Drums: Karriem Riggins. Instruments: Madlib.

We would have called it Spiritual Jazz but Phil Ranelin told us to call it Black Classical Music.

VINYL: JAHARI MASSAMBA UNIT – PARDON MY FRENCH (more…)

October 2020 update: The long-delayed Piñata ’74 aka Piñata (Blaxploitation Version) will be in participating record stores October 24 – a Record Store Day Drops release

Its companion piece Piñata ’64 is SOLD OUT (more…)

Bernard “Pretty” Purdie is a legendary R&B, soul and funk drummer who has been doing session work since the early 60s. The records he’s played on by the likes of Steely Dan, Miles Davis, and Aretha Franklin could fill a library. That’s what we’re offering in this unusual record sale: Purdie’s own library of records, most of which he has played on himself.

IN THE SHOP: BERNARD PRETTY PURDIE’S RECORD COLLECTION (GRAB BAGS) (more…)

Little Barrie and Malcolm Catto team up to for 7 tracks of breaks and sci-fi fuzz for Madlib Invazion.

ON SALE: LITTLE BARRIE & MALCOLM CATTO – QUARTERMASS SEVEN

Born in a Dalston basement, Quatermass Seven by Little Barrie & Malcolm Catto could only have been produced in the colourful streets of sprawling London. Driven by the three contributing musicians’ 25-year plus journey through multiple genres and inspirations, what you will hear in its seven tracks is the ‘60s British blues explosion colliding with a mid ‘70s Bronx block party; Haight Ashbury acid rock mashed up with Manchester’s summer of love circa ’88; or a prime slice of UK freakbeat broadcast from New York’s jazz underground, emerging kicking and screaming above London city tower blocks. (more…)

Che Belew! (March Forward!) – short film by Bennett Piscitelli

Ayalew Mesfin stands aside the likes of Mulatu Astake, Mahmoud Ahmed, Hailu Mergia and Alemayehu Eshete as a legend 1970s Ethiopia. The music he created with his Black Lion Band is amongst the funkiest to arise from Addis Ababa.

ON SALE: AYALEW MESFIN – THE COMPLETE WORKS (5LP SET) (more…)