Way more than just an anthology of work by Instant Funk – and instead a massive 5CD set that features all 7 of the group's albums for Salsoul – plus lots of bonus tracks too! Instant Funk first came to fame as one of the key studio combos behind the sound of Philly International in the mid 70s – but when the Salsoul/Gold Mind imprint got rolling, the group moved over to that label and recorded a great run of hard-grooving albums! And while the "funk" in their name isn't the same sort as you'd imagine from deep funk or funky 45s, Instant Funk definitely have a tightly-crafted sense of musicianship that made them one of the best groups working on the east coast disco scene in the 70s – an ability to focus in on a groove and ride it out over a range of tasty riffs and changes! The massively overstuffed package features the full albums Get Down With The Philly Jump, Instant Funk, Witch Doctor, The Funk Is On, Looks So Fine, Instant Funk V, and Kinky – plus bonus tracks that include "Float Like A Butterfly (parts 1 & 2)", "I Got My Mind Made Up (7" version)", "Slap Slap Lickety Lap (7" version)", "Bodyshine (7" version)", "I Got My Mind Made Up (special 12" disco version)", "Crying (7" version)", "It Ain't Reggae (7" version)", and "Witch Doctor (7" version)". CD

Kanye's tightest, most heavily synth soaked set yet – and possibly the best – a leap ahead for his evolving sound! Graduation gleams and shines more than it bounces on the bottom end, and if his LP titles to date overtly suggest that this caps off a trilogy – it really goes beyond the title – it's POST Graduation! By the end of Late Registration Kanye was dabbling in hip hop symphonies (for the better) with a few too many skits, but this one's all laser beam efficiency with a human heartbeat. Kanye's moved on, well past our expectations anyway, and he better not call the next one Class Reunion. A bunch of these cuts could rule several radio formats, and they sound great in the headphones, too. To tell the truth, any modern hip hop record with a big fat (and surely expensive) Steely Dan sample is going get an automatic recommendation from us, but Graduation works for us for many more reasons than that alone. Well done, Kanye! "Good Morning", "Champion", the Daft Punk-ed hit "Stronger", "I Wonder", "Good Life", "Can't Tell Me Me Nothing", "Barry Bonds" with Lil Wayne, "Drunk And Hot Girls" with Mos Def, "Flashing Lights" with Dwele, "Everything I Am" with DJ Premier, "Homecoming" and "Big Brother". CD

A record with a cheesy title and cover, but with a sound that's completely sublime – that transcendent vocal approach and incredible songwriting that makes just about any record by Ivan Lins a real treasure! The set's not as experimental as his earliest work, but it's got a rock-solid sound that puts Lins right up there in the company of the world's greatest singer/songwriters – a range that would include not just his countrymen like Caetano Veloso, but also some of the greats from the French scene of the 60s. Titles include "Marlena", "Velas", "Art Of Survival", "Comecar De Novo", "Evolution", "You Moved Me To This", and "Who's In Love Here". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the slickest of Dave Matthews' funk records from the 70s – but still pretty darn nice! Matthews was the mainman behind the legendary funk group The Grodeck Whipperjenny, and a key arranger in James Brown's sound of the Polydor years – but by this time, he moved into smoother club-type jazz, of the sort he'd penned for Idris Muhammad and other artists on the Kudu label. However, Matthews' always had a talent for the funky groove – and even these otherwise pop disco numbers shine with a musical intensity that surprises us – especially at moments like the funky drumbreak on "You Keep Me Hanging On", the freaky moog on "Shoogie Wanna Boogie", the funky bass solo on "California Dreaming", and the excellent keyboard work on "Gotta Be Where You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

Freaky keyboards and fuzzy saxophone – played by the team of Dieter Seelow and Peter Mayer, working here in a rare bit of funk from the early 70s German scene! The record's got a sound that's very much in the madder side of the MPS spectrum at the time – jazz influenced by a bit of fuzzier rock elements – heard to good effect on Seelow's amplified, processed saxophone lines – and on some of the heavier organ moments from Mayer. The sound is wide-open, but never too free or jamming – clearly inspired by the hipper American soul jazz of the late 60s – the side of the scene that started with electric Eddie Harris, and moved into weirder Melvin Jackson moments – both players who are a good comparison here, as the groove definitely shows a love of the electrified music that Harris and Jackson made together. Remaining instrumentation includes electric bass and drums – so the overall sound is quite spare – and titles include the massive three-part "Mr Dynamite", plus "Masquerade","Danny's Walk", "The Swinger From Rio", and "With A Little Help From My Friends". CD

A treasure trove of rare work from reedman Gigi Gryce – one of the most important talents of the 50s, presented here in a range of unissued sides from the best years of his career! The CD's overflowing with amazing material – some live dates, and some unissued studio material as well – all done in that perfect second period style of Gryce's career – the point when he moved past the tighter modernism of early years, and really opened up with this amazingly soulful sound! His alto work is impeccable – unlike anyone else we can think of on the instrument – very focused and crisp, yet wonderfully warm and human as well – with support on most numbers from excellent sidemen Richard Williams on trumpet and Richard Wyands on piano – two players who always seemed to drive Gigi onto new heights! Material includes 4 tracks from a 1961 Birdland broadcast – also with Eddie Costa on on vibes – then 2 more from a 1961 recording session also with Costa. Then there's 6 more cuts from an unissued 1960 session – and all three of these feature Williams and Wyands. The set's rounded out by material from a 1957 Signal Records party – featuring a group with Cecil Payne on baritone sax and Duke Jordan on piano. All cuts have been lovingly remastered, with the usual great sound we love from Uptown – and the set features 70 minutes of music, 18 tracks that include "Blues In Bloom", "Down Home", "A Premonition Of You", "Dancing The Gigi", "I'll Walk Alone", "Sonor", "All The Things You Are", "Man Of Moods", and "Movin". CD

A fantastic album by Slide Hampton – one of his best, and one of his rarest! Like a number of other important players of his generation, Slide got his start on the American scene, but moved to Europe during the 1960s – where he really began to open up. This excellent session was recorded in Paris in 1962, and it features Slide leading an octet through some of the most complicated arrangements of his early years. Players include some great underground American players, like trumpeter Richard Williams, bassist Butch Warren, tenorist George Coleman, and trombonist Benjamin Jacobs-El, whose frequent co-tromboning with Hampton always made for an excellent sound. As on Slide's Atlantic sides, the group swings like a mofo – staying tight on the choruses, but really breaking out from the pack with some amazing solo work. Titles include "Star Eyes", "Straight No Chaser", "Confirmation", "Exodus", and "A Moment's Notice". CD

An excellent set from Julius Hemphill – one that has him working in trio formation with Abdul Wadud on cello and Famoudou Don Moye on percussion – players that seem to be a perfect fit for his spirit on the date! There's a slightly loft jazz feel to the record, but the overall sound is a bit more put-together – composed by Hemphill with thoughtful, complex lines on some of the tunes – in ways that dig back to his roots in feeling, yet also show the increasing sophistication of his sound as the 70s moved on. Hemphill plays both soprano and alto sax, and Wadud's cello, as always, is a real treat – completely unlike the use of the instrument by most other players we know. Titles include "C", "Mirrors", "Long Rhythm", "Plateau", and "G Song". CD

A 2CD collection of 90s work recorded by Jack McDuff for Concord Records! Sure, it's not Prestige Records in the 60s, but the music is still plenty darn great – thanks to the never-failing talents of Brother Jack in his later years! At the time these sides were released, we remember wincing that Jack had moved onto Concord Records – often home of the softer side of jazz. But as the records came out, we were impressed at the strength of their grooves – and the way that McDuff could hold onto a classic Hammond-heavy sound in the Concord setting – and never give into some of the sleepier modes of the label. Production here is all pretty great – clear and clean, and with plenty of space for Jack to unleash some of his impeccably creative solos – and other players on the dates include Gene Harris on piano, Red Holloway on tenor, Joey DeFrancesco on Hammond, and George Benson on guitar. 2CD set features 19 tracks that include "Rock Candy", "Killer Joe", "Pork Chops & Pasta", "Sundown", "Pettin The Cat", "The Scratch", "Color Me Blue", "Saturday Night Fish Fry", "Age Of Aquarius", "Cayenne Blues", "Funk Pie", and "The Heatin System". CD

A really wonderful album from Quarteto Em Cy – the Brazilian vocal quartet who first rose to prominence during the bossa nova years, but soon moved into even more sophisticated material during the 70s! The approach of this set is telegraphed in the title – as the group take on songs penned by Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, and Gonzaguinha – the new MPB generation of the 70s, whose music turns out to be perfect for the growing talents of the girls – topped off with some beautiful arrangements from Octavio Burnier, whose work really rises to the level of the vocals! The whole thing's great – a magnificent journey in sound – and titles include "Idolatrada", "Barco Fantasma", "Antes De Seja Tarde", "O Ultimo Trem", "Um Dia", "Ponta De Areia", "Gira Girou", "Ciranda Menina", and "Abandonado". LP, Vinyl record album

A deeply spiritual group at the core – so much so that the songs here are all guided towards the aims of Krishna – but one who works with the best sort of jazzy soul styles of the late 70s! The album's become a surprising modern soul classic over the years – a record that was originally aimed at a small audience, but which has moved into countless collections – thanks to its righteous message and warmly jazzy grooves – an approach that's quite heavy on smooth keyboards too! Lead vocals are mostly by Chris McDaniels – who's got a laidback blue-eyed soul approach – but a few other singers are featured as well – and Randy Brecker also plays a bit of trumpet on the record. Titles include the funky electric groover "Chanting", plus "Everything You See Is Me", "Just For Believing", "The Dream Is Over", "Within The Sound", and "Question In My Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of greatness from British folk rock legend John Renbourn – all of his late 60s solo work, done before moving on to greater fame in Pentangle! First up is There You Go – a rare one from singer Dorris Henderson and future Pentangle founder John Rensbourn! Florida born, LA raised singer Dorris Henderson moved to London in 1965 and was soon singing London's folk clubs, where she met Rensbourn. A solid mix of traditionals and then contemporary folk songs – stripped down and honest takes on "Saly Free And Easy", "Cotton Eyed Joe", "Mr Tamborine Man", "Going To Memphis", Something Lonesome", "Mist On The Mountain" and more. This edition includes bonus tracks from a rare 45 – "Hangman" and "Leaves That Are Green". Next is the self-titled John Renbourn from 1965 – a set that would not only establish John's legacy for years to come, but also have a very strong impact upon the role of the guitar on the British scene too! The album's definitely in a mode that owes something to an American folk legacy – but it also really breaks from the past with unusual phrasings and colorings in Renbourn's guitar – certainly with an ear towards ancient English modes, but also at once very fresh and contemporary – a strong precursor to the waves of new acoustic talents that would flow from the UK a few years later, but maybe even more revolutionary – given that John's mostly just working here with his guitar and voice. Bert Jansch adds guitar to a few tracks – and titles include "Song", "Down On The Barge", "Plainsong", "Judy", "Beth's Blues", "Blue Bones", "Train Tune", "Winter Is Gone", and "Noah & Rabbit". Bert & John is a hell of a collaboration between British legends Bert Jansch and John Renbourn – both working here together to completely redefine the sound of their music for the generation to come! This one album may well hold all the sense of subtle power and possibility that was about to flower in the Brit movement often known as "acid folk" – that reworking of older aesthetics with modern conceptions, and doing so mostly with their work on acoustic guitar – quite a feat, given the stripped-down instrumentation of the set! Bert sings a bit – in that incredible style of his – but the real attraction here is the guitar interplay, which is always fresh, never hokey, neither familiar American folk nor forced singer-songwriter backup material. Titles include a wonderful reworking of Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" – plus "Red's Favourite", "Orlando", "Soho", "Piano Tune", "East Wind", "After The Dance", and "The Time Has Come". Another Monday is maybe the most obscure album in the collection – a set that is mostly instrumental, with some completely fantastic work by Renbourn on guitar – but which also features a bit of guest vocals from singer Jacqui McShee – whose warmer presence next to John really makes for a nice pairing. The album's as powerful as it is subtle, really beautiful in its sense of variety – with titles that include "Buffalo", "One For William", "Lost Lover Blues", "Another Monday", "Day At The Seaside", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Waltz". Watch The Stars is another great collaboration with Dorris Henderson – an American singer, but one who moved to London in the 60s – where she cut this rare gem with guitarist John Renbourn! The album's got a righteous vibe that's hipper than the usual folk set – with some traditional tunes and some contemporary material – recorded with that amazing phrasing that made Renbourn's guitar so distinct right from the start, with lots of those jazzy currents we love so much – and which really fit the creative vocal approach of Henderson! Dorris also plays some autoharp, and there's a bit of bass in the backings – although overall the main focus here is on Renbourn's guitar and Henderson's vocals. Titles include "Come Up Horsey", "God Bless The Child", "Watch The Stars", "30 Days In Jail", "Mosaic Patterns", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", and "There's Anger In This Land". Sir John A Lot Of is perhaps one of the best-known albums from British guitar legend John Renbourn – as it was issued widely in the US, and kept in print for a surprisingly long time over the years! The approach here is slightly different than Renbourn's previous records – a bit in the image presented by the cover, although with maybe not as slavish a sound – as John just uses the whole thing to go a bit more ancient than before, in ways that echo the time travel that the whole British folk scene was taking as the 70s approached. The tunes are done in ways that are really beautiful – still lots of the incredible guitar work that made Renbourn such a standout on the scene – plus flute from jazzman Ray Warleigh, who's very different here than usual – and spare use of finger cymbals, African drums, and glockenspiel by Terry Cox. Titles include "Morgana", "Transfusion", "The Trees They Do Grow High", "Sweet Potato", "Seven Up", and "White Fishes". 6CD box features all records in original artwork sleeves, with a booklet of notes – and bonus tracks that include "Message To Pretty", "The Waggoner's Lad", "Lucky Thirteen", "Blues Run The Game", "The Wildest Pig In Captivity (alt)", "Can't Keep From Crying", "Transfusion (alt)", and "The Leaves Are Green". CD

Although reed player Sahib Shihab made a few records in the US in the late 50's, it wasn't until he moved to Europe and started hanging out with the likes of the Clarke-Boland Big Band that his talents really started to flower. This cool new CD brings together 15 small-combo recordings made by Shihab and other members of the CBBB (like Fats Sadi, Benny Bailey, Francy Boland, and Jimmy Woode) during the mid 60's. All the material was recorded by CBBB manager/producer Gigi Campi, and none of the stuff's been issued before as far as we can tell. The groove is nice and swinging, with excellent rolling grooves by Sadi on bongos and vibes. Shihab plays both flute and baritone, and the set swings with the same sort of modal groove as the best Saba/MPS recordings from the time. Cuts include "Campi's Idea", "Dijdar", "Companionship (I + II)", "Peter's Waltz", "Om Mani Padme Hum", and "Herr Fixit". As with the other titles in this series, the music's accompanied by a great package, with loads of excellent photos, good notes, and stellar sound quality. This is the kind of stuff we collect jazz for, and it's great to have it in stock at a nice low price! CD

Fantastic west coast blues from the 60s, none of issued at the time – collected together here in a set that really shows the continuing evolution of the sound of LA! During the 60s, the city's blues took on some of the transformations that were happing in Chicago – with similar roots in a southern scene that moved into a hipper, more urban environment – where blues phrasing was more electrified, and mixed with influences from soul and jazz – often with some funky hybrids along the way! All the cuts here were recorded by Kent Records – the clear black music powerhouse of the west coast at the time – and half were issued on rare Japanese CDs in the 90s, the other 12 appear here for the first time ever – and as usual with Ace, the presentation, notes, and sound quality are wonderful. Titles include "Mama Said" and "Hey Baby" by Willie Headen, "Address In My Hand" and "Soul Blues" by Willie Garland, "Christine" and "Baby Don't Tear My Clothes" by Model T Slim, "Blues Pain" by Lowell Fulson, "You Told Me A Lie" by Smokey Wilson, "Before Day" by Big Mama Thornton, and "Rocks In My Pillow" and "Let Me Play With Your Poodle" by Long Gone Miles. CD

An explosive session from an expanded edition of the Jazz Messengers – recorded at a key point when Art Blakey moved the group up to six members instead of five! Although bigger than the group on most Jazz Messenger Blue Notes, the sextet have an energy that's almost tighter – a sense of poise, focus, and vision that's not just driven by Blakey's drum kit alone – but by the kind of unique magic that only happens during rare groupings in classic jazz. A key part of the energy here comes from pianist Cedar Walton – who's replacing the Bobby Timmons soul jazz mode with a sound that's a bit more expansive and visionary. But equally important is the three horn lineup of Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Wayne Shorter on tenor – a two-brass frontline that's used far differently than other groups – bold one minute, but personal and sensitive the next. There's a mixture of warmth and driving energy here that's simply incredible – a prime example of Blakey taking things to the next level, when it would have been easy enough for him to sit on his laurels and keep doing the same thing over and over again! Includes classic readings of Cedar Walton's "Mosaic", Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis", and Curtis Fuller's "Arabia" – as well as Shorter's excellent "Children Of The Night". CD

One of the few albums ever issued as a leader by Monk Higgins – a genius musician/arranger who first got his start on the Chicago scene of the 60s, then moved out to the west coast at the end of the decade – where he also helped inject some funky new sounds into the Blue Note label! This set's got a vibe that echoes some of that work – particularly Monk's albums with trumpeter Blue Mitchell – but there's also maybe a loftier vibe that reflects Higgins' ties to the Chess/Cadet label, where he cut some fantastic funk singles, both under his name and with other artists too. The approach here takes a core funky jazz group and adds in just the right touches of strings – with a sound that reminds us a lot of some of the Richard Evans' genius work for Cadet, but with maybe a bit of a Cali vibe too. Monk blows tenor and plays Hammond – in a group that also features the mighty Jim Horn on flute, Alan Estes on vibes, and both Freddy Robinson and Arthur Adams on guitar. Most tunes are original, and the feel of the record is every bit as groovy as its cover – with titles that include "Sitting Duck", "Collision In Black", "Just Around The Corner", "Watermelon Man", "Straight Ahead", "Poker Chips", "Doing it To Deff", "The Look Of Slim", and "A Good Thing". CD

A very obscure set of tracks recorded by pianist Andrew Hill in the years before he moved over to Blue Note! Excellent trio stuff, with a sound that's a bit straighter than Hill's later work, but still pretty out there at times. A young Malachi Favors is playing bass, and James Slaughter is on drums. The recording is a brilliant example of how the Chicago musicians of this time were pushing a lot of modernist ideas under the guise of more sedate material. Listen to the track "Chiconga", which has weird bass and percussion work, and which sounds, at times, like something that Favors would have done with the Art Ensemble! Other tracks include "So In Love", "Body And Soul", "Old Devil Moon", "Spring In Here", "Penthouse Party", and "That's All". CD

Mad music from Jean-Pierre Massiera – the legendary producer who was steeped in the hippest sounds of the French scene of the 60s, then moved to Quebec to forge a wild style that was all his own! Jean-Pierre rarely ever issued work under his own name – and instead recorded under a host of pseudonyms, or in projects with other artists – which made for an ever-shifting array of new names, new sounds, and unusual records – a good deal of which are collected here in this set! The package really focuses on the freakiest side of Massiera's sound – the fuzzy, electric qualities that were first picked up from a European scene that included early prog, analog electronics, and hip pop experiments by folks like Pierre Henry or Jean-Claude Vannier – moved well into Massiera's own territory over the course of recordings like this – with lots of weird studio tricks, odd effects, and other hip bits. There's a really funky feel to many of the tracks here – that psyche-funk groove you might find on other Finders Keepers collections – and Andy Votel has written some very copious notes for the package, fully detailing Jean-Pierre's massive (and massively weird!) musical legacy. 18 tracks in all – including "Space Woman" by Herman's Rocket, "Onomatopaeia" by Human Egg, "Bizarre" by Les Chats Renaissance, "Visitors" by Visitors, "Ivresse Des Profondeurs" by SEM Studios, "L'Eletrocute" by Jesus, "Itubo Del Anno" by Basile, "Mao Mao" by The Starlights, "Pop Or Not" by Chico Magnetic Band, "Kriminal Theme" by Les Maledictus Sound, "Egg" by Atlantide, "Sing Sing" by Chris Gallbert, and "Secret La Vielle Dame" by Afterlife. LP, Vinyl record album

Another top-shelf session from Monday Michiru – one of the few current artists who's been able to hold our attention for so many years, thanks to an ever-deepening quality in her work! Back at the end of the 90s, we were first amazed when Monday moved simpler dance-based work into more complicated singer-songwriter soul – and we've listened in wonder as she's picked up stronger jazz, Latin, Brazilian, and soul influences as the years have gone on – really growing into her own, and maturing wonderfully with age! This album's way way past the early efforts that were so strongly shaped by her co-collaborators – and features production and all original songs by Monday – recorded live in the studio with a warmly glowing quality that matches the righteous vibe of the tunes and the free-soaring spirit of her vocals. If you were ready to get tired of Monday's sound and style, this isn't the album to do it – because each new track is a surprising delight, and makes us fall in love with her work all over again! Titles include "I'm Still Here", "Yellow Light", "Dig Deep", "The Right Time", "Hung Up", "Be Who You Are", "Touch The Sky", "A New Way", and "Philosophy Road". CD also features the bonus track "Sketches Of Myself". CD

A treasure trove of wonderful music – a 16 LP box set that features all of Sinatra's albums recorded for Capitol, along with great bonus material! As is well known, Sinatra's Capitol years were his finest – a time when he moved past a simple pop singer into a complicated vocalist with a sense of expression so deep that it lent itself perfectly to the emerging form of the long-playing record. Many of these albums are early "concept" sets by Sinatra, and feature moods and themes that move far beyond simple vocal work – into richly expressive territory that's hardly ever been matched again! Arrangers include Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Gordon Jenkins, and Alex Stordhal – and album titles include Come Fly With Me, Come Swing With Me, Songs For Swingin Lovers, In The Wee Small Hours, Where Are You, No One Cares, Come Dance With Me, Songs For Young Lovers, and Point Of No Return. LP, Vinyl record album

Caetano Veloso at the end of the 70s – still sounding wonderful, but in ways that are quite different from his earliest albums! The sound here is more restrained, and more mature – a beautiful example of the songwriting strength that Veloso evolved as his career moved on – tunes that have a simple, almost elegant brilliance – and which are carried off here by a small backing combo of keyboards, guitar, bass, and percussion. Caetano's vocals have an up-close feel that reminds us of the Qualquer Coisa album – but the overall sound of this set is almost more personal and intimate than that one too. Titles include "Trilhos Urbanos", "Oracao Ao Tempo", "Elegia", "Vampiro", "Aracaju", "Os Meninos Dancam", and "Beleza Pura". LP, Vinyl record album

An ultra-cool set that focuses on one of our favorite easy genres ever – crime jazz! Crime jazz first came to light at the end of the 50s, as Mancini, Morrow, and others penned some incredible music for TV detective shows – tight, jazz-based tunes that really moved past the flowery style of orchestrations that had often been used in the movies and on other crime programs. The crime jazz mode was an instant hit with listeners, and many tunes climbed up the charts – and spawned countless albums of music in the mode. This set brings together 18 tracks from the 50s and 60s – including titles from a wide variety of sources inspired by the crime jazz sound, including a few more famous artists doing their take on the style! Titles include "The Untouchables" by Nelson Riddle, "Dragnet/Room 43" by Ray Anthony, "Thinking Of Baby" by Elmer Bernstein, "I Spy" by Earl Hagen, "Walk On The Wild Side" by Si Zentner, "The Silencers" by Vikki Carr, "Music To Be Murdered By" by Jeff Alexander with Alfred Hitchcock, "Harlem Nocturne" by Spike Jones, and "Mission Impossible" by Billy May. CD

A fantastic look at one of the biggest contributions that Cuba ever made to music in the 20th Century – the rise of the jam session and descarga scene in Havana right before the revolution – a moment that saw an already-great style get even better in the hands of a few key musicians! Afro-Cuban sounds were nothing new to that city, but as the 50s moved on, the players on the scene adopted lots of influences from American jazz – and were really opening up in ways that were as open and expressive as they were fiercely collaborative – moving past the idea of a tighter ensemble with a star leader, and instead bringing together smaller groups with soloists that really got lots of space to do their thing – as did the percussionists, who really drive the music here! Most of the tracks feature some sort of vocals, but also have plenty of standout solos too - and the set features a huge amount of tracks by Cachao in his prime, plus lots more by Julio Gutierrez, Walfredo De Los Reyes, Rolando Aquila, Fajaro, Nino Rivera, and Chico O'Farrill – served up here with a total of 55 tracks on 3CDs. CD

Those are some pretty crabby ladies on the front covers – workers for the Jugoton label, working on quality control – but they're probably not the right audience for the music on this set, which is very cool and groovy – and not the sort that would usually go for the blue-haired set! As you'll guess from the title, the sounds were all created in the 80s – partly following off the British electronic modes of the post-punk years, in both cold wave and new wave styles – then moving into some of the shifting styles as the decade moved on, although still often nicely not really in any sort of too-commercial territory! Given the wealth of Croatian, Serbian, and other talents handled by the label, there's a huge amount going on here – as you'll discover on titles that include "Ti I Ja" by Denis & Denis, "Pocket" by Master Scratch Band, "Kad Je Kraj Blizu" by Parliament, "Palcica" by Mato Dosen & HC Andersen, "On" by Zana, "Devica 69" by Laboratorija, "Zaba" by D'Boys, "Radio Video" by Nicky, and "Harakiri" by Dubravka – plus some short "Jugoton Express" tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual collection of mento material from Jamaica – a later document of sounds that were initially the first on the path towards rocksteady and reggae! Back in the late 50s, Bermuda had calypso and Jamaica had mento – a style that was similar, but which had a slightly different rhythmic pattern – one that was fused with influences from American soul as the decade moved on, as the blueprint for ska, rocksteady, and later styles too! These recordings are all from the 70s – handled by producer Sonia Pottinger for her High Note label – and show that even in the era of dub and roots, mento was still going strong in Jamaica – although definitely with more contemporary touches that show the growing influence of reggae back on the older form of music. The set's a great look at this moment in the style – done with the usual huge booklet of notes we love from Doctor Bird, filled with rare images and label scans too – and the 2CD set features 46 tracks in all – full albums by King Vupp, The Jolly Boys, and The Prince Brothers – plus more by Sugar Belly, Count Lasher, Baba Brooks, The Dingle Brothers, Marva Moore, and others. CD

Completely wonderful solo work from Monkee Mike Nesmith – music that almost bears no relationship to his famous TV sounds – save for the fact that Mike's still got all of his charms firmly intact! Yet the approach here is unabashedly country rock – that style that Nesmith was bringing to some of his songs as the 60s moved on, from very credible roots – and served up here by a very cool group that features plenty of steel guitar from OJ Red Rhodes! The tunes are smart, but understated – catchy, but never cloying – almost in the territory of the Byrds or Flying Burrito Brothers, but maybe without the darker corners. Titles include "The Crippled Lion", "Mama Nantucket", "The Keys To The Car", "Hollywood", "Calico Girlfriend", and "Nine Times Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

By this point Cameo had moved in a more slick, radio friendly commercial soul direction, but still had one of the most distinctive sounds around, and besides, this later single is one of our favorites from this period. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A stone cold classic from Teddy Riley! Forget what you might think about the cliches of New Jack Swing, because this record is a landmark of modern soul, one of the freshest R&B albums from the 80s, and it still sounds great today. After starting things out with Wrecks N Effect, Riley moved over to Guy – who really made his hip-hop heavy New Jack sound work great, because they had much better vocal chops than earlier groups, and they could fuse a tight harmony to the funky sound in style that not only got them loads of airplay (and record sales!), but which inspired a whole generation of American soul. This first album's their best, and it includes lots of nice smooth jammers – like "Spend The Night", "Piece of My Love", "Teddy's Jam", "Groove Me", and "Goodbye Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful tribute to the music of Egberto Gismonti and Hermeto Pascoal – but presented in a fresh style that's very different than the originals! Gismonti and Pascoal were two of Brazil's most inventive composer/musicians of the 70s – both very open to new sounds, new rhythms, and new ways of putting instrumentation together – often with complex larger arrangements that really moved past any sort of simple styles or genre conventions! Here, pianist Andre Mehmari and mandolinist Hamilton De Holanda take things back to basics – and offer up these beautifully intimate readings of tunes by both composers – but with really lively instrumentation that still recalls all the deftness you would have heard from either of the original musicians. Holanda's work on the strings has never been more complex – or more magical – and Mehmari's got a rhythmic pulse and way of serving up colors at the same time – a beautiful style that really comes through on tracks that include "Frevo", "Sao Jorge", "Sete Aneis", "Palhaco", "Fala Da Paixao", "Bebe", and "Loro" – plus a few original tribute numbers by the duo too! And as a special bonus, both Gismonti and Pascoal each guest on one number in the set! CD

The keyboards of Greg Foat have a really great setting here in a collaboration with Gigi Masin – served up in a style that's maybe more laidback and spacious than before, yet in a way that makes us fall in love with Greg's electric piano lines all over again! Masin's got roots in more ambient sounds, but the record definitely has a jazz approach at the core – plenty of the increasingly sensitive styles that Foat has developed as the years moved on – shifting from an initial role as a guy who could handle vintage keys, to a point where he's really emerged as a more fully-fledged jazz player overall! The blend of keyboards and a larger sonic palette still has plenty of live instrumentation in the mix – different than a project of this sort by an artist like Bugge Wesseltoft – and titles include "London Nights", "Viento Calido", "Your Move", "Sabena", "Leo Theo", "Love Theme", and "Dolphin". LP, Vinyl record album

The keyboards of Greg Foat have a really great setting here in a collaboration with Gigi Masin – served up in a style that's maybe more laidback and spacious than before, yet in a way that makes us fall in love with Greg's electric piano lines all over again! Masin's got roots in more ambient sounds, but the record definitely has a jazz approach at the core – plenty of the increasingly sensitive styles that Foat has developed as the years moved on – shifting from an initial role as a guy who could handle vintage keys, to a point where he's really emerged as a more fully-fledged jazz player overall! The blend of keyboards and a larger sonic palette still has plenty of live instrumentation in the mix – different than a project of this sort by an artist like Bugge Wesseltoft – and titles include "London Nights", "Viento Calido", "Your Move", "Sabena", "Leo Theo", "Love Theme", and "Dolphin". LP, Vinyl record album

A great look at a very important side of spiritual jazz in the 60s and 70s – the evolution of jazz vocals, to a point when singers like Abbey Lincoln, Andy Bey, or Leon Thomas brought a whole new sound and soul to the spectrum of jazz! This wonderful package covers lots of key moments from that time – and also unearths some great rare tracks, too – really showing the way that singers of this period moved far far past the styles of Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald in the generation before – often using their voices with the same unbridled power as the musicians in these groups, serving up some righteous lyrics and politics in the process! The collection might well be our favorite in this great series so far – and titles include "Imani" by EW Wainwright, "Tears For Johannesburg" by Max Roach, Colors" by Norman Riley, "African Violet" by Sadaka, "The Ladder" by The Singers & Musicians Of Washington High School, "Rain Forest" by Dr Haki R Mahubuti, "African Sunshine" by Eddie Gale, "Reunion (edit)" by Byron Morris & Unity, "Celestial Blues" by Gary Bartz Ntu Troop, "John Coltrane" by Clifford Jordan, and "Spirits Up Above" by Vibration Society. CD

A tighter sound than before for The Bar-Kays – that lean approach to funky grooves that some of their contemporaries were hitting as the 80s moved on – yet still served up here by the full ensemble with a relatively fresh feel overall. Amidst the beats and keyboards, there's still lots of nice funky inflections on bass and guitar – often handled in a skittish mode that energizes things nicely, especially alongside the more electro-styled vocals. The vibe of the record is definitely in keeping with the cover – but in the best way possible – and titles include "Dangerous", "Dirty Dancer", "Make Believe Lover", "Freakshow On The Dance Floor", and "Sexomatic". CD