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Review: BBE has delivered something of a future classic here, as decorated Eastern European harpist Alinha Bzhezhinska and British tenor saxophonist Tony Kofi join forces on a picturesque full-length excursion dedicated to the memory of spiritual jazz maestro Pharoah Saunders. It's a genuinely unique and hugely evocative affair, with Kofi's meandering, mesmeric melodies and inspired improvisations snaking in and out of Bzhezhinska's dreamy harp motifs and melodic percussion instruments (think bells, marimbas, vibraphone, xylophone and so on). It's not a familiar musical palette, but it's one that consistently delivers - and then some. Our picks of a very strong bunch include lucid opener 'Tabula Rasu - Blank Slate', the exotic and psychedelic 'Audite Me - Hear Me', and the picturesque, meditative closing cut, 'Altera Vita - Another Life'.

Review: One of the most remarkable things about Saturday Night Special, the 1975 debut album by the Lyman Woodard Organisation, is how two musicians - accompanied by various sessions drummers - could make such a rich and layered set. It still impresses that Lyman Woodard and Ron English could create so many superbly evocative and cinematic jazz-fusion workouts almost on their own. The set has long been regarded as one of the best musical commentaries on a particularly low period in Detroit's post-industrial history, and many of the tracks are suitably poignant - even those clearly aimed at the dancefloor. Critically, this reissue deals with one of the major issues with original copies - their poor pressing - by stretching the same tracks over two slabs of wax, rather than one.

Review: Golden-era hip-hop legend DJ Marley Marl continues his adventures in house music, and this time he's got soulful house royalty - specifically Kenny Bobien and Lady Alma- in tow. 'Joy (Hallelujah)' is as righteous, uplifting and life-affirming as you'd expect: a horn, organ and piano-heavy slab of hands-in-the-air brilliance topped off with some sublime gospel lyrics and vocals from Bobien and Alma. We'd argue the track is best in its full vocal 'Extended Mix' form, though the accompanying instrumental is still superb - and arguably more suitable for those who are uncomfortable with the (admittedly joyous) religious messaging within the lyrics. Testify!

Review: So many of the compilations that BBE put out are vital history lessons as well as great listening experiences. This one is another case in point as it finds music historian, DJ and daytime party promoter John Armstrong - who has put together more than 200 compilations - digging deep to offer up an alternate take on the famous bubblegum sounds that came out of Black South Africa towards the end of the apartheid years. Yebo! Rare Mzansi Party Beats from Apartheid's Dying Years is a superb showcase of diverse sounds created by the youth of the day as a means of escape. There is already talk of a second volume, which we're very much ready for after hearing this one.

Review: Next up for BBE is a package of remixes that invites several key artists to add their own spin to Jazzanova's superb reimagining of Sam Sanders's iconic 'Face at my Window'. Kyoto Jazz Massive are first to tackle the single which first appeared on 'Strata Records - The Sound of Detroit - Reimagined by Jazzanova' and bring some intimate jazz clubs vibes. After a Yoshi edit and version with vocalists Sean Haefli, musclecars bring a touch of New York and Chicago house classicism to their version. Both remixers bring new perspective to this timeless classic.

Review: Soul Liberation was formed by a former gang leader turned preacher known as Tom Skinner. The band was born from his ministry having been a backing band for his revival style Crusades and this, Who Are You, is their second album. It's a direct lien to the soul sounds of the past but with modern produciton touches and is the sort of soothing, life enriching record that we all need in our lives from time to time. The band toured non-stop for two decades, channelling plenty of gospel influences and elements from their Christian music scene into universal songs of love with dashes of funk along the way. This is the first ever reissue of the record.

Review: Airto Moreira and Flora Purim are known as the legendary King and Queen of Brazilian Jazz. For the last 60 years they have been serving up rich and vivid albums as well as playing exhilarating live shows all over the world. They have fans all over the world from Japan's concert halls to the UK's jazz funk and jazz dance scenes and their latest album in 2022, If You Will, was nominated for a Grammy, proving that they very much still have it. A Celebration: 60 Years - Sounds, Dreams & Other Stories is a collection of their many best bits from over the years.

Review: You might know Airto Moreira and Flora Purim as the King and Queen of Brazilian Jazz and for good reason. They have spent more than the last half decade putting out some of their homeland's finest and most richly rewarding jazz albums as well as playing exhilarating live shows all over the world. They have found favour with jazz lovers everywhere as a result, from Japan's concert halls to the UK's jazz-funk scenes. If You Will was their last album back in 2022 and it got a Grammy, and now A Celebration: 60 Years - Sounds, Dreams & Other Stories brings together some of their best work from over the last 60 odd years. Essential stuff.

Review: Almost entirely ignored at the time of its original release, Nigerian drumming maestro Remi Kabaka's legendary original LP Son Of Africa has gone down in legend as the defining solo statement of an incendiary drummer, whose contributions to music across the jazz and rock spectrums is credited and felt strongly to this day. A founding member of Afro-jazz band Osibisa, Kabaka is credited for his work with many a Rolling Stone and Beatle, but it's his solo work on this Afro-funk rare gem that really gets the least easy to please among us going. An Afrofuturist statement to the core, its jubilant vocal chants and defiant trumpet lines are but mere pepperings over the boxy, banging body that is Kabaka's live Afrobeat quads.

Review: This new Brian Jackson package 'Miami Wata' brings together traditional African sounds and modern Latin house music in a captivating fashion. Jackson's rendition of a traditional African song draws on the sacred lands of the Dogan in Mali and the rich rhythms of Ghana, paying tribute to all the different African cultures that have made for such a diverse tapestry of world music. The original comes with serval remixes, dubs and cosmic reworks from the one and only Body & Soul man Joe Claussell who takes it into all new but equally spiritual realms. It makes for an epic double 12" from BBE.

Review: Rahaan is a Chicago legend and master of the most soulful sounds in the studio. His new EP for BBE, 'We Are The Ones,' sees him joining up with a whole host of top musicians such as Marcus J. Austin and Nancy Clayton on vocals, Carnell C. Newbill on keys, Todd Swope on guitar and Lou Terry on bass. Between them they bring real dance floor adventures that are steeped in proper musicality. Ohio Players' Kenny Anderson on the horns brings some real soul to these four-to-the-floor cuts which mix up disco and house in the finest of fashion.

Review: IF Music's name is legendary amongst those in the know and now Jean Claude celebrates that with another superb compilation on BBE. Across this beautiful gatefold vinyl release, there are nine next level jazz tunes from the likes of Emanative & Liz Elensky, Sylvain Kassap, Greetje Bijma Kwintet and Atilla Engin Group. This is the ninth release in the 'You Need This' series and the music on it ranges from 1980 to the present day. It all adds up to a wonderfully coherent release that takes you through four decades of stylish jazz.

Review: BBE's on going love for Japanese jazz has spawned several superb compilations of late. This is the fourth such volume of their J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan series and it is sub-titled The Nippon Columbia label 1968 - 1981. It's a tasteful collection that arrives here on double CD and is again packed with classy sounds from a range of key players. Takashi Mizuhashi joins forces with seminal American talent Herbie Hancock on 'Samba De Negrito' and Hiromasa Suzuki, Jiro Inagaki & His Big Soul Media make a lasting impression with the hard bop of 'By The Red Stream' and the likes of Nobuo Hara & His Sharps & Flats, Hozan Yamamoto go wild on 'Chakkiri-Bushi.' Essential.

Review: BBE has been shining a deserving light on Japanese jazz for a while now through this on going J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan series. This latest triple bumper pack is sub titled The Nippon Columbia label 1968 - 1981 and is again packed with next level sounds from a range of key players. Many of them will be familiar to those with a basic knowledge of jazz but plenty won't. The likes of Nobuo Hara & His Sharps & Flats, Hozan Yamamoto go wild on 'Chakkiri-Bushi,' Takashi Mizuhashi joins forces with seminal American talent Herbie Hancock on 'Samba De Negrito' and Hiromasa Suzuki, Jiro Inagaki & His Big Soul Media make a lasting impression with the hard bop of 'By The Red Stream.'

Review: The Jazz Room is a hotly curated selectors' V/A compiled by jazz expert and BBE label owner Paul Murphy. Following the success of the original comp first released in 2019, this one comes up after a full four years' worth of curating and mulling, and aims to represent the full range of both classic and contemporary jazz sounds, from New Orleans to Latin jazz, in quick succession. Consisting of contemporary jazz versions of the likes of Fela Kuti, Raul Monsalve and, for some reason, The Human League, said contributions by the likes of Cruisic and Clare Fischer aim to trace the - yes, the - comprehensive throughline of jazz from past to present, all while refusing to abstain from BBE's trademark eclecticism. Highlights include 'Rebel No. 23' and Fast 3's Hammond-organ-injected 'Don't You Want Me'. Most importantly, no track goes without a driving, bright-bursting mood of energy.