A book that really gets to the heart of the cassette tape and the way it helped shape modern music – a long journey that's run well into the 21st Century – which might come as a real surprise to anyone who gave up on the format many years ago! The book looks at the way tapes helped underground movements share music, go global with tape-only releases, share live experiences between fans, and open doors of musical communication through the circulation of mixtapes. There's a lot more going on here too – a very vivid account of the greatness of tape culture and its durability – served up in a softcover edition of 209 pages, with some very cool black and white images. Book

Trumpeter Tito Chicoma's in great territory here – hard-swinging late 60s Latin grooves, all somewhat in the mode of early work from the great Bobby Valentin! As with Valentin during his trumpet playing years, Tito's set up here with a fair bit of boogaloo grooves – Latin soul sounds that are a perfect backdrop for his tight horn lines, which dance nicely between the vocals too! There's also some of the promised cumbia tracks from the title, but even those seem to have a bit of a soulful spin – in the best mode of Peru's Mag Records during the time. Titles include "El Diri Bop", "Pata Pata Paelada", "La Contamanina", "Dale U", "La Ciguena", "La Cebolla", "Mr Trumpet Man", and "Felipon". LP, Vinyl record album

Witer Kit Mackintosh begins with the use of auto-tune in the first decade of this century, the uses that as a springboard to look at a the underground genres listed in the title! Kit's trying very hard to be current, and add in a chapter of musical history that's sometimes overlooked by more rock or hip hop-biased volumes – and the book offers examinations of Young Thug, Migos, Vybz Kartel, and others – before then ending with an interview with himself! Softcover edition is 151 pages. Book

A cool little compilation that's as groovy as you might guess from the title – and one that finally brings to light the lesser-known genre of chica – an odd fusion of cumbia rhythms with more psychedelic-styled instrumentation on farfisa, organ, and guitar! The core grooves remind us a bit of familiar cumbia, but the overall presentation is often a bit more rough-edged and almost garagey at times – a youthful interpretation of the genre that's pretty free with its approach to the music – and which often uses cool electronic touches and weird production techniques to create some really great sounds! Many tracks feature vocals, but the emphasis here seems mostly on the instrumentation – and titles include "Sonido Amazonico" by Los Mirlos, "Carinito" by Los Hijos Del Sol, "A Patricia" by Los Destellos, "Ya Se Ha Muerto Mi Abuelo" by Juaneco Y Su Combo, "La Danza De Los Mirlos" by Los Mirlos, ", "Linda Munequita" by Los Hijos Del Sol, and "Linda Nena" by Juaneco Y Su Combo. LP, Vinyl record album

Daniel Carter on saxophone, flute and trumpet, Tobias Wilmer on electronics, synth and beats, Djibril Toure on bass, and Federico Ughi on drums. CD

Daniel Carter on saxophones, flute, trumpet, and clarinet – with Djibril Toure on bass, Fererico Ughi on drums, and Tobias Wilner on electronics, synthesizers, piano, and guitar. CD

A surprisingly wonderful album by Billy Higgins – recorded in the mid 80s, but with a free flowign spirituality that recalls some of his best soul jazz work of the mid 70s! The album's got some long and open-ended, slightly modal tracks – quite similar to the work that Billy did with Clifford Jordan on Jordan's Strata East albums of the 70s – the most notable of which is the Bill Lee composition "John Coltrane", redone here in a mode that's got a different edge than the original. Reeds on the album are handled by Gary Bias, who also wrote a few tracks – and Bias has a tone that's not as biting as Clifford Jordan, which makes for a warmer, possibly slightly more soulful approach to the material. Titles include "Dance Of The Clones", "Humility", "East Side Stomp", and "Morning Awakening". CD

A dream of a record from the LA spiritual underground of the 70s – and one of the only records we've ever seen from reedman Gary Bias! The date's got a soulful depth that makes it one of the most compelling albums on the legendary Nimbus label – a rhythmic pulse that's often modal, and a sense of spiritualism in the solos that often has Gary stretching out strongly on alto, soprano sax, or flute – yet always with an inherent focus, and strong sense of direction! Other players are equally great too – David Tillman on piano, Rickey Kelly on vibes, Roberto Miranda and John Heard on bass, and Fritz Wise on drums – and the tunes are wonderful original numbers that mark Bias as an extremely strong voice in jazz – one that should have gotten better exposure over the years. The album's got a great Strata East sort of vibe – and titles include "As Children Play", "East 101", "Asiki", "Arthur's Vamp", and "Dear Violet". LP, Vinyl record album

We spent a big part of our lives driving up and the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago – and we still do now, as we circle the city looking for records, books, and food – given that the roadway is the main gateway to the city's south side! So maybe we're a bit biased, but we love this book of photographs snapped on and around the famous freeway – some at night, some on the go, and all of them a pretty illuminating portrait of this road that's forever changed the shape of the city. The range of images is great – not just the concrete pictured on the cover, but also shots of cars, drivers, workers – and then some surprising interiors that even include apartment views of the expressway, and the Expressway Lounge on the south side. There's a few historical images, too – and despite the comparison with Blade Runner on the back cover, we find the book to be a pretty great portrait of a side of Chicago we know and love. 88 pages, hardcover, and full color. Book

A lost treasure from pianist Horace Tapscott – material recorded live at the legendary Lighthouse club, done with a very hip group of players from the Nimbus Records scene! The tracks are quite long throughout – and often start with Tapscott musing into the groove with solo piano, soon joined by group members who include Reggie Bullen on trumpet, Gary Bias on alto sax, Roberto Miranda and David Bryant on bass, and George Goldsmith on drums. Tapscott's piano has plenty of sharp edges throughout, but these introductory moments also show his more contemplative side as well – making the long tracks a wonderfully rich portrait of his musical talents. Titles include "Acirfa", "Dem Folks", "I Remember Clifford", "Leland's Song", and a shorter take on "Acirfa". CD

A second unearthed gem from pianist Horace Tapscott at the Lighthouse club in 1979 – very sharp stuff featuring a solid group of Nimbus players! Volume 2 was recorded on October 11, appropriately the night after the set featured on Lighthouse 79 Vol 1, with Tapscott leading the way, and setting up a groove with on the piano, while the group pounces when ready The players are Reggie Bullen on trumpet, Gary Bias on alto, Roberto Miranda and David Bryant on bass, and George Goldsmith on drums. It's an impeccable balance of subtle, slow building melodicism and sharp, emphatic group play & soloing! Totally great stuff, and absolutely worth a second helping. Titles include "Acirfa", "Niger's Theme", the epic "Stella By Starlight", "Lush Life" (at 6+ minutes, the only number in the set that runs less than 10 minutes) and "Inspiration Of Silence". CD

A great group recording from pianist Horace Tapscott – recorded in LA in the early 80s, but done with all the righteousness and spirituality of his earlier albums! Tracks are long and exploratory, but also relatively lyrical too – stretching out with a style that's never too "outside", and which has Horace and the group really soaring to the heavens on the best moments! The group here is a sextet – with the great Gary Bias on alto and soprano saxophone, plus Sabir Matteen on tenor, Reggie Bullen on trumpet, Roberto Miguel Miranda on bass, and Everett Brown on drums and percussion – all working with a cohesiveness that reminds us of some of Tapscott's larger group recordings, but with a cleaner, leaner kind of feel. Titles include "Lately's Solo", "Dial B For Barbara", and "Dem Folks". CD

A fantastic extension of the Jazz Is Dead series – a run of records that's already got a wonderfully collaborative vibe, which is taken even further with these tracks! As you might guess from the title, the album features remixes of cuts from the previous nine volumes – and the choice of remixers is really top-shelf – a great run of talents who now add their voices to the stunning sounds created by the host of famous jazz/funk talents who worked alongside Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad in the studio! Every track has a nicely different vibe, but not in a way that's schizophrenic – as the music really opens up from the sounds at the core, while still holding onto them as well. Titles include "Gotta Love Again (Kaidi Tatham rmx)" with Marcos Valle, "Soulful & Unique (Pink Sifu rmx)" with Roy Ayers, "Soulsea (Cut Chemist rmx)" with Gary Bartz, "Redor Do Samba (DJ Spinna rmx)" with Azymuth, "Liasons (Diabiase rmx)" with Joao Donato, "Nancy Wilson (Shigeto rmx)" with Brian Jackson, "Windfall (Natureboy Flako rmx)" with Doug Carn, and "Jazz Is Dead (Georgia Anne Muldrow geemix)" with The Midnight Hour. CD

Writer Nelson Algren is one of our hometown heroes, and spent most of his key years right around the corner of Dusty Groove – so we're always a bit biased when it comes to his work – but you can trust us when we say that this well-done biography is almost as fantastic as some of Algren's classic books! Algren knew the streets of Chicago like the back of his hand – and his interaction with the city and its characters provided Algren with a life's worth of pain and pleasure – a richness of experience that really comes through in the biography. Nelson had a quick rise to fame with the success of The Man With The Golden Arm and a few other key books – but was also the subject of a long FBI investigation, and a number of other political pitfalls too – all documented here in great detail, along with his famous love affair with Simone DeBeauvoir. There's as much sadness and struggle to Algren's life as you'll find in one of his books – and the well-researched volume looks at a stunning array of material to give a full picture of his time and writing. 543 pages, hardcover, with some black and white images. Book

A great bit of work from the hip LA scene that centered around the Nimbus label at the end of the 70s – a collective who work together here with the same spiritual jazz modes you'd find on labels like Tribe or Strata East! The group features some bigger names from the scene, including some solo Nimbus acts – plus some other overlooked players – a lineup that includes Henry Franklin on bass, George Bohannon on trombone, Wilbert Hemsley on tenor, Dadesi Komolafe on flute, Jeff Clayton on baritone, and Gary Bias on alto and soprano sax. The album's also got some beautiful vocals from BJ Crowley – who co-leads the group, and sings out with a proud righteousness that recalls some of Dee Dee Bridgewater or Jean Carn's early early soul jazz recordings. The tracks are all long and spiraling numbers – never really "out", but in a free searching mode that's a perfect platform for the piano work of the other co-leader, Kaeef Ruzadun. Titles include "One Step Out", "Flashback Of Time", "All Praises Due", and "Stars In Lightyear Time". CD

A great bit of work from the hip LA scene that centered around the Nimbus label at the end of the 70s – a collective who work together here with the same spiritual jazz modes you'd find on labels like Tribe or Strata East! The group features some bigger names from the scene, including some solo Nimbus acts – plus some other overlooked players – a lineup that includes Henry Franklin on bass, George Bohannon on trombone, Wilbert Hemsley on tenor, Dadesi Komolafe on flute, Jeff Clayton on baritone, and Gary Bias on alto and soprano sax. The album's also got some beautiful vocals from BJ Crowley – who co-leads the group, and sings out with a proud righteousness that recalls some of Dee Dee Bridgewater or Jean Carn's early early soul jazz recordings. The tracks are all long and spiraling numbers – never really "out", but in a free searching mode that's a perfect platform for the piano work of the other co-leader, Kaeef Ruzadun. Titles include "One Step Out", "Flashback Of Time", "All Praises Due", and "Stars In Lightyear Time". CD

There's a really great pairing going on here – the always-amazing sound of Pierre Dorge's New Jungle Orchestra, and the tenor of Stephen Riley – a guest who's brought into the fold after a successful European tour with the group, and a perfect match for their ever-inventive sound! Dorge's guitar sets the scene and colors the music right from the start – with plenty of the blue elements you might expect in the title – and Riley seems as if he's challenging all the other group members to do their best with the strength of his own tenor – a lineup that includes Tobias Wiklund on trumpet, Kennet Agerlhom on trombone, Jakob Mygind on tenor and soprano, Anders Banke on tenor and bass clarinet, and Irene Becker on piano and keyboards. The tracks are mostly originals by Dorge, plus a few by Becker – and they've got that angular, shape-heavy vibe that marks the work of the NJO – on titles that include "Dancing In The Jungle", "Aburu Kuwa", "Mingus' Birthday Party", "Witchdoctor In The Burial Mound", "Fulani", and "Blue Afriki". CD

No gospel music here, but instead a fantastic debut from South African saxophonist Mthunzi Mvubu – no stranger to the scene, but an artist who's finally getting his chance to shine in the spotlight – which he does wonderfully, in this set of soaring and angular tunes! There's a bold sense of soul to the record right from the start – fresh energy in the rhythm section, as things cascade wonderfully, and really push the leader's own work on alto – as well as the tenor of Tobias Meinhart, who's a great partner on the set. Other players include Afrika Mkhize on piano and keyboards, Dalisu Ndlazi on bass, and Sphelelo Mazibuko on drums – and titles include "Voice", "In The Wake Of Your Song", "Sea Line", "A Child Speaks", "7 Kings", "Mom Vs The Bad Man", and "Zig Zag". CD

Think what you want about the lady and her music, this album's one of the most crucial indie sets of the 90s – a record that not only elevated a whole new level of songwriting, but also helped find a new role for the female artist in the changing scene of the time! Plus, for us, it's also a set that's as important to the Chicago scene as most of the big Seattle records were to that city – a showcase of the city's new energy towards music making, and the way it could take risks but touch a larger audience, too – thanks to the instrumental efforts of Phair's great band, and the production of Brad Wood (the set germinated just blocks from Dusty Groove – so maybe we're a bit biased, too!) Titles include "Dance Of The Seven Veils", "Never Said", "Soap Star Joe", "Canary", "Mesmerizing", "F*ck & Run", "Girls Girls Girls", "Shatter", "Divorce Song", "Flower", "Gunshy", "Strange Loop", "Stratford On Guy", and "Explain It To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure from pianist Horace Tapscott – material recorded live at the legendary Lighthouse club, done with a very hip group of players from the Nimbus Records scene! The tracks are quite long throughout – and often start with Tapscott musing into the groove with solo piano, soon joined by group members who include Reggie Bullen on trumpet, Gary Bias on alto sax, Roberto Miranda and David Bryant on bass, and George Goldsmith on drums. Tapscott's piano has plenty of sharp edges throughout, but these introductory moments also show his more contemplative side as well – making the long tracks a wonderfully rich portrait of his musical talents. Titles include "Acirfa", "Dem Folks", "I Remember Clifford", "Leland's Song", and a shorter take on "Acirfa". CD