A really heady set from the Australian scene of the 70s – and a record that feels a heck of a lot more Kraut rock than some of its down-under contemporaries! The album features long tracks that are heavy on keyboards – Arp, Korg, and other instruments – handled by the duo of Geoff Green and Steve Maxwell Von Braund – the latter of whom you might know from other tripped-out projects in later years! And while the group isn't the same Cybotron headed by Juan Atkins, the Detroit techno pioneer – there is a similar love of electronics and long-spun grooves here that's definitely years ahead of its time. Titles include the long "Parameters Of Consciousness Sonic Override" suite – plus "Mumbo Jumbo", "Gods Of Norse", and "Arrakis" – all cool spacey instrumental grooves. CD

Very cool work from Psi – a hip 70s German group who were partly fusion, partly prog – in that special sort of blend shared by a rare few contemporaries – such as Embryo, Perigeo, or Zzebra! As with all three of those groups, the musicians here are clearly schooled in jazz, but also really want to open up in some of the freedoms explored by the long-haired younger generation – not in an avant way, but in a style that mixes some funky currents in the rhythms with more freewheeling solos and the occasional jamming passage – served up by a quintet lineup that includes loads of wonderful keyboards, plus tenor, guitar, bass, drums, and percussion! There's no vocals at all on the record – no need, as the instruments speak volumes – and titles include "Elektrische Kall Heinzje", "Horizonte", "Under Der Schurze Liegt Die Wurze", and "Bettgerausche". CD

A freewheeling jazz set from the German scene of the 70s – one of those really great Euro albums that's not free jazz, but not conventional hardbop either – maybe borrowing a bit from Brazilian jazz, mixed with some of the warmth of the Cali 70s scene as well, and a touch of modal energy too – all wrapped up in a warmly flowing style that's mighty nice! The set features strong work on both tenor and soprano sax from Wilson De Oliveira, mixed with both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes from Henryk Darlowski – and a mixture of electric and acoustic bass from Reinhard Gloder, next to drums from Clemens Schuster, listed as playing "orange drums" (?) – on ttles that include "Summer Dance", "Henryk's Trick", "High Do", "Slow Post", and "Montserrat". CD

Live recordings from the John Peel show in 1978. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A funky sound library gem from Nick Ingman – not to be confused with the other Big Beat records from the KPM label – as this set's got an even sharper, hipper vibe overall! Keyboards are in the lead on most numbers – although they get lots of support from the beats promised in the title – as Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and other keyboards soar out in a range of modes that even includes a few moogy moments that are especially nice! Instrumentation is lean overall, although still with all that strong sense of arrangement that can make even larger groups from these golden British years so great. Lots of funky instrumentals throughout – with titles that include "Strike", "Down Home", "Thrust", "Snatch", "Trip Wire", "Overtone", "Smooth", "Long Line", "Throng", and "Orgy". CD

A very heady set from the Czech scene of the early 70s – already a hotbed for some very progressive sounds in jazz – which get further inspiration here in the majestic meeting of the prog group Blue Effect and the legendary Jazz Q ensemble! The vibe is different than jazz/rock work from the UK scene at the time – almost avant jazz at a number of points when things swing free, then back in more forward-moving territory when the group reassembles – in a heady lineup that features piano, organ, and trumpet from Jazz Q leader Martin Kratochvil, flutes and alto from Jiri Stivin, and fierce guitar and "noises" from Radim Hladik! Side one features "Coniunctio 1" – done in a side-long jamming version – and side two features some nice flute solo work by Jiri Stivin on "A Visit To Aunty Margaret For A Cup Of Tea", plus the cuts "Coniunctio II" and "Asi Pujdem Se Psem Ven". CD

Not girl pop, not chart hits, and instead a whole host of hard-burning tracks from the underground – a well-done collection that showcases a huge range of positive, powerful female musical expressions from the mid 70s onward! The set begins during the heyday of the early punk years, and focuses on a few key acts who were offering a great antidote to some of the more testosterone-fueled work of the time – then picks up some especially great pos-punk tracks, before making a brief stop in the early 90s, and ending up with a few key grrrl power cuts from the current century! As always with Ace records, the presentation is as great as the music – very detailed notes that tell as much of a store as the songs themselves – in support of a set list that includes "Survive" by The Bags, "Iama Poseur" by X-Ray Spex, "Kray Twins" by Mo-Dettes, "Popcorn Boy" by Essential Logic, "It's About Time" by The Pandoras, "Shakedown" by Au Pairs, "Das Ah Riot" by Bush Tetras, "Earthbeat" by The Slits, "Come On Now" by The Pussywillows, "Rules & Regulations" by We've Got A Fuzzbox, "What's Wrong With You" by Bratmobile, "Rebel Girl" by Bikini Kill, "I Gave My Punk Jacket To Rickie" by Mary Monday & The Bitches, "You're A Million" by The Raincoats, and "Expert" by Pragvec. CD

Not girl pop, not chart hits, and instead a whole host of hard-burning tracks from the underground – a well-done collection that showcases a huge range of positive, powerful female musical expressions from the mid 70s onward! The set begins during the heyday of the early punk years, and focuses on a few key acts who were offering a great antidote to some of the more testosterone-fueled work of the time – then picks up some especially great pos-punk tracks, before making a brief stop in the early 90s, and ending up with a few key grrrl power cuts from the current century! As always with Ace records, the presentation is as great as the music – very detailed notes that tell as much of a store as the songs themselves – in support of a set list that includes "Survive" by The Bags, "Iama Poseur" by X-Ray Spex, "Kray Twins" by Mo-Dettes, "Popcorn Boy" by Essential Logic, "It's About Time" by The Pandoras, "Shakedown" by Au Pairs, "Das Ah Riot" by Bush Tetras, "Earthbeat" by The Slits, "Come On Now" by The Pussywillows, "Rules & Regulations" by We've Got A Fuzzbox, "What's Wrong With You" by Bratmobile, "Rebel Girl" by Bikini Kill, "I Gave My Punk Jacket To Rickie" by Mary Monday & The Bitches, "You're A Million" by The Raincoats, and "Expert" by Pragvec. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark bit of avant prog psych from the American underground of the late 60s – the astral mindblower that is God Bless The Red Krayola & All Who Sail It! This second album is the group's early masterpiece – a brilliant, jarring psychedelic work of genius! It's got the strangeness of the Parable LP, but Mayo & the boys have a way with strange melody that escaped the earlier album. It's often buried under the astral wierdness and abrasive tendancies, but it nevertheless casts a spooky glow throughout! Tracks inclcude "Ravi Shankar: Parachutist", "Leejol", "Night Song", "Green Of My Pants", "The Jewels Of The Madonna", "Tina's Gone To Have A Baby", "Say Hello To Jamie Jones", and "Coconut Hotel". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous document of work by Jake Thackray – one of the most unique talents on the British music scene of the 60s, but an artist who's sadly been un-remembered over the years! At first glance, Jake's definitely a folkie, but he's also one with a strong influence from French singer/songwriters like Jacques Brel or George Brassens – and takes key inspiration from them in the depth and darkness of his work. Like both Brel and Brassens, Thackray's got a style that's almost out of time – one that's ageless at some points, but with a very contemporary way of viewing the world – personal, pointed, and penned with an incredible sense of wit. In an era when most folkies were attacking the political or pushing into the fantastic, Jake spent careful time looking at human foibles and the complexities of interpersonal relationships – always from a distance, but close enough to note the odd humor in even the most banal situations. This wonderful set brings together 4 of Thackray's albums for EMI – Bantam Cock, Last Will & Testament, Jake's Progress, and On Again On Again – all of which feature Jake's slightly jazz-inflected vocals alongside acoustic guitar and very spare, but well-chosen additional instrumentation. Package also features a full disc of unreleased material – including different versions of other tunes on the albums. 97 tracks in all, and a wonderful musical discovery throughout! Titles include "The Cactus", "Country Bus", "Brother Gorilla", "The Girl In The Window", "Ulysses", "Scallywag", "Salvation Army Girl", "On The Shelf", "Go Little Swale", "Isabel Makes Love On National Monuments", "Joseph", "Famous People", "The Gravedigger", and "Leopold Alcocks". CD

Classic first album of avant noise and psych from the Texas underground, featuring seminal early work by Mayo Thompson, and a mind-blasting set of tracks that mixes straight songs with the group's trademark "free form freak outs". Essential to anyone with even the slightest affinity for the true psychedelic 60s – and especially so for true lovers of the influential psych forbears! Titles of the songs include "Hurricane Fighter Plane", "Transparent Radition" (an all-time classic), "War Sucks", "Former Reflections Enduring Doubt", and "Pink Stainless Tail" – and each track is separated by a freakout! CD

A landmark bit of avant prog psych from the American underground of the late 60s – the astral mindblower that is God Bless The Red Krayola & All Who Sail It! This second album is the group's early masterpiece – a brilliant, jarring psychedelic work of genius! It's got the strangeness of the Parable LP, but Mayo & the boys have a way with strange melody that escaped the earlier album. It's often buried under the astral wierdness and abrasive tendancies, but it nevertheless casts a spooky glow throughout! Tracks inclcude "Ravi Shankar: Parachutist", "Leejol", "Night Song", "Green Of My Pants", "The Jewels Of The Madonna", "Tina's Gone To Have A Baby", "Say Hello To Jamie Jones", and "Coconut Hotel". This 2011 edition was remastered by Sonic Boom – and includes a deluxe booklet with liner notes by Paul Drummond. CD

A solo set from groundbreaking UK jazz musician Emma Jean Thackray – but a set that's hardly got the quiet feel of an individual with just one instrument! Thackray's blowing trumpet here, as on other records – but the set also features her handling a range of other instruments, on tunes of her own composition – which are then remixed and given structure in the studio – often with more of a rhythmic pulse than some of her other albums! There's a lot of great keyboards, basslines, and rhythms – but not in a jazz remix way, as the overall sound is more complex than that – shifting between songs of differing lengths and styles, in a way that really keeps things interesting. Emma Jean sings a bit, too – which is a great surprise – and titles include "Red Bush", "Catford Bridge", "Howley", "Make Do", "Ley Lines", "Rain Dance", and "The End". LP, Vinyl record album

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". LP, Vinyl record album

The second chapter of the legendary Pere Ubu – served up here in a box set that contains three full albums, plus a full record of rare material too! The core records – New Picnic Time, Song Of The Bailing Man, and Art Of Walking – show the group really stretching out after their initial burst of creativity in Cleveland during the early punk years – a reformed version of Pere Ubu, still strongly under the leadership of Dave Thomas and his amazing lyrical approach – with contributions from Red Krayola member Mayo Thompson on two records, and Anton Fier on one more. Scott Krauss and Tony Maimone provide some of those great rhythmic jumps and starts that the group did so well – and Allen Ravenstein adds in some great electronics as well. The last record in the set – Architectural Salvage – features rare material that includes "Humor Me (live)", "The Book Is On The Table", "Arabian Nights", "Lonesome Cowboy Dave", "Not Happy", and "Tribute To Miles". Deluxe bookback packaging, too – with nice notes and memorabilia! CD

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more. CD

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". CD

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". CD

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more. Cassette

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic second issue of this really great jazz publication – one that seems especially tuned to all the things we love and listen to here at Dusty Groove! But maybe don't think of We Jazz as a magazine, as it's more like a book – a square bound, super-heavy publication that's overflowing with top-shelf prose and some really well-chosen images – spread out here with coverage of jazz both classic and contemporary, always in the hipper side of the spectrum! The presentation is beautiful – almost like an art book at times – and the writing really matches the quality of the graphics – with articles on John Coltrane, Moserobie Records, Marshall Allen, Burton Greene, Alan Silva, Irreversible Entanglements, and Emma-Jean Thackray – plus loads of other great short bits too! Magazine