William S. Fischer - Circles 1970 (Embryo Records)

Label : Embryo Records

Value :

Super-righteous work from William S Fischer -- the ultra-hip arranger who was one of the most important forces in the late 60s underground soul jazz scene! Fischer is best known for his work with Eugene McDaniels, Eddie Harris, and Les McCann -- almost akin to the sorts of collaborative influence that David Axelrod had with Cannonball Adderley or Lou Rawls, but with a style that was decidedly darker, and trippier. This album's one of the few ever recorded under his own name -- originally done for the tripped-out jazz imprint Embryo, and featuring a unique blend of moog, strings, funk, and soul! Billy Cobham plays drums and percussion on the set, Bill Robinson sings on a few numbers, and Walter Sear adds in some extra moog next to Fischer's own work -- but the real brilliance comes from the overall concept -- funky one minute, laidback and trippy the next, very much in the spirit of some of the righteous crossover funk, soul, and rock recordings coming from McDaniels and Axelrod at the time! 

Taste :

William S. Fischer - Chains 

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By Electric Looser

Rupa Biswas - Disco Jazz 1982 (Megaphone)

Label :  Megaphone

Value :

A record that's got to be one of the coolest recorded in Calgary during the early 80s -- as it offers up a really unusual blend of modes that definitely lives up to its title, and which also borrows a bit from Indian music as well! Singer Rupa Biswas fronts a group that's equally strong on the instrumental tip, and which allow for plenty of room in the tracks to let the players stretch out and solo -- in a blend of keyboards and guitar with more traditional sarod and tablas! Rhythms are mostly upbeat, but in ways that are more interesting than the "disco" title implies -- especially in 1982 -- and the whole thing's maybe first a funky fusion record, which then borrows a bit from Indian percussion, then adds in Rupa's vocals in the lead.

Taste :

Rupa Biswas - Disco Jazz (full album)

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By Electric Looser

Tee Mac Featuring: Majorie Barnes - Night Illusion 1980 (S.K.J. Records)

Label : S.K.J. Records

Value :

The distinguished UK label has dug up yet another tasty soul nugget, this from Nigeria's disco boogie scene. Originally released in 1980, Tee Mac's Night Illusion is one of the foreign private press joints that even the most knowledgable diggers might not be aware of. Produced in tiny numbers on the enigmatic artists' own S.K.J. imprint, the record is still unknown outside its native country. Thankfully Soul Jazz comes to the rescue (again!) and gives this lost masterpiece a long overdue reissue. From Soul Jazz: "The timelessness of this soulful, ground-breaking funk jazz lost masterpiece Night Illusion leads to comparisons with James Mason’s legendary lost classic album Rhythm of Life, with his unique individualism and intensity hinting at the boogie funk of groups such as Mass Production and Slave so loved by artists such as Moodyman and Theo Parrish. While Fela Kuti is now a cultural icon of Nigerian music throughout the world, the recent crossover success of William Onyeabor shows just how much undiscovered Nigerian music remains waiting to be explored outside of the country. Tee Mac was born in Lagos, the son of a Nigerian princess and a Swiss diplomat. He picked up the flute at age 7 and ten years later was studying classical musical in Switzerland under his uncle the composer J.J. Direndirger. Returning to Lagos, Nigeria in 1970 he formed the heavyweight afro rock group Tee Mac and Afro Collection (which included Johnny Haastrup on keyboards and The Lijadu Sisters on vocals). This band was famously joined by the legendary Cream drummer Ginger Baker who came to Nigeria to play with them in 1971 (captured in the film Ginger Baker in Africa). At age 24, Tee Mac moved to Germany where he co-wrote and recorded the European disco group Silver Convention (whose ‘Fly Robin Fly’ became number one in the USA charts). This enabled him to return to Nigeria where he formed his own label SKJ Records to release his self-financed album Night Illusion...

Taste :

Tee Mac - A Certain Way To Go

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By Electric Looser

The Blackbyrds – Better Days 1980 (Fantasy)

Label : Echoes

Value :

Sweet warm grooves from the mighty Blackbyrds - a set that has George Duke working with the group, giving them some of the electric vibe of his own great work! The sound is less sharply funky than the early days of the group, but still mighty nice.

*This cover shows up for the first time on the web.

Taste :

The Blackbyrds - Do It Girl

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By Electric Looser

Masabumi Kikuchi Quintet - End For The Beginning 1975 (Philips)

Label : Philips

Value :

One of the most soulful sessions we've ever heard from Japanese pianist Masabumi Kikuchi -- a brilliant quintet outing that features some really great work on tenor and soprano sax! Kikuchi's piano is usually enough to grab our attention, but the album's got a great added bonus in the presence of Kosuke Mine on soprano sax and Hideo Miyata on tenor -- both players whose horns bring in some added sharpness to the date, and further underscore the spiritual elements in Kikuchi's music -- almost with the same mix of reeds and driving rhythms you'd find in the post-Coltrane work of Elvin Jones.

Taste :

Masabumi Kikuchi Quintet - Drizzling Rain

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By Electric Looser

Juan Pablo Torres - Cuba Disco 1984 (On The Rocks)

Label : On The Rocks

Value :

One of the most unusual albums ever cut by the legendary Latin jazz trombonist Juan Pablo Torres – and one of the grooviest, too – a special set that was recorded in Milan in the mid 80s, with backings by a sweet group who do a great job of blending Latin rhythms, clubby grooves, and just the right touch of jazz! Juan's on trombone in the lead – working with the Algo Nuevo group, which features the mighty Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano, Fender Rhodes, and other keyboards – plus trumpet work from Adalberto Lore, who balances out Torres' sound in a really great way! There's both a mix of electric and acoustic percussion on the set, and the groove is more 80s club than 70s disco – and also comes across with the style of some of the more unusual hybrids that you'd be likely to find on the Areito label during Juan's generation in Cuba.

Taste :

Juan Pablo Torres - Bermuda Triangle

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By Electric Looser

Ike Reiko - You, Baby 1971 (Teichiku Records)

Label : Teichiku Records

Value :

A really unusual record from early 70s Japan -- one that features vocals from erotic actress Reiko Ike -- done in a mode that's very similar to her sexy appearances on screen! And in fact, when we say "vocals", maybe "vocalizations" should be more the case -- as many of these tracks are sexy grunts, groans, and exclamations -- mixed with a bit of more conventional singing -- set to instrumentation that's groovy and jazzy, and which has some nice soundtrack modes in the styles -- all almost like an audio equivalent of softcore porn, with a quality that's enough to make Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin blush! 

Taste :

Ike Reiko - Giddiness

Ike Reiko - Love Slave

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By Electric Looser

Akira Ishikawa - Back To Rhythm 1975 (Columpia)

Label : Columpia

Value :

Heavy funk from a hip Japanese combo -- one that features lots of drums and percussion from leader Akira Ishikawa, plus plenty of guitar, keyboards, and hard-riffing horns! Akira's taking most of his cues here from American funk of the early 70s -- work by Incredible Bongo Band, BT Express, and others -- but he often serves up the music with a fair bit of conga work at the front of the arrangements, in a way that takes familiar tunes and gives them a much rootsier, earthier kind of groove! The approach is unique, but totally great -- and the album's a funk album unlike anything else we can think of -- quite unusual even for the experimental Japanese scene of the time. 

Taste :

Akira Ishikawa - Love Is The Answer

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By Electric Looser

Tony Joe White – Black And White 1969 (Monument)

Label :  Monument

Value :

Damn soulful work from Tony Joe White – exactly the kind of set that shows why he was so great at skirting both the borders of rock and soul music at the end of the 60s! There's a really fresh, new groove going on here – a vibe that shows an artist who's spent a decade drawing in all the best elements of Memphis and Muscle Shoals, with a slight touch of Nashville country at times too (no surprise, given the Monuments Records release of the set) – but also a more biting singer/songwriter ethos that really pushes the whole thing out to a much bigger rockish vibe! Drums are amazing – played by Jerry Carrigan with an especially funky quality on side one – and the tunes are a mix of great originals by White – many of which would be covered by others in years to come – plus some well-chosen covers, too. Tracks include "Soul Francisco", "Willie & Laura Mae Jones", "Polk Salad Annie", "Aspen Colorado", "Who's Makin Love", and "Scratch My Back".

Taste :

Tony Joe White - Whompt Out On You

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By Electric Looser

Johnny Bristol - Hang On In There Baby 1974 (MGM)

Label : MGM

Value :

The first solo album from Johnny Bristol - a genius soul talent who did a bunch of great work for Motown as a writer and arranger, breaking out here on his own! Like so many other behind the scenes talents from the late 60s, Johnny turned out to be an excellent soul artist in his own right -- even though he only got to cut a rare few albums during the 70s -- and this debut album already has him emerging straight away as a fully-formed talent! The vibe is a great mix of Detroit and California Motown -- arranged by HB Barnum, and produced with a style that's tight, but still open and fluid too. Backings mix soulful strings with sweet harmonies -- and lots of the tunes have a great 70s mellow soul groove.

Taste :

Johnny Bristol - Woman Woman

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By Electric Looser

Cal Tjader - Demasiado Caliente 1960 (Fantasy)

Label : Fantasy

Value :

One of Cal Tjader's lesser-known Latin sessions from his Fantasy Records years -- a nice little cooker with some great arrangements from Eddie Cano, who also plays piano on the set! The album features two different groups -- one a more familiar Tjader quartet with Lonnie Hewitt on piano and Jose Lozano on flute -- the other a slightly larger group led by Cano, featuring Eddie on pian, Modesto Briseno on flute and alto, and Tony Terran on trumpet. Tracks are shortish, but plenty darn great -- and Cal's vibes get some great company from the piano and horn players on the date.

Taste :

Cal Tjader - Demasiado Caliente (full album)

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By Electric Looser

Chick Corea - Return To Forever 1972 (ECM)

Label : ECM

Value :

One of Chick Corea's greatest moments on record – the self-titled album by the legendary Return To Forever group – a combo that included Joe Farrell on saxes, Flora Purim on vocals, Airto on percussion, and Stanley Clarke on bass! The sound is archetypal 70s fusion at its best – filled with soaring electric keyboard work from Chick, and plenty of great Brazilian touches by Airto and Flora. Farrell's reeds help the tunes get a really sharp edge, especially once they get going – and the whole album is an electric piano classic through and through, filled with great titles that include "Sometime Ago/La Fiesta", "Return To Forever", "Crystal Silence", and "What Game Shall We Play Today".

Taste :

Chick Corea - Return To Forever  (full album)

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By Electric Looser

Don Ellis - Soaring 1973 (MPS)

 

Label : MPS

Value :

A well-titled album from trumpeter Don Ellis – as the set soars to the skies from the very first note! The album's got a dynamic energy that almost beats Don's American work of the time – lots of funky rhythms, and a cool MPS groove that shows the label's strong 70s legacy of larger group jazz recordings! Like other MPS dates of the time, there's a nice mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation in the lineup – bass and guitar that kick the rhythms up strongly, plus keyboards and electrified strings that bring in their own unique sounds.

Taste :

Don Ellis - Go Back Home

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By Electric Looser

Payfone & Kyd Nereida – I Feel You 2023 (Leng)

If slo-mo electronic disco with a Balearic twist is your bag, then this team-up between London-based duo Payfone (AKA James Day and Phil Passera) and vocalist Kyd Nereida is one to check for sure. Nereida's wistful vox are the star of the show here, and sit atop a warm and velvety musical backdrop that's definitely more suited to poolside chillin' or post-club sofa-surfing than it is to peaktime dancefloor abandon - though that's not to say its bass-y, keys-flecked groove isn't infectious. Things take a turn for the spacier on a brace of rerubs from label boss Mudd, while a radio edit completes the package.

Taste :

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By Electric Looser

Coyote - Magic Wand Special Editions Vol 7 2022 (Magic Wand)

Label : Magic Wand

Value :

The Coyote lads take a moment to chill from their ever-steady output on their Is It Balearic? label to drop this pearler for the Magic Wand edit series. It won't take a private gumshoe to work out the source material for 'Kate's Bush (Nocturnal Edit)', but you won't have heard the original simmering quite like this brooding version before. 'Kool Kats' is dripping in yacht rock delight with Mercurial vocal trysts over the top, while 'Lee Sure (Black Hashish Dub)' takes things far out into pure sundown wind-down territory. 'El Verano' completes the set with a beautiful, dusty lick of 70s funk, complete with sultry trumpet and the lightest of FX touches.

Taste :

Coyote - Lee Sure (Black Hashish Dub)

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By Electric Looser