Landmark work from Eddie Palmieri – a stunning performance by his Harlem River Drive band, recorded live before a very wild crowd at Sing Sing Prison! The feel here is a blend of the sound heard on the legendary Harlem River Drive album – a unique fusion of Latin, soul, and political consciousness – and some of the styles of Eddie's own groundbreaking albums of the early 70s – and it's made all the much deeper by its performance in front of an audience who was very receptive to the message of the tracks. All tracks are long and very hip, and titles include the protest poetry cut "Jibaro/My Pretty N*****", plus the groovers "Azucar (parts 2 & 3)", "Muneca", "VP Blues", and "Pa La Ocha Tambo". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different album than usual from the great tenorist Nat Birchall – a set that's no less soulful than his other records, but in a completely different way! The album's a collaboration with producer Al Breadwinner – and has this approach that feels like a lost Jamaican instrumental session from the start of the 70s – as if Nat's playing the role of saxophonist Tommy McCook over some nicely laidback Kingston-styled rhythms! Birchall solos on tenor on most tracks, but also blows a bit of melodica too – and even handles a bit of organ and percussion too – all swept up in a dubby mix handled by Breadwinner, who contributes drums, guitars, and keyboards. There's a bit of trumpet and trombone on the set too, plus baritone sax from Stally – and the quality of the record is excellent, every bit up to the range of the Jamaican legends listed as inspiration on the cover – a lineup that includes McCook, Lee Perry, Augustus Pablo, and Cedric Brooks. Titles include "In The Hills", "Ancient Wisdom", "Youth Iron Rock", "Freedom Style", "Amlak Dub", "Hail Don D Jr", and "Igziabeher". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different album than usual from the great tenorist Nat Birchall – a set that's no less soulful than his other records, but in a completely different way! The album's a collaboration with producer Al Breadwinner – and has this approach that feels like a lost Jamaican instrumental session from the start of the 70s – as if Nat's playing the role of saxophonist Tommy McCook over some nicely laidback Kingston-styled rhythms! Birchall solos on tenor on most tracks, but also blows a bit of melodica too – and even handles a bit of organ and percussion too – all swept up in a dubby mix handled by Breadwinner, who contributes drums, guitars, and keyboards. There's a bit of trumpet and trombone on the set too, plus baritone sax from Stally – and the quality of the record is excellent, every bit up to the range of the Jamaican legends listed as inspiration on the cover – a lineup that includes McCook, Lee Perry, Augustus Pablo, and Cedric Brooks. Titles include "In The Hills", "Ancient Wisdom", "Youth Iron Rock", "Freedom Style", "Amlak Dub", "Hail Don D Jr", and "Igziabeher". Includes bonus tracks "Iron Rock Dub" and "Igziabeher Dub". CD

With Remo Palmier on guitar, Lou Levy on keys, Ray Brown on bass, and Jake Hanna on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic 70s session from Charlie Palmieri – featuring some of his best keyboard solos of the decade, and some very cool work on organ that almost makes us think Sun Ra is in the group! The style is quite unusual, even for Charlie – with a weird sound from his organ that really gives the record an edge – played alongside straighter piano lines, heavy percussion, and lots of warm horn work overall. Charlie's organ really stands out best on the descarga cut "No Esta En Na" and the groovy midtempo "Estoy Friza'o" – but the whole thing's great, and other cuts include "Comelon Hustle", "King Charles", "Dame Tu Corazon", and "Sobando El Piano Merengue". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite mixing of modes from the old school – a tremendous second album from the legendary Aksak Maboul! The record mixes arty playfulness with some rootsier elements – bits of Eastern instrumentation, jazz, improvisation, and even some post-punk elements – all in a way that makes for one of the most creative recordings of its time – a set that easily provides key inspiration for more recent genre-crossing acts like this! There's a bit of Y or Ze Records whimsy at times – but the end result is much deeper, and much more compelling– as you'd expect from a group that features Fred Frith on guitar, Chris Cutler on drums, Marc Hollander and Michel Berkmans on reeds, and Denis Van Hecke on a range of cool cellos! Each tune has a slightly different flavor, but there's still a really unified feel to the record too – one of those European projects that comes together like nothing you'd hear from the US. Titles include "Geistige Nacht", "A Modern Lesson", "Palmiers En Pots", "Inoculating Rabies", "Cinema", and "Bosses De Crosses". CD

An incredible album of jazz tracks by one of Brazil's greatest reed players of the 70s – the mighty Victor Assis Brasil – a free-thinking spirit who really took Brazilian jazz in bold new directions at the time! The record shows Victor absorbing a lot of post-Coltrane influences, and blending them with a tight approach to rhythm – laid down here by Dom Salvador on piano (and organ), Edison Lobo on bass, and Edson Machando on drums. The group is completed by Helio Delmiro on guitar, and Claudio Roditi plays trumpet on one track – but the real highlight is the amazing reed work by Brasil, which is filled with soul and warmth, plus a deep sense of exploration. The whole session was put together by Roberto Quartin in 1970 – and it's still extremely fresh today. Titles include "Children", "Gingerbread Boy", "Senegal", and "Marilia", which is a bonus track that wasn't on the original LP. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic double-length set – two full albums of music, essential for any fan of Brazilian jazz – or even jazz in general! First up is Esperanto – an incredible album from one of Brazil's greatest reed players of the 70s – the mighty Victor Assis Brasil – a free-thinking spirit who really took Brazilian jazz in bold new directions at the time! The record shows Victor absorbing a lot of post-Coltrane influences, and blending them with a tight approach to rhythm – laid down here by Dom Salvador on piano (and organ), Edison Lobo on bass, and Edson Machando on drums. The group is completed by Helio Delmiro on guitar, and Claudio Roditi plays trumpet on one track – but the real highlight is the amazing reed work by Brasil, which is filled with soul and warmth, plus a deep sense of exploration. The whole session was put together by Roberto Quartin in 1970 – and it's still extremely fresh today. Titles include "Children", "Gingerbread Boy", "Senegal", and "Marilia". Next is Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim – a fantastic album from this legendary Brazilian saxophonist – and one that's way different than the usual instrumental reading of the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim! The setting is less of a bossa-inspired one than a post-Coltrane mode – as Victor Assis Brasil blows alto sax, and a bit of soprano – on long, stretched out versions of Jobim compositions – often given a bit of modal energy, thanks to the group's strong piano and organ performances by Dom Salvador. The rest of the players are all great, too – Helio Delmiro on guitar, Edson Lobo on bass, and Edison Machado on drums – all players who grew up in the bossa jazz years of the 60s, but who here are set free to explore new territory by producer Roberto Quartin. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Bonita", "Wave", "So Tinha De Ser Come Voce", and "Dindi". CD also features two bonus tracks – alternate takes of "Ao Amigo Quartin" and "Marilla". CD

A lost session by Nana Caymmi – recorded in Buenos Aires in 1973, with a great style that makes the record one of her best from the 70s! The album's got that dark slow jazzy style that she often used during the time – with a mixture of electric piano and bass behind her very deep voice – and the clean lines of the backing let Nana's voice come to the forefront of the session, working the tracks in an intimate style that reminds us of Elis Regina's more laidback work from the late 70s. Instrumentation includes electric piano by Joao Donato, guitar by Helio Delmiro, and some occasional flute by Fernando Gelbard. Titles include "Atras Do Porta", "Dora", "Nunca Mais", "Ahie", "Saia Do Meu Caminho", and a great version of "Cala Boca Menino", with the same funky sound as Joao Donato's famous version! CD

Gregg Diamond takes his Bionic Boogie sound to a different level – soaring to the skies with a leaner disco groove than before – almost hinting at the coming 80s groove in the process! The rhythms are nice and tight, and often augmented by keyboards that sweeten things up – never overwhelming the overall groove, but packing things in with a mighty nice punch – one that lets the vocals on the record really explode! Most numbers have a chorus singing the spare lyrics – but Diva Gray and Gordon Grody each sing lead on a track each, then give the rest of the record to a backup group that also includes Jocelyn Brown. Our favorite track may well be "Holding Back", which snaps along in a great funky dancefloor groove with some old Bionic Boogie elements – and other cuts include "Arista Vista", "Bring Back Your Love", "Fancy Dancer", and "This Side Of Midnight". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique album from pianist Roland Hanna – a set that allows him to show off all the amazing keyboard flow that he has on solo and trio dates – but in the larger space of a CTI Records session! Arrangements are by Don Sebesky – and while full, they're never overwhelming – so that the acoustic piano of Roland is always right out front, as dexterous as ever – with slight backing from a larger group of mixed electric and acoustic elements! The tunes are Gershwin and Hoagy Carmichael numbers, but that hardly matters at all – as the approach here is very unique and personal – and the album does feature trumpet from Chet Baker on one track, and soprano sax from Ronnie Cuber on another. Titles include "Skylark", "Stardust", "Oh Bess Where's My Bess", "The Nearness Of You", and "Embraceable You". LP, Vinyl record album

A definite active volcano of sound from Nobuo Hara and his excellent Sharps & Flats ensemble – a group who were to the Japanese scene of the 70s what the Clark Boland Big Band was to the European one! By that, we mean that the style here is way groovier than you might expect – definite third (if not fourth) generation big band work – full of color and life, but also with a great ear for contemporary rhythms too – thanks to some sweet guitar and keyboards in the mix. The horns are tremendous, but never overwhelming – and Takashi Shitaka provides some very thoughtful arrangements for the record – on tracks that include "White Heron", "Ondo", Sharp Curve", and "South Wind". CD

There's plenty of drums and percussion on this sweet set of funky instrumentals – played both by Dan Hastie and Terin Ector, who also each handle bass, guitar, and keyboards too – an approach that makes for a very tight, wonderfully unified vibe on the set! The only other instrumentation is a bit of light strings added by Thomas Lea – who uses those elements in a great way, just to touch up the funky energy at the core – maybe inflecting things with a slight cinematic vibe, but never in a way that's overwhelming or too rich at all. The whole thing's nice and funky, yet also has a standout vibe from others in this Madlib sound library series – with titles that include "Mirage", "Timeless Tales", "Dorado", "Deep Waters", "Telescopics", "Better Days", "Blue Shade", "Vision", "When I Go", and "Streetwise". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music – a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The album was recorded in Chicago, with a host of great players that had been gigging for years in the Chess studios – and the record is the rich culmination of talents that had been brewing in the Windy City for years. Includes the monster hit "The Ghetto" – one of Donny's best-known tracks and a rollicking funky number – in a full extended version with a good instrumental breakdown. Also features a remake of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", which shows Donny's strong ties to the Earth, Wind, & Fire organization – plus moody spiritual numbers like "I Believe To My Soul", "Thank You Master", and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black". One CD bonus cut, "A Dream", is previously unissued. CD

Classic early 70s space rock from Hawkwind – mixing punchy, fuzzy aggression with trippy post psych soundscapes – with less keyboard-heavy prog noodling and tighter vibe! Doremi Faso Latido is the first Hawkwind album with Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister in the lineup, and although we can't say that this is why it's got a tighter sound, it's probably fair to speculate. It's great, whatever may make it so! Includes "Brainstorm", "Space Is Deep", "Lord Of Light", and "Down Through The Night". CD

A 90s album from the farther reaches of the Wu-Tang empire – a set that still shares some qualities with the core members' solo efforts, but which also maybe stands apart more in the tone of MC La The Darkman! The rapper ended up in Atlanta, and there's a quality here that maybe hints at that move in his music – harder and more street-styled than most of the Wu-related projects – trying to tell it like it is from the grass roots, but reveling in that experience as well. Production is by Havoc, Carlos Broady, Rza, 4th Disciple, and DJ Muggs – and guests include Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa, Havoc, and DJ Rogers. Titles include "Lucci", "Shine", "City Lights", "What Thugs Do", "Heist Of The Century", "Fifth Disciple", "Spring Water", "Street Life", "Figaro Chain", "Polluted Wizdom", and "Wu-Blood Kin" LP, Vinyl record album

John Lennon revisits the rock and roll canon after years of emotionally charged solo material – a move that was partially imposed by legal necessity, but got even more messed up from there – culminating a solid, set of pure Rock N Roll in '75! Includes sessions produced by Lennon in fall of '74, plus the 4 tracks that survived the '73 sessions with Spector. Includes "Be-Bop-A-Lula", "Stand By Me", "Rip It Up/Ready Teddy", "Ain't That A Shame", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "Slippin' And Slidin'", "Peggy Sue", "Bony Moronie", "Just Because" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty righteous set of roots material – but maybe that's no surprise, given that Fred Locks titled the album after the shipping line started by Marcus Garvey to help African-Americans get back to the homeland! On vocals, Fred's got an approach that's every bit in spirit with his rasta persona – lots of message in the music, but often delivered in a way that's nicely subtle, and partly personal – so that the politics come in alongside easygoing grooves, which maybe makes them even more powerful overall. All material is original, penned by Locks – and titles include "Wolf Wolf", "True Rastaman", "Don't Let Babylon Use You", "Vision Of Redemption", "Son Of The Almighty", and "Black Star Liners". LP, Vinyl record album

The secret history of Chicago house music – a side of the scene that's even more obscure than its many rare records or long-departed clubs! The book is a fantastic follow up to the first volume – and like that one, features rare flyers, posters, and ads for some of the underground Chicago house music events and venues – some of them legitimate entertainment venues, but others more obscure hole-in-the-wall places – including some churches that were surprising hosts to house music events back in the day! The book has no text, but features full color reproductions of dozens of flyers and posters – most of them very detailed and vibrant, with loads of information on obscure artists, DJs, and other forces helping to make house music happen – often emblazoned with addresses that will come as a real surprise if you only know the Chicago of the 21st Century! A beautiful book – and one that makes us proud to call Chicago our home. Book

One of the grooviest spaghetti western scores we've ever heard – penned for an early collaboration between Terence Hill and Bud Spencer! The main theme "Trinity" starts off with some cool vocal backing by Alessandro Alessandroni's I Cantori Moderni, singing underneath the English-language lead vocal – and the group also make an appearance on the film's reprise of this song at the end of the movie. Other tracks mix together guitar, organ, whistling, and some other cool sonic elements that give the soundtrack a cool late 60s feel that reminds us more of some lost French gem than an Italian thriller! Titles include "Lazy Cowboy", "Un Cowboy e Due Ragazze", "Di Fronte Ai Killers", "Trinity Con La Stella Di Viceseriffo", and "C'e Un Tempo Per Vincere". This huge 2CD version offers up the most overwhelming batch of music we've ever seen from the movie and the recording sessions – 16 tracks from the film, 11 more alternate tracks, and then 25 more bonus cuts in all! CD

A killer set of Latin Soul from the New York scene of the late 60s – a record that's every bit as wonderful as boogaloo classics on labels like Fania and Cotique, but which never got released at the time! The production quality is wonderful – with the mighty Bobby Marin heading up the whole set, and channeling the talents of a fantastic all-star lineup – which includes both Charlie Palmieri and Richie Ray on piano, Tito Puente on timbales, Bobby Rodriguez on bass, and Louie Ramirez on vibes – plus vocals from Jimmy Sabater and Willie Torres, who really give the record a lot of soul! The set's a mixture of instrumentals and vocal numbers, in English and Spanish – and titles include "Something New", "Nitty Boo Boo", "Would You Believe Me?", "Rice And Beans", "Dixie's Mambo", "Fun City Hippy", "Say Listen", "A Fool Like Me", "Papel De Bambu", and "Shingaling Now Boogaloo Later". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive record – and an instant legend the day it was released! Masters At Work host the beautiful meeting of a host legendary artists – Roy Ayers, George Benson, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Jocelyn Brown, Vince Montana, and others – all united in a magical session that brings Latin firmly back to the dancefloor with the power and majesty of the best 70s recordings! The whole thing's amazing – a fantastic mix of Latin, funk, jazz, and house that's inspired a whole new generation of musicians – and which has still yet to be duplicated years later! Includes the massive remake of "I Am the Blackgold of the Sun", plus "Runaway", "Sweet Tears", and the great cover of Bob James' "Nautilus". CD

An obscure set of zouk from the glory days of the genre – but one that's also cut in a style that's nice and lean, and maybe a bit more down to earth than some of the more commercial zouk records of the time! All the best elements are still in place here – rhythms that draw plenty from electro styles of the US scene a few years before, but tuned to more tropical grooves overall, and warmed up in all the right way with keyboard lines and vocals – set up on tunes that have a gentle sort of complexity – never too overwhelming, but very groovy throughout! Titles include "Histoire D'Amour", "Songe Ethiopie Apartheid", "Marie Helene", "Pa Flipe", and "Vivre Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Here's where it all happens – the huge culmination of all the years of heavy funk and psychedelic soul created by George Clinton and the P-Funk empire – fused into an amazingly tight groove that helped win over much bigger audiences than ever before! The album title and cover are very fitting – as George Clinton launches the mothership, forges his classic space-funk image, and blows the P-Funk empire into an arena-filling mega-star act – all with grooves that are still some of the tightest, sharpest funk you'll ever hear – all these many decades later. The instrumentation is razor-sharp – played by giants like Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins, and Bernie Worrell – and the lyrics still have all the edginess and naughtiness of the earlier years – tied together wonderfully to make a very unified album, and one that's full of classics too! Titles include "Mothership Connection (Star Child)", "Night Of The Thumpasorus Peoples", "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", and "Unfunky Ufo". CD

Over 50 years in jazz, and Toots Thielemans is still one of the most distinctive players around – one of the few who could actually make us like the sound of harmonica in modern music, and an artist who's lent his style to countless great albums over the years! For this set, Toots explores the music of Harold Arlen – set to arrangements by Jurren Haanstra that follow strongly in the mode of some of Thieleman's albums with larger orchestrations from the 70s and 80s – warm and lush, but never too overwhelming. And noteworthy here are a number of vocalists who are sure to push Toots talents into the consciousness of younger audiences who may recognize his sound, but not know the man behind it – singers who include Jamie Cullum, Laura Fygi, Beth Hart, Till Bronner, Oleta Adams, Silje Nergaard, Madeleine Peyroux, and Lizz Wright. Tunes include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Ill Wind", "Last Night When We Were Young", "Stormy Weather", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues", and "That Old Black Magic". CD

One of a number of excellent albums of Brazilian jazz cut by Sarah Vaughan – a surprisingly great move for the singer, whose style had begun to wear thin by the mid 70s. The record's got a pretty faithful sound, and the musicians on the set include Jobim on piano, plus Mauricio Einhorn, Nelson Angelo, and Helio Delmiro – all Brazilian greats in their own right. Danilo Caymmi and Milton Nascimento join in on vocals, and tracks include "The Day It Rained", I Live To Love You", "Roses & Roses", "Bridges", "A Little Tear", and "Courage". LP, Vinyl record album

Joe Wilder on trumpet and flugelhorn, James Williams on piano, Remo Palmieri on guitar, Jay Leonhart on bass, and Sherman Ferguson on drums. CD

A slightly overlooked film score by the great John Williams – but a true classic that's every bit as great as his wildly famous work of the late 70s for bigger films! Williams is at the height of his powers here – really transforming modern film orchestrations in ways that strongly shake off any lingering modes from the 50s and 60s – very serious from a compositional perspective, and able to embrace a rich range of new ideas for orchestra – yet also able to come across with a lean, focused sort of energy that never has the soundtrack overwhelming the image on the screen – just rising to meet its needs in all the best ways. Titles include "For Gillian", "Vision On The Stars", "Hester's Theme & The House", "Gillian's Escape", and "The Search For Robin". CD

A really wonderful overview of sounds from the contemporary jazz scene in Finland – put together with a fantastic ear for the heady grooves and really fresh solo modes that have been bristling up on the scene of late – all of which really come together in the impeccable track selection on the set! Most of these tracks have a highly rhythmic pulse, but at a level that's very different from more familiar jazz funk or fusion – with percussion and basslines that are often nice and earthy, and a very different sense of timing that further makes the tracks stand out! Groups and instrumentation vary in a nice way throughout the collection, and the whole thing is the sort of set that will have you soon digging deeper to unlock some of the best sounds from this overlooked scene. Titles include "Dark Sparkle" by JAF Trio, "En Ut" by UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, "Bilawal" by Superposition, "Imprologue" by Kari Ikonen, "Zigenerskan" by Emma Salokoski Ilmiliekki, "Niin On Kehto Tyhjilaan" by Hot Heroes & Iro Haarla, and "Garag" by Riitta Paakki. LP, Vinyl record album

A massive batch of boogaloo gems – all wrapped up in one mighty package! Tico Records was one of the first great New York indie labels to focus on Latin music in the postwar years – and by the time of the huge late 60s boom in the world of Latin Soul, the label were definitely in a great position to turn out some killer work from a variety of artists! Some of the label's artists were aging, but reinvigorated by the energy of the younger generation – who also got access to the top shelf Tico presentation, as they brought in some of the best soul styles from East Harlem to trim things down from the larger Latin ensembles of the previous generation, and really send things home with a funky sort of groove. This set's a great overview of these key years at Tico – and titles include "Sock It To Me" and "Psychedelic Baby" by Joe Cuba, "Tighten Up" and "The Horse" by Al Escobar, "Fever" by La Lupe, "Be's That Way" and "Bobo Do That Thing" by Willie Bobo, "El Watusi" and "Babalu" by Ray Barretto, "Hit The Bongo" and "Coye Como Va" by Tito Puente, "My People" by Joe Panama, "Come An Get It" and "The African Twist" by Eddie Palmieri, "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In" by Celia Cruz & Tito Puente, "Madrid" by Candido, "Times They Are A Changin" by Jimmy Sabater, "El Pito" and "Bang Bang" by Joe Cuba, "Fat Mama" and "TP's Shing A Ling" by Tito Puente, and "Yes I Will (part 1)" by Gilberto Sextet. LP, Vinyl record album

A huge dip into the massive Latin catalog of Fania Records – served up here with selections from four different DJs on four of the CDs – followed by a set of remixes on the fifth CD! The cuts are straight on the first four – and the package features 70 classics from the boogaloo era forward – work from Lenni Sesar, Fania All Stars, Seguida, Willie Rosario, Charlie Palmieri, Roberto Roena, Tito Puente, Louie Ramirez, Orchestra Harlow, The Latinaires, Ray Barretto, Lebron Brothers, Dave Cortez, George Guzman, New Swing Sextet, Eddie Palmieri, and dozens of others! Then, CD5 features 13 more tracks in contemporary remixes by Nicola Conte, Quantic, Joe Claussel, 4Hero, and others – work by Pete Rodriguez, Hector Lavoe, Noro Morales, Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, Ralfi Pagan, and others. CD

A set that really gets at the full spectrum of the boogaloo groove – not just the Spanish Harlem sounds of the Latin Soul generation – but also the deeper roots of the style from across the USA! "Boogaloo" is a term that most folks use to refer to that New York uptown fusion of Latin rhythms and soulful vocals – and while the NYC styles were key to its fame, the music also burst forth from lots of points west, too – and came together in a flurry of fast rhythms, jazzy instrumentation, and hard-driving vocals that made for a completely infectious blend! This package is a fantastic testament to that mad musical moment – and is overflowing with a selection of gems that goes way past the obvious – not the Fania Records catalog that usually shows up on other boogaloo releases, but a huge batch of tracks from small labels and indie singles too. Titles include "Skate Boogaloo & Karate Too" by Lee Harris, "Block Party" by Jimmy Castor, "Boogaloo #3" by Roy Lee Johnson, "Do The Boo-Ga-Loo (part 1)" by Tom & Jerroo, "Playing It Cool" by Hector Rivera, "Ready Steady Go" by Prince & Princess, "Bar Kays Boogaloo" by The Bar-Kays, "What I Feel" by Richie & The PS 54 School Yard, "Have Some Boogaloo" by Timmy Thomas, "Bugalu" by Charlie Palmieri, "Boogaloo (part 1)" by The Bob & Earl Band, "Me & You Doing The Boogaloo" by Lou Courtney, "Boogaloo Zoo" by Shirley Butler, "Bugaloo Party" by Harold & Connie, "Boogaloo Investigator" by The Exotics, "Funky Funky Boogalo" by Jimmy Brown, and "Let's Do The Funky Boogaloo (part 1)" by Barry Jones. CD

An amazing introduction to one of the most significant cultural movements in the latter half of the 20th Century – the groundbreaking years of Tropicalia in late 60s Brazil! The music and legacy of Tropicalia are referenced often, but hardly ever presented this well – and this package is everything we could have hoped for as an introduction to the movement – filled not just with great music, but also an overwhelming amount of notes that trace the history of Brazilian music and art through their changes in relation to Tropicalia! In fact, the notes are almost worth the price of the compilation alone – very densely written over 48 pages in the CD booklet, with more information in one place than we've ever seen before. But as you might imagine, it's the music that really makes the set special – and Soul Jazz have done an excellent job of pulling together key late 60s works from the most important musicians associated with Tropicalia – an great starting point for the movement that's filled with most essential tracks! Titles include "Bat Macumba" by Gilberto Gil, "Tuareg" and "Sebastiana" by Gal Costa, "A Minha Menina" and "Panis Et Circenses" by Os Mutantes, "Alfo Mega" and "Tropicalia" by Caetano Veloso, "Gloria" and "Jimmy Renda-Se" by Tom Ze, "Procissao" by Gilberto Gil, "Ave Genghis Khan" by Os Mutantes, "Take It Easy My Brother Charles" by Jorge Ben, "Quero Sambal Meu Bem" by Tom Ze, "Lost In The Paradise" by Caetano Veloso, "Bat Macumba" by Os Mutantes, "Domingo No Parque" by Gilberto Gil & Os Mutantes, and "Irene" by Caetano Veloso. CD

A fantastic album from this legendary Brazilian saxophonist – and one that's way different than the usual instrumental reading of the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim! The setting is less of a bossa-inspired one than a post-Coltrane mode – as Victor Assis Brasil blows alto sax, and a bit of soprano – on long, stretched out versions of Jobim compositions – often given a bit of modal energy, thanks to the group's strong piano and organ performances by Dom Salvador. The rest of the players are all great, too – Helio Delmiro on guitar, Edson Lobo on bass, and Edison Machado on drums – all players who grew up in the bossa jazz years of the 60s, but who here are set free to explore new territory by producer Roberto Quartin. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Bonita", "Wave", "Quartiniana", and "Dindi". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare meeting of 2 modern talents from the 50s – joined together in one unique performance from the Newport Jazz Festival in 1971! The baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan's a nice contrast to the usual Brubeck alto of Paul Desmond – long-departed from Dave's combo by this time, but referenced strongly by Gerry in his fluid lines for the set, almost a solo culmination here of previous recorded duets with Desmond in earlier years. Tracks are all quite longish, and given that Dave's group here features Jack Six on bass and Alan Dawson on drums, there's a quality to the session that's a fait bit more rhythmic than before – pulsating strongly with forceful lines on Brubeck's piano, and an overall feel that's much more freewheeling than you'd expect! Album features 3 long tunes – "Blues For Newport", "Open The Gates", and "Take Five". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing blend of astral jazz and atmospheric orchestral soundscapes – composed and directed by coronetist Rob Mazurek! Exploding Star Orchestra is an apt name, but it's more of a bright and glorious explosion than a calamitous one – a sweeping couple of soundtracky suites that's the culmination of a couple years of work by Mazurek and a major contribution from Nicole Mitchell on flute – plus Jeb Bishop on trombone, Corey Wilkes on flugelhorn, Jeff Parker on guitar, John McEntire on marimba and tubular bells, John Herndon on drums, Jim Baker on piano & ARP, Jazon Adasiewicz on vibes, Matthew Lux on bass, Mike Reed on drums, percussion & saw, and others. It's part informed improvisation, part boundary free composition, and pretty wonderful all the way through! We expected something special, but this one goes above and beyond. Following the Frequency project by about 6 months, this is the second near classic avant garde jazz album on Thrill Jockey in a relative short stretch! 2 multi-part titles: The 70s style soul jazz groover "Sting Ray And The Beginning Of Time" (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 – Psycho-Tropic Electric Eel Drum and Part 4), "Cosmic Tomes For Sleep Walking Lovers" (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 – Fifteen Wais Towards A Finite Universe, and Part 5) – and the mellow, piano led centerpiece "Black Sun". CD

Hmmm....we're not sure if this is the same Harlem River Drive that recorded with Eddie Palmieri, but we've got to assume that they are, as we can't imagine 2 bands using the same name at the same time, and both apparently from New York. "Need You" has also got a sound that's kind of a progression from the famous album by the group, with a shift from Latin funk to Latin disco – in the kind of groove that Eddie Drennon was moving to at the same time. The track's a vocal groover, with a nice catchy soul hook. "Overtime" is a bit more straight funk – but with a heavy bottom sound that's also in the Harlem River Drive style. 7-inch, Vinyl record

70s work from Machito – still very much in the mode of his classics from earlier years, but with an undeniable punch on a few numbers, thanks to the smoking salsa groove of the Coco Records label! The album's got one really standout track entitled "Macho" – a 13 minute descarga number that spins out with lots of different changes, and which features some nice electric jazzy touches! Harvey Averne produced the entire session, with a nice undercurrent of Latin soul – and the album also features Charlie Palmieri on both organ and piano. Other tracks include "Mi Ritmo Llego", "Soy Salsero", "No Seras Para Mi", and "Desilusion". LP, Vinyl record album

Mic Geronimo's first LP, a little less crossover with a harder sound than his later efforts. The Beatminerz & Buckwild handled production on about half of the album. Royal Flush, OC & the Lost Boyz show up here and there, too. Includes "Lifecheck", "Wherever You Are", "Sh*t's Real", "Time To Build" & "Masta IC". LP, Vinyl record album

Iggy's first proper solo record, and a strange morass of junkie desperation and guttural punk funk! The Idiot is the ultimately the culmination of a very smart decision to move away from the guitar roar of the Stooges and closer to the sounds his longtime champion David Bowie was experimenting with at the time, with a little bit of Lou Reed for good measure – but make no mistakes, this is Iggy's show. It's as fascinating overall as it is impressive on a more visceral level, with heavy bass rhythms and keys intergral to the sound, and weary latenight storytelling that trips you out on contact. All tunes co-written by Bowie, who would go on to make a lot of money off "China Girl" a few years into the 80s when the world was more ready for it, plus the classic "Nightclubbing", "Sister Midnight", "Baby", "Dum, Dum Boys", "Tiny Girls" and "Mass Production". CD

The second volume of legendary Fania in the Leyendeas De La Fania series – featuring hard driving salsa and soulful Latin sounds from the fertile 70s years at the label – with numbers by Ismael Rivera, Willie Colon, Celia Cruz & Tito Puente, Charlie Palmieri, Bobby Valentine, La Lupe, Joe Bataan, Pete Rodriguez and more!. t's great mix of Fania hits andl and some perhaps lesser known numbers that are just as incredible. "Me Tienes" by Ismael Rivera", "Chonqui" by Willie Colon, "El Hablador" by Sonora Poncena, "Coco" by Charlie Palmieri", "Para Puerto Rico Voy" by Joe Bataan, "Sin Tu Carino" by Fania All Stars, "Tinicue" by Celia Cruz & Tito Puente and more. CD

More burning instrumentals from Coxsone Dodd and his mighty crew at Studio One! Soul Jazz has already established Dodd and Studio One as a near household name in bad, bold island grooves, and this set of fiery instrumentals keeps up the pressure, with 16 burning numbers! All flavors of Jamaican soul get represented here, from spacey, mellow grooves at the hands of Jackie Mittoo, to mellow snapping clavinet numbers from Pablove Black, deep roots from Cedric Brooks or jaunty ska numbers from the Soul Vendors and the Skatalites. As usual, the packaging is in the deluxe vein that has graced previous chapters in the series, and this set includes "Gumbay Jump" by the Dub Specialist, "A Big Car" by Jackie Mittoo, "Joe Grazer" and "Sidewalk Doctor" by VinGordon, "Sound Almighty" by the Soul Defenders, "Black Wax" by Pablove Black, Dick Tracy" by the Skatalites, "Cousin Joe Pt 1" by Sugar Belly, and "Black Is Black" by Im & David, plus many more! LP, Vinyl record album

A well-written account of one of the most important record labels in the early years of 78rpm singles – the legendary Paramount Records, home to important work from blues legends like Son House, Skip James, and Blind Lemon Jefferson – and key jazz musicians such as King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Fletcher Henderson! The label was up in Wisconsin, an unlikely spot to showcase sounds that came from the south – but as the title indicates, Paramount was an important cultural partner to the great northward migration after WWI – a relationship that's brought out here in vivid detail, but with a narrative sensibility that would also make for one hell of a movie! Scott Blackwood provides details on the artists and their scenes alongside the label's history and production process – and as fans of Paramount know, the whole thing culminates in a very famous story at the label's end. Book is hardcover, 199 pages, with a fair bit of black and white images. Book

Glen Brown's often the producer here – helming the decks on a host of classic cuts from the early 70s – but he also emerges as the main character too, at times when he steps to the mic and adds in a bit of encouragement to the proceedings! Brown's not really working in deejay mode – he's more in the background on most cuts, but then gets to shine as the lead artist on some of the later tracks in the package – especially the numbers that feature Glen on melodica, blowing the sweet keyboard with a spacious style that's a bit like Augustus Pablo! Titles include "Get Up" by Ron Wilson, "Scatter Light Rock" by Ron Wilson & Lennox Brown, "Dirty Harry" by Tommy McCook & Richard Hall, "Determination Skank" by Tommy McCook & Glen Brown, "Mr Ball Head Aitken" by Bobby Aitken, and the Glen Brown cuts "No More Slavery", "Crisp As A Ball", "Pantomine Rock", "The Winner", "Mitchville Rock", and "School Call". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set of tracks that was recorded at the cusp of the 70s, but which wasn't (for some strange reason) released until many years later! Donald Byrd's playing here with two different larger groups, and the music is a perfect bridge between his spacey late 60s attempts to mimic Miles Davis, and his tighter early 70s jazz funk work with Larry Mizell. The instrumentation's a bit different than usual, and includes a warm frontline of Frank Foster on tenor, Lew Tabackin on flute and tenor, and William Campbell on trombone – all working with these charts that are full and flowing – really strong, soulful elements that get some further great touches from Duke Pearson on Fender Rhodes! Rhythms echo some of Pearson's own great music of the time, with lots of Brazilian undercurrents – no surprise, given that Duke produced the record – and titles include "Kofi", "Fufu", "Perpetual Love", and "Elmina". CD

Gregg Diamond takes his Bionic Boogie sound to a different level – soaring to the skies with a leaner disco groove than before – almost hinting at the coming 80s groove in the process! The rhythms are nice and tight, and often augmented by keyboards that sweeten things up – never overwhelming the overall groove, but packing things in with a mighty nice punch – one that lets the vocals on the record really explode! Most numbers have a chorus singing the spare lyrics – but Diva Gray and Gordon Grody each sing lead on a track each, then give the rest of the record to a backup group that also includes Jocelyn Brown. Our favorite track may well be "Holding Back", which snaps along in a great funky dancefloor groove with some old Bionic Boogie elements – and other cuts include "Arista Vista", "Bring Back Your Love", "Fancy Dancer", and "This Side Of Midnight". CD

The Feelies going strong in the late 80s – as timeless and influential as ever! Only Life might not be chiseled into the post punk/indie rock Pantheon as prominently as their underground iconic Crazy Rhythms, but this really is a classic we hold nearly as dear! The hypnotically layered guitars slow build to perfection, the production is neatly void of late 80s recording studio technological trends – which seems like a minor miracle, seeing how poorly so many of their peers' albums of the period have aged – and the always great Velvet Underground-inspired vocals even culminate in a nice cover of Lou Reed's "What Goes On". Greatness! Other titles include "It's Only Life", "Higher Ground", "Deep Fascination", "The Undertow","The Final Word" and "For Awhile". CD

A legendary Latin funk album – spearheaded by Eddie Palmieri! The record is a landmark crossover album from the early 70s – cut at the end of the Latin soul era, but featuring that genre's wonderful mix of Puerto Rican soul, Spanish Harlem Latin, and New York funk – which are then given a new sort of push in this era of strong Latin pride and new opportunities for the youthful scene in New York! The grooves are all nice and long – with plenty of hard jamming, Latin rhythms, funky solos, and even soulful lyrics in English – sung with a very righteous, positive message that's kept the album at the top of the stacks for years. Eddie Palmeri plays piano and directs the group – and titles include "Seeds Of Life", "Harlem River Drive", and "Idle Hands". CD

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music – a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The album was recorded in Chicago, with a host of great players that had been gigging for years in the Chess studios – and the record is the rich culmination of talents that had been brewing in the Windy City for years. Includes the monster hit "The Ghetto" – one of Donny's best-known tracks and a rollicking funky number – in a full extended version with a good instrumental breakdown. Also features a remake of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", which shows Donny's strong ties to the Earth, Wind, & Fire organization – plus moody spiritual numbers like "I Believe To My Soul", "Thank You Master", and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music – a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The album was recorded in Chicago, with a host of great players that had been gigging for years in the Chess studios – and the record is the rich culmination of talents that had been brewing in the Windy City for years. Includes the monster hit "The Ghetto" – one of Donny's best-known tracks and a rollicking funky number – in a full extended version with a good instrumental breakdown. Also features a remake of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", which shows Donny's strong ties to the Earth, Wind, & Fire organization – plus moody spiritual numbers like "I Believe To My Soul", "Thank You Master", and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black". LP, Vinyl record album

Baroquely beautiful work from the Stax soul master – one of Isaac Hayes' heaviest albums of the 70s – and a record so massive, they needed 2LPs to contain the whole thing! The record's a culmination of the rich, full style of soulful arranging that Hayes had pioneered in his early solo work at Stax – a sound that's incredibly rich, filled with added voices and instrumentation, but totally dominated by Ike in a powerful, masculine approach to soul. Some tunes are familiar – like the album's versions of "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Close To You", "Going In Circles", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Need To Belong To Someone" – but they're all completely transformed here by Hayes with a bad-rapping, personal mode that's totally great. Album also features some great "Ike's Rap" cuts too! LP, Vinyl record album

Baroquely beautiful work from the Stax soul master – one of Isaac Hayes' heaviest albums of the 70s – and a record so massive, they needed 2LPs to contain the whole thing! The record's a culmination of the rich, full style of soulful arranging that Hayes had pioneered in his early solo work at Stax – a sound that's incredibly rich, filled with added voices and instrumentation, but totally dominated by Ike in a powerful, masculine approach to soul. Some tunes are familiar – like the album's versions of "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Close To You", "Going In Circles", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Need To Belong To Someone" – but they're all completely transformed here by Hayes with a bad-rapping, personal mode that's totally great. Album also features some great "Ike's Rap" cuts too! New deluxe edition comes in fold-out packaging that's reminiscent of the original LP – and features new remastering, new liner notes, and rare photos too! CD

A hell of a record of Latin Jazz – recorded in the UK, but with a vibe that puts the whole thing right up there with some of the most inventive American albums of a few years before – such as Latin jazz classics by Sabu Martinez, Cal Tjader, or Eddie Palmieri! Robin Jones is the leader, and plays drums and timbales here – and the group are a tight sextet who work with no vocals at all – just flutes and saxes from Olaf Vas, a great talent who really shades in the sound – plus piano and Rhodes from Ian Henry, bass from Percy Borthwick, and percussion from Simon Morton and Tony Uter. Given the lack of other instrumentation, there's a fantastic focus on the percussion, reeds, and piano – and the whole thing's a cracker through and through, with titles that include "Africa Revisited", "Urubu", "Con Fuego", "Denga", and "Sucio Mambo". LP, Vinyl record album

We love this Jazz Liisa series from Finland – as it features unreleased work from the 70s, but which matches the quality of some of our favorite German and Japanese jazz records of the time! The first half of the set was recorded for Finnish radio, and features a group that really shows the power of that scene at the time! The lineup features trumpeter Mike Koskinen at the helm – blowing in a much more outside way than some of his later studio albums, with a cascading array of tones and soundshapes that recall some of the hipper British work of the end of the 60s – such as records like Mike Westbrook or Michael Gibbs – both of whom would be good comparisons here, especially in the tension between the idea of the group, and the strong solos of the individual members. Other players include Juhani Aaltonen on tenor and flute, Mircea Stan on trombone, Kaj Backlund on trumpet, Pekka Poyry on flute and soprano sax, Olli Ahvenlahti on piano and Fender Rhodes, and Edward Vesala on drums – and titles include "PS DC", "Murusia 2", "Numero Puolitoista", "Song For Sally", and "Peretelmia". On the second half, Otto Dorner's just the conductor on the set – but it's also clear that he's a very musically-minded fellow, as the action he gets from the group on the session is really wonderful! The players are all sharp-edged instrumentalists who represent the cream of the Finnish jazz scene of the time – Juhani Aaltonen on tenor and flute, Markku Johansson on trumpet, Seppo Paakkunainen on baritone, and Christer Boustedt on alto – all musicians who really bring a lot of their individual voices to the performance, and are given great space to solo by Donner – in a way that reminds us of some of the more open-ended bigger band performances from the MPS Records releases of the early 70s. Titles include "Och Tusen Tusen Strala Ock", "For Her", and "Saxballad". CD

One of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time – a pioneering blast of mid 80s thrash from Metallica at an early peak! Say what you will about Metallica's later career triumphs and failures, there's no overstating how huge their impact was on metal and hard rock early on, and their best few records are incredible to this day. This may well be they're very best album – the culmination of a couple years of slow-building word-of-mouth reputation-building for genre work that can't be praised highly enough. One metal classic after another: "Fight Fire With Fire", "Ride The Lightning", "For Whom The Bell Tolls", "Fade To Black", "Trapped Under Ice", "Escape", "Creeping Death" and "The Call Of Ktulu". CD

A jazz treasure chest – the 73 original recordings by Charlie Parker issued by Verve Records, all packaged in a special box with loads of great extras! The package strips down the Bird sides that have been issued by Verve over the years – going for just the original releases issued in the late 40s and 1950s, before alternate takes and extra material started overwhelming most standard packages of Parker's work. The set very nicely gets back to basics – hitting all the original 78rpm and LP sides cut by Bird, with supporting players that include Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Red Rodney, Flip Phillips, and Max Roach. The set's got 73 tracks on 3CDs, packaged in a totally cool metal box, along with a 60 page booklet on the music, and lots of rare photos! Beautiful stuff – and surprisingly nicely priced for what's inside! CD

Here's where it all happens – the huge culmination of all the years of heavy funk and psychedelic soul created by George Clinton and the P-Funk empire – fused into an amazingly tight groove that helped win over much bigger audiences than ever before! The album title and cover are very fitting – as George Clinton launches the mothership, forges his classic space-funk image, and blows the P-Funk empire into an arena-filling mega-star act – all with grooves that are still some of the tightest, sharpest funk you'll ever hear – all these many decades later. The instrumentation is razor-sharp – played by giants like Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins, and Bernie Worrell – and the lyrics still have all the edginess and naughtiness of the earlier years – tied together wonderfully to make a very unified album, and one that's full of classics too! Titles include "Mothership Connection (Star Child)", "Night Of The Thumpasorus Peoples", "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", and "Unfunky Ufo". CD features a bonus version of "Star Child", a promo radio version! CD

Great stuff – one of Flora Purim's more R&B-sounding albums from the 70s, produced by George Duke with an appreciation for Flora's Brazilian jazz roots, but with a smoother sound that's in keeping with Duke's own work of the time! The combination is pretty sweet – a professional culmination of the mixture of fusion and Brazilian jazz that had been happening in the San Francisco scene during most of the 70s, and featuring many of the musicians who had helped make that groove so strong. Players include Airto, Sheila Escovedo, Joe Farrell, Ronnie Foster, Bobby Lyle, and Larry Williams – and tracks include "Niura Is Coming Back", "From The Lonely Afternoon", "Freeway Jam", "Beijo Partido", "Corine", and "Love Lock". LP, Vinyl record album

Three wonderful albums from this legendary Brazilian singer – all presented in a single set! First up is Nothing Will Be As It Was Tomorrow – a record that's quite different from Flora's earlier work, but in a way that we find very compelling! The record was produced by Leon Ndugu Chancler, and it's got a smooth fusion sound that's kind of in a southern California R&B mode, played by a huge range of excellent Brazilian and west coast talents that include Patrice Rushen, Dorothy Ashby, Fred Jackson, Raul De Souza, Toninho Horta, and Airto. While this sound overwhelms the core of Flora's usual Brazilian jazz approach, it also expands some of the tracks to a great groove – with Flora's vocals on top, stretching out in a whole new way! Includes a great English language version of the Milton Nascimento classic "Nada Sera Como Antes", plus the cuts "You Love Me Only", "I'm Coming For Your Love", "Corre Nina", "Angels", "Bridges", and "Fairy Tale Song". Every Day Every Night is a beautifully soulful record from Flora Purim – still awash with touches from her Brazilian roots, but also done with a great 70s LA sound! Airto's helping Flora out on production, but the real hero here is Michel Colombier – who handles most of the arrangements and wrote a good deal of the tunes with Purim and Airto – mixing his own expansive studio talents with their organically-forged groove, in a way that makes the record a real standout from the California fusion scene of the 70s! Players include Randy Brecker, Lee Ritenour, George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Harvey Mason, and other jazz heavyweights – and titles include "The Hope", "I Just Don't Know", "In Brasil", "Blues Ballad", "Why I'm Alone", "Walking Away", and "Samba Michel". Carry On is one of Flora Purim's more R&B-sounding albums from the 70s, produced by George Duke with an appreciation for Flora's Brazilian jazz roots, but with a smoother sound that's in keeping with Duke's own work of the time! The combination is pretty sweet – a professional culmination of the mixture of fusion and Brazilian jazz that had been happening in the San Francisco scene during most of the 70s, and featuring many of the musicians who had helped make that groove so strong. Players include Airto, Sheila Escovedo, Joe Farrell, Ronnie Foster, Bobby Lyle, and Larry Williams – and tracks include "Niura Is Coming Back", "From The Lonely Afternoon", "Freeway Jam", "Beijo Partido", "Corine", and "Love Lock". Includes bonus tracks too – "Tango Blues" and "Sad Song". CD

The massive third album from Run DMC – made at the top of their game – an pivotal effort that brought them to peak popularity and helped break hip hop in a huge way in the pop culture landscape! Part of the album's strength is its guitar-heavy sound on some of the grooves – produced by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons with a classic early Def Jam vibe, in the same manner that helped the Beastie Boys get their records in the hands of folks who'd never buy hip hop otherwise! That sound comes to culmination on the album's hit collaboration with Aerosmith on a remake of "Walk This Way", resulting in the commercial breakthrough, but the real triumph here is the increased complexity in both the lyricism, and the way Jam Master Jay serves up their beats – which makes for a stone classic all the way through, on tracks that include "Peter Piper", "It's Tricky", "My Adidas", "Proud To Be Black", "You Be Illin'", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An album inspired by the legendary John Coltrane album Live At The Village Vanguard Again – but a set that takes off in very individual directions, thanks to the spirit of the players! The group's led by pianist Jamie Saft – who's drawing strong energy from Alice Coltrane on the record – especially in the way he effortlessly lays out these dark lines that have a calming presence amidst the more ferocious horn work from Joe McPhee on alto and tenor – that balance that both Mr and Mrs Coltrane could share at their best. Joe Morris provides some of the rounded, most soulful bass we've heard in years – and drums are by Charles Downs, who easily leaps between free moments and bolder rhythmic progressions. Titles include "Beyond Days", "Simplicity Of Man", "Leaves Of Certain", and "A Backward King". CD

Modern takes on traditionalist style from one of the greatest groups of their time! Uncle Tupelo goes fully into a folksier realm on the Peter Buck-produced third album – and it's another landmark! By this point, alt rock/grunge/whatever was taking over mainstream rock – something Uncle Tupelo unwittingly ushered in with their midwestern roots meets angsty guitars of 2-3 years earlier. Rather than keep at it and shoot for Mtv acceptance, they focus on the roots here. Includes "Grindstone", "Black Eye", 'Moonshiner", "Coalminers", 'Wait Up", "Shaky Ground", 'I Wish My Baby Was Born" and more. CD

If you dig Latin Soul, you can't get better than this – a chock-a-block set filled with classic groovers from the 60s! The set's one of the finest in Harmless Records' exploration of the classic sounds of the New York underground, and it's stuffed with goodies that define the unique crossover Latin and Soul styles of Spanish Harlem in the 60s. Every cut's a winner, and the CD's an instant groove party from the very first note. How could it not be? With cuts like "Subway Joe" by Joe Bataan, "The Fuzz" by Dianne & Carole & The Latin Whatchamacalits, "Mercy Mercy Baby" by Ray Barretto, "Hey Sister" by Monguito Santamaria, "Arrecotin Arrecotan" by Cortijo & Ismael Rivera, "Pete's Boogaloo" by Pete Rodriguez, "Cab Driver" by Charlie Palmieri, "Take A Trip" by The Latin Blues Band, "Jive Samba" by Jack Costanzo & Gerrie Woo, "Out Of My Mind" by Orlando Marin, and "Descarga Boogaloo" by Tico All Stars. CD

One of the most fantastic collections we've ever heard from DJ Amir – a set that may well blow away his classic On/Off Track sets for the depth of its spirit and feeling! Amir's been well-known as a crate digger for many years – and while digging for funk, soul, and hip hop on the New York scene, he's also come across plenty of rare Latin nuggets – not familiar salsa or crossover Latin Soul, but instead some much deeper numbers that show just how much spirit and imagination the music had when it was at its best! Most of the numbers here are from late 60s and 70s vintage – and many have this jazzy energy that goes way past just simple grooves, and which instead features the richer colors and complicated motions of some of Eddie Palmieri's music, especially in the 70s. Titles include the previously unreleased "Salsa (parts 1 & 2)" by Fito Foster – plus "Picadillo" by La Moderna Of New York, "Bomba" by Dax Pacem, "Paranoia" by Wayne Gorbea Y Su Conjunto Salsa, "Rogelio Tiene La Salsa" by Chino Y Su Conjunto Melao, "Yo No Bailo Con Juana" by Cortijo Y Kako, "Vete De Aqui" by Joey Aponte, "Asi Asi Descarga" by Mike Hernandez Y Su Sonora Casino, "Tembelque" by Louie Colon, "El Ritmo Soledad" by Orchestra Soledad, and "El Pulpo" by Joey Pastrana. CD

A landmark album that shaped Latin jazz for years to come! The format of the set borrows heavily from the previous Cuban Jam Session LPs, but gives it a real New York twist that made the Alegre albums much stronger overall – and much more influential in a wider spectrum. A core group fo well-known players – Charlie Palmieri, Johnny Pacheco, Kako, Jose Chombo Silva, and others – come together in the studio magically – setting egos aside, and bringing their best work to the table in a hard-jamming style that defined the crackling jazz-based "descarga" style of the time. In addition to that, the production style has lots of conversation and hanging out sounds between the tracks, really setting the feel for the album with a great spirit that goes on to touch the music as well! A treasure that's still one of the best examples of the jam session at work – and with titles that include "Soy Feliz, "Ay Camino Y Ven", "Almendra", "Para Ti", and "Estoy Buscando a Kako". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice jammer from the "second wind" period of CTI – and a strong return to Latin jazz for Ray! The set's a great mixture of smooth CTI electric funk and Latin-oriented grooves – and it features work by Ray on congas and percussion, plus a list of players that includes Tito Puente, Charlie Palmieri, Steve Gadd, John Tropea, Carlos Franzetti, and Willie Torres. The melds the styles beautifully – with plenty of languid, rubbery jamming with percussion that thumps just hard enough! Really kind of a stunner from '79 – one that came at welcome time for both Barretto and CTI! Includes the great electric Latin groover "Mambotango", plus "The Old Castle", "La Cuna", and a sublime vocal remake of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise"! LP, Vinyl record album

The saxophone work of Tim Berne never fails to amaze us – and even after decades, he's got a presence and sense of individuality that really makes his music stand out! And that's definitely the case here – as Berne blows alto in a set of spare duets with guitarist Greg Belisle-Chi – a player who often uses these open chords with plenty of color – never overwhelming, but also never too mellow either – just a tonal contrast to the sharper edges of Tim's horn, which makes for a really great sound throughout! Titles include "Rose Bowl Charade", "Microtuna", "Purdy", "Big Belly", "Rabbit Girl", "Palm Sweat", and "Not What You Think They Are". CD

The great solo debut of Big Noyd – an MC who'd gotten an earlier hand up from Mobb Deep, whose Havoc and Prodigy really help out on the set! Part of that help was due to the fact that Noyd was behind bars while the album was in process – but his contributions here are key, really echoing that energy he brought to his appearance before – and set up with that nice sense of darkness that Havoc could bring to his production! The approach is great – leaner and less full of itself than west coast work that might hit similar territory – and titles include "The Precinct", "Recognize & Realize", "All Pro", "Infamous Mobb", "Usual Suspect", "Episodes Of A Hustla", and "I Don't Wanna Love Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime work from Blue Magic – a record that still has them singing in the sweet harmony sound of earlier records, but which also picks up a fuller sound and a bit of a groove – thanks to stone Philly arrangements by Norman Harris and Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey! A number of tracks add in a bit of moog that sound surprisingly great next to the group's harmonies – electrifying them a bit without overwhelming them – and letting Blue Magic step way past their fragile harmony roots into the forefront of Philly group soul at the time! Tracks include the groovers "We're On The Right Track" and "Magic Of The Blue", the ballads "Chasing Rainbows" and "Loneliest House on the Block", plus "What's Come Over Me", which is a duet between the group and Margie Joseph. LP, Vinyl record album

Brel at his best – delivered with the biting tone that made Brel one of the most brilliant social commentators of the 20th Century, yet with a warmth that offset his critical vision with a real love of life! Arrangements and orchestrations are by the mighty Francois Rauber – a bit fuller and richer than on other Brel albums – in a manner that seeks to deepen the feeling of the tunes without overwhelming them in emotion. Beautiful work throughout – and with titles that include "Madeline", "La Statue", "Les Paumes Du Petit Matin", "Bruxelles", "Les Bourgeois", "Les Biches", and "Chanson Sans Paroles". Beautiful! LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little album – despite what might be a gimmicky concept! The set offers up Latin versions of Jewish tunes – but even that's not much of a gimmick, when you consider how important the Jewish audiences were to the growth of Latin music in the New York in the 50s and 60s. From DJs like Symphony Sid, to vacationers at the Catskills, to dancers in classes at Arthur Murray on Long Island or the Palladium in Manhattan, the Jewish audiences were some of the strongest for the New York Latin acts – and it's no surprise that you get albums like this cropping up to address the situation! Calle's group is a fine Latin jazz ensemble, and they've got a clarinet in the mix on a few tracks, snaking away in an almost klezmer-like fashion over the piano/percussion grooves of the album. Players include a rock-solid batch of Latin and jazz musicians – including Charlie Palmieri on piano, Ray Barretto on congas, Willie Rodriguez on timbales, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Doc Cheatham on trumpet – plus John Cali on lute – the real name of Juan Calle, who also did all the arrangements. Ed Powell sings a bit of vocals, but most of the action here is instrumental – and very much in the best Riverside Latin mode of the time, but with a Jewish twist! Titles include "Papirossen", "Beltz Mein Shetele Betlz", "Die Greene Koseene", "Frilach A Nacht", and "Yossel Yossel". CD

An amazing debut from the John Carter/Bobby Bradford New Art Jazz Ensemble – one of the most powerful voices in jazz on the west coast at the end of the 60s! In a way, the quartet's sound is a culmination of the underground changes that had been bubbling under during most of the 60s on the LA scene – new ways of conceiving jazz after Ornette and Dolphy had first set the scene on fire at the start of the decade, but styles that weren't receiving nearly the exposure as some of the better-known avant work on the Chicago, New York, or European scenes. The style here definitely owes something of a legacy to Ornette in the way it reconceives rhythm and melody – and a bit to Dolphy in its freewheeling, free-thinking work on clarinet, flute, and alto by John Carter. Bobby Bradford's bracing trumpet lines really give the album a tremendous punch – and the rest of the group features Tom Williamson on bass and Bruz Freeman (brother of George and Von!) on drums. Titles include "Seeking", "The Village Dancers", "Sticks & Stones", "In The Vineyard", "Karen On Monday", and "Song For The Unsung". CD

A trio of great tracks from the Lovelife? LP! "Hey Young World Pt 2" features Phonte & Mystic. Produced by 9th Wonder. "Spread The Light" produced by Square4. "Day In Day Out" produced by Illmind. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Compositions by De Barro and Ribeiro performed by Almirante, Vassoourinha & Benedito Lacerda, Carlos Galhardo, Silvio Caldas, Caetano Veloso, Carmen Miranda, Dick Farney, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of archival DJ Shadow instros from the early-to-mid 90s – from back when his primary means of production was the Akai MPC sampler – along with his endless arsenal of vinyl and limitless creative inspiration! This is formative, but essential material for fans of classic Shadow. It's a superior follow up to the 4 Track Era compilation, and a solid blueprint for his very best work to come! This is all previously unreleased, and it was produced from 1992 to 1996 – which is the period that beat heads and leftfield hip hop production historians outta know culminated in the release of the classic Endtroducing album. That said, this is not a set of Endtroducing leftovers – it's strong, original and legacy-building instrumental work from a crucial period – assembled by the man himself! 22 tracks on the 2LP version. Includes "Intropy (Original Version)", "Vee In Detroit", "Alright", "Don't Try It", "Falling Up", "Aye", "Britty But Magic", "Atmospheric Disturbances", "Quickstep", "Freddi's Popcorn", "From The Old School", "Mystical With Solo", "Fast Rap Fanfare" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

2 early 70s sessions from Billy Eckstine – both recorded for Stax Records! First up is Senior Soul – a well-titled set not only given Billy's age, but also because of the surprisingly soulful undercurrent to the record – an extension into the genre even greater than Eckstine's previous recordings for Motown – and proof that he was really trying to stretch out towards new audiences at the time! Artie Butler handled the backings, and he uses a groove that's pretty full, but never overwhelming – more ebullient soul than some of Eckstine's more familiar jazz – with backing vocals and bright horns, yet still plenty of space for Billy to do his thing. The best numbers have Eckstine coming across with the 70s cool of Grady Tate on his vocal sides – and titles include "Thank You For The Moment", "A Song For You", "A Man Who Sings", "Today Was Tomorrow Yesterday", "I Believe In Music", and "Living Like A Gypsy". If She Walked Into My Life is extremely compelling stuff – and you've really got to give Billy credit for reinventing himself like this! The album features Billy's deep deep voice amidst arrangements by Artie Butler, Jimmy Jones, Mike Melvoin, and Billy Byers – sort of a blend of Grady Tate sophisti-jazz, and Scott Walker baroque, with a moody mellow sound that would make either of them proud. Titles include "The Taste Of My Tears", "I Am Yours", "Maybe This Time", "The Very Thought Of You", and "All In Love Is Fair". CD

The Concord label gave guitarist Herb Ellis some of his greatest moments of the 70s – like this early cooker with guitarist Joe Pass – recorded live at the Concord Jazz Festival that gave the label its name! The 1973 performance has both players really opening up – never overwhelming each other, but driving with energy right from the start, then spacing out their own territory strongly on the solos. Backing is from bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jake Hanna – but the record leaves lots of room for guitar throughout – with tones and moments from both players that are a real surprise. Titles include "Seven Come Eleven", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Perdido", "Easy Living", and "Concord Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

By the mid 70s, the New York Latin scene was boomin' so large it could easily fill venues like Yankee Stadium – as you'll hear on this excellent live set from the Fania All-Stars, a monster record that easily ranks with the best live Latin sides of the time – like Eddie Palmieri at Sing Sing, the Tico-Alegre All Stars at Carnegie Hall, or Mongo Santamaria at Yankee Stadium! Tracks are nice and long – a real mix of soul and Latin, with slight funk and electric touches – and players include Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Bobby Valentin, Mongo Santamaria, Ricardo Ray, and Roberto Roena. Vocals are by a host of singers that include Santos Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ismael Rivera, and Celia Cruz – and titles on this first volume include "Pueblo Latino", "Mi Gente", and "Soy Guajiro". CD

A legendary Latin funk album – spearheaded by Eddie Palmieri! The record is a landmark crossover album from the early 70s – cut at the end of the Latin soul era, but featuring that genre's wonderful mix of Puerto Rican soul, Spanish Harlem Latin, and New York funk – which are then given a new sort of push in this era of strong Latin pride and new opportunities for the youthful scene in New York! The grooves are all nice and long – with plenty of hard jamming, Latin rhythms, funky solos, and even soulful lyrics in English – sung with a very righteous, positive message that's kept the album at the top of the stacks for years. Eddie Palmeri plays piano and directs the group – and titles include "Seeds Of Life", "Harlem River Drive", and "Idle Hands". CD