Beats, Rhymes & Life – crucial aspects of Tribe Called Quest and hip hop in general – and the fourth album by the inimitable Tribe! After a couple or three years of down time following Midnight Marauders, the Tribe returned with this extra stripped down sound, collaborating with Jay Dee and the Ummah. Titles include "Jam", the r&b crossover ready "Stressed Out" feat Faith Evans, "Motivators", the great "Phony Rappers", and "Keep It Moving", "Word Play", "The Pressure", "Word Play" and much more. LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty great follow up to the previous hits package Retrospective – this one with many of the Tribe's OTHER hits, plus 2 previously unreleased nuggets! Alternate mixes, out of print soundtrack and 12-inch cuts, plus album tracks that weren't ingrained into the mainstream consciousness – cuts like "Oh My God", "Award Tour", "Can I Kick It?", "One, Two, S&!t" with Busta Rhymes, "Peace, Prosperity, and Paper" and "Glamour & Glitz". Of course, you also get the better known tracks like " I Left My Wallet In El Segundo", "Check The Rhyme", "Buggin' Out", "Scenario", "Jazz (We've Got)" and the rest. 2 rare unreleased cuts made it on: "Mr. Incognito" and "The Night He Got Caught". CD

A pretty great follow up to the previous hits package Retrospective – this one with many of the Tribe's OTHER hits, plus 2 previously unreleased nuggets! Alternate mixes, out of print soundtrack and 12-inch cuts, plus album tracks that weren't ingrained into the mainstream consciousness – cuts like "Oh My God", "Award Tour", "Can I Kick It?", "One, Two, S&!t" with Busta Rhymes, "Peace, Prosperity, and Paper" and "Glamour & Glitz". Of course, you also get the better known tracks like " I Left My Wallet In El Segundo", "Check The Rhyme", "Buggin' Out", "Scenario", "Jazz (We've Got)" and the rest. 2 rare unreleased cuts made it on: "Mr. Incognito" and "The Night He Got Caught". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A hell of a comeback for Tribe Called Quest – maybe one of the best musical comebacks ever, and a fantastic reminder of why we loved the group so much in the first place! 18 years have passed since we last heard from the trio (now, sadly, a duo) – and that time only seems to have sharpened their sound, and given them a more powerful presence than ever! Everything we loved about them is still very firmly in place – that sense of collaboration, almost improvisation in a jazz-like way, and those moments of surprise and wonder at all the deft turns they can take in a short space. Yet there's also a new edge – one that might be even more powerful in this highly politicized moment in American history – a bite that the group never had before, and a larger social agenda that makes all of their incredible skills even more amazing, when focused on a target. We've certainly missed them – but the album's also well worth the wait! Titles include "Black Spasmodic", "The Donald", "The Space Program", "We The People", "Solid Wall Of Sound", "Dis Generation", "Kids", "Melatonin", "Enough", "Movin Backwards", and "The Killing Season". LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a comeback for Tribe Called Quest – maybe one of the best musical comebacks ever, and a fantastic reminder of why we loved the group so much in the first place! 18 years have passed since we last heard from the trio (now, sadly, a duo) – and that time only seems to have sharpened their sound, and given them a more powerful presence than ever! Everything we loved about them is still very firmly in place – that sense of collaboration, almost improvisation in a jazz-like way, and those moments of surprise and wonder at all the deft turns they can take in a short space. Yet there's also a new edge – one that might be even more powerful in this highly politicized moment in American history – a bite that the group never had before, and a larger social agenda that makes all of their incredible skills even more amazing, when focused on a target. We've certainly missed them – but the album's also well worth the wait! Titles include "Black Spasmodic", "The Donald", "The Space Program", "We The People", "Solid Wall Of Sound", "Dis Generation", "Kids", "Melatonin", "Enough", "Movin Backwards", and "The Killing Season". LP, Vinyl record album

Sleek modern soul from Ruby Turner – her tightly grooving Women Hold Up Half The Sky – a mid 80s set that's very much of the era, but with songs that are far more timelessly structured than many pop soul efforts of the era! Ruby's vocals lovely and wonderful here, on a mix of ballads and more midtempo R&B. It's a mix of synthy and smooth soul, and it holds up very well! Titles include "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)" with Jonathan Butler, "In My Life (It's Better To Be In Love)", "Hurting Inside", "He's Mine", "Still On My Mind", "Only Women Bleed" (yep, a soul take on the Alice Cooper hit!), "Hurting Inside" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The classic debut of Whodini – a duo who were maybe seen by some as too pop back in the day, but whose music here still really stands the test of time way back to the old school! Jalil Hutchins and Ecstasy combine new beatcraft and catchy hooks at a level that maybe made them one of the first groups to really push hip hop into the mainstream – and there's some surprising studio talent on the set, which includes production from both Thomas Dolby and the Willesden Dodgers – plus work by Conny Plank at the legendary studios of Can in Germany! That mix of modes really comes through in the set – which is maybe one of the first records to inscribe that love of overseas sounds that Afrika Bambaataa was first bringing to the mix – on cuts that include their classic "The Haunted House Of Rock" – in both regular and vocoder versions – plus "Magic's Wand", "Nasty Lady", "Underground", "Rap Machine", "Yours For A Night", and "It's All In Mr Magic's Wand". LP, Vinyl record album

9 track sampler including clean edits of "Trigga Gots No Heart" by Spice 1, "Death Becomes You" by Pete Rock & CL Smooth with the Ygz, "Pocket Full Of Stones" by UGK, "Only The Strong Survive" by Too Short, "Streiht Up Menace" by MC Eiht, "P Is Still Free" by Boogie Down Productions, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to find original vinyl pressing of their first LP! As much as we love all the Hiero ouput, this is still our favorite, and besides, it's the blueprint for the Hieroglyphics sound. Smooth jazzy production and great ensemble rapping put this one at the top of the class. 14 tracks including "That's When Ya Lost", "Let Em Know", "Live & Let Live", "Make Your Mind Up", "A Name I Call Myself", "Disseshowedo", "What A Way To Go Out", "Never No More", "93 Til Infinity", "Limitations", "Anything Can Happen", "Make Up Your Mind", "Batting Practice", "Tell Me Who Profits". LP, Vinyl record album

Beats, Rhymes & Life – crucial aspects of Tribe Called Quest and hip hop in general – and the fourth album by the inimitable Tribe! After a couple or three years of down time following Midnight Marauders, the Tribe returned with this extra stripped down sound, collaborating with Jay Dee and the Ummah. Titles include "Jam", the r&b crossover ready "Stressed Out" feat Faith Evans, "Motivators", the great "Phony Rappers", and "Keeping It Moving", "Word Play", "The Pressure", "Word Play" and much more. CD

A masterpiece from prime era Tribe Called Quest! Midnight Maurauders was Tribe's third LP, and even though there were no tracks yet credited to the Ummah, this is pretty much the beginning of Tribe's transition to that sound – with the same mellow, laid back vibe as their best early material, but less of an overtly jazzy reference in their sound. Phife and Tip are still on point lyrically, and honestly, this is pretty much the last LP that Tribe dropped that's got nearly all hits and no misses on it. With the cuts "Award Tour", "Midnight", "Electric Relaxation", "Clap Your Hands", "Oh My God", "The Chase, Part II", and "Keep It Rollin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of THE landmark hip hop albums – and the full length debut of great Tribe Called Quest! We hardly need to tell you about this classic – but it will always bear repeating. De La Soul might have kicked the door open on leftfield, anything goes artistry about a year or so earlier, but their friends and fellow Native Tongues Tribe's debut was a crucial reminder that the east coast was spinning out of one of the greatest creative growth spurts in hip hop history at the time. Pure excellence. Tracks include "Luck Of Lucien", "Footprints", "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo", "Bonita Applebaum", "Can I Kick It?", "Rhythm (Devoted To The Art Of Moving Butts)", "Mr Muhammad", "Description Of A Fool" andmore seminal, jazzy middle school tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Nice promo only EP of 6 tracks from the KRS-1/BDP retrospective that came out in 2000. Features "Criminal Minded", "The Bridge Is Over", "South Bronx", "My Philosophy", "I'm Still #1" and "Jack Of Spades". 12-inch, Vinyl record

The first KRS solo LP – breaking out of the formula of later Boogie Down Production a bit by collaborating with rising talent underground favorite producers like DJ Premier, Showbiz and Kid Capri in addition to his own solid production work – and ends up standing as strong as he ever would as a solo artist! The production stands the test of time incredibly well, as does KRS's peak level precision on the mic. Includes the hits "Outta Here", "I Can't Wake Up", "Black Cop", "Sound Of The Police", but this one is solid throughout. Other tracks including "Stop Frontin'", "Uh Oh", "Hip Hop Vs Rap", "Brown Skin Woman", "Return Of The Boom Bap" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The first full length classic from Spice 1 – an MC who came up in the wake of Too Short on the west coast, but has definitely found his own style by the time of this set! Some tracks almost have an Ice Cube mix of biting social commentary and view from the streets – while others are maybe more in the crossover gangsta vein that would rise strongly in years to come. Samples are all obvious, but well-used – records from Funkadelic, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, and Isaac Hayes – and the album also features some tight mixing and production from Ant Banks. Titles include "In My Neighborhood", "187 Proof", "Peace To My Nine", "Welcome To The Ghetto", "Money Or Murder", "City Streets", and "Break Yourself". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Check The Rhime", "Bonita Applebum", "Award Tour", "Can I Kick It?", "Scenario", "Buggin' Out", "If The Papes Come", "Electric Relaxation", "Jazz (We've Got)", "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo", "Hot Sex", "Oh My God", "Stressed Out", "Luck Of Lucien", "Description Of A Fool", "Keeping It Moving", "Find A Way", "Sucka Ni**a", and "Vivrant Thing". CD

A masterpiece from prime era Tribe Called Quest! Midnight Maurauders was Tribe's third LP, and even though there were no tracks yet credited to the Ummah, this is pretty much the beginning of Tribe's transition to that sound – with the same mellow, laid back vibe as their best early material, but less of an overtly jazzy reference in their sound. Phife and Tip are still on point lyrically, and honestly, this is pretty much the last LP that Tribe dropped that's got nearly all hits and no misses on it. With the cuts "Award Tour", "Midnight", "Electric Relaxation", "Clap Your Hands", "Oh My God", "The Chase, Part II", and "Keep It Rollin". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The last Tribe Called Quest LP – one of those "end of an era" type experiences for sure – and record that was fairly slept on it the time given the dizzying heights of their earlier record – and holds up today as an essential! 15 tracks total, are all produced by The Ummah featuring J Dilla, and just a solid bed of production that's a reminder of how this excellent style of hip hop production excels so sweetly at both looking forward and making 70s soul jazz beats sound forever fresh – with tracks including "Pen & Pad", "Find A Way", "Like It Like That", "Steppin' It Up" (featuring Busta Rhymes & Redman), "Rock Rock Y'all" (featuring Mos Def, Jane Doe, Punchline & Wordsworth.) CD

2 versions of Masekela's take on Fela's "Lady" with some very 80s electro touches over the afrobeat groove. The 17 minute version of "Coal Train" on the flip side is recorded live, with a long, slow, spare reading until the crescendo at the end. 12-inch, Vinyl record

The first album of the new millennium for UGK – coming into it at high point! They had a lot to live up to after Ridin' Dirty did so much put Houston on the legacy hip hop, and really helped usher in the the southern hip hop revolution in general, so if Dirty Money doesn't blaze any more trails, it's certainly as sturdy ride that still sounds good after all these years. Includes "Let Me See It", "Choppin' Blades", "Look At Me", "Ain't That A B***h" with Devin The Dude, "Holdin' Na" feat C-Note, "Don't Say S**t" with Big Gipp of Goodie Mob, ""Dirty Money", "Pimpin' Ain't No Illusion", "Wood Wheel", "Money, H*** & Power" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from one of the most important early bop trumpeters – the mighty Howard McGhee, heard here in a set of rare material that includes obscure studio sessions and some surprisingly great live performances too! McGhee was one of the first and the best to turn the trumpet towards bop – a player at a level that matched the young Clifford Brown or Fats Navarro at their best – especially in these formative early years, when Howard had a sense of tone and timing that was completely sublime! Most tracks are short and very tight – and even the ballads have this crispness that really illustrates the fresh contributions that McGhee was making to music at the time. The set features four tracks from a 1945 Philo Records session, four more from a 1946 Melodisc session, and eleven more tracks from radio broadcasts – all surprisingly well recorded. Players include Teddy Edwards on tenor (on most of the tracks here), Sonny Criss on alto, George Crawford or Vernon Biddle on piano, Bob Kesterson on bass, and the great Roy Porter on drums. Titles include "Night In Tunisia", "Howard's Blues", "Killin Jive", "The Man I Love", "Dark Eyes", "Mop Mop", "Lifestream", "Night Mist", "Blues A La King", "Ornithology", and "Intersection". CD

One of the last great records by Charles Mingus – a set of extremely compelling original compositions, played by a fresh group of younger players, plus a few older masters! The record's got a fire and sense of emotion that's missing from a number of other 70s Mingus sessions – and it's one of the few later albums we'd easily rank right up there with his late 50s and early 60s classics! Orchestrations were partially arranged and conducted with help from Sy Johnson – and soloists include James Moody and Bobby Jones on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, Snookie Young and Lonnie Hillyer on trumpet, and Roland Hanna on piano. Titles include "The Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers", "Adagio Ma Non Troppo", "The Chill of Death", and "The I Of Hurricane Sue". CD features the bonus track "Taurus In The Arena Of Life". CD

80's reissue that brings together tracks from two different Mingus Columbia sessions – one from 1959, and one from 1971. The '71 material is the extended "Shoes of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers", which is one of Mingus' best works from the decade. The other tracks are shorter, and were originally presented in edited form on the Mingus Dynasty album – but they're offered here in longer versions that include the previously-edited material. Titles include "Song With Orange", "Slop", and "Gunslinging Bird". CD

80's reissue that brings together tracks from two different Mingus Columbia sessions – one from 1959, and one from 1971. The '71 material is the extended "Shoes of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers", which is one of Mingus' best works from the decade. The other tracks are shorter, and were originally presented in edited form on the Mingus Dynasty album – but they're offered here in longer versions that include the previously-edited material. Titles include "Song With Orange", "Slop", and "Gunslinging Bird". LP, Vinyl record album

14 titles in all, including "Mr Freddie Blues", "I Ain't No Bulldog", "Trumpets Farm Blues", "Farish Street Jive", "No Special Rider", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece of hard and heavy funk – from one of the best bands of the early 70s! The Nite Liters were a legendary funky combo that provided the backing for some of New Birth's best albums – but on their own, they were even funkier, and had a sound that was part JBs, part Meters, and all funky! This album may well be the group's best – their last for RCA, and a set that really has them honing their edge incredibly. The drums are amazing, the keyboards great, and the horns have this quality that's both complex, yet right on the money – making for a richness in sound that really sets the group apart from their contemporaries. A few singers from The New Birth provide chorus vocals on a few tracks – but most of the set is instrumental, and the record's one we'd gladly stack next to our Meters albums on Josie or JBs classics on People. Every track's a gem – and titles include "Drumology", "Excuse Me While I Do My Thing", "Serenade for a Jive Turkey", "Happy Hooker", "Craaashing", "Damn", "Pee-Foul", and a sweet cover of "Valdez in the Country" that's been sampled at least once over the years! CD

A masterpiece of hard and heavy funk – from one of the best bands of the early 70s! The Nite Liters were a legendary funky combo that provided the backing for some of New Birth's best albums – but on their own, they were even funkier, and had a sound that was part JBs, part Meters, and all funky! This album may well be the group's best – their last for RCA, and a set that really has them honing their edge incredibly. The drums are amazing, the keyboards great, and the horns have this quality that's both complex, yet right on the money – making for a richness in sound that really sets the group apart from their contemporaries. A few singers from The New Birth provide chorus vocals on a few tracks – but most of the set is instrumental, and the record's one we'd gladly stack next to our Meters albums on Josie or JBs classics on People. Every track's a gem – and titles include "Drumology", "Excuse Me While I Do My Thing", "Serenade for a Jive Turkey", "Happy Hooker", "Craaashing", "Damn", "Pee-Foul", and a sweet cover of "Valdez in the Country" that's been sampled at least once over the years! CD

Great live work from the earliest years of Ian Carr's Nucleus – recorded at a time when the combo was breaking tremendous new ground in British jazz! As with the Nucleus studio albums of the period, there's a free-flowing energy here that's totally great – a spacious approach to fusion that borrows some elements and inspiration from rock music, but never jams too hard to lose its jazz-based approach. Carr's trumpet work is wonderful throughout – a guiding force that's almost as strong as Miles in the period – and other players include Karl Jenkins on electric piano, Brian Smith on tenor and soprano sax, Chris Spedding on guitar, Jeff Clyne on bass, and John Marshall on drums. Titles include "Elastic Rock", "Stonescape/Twisted Track", "1916/Persephone's Jive", "Song For The Bearded Lady", "Tangent", "We'll Talk About It Later", "Snakehips Dream", and "Hemisphere". LP, Vinyl record album

Johnny's very much in his "revival" mode here – dipping back to his earlier R&B roots, and working with a host of famous older blues singers. The set's got vocals by Roy Milton, Roy Brown, Esther Phillips, Mighty Mouth Evans, Ivory Joe Hunter, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, Margie Evans, and Big Joe Turner – and even though Shuggie Otis is on the album, the whole thing's a pretty bluesy affair overall. Titles include "Shuggie's Boogie", "Plastic Man", "Margie's Boogie", "Baby You Don't Know", "Little Esther's Blues", "RM Blues", "Goin Back To LA", "Willie & The Hand Jive", and "Since I Met You Baby". CD

A great second volume of pivotal episodes of The Johnny Otis Show from Ace Records and a compilation that represents two eras of Johnny Otis! On With The Show starts out by continuing the story of his late 50s and early 60s R&B years – then segues hard into his grittier funk-honed style of the late 60s and early 70s. The first half starts out right where Vol 1 left off – tracing his good-natured, rollicking R&B. Fittingly, this half of the set effectively ends with '61's "Hand Jive One More Time" and the next track, '67's "Keep The Faith", shows a remarkable transition in style to groove heavy soul and funk. It's all great – be it his charismatic riffs on the Bo Diddley beat that so characterized the "Hand Jive" era, to the ribald funk of "Signifying Monkey" and beyond. 24 tracks in all and featuring a great set of notes. Titles include "Good Golly", "The Jelly Roll", "The New Bo Diddley", "Let's Love It Up", "Banana Peels", "The Watts Breakaway", "Cold Shot", "Country Girl", "I Got The Walkin' Blues", "Cuttin' Up", "Jaws", "Bye Bye Baby (Until We Meet Again)" and more. CD

An excellent mix of soul, jazz, and funk from Bernard "Pretty" Purdie – and a record that's kind of the summation of the entire Flying Dutchman groove of the early 70s! By the time of this 1971 recording, Purdie had played on a host of classic soul and jazz sides from the 60s – and that long tradition of work is drawn on strongly in the set, which features guest appearances from the likes of Harold Wheeler, Blue Mitchell, Gil Scott-Heron, Chuck Rainey, Cornell Dupree, Seldon Powell, and Norma Jenkins. About half the tracks are instrumental versions of soul tracks – and a few feature vocals, either by Purdie, Norman Matlock, or Gil Scott-Heron. Heron does a very hip track called "Artificialness", and other tracks include "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get", "Modern Jive", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "It's Too Late", and the mad mad number "Funky Mozart", which has a great break! CD

A really great little set from Zoot Sims – earthy, and almost a bit more fragile than much of his other work! There's a real "down home" feel to the whole record – as Zoot blows comfortably and easily in a quartet with Dave McKenna on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – making a rare non-Mingus appearance for the set! Zoot's horn has a bit more dirt in the tone than on some of his "cleaner" sessions – a style that we like a lot, and which really fits the feeling of the set. Titles include "Doggin' Around", "Avalon", "Jive At Five", "I've Heard That Blues", and "Goodnite Sweetheart". The CD contains 14 tracks, with a number of alternate takes, for a total of 72 minutes. CD

Drummer Bubbha Thomas lays down a set of modern funk tracks, most with a drum machine providing the backing, and with a lot of slap bass in that 80's funk style. Some cuts have vocals by a male or female singer, but most of the groove is instrumental. Cuts include "Livin On Love", "Skipp Hopp", "Life & Times (Of Daddy Jive)", and "Let Me Play The Music". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sarah Vaughan's first albums of Latin-tinged tracks – showing the roots of her interest in Brazilian music that would develop even more fully into the 70s. The record features a large group arranged and conducted by Frank Foster – with a host of jazz soloists, plus Latin percussion by the likes of Willie Bobo, Jose Mangual, and Willie Rodriguez. Titles include lively versions of "Jive Samba", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Mr Lucky", "Quiet Nights", and "Moment Of Truth". Tasty stuff – and very groovy! LP, Vinyl record album

Features 20 tracks including "Winter Weather", "Don't Give Me That Jive", "Honeysuckle Rose", "Old Time Blues", "Jeepers Creepers", and "I Got Rhythm". CD

Brazilian grooves all over the place – and a wonderful assortment of tunes from the Warner, Atlantic, and Elektra vaults of the 60s and 70s! The set list goes way past the pop-bossa numbers that you might think from the cover, which is a cop from an old Atlantic compilation of the 60s – and includes some lesser-known tracks cooked up in Brazil during the 70s, as well as some of their American counterparts. Titles include "Celebration Suite" by Airto, "Jive Samba" by Jon Hendricks, "Eu Bebo Sim" by Osmar Milito, "Mr Funky Samba" by Banda Black Rio, "From The Lonely Afternoon" by Flora Purim, "Upa Neguinho (live)" by Elis Regina,"Manha De Carnival" by Louie Ramirez, "Barsanova Brown" by Eddie Cano, and more. CD

An amazing world of music – rare funk, soul, reggae, and other grooves from Belize – all beautifully compiled in the rich Numero Music style! We're really stunned by the set – as we had no idea at all that Belize had anything going on at this level – and the collection is an amazing surprise to our ears, filled with new delights at each turn, and clearly marking Belize as a new funky capitol on our ever-expanding map of musical understanding. Numero really outdid themselves with this package – going far beyond their already-great collections of work from the Bandit and Capsoul labels – to dig up a range of tracks that have never really made it out to the world at large, but which bubble over with influences from American funk and soul at the time. The notes are great, and the booklet's got plenty of excellent images to back up the writings – but the music is the real star of the set, and is presented on 16 tracks that include "More Love Reggae" and "Boogaloo A La Chuck" by Lord Rhaburn, "Theme From The Godfather" and "Backstabbers" by The Professionals, "Can't Go Halfway" and "Shame Shame Shame" by The Harmonettes, "Things Are Going To Work Out Right" and "Rated G" by The Web, "Funky Jive (parts 1& 2)" by Soul Creations, and "Long Time Boy" by Nadia Cattouse. CD

Incredible sounds from the German Jazz Festival of 1964 – a wonderful meeting of modern talents from all over the European continent at the time – including some great work from behind the Iron Curtain too! The album features a few tracks each by a number of different groups – all of them excellent, and the sorts of players who are really under-represented in terms of available recordings – which makes this selection of tracks completely essential! The set begins with "Sopranitis" and "Birmingham Post" – played by a very cool combo with Heinz Sauer on tenor and soprano sax, Joki Freund on the same two instruments, Emil Mangelsdorff on alto, and Gunther Kornberg on alto and baritone – a four-sax group that works with just bass and drums to give them a groove, with strong solos from all players. Next up is the fantastic Zagreb Jazz Quartet – with Bosko Petrovic on vibes – playing "In Walked Bud" and "Degressia" – plus a version of "Bluesette" with a guest appearance by Sven Asmussen. Tenor player Karl Drevo (Drewo) leads a quintet with trumpeter Maffy Falay and pianist Bora Rokovic – on a long reading of "Save Your Love For Me". The legendary quartet of saxophonist Klaus Doldinger is next – his great group with Ingfried Hoffmann on Hammond, Peter Trunk on bass, and Klaus Weiss on drums – with guest work by Rolf Kuhn on tenor and Inge Brandenberg on vocals – on the titles "Waltz Of The Jive Cats", "What's The Matter Daddy", and "Groovin In Berlin". Last up is one of our favorite groups of the time – the quintet of pianist Michael Naura, which also features Wolfgang Schluter on vibes and Peter Reinke on alto – on "Rainy Clouds" and "Rhythm A Ning". CD

The Jazzman label hits a whole new level of brilliance – as they turn their funk-trained crate digging skills to the world of spiritual jazz! The collection's an amazing batch of ultra-rare tunes – tracks that take inspiration from the John Coltrane/Archie Shepp work on Impulse Records in the 60s, then run with those roots in bold new directions – soaring, spiritual aims in jazz that reach for new freedoms, but never lapse into the totally-outside modes of free jazz! Instead, there's a really great balance here between structure and struggle – as many tunes often have a good rhythmic pulse, usually modal and soulful, then let the horn solos stretch out more in their own sounds and directions. The mix is amazing, as is the selection of tunes – rare numbers pulled mostly from American independent jazz releases of the 60s and 70s – most of which are as obscure as the funky 45s we normally get from Jazzman. As with the label's US funk compilations, there's full notes on all the music – a heck of a lot of detail on these artists – and tracks on the set include "Paul's Ark" by Morris Wilson Beau Bailey Quintet, "Ayo Ayo Nene" by Mor Thiam, "Nomusa" by Ndikho Xaba & The Natives, "The Afrikan In Winter" by The Positive Force, "Neveen" by Salah Ragab, "Ja Mil" by Hastings Street Jazz Experience, "Be There" by Leon Gardner, "Psych City" by Ohio Penitentiary 511 Jazz Ensemble, "Introduction" by James Tatum Trio Plus, and "No Jive" by Frank Derrick Total Experience. US pressing has 2 bonus tracks – "All Prasies To Allah (parts 1 & 2 edit)" by Lightmen Plus One, and "Bada Que Bash" by PE Hewitt Jazz Ensemble. CD

A rare live set by Cannonball Adderley – unreleased in America at the time, and performed with the style of Cannon's best work for Riverside! The album's very similar to some of the group's best live sets for Riverside – like the San Francisco or other Tokyo recording – done with tracks that are long and a bit stretched out, performed with Nat Adderley on cornet, Joe Zawinul on piano, Vic Gaskin on bass, and Roy McCurdy on drums. Titles include "Work Song", "Mercy Mercy Mercy", "This Here", "Jive Samba", and "Money In The Pocket". CD

Tracks include "This Here", "Nardis", "Jive Samba", "African Waltz", and "Star Eyes". Bonus disc includes music by other Riverside artists including Bobby Timmons, Wes Montgomery, Bill Evans, Chet Baker, Thelonious Monk, and Art Blakey. CD