Lee Hazlewood - The LHI Years: Singles, Nudes & Backsides (1968-71) (Light In The Attic - 2012)

LHI stands for Lee Hazlewood Industries. The label was created by the singer in 1967 to support his own releases and a few others. IN 1971, the adventure was over. This compilation focuses on the sides released by Lee during this three years ventures as singles or on the albums The Bed, Cowboy In Sweden, Requiem For An Almost Lady and The Cowboy & The Lady. You can find as well a previously unreleased song, I Just Learn To Run. For those who still doubted, those 17 magnificent songs, between luxuriant country and magnificately crafted and orchestrated pop, prove that Lee Hazlewood was one of the brightest composer and musician of the era. The record cover is brilliant and sums up perfectly what's inside. One of the best new record I bought this year.

 Download => Lee Hazlewood - The LHI Years

Star Band De Dakar - Star 70s (Frochot Music Cantos/Bellot Records) - 2010)

The Star Band was created by Ibra Kassé in the 60's as an house band for his club, the Miami, set in Dakar, the capital of the then newly independent Senegal. The orchestra was  playing latin music (cha-chas, pachangas, merengués or rumba) for the youth of Dakar elite. The Star Band will nurture Senegalese greatest musicians (Pape Seck, Balla Sidibé, Youssou N'Dour, Pape Fall, Laba Sosseh, etc.) before they leave  to create their own orchestra. That in the star band that Pape Seck will mix latin music with sabar drums and m'balax rythms, signing in Wolof as well as in Spanish, giving birth to Afro-feeling and M'balax.This compilation features tracks recorded between 1975 and 1979 just before The Star Band De Dakar definitely disbands. I don't know if their best titles are featured here, as I am not a specialist of African music, but this record is refreshing, excellent and a good way to discover this great band.

 Download => Star Band De Dakar - Star 70s

Jean-Michel Jarre - Les Granges Brûlées (Dreyfus - 1973)

Les Granges Brûlées is a 1973 movie by Jean Chapot with some of the best French actors of the era, Alain Delon and Simone Signoret. It is the story of a judge (Alain Delon) who is investigating the murder of a young girl in the French country. Her body is discovered near a farm run by a strong woman, Simone Signoret and quickly the judge suspects a member of the family being the murderer.  Jean Chapot and Alain Delon didn't get well together and quickly the movie was finished by the star himself without Jean Chapot who had left the set. The music is the first record released by French king of keyboards, Jean-Michel Jarre. Jean-Michel Jarre is the son of French soundtrack composer Maurice Jarre so it must have been a real challenge for him to dare releasing a soundtrack. Jean-Michel Jarre only used keyboards for the soundtrack, making proto electronica. Jean-Michel Jarre then mixed his electronic song with pop FM and became a billionaire. But this another story and Les Granges Brûlées is still a landmark in electronic music history.

 Download => Jean-Michel Jarre - Les Granges Brûlées

Keith Hudson - Rasta Communication (Deluxe Edition) (Joint International/Greensleeves - 1978/2012)

VP Records just had the excellent idea of reissuing Keith Hudson masterpiece, Rasta Communication, in a deluxe edition full of excellent bonuses: you can find the original album , 12" mixes of Nah Skin Up, Felt We Felt The Strain, Bloody Eyes, the 7" version of Rasta Country and an extra CD with a dub version of the album. Rasta Communication was mixed by King Tubby so there are pretty good chances that the dub master himself was invested in the dub version of the album. With Rasta Communication, Keith Hudson was targeting Bob Marley's sales figures. He never achieved them but at least realized a perfect roots joint and and a true reggae heads favorite.

Allen Toussaint - The Lost Sessions (Fuel Records - 2011)

Forget Memphis, Muscle Shoals or Detroit: some of the best soul music recorded in the 60's was coming from New Orleans and was essentially due to the genius of one man: Allen Toussaint. When he went out of the military in 1965, he launched several record labels with the help of Marshall Sehorn, Sansu, Dessu and Tou-Sea while still recording for other labels like New York Amy Records. Then at the peak of his inspiration, he penned scorchers and hits for the likes of Aaron Neville (Hercules and its massive bassline), Lee Dorsey (Get Out Of My Life, Woman and its break sampled a thousand times) and less well known acts like Benny Spellman, The Rubaiyats (a band composed of himself and Willie Harper) or Willie West. Allen Toussaint is featured 3 times as well on this compilation with two excellent instrumentals, the Burt Bacarach sound alike Hands Christianderson and Gotta Travel On and with his own a rendition of the biggest hits he made for Lee Dorsey, Working In The Coal Mine. The trouble with The Lost Sessions is that any other music will sound lame once you listened to it. It's probably an after effect effect of the voodoo they put in their music.

 Download => Allen Toussaint - The Lost Sessions

Cal Tjader - Soul Burst (Verve - 1966)

Don't expect to rock any dancefloor with this album, despite its name. Like every Caj Tjader release of the 60's, Soul Burst is a sure shot but there is more jazz than soul in it, even if there is some of the usual Latin spices. Chick Corea came by to give a hand on piano. Cal Tjader penned the last song and picked  up in a rather large repertoire for the rest: Cuba (Descarga Cubana), Brazil (It Didn't End, a Joao Donato song), Latin jazz classics (Manteca), Broadway (The Bilbao Song, My Ship), the West Indies (Curaçao). Even if there is less to sample than on Agua Dulce, for example, it's still a good album to enjoy a fresh drink with a nice lady during a warm spring evening.

 Download => Cal Tjader - Soul Burst

The Bullwackie's All Stars - Creation Dub (City Line - 1977)

After a stint for Duke Reid's Treasure Isle, Lloyd Barnes emigrated to New York where he created his Wackie's House Of Music record shop, a music studio and several reggae labels and sublabels. Quickly, from his american headquarters, LLoyd Barnes released some of the finest reggae music ever recorded. It's not a surprise that his catalogue was reedited by Basic Channel, a German label run by guys (Moritz von Ostwald and Mark Ernestus)  for which music is definitely not a joke. Creation Dub is credited to The Bullwackie's All Stars, one of the many configuration of Wackies in-house studio band. Most of the songs are dubbed version of riddims already used by others for Wackies and covers (I Want Get Next To You, rebaptized Next To Jah, Leaving Rome, rebaptized Creation Dub). Deep, heavy and spiritual shit.

 Download =>Creation Dub

Cal Tjader & Eddie Palmieri - El Sonido Nuevo (The New Soul Sound) (Verve - 1966)

When two masters of latin jazz decide to make music together, the result of their collaboration can only be a great album. Both were featured in the 49th issue of Waxpoetics and Duncan Reid described how both artists met: "In 1965, during a trip to New York City, Cal Tjader took in a concert by Eddie Palmieri (...). After the show, Tjader approached Palmieri and suggested they recorded together". El Sonido Nuevo was their first LP. It was then followed by Bamboléate. Palmieri took the arrangement duties and Rudy Van Gelder was behind the boards as engineer. El Sonido Nuevo is a latin scorcher as good as any record with the logo Fania on it. I ripped the CD reedition which holds the four titles of the original album  and 6 bonus tracks issued from two other Cal Tjader albums, Breeze From The East and Along Comes Cal but which do not feature Eddie Palimieri.

 Download => Cal Tjader & Eddie Palmieri - El Sonido Nuevo (The New Soul Sound)

Montparnasse 2000 Classics (Pulp Flavor Recordings - 2003)

Guys at Pulp Flavor (aka Dare Dare , aka Vadim Music) gathered 14 nuggets from famous French library label Montparnasse 2000. You probably already know that the term library in the case of Montparnasse 2000 was synonymous of scorching tunes, that give you plenty of occasions to sample a breaks or rock any party. Every single song is a sure winner and make of Montparnasse 2000 Classics a must-have, the time you can find and collect the complete albums. I still have a personnal little preference that goes for the last track, Xenos Cosmos, a psyche jazzy orchestral infectious number by Janko Nilovic.

 Download => Montparnasse 2000 Classics

Resonance - Moto Rock b/w Safari Love (Sirocco - 1974)

I found this Resonance 45 RPM yesterday on a secondhand market for 50 cents and despite the cover was missing, it was definitely a good deal. Both titles are credited to Bacson which is in fact a duo composed of Pierre Bachelet and Mat Camison. They released several singles and one album under the Resonance moniker and all are favorites of any decent eurogroove digger. Moto Rock is a surf track with loud moto engines noises on it, trying to reproduce the atmosphere of a racing field. The real scorcher is the side B, Safari Love, an infectious tribal funk piece, charged with filth and based on percussions, animal samples, African traditional vocals and a funky guitar. 

 Download => Resonance - Moto Rock b/w Safari Love

Dingo! - Sexopolized by DJ BNX (Pulp Flavor - 2001)

Pulp Flavor, Dare Dare and Vadim Music are the different names of the same label. Based in Grenoble, it is (was?) one of the best reedition label I know, the French equivalent to Finders Keepers. They recently destocked all their records and their web site is under  maintenance since one month and I don't know if they didn't go bankrupted, which would be a damn shame. Anyway, Dingo! is a French pop and library music compilation made by DJ BNX from Bordeaux that deserves all due praises. If some big names are present here (Zozoi by France Gall, High Tide by library king Jack Arel, Francis Lai with Number One), all the other titles are rare and were unknown to my ears. They all have in common to be brilliant and original. If you already have exhausted the US, British, Jamaican, Brazilian and African music scenes, try to explore the French one, there are plenty of nice things and scorching breaks (listen to Je Veux Te Dire Une Chanson by Angelillo & Hamel for example) to discover. 

 Download => Dingo!

Ennio Morricone - So Sweet So Sensual (Cinevox/Pick Up Export - 2003)

This nice 15 tracks compilation pays tribute to Ennio Morricone love themes from his best 60's and 70's Italian B-movies soundtracks. It is not necessary to write much more to convince you to make the acquisition of this record, especially if you are not that familiar with Morricone's work except his work made for Sergio Leone. The master was then at the top of his inspiration and was churning out classics after classics whether it be Il Gatto, Forza G, 4 Mosche Di Velluto Grigio or L'Uccello Dalle Piume Di Cristallo, all well represented here. So Sweet So Sensual, also known as Erotica Morricone: a compilation that wears perfectly its name.

 Download => Ennio Morricone - So Sweet So Sensual

Willie Bobo - Juicy (Verve - 1967)

What attracted me first to Juicy was its cover that looked good: an orange and a pretty lady dancing on its skin. And the music that goes with it is damn nice too. Willie Bobo and his band play latinized cover of R&B hits of the time (Knock On Wood, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy or Ain't Too Proud To Beg). But the timbales palyer is at his best when he and his pals play his own repertoire on La Descarga Del Bobo and Shing-A-Ling Baby. This album certainly won't change your life but it will give you some pretty good times and make you in a party mood which is as well what this kind of music is made for. The CD version I ripped comes with 4 alternative takes of Juicy, Music To Watch Girls By, Dis-Advantages and Shing-A-Ling Baby that don't have any real interest.

Download => Willie Bobo - Juicy

Tom Dooley - Don't Leave b/w (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (TRX Records/Festival - 1969)

I have a theory that in every record collection there is at least one good record. Lately, I digged in a record collection that was taking dust in the cellar of old acquaitances. And I didn't expect myself at all to find that excellent deep soul 45 RPM. I haven't found much on the internet about Tom Dooley. He was a white FM deejay from Kentucky, lead his own band, The Lovelights and recorded 5 singles for Nashville based TRX Records, a sublabel of Hickory Records (http://www.79waky.com/tomdooley.htm). The band never really made it and disbandled quickly. Tom Dooley stays well known in Northern Soul circles and those both sides, especially his Rolling Stones cover, are just excellent.


Download =>  Tom Dooley - Don't Leave b/w (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

Mato - Hip Hop Reggae Series Vol. 4 (Stix - 2012)

The first three volumes of the Hip Hop Reggae series have been downloaded nearly 3000 times on this blog! In fact they are directly responsible for a large part of my trafic. So I expect my little success by posting the fourth volume. Mato didn't change his winning recipe, already used on Vol. 2 and on Vol. 1 and 3 by his partner un crime Taggy Matcher: reggae interpolation of classic hip hop tunes with the a cappella vocals pasted on it. Like always it's very well made. This time, it's the turn of De La Soul, Wu-Tang Clan Naughty By Nature, Nas, Missy Elliot, Lords Of The Underground, Cypress Hill, Lauryn Hill and Funkdoobiest. Heavy stuff.

Download => Mato - Hip Hop Reggae Series Vol. 4

Dancehall - The Rise Of Jamaican Dancehall Culture (Soul Jazz Records - 2008)

Every reggae compilation released by Soul Jazz Records is a must have, Dancehall included. This compilations offers insights on the Jamaican dancehall scene between 1977 and 1993. Like always with Soul Jazz, you'll find obvious classics and more obscure tracks but every single of them is just a scorcher. If you read this post, you probably know what you are about to download so this time, no Youtube or Soundcloud snippets is needed.

Download => Dancehall CD1 
Download => Dancehall CD2

Big Youth - A Luta Continua (Heartbeat - 1985)

Usually I am very careful with reggae albums made in the 80's. Reggae was going digital at those times and the rich instrumentation of the 70's was replaced by cheesy electronic drums and keyboards based melodies. A Luta Continua is an exception. Produced by Herbie Miller in Jamaica, Big Youth toasts on instrumentals and backup vocals provided by musicians like Robbie Sakespeare, Sly Dunbar, Leroy Sibles or The Tamlins. Clearly roots, this album is dedicated to the Black people struggles figures in Africa or in the US. Nice riddims, a good DJ well inspired, revolutionary vocals, what else would you ask to a good reggae album?

Download => Big Youth - A Luta Continua

La Formule Du Baron (CBS - 1969)

 All right all right, this one is not a that much hidden French deviant groove gem. It has been already pretty much blogged about and is famous all around the world among beat diggers, break fanatics, rare groove connoisseurs, euro groove fanatics. Bernard Estardy, to compose it, used his studio as a proper instrument and it's probably while La Formule Du Baron sounds that much unbelievably cool, still up to date and good. Some would still today sell a testicule or a kidney for that sound and that level of inspiration. The funniest thing is that Bernard Estardy, seconded here by Etienne Roda Gil, is well known to have churn out and produced thousands of cheesy pop songs for French worst and most famous singers. Nearly 99% of his work is absolute unlistenable garbage (the guy is well known to be featured on literaly hundreds records) while  the 1% left is pure genius. So enjoy his genius side and let's forget all the rest. In fact, The reputation of La Formule Du Baron is so high that even if it has been often reedited, this record is still complicated to find for a decent price whether on CD or vinyl. 

Download => La Formule Du Baron

This Are Two Tone (2 Tone Records/Chrysalis - 1983)

Jerry Dammers started 2 Tone Records in 1979. With a strong visual identity (the iconic Walt Jabsco logo, created with Horace Panter and designer John "Teflon" Sims, the black-and-white check patern) and an excellent roster consisting mainly of Jerry Dammers own The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, The Beat, 2 Tone strong imprint on British society  of the early 80's cannot be dennied. Its mix of ska with post-punk flashes was at first the soundtrack of the fights against racism, Maggie Thatcher and its reactionary rethoric. The skinhead movement fell then into fascist brutality and hooliganism. This Are Two Tone gives you one of the best insight available on 2 Tone catalog and features absolute classics like The Special's Gangsters, Rudi, A Message To You, Ghost Town, The Selecter's On My Radio and Too Much Pressure, Madness' Madness or The Beat's Tears Of A Clown cover.

Download => This Are Two Tone

Pucho And His Latin Soul Brothers - Yaina (Right-On Records - 1971)

Yaina is a Latin classic. In fact, it's Harold Jazzbo Alexander flute trickeries that largely steal the show and make the real worth of this instrumental album and make it fall into the " classics" category. It starts with an excellent  jazz funk Rolling Stones cover, You Can't get Always What You Want, that was not on the first original release of album but is on this 1996 Ubiquity reedition.  Then you can find the eerie anti war Cease The Bombing and burn up the dance floor with Chitterlings Con Carne, its cries at the beginning  and the flute that answers to the guitar. Those are the three stronger cuts of the album but the rest of it stays very solid.

Download => Pucho And His Latin Soul Brothers - Yaina