An amazing chapter in the career of British saxophonist Lol Coxhill – two completely wonderful albums recorded for the Ogun label in the mid 70s! The feel here is similar to Coxhill's seminal albums for Virgin a few years before – jazz that's free, but never too "out" – working in a lovely way to explore sound and tone with a sense of joy and whimsy – often making a brief nod to more traditional modes, but very much in its own spirit. There's a sense of wonder here that we'd almost compare to the best Rahsaan Roland Kirk work for Atlantic – and Coxhill plays soprano sax throughout, joined by players that include Michael Garrick on electric piano, Ken Shaw on guitar, John Mitchell on percussion, Veryan Weston on piano, and Colin Wood on cello. The CD features the full tracks from 2 albums – Joy Of Paranoia and Diverse – and titles include "Joy Of Paranoia Waltz", "The Wakefield Capers", "The Cluck Variations", "Loverman", "Perdido", "Diver", and "Divers". CD

Seminal work from British reedman Elton Dean – two classic Ogun albums back to back on a single CD! First up is Happy Daze – a set that's got a lot more complicated class than you might expect from the title – really wonderful large ensemble arrangements penned by Dean, and definitely in the spirit that he claimed made the group the heir to Keith Tippett's previous group of the late 60s! The music here is all nicely inside, and pretty darn soulful – swinging and stepping with a bit more of a groove than some of the other Ogun Records work of the time – really back to that hip point at the end of the 60s, when British jazz groups stretched out in their spirit, but never got too avant in their style – a perfect blend that Dean really recreates here, with help from players who include Alan Skidmore on tenor, Harry Beckett on trumpet, Mark Charig on trumpet and tenor horn, Nick Evans and Radu Malfatti on trombones, Keith Tippett on piano, Harry Miller on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums. Titles include "Nicrotto", "Seven For Lee", "Sweet FA", and "Three For All". On Oh For The Edge, there's definitely an edge to the music – but one that's a bit different than that of some of Elton Dean's contemporaries in the 70s British scene! Dean brings a lot more swing and soul to this record than you might expect – working with a large group, but never letting the players get totally outside – which is a real change from some of the more freely improvising UK ensembles of the period. Dean's own work on alto and saxello are totally great – as are the core rhythms of the group, which come from Keith Tippett on piano, Harry Miller on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums. But we're also plenty happy to hear Alan Skidmore on tenor, Harry Beckett and Mark Charig on trumpets, and Nick Evans on trombone. The recording has a very good "roomy" sound to it that gives it a darker edge than some of the other Ogun recordings from the time – and tracks include "Fall In Free", "Dance", "Friday Night Blues", and "Prayer For Jesus". CD

A beautiful double-length package of work from drummer Louis Moholo – a 2CD set that features one record from recent years, and a key classic from the 70s! Spirits Rejoice is one of the strongest 70s statements from ex-Blue Notes drummer Moholo – recorded in the company of fellow expatriots and UK avant jazzers that include Johnny Dyani, Evan Parker, Kenny Wheeler, Nick Evans, Radu Malfatti, and Harry Miller. The album shifts easily between strongly rhythmic passages that show Moholo's roots in the South African jazz scene, and other, freer sections that also illustrate his importance in the European avant scene of the 70s – and overall, the record's got a beautifully soulful quality that guides it well through all of these moments. Titles include "Wedding Hymn", "Khanya Apho Ukhona", "Ithi Gqi", "Amaxesha Osizi", and "You Ain't Gonna Know Me". That record is followed here by 1995's Bra Louis Bra Tebs – a session with a similar style, especially in its use of African-inspired rhythms – but one that also features a different lineup, and some great use of vocals! Francine Luce sings on a number of the album's best tracks – in a style that's almost an avant-tuned approach to vocalese, and which seems to carry echoes of Norma Winstone – a voice that's dreamy one minute, challenging the next – and often used as a key instrument in the combo's lineup of tenor, alto, trumpet, piano, bass, and drums. Titles include "Utshaka", "Maybe Of Cause", "Moegoe", "Sonke", and "Lakutshona Ilanga". CD

A beautiful double-length package of work from drummer Louis Moholo – a 2CD set that features one record from recent years, and a key classic from the 70s! Spirits Rejoice is one of the strongest 70s statements from ex-Blue Notes drummer Moholo – recorded in the company of fellow expatriots and UK avant jazzers that include Johnny Dyani, Evan Parker, Kenny Wheeler, Nick Evans, Radu Malfatti, and Harry Miller. The album shifts easily between strongly rhythmic passages that show Moholo's roots in the South African jazz scene, and other, freer sections that also illustrate his importance in the European avant scene of the 70s – and overall, the record's got a beautifully soulful quality that guides it well through all of these moments. Titles include "Wedding Hymn", "Khanya Apho Ukhona", "Ithi Gqi", "Amaxesha Osizi", and "You Ain't Gonna Know Me". That record is followed here by 1995's Bra Louis Bra Tebs – a session with a similar style, especially in its use of African-inspired rhythms – but one that also features a different lineup, and some great use of vocals! Francine Luce sings on a number of the album's best tracks – in a style that's almost an avant-tuned approach to vocalese, and which seems to carry echoes of Norma Winstone – a voice that's dreamy one minute, challenging the next – and often used as a key instrument in the combo's lineup of tenor, alto, trumpet, piano, bass, and drums. Titles include "Utshaka", "Maybe Of Cause", "Moegoe", "Sonke", and "Lakutshona Ilanga". CD

The spiritual sound of drummer Louis Moholo-Moholo is alive and well – the one light still burning from the legendary Blue Notes jazz ensemble from South Africa – and one who's taken the righteous power of that group well into the 21st Century! The music here is as uplifting as the title – and features Louis working with a very powerful group of younger musicians – including the excellent Shabaka Hutchings and Jason Yarde on saxes, plus Alexander Hawkins on piano and John Edwards on bass – musicians who rise up with this fantastically united power under the leadership of Moholo-Moholo, flowing together at the start, then finding confidence in their individual voices as the performance moves on. The whole thing was recorded live, and is a beautiful extended concert – with titles that include "Dikeledi Tsa Phelo", "Do It", "Ezontakana", "Ngwoele Ngwoele", "Angel Nomali", "Lakutshon'Llanga", "For The Blue Notes", and "B My Dear". CD

Back to back 70s recordings by British altoist Mike Osborne – both albums originally issued on the Ogun label, paired nicely as a single CD! Border Crossing is a tight little trio set from 1974 – recorded live with a lineup that includes Harry Miller on bass and Louis Moholo on drums – supporting Osborne's frontline alto solo work in a wonderful way. The sound here is free, but never without direction – spinning out in surprisingly rhythmic and soulful lines that perfectly capture a fresh modern moment that far too soon became overly cluttered. Marcel's Muse is from three years later, 1977 – and features Osborne with a more extended quintet lineup that includes Mark Charig on trumpet, Jeff Green on guitar, Harry Miller on bass, and Peter Nykyurj on drums. The sound here is much more freewheeling and harder-blown – sometimes a bit too over the top, but not without its moments. The CD features 11 tracks in all – and titles include "Ken's Tune", "Stop & Start", "Animation", "Riff", "Border Crossing", "Molten Lead", "Sea Mist", and "Where's Freddy". CD

One of our favorite sides of the British avant scene in the 70s – a body of work that's out, but never too out – soaring on spiritual wings one moment, and working in playful blocks of sound the next! All three artists play saxes on the album – tenor for Akan Skidmore, alto for Mike Osborne, and baritone and soprano saxes for John Surman – while Skidmore also throws in a bit of drums and percussion, and Surman a bit of electronics – making for a multi-horn approach that's got some of the same compelling elements as the Lol Coxhill albums on Virgin, but performed here with a freer sort of soul as well! There's maybe a lot more warmth here than some of Surman's colder electronics/reeds records for other labels – and titles include "Goliath", "Ist", "Calypso", "Cycle Motion", "Chordary", and "Wherever I Am". CD

A seminal recording from Keith Tippett's Ark – a large ensemble of British avant players that coexisted with (and shared members from) Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath! The set was recorded at a time when many on the scene where exploring territory that could only be reached with a larger group – pushing the boundaries of British jazz with a forcefulness borrowed from more progressive experiments – yet still at the best moments (such as this recording), keeping things restrained enough to let even the smallest voices and ideas be heard. Both Keith Tippett & Stan Tracey are on piano – and other players include Elton Dean, Trevor Watts, Harry Miller, Peter Kowald, Phil Wachsman and Louis Moholo – plus vocals from Julie Tippetts and Maggie Nichols. The expanded set features 4 side-long compositions – and although the degree to which they were "composed" isn't explicit, because there's a lot of fiery free playing and interplay, the album's not without focus or direction, and never descends into a din, as a group this large might verge upon. Titles include "Frames", parts 1 to 4. CD

Amazing sounds from the legendary Chris McGregor – a rare set of solo piano performances that shows a whole new side of his genius! The music here is still steeped in South African roots, yet has a style that's a bit more personal and intimate than some of Chris' better-known recordings with The Brotherhood Of Breath, or The Blue Notes – as McGregor here has to carry all the weight on his own – and does a tremendous job of spinning out these haunting melodies on piano – usually with a rhythmic pulse that's as compelling as the tune! The style's got echoes of previous Afro-inspired piano jazz from Randy Weston or Dollar Brand – but there's a deftness, and sense of feeling here that's completely McGregor's own – a really compelling quality that holds us rapt in ways that few other solo piano sets might do. This CD brings together lots more material than was on the original LP release – over 70s minutes of music, with track sthat include "Call", "Raincloud", "Umhome", "Mngqusho", "The Bride", "In His Good Time", "Ududu Nombambula", "Kwa Tebugo", and "Green Hymn". CD

A tremendous tribute to a nearly-overlooked figure in jazz – the late bassist Harry Miller, a player whose work was a key force in the British scene of the 70s! Like his contemporaries The Blue Notes, Miller was a player who had emigrated to London from South Africa – and similar to Johnny Dyani, Chris McGregor, and other expats at the time, by the 1970s, he'd so firmly meshed with the British scene that his sound had taken on rich new levels of expression. This beautifully done 3CD set brings together 4 of Miller's Ogun albums – Children At Play, Family Affair, Bracknell Breakdown, and In Conference – as well as on additional album for the Vara label, Down South, recorded in 1983 shortly before Miller passed away. The range of work on the set is impressive, as Miller plays here with British and European luminaries that include Han Bennink, Trevor Watts, Willem Breuker, Julie Tippetts, Keith Tippetts, Radu Malfatti, Mike Osborne, and Louis Moholo. Some albums are spare and contemplative, while others have a fuller and freer sound – but all are united through a rich musical vision that was as generous to others as it was to itself. The set features full original album cover art, notes on the music, and a beautiful additional booklet of remembrances from and photographs of most of Miller's contemporaries! CD

Brilliant work from Harry Miller – a key chapter in the sound of South African jazz on the London scene of the 70s! The group features Louis Moholo on drums, Mike Osborne on alto, Keith Tippet on piano, Mark Charig on trumpet, and Malcolm Griffiths on trombone – and the album's long tracks all have a well-composed quality – heading out with a strongly rhythmic pulse, but also allowing more than enough space for improvisation by the members of the group. There's a proud, bold quality to the album that surpasses even Miller's other work from the time – and titles include "Jumping", "Eli's Song", "Family Affair", and "Touch Hungry". LP, Vinyl record album

Not just four blokes, but a killer quartet led by legendary drummer Louis Moholo – one that works at the same searing intensity as his Blue Notes group in the 70s! The combo is especially adept at quick-paced, fast-thinking creativity – and really leap forward with a great sense of cohesion on some of the album's most emotive tracks – but they also know how to balance things out with some more contemplative and soulful passages, too – showing the rich sensitivity to sound that Moholo has developed over the years. Louis plays only a drum kit – but with a depth of sound that makes you feel as if he's got other percussion instruments in the mix – and the group also features Jason Yarde on saxes, John Edwards on bass, and Alexander Hawkins – and titles include "For The Blue Notes", "Yes Baby No Baby", "Angel Nomali", "Tears For Steve Biko", and "Khwalo". CD

Rich, vibrant work from Louis Moholo & his Unit – with resonant emotion in the overall mood, but also an improvisational approach that balances the sound very deftly! Moholo's work of the 00s has been pretty visionary, and this one's no exception – don't go expecting sentimentalism, given the title – but there is a soaring and spiritual jazz vibe, with sweeter, soulful movements. The saxes bring in some massive atmosphere, and the Francine Lune's vocals, often wordless, bring a lovely touch to some very energetic interplay. Maholo's busy on drums but peppers some vocals of his own, with Jason Yarde on soprano, alto and baritone sax, Ntshuks Bonga on alto and tenor, Pule Pheto on piano, Orphy Robinson on vibes, and John Edwards bass. Titles include "Mark Of Respect", "Dikeledi Tsa Phelo", "The Tag", "Thank U 4 2 Day", "Sonke", Russia", "Zanele", "Fine Line" and "Two Alto Hit". CD

Brilliant recordings from drummer Louis Moholo – done at a time when he was one of the few surviving members of the legendary Blue Notes – working here with his Viva La Black combo, in a sound that has a similar mix of South African roots and European avant modes! The material's from the mid 90s, and is incredibly strong – a great reminder that in the right corners of the UK scene, there was still some plenty righteous jazz going down – rich in spirit and soul, and let loose with a great sense of freedom on the solos! In addition to Moholo's percussion, the group also features Sean Bergin on tenor and flute, Steve Williamson on tenor and alto, Claude Deppa on trumpet and flugelhorn, Frank Douglas on guitar, Paul Rogers on bass, and Thebe Lipere on percussion – and although the music was recorded in the studio, it definitely has the energy of a freewheeling live performance. Titles include "Plastic Bag", "Visions", "Dudu Pukwana", "Kwa Langa Kumandi", "Wathinta Amadoda", and "For The Blue Notes". CD

An incredibly spiritual session from percussionist Louis Moholo and his ensemble Viva La Black – recorded on the occasion of a series of concerts in Moholo's homeland of South Africa – and done in a way that's as much a document of the group's trip as it is a recording of the music in the concerts. Many of the tracks are shorter passages that flow together with longer ones – piecing together the warm spirit and soulful expression allowed to the group during the tour. And the music itself shares in a heritage that runs back through the 60s work of Mingus and Roland Kirk, the 70s experiments of the AACM, and the rich jazz-in-exile work of Moholo himself! Instrumentation includes percussion, trumpet, saxes, piano, and bass – plus vocals from all the members of the group – and titles include "Use Less Sugar & Stir Like Hell", "Volunteered Slavery", "Woza", "Nikosi", "End Of Man", "Dudu P", "I'll Look All Over Afrika For You", "Drum Choir", and "Joyful Noise". CD

A key linking of two traditions of British avant jazz expression – and a session that's co-led by percussionist Louis Moholo and saxophonist Evan Parker! The sound here is almost more in Parker's camp than it is Moholo's – as the album's improvised tracks have a spare, contemplative quality that builds very slowly – working strongly in space and sound, as the group finds themselves through a rich array of techniques, tones, and expressions. Other players include Barry Guy on bass and piccolo bass (right channel), Gibo Pheto on bass (left channel), and Pule Pheto on piano – and titles include "Bush Fire", "For Chisa", "South Afrika Is Free OK", "Baobab", "Sticks", "Back Beat", and "Flaming July". CD

Maybe one of the most hard-burning performances ever recorded by this legendary South African jazz combo – a set dedicated to trumpeter Mongezi Feza, a key member of the group who'd passed away just a short time before the recording! The session was done in London, right after all four remaining members had come together for a memorial for Mongezi – and throughout the set, you can feel the raw emotion that's driving the performance – bold, freewheeling and very expressive sounds from the lineup of Dudu Pukwana on alto sax, Chris McGregor on piano, Johnny Dyani on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums – all players who pick up extra percussion and vocalize at points – almost in the tradition of the AACM, but more emotive too. The set features a double-length performance, titled "Blue Notes For Mongezi" – divided into four movements. LP, Vinyl record album

A much-needed look at the early sound of The Blue Notes – a performance right before they left South Africa, and with a nicely different sound than some of their later London performances issued on the Ogun label! The group here are already very much in their own sound and spirit, but with less of the free improvisation of the 70s – more some of the rhythmic modes you'd know from other South African jazz of the period, but mixed with the kind of complexity you'd hear in a Charles Mingus record – all sorts of of amazing arrangements that are peppered with really wonderful solos from the members of the sextet! The lineup is different than the quartet and quintet dates of the following decade – with tenor saxophonist Nick Moyake working alongside Dudu Pukwana on alto, Mongezi Feza on trumpet, Chris McGregor on piano, Johnny Dyani on bass, and Luis Moholo on drums. The set features a range of great modern jazz compositions by the players – including "Coming Home", "Two For Sandi", "Dorkay House", "B My Dear", "Vortex Special", and "Now". CD

Dramatic duets between Stan Tracey and Louis Moholo – a rare meeting of two different talents from the UK scene, coming together here with surprisingly wonderful results! Although Tracey and Moholo have both topped our list as some of the key players to have kept jazz interesting in the UK over the years, we wouldn't have expected them to work so well together in such a setting – freely exploring the range of each others talents in a relatively improvised environment. Moholo's drum work has a sense of majesty that recalls some of his genius on earlier free sessions – and Tracey's style really matches the mood nicely, and keeps itself held inside ever so slightly – sometimes providing more of a rhythmic pulse than the percussion of Moholo. The session was one of Moholo's last in England before a long-overdue return to South Africa – and titles include "Molo Afrika – Later Europe", "Links", "Plurality", "Shapes", "Very Urgent", and "Landela". CD

Great work from an overlooked period of Keith Tippett's career – a mid 80s stretch when he was working with a great lineup of players! The performance features some especially great saxophone work from Larry Stabbins on tenor and soprano, and Elton Dean on saxello and a bit of alto – two wonderful musicians whose reed lines bring an even more evocative sound to Tippett's music than usual – blown with plenty of stretched-out soul in the expanded live setting of the album. Keith's piano has plenty of offbeat, modern tones – nicely offset to the saxes – and other players include Mark Charig on cornet and tenor horn, Nick Evans on trombone, Paul Rogers on double bass, and Tony Levin on drums and percussion. Given that Tippett and Stabbins were both working with crossover jazz groups like Working Week and Weekend around the same time, the performance is a real revelation – and a reminder that all players were still at the top of their game! Most of the set features the long track "A Loose Kite In A Gentle Wind Floating With Only My Will For An Anchor" – and the other track is titled "Dedicated To Mingus". CD

A beautiful record – although one that's tinged with a touch of sadness, given the setting. In what was becoming an unfortunate tradition in their later years, the remaining members of the legendary South African jazz group The Blue Notes join together to mourn the passing of one of their original bandmembers – the great bassist Johnny Dyani, a player whose sound had a key influence on both African and European jazz scenes of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The group for this session is reduced to Chris McGregor on piano, Louis Moholo on bass, and Dudu Pukwana on alto and soprano saxes – working together in a beautiful session of tunes that hearken back to the rhythms of the group's roots – while still allowing some of the freer interplay that they discovered in later years. McGregor's piano is especially nice – tinged with sadness and appropriate blue notes – providing a nice undercurrent to the solo work of Pukwana. Titles include "Funk Dem Dudu", "Eyomzi", "Blues For Nick", and "Monks & Mbizo". CD

An overlooked gem from the British free jazz scene of the 70s – a set issued on the Bead Records label, and one that got very little circulation at the time – but which is equally as mindblowing as work from the period on labels like Ictus and Ogun! The duo here features Roy Ashbury on drums and percussion, and Larry Stabbins on soprano and tenor – working in this free, open space, but on tracks that are often shorter than album-length improvisations – which allows the players to stop a minute, take a breath, and move into these nicely varied moments of spontaneous creation! You might know Stabbins from later 80s work on more groove-oriented records – but here, he's a tremendousimproviser, with a sense for creative reedwork that might well rival his contemporary Evan Parker. Titles include "Puff", "Formants Of The Deep", "Wych Elm", "Fire Without Bricks", "Rough Cut", and "Maldoror". CD

The great Elton Dean is a musician with a huge legacy in British jazz and rock – including, famously, some time in Soft Machine, where he really helped transform their sound – and long work as an underground hero of the 70s scene, as a key player whose edge never dulled at all! That's definitely the case in this unreleased live performance from the end of the decade – a stunning concert that has Dean on a variety of saxes, blowing both with unbridled freedom, and an occasional sense of swing – set up in an equally-great lineup that also features Keith Tippett on piano, Harry Miller on bass, and Louis Moholo Moholo on drums! You might think of this one as being an addition to Dean's work on Ogun Records from the time – but there's a nice break, in that the concert begins with one completely long free jazz track, then features two shorter swingers, and then balances both modes nicely. Titles include "Oasis", "Seven For Lee", "That's For Cha", "Dede Bup Bup", and "Fara". CD

The great second album from Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath – a record that's much more obscure than the group's debut, and which has them moving into even deeper territory! As before, there's a wonderful post-colonial groove going on here – one that builds from McGregor's roots in South African jazz, but inflects it with some of the bolder, more modern modes of the London jazz scene in Chris worked after leaving Africa in 1964. But unlike before, some of the more free-thinking London styles take even stronger roles here – stretching out in solos that are a bit looser and more exploratory, and which point the way towards the more avant-oriented direction that McGregor and contemporaries would take in the Ogun years – yet not in ways that leave behind the inherent sense of rhythm in the music. The album starts out with rolling South African jazz piano lines that are quite familiar – but then soon opens up into much less structured territory, with solo work from players who include Mongezi Feza, Harry Beckett, Alan Skidmore, Mike Osborne, Harry Miller, Gary Windo, Dudu Pukwana, and Nick Evans. Most tracks are long – and titles include "Think Of Something", "Joyful Noises", "Nick Tete", "Do It", and "Funky Boots March". CD

Reggie Workman experienced tremendous growth as a musician in the years after his better-known sessions of the 60s – a growth that wasn't often documented on record for most of the 70s, but which sprung out nicely during the 80s – on a great run of albums, of which this one is key! The group here features Workman on bass alongside Andrew Cyrille on drums, Oliver Lake on reeds, and Marilyn Crispell on piano – all exploring their talents on a set of original Workman compositions. The set's got a feel that really takes us back to the loft jazz sound of New York in the 70s – styles that are experimental, but never too outside – and played with a nice degree of soul and introspection. Titles include "Ogun's Ardor", "Martyrs Hymn", "Fabula", "Jus Ole Mae", "Chant", and "Synapse II". CD

Ouch! The title almost makes us want to pass this one up – and we certainly wish that Luaka Bop would soft-pedal their politics a bit more, because the music is more than enough to make the compilations sell. The set focuses on Cuban dance music of the 60s and 70s – and provides some valuable recordings that haven't been easily available in the states, all packaged with the usual care and attention to detail in the liner notes. Titles include "Papa Ogun" by Celeste Mendoza, "Eso No Es Na" by Maria Teresa Vera, "Caminito De Zaza" by El Jilguero De Cienfuegos, "Yayabo" by Orquesta Riverside, "Manzanillo" by Orquesa Original de Manzanillo, and "Fifi, Tete, Y Popo" by Orquesta Reve. CD

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Brilliantly bold work from pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi – an artist who's really coming into her own for the 70s – stepping out in a big band format that would win her a wide new audience on both sides of the Pacific! The album's one of the first to feature the ensemble co-led with husband Lew Tabackin – a group that features strong work from American players who include Dick Spencer and Gary Foster on alto saxes, Tabackin and Tom Peterson on tenor, Bill Perkins on baritone, Bobby Shew and Don Rader on trumpets, and Charles Loper and Jim Sawyer on trombones. The horns are only part of the picture, though – as the inventive writing and arranging from Akiyoshi is what really makes the album great – a strong sense of painting with sound, while still keeping things swinging – really unlocking all the best elements that had been opened up for larger ensembles in the previous few years. The set features all original tracks that include "Kogun", "American Ballad", "Henpecked Old Man", "Elegy", and "Memory". LP, Vinyl record album

Mu'Ryo members include Takao Naoi, Nobuo Kurata, Haruo Togashi, Kenji Takamizu, Akira Doi, and Yoshinori Noumi. LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of groundbreaking records from King Sunny Ade – both of which represent a new wave of interest in African music after the initial burst of the Fela Kuti generation! First up is Synchro System – fantastic work from King Sunny Ade – one of his first truly global releases, and an album that marked a whole new sound in his music! Sunny had been issuing lots of his own records back home in Nigeria – but this set has the juju master working in London, with really fantastic production that pushes his sound in really great ways – echoey waves of basslines and percussion, subtle but powerful vocals, and percolating guitar that takes on a whole new sonic sensibility in the setting! There's a richness to the texture that's amazing – almost as if Brian Eno produced – and titles include "Synchro Feelings Ilako", "Mo Ti Mo", "Penkele", "Maajo", "Synchro System", "E Saiye Re", "Tolongo", "E Wele", and "Synchro Reprise". Next up is Aura – a crucial record in the early days of the global scene in the 80s – a set that lifts the music of King Sunny Ade from its roots in Nigeria, and mixes it up with some fresh elements that really open things up for a world's worth of ears! The approach isn't commercial – at least not in the modes of the later world music years – but there's occasional elements that echo the beat culture rising up in New York and London, mixed with the warmer sounds that were always at Sunny's music – especially that way of making the acoustic percussion and basslines come together in flowing waves of completely sublime sound! All tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Gboromiro", "Oremi", "Ire", "Iro", "Ogunja", and "Ase". CD

Toshiko Akiyoshi joins the SWR Big Band for a double album featuring "Kogun", "Lady Liberty", "I Know Who Loves You", and "Feast In Milano" – with all tracks composed and arranged by the pianist herself! CD

The first Impulse album issued after the early death of John Coltrane – and one of his last sessions for the label as well! The record's got a somber, introspective quality that almost hints at the darkness to come – a new way of reaching the spiritual planes that Coltrane was striving for in his music, but with gentler, more individual energy than before. Alice Coltrane plays piano on all tracks, and Coltrane plays tenor throughout – except for the long track "To Be", which has him on flute and Pharaoh Sanders on piccolo! There's a quality here that's almost like some of Alice Coltrane's later work as a leader – very warm, and almost meditative at times. Titles include "To Be", "Offering", "Expression", and "Ogunde". CD contains a bonus track – "Number One" – nearly 12 minutes long, and not on the original album! CD

The first Impulse album issued after the early death of John Coltrane – and one of his last sessions for the label as well! The record's got a somber, introspective quality that almost hints at the darkness to come – a new way of reaching the spiritual planes that Coltrane was striving for in his music, but with gentler, more individual energy than before. Alice Coltrane plays piano on all tracks, and Coltrane plays tenor throughout – except for the long track "To Be", which has him on flute and Pharaoh Sanders on piccolo! There's a quality here that's almost like some of Alice Coltrane's later work as a leader – very warm, and almost meditative at times. Titles include "To Be", "Offering", "Expression", and "Ogunde". CD

The first Impulse album issued after the early death of John Coltrane – and one of his last sessions for the label as well! The record's got a somber, introspective quality that almost hints at the darkness to come – a new way of reaching the spiritual planes that Coltrane was striving for in his music, but with gentler, more individual energy than before. Alice Coltrane plays piano on all tracks, and Coltrane plays tenor throughout – except for the long track "To Be", which has him on flute and Pharaoh Sanders on piccolo! There's a quality here that's almost like some of Alice Coltrane's later work as a leader – very warm, and almost meditative at times. Titles include "To Be", "Offering", "Expression", and "Ogunde". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic batch of grooves – and a much-needed document of the rich array of funky sounds that were coming out of Nigeria in the 1970s! The country's best known as the homeland of Fela Kuti – an artist who forever changed the face of global funk – but what's not as well known is that there were a number of other artists operating in Fela's shadow, crafting their own interpretation of American soul and African funk during the same generation. This overstuffed package offers a great look (and listen) into that scene – and compiles tracks by a few artists you might already recognize, plus others that are presented here for the first time in such a set. As with other compilations on the Strut label, the notes are very well done, with loads of information and details on the recordings – but even more importantly, the music is fantastic, with a rich array of grooves that blows away most other recent compilations of Afro Funk from the 70s! Titles include "Enjoy Yourself" by Sahara All Stars Band, "Shango" by Peter King, "Dancing Time" by The Funkees, "Ikon Allah" by Bala Miller & The Great Music Pirameeds Of Afrika, "Tire Loma Da Nigbehin" by Monomono, "Kita Kita" by Gasper Lawal, "Agboju Logun" by Shina Williams & His African Percussionists, "Akayan Ekassa" by Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maesstroes, "Ja Fun Mi (inst)" by Sunny Ade, "Alla Wakbarr" by Ofo The Black Company, "Ifa" by Tunji Oyelana & The Benders, "Jenu Ko Ku" by Fela & Africa 70, "La La La" by Segun Bucknor, and "Orere Elejigbo" by Lijadu Sisters. 3LP set – with a total of 15 tracks, and notes on the inside of the cover on the music! LP, Vinyl record album

The last concert ever played by the great John Coltrane – and, as with some of his other recordings from 1967, a record that really shows the Great One stepping out into some territory we would have loved him to explore more, had he not left our world too soon! The group here has tremendous tenor from Pharoah Sanders – alongside work from Alice Coltrane on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Rashied Ali on drums – joined by the more obscure Algie DeWitt, who plays bata drum on the session – alongside other percussion work that's been credited to Jumma Santos. The setting is the African Culture Center in New York, headed by percussionist Olatunji – which makes the added percussion even more important for the recording – and the set features a short introduction by Billy Taylor, and 2 long tracks: "Ogunde" and "My Favorite Things". CD

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A great collection of tunes from Coltrane's seminal work at Impulse – and a much needed look at his spiritual approach to jazz. The package features Trane working with players that include Eric Dolphy, Alice Coltrane, Mc Coy Tyner, Elvin Jones, and others – and it does a good job of picking out the soulful numbers from albums that sometimes go a bit farther outside. Together, the tracks make a strong collection of work that shows Trane's influence on the soul jazz sound of the 70s, and the wealth of players who were undeniably influenced by his genius. Titles include "Tunji", "Wise One", "Dear Lord", "Song Of Praise", "Welcome", "Love Supreme – Part 1", "Spiritual", and "Ogunde". CD

Tight hip hop from the superhero team of Inspectah Deck with 7L & Esoteric – mostly produced by 7L, with a most welcome guest producer in the legendary DJ Premier – and it's a strong statement from the underappreciated Wu Tang gamer and the ever-creative DJ 7L! On the production tip, 7L pays homage to classic Wu without copying it – and utilizing both classic and completely leftfield samples in a fresh, funky way. The rhymes by Deck and Eso are top shelf, too – with a guest list that includes Roc Marciano, Oh No, Ghostface and others. Includes "Air 'Em Out", "Cement 3's" feat Roc Marciano, "Czar Refaeli" feat Oh No, "Rock Beat", "Savagely Attacked" feat Ghostface Killah, "Marvel Team-Up", "It's Raw" feat Action Bronson, "Let It Off", "Word War 4", "Poisonous Thoughts" feat Mr. Mfn Exquire, "Shoguns" feat Cappadonna & Vinnie Paz, "Hazmat Rap" and the DJ Premier-produced "Let It Off". LP, Vinyl record album

A great introduction to one of the hippest big bands of the 70s – a duo who did for the jazz ensemble mode in their decade what Kenny Clarke and Francy Boland did in the 60s! Tracks include "Studio J", "Quadrille, Anyone", "Kogun", "First Night", and "Road Time Shuffle". CD

Rare outtakes from the 80s – with titles that include "Trust Yourself", "Emotionally Yours", "Danville Girl", "Driftin Too Far From The Shore", "Go Away Little Boy", "Number 3", "Tight Connection", "Clean Cut Kid", "Something's Burning Baby", and "The Very Thought Of You". LP, Vinyl record album