"Survival Of The Fittest" - The Headhunters
The epitome of jazz funk fusion - Hancock's band kickin it without the master - and while the boss was away (well, he did produce it actually) these cats played a storm - tight and spaced out funk of the highest order, this first was their finest...
"Da All Nighta" - The Primeridian
Puttin the 'hip' back into hip-hop - Primeridian have classic rhyming skillz and hot jazzy beats, landing in Digable Planets/Black Star territory and as good as either - if you like your hip-hop cool ug this is most definitely for you...
"Toeachizown" - Dam Funk
Superior electroid Boogie Funk from LA's Dam FuNK - "Toeachizown" sees a battery of vintage synth and drum machines deployed in totally deadly funk patterns, grooving very hard indeed in a spaced out kinda way - unique, lush and essential...
"Lunatico" - Gotan Project
Second from French tango-meisters has a more organic feel - using lots of talent from Buenos Aries, including horns, piano and some great torchy vocals - the electro beats are toned down a little and it's all the better for it - excellente...
"Mephisto" - Various Artists
Glorious collection of funky bouncy housey 12s from Mephisto Records of San Francisco - 100% solid beaty chunks, or is that chunky beats...
"Panama 2" - Various Artists
Indie Soundway score again - volume two of Miles Cleret's Panamanian finds picks up where the first left off - focussed on straightish ethnic latin tunes with that particular isthmus bent, with some funk and and souful numbers for good measure - gold...
"Mambo Rage" - Snowboy and the Latin Section
Mark "Snowboy" Cotgrove made his name playing on seminal acid-jazz records by the likes of Shakatak, Mother Earth, and the James Taylor Quartet. After his 1996 release, Pit Bull Latin Jazz, Snowboy became a household name to those who argue that...
"Zero Accidents On The Job" - Various Artists
Since its launch in 1990, David Byrne's Luaka Bop label has quietly amassed a very impressive catalog, as this anthology clearly illustrates. While a lot of it tends toward the more cutting edge of world music (Cornershop, Tom Ze), there's still the sh...
"Malo" - Malo
No Description Available No Track Information Available Media Type: CD Artist: MALO Title: MALO Street Release Date: 05/09/1995 Domestic Genre: ROCK/POP
"Some Of My Best Friends..." - Kid Koala
Wick Wick Wicked turntablism and abstract beats from Canada's finest - distinguished by THE most out-there samplings this side of lable-mate Mr. Scruff - Hawaiian guitar, Dixieland jazz, old school ska - you name it - the Kid works it - great listening...
"Up From The Vaults Volume 1" - Various Artists
Collection of burrrnin' funk '45s from the worshipful Soul Fire label - New York keepers of the funky flame - on the one every time - buy everything these guys put out...
"Libra/Another Earth" - Gary Bartz
Bartz is rightly famed for his work with fusion period Miles Davis, but his solo work is overlooked - this 2fer brings together two late 60's straight jazz offerings which are a treat from start to finish - Bartz playing is superlative and distinctive...
"Global Warmbeats" - Sabo And Zeb
Tasty release from respected house duo Sabo and Zeb shows off skills in a variety of funky flavours from a big rhythmic palette, all with cool housey ear candy - another winner from Italian indy greats Irma...
"Psychomania" - John Cameron
This is not a reissue. This is the first time this cult biker soundtrack has ever been heard. Another massive soundtrack release from Trunk following their Wicker Man and Kes albums. Psychomania is a cult movie -- a cult biker movie and there's probabl...
"Funky Swedish Meatballs" - Various Artists
Fine collection of Scandinavian funk, jazz and simply unclassifiable nuggets put together for a laugh by Peter Nicklasson and actually a very fine set - know we know where DJ Shadow pulls his breaks from :) - many thanks Peter...
"Thunder Soul" - Kashmere Stage Band
High school stage bands were common in the 60's and 70's - some good, some excellent - but the band of Houston's Kashmere High was AWESOME - under the inspired hand of Conrad Johnson, KSB produced some of the funkinest funk EVER - prepare to be amazed...
"Nuyorican Soul" - Nuyorican Soul
Masters At Work got inspired working with Tito Puente on the Mambo Kings soundtrack and spawned the NS collective with Roy Ayers and a host of guests that gave us this fine eclectic mix of Latin Jazz House and Hip-Hop tunes - a genre-busting landmark...
"Supreme Lyricism" - Gift Of Gab
Classic mixtape material from Blackalicious MC - Gift Of Gab is a supreme lyricist indeed and this mix is the proof - some great guests, some great turntablism plus otherwise unreleased material make for a top flight release - treat yourself, get this...
"Bayani" - Blue Scholars
"Bayani" marks a creative and emotional leap forward for Blue Scholars. The four years since recording their first album has been marked by four years of war and uncertainty. People everywhere are looking for answers, growing tired of the banality a...
"Spirit in Stone" - Lifesavas
Very fine very soulful very bouncy beats and intelligent and entertaining rhymes from Portlands finest(?) hip-hop crew - conscious and accessible - excellent party food - f Gift O Gab and a sprinkling of other Quannum alumni - bumpin...
"Mutima" - Cecil McBee
Top flight bass man Cecil McBee's first session as leader for Strata East resulted in the jazz glory that is "Mutima" - one of the bext albums on the label imho - McBee's compositions are strongly afro-centric 'spiritual' on this and his playing is phenomenal - "From Within" features McBee playing two double basses simultaneously at points playing the feedback generated between them! Brilliant...
"Expansions" - Lonnie Liston Smith
Milestone fusion album - high point of Smith's funky spiritual afro-centric Vision - anybody old enough to have had ears in 75 will certainly remember this one with great affection - THAT bassline from 'Expansions', yummmm.....
"Our Man Crichton" - Dave Lee
Fascinating Brit jazz offering from pianist, orchestra leader, arranger, songwriter and film composer Dave Lee - based around songs written for a West End musical ('Our Man Crichton' unsurprisingly) this album is a brassy jazzed up set with plenty of excellent soloing from a top drawer band including Tubby Hayes and Dave himself on piano...
"Songs Of Icon" - Lekan Babalola
Percussionist Lekan Babalola has played with a stellar list of artists including Fela Kuti, Ernest Ranglin and Roy Ayers - this solo album occupies a unique jazzy space between latin and afrobeat - hear it to believe it - Mr Bongo strikes gold again!...
"Akoustic Band" - Chick Corea
1989 saw seminal fusion keyboards man returning to his acoustic roots with a piano, bass and drums trio - perhaps not his best acoustic work, but the kinda fusionist arrangements played this way make for great listening - and all 3 can REALLY play...
"Bacchanal and 1969" - Gabor Szabo
Gifted Hungarian guitarist who cut his teeth with the influential and out-there Chico Hamilton Quintet - GS's solo work is a really unique blend of jazz, pop, gypsy and asian influences - all this and breaks to die for ! - superb guitar led psyche jazz...
"United States Of Mind" - Horace Silver
Bringing together three of Horace Silver's early 70's albums in one release, 'United States of Mind' is a generous slab of soulful spiritual jazz lyricism - put down by some as too mainstream, this period of his work is just fine by us! Essential...
"Funky Freedom" - Gumbo Brothers
The Gumbo Brothers bring you a generous slab of bayou funk, by way of Venice Beach - great tunes, indepently produced and released and well worth your valuable time...
"Bayekeleye" - Mose Fanfan
Solid rump shakin Congolese rumba from veteran guitarist and one time innovator with Franco's TKO Jazz - a truly joyous noise...
"Bongo Rock" - Incredible Bongo Band
And, yes, the bongos are incredible - scratch band assembled for a B-movie soundtrack stuck together and created this veritable goldmine of breaks - mostly drum-centric covers of classic rock tunes - probably the most sampled album of all time...
