Live street funk at its hottest. Sizzling versions of most of the early singles; plus three vocal cuts from the fabulous Betty Barney, who continued to work with the brothers right through the 1970s.

Gorgeous singing by Carlton (from Carlton & The Shoes and The Abyssinians), with tasty nyabinghi drumming in the accompaniment.
“I was writing songs but I didn’t record until 1968. I did one song for Lee Scratch Perry. He gave me £5 and then I didn’t hear anything more about it. Then I went down to Mrs Pottinger, did one song for her named Live and Love on the Gay Feet label. It was played on the radio for a couple of days and it wasn’t going anywhere really because she had some good artists down there at the time and they did some songs that were doing well, so my song wasn’t getting much promotion and it wasn’t being played. I think I heard it twice on the radio and then I didn’t hear it anymore.”

A stupendous, exhilarating mix of Afro-Latino roots, out-jazz and rollicking dance rhythms by this top-notch twenty-piece, from 1988. Killer.

A precious, previously unreleased live recording from 1977, when Jacques ‘Jeter La Girafe A La Mer’ Thollot was drummer.

‘Earl is on another level. The way he deploys his skill, humor, and encyclopedic knowledge of hip-hop has made him one of the most effortlessly deep and cool rappers alive’ (Pitchfork).

Conscious lovers — Paulette’s own upful, considered advice, delivered with fresh, youthful persuasiveness, and deadly horns. Another killer one-away.

‘What would happen if Erykah Badu, DJ Screw and Sa-Ra had a baby? You’d get Liv.e’ (NPR).
‘Martian soul music’ (Fader).

264 pages of essays, librettos, lyrics, memories, nuff photos, scores, personal anecdotes by musicians, visual artists, researchers and archivists; including contributions by Mary Jane Leach, George Lewis and Kodwo Eshun, besides Eastman in his own words.
Bracingly hostile towards settled, sanctimonious thinking about the composer and musician — Hans Werner Henze’s favourite bass player, featured on Arthur Russel’s Go Bang — especially any squaring off his sexuality and skin colour in relation to canonical minimalism, this is a punchy, immersive, diverse and thought-provoking homage.

Remastered from the original tape reels, this is the first official release of the legendary guitarist’s live recordings at the Penthouse jazz club, alongside bassist Sebastiao Neto and drummer Paulinho Magalhaes. With an extensive forty-page booklet containing rare photos of the performances; an essay by jazz critic Greg Caz; new statements by Carlos Santana, Lalo Schifrin, and others; and an effusive tribute by the John Fahey.