West coast r&b, doo wop and all around fantastic numbers from the mid 50s to the dawn of the 60s – fantastic stuff from Tony Allen – not the Afrobeat legend, but the unjustly overlooked singer! Tony had a bunch of excellent singles on the important r&b labels of the day, but never really hit a stride that carried him into the mainstream. It's as good as the better known r&b and proto rock of the day, and this CD is a wonderful introduction to a singer we haven't been well enough acquainted with! Includes tunes cut for labels such as Specialty, Ebb, Crown, Modern, Kent & Ultra – rollicking solo numbers and others with group backing by the Chimes, The Champs, The Night Owls and The Wanders. 26 tracks in all with several previously unissued! Includes "Check Yourself Baby", "Nite Owl", "Especially", "I", "Come Back", "Lovers Mountain", "If I Had Aladdin's Lamp", "Give Me A Chance", "Don't You Know I Love You", "I Found An Angel", "It Hurts Me So", "Check Yourself", "Be My Love, Be My Love" and more. CD

The start of a legend – the tremendous debut of drummer Tony Allen as a leader, after some key 70s work in the group of Fela Kuti! Fela's group is backing Tony up here – the key Afrika 70 lineup – and even Fela gets in on the action by laying down some piano solos and tenor – key proof that he had plenty of faith in Tony going out on his own! And heck, Fela even produced the record, and helped Allen with arrangements on his tunes – two side-long jammers that really live up to any expectations you might have, and which make the Afrika 70 legend proud – "Jealousy" and "Hustler". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff – and one of the records that made drummer Tony Allen a legend, and one of the key musicians to step out of the larger setting of the Afrika 70 group of Fela Kuti! Allen's the leader here, and the vibe is nicely a bit different than some of Fela's records – although the man himself also handles the production, and plays with the larger group too – giving the set a nice tie to Tony Allen's roots, but also really showing that strong sense of character that's made him such an interesting, continually evolving force over the decades! As with some of the classic Fela albums, each side of the album features a long track with a very righteous Afro Funk vibe – "No Accommodation For Lagos" and "African Message". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic collaboration between two pioneers of African music – and a set that nicely opens both into the jazziest side of their talents! Hugh Masekela blows flugelhorn, and Tony Allen handles drums and plenty of percussion – and although both artists sing a bit, the main focus here is really on the instrumentation – as half the album's tracks are instrumentals, and there's plenty of room for solos over the really great rhythms in the mix! The lineup of players is great, too – tight, but with some nice surprises – including tenor from Steve Williamson, vibes from Lewis Wright, and keyboards from Joe Armon Jones – on titles that include "Robbers Thugs & Muggers", "Agbada Bougou", "Obama Shuffle Street Blues", "We've Landed", "Slow Bones", and "Never". Great 2CD edition – in a hardcover book-styled cover, with a bonus CD of remixes! CD

The autobiography of Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen – perhaps the most legendary Nigerian drummer alive! As told to co-author/interviewer Michael E. Veal, Tony lets us on his amazing life story in an inviting, easily readable way. Lots of great stories from throughout his life and career are here, which includes playing drums in the clubs of Lagos during the heyday of the highlife scene, his decade and a half providing the "beat" in Fela Kuti's Afrobeat, and much much more! The story of Allen's life and career is amazing enough, but he also loves to talk about his craft, so there's lots of "shop talk" here for fellow drummers , on top of delivering an accessible biography for all fans and admirers! Book

West coast r&b, doo wop and all around fantastic numbers from the mid 50s to the dawn of the 60s – fantastic stuff from Tony Allen – not the Afrobeat legend, but the unjustly overlooked singer! Tony had a bunch of excellent singles on the important r&b labels of the day, but never really hit a stride that carried him into the mainstream. It's as good as the better known r&b and proto rock of the day, and this CD is a wonderful introduction to a singer we haven't been well enough acquainted with! Includes tunes cut for labels such as Specialty, Ebb, Crown, Modern, Kent & Ultra – rollicking solo numbers and others with group backing by the Chimes, The Champs, The Night Owls and The Wanders. 26 tracks in all with several previously unissued! Includes "Check Yourself Baby", "Nite Owl", "Especially", "I", "Come Back", "Lovers Mountain", "If I Had Aladdin's Lamp", "Give Me A Chance", "Don't You Know I Love You", "I Found An Angel", "It Hurts Me So", "Check Yourself", "Be My Love, Be My Love" and more. CD

One of the slinkier grooves we've heard in recent years from Tony Allen – served up here in 2 mixes that both make the most of the track's snakey guitar! There's a bit more atmospherics here than heavy beats – and the tune is less of a driving Afro Funk number than a snakey cut that sounds especially well suited for the dub mix here! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Tony Allen never lets us down – and even though he recorded this set well into the first decade of his "comeback" years, an album like this still has the same sort of fresh, urgent feel that got him noticed again by a whole new generation of fans! There's definitely lots of Allen's roots with Fela in the music – the kind of Afrobeat grooves that Tony first helped invent back in the 70s – but as with some of his other recent records, there's also a strong willingness to play with tradition, too – mixing in unusual sounds and patterns that really keep things interesting, and which show why Allen's probably been the best ambassador of Afrobeat styles in the 21st Century! Vocals are by Allen and a few other singers over the course of the set – and the band's a super-tight combo with some especially great keyboards from Claude Dibongue. Titles include "Secret Agent", "Ijo", "Switch", "Celebrate", "Ayenlo", "Pariwo", "Nina Lowo", "Atuwaba", and "Alutere". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-awaited full length set – one that finally brings together all of the amazing Tony Allen reworks done by the Honest Jon's label! These "chop up" tracks were originally issued over a range of limited 12" singles, and they're really amazing stuff – not just remixes of Tony Allen's work, but re-recordings and re-interpretations as well – a batch of music that stands amazingly well on its own, even if you're not a fan of Tony originally – and which takes his music into even more exotic territory than just Afro Funk! The choice of artists here is key to the set – as players from other Afro-influenced genres really take a new spin on Allen's music – and are allowed to strongly bring their own sounds to the set. Titles include "Ole (Cairo version)" by Salah Ragab, "Sankofa" by Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, "Kilode (rmx)" by Carl Craig, "Awa Na Re (rmx)" by Bonde De Role, "Mark's Disco Dub" by Mark Ernestus, "Reggae Land Dub" by Wareika Hill Sounds, "Samba" by Son Palenque De Colombia and "Fuji Ouija" by Diplo. CD

Tony Allen helps the New Cool Collective get a heavy Afro Funk bottom on both cuts here – bringing his legendary percussion work to the single in a way that really gets center stage! "One More Time" has Tony really stepping out strongly on the drums – heard in a way that's almost more unfettered than on any of his own record work – alongside some snaking sax that's an especially great element of the tune! "The Trip" is warmer jazz funk overall, but still has an Afro Funk bounce as well – a legacy of Fela that's buried slightly in the mix, and expressed through long horn lines and nice keyboard work! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A mighty nice meeting of giants – Scandinavian funk and jazz wizard Jimi Tenor, and the legendary Afro Funk drummer Tony Allen – coming together here in a set of duos that are way more than the sum of their parts! Tony plays live drums, and Jimi adds in lots of keyboards and electronics, plus saxophone as well – and the result is a nicely offbeat take on funky territory – maybe a bit like some of the work that Tony Allen was first doing when he reemerged on the French scene in the late 90s, with almost some of the skittish grooves you'd expect to hear from Can during their classic years. One tune gets a bit soulful, but the rest are real rhythmic workouts – and titles include "Asiko", "New World", "Paris", "Selfish Gene", and "Afro Disco Beat". LP, Vinyl record album

A real back to basics set from Tony Allen – much more strongly in his Afro Funk groove of the late 70s than other recent work, and recorded in Lagos with an earthy approach that's totally great! All the experiments and odd flourishes of recent sets have been stripped away – and Allen returns strongly to his role as a drummer and leader in the post-Fela mode – taking an array of talented musicians through grooves that have a sharp Africa 70 sound! Many tracks have some vocal component, but the real focus here is on the longer jamming sound that Tony first explored with Fela – heard beautifully on Allen's crackling percussion work throughout the set! Titles include "One Tree", "Kilode", "Ogogoro", "Moyege", "Ise Nla", "Morose", and "Aye Le". LP, Vinyl record album

An Afro Funk classic – killer solo work from Tony Allen – originally known as the drummer for Fela during his key years – stepping out here on his own with the Afrika 70 band! The album's a monster all the way through – every bit as great as any of Fela's 70s classics, but handled with a weird twist, too – the kind of offbeat groove we've come to love from Allen's revival of the past decade – laid out here in a wonderful groove that's very drum-heavy on the bottom! The album's only got two long tracks – "Progress" and "Afro Disco Beat" – but each runs for a side apiece, which makes for plenty of funky changes! LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark material from the legendary Nigerian percussionist! NEPA is a great little album from Tony Allen – recorded in the mid 80s, but with a chunky groove that's very much in the style of his 70s Afro Funk work! The title track is one of Allen's best cuts ever – a really anthemic tune with a punchy hook that's as infectious as it is political – and other tracks on the set are equally nice, touched with some slight electronic bits, giving them a cool Celluloid Electric Africa vibe! Titles include the long numbers "When One Road Close" and "NEPA (Never Expect Power Always)", in regular and dub versions – plus the great closing track "Olokun". LP, Vinyl record album

A modern Blue Note classic from pianist Geri Allen – a set that has the younger artist working alongside Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums – for a sound that's completely fantastic throughout! The album's not Allen's first, but it's one that definitely helped her reach the kind of audience her talent deserved – and throughout, she's got a way of mixing classic modes with some of the key qualities that really set her apart – the latter of which may come through most strongly on the original tunes on the set! The whole thing's a great testament to the piano trio format at its best – something very different and very personal, as you'll hear on titles that include "Feed The Fire", "In The Middle", "A Place Of Power", "In The Morning", "RTG", and "Drummer's Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner from Fela – a record that really leaps right into the groove right from the very first note – then never lets up at all! Igo Chiko provides some fantastic tenor sax solos on the tunes – and both Tunde Williams and Eddie Faychum serve up some killer trumpet – while the rest of the group moves at amazing speed, driven on by the legendary drums of Tony Allen! Fela handles a bit of keyboards, with a really cool, moody sound alongside the groove – and the whole thing was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, which might have been a surprising change from some of the more staid material in the halls of EMI. Titles include "Alu Jon Jonki Jon", "Jeu Ko Ku", and "Eko Ile". LP, Vinyl record album

Really mindblowing work from Fela – a seminal 70s set that may well open up even more than any other album from the time – as the leader and Africa 70 stretch out on a single track that takes up the entire record! "Confusion" is almost proggish at the start – with a long passage that just features drums from Tony Allen and some really offbeat electric piano from Fela – slowly building up a groove out of the darkness, then letting the rest of the group come into the mix – all at a level that definitely sets the tune on fire for the righteous politics of the lyrics! The whole thing's no sloppy, over-extended jam – and instead, the record's a great demonstration of the care and craft that Fela brought to his musical vision at the time. The Gentleman LP is represented here by 3 songs – "Gentleman", "Igbe (Shit)", and "Fe Fe Naa Efe" – all of which are brimming with angry energy, and a heavy brassy overdrive! Loads of African funk grooves, packed onto one superbly done CD! CD

An early classic from Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – the kind of early 70s record that helped both the leader and the group establish themselves as a global powerhouse of funk and soul! The set begins with the side-long "Open & Close" – a righteous tune that's driven onward by lots of tight drums from Tony Allen – young, focused, and completely amazing here – while Fela delivers all these madly leaping electric piano lines amidst the super-sharp horn section – all moving instrumentally for many minutes before the vocals come into play! Side two features two shorter tracks, but still nice and long in comparison to most funky groups – the wonderful "Swegbe & Pako" and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo" – tunes that really send the record over the top! LP, Vinyl record album

2 early 70s Fela classics on one CD! Open & Close hails from 1971 – and it features 3 long songs, all with an incredibly tight groove. Fela, Tony Allen, and the Africa 70 group forge the sound that would dominate their style for the next 2 decades – mixing bass, percussion, keyboards, sax, and guitar into a heavy heavy brew on the tracks "Swegbe & Pako", "Open & Close", and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo". Afrodisiac is an excellent companion album – issued a few years later, but including tracks that Fela and the group recorded at Abbey Road in 1971, and which were issued first as singles in Nigeria, forming some of Fela's first big hits! Titles include "Alu Jon Jonki Jon", "Jeu Ko Ku", and "Eko Ile". CD

The cover image here really demonstrates the charisma of Fela at his height – dozens of topless women, kneeling around the maestro and spelling out the number 70 – but to us, the music is what really shows the man's power – a bold, progressive statement of the new energy bubbling up on the African scene – served up here on two amazing side-long tracks! Tony Allen is at the head of the Africa 70 – and his rhythms are already incredibly complex, but always right on the money – mixed with heavy tenor from Igo Chico, great electric piano lines, and a fiercely collaborative sense of energy that makes every move of the entire group come together as one. Titles include "Lady" and "Sakara Oloje" – both completely sublime! LP, Vinyl record album

A live set from the legendary Pere Ubu, but one that's every bit as important a document of their early years as the group's famous singles! The material here features two different versions of the band – a very early mid 70s lineup with Dave Thomas on vocals and Peter Laughner on guitar – followed by the second more famous group with the bass of Tony Maimone and keyboards and sax of Allen Ravenstine coming in to create a lot more avant edge! This second group dominates most of the tracks, but it's great to hear the early version of the group too – and both units feature Tom Herman on guitar and Scott Krauss on drums. Tracks include "Non Alignment Pact", "Street Waves", "Real World", "My Dark Ages", "The Modern Dance", "Humor Me", "Heart Of Darkness", "Laughing", "Can't Believe It", "Over My Head", "Sentimental Journey", and "30 Seconds Over Tokyo". LP, Vinyl record album

Warren Wiegratz on saxophone, keyboards, percussion and backing vocals, Peter McManaman and Joe Gorman on guitar, Kurt Cowling on keyboards, Kevin Allen on bass, Tony Wagner on drums, with vocals from Ken Daniel and backing vocals from Laurie Adams and Phebe Hines. CD

Sweet keyboard grooves from Nkono Teles – a Nigerian musician who first got his start in the band of Tony Allen, but who sounds very different here on his own! Nkono's image on the cover gives you plenty of insight to the sound of the record – as the cuts are heavy on keyboards played by Teles, who also throws in some basslines and drum machine bits as well – all to serve up a lean take on Nigerian funk styles that would have been served up by a fuller band a few years before. Teles' style is great – warmer and more soulful than some of the colder synth pop from the South African scene – still very much in the best tradition of Nigerian grooves – and the set pulls together six tracks from his rare albums of the time – titles that include "Love Vibration", "Martin Street Special", "Love Got Hold On Me", "Hometown Weather", "Party Beats", and "Martin Street (new version)". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different entry in this always-great series – one that doesn't focus on a specific artist, or just the instrumentation of the two leaders – but instead has this great range of artists coming together in a very jazz-based style! Things here are even more organic and flowing than on some of the other volumes – as there's a very cool array of players that shift nicely from track to track, while still giving the record a unified vibe – work from Jeff Parker on guitar, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Tony Allen on drums, Henry Franklin on bass, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Wendell Harrison on bass clarinet, Jaman Laws on tenor, Phillip Wack on alto, and Scott Mayo on flute – all players who work with Younge and Muhammad to create soulful and funky elements that bring us back to the spirit of the Black Jazz label in the 70s Even if you've heard other titles in the series, this one still really advances the concept even further – and with more live, spontaneous energy in the studio – on titles that include "Running With The Tribe", "Phoenix", "Come As You Are", "Ebun", "El Cambio Es Necesario", "The Avenues", and "The Griot". CD

A very different entry in this always-great series – one that doesn't focus on a specific artist, or just the instrumentation of the two leaders – but instead has this great range of artists coming together in a very jazz-based style! Things here are even more organic and flowing than on some of the other volumes – as there's a very cool array of players that shift nicely from track to track, while still giving the record a unified vibe – work from Jeff Parker on guitar, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Tony Allen on drums, Henry Franklin on bass, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Wendell Harrison on bass clarinet, Jaman Laws on tenor, Phillip Wack on alto, and Scott Mayo on flute – all players who work with Younge and Muhammad to create soulful and funky elements that bring us back to the spirit of the Black Jazz label in the 70s Even if you've heard other titles in the series, this one still really advances the concept even further – and with more live, spontaneous energy in the studio – on titles that include "Running With The Tribe", "Phoenix", "Come As You Are", "Ebun", "El Cambio Es Necesario", "The Avenues", and "The Griot". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different entry in this always-great series – one that doesn't focus on a specific artist, or just the instrumentation of the two leaders – but instead has this great range of artists coming together in a very jazz-based style! Things here are even more organic and flowing than on some of the other volumes – as there's a very cool array of players that shift nicely from track to track, while still giving the record a unified vibe – work from Jeff Parker on guitar, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Tony Allen on drums, Henry Franklin on bass, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Wendell Harrison on bass clarinet, Jaman Laws on tenor, Phillip Wack on alto, and Scott Mayo on flute – all players who work with Younge and Muhammad to create soulful and funky elements that bring us back to the spirit of the Black Jazz label in the 70s Even if you've heard other titles in the series, this one still really advances the concept even further – and with more live, spontaneous energy in the studio – on titles that include "Running With The Tribe", "Phoenix", "Come As You Are", "Ebun", "El Cambio Es Necesario", "The Avenues", and "The Griot". LP, Vinyl record album

The continuing evolution of the Comet Records label in France – a full flowering of all the ideas the company was first working with at the end of the 90 – when they began to find a new home for older Afro Funk styles and artists, but also had ways of updating their modes to a 21st Century approach! That sound is very much in full force here – served up on some longer tracks that were only issued as singles, and which appear here for the first time ever – really showing the way that Comet and its artists were pushing past the straight Afro Funk modes that so many others were using at the time. Titles include "Day Like This (Molo rmx)" by Tony Allen & Theo Parrish, "African Man (R Villalobos & M Loderbauer rmx)" by Tony Allen, "Cotton's Field (Jeff Sharel minimal edit)" from the Brighter Nights EP, "Awakening (Krazybaldhead rmx)" from the Donso Remixes EP, and "Afrodisco Beat (Africaine808 rework)" from the Disco Afro Reedit Series. LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing funk from 70s Africa – a collection that's overflowing with great rare bits! If you ever thought that the sound of Afro Funk was just Fela, Tony Allen, and Manu Dibango – think again, because this set will really expand your horizons! The package was expertly selected, compiled, and annotated by Afro Funk DJ Miles Cleret – a man who really knows his stuff, and who's spent most of his adult life tracking down obscure bits from all corners of the dark continent. This set focuses on funk grooves from the vastly-undocumented Ghana scene – and it's honestly one of the best collections of Afro Funk we've ever heard – smoking and heavy from bottom to top, and filled with great music that we never would have caught otherwise! An instant treasure – and with tracks that include "Africa Is Home" by Joe Mensah, "Atwer Abroba" by Ebo Taylor, "Disco Africa" by Ogyatanaa Show Band, "Tamfo Nyi Ekyir" by Apagaya Show Band, "Kye Kye Pe Aware" by The Sweet Talks, "Mondo Soul Funky" by Ebo Taylor & Wuta Wazuri, "Samarin Bolga" by Uppers Chapter 2, "No Condition Is Permanent" by Marijata, and "Agbadza" by Uhuru Dance Band. CD

Music from the Elgins, the Vanguards, the Shields, Don & Juan, the Penguins, the Dramatics, Tony Allen, the Winstons, Brothers of Soul, the Jaguars, the Crests and the 5 Satins. CD

A really great compilation put out by the folks at Red Hot – an organization dedicated to "Fighting Aids Through Popular Culture". Previous sets by the group have focussed on jazz, bossa, and other music – and this time around, the focus is Africa, currently suffering from a rampant AIDS epidemic. As a response to the problem, Red Hot have brought together a host of different artists in a set of new Afro Funk tracks that would do Fela proud! In fact, over and above the politics, the set's actually one of the best new Afro Funk projects we've ever heard – with a list of artists that includes Archie Shepp, Lateef, Gift Of Gab, Talib Kweli, Jorge Ben, D'Angelo, Femi Kuti, Macy Gray, Meshell Ndegeocello, Cheikh Lo, Tony Allen, Positive Black Soul, Kelis, and others – all coming together in a really wonderful set of tracks that crackle with excitement! Unfortunately, one of Aids most famous African victims includes Afro Funk pioneer Fela. As a loving tribute, the set's made up of new versions of Fela tunes – with titles that include "No Agreement", "So Be It", "Gentleman", "Shakara/Lady", "Water No Get Enemy", "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake", "Colonial Mentality", and "Shuffering & Smiling". CD

Funky African – and dancefloor slammers, all of them! Max Reinhardt and the crew at Shrine compiled this set of 12 tasty groovers – and the set has a real London crossover dancefloor sound, with a mix of tracks along the same theme, but pushing the envelope of styles in the way that's had London leading the scene for years. The set's actually pretty nicely put together – and like the other titles on Ocho, it includes material of slightly more recent vintage, great stuff that we might have passed over due to our own snobbery for classic tunes. Titles include "Synchro System" by King Sunny Ade, "Fefe Naa Efe" by Fela, "Yegelle Tezeta" by Mulatu, "Watchi Wara" by Bantous Jazz, "Xihlaula Mane" by Kapa Dech, "NEPA – dub mix" by Tony Allen, "Yaba Funk" by Captain Yabaa, "Take Am So" by Gyedu Blay Ambulley, and "Funky Hi-Life" by CK Mann & Carousel 7. CD

Killer stuff from Fela – and 2 albums we never see in the original! The Stalemate album has two hard groovers, both with vocals, and both very nicely driving all the way through. Fear Not For Man is an incredible record from Fela – a set that's maybe even darker and more moody than some of his other records from the time – but still pretty darn funky overall! Side one features the tremendous title cut "Fear Not For Man" – a strong message, especially given Fela's struggles at the time – set to these wicked drums from Tony Allen, which have strong breakbeat quality, but this darker current too – that oddly offbeat vibe that Allen would explore later on his own. There's also an excellent keyboard solo – snakey and spooky – over a brooding bassline that introduces all the other great elements on horns, played with a raw, raspy sensibility that reminds us that although so many others may copy this mode in recent years – there's still nothing like a classic Fela album! "Palm Wine Sound" is on the flipside – a cool instrumental that begins with a moody guitar passage, but then blasts open brilliantly with an amazing sax solo! CD

We're always big fans of Bev Kelly's work, but this album is way hipper than the usual vocal album of its type from the time – thanks to a sweet little lineup that features Pony Poindexter on alto sax and Flip Nunez on piano! The presence of Poindexter's horn is always a treat, on the handful of smaller group sides he cut from this time – and Nunez's piano lines have an inherently rhythmic groove that comes out even on the mellower numbers – which often are somewhat spacious, but stepping along with a gentle groove underneath Kelly's fantastic vocals. Part of the credit for this groove goes to Johnny Allen, whose work on bass is great – and the group's completed by the drums of Tony Johnson, who's a bit more down in the mix. Titles include "Long Ago & Far Away", "My Foolish Heart", "Night & Day", "Just Friends", "Love Letters", "This Is Always", and "My Funny Valentine". LP, Vinyl record album

London guitarist Phil Dawson has a strong legacy of work with global heavyweights – artists who include Hugh Masekela, Tony Allen, and Mulatu – but the vibe here is much more jazz-based overall – as Dawson plays both guitar and Fender Rhodes in a group that has a great sense of flow! A great part of the record's sound is the work of flute player Rowland Sutherland – whose sweet lines are as much of a delight as Phil's guitar – and the rest of the group is heavy on percussion, but used in a lean way that moves along nicely, and never gets caught in any sort of bombast – maybe more Brazilian in inspiration, if that makes sense. Khadijatou Doyneh of The Heliocentrics makes an appearance at once point – and the tracks are reworks of a few different themes, but coming across in nicely different versions. Titles include "It's Time (fully spoken)", "Gnostic Hilife Nag Hammadi re-edit)", "It's Time (instrumental)", "Gnostic Hilife (flute edit)", and "Gnostic Hilife (original edit)". CD

A war soundtrack – but with some different touches that make it nicer than you'd think! The music was written by groovy French composer Georges Garvarentz, and performed in the KPM studios by Roland Shaw's orchestra – so despite the fact that the setting of the film is a military thriller, there's also some nice numbers that have kind of a 60s easy feel to them. Tony Allen sings the title song – and other tracks include "Victory Day", "Rendez-vous Of Paulette & Eddie", "Test For Parachute Landing", "Le Bistro De Paulette", and "Elga & Eddie's Farewell". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that definitely lives up to its title – but in a way that's a bit different than some of the other Lux & Ivy compilations on the Righteous label! This time around, the set is more of a four-pack, featuring different albums that have a great way of blending exotica, higher ideas, and a bit of jazz! First up is Polynesia, by reedman Buddy Collette – very different than any of his better-known work of the 50s – and a complex little set that really shows off a whole new side of his talents! The album was issued by a tiny label away from the LA scene – and has Buddy blending jazz and exotica, but at a level that's way hipper than any of the more mainstream bachelor pad records of the period – maybe even pointing the way towards the very cool records that Buddy would cut overseas. The group is great – very hip – with Gerald Wilson on trumpet, Gene Cipriano on reeds, Justin DiTullo on cello, Red Callender on bass and tuba, Earl Palmer on drums, and either Al Viola or Billy Bean on guitar – very versatile jazz musicians who really follow Buddy's lead on the unusual tunes. Colette himself plays flute and a bit of clarinet – and the set also features some cool vocals from singer Marni Nixon. Next is the very rare Provocatif album from John McFarland – an obscure contribution to the exotica genre, with loads of non-western percussion, bird calls, ukuleles, and vibes. McFarland plays some original compositions like "Watusi", "Summer Storm", "Forbidden", and "The Chimp And The Bumble Bee", and other tunes like "Jungle Bells", "Tangerine", "Where Or When", and "Head Hunters". A more famous album is next, Stan Kenton's Cuban Fire – one of Kenton's greatest records, and the one in which he proves his dedication to Latin styles, by serving up a killer batch of Afro-Cuban tracks with an incredibly authentic feel. The great Johnny Richards handled the arrangements, and the tracks are long and drawn out, with plenty of solo space for the group. Titles include "Fuego Cubano", "Quien Sabe", and "La Quera Baila". Last up is Seven Deadly Sins – one of the most high-concept albums ever recorded by Bill Russo – a full suite of tracks dedicated to the Seven Deadly Sins, and scored with a level of sophistication to match the Stan Kenton group at its modernist height! Although the overall feel is jazz, there's also a fair bit of more serious modes too – almost 20th Century classical at points, or at least some soundtrack sophistication. The tunes are awash in dark colors, and players include Don Sebesky and Eddie Bert on trombones, Burt Collins and Lou Mucci on trumpets, Larry Wilcox on tenor, and Howard Collins on guitar – plus a section of cellos as well. Titles, as you might expect, include "Greed", "Lechery", "Gluttony", "Anger", "Envy", and "Sloth". CD