Organic Grooves 82 Items

Vinyl is Close to VG+. Cover has slight wear. Puppet sleeve.

Cover with ring wear, slight yellowing and a cut out! Record is close to VG+!

Limited Edition. 180 gram vinyl.

Box with a slightly dented corner is close to NM.
Records are close to VG+
Includes original insert and booklet with tiny sticker rip off.

Cover with seam wear, ring wear and a small tear on the front! Vinyl is close to VG+!

Vinyl with light scuffs and hairlines. Cover with a bent corner and light creasing. Copy n° 323 / 500

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THE WHOLE* PIERO UMILIANI’S PRODUCTION ON HIS LIUTO RECORD LABEL IS COLLECTED IN A UNIQUE 19-CD BOXSET!

The boxset includes a set of 18 albums for a total of 19 CD’s (the last one in the series is a double CD) enclosed in faithful reproductions of the original sleeves, plus a 72-page booklet with rare photos, two essays about Umiliani and his music production written by Maurizio Corbella and Niccolò Galliano, and a detailed discography and full tracklist section. This release has been fully approved by the Umiliani family.
* * *
Without Umiliani’s contribution, Italian jazz, film music and library music would lack some of the key identifying features we associate them with today, thanks to his ability to carve out a distinctive sound identity from his personal craft, the studio he built and the trust he gained from his collaborators. This identity for many simply encapsulates the cipher of an unrepeated age of Italian popular music.
At the Sound Work Shop studio (opened in 1968) Umiliani conceived the majority of his projects and hosted the recording sessions for numerous movie soundtracks, pop hits and library music albums by the most remarkable musicians in Rome — including himself. In this exciting environment, he had the opportunity to experiment with many different styles, from funk to psychedelic rock, from disco to avant-garde, from easy-listening to electronic music, following the ever-changing needs of the soundtrack and library music industries. He therefore mastered an extreme variety of genres, moods and atmospheres, often mixing up their peculiar features to achieve unusual combinations in albums conceived both for production purposes and for home listening.
Umiliani’s ability to reinvent the concept of musicianship in the fast-moving society of his time made him a modern musician in the most complete sense of the term, by putting himself in charge of every facet of his work, from the conception to the production, the recording, the publishing and even the packaging of his own music.
In less than two decades, Umiliani released almost 80 records on the three labels he established between the mid-1960s and the early 1970s: Omicron, Liuto, and Sound Work Shop, besides all the music he was simultaneously composing for movie productions, licensed and published by Italian major companies.
This box set allows us to fully appreciate this little-known side of Piero Umiliani in an unprecedented way: his ability to seamlessly intertwine his musical creativity with his vision as a producer and publisher emerges clearly from this series as a unique feature of this composer. This corpus altogether constitutes a remarkable contribution to the so-called Italian sound of the 1970s, covering areas such as library music and film music and a plethora of genres such as jazz, funk, psychedelia, prog, easy listening, electronic music and much more!

For the first time ever, the whole Piero Umiliani’s production on his Sound Work Shop Record label is collected in a unique 17-Cd Boxset! The boxset includes a set of 17 CD’s enclosed in faithful reproductions of the original sleeves, plus a 72-page booklet with rare photos, two essays about Umiliani and his music production written by Maurizio Corbella and Niccolò Galliano, and a detailed discography and full tracklist section. This release has been fully approved by the Umiliani family. Without Umiliani’s contribution, Italian jazz, film music and library music would lack some of the key identifying features we associate them with today, thanks to his ability to carve out a distinctive sound identity from his personal craft, the studio he built and the trust he gained from his collaborators. This identity for many simply encapsulates the cipher of an unrepeated age of Italian popular music. At the Sound Work Shop studio (opened in 1968) Umiliani conceived the majority of his projects and hosted the recording sessions for numerous movie soundtracks, pop hits and library music albums by the most remarkable musicians in Rome — including himself. In this exciting environment, he had the opportunity to experiment with many different styles, from funk to psychedelic rock, from disco to avant-garde, from easy-listening to electronic music, following the ever-changing needs of the soundtrack and library music industries. He therefore mastered an extreme variety of genres, moods and atmospheres, often mixing up their peculiar features to achieve unusual combinations in albums conceived both for production purposes and for home listening. Umiliani’s ability to reinvent the concept of musicianship in the fast-moving society of his time made him a modern musician in the most complete sense of the term, by putting himself in charge of every facet of his work, from the conception to the production, the recording, the publishing and even the packaging of his own music. In less than two decades, Umiliani released almost 80 records on the three labels he established between the mid-1960s and the early 1970s: Omicron, Liuto, and Sound Work Shop, besides all the music he was simultaneously composing for movie productions, licensed and published by Italian major companies. This box set allows us to fully appreciate this little-known side of Piero Umiliani in an unprecedented way: his ability to seamlessly intertwine his musical creativity with his vision as a producer and publisher emerges clearly from this series as a unique feature of this composer. This corpus altogether constitutes a remarkable contribution to the so-called Italian sound of the 1970s, covering areas such as library music and film music and a plethora of genres such as jazz, funk, psychedelia, prog, easy listening, electronic music and much more!

Vinyl with scuffs and hairlines, cover with yellowing and open seam split on top and bottom spine.

Mobile Fidelity’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45rpm 2LP box set of Off the Wall is sourced from the original master tapes, housed in a deluxe slipcase, and pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl at Fidelity Record Pressing. The keepsake packaging of this Off the Wall Ud1s set further befits the album’s preeminent status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features a special foil-stamped jacket and faithful graphics. Aurally and visually, this reissue is made for everyone who desires to immerse themselves in everything involved with the nine-timesplatinum landmark — including the iconic album cover with Jackson dressed in a tuxedo. Michael Jackson’s Reign as the King of Pop Starts Here: RIAA-Certified Nine-Times-Platinum Off the Wall Blends Funk, Disco, Soul and R&B in Visionary Ways, Features “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and “Rock With You” 1979 Landmark Presented in Audiophile Sound for the First Time: Mobile Fidelity’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45rpm 2LP Box Set Explodes with Energy, Plays with Superb Clarity and Detail 1/4" / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 to analog console to lathe Mobile Fidelity’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45rpm 2LP box set of Off the Wall is sourced from the original master tapes, housed in a deluxe slipcase, and pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl at Fidelity Record Pressing. The keepsake packaging of this Off the Wall Ud1s set further befits the album's preeminent status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features a special foil-stamped jacket and faithful graphics. Aurally and visually, this reissue is made for everyone who desires to immerse themselves in everything involved with the nine-times-platinum landmark — including the iconic album cover with Jackson dressed in a tuxedo.

tear in top spine, writing on cover and on label stickers. Cape Verdian pressing!

5lp+12"+7".

Souffle Continu records presents Byard Lancaster – The Complete Palm Recordings 1973-1974, the definitive package of Philadelphia-born jazz wizard Byard Lancaster including his 4 legendary albums released on Jef Gilson’s Palm Records in the 1970s, Us, Mother Africa, Exactement and Funny Funky Rib Crib, along with the first ever standalone edition of Love Always, a fifteen minute modal jazz beauty plus a 20 page booklet with rare photos and in-depth article about Byard Lancaster’s Parisian years by Pierre Crépon.

At the beginning of the 1960s, at the Berklee College of Music, Byard Lancaster met some feisty friends: Sonny Sharrock, Dave Burrell and Ted Daniel. It is easy to see why he rapidly became involved in free jazz. Once he was settled in New York, he appeared on Sunny Murray Quintet, recorded under the leadership of the drum crazy colleague of Albert Ayler.

In 1968, the saxophonist and flutist recorded his first album under his own name: It’s Not Up To Us. The following year he came to Paris in the wake of... Sunny Murray. He would come back to France in 1971 (again with Murray) and in 1973 (without Murray for a change). This is when he met Jef Gilson, the pianist and producer who encouraged him to record under his own name again. On Palm Records (Gilson’s label), he would release four albums: Us, Mother Africa, Exactement and Funny Funky Rib Crib.

“Us”, the first of the four records was recorded on November 24th, 1973 with Sylvin Marc on electric bass (a Fender... Lancaster?) and the evergreen Steve McCall on drums.

On the album, the trio works from the John Coltrane model; free jazz shook up by the timely contributions of the bassist, followed by a mesmerizing atmospheric music. Then, Lancaster delivers a sinuous solo path, which is a reminder of his unique tone. On the album’s companion single, the trio launches into great black music of a different genre which would lead the clairvoyant François Tusques to claim that Byard Lancaster is an “authentic representative of soul/free jazz”, to sum up this is Great Black Music! A few months after recording “Us”, Lancaster recorded “Mother Africa” along with Clint Jackson III, a trumpeter, partner of Khan Jamal or Noah Howard on other recordings.

On march 8th, 1974, Lancaster and Jackson headed up a group composed of Jean-François Catoire (electric and double bass), Keno Speller (percussion) and Jonathan Dickinson (drums). Together, they create an immediate impression. From the first seconds of “We The Blessed”, they develop a free jazz which rapidly abandons any virulence under the effect of blues and soul based interventions. When Gilson’s composition “Mother Africa” begins, listeners are transported into the studio, listening to the musicians setting up: chatting and joking... Then comes the melody: a dozen or so notes of a repeated theme which is accelerated and deformed according to their whims... The jazz played by the association Byard Lancaster / Clint Jackson III is rare: creative AND recreational. “We the blessed”, is apt listening to this again today!

The recording of “Exactement” required two sessions in the studio: February 1st and May 18th 1974 – in between the two dates, Lancaster recorded, alongside Clint Jackson, the excellent Mother Africa.

Two names appear on the cover of “Exactement”: Lancaster (Byard) and Speller (Keno). Byard Lancaster wanted to be precise, moving regularly from one instrument to another: first on piano, which was the first instrument he learned. On “Sweet Evil Miss Kisianga”, his inspiration is first and foremost Coltrane (even if leaning more towards Alice than John), this announces the storm to follow.

It is Lancaster’s horn-playing which really stands out: on alto (the sound of which is transformed by an octavoice on one track, "Dr. Oliver W. Lancaster") or soprano saxophones, as well as on flute or bass clarinet, the musician walks a tightrope making the most of all the risks he takes. Using the full register of his instruments, he has fun with the possibilities.

Then, Lancaster invokes or evokes Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy and even Prokofiev, before going into a danse alongside Keno Speller on percussion. Above all, he has a unique sound. Byard Lancaster, on whatever instrument he plays and by continually seeking, always ends up hitting the right note... ends up by playing exactement the note he had to play.

“Funny Funky Rib Crib” is an unforgettable recording (made up of several sessions dating from the middle of 1974) of creative jazz overwhelmed by funk and soul. If Lancaster had already made successful albums in the same genre – notably New Horizons, under the name Sounds Of Liberation which he co-led with Khan Jamal –, this one is an homage to James Brown and Sammy Davis enjoying the company of a host of guests including François Tusques (electric piano), Clint Jackson III (trumpet), François Nyombo (guitar), Joseph Traindl (trombone)...

Funny Funky Rib Crib’s cover is a three-quarter profile portrait of the saxophonist (who can also be heard on flute, piano and even vocals), however, on the record, it is the whole group, inspired and frenetic, that tests the melodies of “Just Test”, “Dogtown” or “Rib Crib” – the two versions of which display leader Lancaster’s art of nuance. On both sides of the album, the group also moves into a calmer groove, infused by blues and soul, “Work And Pray” and “Loving Kindness” are meditative tracks where listeners can lay back and relax before asking for more: Funny Funky Rib Crib!

The magnificent “Love Always” was originally released on the fourth (and last) volume of the Jef Gilson Anthology series released in 1975. Recorded on 8th March 1974, it is a beautiful 15-minute-long modal jazz piece. Four notes from the bass (the relentless Jean-François Catoire, who makes up the rhythm section alongside drummer Jonathan Dickinson and percussionist Keno Speller), and the group is up and running! On piano, Gilson shows the subtle tact of a sideman, leaving the lions’ share of the place to the horns. This allows us to hear the trumpet of Clint Jackson III and the alto (which sometimes sounds almost flute-like) of Byard Lancaster each staking their claim in a long hallucinatory march which moves from moments of direct exaltation to profoundly sensitive collective playing. And if further proof was required of the confidence that Byard Lancaster and Jef Gilson inspire, “Love Always” provides it on this one sided release exclusive to the box set.

Of the 9 DVDs only one case is open and the disc has some scuffs and hairlines. From 2 other sealed cases it´s possible to hear the loose disc and loose pieces of the damaged DVD holder at the center. The box itself has tear and bumped corners.

3 × Vinyl, LP, 180g
3 × CD

Vinyl with light scuffs and hairlines, close to VG+. Cover with slightly bumped corners. With booklet.

Vinyl with a mark on Side C, otherwise NM. Cover with small damage on the back of the spine and slightly bumped upper-left corner.

Special release white label test pressing - collector's item, only 28 copies available

Lift off lid box with crushed emerald felt lining, Includes Embossed Gatefold edition Double Tri-Colour Splatter Vinyl.

Includes Signed Insert, Limited edition Black Classical Music branded ProMark Drum Sticks, and branded Afro Comb.

Original US Sonic Pressing - Unipak cover and vinyl are Close to VG+.

Rare original copy. Original inner sleeves. Stuffed corner.

Still sealed. Small cut in bottom. 2LP + CD + BluRay

Still sealed. Stuffed corner. 2LP + CD + BluRay

US reissue from 1963. Mono.

Record has some hairlines and a few superficial scratches.
Plays with faint surface noise but far from overpowering the music.
Upper and lower seam are split. Sticker on back cover.

Rare Big Shot 7inch.
Record is in great condition, very close to VG+ with just a few hairlines. Plays with faint surface noise only in the run-ins and is far from overpowering the music.

Cover is close to NM! Records with scuffs and some scratches!

Quantity: 2000
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release

The World is a Ghetto was WAR's 1973 funk/R&B/latin fusion jam, which became the top selling record in America that year. It features "Cisco Kid" inspired by the popular mid-century TV show, The title Track, "The World Is A Ghetto" which has been sampled in more than 31 hip hop songs, including tracks by Geto Boys, Ice T-, and A$ap Mob, instrumental jam "City, Country, City," Four Cornered Room, Beetles In The Bog, and Where Was You At. This release features the progressions of the two key tracks (Cisco Kid and The World Is A Ghetto), and alternate takes/reimaginings of the remaining tracks

Vinyl with a couple of light scuffs

Vinyl with a couple of light scuffs. Cover with creasing

Sealed copy. The box has a bit of damage / beginning of seam split

Vinyl is close to NM. With insert and brown paper bag outer sleeve.

Following the release of the first volume of the Koto: Tapestry series, Cinedelic completes the series of 3 with the release of the remaining two valuable albums. 'Tapestry: Koto' is a 3-album series produced by Nippon Columbia in the mid-1970s dedicated to one of the main instruments of Japanese traditional music: Koto. The beauty of the trilogy curated by composer Kiyoshi Yamaya, whose chapters are respectively dedicated to Sea, Hillside and Country, lies in the fact that they are a modern translation of tradition using newer and more avant-garde sound idioms, integrating the koto with jazz musicians. An original mix, a 'crossover’ that allows for the awakening and the consequential spread of traditional music in larger contexts. The extreme accuracy of the marvellous recordings is also remarkable. The performers on this fabulous album are: Toshiko Yonekawa - learned to play the koto at an early age, performing in a public concert as early as 8 years old. For three years, from 1941 to 1944, she won prizes as the best performer in the Japanese Cultural Federation's competition for traditional trios. She also received an award from the Prime Minister. Many other important recognitions followed, until she became president of the Reichokai and executive director of the Sankyoku Association. In 1996, she was appointed Living National Treasure. As a koto player, her best-known characteristics are her extreme precision of intonation and rhythm and the unparalleled beauty of her sound. Kiyoshi Yamaya - born March 1932. He attended the Kunitachi College of Music. Between 1956 and 1960, he performed with 'Nobuo Hara and His Sharps & Flats' (clarinet, saxophone, etc.) and was responsible for composition and arrangement. In 1959, he formed the 'Modern Jazz Three Association' with Norio Maeda and Keitaro Miho, which contributed to the improvement of the level of composition and arrangement in Japanese jazz. In 1965, he became conductor of the 'Tokyo Union Orchestra' and received the Japan Record Award's Arrangement Award. His name appears on more than 100 albums. An unmissable session for those seeking new sounds. Original masters licensed by Nippon Columbia for the first ever reissue. Includes OBI and insert.

Essential pick! These buddy's "Baby" was recently covered by Hype Williams on their "Ebony" album, and both tunes are hella fresh!

Pacific Northwest isolation mixed with wide-eyed ambition, a strong sense of family and the gift of music proved to be quite the combination for teenage brothers Donnie and Joe Emerson. Originally released in 1979, Dreamin’ Wild is the sonic vision of the talented Emerson boys, recorded in a family built home studio in rural Washington State. Situated in the unlikely blink-and-you-missed-it town of Fruitland and far removed from the late 1970s punk movement and the larger disco boom, Donnie and Joe tilled their own musical soil, channeling bedroom pop jams, raw funk, and yacht rock.

Spurred on their high school’s music program, Donnie and Joe received a further push from their lifelong farmer father, who drew up a contract stating that he’d support his sons lofty ambitions with their very own recording studio as long as they focused on original material, sage advice for a man with zero experience in the music business. After taking out a second mortgage to help cover costs, Don Sr. also built his children a 300-capacity concert hall (dubbed Camp Jammin’) replete with ticket booth, stage, and fully functioning snack bar. The only problem was that the projected audience never quite materialized, despite a prime time TV profile entitled “The Rock And Roll Farmers” from nearby Spokane, Washington. Even the Emerson brother’s school pals were nonplussed at their privately pressed long player; hand distributed to local music stores, but not as far as Seattle, five hours away from their rural home. Somewhat rejected by the muted response, but never surrendering, both Donnie and Joe continued down a musical path and are still active as performers today.

180g

Vinyl shows a few scuffs, close to NM!

Go West!: The Contemporary Records Albums vereint die beiden Studioalben des legendären Jazz-Saxophonisten Sonny Rollins für Lester Koenigs Contemporary Records, Way Out West und And The Contemporary Leaders, mit einer dritten Scheibe, Contemporary Alternate Takes. Das von Bernie Grundman neu gemasterte Audio-Set wurde als RTI 180g 3-LP gepresst und enthält ein erweitertes Booklet mit neuen Anmerkungen und einem Interview des mit dem GRAMMY Award ausgezeichneten Musikhistorikers Ashley Kahn.

Green translucent vinyl.

Includes : 6 Vinyls (Three albums, one 7" and onde 10") + 18 Magazines + Poster

About "A Message From The Tribe"

Tribe’s inaugural release in 1972 would see three editions released in as many years. 1972’s first edition featured a photo of the ocean on the front, the following year’s second edition had a drawing of the Earth, while 1974’s third edition had a colorful illustration of Tribe founders Wendell Harrison and Phil Ranelin’s faces. Each version is unique.

A MESSAGE FROM THE TRIBE 1st version (LP + 7")

The inaugural release from Tribe is getting its first ever analog reissue. The Tribe collective was focused primarily on live performances, and as an extension often included theatre and poetry. This first edition features a recording of one of their first performances, a musical entitled An Evening With The Devil, performed at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Highlights include original takes of “Where Am I”, a tune that morphs from fiery free jazz to breezy jazz fusion, and “What We Need”, a politically conscious jazz-funk number. The bonus 7-inch includes “Where Am I” and “How Do We End All Of This”, available only on this release.

A MESSAGE FROM THE TRIBE 2nd version (LP + 10")

Perhaps the best known version of this album, the second edition is adorned with an illustration of the Earth. Despite a track list overlapping with the first edition, each take is different from the prior edition, with a level of sophistication that was lacking from the previous disc. The A-side features music by Phil Ranelin, with precise grooves and a tight band making these renditions particularly funky. B-side features music by Wendell Harrison, offering forward more groove-forward tracks that are simultaneously thought and dance provoking. The second edition is smoother, groovier, and more modern than its predecessor but no less political. The attached 10-inch includes never before heard
instrumental versions, available only on the attached 10-inch disc. Highlighting the immense talent of the musicians that played on these recordings, the expansive horn section playing on these instrumental tracks makes for an almost big band-esque jazz funk sound. This is an important part of jazz history that you must listen to for yourself.

A MESSAGE FROM THE TRIBE 3rd version (45rpm Double LP)

The final edition is remixed and remastered, with special care taken during the mastering and cutting processes to ensure that the audio would be of the highest quality. Featuring a colorful illustration of Harrison, Ranelin, and vocalist Jeamel Lee on the front cover, the third edition sounds like a whole new record. Take “What We Need”, where the louder bass and kick drum has turned the funkiness up to 11, a mix that would be right at home at any club. Some of the grooves are almost hip-hop-esque, like the repetitive bassline and fender Rhodes on “How Do We End All Of This Madness” or the hi-hats and snares of the Harrison-penned jazz-funk “Beneficent”. We took special care to ensure that the audio quality would remain as originally intended, cutting the record as a double LP on 45rpm, heavyweight vinyl.

Includes : 6 Vinyls (Three albums, one 7" and onde 10") + 17 Magazines + Poster

About "A Message From The Tribe"

Tribe’s inaugural release in 1972 would see three editions released in as many years. 1972’s first edition featured a photo of the ocean on the front, the following year’s second edition had a drawing of the Earth, while 1974’s third edition had a colorful illustration of Tribe founders Wendell Harrison and Phil Ranelin’s faces. Each version is unique.

A MESSAGE FROM THE TRIBE 1st version (LP + 7")

The inaugural release from Tribe is getting its first ever analog reissue. The Tribe collective was focused primarily on live performances, and as an extension often included theatre and poetry. This first edition features a recording of one of their first performances, a musical entitled An Evening With The Devil, performed at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Highlights include original takes of “Where Am I”, a tune that morphs from fiery free jazz to breezy jazz fusion, and “What We Need”, a politically conscious jazz-funk number. The bonus 7-inch includes “Where Am I” and “How Do We End All Of This”, available only on this release.

A MESSAGE FROM THE TRIBE 2nd version (LP + 10")

Perhaps the best known version of this album, the second edition is adorned with an illustration of the Earth. Despite a track list overlapping with the first edition, each take is different from the prior edition, with a level of sophistication that was lacking from the previous disc. The A-side features music by Phil Ranelin, with precise grooves and a tight band making these renditions particularly funky. B-side features music by Wendell Harrison, offering forward more groove-forward tracks that are simultaneously thought and dance provoking. The second edition is smoother, groovier, and more modern than its predecessor but no less political. The attached 10-inch includes never before heard
instrumental versions, available only on the attached 10-inch disc. Highlighting the immense talent of the musicians that played on these recordings, the expansive horn section playing on these instrumental tracks makes for an almost big band-esque jazz funk sound. This is an important part of jazz history that you must listen to for yourself.

A MESSAGE FROM THE TRIBE 3rd version (45rpm Double LP)

The final edition is remixed and remastered, with special care taken during the mastering and cutting processes to ensure that the audio would be of the highest quality. Featuring a colorful illustration of Harrison, Ranelin, and vocalist Jeamel Lee on the front cover, the third edition sounds like a whole new record. Take “What We Need”, where the louder bass and kick drum has turned the funkiness up to 11, a mix that would be right at home at any club. Some of the grooves are almost hip-hop-esque, like the repetitive bassline and fender Rhodes on “How Do We End All Of This Madness” or the hi-hats and snares of the Harrison-penned jazz-funk “Beneficent”. We took special care to ensure that the audio quality would remain as originally intended, cutting the record as a double LP on 45rpm, heavyweight vinyl.

Record Kicks celebrates its 20th Anniversary with a limited edition "Rare Box Set" consisting of ten 45 vinyl with the very best of the label's catalogue.

2023 is a special year for Record Kicks: the Milan-based independent label turns 20 years old. In order to celebrate this great achievement, Record Kicks is proud to announce the release of a limited edition "Rare Box Set", coming out on March 3rd and containing 20 tracks on 10 "rare" 45 vinyl that retrace the story of these past 20 years of Record Kicks. The boxset is limited to 500 copies worldwide and it will also be released on digital format on that same day, March 3rd. The artwork by Japanese artist Ruminz is an homage to Afro-American culture. Of the 20 tracks on the "Rare Boxset", 11 tracks are previously unreleased on 45 vinyl, while 9 are reissues of mega in-demand gems.

Limited five vinyl LP set. Waziri hails from a small part of Edo State in southern Nigeria called Afemailand, known for being a harmonious region where Muslims and Christians live-and dance-together. And there, as a devout Muslim and an exemplar of religious piety in his community, Waziri's music fuses Etsako/Afemai folk styles with pan-Nigerian highlife and pop to create a sublime vehicle for his Islamic philosophy that gets everyone-Muslims, Christians, whoever-on the dancefloor. This 5 LP set, VOL. 1-5 (1978-1984), focuses on Waziri's illustrious mid-career output-the music he created during the years leading up to and after he made his first hajj. Every song here (some of which you might recognize from The Muslim Highlife) strikes his signature balance of traditional music, highlife, and funk, as he entreats you to stay on the straight and narrow, though there's nothing straight about his beat. Included in the box set is a copy of The Journey So Far, a limited-edition book written and designed by his children, to celebrate Waziri's remarkable life and career.

Back in 2015, P-vine pressed a special edition of the Fire/Enjoy singles by Elmore James as a series of 7” discs that was quickly buried by the quick turnover of new releases and were not presented to our overseas clients. As part of a recent drive to clean up the stock-room, our dusters managed to work their magic and uncover a number of copies of this release previously unknown to the overseas marketing division. Towards the end of a career cut tragically short, Elmore James recorded a string of singles between 1959 and 1963 with renowned producer Bobby Robinson under his Fire and Enjoy record labels that would eventually lend their name to this collection. Together they would capture James’s iconic take on the blues with his effortless intersections of slide guitar complementing the marching calls from his pained Blues vocals. This feast for the eyes box-set includes nine 7” discs and a Fire Records tote bag sized perfectly for carrying your favourite 7” record and not much else. A great addition for collectors of rare blues and DJs.