Our favourite Santana LP. So much to enjoy besides the dazzling guitarism of Carlos Santana — channeling John Coltrane — and John McLaughlin.
It’s book-ended by contributions from Alice Coltrane. The stunning opener is a mellotron version of Going Home, her adaptation of a theme from Dvorak’s New World Symphony, which she first recorded for the album Lord Of Lords. Alice plays piano and Farfisa organ. And to close, the title track re-works a tune from JC’s Kulu Se Mama, with Alice on piano here.
Percussionist Jose Chepito Areas chips in his perfect Samba de Sausalito, with bass-playing by Doug Rauch, and keys by Tom Coster, both superb, and Tony Smith from Malo behind the drum-kit.
Later on, the one and only Flora Purim drops by, magnificently lighting up another samba, Yours Is The Light.
And none other than Leon Thomas had just joined. He duets beautifully with Wendy Haas on a breezy jazz-funk version of Love, Devotion & Surrender; he’s back for full-throated yodelling on When I Look Into Your Eyes, with fine flute-playing by Joe Farrell, and some tasty funk to close; and he’s wonderful on the bubbling Light Of Life, riding a striking strings arrangement by Greg Adams from Tower Of Power, with echoes of CTI.

From 1971, A Guitar in the Foreground is Rosinha’s best record. Classic, chilled Bossa shot through with her scintillating guitar-playing.
Check this version of Summertime for her instrumental virtuosity. (Tyler, the Creator burglarised it for Tomorrow, on Chromakopia.)

Scorcher!
Just cop the opener. Such a knockout!
Six Horace Tapscott compositions and arrangements. Swirling, passionate, raging, valedictory, richly allusive music.
Teddy Edwards is here; Tommy Flanagan. Criss is on fire.
Hotly recommended. Something really special.

CD from Soul Brother.

Blaxploitation from the Staples and Curtis Mayfield. The title track is all-time knockout soul music: Mavis is startlingly randy, over a masterful, sinuous rhythm. Goddess. New Orleans winningly sublimates I Heard It On The Grapevine; I Want To Thank You is decent, too; Curtis throws in a few Shaft-style instrumentals.
That title track, though.

A gorgeous reissue of his first LP, from 1957; with Curtis Fuller, Hugh Lawson, Ernie Farrow, Louis Hayes, and Doug Watkins. Beefy, alive, and exploratory, with Lateef’s Eastern trajectory flagged already, in the thrilling argol introduction to the opener, Metaphor. On the flip, Morning is ravishing, unmissable Lateef.

This compilation of the best of Gil Scott-Heron’s Flying Dutchman output was originally released in 1974, pulling together tracks from his first three albums: Small Talk At 125th And Lennox (1970), Pieces Of A Man (1971), and Free Will (1972).
This very welcome LP reissue is a top-notch pressing, resplendent in the original gatefold sleeve.

A classy, rock steady sextet — the rhythm section is Art Taylor and Paul Chambers — presenting four compositions by Mal Waldron.

A welcome reissue of this 2013 collaboration between Onra — the Chinoiseries producer — and Buddy Sativa. Deep, spiritual jazz from the heart. Lonnie Liston Smith is a guiding light.

The LP is Mono.