A later album from Antonio Carlos E Jocafi – but one that still holds onto the lively samba roots of their best older sides! The instrumentation is a mix of acoustic and electric elements – but usually falls more towards the former – and arrangements are by Cesar Machado, who changes things up a bit throughout the set, shifting styles to fit the musical voice of each individual tune. Titles include "Olho D'Agua", "Teresa Batista", "Dona Flor E Seus Dois Maridos", "Capitaes De Areia", "Conversa P'Ra Boi Dormir", and "Jesuino Galo Doido". CD

Very cool French pop from Antonin Appaix – contemporary cuts, but done with an ear for the best styles of the vintage generation – which makes these lean little tracks completely charming all the way through! Antonin's got a slightly soft, slightly spoken vocal approach, and works with spare keyboards, beats, and samples – at a level that almost feels like a French take on some of the styles that Momus was laying down in the early 90s, presented with an equally seductive kind of vibe! Titles include "Magneto", "Samena", "Radoub", "September", "Du Monde Entier", "Ouais J'Aime Bien", "Isla Isola Iles", and "Flashdance". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful music from Lucas Arruda – an artist who embraces some of the warmest, most soulful styles of Brazilian music from back in the 70s, but manages to deliver them with a crisp contemporary spin! There's a lot of vintage Azymuth-styled grooves here – wicked rhythms, excellent keyboards, and a jazzy sensibility that makes for a magical flow throughout – and while there's some great soulful vocals on the set, the album also has plenty of strong instrumental moments too – a real delight all the way through, and an instant classic that may well even top Lucas' previous albums! Andre Mota lends some great vocals to the set – and titles include "The Mountain", "4:28 AM", "Novos Planos", "Ominira", "Projecoes", "The Bravest Heart", "Chant & Dance", and "Abraco Pro Ed". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky African work from Fred Fisher – a Nigerian trombonist who crafted his own unique groove at the end of the 70s! Fred both sings and plays trombone – the latter with a Fred Wesley-like soulfulness – and his rhythms here are really wide-ranging, and embrace a host of new styles coming into play at the time – including a fair bit of influences from American soul! Some cuts have a rootsy groove, while others move into tighter dancefloor territory – never in a commercial style at all, but with traces of boogie and other 80s modes in the mix. Vocals are sometimes in English, which furthers the global appeal of the music – and the set brings together tracks from 4 different albums by Fisher. Titles include "Say The Truth", "Asa Sa", "Iye Ye Mu Elediamemisise", "No Way", "Let Love Free", "WTFS", "Beautiful Dancer", "Happy Blue Night", "The Beginning Ishan", "Ehimedede", "Babajoo", and "Ebi Lolo". 2LP set features 12 tracks in all. Note: The music on the whole set is great, but there are a few tracks that suffer sound-wise from some distortion in the masters used. Most of the other tracks are fine, though. LP, Vinyl record album

A great trio setting for the tenor of Rodrigo Amado – always a treat, but especially nice here in the company of bassist Goncalo Almeida and drummer Onno Govaert – both players who have this open, elliptical way of building things up alongside Amado's lead! The tenorist has a richly soulful sound throughout, and the way the bass and drums are used is a nice evolution past both early American avant modes and later European free jazz styles – rich in sound, but never too bombastic – while freed from rhythm, but also very respectful of the tenor too. Titles include "Outer Fields", "Love Ghosts", "Encounter", and "New Tone". CD

A groovy little vocal group with a swinging 50s sound – working here with some great jazzy arrangements from trombonist Kai Winding! The style of the set prefaces Winding's pop/jazz sides for Verve in the mid 60s – but has a sound that's somewhat similar – with lead vocals by the male/female Axidentals group, and some trombone-based jazzy backings that showcase Winding's horn amidst a larger brass section. There's a great poppy punch to these tunes – and the Axidentals themselves can be credited for some extremely inventive vocal arrangements at times – in styles that go way beyond those of conventional groups of the period, in a mode that reminds us of some of the work by the Kirby Stone Four or the John LaSalle Quartet. Titles include "Walkin", "Out Of This World", "You Gotta Wail", "No Moon At All", "Day In Day Out", and "Close To You". LP, Vinyl record album

Very groovy work from one of Sweden's hippest jazz singers! The recordings on the set capture Alice Babs in her early years, singing with the Swe-Danes trio – a group that featured Alice on lead vocals, plus male support by violinist Sven Asmussen and guitarist Ulrik Neumann – both of whom also sing harmony vocals behind Alice's lead. The approach is light and groovy – kind of The Chordettes meet Lambert Hendricks & Ross – with a blend of harmony and vocalese styles, all done with a nice jazzy flourish. Titles include "Swe Dane Shuffle", "Scandinavian Shuffle", "Hot Toddy", "Goofus", "Paul's Chicken", and "Not Yet". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soundtracks ever from Luiz Bacalov – a set that's filled with sex and slink, but which also has a great sense of groove as well – blending bossa jazz, mod moments, and all the best styles of the late 60s Italian scene! The music is mostly acoustic, but has a really great way of using sustained notes on flute – which creates this dreamy vibe that's almost electric, especially when offset by acoustic basslines, percussion, and piano – all used at a level that's right up there with the best from Morricone or Trovajoli at the time! There's also wonderful drifting vocals in the mix – courtesy of Nora Orlandi – and titles include "Round Nassau", "Swingin Easy In Tanganika", "Rio Zona Sul", "L'Amica", and "Taxi Cab 67". Features two bonus tracks – "L'Amica (ripresa)" and "The Bitter Truth (inst)". LP, Vinyl record album

The pinnacle of classy crossover soul at the end of the 80s – and a landmark album that's probably still helping Anita pay her bills! The feel is mellow and laidback without being too cheesy or too adult contemporary – drawing from mellow soul traditions of the 70s, and filtering it through production styles of the 80s without losing too much of the warmth. Titles include "Talk To Me", "Fairy Tales", "Lonely", "No One To Blame", "More Than You Know", and "Whatever It Takes". CD

A sweet set of soundtrack funk – from a film named after one of our favorite streets in Chicago! Although the record's got an approach that's perhaps a bit tighter and smoother than anything going down on Stony in the late 70s, it does manage to share a good deal of styles with the Chi-soul scene of the time – thanks to work on the record from Chicagoans Gene Barge, Sonny Seals, and Tennyson Stephens! Many of the tracks on the set have a bad-walking soul approach – one that's kind of a mixture of funky and bluesy – and these are laid out next to some jazzier instrumentals that we like most of all – tunes that have a great funky soundtrack feel, but with a bit more fusion touches than usual, probably because of the work of David Matthews. Titles include "Percy Fired", "Party Lights", "High Speed Posters", "Back To Business", "Chase The Train", "Gangster City", "Dream Ride", and "Peace Of Mind". CD

A sweet set of soundtrack funk – from a film named after one of our favorite streets in Chicago! Although the record's got an approach that's perhaps a bit tighter and smoother than anything going down on Stony in the late 70s, it does manage to share a good deal of styles with the Chi-soul scene of the time – thanks to work on the record from Chicagoans Gene Barge, Sonny Seals, and Tennyson Stephens! Many of the tracks on the set have a bad-walking soul approach – one that's kind of a mixture of funky and bluesy – and these are laid out next to some jazzier instrumentals that we like most of all – tunes that have a great funky soundtrack feel, but with a bit more fusion touches than usual, probably because of the work of David Matthews. Titles include "Percy Fired", "Party Lights", "High Speed Posters", "Back To Business", "Chase The Train", "Gangster City", "Dream Ride", and "Peace Of Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprising slice of work from the 70s – three different albums all released under various guises by Armenian American reedman Souren Baronian – all put out on his own Carlee label, and done in a very cool mix of styles! Baronian blows both familiar American horns and more exotic instrumentation – sometimes with snakey qualities that echo both Egyptian music and Klezmer, other times with different inflections depending on the setting – and that setting varies here depending on the different records – as they each have a slightly different vibe! These are the sort of sets that would have easily been missed otherwise – either thought of as some 70s knockoff, or watered-down material for the crowds at a tourist spot – but they're wonderful throughout, with a depth of expression that really holds on throughout all the albums. The set brings together the records Middle Eastern Soul by Bob Tashijan & Souren Baronian, The Exciting Music Of The Nor-Ikes by The Nor-Ikes featuring Souren Baronian, and Hye Inspiration by Bob Tashijan & Souren Baronian with The Oud Of John Tarpinian. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funky soul from a very mysterious figure – Georgia's Nathan Bartell, a singer with a deep soul style, and an under-exposed legacy that mostly involves a few indie label singles, and countless work in the smaller clubs of his state! The blend of music here is a bit different than most collections of this nature – as Nathan's work spans both the hard-hitting funky 45 world of the 70s, and the emerging groove styles of the 80s – which means that the record begins with the kind of funky material you'd guess from other southern singles of the time, then moves into midtempo modern soul that's more in the territory of Leon Ware! The mix of modes is a great testament to the under-recognized strengths of Bartell – an artist who kept on growing, even if the rest of the world wasn't paying attention at the time. Titles include "I Feel It Coming", "Top Going Down Bottom Going Up", "Moving On", "Some One Like You", "Ooh Baby I Love You", "Mystery Lady", "I Want Your Love", "See Me Cry", "If I Could Win Your Love", and "Jody & John". CD

Two early 70s albums from Shirley Bassey – back to back in a single set! Never Never Never is a warmly-crafted 70s album from the great Shirley Bassey – a set that continues that great move she was making at the end of the 60s – shaking off some of the bolder, brassier styles that famously got her going at the start, but which were maybe sounding a bit dated after the James Bond soundtracks got too much play! Instead, Bassey's opening up in a nicely mature mode – maybe making the same sort of shift between soul and adult modes that Johnny Mathis was hitting during the same period – and working with great UK maestros Johnny Harris and Arthur Greenslade, both able to balance strings and soul on titles that include "Never Never Never", "Make The World A Little Younger", "No Regrets", "Going Going Gone", "Somehow", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "The Old Fashioned Way", and "Someone Who Cares". On Good Bad But Beautiful, Shirley Bassey is at her mellow best – sounding very different than the brassy vocalist who first rose to international fame with "Goldfinger" – yet still able to work through all the rich aspects of her great vocal range! Arthur Greenslade handles the backings, and the style is mature, and updated in maybe the way that Frank Sinatra was hitting at the time – both in the choice of songs, and in the way that Greenslade sets Shirley up for the best reading of the lyric. Titles include "I'll Be Your Audience", "Emotion", "Good Bad But Beautiful", "Jesse", "Run On & On & On", "Feel Like Makin Love", and "I'll Be Your Audience". CD

Recent genius from the true king of Latin Soul – the mighty Joe Bataan, sounding every bit as great now as he did back in the day! Bataan gets some very hip backing from Los Fulanos – a Barcelona-based combo who help recreate the tight sound of Joe's early grooves from the late 60s, with just a touch of the funk he picked up in the 70s too – a really great blend that helps Bataan breath fresh new life into a range of classics from years back. The set list includes some of our favorite Latin Soul gems from Joe, and both the rhythms and production styles are completely faithful to the originals – but also aren't just simple copycat versions either. After so many years in obscurity, it's great to see Bataan back in action so strongly – cooking it hard and heavy on cuts that include "Latin Soul Square Dance", "Gypsy Woman", "Mestizo", "The Bottle", "Johnny's No Good", "Special Girl", "Subway Joe", "Puerto Rico Me Llama", and "Rap O Clap O 2008". CD

A mixed bag record, but with some really wonderful moments – and essential listening as a lead-up to the Pet Sounds album to follow! There's a mix of styles here – some rough rocking numbers that are a bit stiff, mixed with some really amazing tunes that get at Brian Wilson's new sensitivities – tunes like "Girl Don't Tell Me", "You're So Good To Me", "Summer Means New Love", and "Let Him Run Wild" – all complicated in subtle ways, with a great sense of tension underneath. Other tracks include "Help Me Rhonda (45 single version)", "California Girls", "I'm Bugged At My Old Man", and "Amusement Parks USA". CD

The Beatles live at the BBC – heard here in a host of rare recordings that were done between March 1962 and June 1965 – pulled from the vaults of the legendary radio station, and with a few cool dialogue bits too! The versions here were all played live on the air, and make for some much-needed alternate takes on the big hits by the Fab Four – and a few American numbers that really show the influence of other styles on their early sound. And since the recordings were done in a top-shelf studio, they're not muddy concert recordings – but actually feel more like some lost EMI studio material from the same period. 71 titles in all – including "Nothin Shakin", "The Hippy Hippy Shake", "Glad All Over", "Rock & Roll Music", "Ticket To Ride", "Ooh My Soul", "Don't Ever Change", "Slow Down", "Matchbox", "I Forgot To Remember To Forget", "The Honeymoon Song", "Lucille", "Can't Buy Me Love", "Taste Of Honey", "From Us To You", "I Got A Woman", "I'll Be On My Way", "Shot Of Rhythm & Blues", "Some Other Guy", "Soldier Of Love", and "Clarabella". CD

Not what you might expect when shopping for African music – unique electronic sounds from Cameroon musician Francis Bebey – as heavy on keyboards as other 70s work is on guitar! There's still plenty of acoustic elements in the mix though, too – lots of earthy percussion at the bottom, which links some of these tracks to other styles of the time – even though some of the more unusual tunes here have these great electronic sounds that almost feel like they came from the late 70s German underground! The mix of modes is breathtaking – as if Moebius and Roedelius recorded with musicians from Lagos – shaking off the colder sounds of the Conny Plank side of the spectrum, to come up with a warm new style that's really unique! Titles include "La Condition Masculine", "Sahle", "The Coffee Cola Song", "Super Jingle", "Pygmy Love Song", "Agatha", "Catching Up", and "Divorce Pygmee". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty fresh debut from Domi and JD Beck – a duo who mix together keyboards and drums at a level that channels lots of styles from the global underground of the past decade or so, but with a jazzier sort of warmth, and a nicely soulful current throughout! The pair first got attention on a track by Anderson Paak, who appears here alongside a list of other luminaries who include Thundercat, Busta Rhymes, Herbie Hancock, Snoop Dogg, and Mac DeMarco – all guests who are maybe more at home in the groove of Domi and JD, than trying to push their own agenda! Anderson signed the duo himself – and titles include "Pilot", "Moon", "Duke", "Take A Chance", "Whatup", "Smile", "Bowling", "Not Tight", "Two Shrimps", and "U Don't Have To Rob Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool little album from Joe Beck – very different than most of his other work! Although Beck's best known for his guitar work on funky 70s jazz records, this early album has him working in a mixture of rock, jazz, and folk styles – all cast in the hipster mode of Verve's Forecast imprint. There's a few funk tunes on here, but the best numbers are stretched out trippy ones that bring together jazz and folk, in a floating "folk funk experience" sound that we totally love, perfect for the generation of Tim Hardin and Nick Drake. Beck sings on some cuts, and others are instrumental. Titles include "Ain't No Use Talkin", "Goodbye LA", "Please Believe Me", "Let Me Go", "Come Back: Visions Without You", and "Spoon's Caress". CD

A massive package of work from Bedlam – an early project from drummer Cozy Powell, and one with a legacy that's surprisingly bigger than the single album they issued back in the day! The first 2CDs feature both a new mix and 1973 mix of the self-titled Bedlam album – a searing set that stands as a great bridge between generations and styles on the UK hard rock scene! The group's most famous member is drummer Cozy Powell – the ersatz leader of the lineup – but the whole combo hits on all burners, with great lead vocals from Frank Aiello, guitar from Dave Ball, and bass from Dennis Ball – plus keyboards on the set from both Max Middleton and Felix Pappalardi – the latter of whom produced. Powell's drums are fantastic throughout – really driving the whole thing along – and Aiello comes across like some lost lead act from the glory days of the arena scene. The set features one killer break track called "Seven Long Years" – a stone jammer that begins with some great drums that break nicely into guitars – and other titles include "Believe In You", "Hot Lips", "Sweet Sister Mary", "Putting On The Flesh", "Set Me Free", and "The Beast". CD3 features a Live In London set from 1973; CD4 features a Live in New York set from 1974; CD5 features a related Big Bertha Live In Hamburg set from 1970; and CD6 features 16 more formative tracks from 1968 to 1970, recorded as Bedlam, Ace Kefford Stand, Big Bertha, and Ideal Milk. CD

Jessie Belvin's often talked about in reverent tones as a bridge between a number of different styles of 50's R&B and vocal soul, but it's not until you hear a great compilation like this one that you realize how fantastic his stuff really is. This excellent Ace set compiles tracks from his great early years at Modern, and even includes some stuff that he did with the vocal group The Cliques. The sound is deep warm LA R&B, with a touch of Charles Brown and Clyde McPhatter, but also a startling premonition of later soul artists like Jerry Butler. Beautiful stuff, with a wide range of tracks, including some unreleased material that's as good as the hits on here. CD

One of Jorge Ben's greatest albums – a groundbreaking blend of samba and soul that forever went onto transform the face of Brazilian music! The record works off the groove set down by Jorge's earlier hit "Mas Que Nada" (which appears on another LP), and takes the blend of bossa, samba, and jazz, and infuses it with a sense of folksy soul delivered by Jorge's raspy vocals and acoustic guitar work. The combination of styles works perfectly – and every track on the album sparkles with a sense of excitement and new musical discovery that will probably blow away most of the recent records you've bought for your collection! Titles include "Nena Nana", "Espero Por Voce", "Nao Desanima, Joao", "Carnaval Triste", "Gimbo", "Capoeira", and "Anjo Azul". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of an amazing legacy in Brazilian music – and a record that really lives up to its title! Jorge Ben completely reinvents the samba here – and comes up with his own new groove in the process – by blending sharp acoustic guitar lines with rootsy percussion – all at a level that's far more rhythmic than the used of the instrument in bossa nova. There's definitely a bossa element – but Joao's singing is a lot more soulful, as is the overall performance – and the styles started here not only launched Ben's career, but also had a huge influence on generations of musicians to come! Titles include the sublime original version of "Mas Que Nada" - plus "Tim Dom Dom", "Chove Chuva", "A Tamba", "Balanca Pema", and "Rosa Menina Rosa". Great stuff, and essential all the way through – we promise! LP, Vinyl record album

Three full albums from this tremendous singer – all in a single set! Morning In Paris is very early work from South African singer Sathima Bea Benjamin – recorded in Paris in 1963, with backing by longtime partner Abdullah Ibrahim, plus additional piano and production by Duke Ellington! The album was cut around the same time as Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) did his famous Reprise album in Paris with Ellington – and it's got a similar mix of modern and moody styles – with Sathima singing in a mellower tone than we're used to from her later records, over extremely spare backing that often has the piano barely stepping in, and which also features some nice plucked violin work from Svend Asmussen – acting almost as the bass on a few tracks! Billy Strayhorn also sits in on this extremely unusual session – and titles include "The Man I Love", "Soon", "Lover Man", "I Should Care", "I Could Write A Book", and "Darn That Dream". Lovelight is always-great work from Sathima Bea Benjamin – one of the hippest jazz vocalists of the 80s, working here in a highly spiritual mode that sounds a lot more like records from many years past! There's a warmly gentle glow to the whole set – thanks to instrumentation from Larry Willis on piano, Buster Williams on bass, Billy Higgins on percussion, and Ricky Ford on tenor sax – all coming together in ways that are filled with unusual rhythms, odd turns of phrases, and just the right sort of unconventional accompaniment to fit the Africanist themes of Sathima's music at its best. A few numbers are more traditional, but even these have a nicely sensitive feel – and offer plenty of room for Willis to solo. Titles include "Winne Mandela Beloved Heroine", "African Songbird", "Gift Of Love – For Duke", "Music", and "You Are My Heart's Delight". Southern Touch is a set that's maybe a bit more of a straight jazz vocal record than some of Sathima Bea Benjamin's earlier material – but that might also be because the great Kenny Barron is part of the group on piano – supporting Sathima's great voice with the help of Buster Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums! Tunes are mostly standards, but it's great to hear them opened up with Benjamin's unique phrasing – that voice that was raised up on more righteous material in earlier years, and which still seems to bring some of that power to tunes that include "Street Of Dreams", "Lush Life", "One Alone", "I'm Glad There Is You", and "I've Heard That Song Before". CD

Don't think "rock", think "groove" – because oud player John Berberian takes his instrument into some very groovy territory here – mixing its Mid-East roots with a sweet array of modal rhythms and psychedelic elements – all of which make for an album that's even trippier than you'd guess from its cover! The album's one of the few "jazz meets world" sets that really gets things right – bringing together different global elements to come up with a sound that's wonderfully new and fresh – and which moves the whole thing way past its roots in Turkish, Greek, Armenian, and North African styles! Joe Beck plays some great electric guitar on the record – but the main string focus is on the oud, which Berberian uses with this exotic tinge that rivals the instrument in the hands of Ahmed Abdul-Malik on his own albums like this. The lineup also includes tenor and other reeds from Souren Baronian, plus other percussion, and nice use of electric bass to hold the whole groove together – and titles include "The Oud & The Fuzz", "Tranquility", "Chem-oo-Chem", "Iron Maiden", "Flying Hye", "3/8=5/8=8/8", and "The Magic Ground". LP, Vinyl record album

Jac Berrocal is a trumpeter, with some background in jazz – but the tracks within are way more than that – and feature Berrocal at some of his most experimental, in ways that range nicely through a wide array of styles! The work here is a mix of rare and unreleased tracks – some very spare and instrumental, others with inventive use of voice – but often not vocals at all – more combined, processed, and played with like the other instrumentation on the tracks – which includes electronics, percussion, keyboards, and all sorts of other instruments. The vibe is a bit like some of the more experimental work on the French Nato label back in the 80s, mixed with some post-punk experiments too – in titles that include "Inca D'Enfance", "Aristocrates", "Lisylis Pavillon", "Fruh In Berlin", "Boite Boite", "Extaz", and "RAS". LP, Vinyl record album

Very early work from Jose Roberto Bertrami – the keyboardist who rose to fame with Azymuth in the 70s, but who's working here in an all-acoustic bossa mode! In keeping with Bertrami's later talent for an unusual groove, the album's got a feel that's slightly different than the other bossa records of the time – styles that are sometimes less percussive, but still quite flowing – and which are graced by a depth of tone and color that's really wonderful! At some points, Bertrami almost hits modes that are straighter jazz – with traces of Horace Silver or other American players in the mix – even though the tracks are nearly all numbers by Brazilian composers. Titles include "Balansamba", "Taluhama", "Lilos Walts", "Dorme Profundo", "Impulso", and "Da Me". CD

A record that may have never hit the radio city it wished for in the title – but a classic that's gone onto have an undeniable influence on so many scenes and styles over the years! This sublime second set from Big Star is even leaner and more focused than the first – a record that has the group losing Chris Bell, yet still retaining a lot of his influence – while the main focus moves over to Alex Chilton, whose ability to sing and write is simply mindblowing! The tunes have these dark, melancholy moments that are unlike anything either Chilton or rock had given the world up to the time – and really almost feel much more like work from a decade later in terms of execution and production. There's no easy labels, no easy terms you could ever hope to ascribe to the record – and that's fine, because it stands majestically well on its own. Titles include "O My Soul", "Life Is White", "Way Out West", "You Get What You Deserve", "Mod Lang", "She's A Mover", "Morpha Girl", "I'm In Love With A Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the coolest set so far from this excellent combo – a record that infuses their unique blend of Afro Funk with some slightly psychedelic currents – as you might guess from the cover! The record's not entirely in the territory of a group like the Heliocentrics, but there's certainly more fuzz than before – yet always balanced with the forward-moving rhythms that the group does so well, plus plenty of that soaring brass work that graces their name – horn lines that are in a fantastic tradition that includes both styles from New Orleans and Nigeria! Titles include "The Pit", "But At What Cost", "Aethervision", "Little Ghosts", "Hox C", "Echo AD", "A Web A Knot A Tangle", and "Doom Country". CD

A really unusual second chapter of the first album from 80s underground psych giants Black Sun Ensemble – material that was recorded for that initial record, but which was lost in all sorts of different ways over the years – finally unearthed and brought together here as a stunning second album, thanks to the research that went into a recent reissue of the debut! There's plenty of freak, fuzz, and drone going on here – the group in territory that just about nobody else was touching on the American scene at the time – very dark, heady styles that are completely different from the polished pop of the paisley underground, and much more like some of the more substance-altered psych that was beginning to emerge in the UK. Titles include "Mayan Dance", "Ice Breaker (alt)", "Red Ocean", "Blue Thunder", "Heart Of The Sky", "Ruby Eyes Of China", "Mandolin Winds", "A Chunk Of Mandolin Love", and "Dove Of The Desert". LP, Vinyl record album

A Caribbean group, but one with a much heavier groove than most – much more of a West African vibe overall, with a very heady mix of percussion, bass, and other heady elements! There's a mixed-up, dubby approach to the music that almost recalls Cymande at times – core musical ideas taken nicely far from their roots – not in a way to make them more commercial, but just to shake things up, recombine then, and come up with a sound that's wonderfully unique! The whole thing is every bit as funky as you might expect, and really criss-crosses scenes and styles with a blend of percussion, guitars, flute, kalimba, keyboards, and Arp. The production is great – nice and moody, with just the right current of echo – and all titles were penned by lead singer Oluko Imo, with tracks that include "Ifetayo", "You People", "Saved Musician", "Kilimanjaro", "Aspire", and "Umbala". This edition also features the bonus track "Imo". LP, Vinyl record album

A smoker from Art Blakey's later years – a killer session that features a reunion of past Jazz Messengers, with a cast that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Benny Golson on tenor, and Walter Davis Jr on piano! Buster Williams is on bass, and he brings a nice degree of soul to the set – rounding and warming things to give the album a progressive soul jazz approach that we really love – a dose of the slightly more righteous side that Blakey hit during his early 70s Prestige Records years. The group comes together with a magical flourish – moving past simple "here's my solo" styles, into a unified ensemble that really sounds special here. Titles include the excellent "Dana's Dance" – penned by Davis, and a really fresh choice for a date like this – plus "Uranus", "Ala Mode", and "Just By Myself". CD

The rarest of all of Art Blakey's percussion group projects – and quite possibly the best, too! The session features Blakey at the head of a strong mix of jazz and percussion players – with Art Taylor and Philly Joe Jones on the regular drum kit, Donald Byrd on trumpet and Ray Bryant on piano, and a host of assorted percussion work by the likes of Ray Barretto, Sabu Martinez, Victor Gonzalez, Julio Martinez, and others. The resultant sound is incredible – very full, rich, and earthy – and done in a way that interweaves African and Latin percussion styles with straighter American jazz! A few cuts have chanting by Blakey and Sabu – and titles include "The Feast", "Mirage", "Lamento Africano", "O'Tinde", "Swingin Kilts", "Dinga", "Reflection", and "Aghano". CD

An incredible record from Bobby Blue Bland – and quite possibly the greatest one he ever made! The set's got an amazing something special that's unlike most other material of the time – a bit blues, but a lot of soul too – still with some echoes of R&B in the jazzier charts used for the backdrop, but presented with a rock-solid style that definitely points the way towards many sounds and styles to come in the 60s. And although Bland recorded many of these tracks as separate singles, there's a way they're put together here that makes the whole thing sound completely marvelous together – a really well-conceived track list that shows that Bobby's an even greater artist in the space of a full record. The arrangements are perfect, and Bobby's rough soulful voice is blended in this amazing way with killer horn arrangements that are far more sophisticated than most stuff that ever came after this, and which never get in the way, but only back up his deep emotion. The album's a motherlode of classics by the man, with gems that include "Two Steps From The Blues", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Don't Want No Woman", "I'm Not Ashamed", "Don't Cry No More", "Lead Me On", and "I Pity The Fool". And hell, even his version of "St James Infirmary" is pretty wonderful – something we never thought we'd say about that song. CD

Killer work from this funky Finnish combo – a group who celebrate a strong decade in music with this really wonderful set! The Blassics bring in all the right sort of influences from African funk of years back, especially Ethiopian music – and they spin out tracks that are often nice and long, and which feature some tremendous jazzy solos from the horn section – players stepping out from the ensemble for individual expressions, and not just vamping with the rhythms! The rest of the instrumentation is great too – well-crafted, and shaded with all sorts of tones that really deepen the music in personal ways, and don't just echo styles of the past. Titles include "Afrohustler", "Special Occasion", "Ruff Strut", "West Side Glory", "Swazi Funk", "Yeketema Set", and "Hagerun Geleba". CD

A wonderful record from saxophonist Arthur Blythe – a set that features his group working through a number of tunes by Thelonious Monk – but with very different arrangements and instrumentation that change things up completely! The set came at a time when Monk was receiving a lot of new attention in the world of jazz, and at a time when Arthur's star had risen too – and the meeting of forces is wonderful – as Blythe brings all sorts of new rhythms and tonal combinations to play with familiar tunes that really transform in the process. The group is a familiar one for Blythe – and features Abdul Wadud on cello, Kelvyn Bell on guitar, Bob Stewart on tuba, and Bobby Battle on drums! And while you might scratch your head at the tuba, the instrument is often used in ways that might follow older bassline styles – but with a quality that bridges the alto and cello in a great way. Titles include "Nutty", "Coming On The Hudson", "Light Blue", "Epistrophy", and "We See". LP, Vinyl record album

Eddie Bo cut plenty of classic funk on the New Orleans scene, back in the day – and this set has Eddie returning to some of the glories of those years – thanks to help from the Soulciety label, at a time when they were doing plenty to revive older soul styles of the 60s and 70s! The record's got a fuller, funkier vibe than some of Bo's work of the previous decade – and the overall production and larger arrangements support his vocals, piano, and organ in a great way – with larger horns on many tracks that provide plenty of punch! The set features guest work from Bo Dollis, Johnny Adams, and Earl King – and titles include "The Anchor", "Old Fashioned Sookie", "Every Dog's Got A Day", "O'Lady", "Kick It On Back", "Shoot From The Root", and "Groove In My Soul". CD

Rare soundtrack work from French composer Claude Bolling – best known for his "jazz meets classical" recordings, but equally great at penning a compelling score! The tracks on the set have a mix of styles that includes some Mexican-styled instrumentals mixed with more dramatic orchestral themes, some of which feature some incredible piano work from Bolling himself. Tracks include "La Plaza", "Karpoff", "Noches Mexicanas", "Pop Mod", and "Tatiana". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of classic albums, served up here in a single set! First up is the sound of Angola, circa 1972 – served up here in a beautiful album of songs from Bonga! The music is relatively spare – mostly just lead acoustic guitar, bass, and percussion – the latter of which is played by Bonga himself, almost always with this lively quality that really matches his vocals – which themselves are filled with all these fantastic inflections that almost remind us of salsa singers of the time – no surprise, given how much Latin music styles were hitting the scene in West Africa during the 60s and 70s. But the style here is very different, too – as Bonga's richly expressive in the way he uses his voice – almost more folkloric, given the acoustic guitar instrumentation – yet surprisingly powerful too, despite the spareness. Titles include "Ku Tando", "Balumukeno", "Uengi Dia Ngola", "Paxi Ni Ngongo", "Muimbo Ua Sabalu", and "Muadikime". Angola 74 is a beautifully sophisticated setting for the voice of Bonga – as he works here with lively small group backings, and a bit of larger orchestrations as well! There's this fantastic blend of folk roots and modernism in the music – maybe a bit like some of the more experimental work from Havana at the time, but a bit like some Brazilian projects too – as the enigmatic vocal inflections of the leader mix with his own percussion – all given nice shadings in color by acoustic guitar. Titles include "Venda Poro", "Kubangela", "Ma Kongo", "Kinga Kueta", "Ghinawa", "Roots", and "Marika". CD

A pair of classic albums, served up here in a single set! First up is the sound of Angola, circa 1972 – served up here in a beautiful album of songs from Bonga! The music is relatively spare – mostly just lead acoustic guitar, bass, and percussion – the latter of which is played by Bonga himself, almost always with this lively quality that really matches his vocals – which themselves are filled with all these fantastic inflections that almost remind us of salsa singers of the time – no surprise, given how much Latin music styles were hitting the scene in West Africa during the 60s and 70s. But the style here is very different, too – as Bonga's richly expressive in the way he uses his voice – almost more folkloric, given the acoustic guitar instrumentation – yet surprisingly powerful too, despite the spareness. Titles include "Ku Tando", "Balumukeno", "Uengi Dia Ngola", "Paxi Ni Ngongo", "Muimbo Ua Sabalu", and "Muadikime". Angola 74 is a beautifully sophisticated setting for the voice of Bonga – as he works here with lively small group backings, and a bit of larger orchestrations as well! There's this fantastic blend of folk roots and modernism in the music – maybe a bit like some of the more experimental work from Havana at the time, but a bit like some Brazilian projects too – as the enigmatic vocal inflections of the leader mix with his own percussion – all given nice shadings in color by acoustic guitar. Titles include "Venda Poro", "Kubangela", "Ma Kongo", "Kinga Kueta", "Ghinawa", "Roots", and "Marika". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool set from the 70s – one that's part reggae, part sweet soul, and part funky jam – all served up with a nicely mixed up vibe that really makes the whole thing shine! The group hail from Barbados, and there's some great Caribbean funk on the record at times – especially on the instrumental moments, which have qualities that echo American funky 45s, but with a nice twist on the styles! The sweet soul vocals are great too – not heard often, but a nice feature when they appear – as is some of the more unusual organ and guitar expressions over reggae styled rhythms. A great record, with a strong sense of depth and variety – on titles that include "What A Life", "Don't Blame This Joint", "Sella", "Stop Leaning On The Shoulder Of Your Brother", "Let Me Get Stoned", "You're The Match", "I Just Can't Reach You", and a remake of "The World Is A Ghetto". LP, Vinyl record album

Very hip work from Booker T & The MGs – an album that has them standing out under a pier by the ocean on the cover – clearly a long way from their Memphis roots! The sound here still has a good dose of those roots, though – but it also shows them picking up some hipper rhythmic touches too – heard most famously on the title tune, "Soul Limbo" – which is a great number to signal the more open styles in the group's approach. Other hip originals on the set include "Heads Or Tails" and "Over Easy" – and the record also sports some great covers that include "La La Means I Love You", "Eleanor Rigby", and "Hang Em High", which they do in a nice western vein! LP, Vinyl record album

Very hip work from Booker T & The MGs – an album that has them standing out under a pier by the ocean on the cover – clearly a long way from their Memphis roots! The sound here still has a good dose of those roots, though – but it also shows them picking up some hipper rhythmic touches too – heard most famously on the title tune, "Soul Limbo" – which is a great number to signal the more open styles in the group's approach. Other hip originals on the set include "Heads Or Tails" and "Over Easy" – and the record also sports some great covers that include "La La Means I Love You", "Eleanor Rigby", and "Hang Em High", which they do in a nice western vein! LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant soul album! That's right, we said SOUL album! Bowie was at the height of his Ziggy Stardust fame when this one was recorded – a drastic left-turn in styles, forged during a point in his American tour when he could take a break, head to Philly, plug in at the Sigma Sound Studios, and come up with some fantastic little soul tunes, thanks to help from Luther Vandross! The album sparkles with the best sound of Luther's early work – and you'll hear more than a bit of Luther's work on his own, and his tunes with Gregg Diamond on the set. Features the sublime tracks "Win", "Fascination", "Right", "Somebody Up There Likes Me", and "Can You Hear Me" – as well as the hits "Young Americans" and "Fame". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant soul album! That's right, we said SOUL album! Bowie was at the height of his Ziggy Stardust fame when this one was recorded – a drastic left-turn in styles, forged during a point in his American tour when he could take a break, head to Philly, plug in at the Sigma Sound Studios, and come up with some fantastic little soul tunes, thanks to help from Luther Vandross! The album sparkles with the best sound of Luther's early work – and you'll hear more than a bit of Luther's work on his own, and his tunes with Gregg Diamond on the set. Features the sublime tracks "Win", "Fascination", "Right", "Somebody Up There Likes Me", and "Can You Hear Me" – as well as the hits "Young Americans" and "Fame". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great – yet also with some cool twists and turns that make a record like this so great – the kind of chance-taking that A&M sometimes allowed its artists to take at the time! Backings are super-groovy – arranged by Artie Butler and Don McGinis – and titles include "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Teardrop City", "I Wanna Be Free", "The Countess", "Population", and "Two For The Price Of One" – a great cover of a Larry Williams & Johnny Watson soul tune! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer bit of female soul by a very short-lived group – one with a great sound that comes out of some real criss-crossing of styles – some deep soul currents, but some hipper modern soul touches at the top! The set was produced by Brad Shapiro, and has a good blend of his modern and southern styles of the mid 70s – similar to his work with Candi Staton – but it also features some impeccable arrangements from David Van DePitte, who gives the record a sweeping, swaying feel that buoys the vocals up on some really soulful backings. Titles include a great version of "How Long", plus the tracks "Mr Mystery", "You Accuse Me", "Rhythm Of Love", "One Woman's Trash", and "I Can't Weigh My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set of lively samba tunes – played with lots of jazzy flourishes, and instrumentation that includes trombone, guitar, and accordion. Our lack of understanding of Portuguese makes the liner notes a bit difficult to decipher – but it appears that Sivuca's playing and singing on the record, as well as Wilma Valeria and the Trio Fluminense. Tracks have a quality that mixes rootsy samba rhythms with some of the tighter big band styles of the Odeon label – a great mix of sounds, if you ask us! Titles include "Passa Passa Moreninha", "Kalu", "Fogo Pago", "So Uma Louca Nao Ve", "Para Dancar", "Moreninha Ta", and "Maracangalha". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure Polish date from the great Gustav Brom – the Czech bandleader known for his great grooves for MPS and Supraphon! The styles here are something of a mixed bag – with some tunes that are straight swinging big band, mixed with a few others that show more of the jazz rock influence that Brom's become famous for over the years. Obviously, these latter tracks are the ones that really catch our ears – especially the funky "U Jazu Pod Mostem", which has a real MPS-like feel, and some great funky piano and sax – or "Malovane Sane", which has lots of electric guitar jamming around at the bottom of the groove! Other tracks include "American Patrol", "Chanson D'Amour", "Bogdan Boogie", and "Mahalia". CD

A set of unreleased improvisations between these two fantastic free jazz musicians – intended as a session in which, according to Paal Nilssen-Love, "we agreed to bring all the metal we could bring"! That means that Peter Brotzmann is blowing a wide variety of reed instruments, and Paal is handling lots of percussion and gongs next to his drums – yet all elements are used in these very spare styles, almost more loft jazz than you'd guess from the legacy of intensity from both of the musicians – which makes for yet another great late life surprise in the final years of Brotzmann – proof that he never stopped reinventing and opening doors to new avenues of creation! Titles include "Dancing Octopus", "Move On Over", "South Of No Return", "Butterfly Mushroom", "Found The Cabin But No People", and "Five Of Them Survived The Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

If anyone deserved the name of Miss Rhythm in the 50s, it was the great Ruth Brown – as the singer was one of the most hard-hitting, sock-solid talents around – and really helped pave the way for the deeper styles of soul to come in the 60s! This album's filled with great Atlantic Records material from Brown – and also nicely moves past the bigger hits of the period – to show Brown really mixing it up in a great way, with the sort of diversity that Etta James wouldn't find in her own career until her later move to Chess Records. Tracks include "This Little Girl's Gone Rockin", "Somebody Touched Me", "I Hope We Meet On The Road Some Day", "Why Me", "Just Too Much", "Book Of Lies", "One More Time", "Jack O Diamonds", "I Can See Everybody's Baby", and "I Can't Hear A Word You Say". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual album from singer Tedd Brown – who mixes in a blend of jazz, blues, and calypso styles to his music! LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Digs Disney – and hence, so do we! The album's one of the first to ever pay tribute to the great compositions heard in Disney films – and it features the magical sound of the Brubeck Quartet, turned upon a host of familiar numbers, and transforming them into longer vehicles for jazz improvisation. Given Dave's great sense of play with rhythm and timings, the tunes really get changed up in these versions – in a way that takes best advantage of the modal rhythms and jazz waltz styles that many of them share. Paul Desmond's alto work is as impeccably-handled as ever, and Joe Morello's sprightly drums seem perfectly at home with the tunes – as does Dave's warmly lyrical work on piano. Titles include "Alice In Wonderland", "Give A Little Whistle", "One Song", and "Someday My Prince Will Come". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Digs Disney – and hence, so do we! The album's one of the first to ever pay tribute to the great compositions heard in Disney films – and it features the magical sound of the Brubeck Quartet, turned upon a host of familiar numbers, and transforming them into longer vehicles for jazz improvisation. Given Dave's great sense of play with rhythm and timings, the tunes really get changed up in these versions – in a way that takes best advantage of the modal rhythms and jazz waltz styles that many of them share. Paul Desmond's alto work is as impeccably-handled as ever, and Joe Morello's sprightly drums seem perfectly at home with the tunes – as does Dave's warmly lyrical work on piano. Titles include "Alice In Wonderland", "Give A Little Whistle", "One Song", "Someday My Prince Will Come", and "Very Good Advice". CD

The mighty Don Bryant never got the chance to record much back in the day – save for one fantastic album and a set of singles on Hi Records – but he's really returned to form lately, and gets the chance to show the world his Memphis soul pedigree in all of its glory! Scott Bomar produced the set, plays bass, and gives the record some of those funky soul styles that made his work with the Bo-Keys so great – in a group that's heavy on organ lines and riffing guitars, and which also features backup singers behind Don on a number of the tracks. Yet the whole thing is clearly Don's showcase – with great vocals on titles that include "Your Love Is Too Late", "99 Pounds", "Is It Over", "Your Love Is To Blame", "I'll Go Crazy", "Cracked Up Over You", and "Walk All Over God's Heaven". CD

An album with as much depth and richness as the title might imply – a wonderful record from Chico Buarque's newly sophisticated years at the end of the 70s! The set's got a quality that's almost timeless – an interwoven blend of styles that features some of Chico's modes from earlier years, but also an influence that's almost European at times – an approach that has Buarque rising up with some of the great global singer/songwriters, transcending standard MPB with a sense of confidence and personality that's really amazing. Arrangements are by Francis Hime, Tom Jobim, and Roberto Menescal – and most tracks have some prominent guitar played gently, but effectively next to the vocals – handled by players who include Octavio Burnier, Arthur Verocai, and Geraldo Azevedo. Titles are nearly all originals by Chico – with tracks that include "Vida", "Ja Passou", "Fantasia", "Qualquer Cancao", "Nao Sonho Mais", "Bye Bye Brasil", "Morena De Angola", and "De Todas As Maneiras". CD

Maybe the greatest moment ever from Brit soundtrack genius Roy Budd – an artist who started with his roots in jazz piano, but who really explodes here in a range of groovy styles! The main title is an incredible blend of Eastern percussion and moody jazz – and other cuts bring in some trippier elements, mixed with funkier bits and warmer moments – all at a level that have Budd even outdoing the best late 60s work by Lalo Schifrin! The keyboards are often at the forefront – either acoustic or electric – and the album's got so many groovy grooves, with such variety, it's got a feel that's much richer than the usual soundtrack set. Titles include "Love Is A Four Letter Word", "Carter Takes A Train", "Looking For Someone", "The Girl In The Car", "Livin Should Be This Way", "Manhunt", "Goodbye Carter", and "Hallucinations". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing minimalism from the legendary Sandy Bull – an artist who might have had acoustic roots in folk music, but who was instantly turning his music into something else – drawing on modal styles of Eastern music, European generations of expression on guitar, jazz-based improvisation – and maybe even prefiguring work to come from composers like Terry Riley and La Monte Young! This album's one of Bull's first, and it's pure genius right from the start – with a side-long performance on the incredible "Blend", which features slight drums from jazz musician Billy Higgins – which Sandy extrapolates these long passages on acoustic guitar. Side two features the fantastic "Carmina Burana Fantasy" on banjo – a kind of trans-historical performance that's right up there with John Fahey's best of the decade – alongside equally mindblowing "Non Nobis Domine" and "Little Maggie" – and the closing electric guitar genius of "Gospel Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

A hip live date from Kenny Burrell – recorded with a trio that includes Richard Davis on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – both of whom help Kenny find a groove that's a bit lighter and more fluid than usual! The rhythms here are quite gentle, almost spare at times – and always touched with Haynes' great sense of lyricism. Kenny's guitar lines are right out front, freely flowing with plenty of warm chromatic hues, and styles that echo a bit more modernism than we've heard in other work of his from the late 50s. Titles include "Well You Needn't", "Trio", "All Night Long", and "Soft Winds". CD

A hip live date from Kenny Burrell – recorded with a trio that includes Richard Davis on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – both of whom help Kenny find a groove that's a bit lighter and more fluid than usual! The rhythms here are quite gentle, almost spare at times – and always touched with Haynes' great sense of lyricism. Kenny's guitar lines are right out front, freely flowing with plenty of warm chromatic hues, and styles that echo a bit more modernism than we've heard in other work of his from the late 50s. Titles include "Well You Needn't", "Trio", "All Night Long", and "Soft Winds". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – Donald Byrd's first session with producer Larry Mizell, the man who went on to forever change the face of jazz funk! After rumbling around for a few years attempting electric styles that really didn't fit his mode, Donald wisely hooked up with Larry, and hit a groove here that would carry him for many many years. The album's a masterpiece of soul – heavy production with great keyboards, creating a nice set of grooves that let Byrd solo over the top, sounding better than he had in years! Great all the way through, and with tracks that include "Flight Time", "Sky High", "Black Byrd", "Slop Jar Blues", "Mr Thomas", and the prophetically-titled "Where Are We Going?" LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – Donald Byrd's first session with producer Larry Mizell, the man who went onto forever change the face of jazz funk! After rumbling around for a few years attempting electric styles that really didn't fit his mode, Donald wisely hooked up with Larry, and hit a groove here that would carry him for many many years. The album's a masterpiece of soul – heavy production with great keyboards, creating a nice set of grooves that let Byrd solo over the top, sounding better than he had in years! Great all the way through, and with tracks that include "Flight Time", "Sky High", "Black Byrd", "Slop Jar Blues", "Mr Thomas", and the prophetically-titled "Where Are We Going?" CD

A great one from The Byrds – who deliver an iconic mix of breezy country rock and folk harmonies, over songs that range from laidback to soaring! The Byrds seemed to always be in a state of flux, line-up wise, and that actually seems to bring out a pretty great mix of styles on their best albums. We'd put this one in that category, with titles that includes "Ballad Of Easy Rider", the country funk-flavored "Fido", the effectively tradtional "Jack Tarr The Sailor", "Oil In My Lamp", "Tulsa County", "Jesus Is Just Alright", "It's All Over Now, "Baby Blue", "There Must Be Someone (I Can Turn To)", "Gunga Din", "Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)" and "Armstrong, Aldrin And Collins". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-done batch of music for the initial season of Japanese TV show Long Vacation – served up with a sense of variety and depth that's a great change from American television music for a program of this nature! Cagnet put the whole thing together, but they've got a good sense of variety throughout – shifting singers and styles of music, and moving between vocal numbers and instrumentals that have a nice mix of beats and soundtrack elements. Titles include "Long Vacation" by Anna McMurphy, "Silent Emotion" by Calin, "Little By Little" by Section S, "To Live & Die" by David, "What Will I Do" by Natalie Burks, and the tunes "Tiny Tale", "Back Ground", and "Short Wave Radio". CD

Jazzy folk soul survivor Terry Callier returns to Mr Bongo with Hidden Conversations – with Terry's soul searching lyricism, warm vocals, and mood setting acoustic guitar paired with laidback production by trip hop pioneer Robert Del Naha of Massive Attack! The styles work pretty well together – Terry's way with a song and his performances are built ready to soar, even at their most stripped down and spare, and his voice and guitar are leading lights of the production, over spacey keys and trippy beats. Terry sings, speaks, scats, and tells stories wonderfully, and we're as proud as ever to have him as our Chicago-to-the-cosmos soul sage! Titles include "Wings", "Sunset Boulevard", "Hidden Conversations", "The Hood I Left Behind", "Once I Dreamed Of Heaven", "Fool Em I Fool R U", "Rice And Beans – Grace", "Jessie And Alice", "John Lee Hooker" and "Live With Me". CD

An obscure salsa set from Ray Camacho – an artist who always seems willing to mix up styles in his music! That's definitely the case here, as Ray mixes straighter Latin modes with a few border touches – creating a hybrid of New York and Mexican modes that's pretty unique – but which also has some occasional funk and soul currents that are probably the record's strongest suit! Ray plays trumpet, and the rest of the group includes guitar, trombone, and plenty of percussion – plus sax and piano from Manuel Palafox, who also handles arrangements. Titles include a great cover of "Low Rider", dubbed "El Pachuco", the Latin funk number "Tomas Al Timbal", and a funky take on Brass Construction's "Movin On". – plus "Me Patina El Coco", "Madrecita Linda", "Dime La Verdad", "El Pachuco", "Confesion", "Testigo Fui", and "Dulce Y Amarga". CD

Candido cut sooo many great Latin records over the years, spanning a wide range of styles, we have a hard time deciding which we love the best. We like to think this may be his best album from the early part of his career, specifically because it features the master conga player amidst a tight jazz lineup, who leave him plenty of room to solo and just plain get down doing his thing. Dick Hyman's on organ, Joe Puma's on guitar, and Ernie Royal's on trumpet, with George Duvivier and Charlie Persip in the rhythm section. 8 tracks in all, including "Afro Blue", "Caravan", "Softly But Blue", "Blue Lou", "Blue Prelude", "Bongo Baby", "Blue Dirge" and "Candido Cocktail". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily our favorite album by Baikida Carroll – a wonderfully spiritual session cut in Paris, and done with this open-ended, spacious sound that seems to bring AACM improvisation into play with some of the global currents that were happening overseas at the time! As on an AACM date, most players handle a fair bit of instruments – Carroll on trumpet, flugelhorn, seal horn, and percussion; Oliver Lake on soprano, alto, tenor, flute, and percussion too; and the great Nana Vasconcelos on lots more percussion – including cuica, tablas, timbales, bells, and more as well! Manuel Villardel plays both acoustic and electric piano – and the tunes build through these great improvisations between the horns and percussion, often with long, cyclical styles that are completely hypnotic! Titles include the modal groover "Forest Scorpion" – plus "Orange Fish Tears", "Rue Roger", and "Porte D'Orleans". CD

Easily our favorite album by Baikida Carroll – a wonderfully spiritual session cut in Paris, and done with this open-ended, spacious sound that seems to bring AACM improvisation into play with some of the global currents that were happening overseas at the time! As on an AACM date, most players handle a fair bit of instruments – Carroll on trumpet, flugelhorn, seal horn, and percussion; Oliver Lake on soprano, alto, tenor, flute, and percussion too; and the great Nana Vasconcelos on lots more percussion – including cuica, tablas, timbales, bells, and more as well! Manuel Villardel plays both acoustic and electric piano – and the tunes build through these great improvisations between the horns and percussion, often with long, cyclical styles that are completely hypnotic! Titles include the modal groover "Forest Scorpion" – plus "Orange Fish Tears", "Rue Roger", and "Porte D'Orleans". LP, Vinyl record album

Jimmy Castor's a cat who's tried many styles in music – and handled them all surprisingly well – from sweet soul to heavy funk, to Latin grooves, and even the funky club style of this late 70s album for TK Records! The set has Jimmy giving a nod to the disco generation – no surprise, given that TK was a disco powerhouse – but the overall approach is maybe tied more to his mid 70s records for Atlantic – with all the warm humor and funk of those albums! On some tracks, it almost feels like Castor's trying to be a one man answer to the P-Funk army – but other tracks are more personal overall. Titles include "Time", "The Mystery Of Me", "Sweetooth", "The Real McCoy", "Future Place", "Let It Out", and "Bertha Butt Encounters Vadar". CD

Wickedly fuzzy funk! Jimmy Castor recorded in a lot of different styles during the 70s – but the one he used on this album is still his best – and the album may well be his lasting testament of funky genius! The record's a non-stop guitar-heavy batch of classic funk tracks – and it features the storming break track "It's Just Begun", the funky goofy "Troglodyte", and plenty other nice moments like "Bad", "LTD", "I Promise To Remember", and "Psychee". Fuzzy guitar meets heavy drums meets some of the most insane lyrics ever on a mainstream funk album! Jimmy can always be great – but he really knocks it out of the park on this monstrous classic. LP, Vinyl record album

A book that's as lively as the image on the cover – one that traces the role of drums and percussion in the music of New Orleans – following a legacy that runs from the 19th century all the way up to contemporary sounds as well! If you know the sounds of Nola, you know that the drum is the key – and that because of the city's placement as a crossroads of culture, New Orleans helped create all sorts of new grooves, from the early years of jazz up through more contemporary soul and hip hop as well. The book is square, almost like a record cover – and is filled with images of both instruments and players – as it traces a long legacy that begins in Congo Square, then runs through improvised percussion experiments, early jazz, then blues, funk, soul, and later styles as well. Book is hardcover, 227 pages, with images throughout. Book

Plenty of echoes of Chess, King, and Atlantic Records here – a late 60s live performance by the Chambers Brothers – but one that's already retro-styled towards modes from earlier in the decade, and styles from the R&B years of the 50s! As with all the group's Vault LPs, the sound here is much rougher than the more psychedelic soul of their Columbia albums – a mode that's plenty darn righteous, and which is presented on live tracks for side one, but which also features more studio material and a few original compositions on side two. Titles include "Blues Get Off My Shoulder", "I Got It", "Shout", "There She Goes", "Seventeen", "Rained The Day You Left", and "So Fine". CD