‘Phil Ranelin was a session trombonist for the likes of Steve Wonder before setting up the Tribe label with Wendell Harrison in Detroit… The title track is lusciously, greasily funky and stands in pretty stark contrast to the kind of airbrushed fusion that was in vogue at the time. Sounds From The Village is even better (and dirtier), showcasing Ranelin’s oily trombone gymnastics and a viciously fuzzed guitar solo… The obligatory Coltrane tribute He The One We All Knew is the kind of groove-based free-playing typical of Pharoah Sanders, though only really picks up when the band launch into post bop swing mode in the last six minutes or so… Beautiful stuff… Essential.’

From the mid-eighties, when he was lining up with Barry Guy and Paul Rutherford in Iskra 1903.
Spacious, detailed excursions layering violin, vocalese and electronics, Bach and a little dub.
Lovely, captivating stuff.

The marvellous Art Ensemble Of Chicago drummer, solo and duetting with cornettist Olu Dara in 1977-8 — ‘with extreme intimacy, sometimes exploring the sonority of his kit, sometimes extrapolating on a beat… alongside Dara, one of the great figures of the loft era and a wonderfully polymath musician [and Nas’ dad to boot]... stretching all the way out on the three dedications to Lester Bowie.’

Saxophonist Phillipe Maté has played with the Acting Trio, Jef Gilson and Butch Morris, amongst others; and that’s him on Jean-Claude Vannier’s brilliant L’Enfant Assassin Des Mouches. As the recording engineer of BYG, Daniel Vallancien worked alongside Anthony Braxton, Don Cherry and Sonny Sharrock; for Saravah he recorded Brigitte Fontaine and the Cohelmec Ensemble. From 1972, this free-form saxophone/electronics collaboration is another bonafide classic of the French musical underground, revived with characteristic panache by Souffle Continu.

‘The double bassist says this will be his last solo album, the final chapter of his Journal Violone. It is a beautiful and moving musical statement. All the qualities we associate with Barres playing are here in abundance: questing adventurousness, melodic invention, textural richness, developmental logic and deep soulfulness.’

Wonderful 1985 recording led by the brilliant cellist Tristan Honsinger, originally released by Data.
With trumpeter Toshinori Kondo, saxophonist Sean Bergen, Jean Jacques Avenel on bass, Michael Vatcher on drums and percussion, and Tiziana Simona Vigni singing.
‘Deceptively vicious little songs with hilarious twists and the kind of intense improvising you’d expect from a band that incorporates players of this calibre.’

This soundtrack to Romano Ferrara’s 1964 spy movie is one of PU’s best and most celebrated. Featuring Nini Rosso, Chet Baker, Bill Gilmore, Marcello Boschi and many others. Excellent sound, from the original analogue masters, with lots of bonus material; in a beautiful sleeve, with a reproduction of the original movie poster on the inside gatefold.

Kit Downes is on organ. Hayden Chisholm contributes alto saxophone, shruti box, analogue synthesizer, and throat singing. The vocals are by PJEV, a female a cappella vocal quintet from Zagreb devoted to the traditional singing of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

‘This is a remarkable, stirring piece of work that works right into your bones’ (Dusted).
​‘Your mind will be truly blown’ (Songlines).

Poor Isa — Ruben Machtelinckx and Frederik Leroux — playing woodblocks and prepared banjos; joined by Evan Parker, and Norwegian percussionist Ingar Zach.
Wonderful, moody, questing music, beautifully presented, in thick grey cardboard sleeves with foil stamping. Individually hand-numbered, in a first edition of just 150.
These are the last copies.
Strongly recommended.

‘At the heart of the album lies the resonance, focus and slightly surreal shapes conjured by guitarist Bill Frisell. These gain extra substance by Potter’s arrangements for trombone, clarinet and violin which, added to Potter’s own strident tones, add extra layers of tension and sonic possibility. Bags of detail, soloists in elegant form and the narrative drive of the excellent Nate Smith and Burniss Travis on drums and bass, complete an album that engages and grips.
‘The set, bookended by the stirring fanfares and collective improv of the title track, unfolds thrillingly through layered melodies and blues-rooted solos, hints of Americana and seriously funky grooves… Two bonus tracks are covers featuring the core quartet and are worth the price of the deluxe release’ (Mike Hobart, Financial Times).

A meditation on the white abolitionist John Brown’s 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, which aimed to ignite a massive armed slave revolt across the American South.
“Looked at from one angle, John Brown was a religious zealot who used violence to try and achieve his aims. From a different angle, he was on the right side of justice, and gave his life hoping others would be free.”

Steve Beresford, Luc Houtkamp, Martin Blume.

The legendary AMM drummer recorded roundabout his home village of Matching Tye, Essex, in amongst the acoustics and significance of the village green and All Saints church in High Laver (where John Locke is buried).
‘At times it sounds like he’s sharpening blades on a grinding wheel, as keening tones slowly scythe through the air. Elsewhere, he appears to be dragging the side of a cymbal against a bass drum skin, producing low groans that complement the glistening high end… In Air, Oak, Metal, Hair, Prevost’s cymbals whistle and shimmer as they catch the breeze.
‘Other tracks nod towards Prevost’s jazz background. MaxPlus draws inspiration from a Max Roach hi-hat study… Rotology touches on a range of drumming traditions, from East Asia to West Africa’ (The Wire).

Congo Call, such a killer. With Sonny Simmons.