Gibraltar Drakus was one of the key members of world music powerhouse Les Tetes Brulees back in the 80s – and here, he pays tribute to the legendary guitarist Theodore Zanzibar Epeme, whose sound was such a big part of the group! Guitar lines criss-cross wonderfully, really livening up some of the more electric rhythms on the album – reminding us that although production styles were changing at the time, music like this still really relied on the lively interplay of guitar and voice to spark the best sort of energy on the songs! Titles include "N'Nom Wom", "Exode Rural", "O Zanzibar", and "Mekeya A Dzal". CD

Remixes by Tony Humphries, Satoshi Tomie and Pal Joey. CD

... Cassette

Latifah's house hit, with remixes by Chicago house producers Julian "Jumpin" Perez and Fast Eddie. Also, a nice remix of Latifah's Law by Tony Humphries. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Gibraltar Drakus was one of the key members of world music powerhouse Les Tetes Brulees back in the 80s – and here, he pays tribute to the legendary guitarist Theodore Zanzibar Epeme, whose sound was such a big part of the group! Guitar lines criss-cross wonderfully, really livening up some of the more electric rhythms on the album – reminding us that although production styles were changing at the time, music like this still really relied on the lively interplay of guitar and voice to spark the best sort of energy on the songs! Titles include "N'Nom Wom", "Exode Rural", "O Zanzibar", and "Mekeya A Dzal". LP, Vinyl record album

A tight, old school set of jazz from the Dutch American All Stars – a group that features trumpeter John Marshall, pianist Hod O'Brien, bassist Jacques Schols, and drummer Peter Ypma – all playing here in very relaxed, familiar company! There's nothing too fancy or overdone with these tunes – and they spin out with that easygoing feel we love in any album that has O'Brien on piano – a mature mode of jazz that never tries too hard to overstate its case, but gets plenty of greatness done along the way. Marshall's horn has all the sparkling tones we love in other Blue Jack Jazz recordings, and the basswork from Schols really adds a nice undercurrent of soul to the set. Titles include "Joop's Lope", "Forecast", "Quasimodo", "Frisky", "Milestones", and "Zanzibar". CD

A charming little set from the great Dave Frishberg – easily one of the hippest singers and songwriters in jazz during the past few decades! The set's got Dave working solo – just singing along with his own piano accompaniment – in a whimsical way that matches the same sort of energy you'd get from Blossom Dearie or Bob Dorough in a similar setting – both good comparisons, given how much each have sung some of Frishberg's tunes! And as a way of tipping his hat back, the set features a great version of Dearie's "Long Daddy Green" – plus an extended "Johnny Hodges Medley", and loads of great tunes that include "The Dear Departed Past", "Eloise", "One Horse Town", "Zanzibar", and "Blizzard Of Lies". CD

A double-length set – and one that's got plenty of space for wide-ranging power from guitarist Volker Kriegel! The set builds beautifully off the energy that Volker had in the Dave Pike Set – with a similar blend of funk and psychedelic influences, all filtered down beautifully in wicked MPS vibe – lots of space between the notes, and a balance that never gets too jamming or rocking – which is plenty pleasing to our ears! Volker's got an amazing tone on some of these tunes – and other hip players include John Taylor on electric piano, Cees See on flute and percussion, soprano and tenor sax from Alan Skidmore, tenor from Heinz Sauer, trombone from Albert Mangelsdorff, and bass from Eberhard Weber. Tunes really run a nice range of styles – some getting trippy, some a bit exotic, and plenty nice and funky, too! Titles include "Slums On Wheels", "The E Again", "Zanzibar", "Missing Link", and "Lastic Plemon". LP, Vinyl record album

A prime Argo gem from James Moody – and key proof that when he wanted to, he could be one of the hippest cats working in 60s jazz! The approach here is subtle, but amazing – a blend of hardbop with some of the more modern ideas that were coming up in the post-bop generation from the team of Moody and Dizzy Gillespie. The rhythms are quite complicated at times – very fresh and vibrant, but without any of the easy gimmicks that other 60s artists would fall into – like vamping soul jazz or borrowed bossa lines. Instead, working in a combo with a young Kenny Barron, Moody concentrates on fresh timings and complicated changes – modes that push his own work on alto, tenor, and flute far from expected territory – and which also features Barron on piano and organ, George Eskridge on guitar, Chris White on bass, and Rudy Collins on drums. Tracks include "Zanzibar", "Dizzy", "Ole", "Sonnymoon For Two", and a nice version of "Fly Me To The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Alex Attias has always given us some really creative sounds in his own music – so we've got some mighty high expectations when he brings together a selection of tracks by other artists for BBE! Fortunately, the record not only lives up to those expectations, but does them one better – by opening us up to some overlooked contemporary cuts that all have the cosmic touches of Attias' work on the London scene – then interweaving them with some older tracks that resonate even more strongly in the territory! There's some wonderful work from recent years that show just how far the best side of the broken beat legacy has evolved – and other older cuts have a cosmic vibe that's plenty righteous too, with some great jazzy currents that really deepen the vibe of the collection. Titles include "Midnight Magic" by Cro Magnon with Roy Ayers, "My Dream Came True" by Root Soul, "Cascade" by Tatham Mensah Lord & Ranks, "Do The Dance" by Grooveman Spot, "Over & Over" by Material with Nona Hendryx, "Curiosity (Zanzibar rmx)" by Nicole Willis, "Could You Be Me (Theo's SS translation)" by Kathy Kosins & Paul Randolph, "Earth Overshoot Day (Hugo LX rmx)" by Cotonete, "Party Hardy (Alex Attias edit)" by Velvet Hammer, "Her Boyfriend Assesses His Value & Pleads His Case" by Kip Hanrahan, and "It's You (disco alert mix)" by Sunaga T Experience. CD

Radio broadcasts – sponsored by the Treasury Department! Volume 3 collects two full treasury shows as well as a performance from the New Zanzibar club broadcast by NBC. Tracks include "Black & Tan Fantasy", "Clementine", "All At Once", "Blue Cellophane", "West Indian Dance", "Harlem Air Shaft", "In A Mellotone", plus rare wartime bond promos. CD

Titles include "Big Shot", "Zanzibar", "Rosalinda's Eyes", "Half A Mile Away", "Until The Night", "Honesty", and the huge hit "My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album from the early 70s – one that has Sergio and crew doing Brazilian tracks with a bit of an LA studio feel – one that takes their older bossa groove into even more soulful territory! Dave Grusin and Tom Scott did the arrangements, both in the best styles of their key early work – which means that things are tight, but never to slick or overpolished. The album's a real standout gem that links together 2 different period's of Sergio's career – and titles include wonderful versions of "Asa Branca" and "Zanzibar", plus a version of "Pais Tropical", done here in one of the best versions we've ever heard! Other tracks include "So Many People", "Gone Forever", "I Know You", "After Midnight", "Morro Velho" and "Tonga". LP, Vinyl record album

Alex Attias has always given us some really creative sounds in his own music – so we've got some mighty high expectations when he brings together a selection of tracks by other artists for BBE! Fortunately, the record not only lives up to those expectations, but does them one better – by opening us up to some overlooked contemporary cuts that all have the cosmic touches of Attias' work on the London scene – then interweaving them with some older tracks that resonate even more strongly in the territory! There's some wonderful work from recent years that show just how far the best side of the broken beat legacy has evolved – and other older cuts have a cosmic vibe that's plenty righteous too, with some great jazzy currents that really deepen the vibe of the collection. Titles include "Midnight Magic" by Cro Magnon with Roy Ayers, "My Dream Came True" by Root Soul, "Cascade" by Tatham Mensah Lord & Ranks, "Do The Dance" by Grooveman Spot, "Over & Over" by Material with Nona Hendryx, "Curiosity (Zanzibar rmx)" by Nicole Willis, and "It's You (disco alert mix)" by Sunaga T Experience. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully beautiful package – filled with gems from the central African scene of the 50s – all packaged together with a huge book of notes that's as wonderful as the music itself! The set culls together vintage singles from the Congo, Tanganyika, Zanzibar, and Kenya – not as random rare records, but instead to showcase some fantastic musical trends that were taking place in African music during the postwar years – particularly as influences from the Caribbean were starting to hit those shores in the form of imported phonograph records. Many of these tracks showcase some fantastic acoustic guitar work along with a very hypnotic singer – while others show maybe the beginning of the Cuban influence that would come into the fold even more during the 60s – and as usual with Dust-To-Digital, the book-like presentation is as much of a history lesson and travelogue as it is a treasure trove of music. 47 tracks in all – presented beautifully! CD

A charming little set from the great Dave Frishberg – easily one of the hippest singers and songwriters in jazz during the past few decades! The set's got Dave working solo – just singing along with his own piano accompaniment – in a whimsical way that matches the same sort of energy you'd get from Blossom Dearie or Bob Dorough in a similar setting – both good comparisons, given how much each have sung some of Frishberg's tunes! And as a way of tipping his hat back, the set features a great version of Dearie's "Long Daddy Green" – plus an extended "Johnny Hodges Medley", and loads of great tunes that include "The Dear Departed Past", "Eloise", "One Horse Town", "Zanzibar", and "Blizzard Of Lies". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Big Shot", "Zanzibar", "Rosalinda's Eyes", "Half A Mile Away", "Until The Night", "Honesty", and the huge hit "My Life". CD

A double-length set – and one that's got plenty of space for wide-ranging power from guitarist Volker Kriegel! The set builds beautifully off the energy that Volker had in the Dave Pike Set – with a similar blend of funk and psychedelic influences, all filtered down beautifully in wicked MPS vibe – lots of space between the notes, and a balance that never gets too jamming or rocking – which is plenty pleasing to our ears! Volker's got an amazing tone on some of these tunes – and other hip players include John Taylor on electric piano, Cees See on flute and percussion, soprano and tenor sax from Alan Skidmore, tenor from Heinz Sauer, trombone from Albert Mangelsdorff, and bass from Eberhard Weber. Tunes really run a nice range of styles – some getting trippy, some a bit exotic, and plenty nice and funky, too! Titles include "Slums On Wheels", "The E Again", "Zanzibar", "Missing Link", and "Lastic Plemon". CD

One of the grooviest Brazilian albums you could ever hope to buy – and one that's not even from Brazil, either! This little gem was recorded in France in the early 70s – but it's got a swinging groove that's very similar to the work of Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 during the 60s – upbeat, bossa-inflected, and with a strong undercurrent of jazz! Mesquita's group is a lot like Sergio's – right down to its mix of two vocalists on the lyrics – but there's a few important differences: this group's got one male and one female singer, a lot more percussion than Sergio ever used, and an overall sound that's less pop-oriented, and much harder overall! The whole album's great – tight, driving, and lively, with some incredible production – and titles include "Balanca Pema", "Dabadeia", "Aguas De Marco", "Fechado Pra Balanco", "Zanzibar", and "O Gato". LP, Vinyl record album

A tight, old school set of jazz from the Dutch American All Stars – a group that features trumpeter John Marshall, pianist Hod O'Brien, bassist Jacques Schols, and drummer Peter Ypma – all playing here in very relaxed, familiar company! There's nothing too fancy or overdone with these tunes – and they spin out with that easygoing feel we love in any album that has O'Brien on piano – a mature mode of jazz that never tries too hard to overstate its case, but gets plenty of greatness done along the way. Marshall's horn has all the sparkling tones we love in other Blue Jack Jazz recordings, and the basswork from Schols really adds a nice undercurrent of soul to the set. Titles include "Joop's Lope", "Forecast", "Quasimodo", "Frisky", "Milestones", and "Zanzibar". CD

A later set by Jackie & Roy, but still plenty darn great – and not nearly as hokey as you might expect from the title! All tracks are sea-themed – but the range of work is surprisingly sophisticated, and perfectly illustrates the ever-deep quality of the Jackie & Roy sound, even at a time when it would be easy for the pair to fall into simple cliches of their older work. As before, the pair display a wonderful ear for a compelling tune – and draw here on work from traditional sources, as well as the hipper end of the jazz songwriting spectrum – work by Tommy Wolf, Mark Murphy, Dave Frishberg, and even Herbie Hancock. The set includes a great vocalese take on "Dolphin Dance", the original number "Full Moon", a slight reworking of "Song Of The Boy & The Dolphins", and the tracks "Boats", "The Shining Sea", "Moon Over Miami", "Home By The Sea", "Zanzibar", and "Sand In My Shoes". CD