The grizzly-monster original 1984 cut (not the Power House do-over), plus shoot-out dub; with a Steve Knight excursion on the flip.

Deep, rough, hypnotic recordings of the Fulani lute (and singing), made by this inspirational French label around Douentza and Bamako, Mali, between 2002-2004.

Beautifully direct Wassoulou songs by the twenty-year-old accompanied only by N’Gou Bagayoko on acoustic guitar.

‘A retrospective of the forty-member Somali supergroup featured on Sweet As Broken Dates. Turkish synths, Jamaican Reggae, American brass, Bollywood vocals, Egyptian and Yemeni rhythms, and Chinese and Mongolian flutes all rendezvous in a corner of East Africa that for centuries served as the world’s most brisk trading hub, the midway point connecting Africa, Asia, and the Mediterranean. This is Somali music at its sassy, soulful, synthesized best. The LP comes with a poster inspired by the political banners of 1980s Djibouti; the CD in a hard cover, with a 12-page booklet.’

‘Wasulu hunter music, griot praise-song, Senufo pastoral dances, Fula and Mandingo music, hypnotically mixed in with Western psychedelia, blues, and afro-beat; led by Zani Diabaté’s stunning guitar-playing. Recorded at Radio Mali in 1982.’

Bluesy, free, spiritual jazz from St Louis. Recorded in 1982; still freshly rugged and intimately engaging.
Right away you can hear saxophonist Maurice Malik King’s indebtedness to Albert Ayler, with whom he studied at the turn of the sixties in NY, before returning to the Midwest. Two more long-term activists of the post-bop underground — both embedded in New Mexico — Qaiyim Shabazz plays congas, and the outstanding bass-playing is by Zimbabwe Nkenya, who has collaborated with Ku-umba Frank Lacy, Julius Hemphill, William Parker, and a host of others.

James Brown and Barry White mixed in with classical Arabic and raï music, and a little house and techno…featuring a knockout version of Shaft.