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A classic compilation that was a key primer on punk rock and new wave for the mainstream in the US – one that pulls together some of the best late 70s tracks from both sides of the Atlantic, into one package that's overstuffed with great work! Most of these numbers have gone onto be classics, but a few are ones that didn't stand the test of time – and titles include "Subways" by Urban Verbs, "Map Reference 41 N 93 W" by Wire, "Temper" by John Cale, "Social Fools" by Devo, "I'm Straight" by Modern Lovers, "Busy Little B Side" by Pearl Harbor & The Explosions, "Swan Lake" by Public Image, "Anthrax" by Gang Of Four, "No Fun" by Sex Pistols, "Video Killed The Radio Star" by Buggles, and "Nervous Breakdown" by Brian Briggs. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best work ever from Puerto Rican percussionist Rafael Cortijo Verdejo – sides recorded in New York for the Ansonia label, at a time when Cortijo's music was even more rootsy than it was a decade before! The material here marks a renewed sense of tradition in players of Cortijo's generation – almost a back-to-basics mode that was their answer to the hybrids of the late 60s – a style that often has Rafael focusing even more on the rhythms at the bottom of the tracks, and leaving behind some of the fuller orchestrations of the 50s. The mighty Kako joins in on percussion on a number of tracks too – and singers include Chivirico Davila and Johnny Vega – on titles that include "Chiviriquiton", "Tele Tele Ya", "La Madama", "Que Linda Te Ves", "Tu Y Tu Guarapo", "Quien Fuel El Primero", "Echando Un Pie", "Alegria Bomba Es", "Dorotea", "Dudando", and "El Negrito Bailador". Comes with great notes in Spanish and English, too! CD

Nice mid 60's session that stands as one of Raney's strongest from the decade, and a tight quintet performance by a group that includes Jim Hall on second guitar, Zoot Sims on tenor, Steve Swallow on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. The tracks are fairly standard, but there's a lot of nice Brazilian titles like "A Primera Vez", "Presente De Natal", "Este Seu Olhar", and "Coisa Mais Linda". Raney's tone is nice and deep, as always, with a good heavy sound on the lower strings. LP, Vinyl record album

Almost a primer on the sound of "new thing" jazz at Blue Note – that magical moment when players on the label were mixing avant expression with a brand new sense of arrangement – as the alto of Jackie McLean is joined by players who include Lee Morgan and Charles Tolliver on trumpets, Herbie Hancock and Larry Willis on piano, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, and Jack DeJohnette on drums! Includes material from It's Time, Right Now, Action, Consequences, and the 2LP Jacknife set! CD

An excellent 2CD primer of material collected during the dawn of the reggae age by the Trojan label on their 8 volume Tighten Up series. Bringing together some of the finest rocksteady & reggae cuts produced by Duke Reid, Leslie Kong, Scratch Perry & Joe Gibbs, the original compilations went a long way towards widening the appeal of the then poorly distributed Jamaican soul singles. The 52 songs spread out over these 2 CDs read like the playlist from a top selector's sound system, including The Untouchables' "Tighten Up", Val Bennett's "Spanish Harlem", The Uniques' "Watch This Sound", Clancy Eccles "Fatty Fatty" and "Rod Of Correction", The Upsetters' "Return Of Django", Niney's "Blood & Fire", Bob Andy's "You Don't Know", The Wailers' "Duppy Conqueror" & Johnny Clarke's "None Shall Escape The Judgement". CD