Formerly an English teacher, Linda Hoyle joined the jazz-rock band Affinity in the late ’60s and began performing regularly at Ronnie Scott’s world-famous jazz club. Affinity would release […]
1971
One of the most influential drummers in the modern jazz tradition, Elvin Jones is known for being a key member of John Coltrane’s legendary ’60s quartet, which released […]
Featured in Julian Cope’s Japrocksampler, Speed, Glue & Shinki was a Japanese psychedelic rock power trio formed in 1970 by guitarist Shinki Chen and producer Ikuzo Orita. At […]
Joni’s most well-known and arguably best album, Blue is a quintessential confessional singer-songwriter album. Recorded during a tumultuous time in her life, Blue was largely inspired by Joni’s […]
Lonnie Liston Smith: “’Astral Travelling’ (1971) was the first time I played an Electric Piano! Before that, I only played the Grand Piano. I met Pharoah Sanders in […]
Maybe the group’s best album, Spokój Serca is a psychedelic offering from Polish three-piece Czerwone Gitary, which translates to Red Guitars. Often referred to as the Polish Beatles […]
Sunshine Man is a classic jazz-funk album from saxophonist and flutist Harold Alexander. Released on Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman imprint, the album “exists somewhere in the space between […]
Hard bop meets soul-jazz, calypso, and bossa on Blue Mitchell’s underrated self-titled album (alternatively titled “Soul Village”) on Mainstream Records. While not quite a household name, Richard Allen […]
One of the all-time jazz classics and an essential listen, Journey In Satchidananda continues Alice Coltrane’s spiritual connection with Pharoah Sanders. From Alice herself in the liner notes: […]
Released in the same year and in a similar echelon of visionary, conscious soul music as Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, Roots is the somewhat underrated second solo […]
You can’t go wrong with an album cover featuring a fluffy cute dog pasted onto Superman’s body… A legend in the Japanese rock scene, Katoh launched his career […]
Originally released with a waving red, white, and blue flag on the cover, Sly & the Family Stone’s essential classic There’s a Riot Goin’ On speaks to a […]
Gene Clark was a founding member of the legendary country-folk-rock band The Byrds. His story is a bit of a sad one as his songwriting talent and heavy […]
Revolutionary spiritual afro jazz from exile… Ndikho Xaba and the Natives self-titled debut is an African jazz holy grail recorded “as a tribute to the struggles of Africans […]
Moondog 2 is the sixth album by the avant-garde composer Louis Thomas Hardin, AKA the Viking of Sixth avenue, or simply known as – Moondog. Largely self-taught by […]
The debut solo album from Asha Bhosle, the legendary Bollywood playback singer whose work spans film, pop, traditional Indian classical music, and folk songs. “Playback” singers worked behind-the-scenes […]
Caetano Veloso is the philosophical lyricist and composer behind many classics of the psych movement in Brazil, but there was an abrupt shift in his story in 1969. […]
David Crosby’s solo debut If Only I Could Remember My Name is psychedelic folk-rock perfection from The Byrds / CSNY legend backed by other Laurel Canyon heroes including […]
Before Mort Garson’s soothing ode to houseplants (the 1976 LP and now cult phenomenon, Plantasia), Garson spent a decade building one of the most varied and bizarre resumés […]
One of the more underrated singer-songwriters from the 70’s, Colin Blunstone began his career as the lead singer of the English rock band The Zombies. After releasing a […]
Not to be confused with the French electronic duo, Long Island’s Air is a jazz-rock band from the 70’s consisting of four core members – Tom Coppola, John […]
Cymande’s sound is equally exploratory as much as it is soulful. Formed in London in 1971, the band had their roots in a handful of former colonies of […]
Although not a household name, Austrian pianist Joe Zawinul is known by many jazz fans to have been one of Miles Davis’ secret weapons during his Bitches Brew/ […]
Kathy Smith began as a fixture around the Los Angeles hippie and folk scene of the 60’s and 70’s, playing regularly at venues such as Paradox, the Troubador, […]
Brazilian drummer & percussionist Airto Moreira’s second solo LP Seeds On The Ground – The Natural Sounds Of Airto is a “world music” masterpiece that blends a variety […]
Steve Kuhn’s 1971 self-titled melancholic free jazz opus was written and recorded after he returned from living in Sweden for several years in the wake of his break […]
A truly transcendent crossover gospel album by Chicagoan pastor and activist T.L. Barrett and his beloved youth choir. Barrett was the pastor at the Mount Zion church, whose […]
Much more than just a rare groove classic, Eugene McDaniels’ Headless Heroes Of The Apocalypse is a psychedelic-soul jazz album with a powerful message. McDaniels, who is also […]
Nudge your Serge Gainsbourg record over a smidge to make room for another fabulous, eccentric Frenchman in your collection: Michel Polnareff. Polnareff’s is well worth a full listen, […]
In 1969, four young, ambitious musicians—Haruomi Hosono (bass, vocals), Eiichi Ohtaki (guitars, vocals), Shigeru Suzuki (guitars) and Takashi Matsumoto (drums, lyrics)—found each other in Tokyo. They bonded over […]
An In Sheep’s Clothing nighttime favorite, Barbara & Ernie’s only release is a complex combination of soul, folk rock, and late 60’s psychedelia. At first listen, it doesn’t […]
San Francisco is the perfect introductory album to American jazz vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. Featuring his right-hand man Harold Land on reeds, the duo’s style takes a step forward […]