of the later Coltrane years – plus some of the freedoms learned from the Love Supreme era. The group here showcases the new territory explored by Coltrane – with Trane himself on tenor, soprano, and a bit of bass clarinet (echoing earlier Dolphy), plus Pharoah Sanders on additional tenor, Alice Coltrane on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Rasheid Ali on drums. The album only features 2 long tracks – an incredibly soulful version of "Naima", and a very firey version of "My Favorite Things", but one that begins with a haunting bass solo by Garrison! CD

4CDs – and some of the most far-reaching work that Coltrane ever recorded! The package expands the much shorter 2LP set that once was the seminal Live In Japan recording – a late concert performance showcasing 'Trane at his most out, featuring Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders as well as Rashied Ali's propulsive drumming. Lengthy takes of "Leo" and "Peace on Earth" are spread out across very long takes – often running for well over 30 minutes – as 'Trane's ideas spill forth, continuously building momentum. One of the definitive statements of "energy-jazz", and a recording that has gone onto become one of Trane's most-hailed albums ever! Other titles include "Afro Blue", "Crescent", and one of the most "out" versions of "My Favorite Things" you'll ever hear! CD

Soaring work from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – a session that was incredibly far-reaching for the time, and which originally was unissued until after the time of Coltrane's death! The record's got the group really pushing forward strongly – hitting a Love Supreme mode, but also showing even some of the sharper edges that John would explore with the group after this one – a beautiful swan song to the lineup of McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Things soar with a hell of a lot of spirituality, yet never get too overindulgent to lose their groove – and titles include "Amen", "Dearly Beloved", "Ascent", "Attaining", and "Sun Ship". CD

The amazing first full length set of Comet Is Coming – one of the boldest statements from the London jazz scene in recent years – and a brilliant blend of live jazz instrumentation and electronics! Shabaka Hutchings – as King Shabaka – is in the group on tenor, which he blows with this strongly spiritual quality – really reaching out as this organic core amidst some of the spacier, noisier touches – all of which never get too far-out, and which are just balanced enough to effect the cosmic journey that's always been the group's promise! Drums are nice and heavy too, and the whole thing has this fantastic vibe that's as immediately appealing as it is completely unique – which you'll hear on tunes that include "Space Carnival", "The Prophecy", "Channel The Spirits", "Deep Within The Engine Deck", and "Journey Through The Asteroid Belt". As a bonus, the 2CD edition also features their debut Prophecy EP – plus unheard tracks titled Ancient Tapes – "Slammin", "Transmission", and "Closing Credits". CD

The amazing first full length set of Comet Is Coming – one of the boldest statements from the London jazz scene in recent years – and a brilliant blend of live jazz instrumentation and electronics! Shabaka Hutchings – as King Shabaka – is in the group on tenor, which he blows with this strongly spiritual quality – really reaching out as this organic core amidst some of the spacier, noisier touches – all of which never get too far-out, and which are just balanced enough to effect the cosmic journey that's always been the group's promise! Drums are nice and heavy too, and the whole thing has this fantastic vibe that's as immediately appealing as it is completely unique – which you'll hear on tunes that include "Space Carnival", "The Prophecy", "Channel The Spirits", "Deep Within The Engine Deck", and "Journey Through The Asteroid Belt". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky genius from Con Funk Shun – working here under the production helm of Skip Scarborough, who seems to give them an even sharper edge than usual! The album's filled with those tightly compressed rhythms that Skip was so great in producing back in the 70s – grooves that seem to make more out of doing less – and which have a sense of space and timing that's totally impeccable. There's a few light jazzy touches at times too – bits of flute, sax, and organ that bring in a nice sense of depth, and which takes it far past easily classified funk! Titles include "So Easy", "Shake & Dance With Me", "When The Feelings Right", "I Think I Found The Answer", "Wanna Be There", "Can't Go Away", "So Easy", and "Magic Woman". CD

Funky genius from Con Funk Shun – working here under the production helm of Skip Scarborough, who seems to give them an even sharper edge than usual! The album's filled with those tightly compressed rhythms that Skip was so great in producing back in the 70s – grooves that seem to make more out of doing less – and which have a sense of space and timing that's totally impeccable. There's a few light jazzy touches at times too – bits of flute, sax, and organ that bring in a nice sense of depth, and which takes it far past easily classified funk! Titles include "So Easy", "Shake & Dance With Me", "When The Feelings Right", "I Think I Found The Answer", "Wanna Be There", "Can't Go Away", "So Easy", and "Magic Woman". CD

Spacey soul from Coultrain – an up-and-coming singer from the St Louis scene, and one with a really unique sort of sound! The album's a wonderful debut effort – far more mature and complex than you might expect, with a really cosmic feel that's somewhere between 70s spacey soul and some of the more future-thinking work from the recent Detroit scene – yet all put together with a sense of timing and phrasing that's clearly Coultrain's own! Rhythms range from mellow and straightforward, to more complicated and angular – and Coultrain's voice is often great enough on its own, but sometimes sounds even better with a bit of flanged-out production. Titles include "Green", "Lilac Tree", "Screw", "Girl Of My Dreams", "Swimmin In The Stars", "Lost In Translation", "Playin Catch Up", "Self Pity", "Who R U", and "Endangered Species". CD

A record that ended up in more than a few 70s record collections because of its sexy cover image – but a set that's even better when you get down into the grooves – thanks to massively funky work from Crown Heights Affair! The group are wonderful here – upbeat and quick-stepping, but still filled with razor-sharp funk energy – at a level that's similar to Brass Construction or BT Express – with no fluff at all, and none of the kind of too-extended sloppy musicianship you were getting from the studio disco groups. The whole thing's got a rock-solid vibe that was first forged in the funky 45 generation, then kicked up for the 12" years – including the group's harmony vocals, which still have a great indie vibe. Titles include "Sexy Ways", "Dancin", "Far Out", "Music Is The World", "Love Me", and "Searching For Love". Also includes the nice funky funky "French Way", which has some great moogy parts! CD features 4 bonus tracks – "Dancin (special 12" disco mix)", and original single mixes of "Dancin", "Love Me", and "Far Out". CD

Sweet funky Crusaders – one of the first records the group made after dropping the "Jazz" from their name, and a soulful electric set through and through! The group still have that tightly-crafted soul jazz sound that made their late 60s recordings so great – but they're also stretching out here in more of a 70s electric funk mode – letting the keyboards of Joe Sample really set the tone for most of the numbers, as Wilton Felder's basslines weave with the drums of Stix Hooper to create a set of really great tracks. The double-length album is overflowing with great numbers – and in addition to the contributions of the core quartet, the album also features guitar from Larry Carlton, David T Walker, and Arthur Adams – plus a bit of extra bass from Chuck Rainey! The hip sound is a bit like some of Hugh Masekela's best jazz-based work for Chisa – and titles include "Full Moon", "Sweet Revival", "Mud Hole", "It's Just Gotta Be That Way", "Three Children", "Mosadi", and "So Far Away". CD

A great set – cut when Curson was at the height of his youthful powers, and inspired by modernist ideas he'd picked up from Mingus and other contemporary jazz outsiders – including tenorist Bill Barron, who also plays on the LP! The recording is a perfect document of a time when the hard bop was folding into the new thing – in modes that were experimentally, yet never too far out – and always remembering to swing when needed, as in the case of some of Jackie McLean's best Blue Note work of the early 60s! The album's quite an obscure one – given to its original issue on the mostly-pop Old Town label – but it's a real gem in Curson's catalog, and includes the tracks "Antibes", "Nosruc", "Ahma (See Ya)", and "Flatted Fifth", a composition that went on to become one of Curson's classics! LP, Vinyl record album

A great set – cut when Curson was at the height of his youthful powers, and inspired by modernist ideas he'd picked up from Mingus and other contemporary jazz outsiders – including tenorist Bill Barron, who also plays on the LP! The recording is a perfect document of a time when the hard bop was folding into the new thing – in modes that were experimentally, yet never too far out – and always remembering to swing when needed, as in the case of some of Jackie McLean's best Blue Note work of the early 60s! The album's quite an obscure one – given to its original issue on the mostly-pop Old Town label – but it's a real gem in Curson's catalog, and includes the tracks "Antibes", "Nosruc", "Ahma (See Ya)", and "Flatted Fifth", a composition that went on to become one of Curson's classics! CD

One of the true soul jazz classics of the 90s! Although Andrew Cyrille is better known for some of his more "out" material, we totally dig this 1992 album – because it's got a sweeping spiritual feel, and a very soulful groove that recalls 70s work by players like Billy Harper or Marvin Hannibal Peterson! Tracks are long and very open-ended, but never go too far out – just progress along with a great sense of vision, courtesy of a group of players that includes Hannibal on trumpet, Oliver Lake on soprano and alto sax, Adegoke Steve Colson on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Cyrille on drums. The group is impeccably tight, and the whole thing sounds like a lost session from Strata East – with just the right mix of outside soloing and inside grooving – and titles include "Soul Brother", "The Prophet", "Shell", "Tap Dancer", "South Of The Border Serenade", and "Where's Nine". CD

Easily some of the most global work we've ever heard from Da Lata – a set that goes far beyond the mix of London and Rio that first made the group so great – into a realm that encompasses a wide range of sounds from around the world! The music's still got that great organic groove – a hip update of older modes, served up with lean instrumentation, but lots of live jazzy touches – and this time around, the music moves with elements from South American, African, and even American scenes – with guests who include Rich Medina, Mayra Andrade, Diabel Cissokho, Miguel Atwood Ferguson, and others. As usual, it's the warm instrumentation of Chris Franck that really holds the whole thing together – some especially great keyboard lines that weave in between guitars, percussion, and other great elements to forge grooves that may well be the most compelling so far from this always-great group. Titles include "Um Amor A Mais, "Deixa", "Ronca Da Cuica", "Dn't Give It Up", "The Shore", "Cambara", and "Places We Go". CD

One of Miles' last great albums – a soundtrack composed in conjunction with Marcus Miller, and recorded with a mix of atmospheric electronics and trumpet solos, coming off in a way that sounds far better than most of his other attempts at this style from the time. Miller plays all the other instruments in the set, apart from some occasional guest work by players that include John Scofield, Earl Klugh, Omar Hakim, and Jason Miles. Titles include "Conchita", "Lament", "Los Feliz", "Lost In Madrid", "Siesta", "Kitt's Kiss", and "Wind". CD

Some of the coolest soundtrack music you'll ever hope to hear – all played by a cat who could equally handle the sitar, guitar, Fender Rhodes, and electronics pictured on the cover! Francois De Roubaix is easily one of our favorite soundtrack composers ever – a French talent at the end of the 60s who never got the same international exposure as some of his countrymen, but who had an ear for odd instrumentation and funky undercurrents that rivals that of Serge Gainsbourg, Michel Colombier, or Jean-Claude Vannier – although we might even be tempted to say that Francois is even more way-out than any of them! This collection really lives up to its "essential" promise – and mixes together weird electronic numbers, bass-heavy funk tracks, jazzy groovers, and lots more – all with arrangements and production that are totally fresh, and which should turn you into the same sort of De Roubaix fanatic that we've been for years. Titles include "Le Samourai", "L'Homme Orchestre", "La Vie A Bord", "Les Caids", "Bataille Navale", "Clara 1939", "Journal De Bord", "Le Rapace", "La Scoumoune", "Dernier Domicile Connu", "Tom/Les Prisonniers", "Adieu L'Ami", and "Far From Dallas". CD

A definite fireball from the legendary early lineup of Deep Purple – a record that has the group soaring to the skies in a blazing blend of guitars, keyboards, bass, and drums! A set like this is seminal for understanding just how far rock music stepped in just a few short years – because back in the mid 60s, these guys might have been slavishly laying out blues riffs, or trying to copy their American heroes – but those roots are completely subsumed in the band's own style, and delivered with a dexterity that's truly amazing – a brash, balls-out quality that should be given everything it's trying to claim – because a record like this doesn't need to answer to anyone! Titles include "Fireball", "No No No", "Anyone's Daughter", "Demon's Eye", "The Mule", and "No One Came". CD

Maybe the greatest set so far from Raheem DeVaughn – an artist we loved way back in his early mixtape days, and one who's grown tremendously in recent years! The set's filled with wisdom and knowledge – and comes across with this deeply soulful feel that's rooted in the righteous era of Curtis Mayfield and Gil Scott-Heron, but which also bumps along with plenty of contemporary touches too – thanks to some sweet production help from Kenny Dope on some of the album's best cuts! The mix of Kenny and Raheem is a dream come true – and Cornel West drops in a few spoken bits to round out the album's sense of purpose too – alongside other guests who include Jill Scott, Bilal, Malik Yusef, Wale, and Ludacris. Cuts include "Bedroom", "My Wife", "Bulletproof", "Nobody Wins A War", "Fragile", "Mr Right", "I Don't Care", and "Black & Blue". CD

Hey Spud boy! You need this record. Definitely underrated in the grand scheme, Oh No! finds the boys rocking a much more straightforward, nerdy computer funk sound. It sort of takes a page from the 80s Kraftwerk playbook with the grid-patterned 80s computer tomfoolery, albeit with a far more goofball pop groove. Includes the completely great singles "Time Out For Fun","Peek-a-boo!" and "That's Good", plus "Out Of Sync", "Explosions", "Patterns", "Big Mess", "Speed Racer", "What I Must Do", "I Desire" and "Deep Sleep". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky hip hop beatcraft laced with far out psychedelic samples from German producer Dexter – and it's a trip, alright – a far out funky one at that! Dexter lays down a thick layer of hypnotic beats underneath a sprawling batch of sampled sounds from the psychedelic area and beyond, but Dex's craft is at the forefront. This is a compelling batch of (mostly) instrumental tracks that blend timelessly tripped out hip hop, heavy jazz, funk and psych samples – particularly the wild bits psych era bits of film dialogue! Includes "Once Gain Back (Tune In)", "San Francisco" with DJ Adlib, "Walk With Us", "Psychedelic Club Scene", "Rainbow Flight", "Teenage Mother", "With Ease", "Hippie Revolt (Turn On)", "You & I", "Dexy Lovecraft", "Acido (Heavyyy)", "Never Knew", "Pictures" featuringJosa Peit, "Summerdays (Drop Out)" and more. CD