... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Hipster sounds from the pre-hippie years – tracks that were either recorded by beatniks, or which have a very cool beat-themed style to them – all pulled together from a range of rare recordings at the end of the 50s and the start of the 60s! The sound here is maybe what you'd guess from the very groovy cover – a bit of jazz, and a bit of wit as well – tunes that poke a bit of fun at the intellectual underground, especially as it collides with the more mainstream sound of rock and roll – served up here on a dozen fab platters that sound even better in the company of each other! The album's divided up into a "mean side" and "bongo beatin side" – and titles include "Jet Black" by The Shadows, "Bongo Beating Beatnik" by Joe Hall & The Corvettes, "Goatee" by Joey Warren, "Theme From Von Hutch" by Jerry Madison & The Spacemen, "The Toast" by The Champs, "Money Money" by Benny Joy, "Gargantua" by Piltdown Men, and "Back Beat No 1" by The Rondels. LP, Vinyl record album

A joyous celebration of the mighty Far Out label – now over a decade old, and still one of the most freshly creative companies around! Far Out is the brainchild of London DJ Joe Davis, who has a great way of bringing together older bossa-styled grooves with a fresher take on the genre. Joe's approach is really unique, and it's one that's neither subject with the overdone bossa-remix cliches that have cluttered the market in recent years, nor the too-sleepy bossa-revival jazz that's always nice to hear, but never that exciting. Far Out really has a tremendous way of putting over a groove – one that lets the artist work at their own pace, but which also seems to push them a bit further than they might otherwise go – a fact that's certainly apparent in the label's ability to revitalize the careers of older artists like Marcos Valle, Joyce, and Azymuth! The 16 track set features 5 previously unreleased tracks, plus some other overlooked treasures for the label – all very nicely packaged at a low low price! Titles include "O Tempo Samba" by Grupo Batuque, "Demoro" by Joyce, "Tanto Tempo (unplugged)" by Vertente, "Space Carnival (Global Communications rmx)" by Azymuth, "Nao Quero Nem Saber" by Sabrina Malheiros, "Agua" by Nina & Chris, "Espada De Prate" by Celia Vaz & APE, "Pez" by Troubleman, and "Valeu (4 Hero rmx)" by Marcos Valle & Joyce. CD

A really unusual little compilation – hardly anything that you might expect when you think of Hawaiian music – but that's kind of the lesson we've also been learning from the Aloha Got Soul label! Instead, the package brings together obscure recordings from the island state – tracks from the 60s, 70s, and 80s – many of which fall into a unique space that's really beyond any sort of easy categorization or genre – described on the cover as "sun-tinged folk" and "soft psych" – two phrases that only get at the tip of the iceberg of what's going on! Much of the music is laidback and mellow, but also has a sunny, breezy vibe that ever keeps things from being too sleepy – maybe touches of Cali soul and rock in the post-folk, post-Sunshine Pop world – but with a special sound that's as far from that scene as Hawaii is from the mainland. Titles include "Waves" by Harry Sonoda, "In Hawaii" by Dennis Soares, "Reb'll Echo" by Richard Reb'll, "Righteous Morning" by Gordon Broad, "Kaimu Sun" by Alice Wise, "Magic Sands" by Mofoya, "Revelation" by Burgess & Brooks, "High Tide" by Eddie Suzuki, "Garden In The Rain" by Merrell Fankhauser, and "How Many Times" by Lyle K'Ang. CD

A really unusual little compilation – hardly anything that you might expect when you think of Hawaiian music – but that's kind of the lesson we've also been learning from the Aloha Got Soul label! Instead, the package brings together obscure recordings from the island state – tracks from the 60s, 70s, and 80s – many of which fall into a unique space that's really beyond any sort of easy categorization or genre – described on the cover as "sun-tinged folk" and "soft psych" – two phrases that only get at the tip of the iceberg of what's going on! Much of the music is laidback and mellow, but also has a sunny, breezy vibe that ever keeps things from being too sleepy – maybe touches of Cali soul and rock in the post-folk, post-Sunshine Pop world – but with a special sound that's as far from that scene as Hawaii is from the mainland. Titles include "Waves" by Harry Sonoda, "In Hawaii" by Dennis Soares, "Reb'll Echo" by Richard Reb'll, "Righteous Morning" by Gordon Broad, "Kaimu Sun" by Alice Wise, "Magic Sands" by Mofoya, "Revelation" by Burgess & Brooks, "High Tide" by Eddie Suzuki, "Garden In The Rain" by Merrell Fankhauser, and "How Many Times" by Lyle K'Ang. LP, Vinyl record album

Strictly Samba, and strictly great stuff – a mix of contemporary work from the Far Out label and a host of other artists too – almost all of whom work here in a relatively classic mode! Although most of the tunes are recent, they'd fit right next to some of your classic samba sides from years past – thanks to an adherence to rootsy percussion, acoustic instrumentation, and recording techniques that really let the vocals come through strongly – adding a bold sense of soul to the music that really makes it groove. The package is really well done – and the non Far Out tracks make it way more than a straight label sampler – with work that includes "Beleza Beleza Beleza" by Trio Mocoto, "Era Bom" by The Ipanemas, "Maria Jose" by Nereu Mocoto & Swing, "Swingue Do Samba" by Roge, "Foi Um Rio Que Passou Em Minha Vida" by Tereza Cristina E Grupo Semente, "Sorri Pra Nos" by Armando Marcal, "Na Cadencia Do Samba" by Grupo Batuque, "Tudo De Bom" by Arthur Verocai, "Jongo Jade" by Aparecindinha, "Casamento Na Favela" by Zaira, and "Samba De Silvia" by Joyce. CD

The debut set from Troubleman – aka Mark Pritchard – a name you may know from countless remixes over the past few years, now finally stepping forth with his own work! The set's got a definite Brazilian influence – as you'd expect from all the Troubleman work on the Far Out label – but there's also a much stronger London vibe running through the set – not just in the cosmic broken style of recent years, but also an expansive trippy mode that seems to hearken back to the heady days of late 60s experimentation! The sound's a lot fresher than we might have even hoped for – as Mark changes things up nicely track to track, and throws in a few mellow numbers that have him really moving past his initial dancefloor appeal. Filled with nice instrumentation, too – and titles that include "Have A Good Time", "Paz", "The Righteous Path", "Lonely Girl", "Change Is What We Need", "Toda Hora", "Roll On", "Time Out Of Mind", and "Without You". CD

The return of a legend – and a tremendously groovy little record! Brazilian keyboardist/composer Antonio Adolfo's been making records for years – but easily his greatest albums were those cut at the end of the 60s with his Brazuka group – a cool combination of funky rhythms, electric keyboards, spacious production, and female vocals – all wrapped up with that glorious Blue Brazil sound of the EMI/Odeon label. Here, Adolfo recaptures that sound beautifully – returning to modes he hasn't touched in decades – and getting tremendous treatment from the Far Out label, who really help him hit that classic sound right. The record's an instantly timeless set that rivals all of Antonio's wonderful work from many years back – recorded with Adolfo on keyboards, live jazzy rhythms, a bit of strings, and twin harmony vocals from daughters Carol Saboya and Luisa Saboia – soaring out beautifully with a really groovy sound. The whole thing's wonderful – even better than you might expect – and titles include "Bola Da Vez", "Papo Furado", "Luizao", "Eu E Voce", "Tudo E Brasil", "Domingo Azul", "Tao Iguais", "SOS Amazonas", "Sonho Estelar", and "Dono Do Mundo". CD

Always-great work from Azymuth – one of the few combos who never get stale, no matter how long they keep on grooving! The album's titled after the Herbie Hancock classic "Butterfly" – and it's put together with a sublime quality that really stretches back to the best styles of the 70s fusion generation – both for Herbie and the group! The core trio is still wonderfully in place after all these years – Jose Roberto Bertrami on Fender Rhodes and Hammond, Ivan Conti on drums and percussion, and Alex Malheiros on bass and guitar – and although there's a tiny bit of vocals on the set, they're more instrument-like, and fit in beautifully with the keyboard-driven grooves. Arthur Verocai makes a great appearance on the set on guitar, and also handles arrangements on two cuts – and Robertinho Silva plays some added percussion on the record as well. The group do a wonderful job with Herbie's "Butterfly" – then move onto some of their own great material that includes "Caititu", "Os Cara La", "Morning", "Next Summer In Rio", "New Dawn", and "Avenida Rio Branca". 10 tracks on the CD. CD

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 on this first volume include "Prefacio", "Castelo", "Melo Do Cuica", "Xingo", "Laranjeiras", "Eqiupe 68", and "Unknown Song For Mario Telles". 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 on this second volume include "Manha", "Duro De Roer", "Quem Tem Medo", "Juntos Mais Uma Vez", and "Bateria Do Mamao". LP, Vinyl record album

Warm, wonderful, and incredibly far-reaching in scope – possibly the most ambitious record cut by Azymuth in recent years – a perfect blend of jazzy fusion, Brazilian rhythms, and some of the London broken beat culture that the group have come into contact with through their label, Far Out. The sound is clean and spare – a dance between percussion and keyboards that reminds us how great Azymuth can sound when they keep things simple. A few cuts have vocals, but the overall approach is instrumental – and the record features production and programming by Roc Hunter, and was recorded by Kirk Degiorgio. Titles include "Tempo Classico", "Em Marica", "Partido Novo", "Sudade Do Doutor", "Nome Dele E Joan", "Algoado Doce", and "Rede De Espera". CD has 12 tracks in all. 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". 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

Fast funk and groovy grooves – a really great album of psychedelic tunes from Brazil! The Cry Babies serve up a sound that's beyond compare – American funk and soul influences played on organ, guitar, and sax, filtered through some really wild post-Tropicalia production! The result is a really catchy batch of grooves – almost what you'd imagine if Os Mutantes made a funk record, or if Kool & the Gang smoked a bag of weed on the beaches at Rio, then stumbled into the studios to record with Marcos Valle. Titles include "Hey Blood", "Day Dream", "It's My Thing", "Blas Blas Blas Soul", "Questions 67/68", "Caminhos Diabolicos", and "Kool & The Gang". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing full length debut from Democustico – one of the best new Brazilian albums we've heard in years, and a set that easily matches the best work by classic artists on the Far Out label! The pair mix older and modern modes of expression – using lots of post-bossa jazz in their grooves, particularly the soaring modes explored heavily on the Brazilian scene at the end of the 70s – but also topping things off with some wonderful vocals from Gabriela Geluda, who has a spacious, joyous quality that reminds us a lot of Joyce at her best! Other instrumentation includes piano, keyboards, acoustic guitar, and percussion – as well as some light rhythm patterns from Roc Hunter, long a Far Out associate – and one with a great sensitivity for preserving the warm soul of Brazilian music. Titles include "Summer Of Flora", "Grito", "Rejoycing", "O Sonho", "A Sereia", "Vaga-lume", "Nunca Never", and "Pera". 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". 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

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

One of the best records in years from the mighty Far Out label – and a set that really takes the imprint back to its roots! The name of the record echoes the first Friends From Rio session that launched Far Out almost two decades ago – and like that classic, this one's a collaborative effort between a range of Brazilian and British talents – served up in a style that bridges the gap between older bossa and more contemporary modes! The music is perfect from the ground up – not a cheesy bossa remix project, but a true blend of all the best elements, served up in a rich new style. The project gets key Incognito-style help from Daniel "Venom" Maunick, and a real Azymuth pedigree from Alex Malheiros – and the whole thing features a great range of different singers, including Hyldon, Robertinho Silva, Aleh Ferreira, Ivan Matheus, Denise Pinaud, Sabrina Malheiros, and Carlos Dafe – each wrapped up in a sweet blend of Fender Rhodes, organ, riffing guitar, and sweet jazzy horns. Titles include "So Resta A Porta Se Abrir", "Mas Que Nada", "Garota", "Aguai", "Casino Bangu", "Batucada Bidu", "Anthemia", "Leita De Pedra", and "Mulher Malagueta". CD

Possibly the best album ever by this excellent Brazilian percussive combo! The record begins the groove where the group's other albums started – by taking hard batucada rhythms, and tight samba grooves – but it also adds in a bit tighter production, and shows a marked commitment to hitting the same sort of dancefloor groove that you'd expect from other work on Far Out. Wilson Das Neves and Robertinho Silva are at the head of the percussion team – and tracks include "Roda Baiana", "Bo", "Batucumba", "Taruma", "Berimbal Capoeira", and "Read Between The Lines". CD

The rhythms of Grupo Batuque are remixed, reworked, and remade by a host of today's best producers and DJs – who take the complicated percussion grooves and forge them into a host of styles just right for the 21st Century dancefloor! The sound here is quite different from other Grupo Batuque albums – as the core sound of the ensemble is expanded tremendously, often with added beats and programming, additional keyboards, instrumentation, and the occasional vocal. Titles include "The Samba (4 Hero's nature's plan mix)" by 4 Hero, "Berimbal Capoeira" by Da Lata, "Read Between The Lines (Marco Tardelli's 1st Half)" by Big Bang, "Na Batida Do Agogo" by Osunlade, "E Ruim" by Zero DB, "Ole Ola" by Fauna Flash, "Keyzer (Dizub n Kutz mix)" by Masters At Work, and "Brazileiros E Ingleses" by Viper Squad. 11 tracks. CD

Pure brilliance from the lovely Joyce – an album that sparkles wonderfully throughout – in just the way we love from her older classics! The passage of years hasn't dimmed her beauty at all – and both Joyce's vocals and acoustic guitar work are sublime – lively, but in a really subtle way – with plenty of jazz inflections, and a mix of bossa roots that goes way beyond just about any other artist who tries to work in territory like this! Even after decades of recording, Joyce has this really unique, really sublime approach to her music that makes her records unlike anyone else's – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Puro Ouro", "Estado De Graca", "Aquelas Cancoes Em Mim", "Claude Et Maurice", "Quero Ouvir Joao", and "Tudo". CD

A nicely changed-up version of this sweet Brazilian-tinged set! Sabrina Malheiros just keeps on getting better and better – and she really sparkles wonderfully here in a set of fully soulful backings! The album's put together by Daniel Maunick, aka Venom, and son of Bluey from Incognito – and there's a bit of an Incognito sensibility to the whole thing – a warmly soulful feel, touched with lots of jazzy instrumentation and a deeply classic sensibility – all of which makes for a wonderful setting for Sabrina's Portuguese vocals! Arthur Verocai helped on arrangements, and brings in some beautifully soaring strings – really helping to push the sound past the standard Far Out approach – and the whole thing's one of the most compelling albums we've heard from the label in recent years. This new version features rare singles and remixes – and titles include "Brisa Mar (Nicola Conte re-work)", "Connexao", "Ginga De Amor (unreleased)", "New Morning (Nicola Conte re-work)", "Eira Nem Beira (IG Culture re-work)", "Connexao (Paradiso rework)", "Essa Cancao", "Nova Estacao", "Sintonia (inst)", "Brisa Mar (inst)", and "Alem Do Sol". CD

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

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

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

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A great later track from Marvin, off the Lover Man LP, which never ended up seeing the light of day. Too bad too, because this track's got a nice popping post disco feel to it, with a nice degree of polish not too far from similar numbers like "Funky Space Reincarnation". 7-inch, Vinyl record

Wicked guitar work from Willie Lindo – spun out here over an all-instrumental set that almost feels more like Jamaican records of the late 60s than you'd guess from the mid 70s date of the album! The grooves are definitely more 70s – certainly with a strong reggae current – but the spare, stripped-down manner of presentation takes us back more to some of the instrumental rocksteady records – especially in the way the production allows for lots of focus on the core musician – which means you really get to hear all the wicked, trippy currents of Lindo's instrument – used in a heady style that almost makes him come across like the Phil Upchurch of the Jamaican scene! Lloyd Charmers produced, and also plays piano and organ – and titles include "Drum Song", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Midnight train To Georgia", "Samba Pati", "Chopper", "Hear I Am Baby", "Charmers Mood", "Mystic Mood", "Breezing", and "Holly Holy". LP, Vinyl record album

A real treasure from the great tenorist Hank Mobley – and a record that shows him really opening up his sound in his later years at Blue Note! The album's got some key rhythmic elements that come both from the drumming of Billy Higgins and piano of Cedar Walton – both players who bring in a sense of lyricism that really opens up Hank's horn, and which also sets the trumpet of Donald Byrd free as well – in territory that really resonates with some of Donald's own excellent Blue Note material from the mid 60s! The album's one of those great Blue Note dates that was recorded in the 60s, but not issued until many years later – and really makes for a richer side of Mobley's catalog – a new great level amidst all those already wonderful records. Titles include "Bossa For Baby", "Soul Time", "No Argument", and "A Dab Of This & That". CD

With Monk Montgomery on bass, Buddy Montgomery on piano, Louis Hayes & Tony Bazley on drums, Pony Poindexter on alto saxophone & Harold Land on tenor saxophone. CD

A classic from Prince Far I – Voice Of Thunder couldn't be a more appropriate album title or moniker! Recorded at Channel One in 1981 with incredible analog dub production, it fully carries the grit, murk, heavy and heady soul of the 70s into the new decade –even if the sound is ultimately a bit different then the what he delivered in the 70s. That thunderous voice toasting over the rhythms is as incredible as ever – over the commanding bass of Professor Larry Silvera, tripped out drums & percussion by Jah Lloyd & Scully, occasional swirling keys by Steely, Tarzan and Tony Asher and the other great Channel One players. Titles include "Ten Commandments", "Every Time I Hear The Word", "Head Of The Buccaneer", "Shall Not Dwell In Wickedness", "Skinhead", and "Hold The Fort". CD

Fantastic sounds from the grittiest years of the 45rpm single – music that's so mad, so strange, it really defies description! All the cuts here are presented in conjunction with the long-running Fool's Paradise radio show on WFMU – a longtime champion of all things weird and wild – always reminding us that in the glory days of vinyl, there was so much stuff set to record that really defied any sort of description – sounds that usually were quite far from the charts as well! The music here maybe has bits of R&B, early rock, jazz, and exotica – but the end results are all pretty darn unique – and often handled with both a sense of humor, and a great ear for unusual studio tricks and gimmicks. Titles include "Chinese Rock & Roll" by the Flock Rocker, "Shawnee" by The Premiers, "Charlie & The Bank Job" by Al Katraz, "Umh Uh Baby" by Kind Sid, "Knock Her Down" by The Orbits, "The Last Meal" by Hurricane Harry, "500 Pound Canary" by Jules Blattner, "The Goatee's Got To Go" by Dick Summers, "Mad" by Bobby Borda Five, "Pulp Wood Charley" by Wee Willie & The Soulettes, and "Pal Mal Rock" by Arnie Ginsberg. CD

Like Dave Brubeck's legendary Time Out set? Try this one – a great record that takes off from the concept of the first, but which goes in some very fresh new directions – using the same great group with Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums! Dave's still working out some nutty time signatures here – but apart from the science, the thing that really makes the record cook is Desmond's alto – icy, edgey, floating, and always a treat – almost even more amazing in the space of some of these offbeat numbers. Titles include "Maori Blues", "Far More Drums", "Bluetee", "Far More Blue", and "It's A Raggy Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

A later repackaging of the excellent Flying High album – easily the group's best album by far, and unfortunately, too often the toughest one to find! The arrangements here are fantastic, and the material is waaaaaay more hip than the Ellington and Basie stuff that they wasted too much time working with. Annie Ross reprises her famous "Farmer's Market" solo, plus the group swings wildly on versions of "Mr. P.C.", and Horace Silver's "Home Cookin'" and "Come On Home". John Hendricks' voice is at his prime, and the whole thing grooves madly. LP, Vinyl record album

Four fantastic albums from the legendary Prince Far I! The set begins with the classic Free From Sin – Great early work from Prince Far I – a stunning mix of reggae and dub, with a righteous quality that really gives the prince his title amongst 70s Jamaican royalty! Backing is by a version of the Roots Radics – with the excellent Style Scott on drums, Errol Holt on Bass, Bingy Bunny, Sowell and Chinna Smith on guitar, Bobby Kalphat and Snappin on keys, Bobby Ellis and Deadly Headly on horns, and Bongo Herman and Ras Millinek on percussion – but the real key to the sound is the way that Prince Far I produces the whole thing, and mixes his own sinister vocals with the heady, bottom-heavy rhythms – all with a quality that matches Lee Scratch Perry at his best! Titles include "Free From Sin", "Light Of Fire", "Reggae Music", "I & I Are the Chosen One", "Don't Deal With Folly", "Call On I In Trouble", "When Jah Ready You Got To Move", and "Siren". Jamaican Heroes is a totally great album by Prince Far I – and a set that already shows him building that crucial London/Kingston bridge that would be such a big part of his sound! The album features work from Sly & Robbie, and the killer drums of Style Scott on rhythm – but also includes contributions by London hipsters Viv Albertine & Ari Up (of the Slits), and David Toop (noted music writer and historian) – quite a mix, and all brought together wonderfully by the Prince's production, and really unique vocal approach. Titles include "Jamaican Heroes", "Prison Discipline", "Musical History", "Natty Champion", and "Golden Throne". Next up is a classic from Prince Far I – Voice Of Thunder couldn't be a more appropriate album title or moniker! Recorded at Channel One in 1981 with incredible analog dub production, it fully carries the grit, murk, heavy and heady soul of the 70s into the new decade –even if the sound is ultimately a bit different then the what he delivered in the 70s. That thunderous voice toasting over the rhythms is as incredible as ever – over the commanding bass of Professor Larry Silvera, tripped out drums & percussion by Jah Lloyd & Scully, occasional swirling keys by Steely, Tarzan and Tony Asher and the other great Channel One players. Titles include "Ten Commandments", "Every Time I Hear The Word", "Head Of The Buccaneer", "Shall Not Dwell In Wickedness", "Skinhead", and "Hold The Fort". Musical History is one of the last albums ever issued by Prince Far I – and a set that marks a fantastic cap to a too-short career! The Prince's vocal contributions are as impeccable as his dubby production work – and titles include "At The Cross", "More We Are Together", "Take Heed Frontline", "What You Gonna Do On Judgement Day", and "Tell Them About Jah Love". CD

Of all the Prince Far I dub encounters, this one's the most essential – a modern dub classic! A young Adrian Sherwood mans the desk over Far I's driving rhythms with a helping hand from British reggae great Dennis Bovell. Though this doesn't get as way out as some of the spaciest ON-U dubs that we've loved over the years, Sherwood treats the rhythms with a respect they well deserve, while still bringing a fresh outlook to the knob twirling that recasts these mighty rhythms into ghostly soudscapes. The band is a veritable all star Jamaican rhythm section, including Fish Clarke, Sly, Horsemouth & Santa on drums, Flabba Holt on bass, Bingy Bunny & Chinna Smith on guitar, and Sticky Thompson on percussion. 10 cuts, including our faves "Long Life", "The Encounter" & "Abderrahane". LP, Vinyl record album

The first in many great reissues by the fine folks at Pressure Sounds to document the great talent of Prince Far I both behind the mic, or in this case, the board as producer. Originally this set was a limited edition white label pressed up around the time of Cry Tuff Chapter 2, though instead of the rhythm section of the Revolutionaries that were featured on that set, Far I recruited a number of young players, who would go on to form the axis of the Roots Radics band (and later the On-U syndicate of players), to play on these stripped down, hard and heavy drum & bass excursions with Style Scott and Flabba Holt marching in tight, syncopated rhythm union. 10 mighty tracks, including "Bass Ace", "Dub To Africa", "Cry Tuff & The Originals", "Big Fight Dub", "Internal Dub", "Hello Love Brother" and "Out of the Abyss". LP, Vinyl record album

A much-needed anthology of solo material from VU drummer Moe Tucker – also the singer and one woman band on many of the best recordings here – a massive set that also includes recordings with Velvets cohorts Lou Reed, John Cale and Sterling Morrison, out rock eccentrics Jad Fair and Daniel Johnston, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo, Jonathan Richman and others! The majority of the material comes from independent and self-released records that Moe made from the early 80s to mid 90s – a fascinating wealth of songs that explore the proto rock primitivism that was such an indispensable facet of her style of drumming, along with excellent art rock collaborations with fellow outcast geniuses, Moe's loving, but skewed take on classic girl group songs and more. We learned some things about Moe Tucker we didn't know before this set. Thanks to Sundazed for such a solid statement on the great legacy of her later years! Includes "Bo Diddley", a wooly version of "Heroin", "Hey Mersh!", "Andy", "Pale Blue Eyes", "Lazy", "Then He Kissed Me", "I'm Waiting For The Man", "Spam Again (Live)", "I've Seen Into Your Soul", "Poor Little Fool", "I Wanna", "Last Night I Said Goodbye To My Friend" (previously unissued), "After Hours", "I'm Not", "Blue All The Way To Canada", "Slippin' And Slidin'", "Around And Around" and more. 32 tracks on the 2CD version, which include the CD-only "Ellas", "Do It Right", "Fired Up" and "Danny Boy". CD

Mad music that you might never have heard otherwise – the fantastic fifth installment in this excellent series inspired by The Cramps – and maybe the deepest-digging so far! There's no holds barred here – both in the source of the material, and the style – and the main criteria just seems to be finding tracks that are as way-out and wild as possible – almost all of which are pulled from the 45rpm underground of the late 50s and early 60s! The "jukebox" in the title is well-placed – as most of these cuts are mad rompers that would really liven up a nightclub – but we also can't imagine there ever being any jukebox as hip as this one, to bring all these fantastic singles together. Titles include "Icky Poo" by The Nomads, "Pimples & Braces" by Ric Gary, "Fling" by The Phaetons, "Laffin Beatnik" by Johnny Beeman, "Bop Crazy Baby" by Vern Pullens, "Boom Stix" by Curley & The Jades, "Cannibal Stew" by Jerry & Mel, "Talk About A Party" by Lee Braun, "Mad Gass" by The Royal Teens, "Mama's Place" by Bing Day, "Mo Taters" by The Earthworms, "I'm The Wolfman" by Round Robin, "A Logger's Wife" by Buzz Martin, and "Strollie Bun" by The Blonde Bomber. CD

A lovely title, and a lovely little record too – every bit as poetic as its promise – with haunting trumpet lines by Ambrose Akimusire, nestled nicely in an acoustic quintet that also features Gerald Clayton on piano and Walter Smith III on tenor! There's an understated quality to the record that's really nice – none of the too-modern modes you might guess from the cover image (we'll admit that sometimes we're suspicious of contemporary Blue Note mixing it up too much) – and instead a style that's mighty fresh, yet still pretty earthy – modern, yet never too outside – and a sense of soul that informs proceedings and really helps keep things on track. Titles include "Jaya", "Henya", "Far But Few Between", "Confessions To My Unborn Daughter", "The Walls Of Lechuguilla", and "My Name Is Oscar". CD

Beautifully compressed pop from Herb Alpert – a session that's still got the traditional Tijuana Brass style, but which also displays a more restrained, more adult approach to instrumental pop! The rhythms are nicely changed out more than before here – stretching out with interwoven exotic touches and sweeter A&M pop – all coming together at a level that's far more sophisticated than you might guess if you've only got a version of Herb that's reduced to simple cliche! Herb also makes a key vocal appearance on the song "This Guy's In Love With You" – the group's first #1 single, and the beginning of a great run of Alpert vocalizations. Other tracks include "The Robin", "Slick", "Panama", "A Beautiful Friend", "She Touched Me", and "Thanks For The Memory". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little 2-fer collecting two great meetings of two greats! Jug and Stitt go head to head on Boss Tenors, a classic album of tracks that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut in Chicago with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George Brown on drums – and it's way heavier than the usual Verve "meeting of the masters" session, and feels more like a record that should have been issued on Prestige or Argo. Both players are impeccable, and the solos stretch out for a long long very live time. Titles include "Blues Up & Down", "The One Before This", and "Counter Clockwise" – but these guys even groove amazingly on standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "No Greater Love". Boss Tenors In Orbit was a follow up one year later, an obscure little session with the pair once again recreating the energy of their live shows – as they stretch out nicely on very long tracks that have spare backing by the Don Patterson trio! The cuts are mostly standard stuff – "John Brown's Body", "Walkin", "Long Ago And Far Away" – but the twin-tenor sound is great, and Patterson's free organ lines riff away nicely! 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

One of the few ECM sides recorded by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – easily some of the hippest work the label issued at the time, and a key way for the avant collective to get a bit of large audience exposure! The sound is still very much in the best AEC style here – and if anything, ECM's sensitivity to sound has allowed the group to explore some of the farther reaches of their sonic sensibilities – those contemplative moments that could sometimes be lost in the hands of other producers, captured beautifully here in a range of instruments far too many to mention! Some of the bolder tracks have Lester Bowie's trumpet right out front – almost hinting at his own solo association with the label – and titles include "Care Free", "Magg Zelma", "Full Force", and "Old Time Southside Street Dance". CD