Sparsely furnished underground new wave from Europe and North America in the early 80s – the first official Minimal Wave compilation from Veronica Vasicka's Minimal Wave label and the arbiters leftfield funky errata at Stones Throw! This is some of the deepest and rarest music from the nascent electro rock and post punk electronic underground of the 80s – most purportedly released on scarcely distributed cassettes, if they were ever really distributed at all beyond the hands of the artists involved – which is fascinating and everything, but the real story here is the exceptional quality. It's incredible stuff! The sound is impeccable, those primitive synth melodies and drum machine rhythms sounding sharp and clear. The songs are great, too, maybe a bit darker edged than the mainstream of the time, and without the cheesy and poorly aging pop sheen of the hits, but we have no doubt the artists here could have been stars had the material reached the right people. It's all wholly ripe for discovery and we already can't wait for Volume 2! Titles include "Way Out Of Living" by Linear Movement, "Flying Turns" by Crash Course In Science, ""Tempus Fugit" by Tara Cross, "Mickey, Please" by Bene Gesserit, "Reassurance Ritual" by Das Ding, "Radiance" by Oppenheimer Analysis, "Who's Really Listening" by Mark Lane, "The Cabinet" by Das Kabinette and more. 14 tracks in all. CD

Satoko Fujii on piano with Natsuki Tamura on trumpet, Norikatsu Koreyasu on bass, and Akira Horikoshi on drums. CD

This mid 60s set for Cadet finds Jamal and his trio, featuring Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums playing it cool despite the title – which is actually the Irving Berlin penned lead track. Other tracks include a rendition of Sonny Rollins' "St. Thomas", the latin-tinged "Misty", "April In Paris", "Allison", "Maybe September", and "The Girl Next Door". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent early album from Latin leader/trumpeter Willie Rodriguez – one of his gems for the Fonseca label, with vocals from Leo Casino – a tight mix of Latin Soul, descarga, and salsa tracks that hit hard from the start and don't let up! Rodriguez leads a great band, and they're joined by vocalist Casino some of the tracks – with tunes that have an uncommon, heated intensity without sacrificing the groove – some of it with the feel of an after hours session full of players just hit with a mighty second wind, and others that are just straight up tirelessly driven. The whole set cooks really nicely! Titles include "Dig It", "Descarga DJ", "Pussycat Bugaloo", "Simon", A Mi Negra". "Golden Bugaloo", and "Chickie's Choice". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A collection that's way more than just the 2-fer package that you'd expect from the cover – as it brings together 40 tracks from the classic years of The Surfaris – not just big hits, but rare album tracks, and some unusual singles too! Most folks know these guys as an instrumental group – searing guitars on the level of The Ventures, and much more surf-tuned too – but the collection also features some surprising vocal numbers as well – many with a distinct Beach Boys sort of style, two of which feature harmonies from The Honeys! The notes are great, and include a detailed discography – to accompany titles that include "My Little Bike", "Surf Scene", "Point Panic", "Hot Rod High", "Misirlou", "Murphy The Surfie", "Boss Barracuda", "I'm Into Something Good", "Catch A Little Ride With Me", "Moon Dawg", "So Get Out", "Dune Buggy", "Karen", "Mystic Island Drums", "My Buddy Seat", "Don't Hurt My Little Sister", and "Hey Joe Watch Where You're Going". CD

Electronic grooves from the days of the Casio, Roland, and DX7 – a synth-heavy batch of tracks put together by Jazzanova! The collection's quite unique – as it's got a much warmer, sunnier approach to the music than compilations that have more of a post-punk or post-disco bent. There's a definite pop appreciation here that keeps the electronics from getting too dark or brooding – and there's also a fair bit of soul too, given the presence of jazz musicians on a few of the album's numbers – which pushes the music out of the starker, more industrial modes of other early 80s retrospectives. And if you've been digging Jazzanova's work in recent years, the set's a great way to see the older music that's inspiring them – tunes that are often still quite obscure, but different than the jazz and Brazilian music they were drawing from a decade before. Titles include "Closer" by Codek, "Garden Of Life" by Special Touch, "Stargazer" by Ray Barretto, "18 November" by Propaganda, "Adventures In Success" by Will Powers, "Tim Toum" by Codek, "Heartbeat" by Colored Music, "Aeo (parts 1 & 2)" by Brian Briggs, "Courage" by Talking Drums, "Computer Incarnations For World Peace" by Jean-Luc Ponty, and "Reach The Beach (dub)" by The Fixx. CD

A sexy set of tracks from the Japanese scene – music that seems to start in the disco years, and move into some of the more electronic Tokyo modes of the next generation – but always with a sweetly groovy style to the music! The work here is very different than both US soul of the time, and the wave of Euro disco and boogie – although it maybe shares a bit with the latter, in the way that female vocals are often put upfront in the mix, and given a very sensual sound. Other tracks are maybe more electro soul – with heavier beats at the bottom – and the whole thing is a huge discovery of rare Japanese tracks we never would have heard otherwise! Titles include "Get To Paradise" by Mari Kaneko, "Theme Of High School Student" by Atsuo Fujimoto, "Silhouette Call" by Yuki Nakayamate, "Sunshine Bright On Me" by Kangaroo, "More Sexy" by Yoko Hatanaka, "I'm In Love" by Tomoko Aran, "Crazy Baby" by Rinda Yamamoto, "Stranger's Night" by Maiko Okamoto, "Fantasy" by Masako Miyazaki, and "Singing Lady" by The Fad. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Devo, B-52's, The Pop Group, Joy Division, Laurie Anderson, Psychic TV, Echo & The Bunnymen, Aztec Camera, New Order, The Jesus And Mary Chain, The Monochrome Set, and more. CD

A beautiful example of the really special sort of instrumental record that was coming out of Japan in the early 80s – music that's spare and minimal, but quite different than any sort of similar projects from other parts of the globe! Satoshi Ashikawa creates sounds in ways that resonate both with the ancient and contemporary, organic and urban, at a level that's very slow-building and striking in its careful use of sound and space – served up here on instrumentation that includes vibes from Midori Takada, piano from Tomoko Sono, and harp from Yuko Utsumi – always tuneful, but in ways that are more like a natural progression of sound than conventional music. Titles include "Prelude", "Still Park", "Still Sky", "Wrinkle", and "Image Under The Tree". CD

A rare live set from a great late 70s lineup of the Jazz Messengers – the group that featured Bobby Watson on alto sax, David Schnitter on tenor, and Valery Ponomarev on trumpet – a very cooking combo that was one of Art Blakey's best since the Blue Note years! The tunes here are mostly classics from the old days – tunes that Blakey first recorded at the end of the 50s – but they're done here with a new sort of energy, thanks to the younger solo players – and many of the performances are quite long and open-ended. Titles include "Jody", "Along Came Betty", "Moanin", "Blues March", and "Autumn Leaves". CD

A lost bossa jazz classic from Dizzy Gillespie – recorded at a time when Lalo Schifrin was working in his combo! The record's got a cool, laidback kind of groove – one that's miles away from Gillespie's earlier bop work, and which shows him opening up his rhythmic conception strongly in the 60s. Rhythms are percolated by the piano of Schifrin, guitar of Bola Sete, bass of Chris White, and some well-chosen added percussion work – and the overall groove is one of the best American takes on the bossa jazz sound of the time, delivered with wonderful horn work from Dizzy on trumpet, Leo Wright on flute and alto, and Charlie Ventura on tenor! Even familiar tunes are transformed by the sound – and titles include "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town", "Careless Love", "Taboo", "One Note Samba", "Pergunte Ao Joao", and "Chega de Saudade". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the heaviest keyboard albums you'll ever hope to find – a completely sublime session that not only features Fender Rhodes by pianist Roland Haynes, but also features additional keyboards from Kirk Lightsey – a double blend that really makes the record sparkle! The twin-keyboard sound is wonderful – spacey, soulful, and filled with righteous power – and the rhythm section also features killer work on bass from Henry Franklin, and tightly snapping drums from Carl Burnett – sounding better here than we ever remember! Titles include the massive sample cut "Eglise", plus "Second Wave", "Funky Mama Moose", "Descent", and "Aicelis". CD

A stunning mix of talents that brings the heavenly piano and guitar of Antonio Carlos Jobim into play with the lush, but light arrangements of Claus Ogerman – a swirling mix of post-bossa loveliness that redefines Jobim's sound, and opens up new avenues for exploration in sound! The production is amazing – pillowy-soft, but with a complex depth that's hardly been matched again – and although Jobim's the main player, other great musicians include Dom Um Romao, Claudio Slon, Jerome Richardson, Ron Carter, and others. Tracks include "Wave", "Mojave", "Lamento", "Batidinha", "The Red Blouse", "Antiguq", and the groovy "Captain Bacardi". Beautiful all the way through! LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning mix of talents that brings the heavenly piano and guitar of Antonio Carlos Jobim into play with the lush, but light arrangements of Claus Ogerman – a swirling mix of post-bossa loveliness that redefines Jobim's sound, and opens up new avenues for exploration in sound! The production is amazing – pillowy-soft, but with a complex depth that's hardly been matched again – and although Jobim's the main player, other great musicians include Dom Um Romao, Claudio Slon, Jerome Richardson, Ron Carter, and others. Tracks include "Wave", "Mojave", "Lamento", "Batidinha", "The Red Blouse", "Antiguq", and the groovy "Captain Bacardi". Beautiful all the way through! LP, Vinyl record album

Dance party is right – as the album's an upbeat, uptight batch of Motown soul groovers – very much the sort of stuff that Martha & The Vandellas are best remembered for! As you might guess from the title, the album leaps off with the group's seminal version of "Dancing In The Street" – still the only version you'll really ever need, despite years and years of countless covers that always fall short of the mark. Other tracks include the classic "Nowhere To Run", plus other Motown goodies like "Hitch Hike", "Mickey's Monkey", and "The Jerk". CD also features the album Heat Wave – another stone classic from one of Motown's greatest girl groups – certainly one of the biggest to have an impact on scenes around the globe back in the 60s! The set kicks off with the trio's classic "Heat Wave" – another one of those tunes from Martha that always sounds better in the original, despite countless cover versions that have cropped up over the years. Other tracks are all great too – and include "Mocking Bird", "My Boyfriend's Back", "Just One Look", "Hello Stranger", "Hey There Lonely Boy", and "Then He Kissed Me". CD

That's a great title for this dreamy little record – not just because it's a rare bit of gentle pop from the Hawaii scene of the early 80s, but also because the whole thing's got a gentle glide that's not unlike catching a wave on a sunny summer afternoon at the beach! Teresa Bright has this vocal style with a nice range – almost as expressive as a jazz singer, but set up here with instrumentation that is more stripped down, and is usually just bass and acoustic guitar – which balances things out nicely next to the vocals of Steve Ma'i'i. Given the instrumentation, and the gentle groove, there's almost a bossa sort of quality to the record – but made nicely different, given the language difference on most tracks. Titles include "Auhea Oe", "Alkeoki", "Kaho'olawe Song", "Ta Ha Ua La", "Catching A Wave", and "That's My Desire". CD

A beautifully subtle electronic score for this mid 70s Australian horror film – one done with a lot more care, class, and grace than some of its contemporaries – but with an equally spooky vibe overall! The music comes a bit in the waves hinted at in the title – slow moving shapes of electronic sound that have a brooding intensity – almost with the spacious style of the German scene in the post-prog shift of the late 70s, but clearly directed more towards darker corners than any of that music! Imagine a Sky Records soundtrack for a horror film, and you'll get part of the vibe here – on titles that include "Driving Home", "David's Dream", "The Vault", "Angels", "Man In The Street", "Black Rain", "Charlie Charlie", and "Drowned World". LP, Vinyl record album

Animotion, Level 42, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Dexy's Midnight Runners. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Big Country, Greg Kihn Band, Yes, Human League. 12-inch, Vinyl record

It seems the international impact of reggae ebbs and flows, and when young British punk rocker's latched onto the militant message coming from the island's roots movement, it picked up for a time. This compilation highlights some of the numbers that went over big with that generation, and makes a great set, even if you ignore the overriding theme. Two CDs filled with solid, solid roots, rock and reggae including Scratch's "White Belly Rat" and "City Too Hot", John Holt's "Up Park Camp", Marley's "Natural Mystic", The Heptones "Cool Rasta", Junior Delgado "Sons Of Slaves", Prince Far I "Under Heavy Manners", Althea & Donna "Uptown Ranking", Linval Thompson "I Love Marijuana", Mikey Dread "Barber Saloon", Bim Sherman "Lightning & Thunder", Vin Gordon "Liquid Horns", Prince Jammy "Throne Of Blood" and Dennis Brown "Money In My Pocket". CD

Tracks from DMX Krew, Miss Kittin & The Hacker, John Starlight, Memory Boy, Miss Kittin & The Hacker, Adult., Debasser, Aux 88, Excel, Keith 'DJ K-1' Tucker, Anthony Rother, and more. CD

One of the best American recordings of Brazilian keyboardist Jose Roberto Bertrami – even better than his work of the time with Azymuth! The set's got a freer feel than some of the Azymuth sides – allowing Bertrami the sort of freedom he rarely expressed so strongly (at least not until some of his recent albums for the Far Out label.) Tunes dance along on a mix of Brazilian rhythms and west coast fusion – all the while featuring some killer organ and electric piano from Jose, plus drums by Robertinho Silva, sax and flute from Jose Carlos, guitar from Helio Demiro, and guest vocals on one track by Aleuda. Titles include "Partido Alto #2", "Sheds & Weeds", "Parati", "Shot On Goal", and "Bye Bye Brazil". LP, Vinyl record album

Produced by Todd Rundgren. LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With hits by Culture Club, Rick Springfield, Madness, and Simple Minds. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Includes tracks by Devo, Split Enz, Talk Talk, A Flock Of Seagulls, Thompson Twins, The Flying Lizards, Modern English, The Human League, Naked Eyes, Thomas Dolby, and others. CD

Includes 36 tracks by The Jam, The Mission, The Clash, The Stranglers, PIL, The Sisters Of Mercy, UVM, Fad Gadget, Grauzone, Pig Bag, Romeo Void, Teardrop Explodes, and more. CD

Music from Modern English, Soft Cell, Blondie, Berlin, the Cars, David Bowie, ABC, the Eurythmics, the B-52's, A Flock Of Seagulls, Duran Duran, and more. CD

"New York is now" – a pretty bold statement from saxophonist Ornette Coleman, but one that definitely shows his shift in role – from a major force on the LA underground of the early 60s, to an artist who was helping pave the way for a huge wave of growth on the New York downtown scene in years to come! Ornette's at his most late 60s unbridled here – freer than before, and working with a lineup that includes Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – still no piano at all – plus great work from Dewey Redman on tenor, who really burst into new prominence with this album. Ornette plays a bit of violin alongside alto sax – and tracks include "Toy Dance", "Round Trip", "Broad Way Blues", and "We Now Interrupt For A Commercial". CD

A tremendous package of work from Ornette Coleman – five albums issued under his own name, and one collaboration with Jackie McLean too! First up are At The Golden Circle Vols 1 & 2 – important second chapter work from Ornette Coleman – a record that marked a real shift in his sound from the Atlantic Records years – issued by Blue Note at a level that gave the rest of the world a chance to see what Ornette had been cooking up on the underground scene! The album was recorded in Stockholm – in the tradition of European live performances that saw Coleman grow so strongly in the mid 60s – and the tracks are long, free, and full of improvised moments – with Ornette adding in trumpet and violin next to his familiar alto – in a trio with David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums – both fantastic players who can be loose at the right moments, and bring things back at others. Tracks are long and unbridled – with less of the rhythmic changes that you'd hear in work by the classic quartet, and more of a full-on fierce soloing mode. Titles include "Snowflakes & Sunshine", "Morning Song", "Faces & Places", "Dee Dee", "Dawn", "The Riddle", and "Antiques". Next is Empty Foxhole – one of our favorite Ornette Coleman albums of the post-Atlantic 60s years – a set that still hangs onto some of the bold rhythmic conception of his previous records, but also points the way towards his freer jazz modes to come! The group's a trio – with really tremendous work from Charlie Haden on bass, able to match Coleman's energy with effortless ease, and really getting a lot of room to leave his mark on the music – plus the very young (10!) Denardo Coleman, who plays drums here with this stark, simple style that's not only completely unique, but which also leaves a lot of open room left for Haden and Ornette to really stretch out. Ornette plays his usual alto, plus trumpet and violin – and titles include "Good Old Days", "The Empty Foxhole", "Zig Zag", and "Freeway Express". Next is New York Is Now – a pretty bold statement from saxophonist Ornette Coleman, but one that definitely shows his shift in role – from a major force on the LA underground of the early 60s, to an artist who was helping pave the way for a huge wave of growth on the New York downtown scene in years to come! Ornette's at his most late 60s unbridled here – freer than before, and working with a lineup that includes Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – still no piano at all – plus great work from Dewey Redman on tenor, who really burst into new prominence with this album. Ornette plays a bit of violin alongside alto sax – and tracks include "Toy Dance", "Round Trip", "Broad Way Blues", and "We Now Interrupt For A Commercial". Then comes Love Call – a really great late 60s session from Ornette Coleman – one that shows is increasing expansion in sounds and styles, and which also offers a bridge between avant jazz generations too! That bridge comes in the presence of Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – a surprising Coltrane rhythm duo, working here with Ornette's mindblowing work on alto sax, and tenor from a young Dewey Redman – already a crucially intense player here next to Coleman, as both are set free in a group without any piano – that Ornette melding of rhythm and melody, but with a very different vibe than the Atlantic years! Coleman blows trumpet on one tune – and titles include "Love Call", "Airborne", "Check Out Time", and "Open To The Public". The set also includes the album New & Old Gospel – one of Jackie McLean's last "new thing" albums for Blue Note – and a very unique record that features Ornette Coleman on trumpet! The sound here is stark and hard – slight hints of the soulfulness that the "gospel" in the title might imply, mixed with the angular exploratory sound that McLean had been forging at Blue Note during the mid 60s – a wonderful balance that really gives the record a lot of bite! The album's easily one of the most "out" that McLean ever recorded, and the group also includes Lamont Johnson on piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all pushing themselves in the company of the avant jazz giants. Tracks include the extended "Lifeline" suite, which takes up all of side one – plus "Old Gospel" and "Strange As It Seems". LP, Vinyl record album

Comet Is Coming are one of those groups who are almost a genre unto themselves – certainly part of the rich criss-crossing of styles that has been taking place on the London scene of the past decade or so – but also a trio who've found a way to forge forward and hold the world at bay with a record like this! At the core, the approach is simple – tremendous tenor work from Shabaka Hutchings, drums from Betamax, and keyboards from Danalogue – the latter two of whom are equally important as producers, in the way they take the live performance at the core, and work it into so many other shifting shapes and sounds! Hutchings' solos are always kept mostly intact, which makes for a beating soul to the record, and a nice link to previous generations of jazz – on titles that include "Pyramids", "Tokyo Nights", "Technicolour", "Code", "Lucid Dreamer", "Atomic Wave Dance", "Mystik", and "The Hammer". CD

A classic slice of Jamaican roots – and an essential record from the godlike hands of Lee Perry! The set was produced by Perry at Black Ark – and instantly became the stuff of legend, even though the initial version of the album got very limited exposure – which has led to years of differing reissues and versions of the record! Yet the core sound is always very much in place, no matter what the setting – very spiritual lyrics from the group themselves, set to nicely stripped-down rhythms and instrumentation that are a great contrast to the wave of more polished international reggae releases that were garnering mainstream attention at the time. The lasting power of the set is proof that maybe when it comes to roots, you've got to really go to the roots to get it right – as you'll hear on classic tracks that include "La La Bam Bam", "Fisherman", "Congoman", "Children Crying", "Open Up The Gate", and "The Wrong Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool Cali group from the end of the 70s – stepping out here on their first EP – supposedly produced by Bill Withers, but more than great enough on its own without any sort of celebrity help! The combo's got a unique blend of cultures from different neighborhoods in San Francisco – which is how they were originally pitched – and they work together with a warm, sophisticated take on jazzy club of the time – heard to great effect on the record's funky jazz remake of the Jobim classic "Wave", with warm keyboards and great solo flute – sounding different here than anything you might expect! The flipside features two slightly shorter tracks – "Special Love" and "Cordial's Preview" – both of which have an equally cool funky jazz take on club, with some of the same great mix of flute and keys! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Gal Costa sings the best of Antonio Carlos Jobim – working here with a really sparkling sound in a live performance that covers the space of two CDs! The backing is by a very nice little jazz group, and Gal's at her best later styles here – hitting nice jazzy vocal passages, and singing freely without any clunky arrangements to hold her back. Cristovao Bastos leads the group and handled the arrangements – and he's as great as ever in this top-shelf setting – sophisticated, but nicely swinging – in a way that really keeps things fresh. Titles include "Fotografia", "Wave", "Derradeira Primavera", "Triste", "Anos Dourados", "Ligia", "Tema De Amor De Garbriela", and "Samba Do Avaio". CD

One of the hippest sets ever issued during the roots reggae wave of the 70s – and one of the most spiritual, too! The album's got a very special acoustic vibe at the core – earthy drumming that goes back to a pan-African tradition, these beautiful acoustic basslines that link the music strongly with underground jazz, and even some wicked sax and reed passages that make that link even stronger – especially when tied to the more message-oriented lyrics of the vocals! The album's hardly a straight roots album – and instead goes deep into the more spiritual side of Rastafari, with a personal, acoustic style that's instantly captivating – and which also has strong appeal to fans of other global sounds, and 70s spiritual jazz as well. A stunning classic – with tracks that include "Lock Stock & Barrel", "Selam Nna Wadada", "Tales Of Mozambique", "Let Freedom Reign", "Nigerian Reggae" and "Run One Mile". Features two bonus tracks too – "Rasta Reggae" and "Samia". CD

One of the hippest sets ever issued during the roots reggae wave of the 70s – and one of the most spiritual, too! The album's got a very special acoustic vibe at the core – earthy drumming that goes back to a pan-African tradition, these beautiful acoustic basslines that link the music strongly with underground jazz, and even some wicked sax and reed passages that make that link even stronger – especially when tied to the more message-oriented lyrics of the vocals! The album's hardly a straight roots album – and instead goes deep into the more spiritual side of Rastafari, with a personal, acoustic style that's instantly captivating – and which also has strong appeal to fans of other global sounds, and 70s spiritual jazz as well. A stunning classic – with tracks that include "Lock Stock & Barrel", "Selam Nna Wadada", "Tales Of Mozambique", "Let Freedom Reign", "Nigerian Reggae" and "Run One Mile". Features two bonus tracks too – "Rasta Reggae" and "Samia". LP, Vinyl record album

A sonic juggernaut from Crime – and a set that marks a much-needed addition to their too-few records from the late 70s! Crime were slightly slept-on at the time, but have gone on to get the dues they greatly deserve – a razor-sharp band whose sound is as striking as their use of police uniforms as costumes – a musical quality that's sometimes more Stooges than punk, and we mean that in the best way possible – as these guys are equally off in a space of their own, yet still have managed to influence so many others on so many scenes. The set features rare material from studio session and rehearsal tapes – and titles include "Dillinger's Brain", "Flipout", "Monkey On Your Back", "Yakuza", "Emergency Music Ward", "I Knew This Nurse", "Crime Wave", "Murder By Guitar", and "Piss On Your Dog". LP, Vinyl record album

The breakout album for The Cryan Shames – a wonderfully groovy harmony pop combo from the 60s – one with a sound that's very much the best Sunshine Pop of LA, even though these guys hail from our hometown of Chicago! The vocals come together with a really magical feel – sometimes mellow and drifty, ala The Association – sometimes vibrant and soaring, in a really catchy way! The whole album's great – with just a touch of Brit invasion guitar jangle behind the vocals at times – and titles include "Heat Wave", "We'll Meet Again", "If I Needed Someone", "Hey Joe", "Sugar & Spice", "July", "I Wanna Meet You", and "Ben Franklin's Almanac". LP, Vinyl record album

A new record by Blossom Dearie – and a really nice one! The set's on her own Daffodil label, but unlike a lot of the sets on that label, which are mostly trio ones, this one features a full group – with great arrangements by Cesar Camargo Mariano, a talent behind some of our favorite Brazilian jazz recordings! The feel here is light and lively – Blossom's vocals dancing with some nice small combo backing, performed by a group that includes Jay Berliner on guitar and Grady Tate on some occasional backup vocals. Titles include "Lvoe Dance", "Make Some Magic", "Wave", "The Ladies Who Lunch", and "Bluesette". CD

Very groovy work from the 70s Polish scene – served up by the legendary Henryk Debich, an artist with an equal talent for jazz and soundtrack material! Here, Henryk meets nicely in the middle – providing funky backings for some larger orchestrations, at a level that often recalls some of the more familiar funky soundtracks of the late 60s and early 70s on the larger global scene – with standout instruments that shine in the spotlight amidst the larger charts – such as flute or organ – in a way that's also similar to some of the best European sound library material of the time! Most tracks are by Polish songwriters, and include "Przez Dzurike Od Klucza", "Music For Eight", "Przekora", and "Wieczorna Melodia" – and the set also features nice covers of "Wave" and "Eleanor Rigby" too! CD features four more bonus tracks – including a sweet take on the Aldemaro Romero tune "Pray For Me I'm In Love". CD

A wonderful, bossa-inflected jazzy soul surprise from UK-bred/Atlanta-based diva Julie Dexter and ATL-fellow Khari Simmons of Jiva – an effervescent batch of tunes that meld the best modern soul styles of both artists with a mutual affection for bossa rhythms! The duo pulls off the blend with what feels like an effortless grace – Julie's vocals are light, soulful and often quite jazzy in way which expands nicely on her previous work – with a backdrop of bass, Rhodes and B3, Moog, occasional horns and percussion. Nice! Tracks include "Moon Bossa", a sweet cover of Everything But The Girl's "My Baby Don't Love Me", "Salt Sea", "Venusian", "The Dove", "Salt Sea", "Venusian", "The Dove", "Sea And Sky", "Promises", "Wave" feat Kenny Latimore and more, plus 3 bonus remixes: "Venusian (Aquariana rmx)", "The Dove (Jiva remix)" and "Fooled By A Smile (Incognito remix)", plus "Moon Bossa (piano outro)". CD

An unusual lost jazz organ side from Rock Ferrante – a young player who was one of the few jazz musicians to record for Savoy in the 70s! The set's got a lean, clean style that's pretty nice – as Rock plays a Yamaha organ with a virtuosity that's surprising for his young age – a way of hitting the keys with incredibly fluidity, reminding us a fair bit of some of Jimmy Smith's earliest Blue Note work – touched with some of the cleaner organ sounds that came to be used in the wake of Walter Wanderley. Other players on the set aren't listed, but the group's a small one with guitar and a bit of drums – and titles include "Moon Rock", "Wave", "Blues-ette", "If", "The Beat Goes On", and "Lament". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the only time that Ella Fitzgerald recorded at the legendary Hollywood Bowl – but a fantastic unreleased set that has the singer serving up a stunning live version of her Irving Berlin Songbook material! The set features backings by Paul Weston, who'd handled the original record – who sounds far more groovy and swinging than on his own albums of the 50s, which were mostly mellower mood music. Instead, he does a great job of bringing out all the vibrancy in these songs – which got a tremendous update for a new generation on Ella's studio album, but sound maybe even more personal and powerful here. Titles include "Supper Time", "Heat Wave", "The Song Is Ended", "Cheek To Cheek", "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", "Let's Face The Music & Dance", "Let Yourself Go", and "Puttin On The Ritz". LP, Vinyl record album

A new wave crossover classic from The Flying Lizards – one of the quirkiest groups of their era! The group were European, but have a sound that resonates strongly with the most playful post-disco work of the New York scene of the time, particularly the acts on Ze Records – a groove that mixes equal part punky and clubby rhythms, often topped with lyrics that are cold, but clever, done in the same ironic arty style of Cristina, or Devo. This album's the group's standout opus – and features their classic covers of "Summertime Blues" and "Money" – as well as originals "The Flood", "TV", "The Window", and "Russia". LP, Vinyl record album