Big-hearted, wonderful album from 1972, which combines funk with Aylerized gospel and free and soul jazz, without any of them losing out.

Including a killer mix of Homeward Bound, the Creation Steppers’ blazing update of The Skatalites’ Confucius; a heavy Spear and a heavier Fred Locks (with Reggae Reggae Sauce rocking the mic).

The Celtic harpist leading a dozen friends — guitar, piano, violins, flutes, zarb, zither — in spell-binding departures from Breton folk-song, originally released in 1976 but fresh and strange as a vermillion hydrangea in full bloom.

Noguès was to collaborate with Rabih Abou-Khalil, amongst others, but ‘we are reminded here of the Meredith Monk of Greensleeves, there the early albums of Brigitte Fontaine / Areski, elsewhere Emmanuelle Parrenin, Pascal Comelade… Noguès’ poetry is ever-changing: airy (Hunvre), cosmopolitan (Pinvidik Eo Va C’hemener), enigmatic (Ar Bugel Koar), profound (Ar Gemenerez), enchanting (Hirness An Devezhiou). And then there is Marc’h Gouez itself, between nursery rhyme and chamber music, weaving a fabulous, transfixing web. “Brittany equals poetry,” said André… Breton; and Kristen Noguès proves it to be true.’

Lovely stuff; dream-like, captivating; quite different. Check it out.

After two years’ preoccupation with the Miles Davis Quartet, here is Herbie in 1968, ready for the seventies, the old, uptight bebop instincts melting into the balmy, open, innocent textures of fluegelhorn, bass trombone and alto flute, and his own lightly beautiful playing.
‘Classic Vinyl series.’

‘Classic Vinyl.’

Masterpiece. Top-drawer songwriting — thoughtful, soulful lyrics and ace tunes — and definitive performances. In the top three Studio One LPs; one of the greatest reggae LPs of all time.

The bees knees in soulful rocksteady. The elegant, poised singer rides killer Studio One rhythms by Jackie Mittoo and co, featuring magisterial soloing and beautiful backing vocals. Unmissable classics like How Can I Love Someone and Don’t Know. It’s a must.

Their third LP; generally considered their best. From 1970, with the military crackdown in full swing, and Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil already in exile.

Hard-to-find sides, including a handful of Upsetters and Tubbys, and a late sixties offering — as Winston Cool — engineered by Andy Capp.

Including a secret-weapon version of Baltimore.

Unmissable Chicago soul.