Just as we’ve seen over the past few years, there continues to be many high quality reissues released on an annual basis, even to the point that this has become the main focus for some labels. With prices for original copies of many records continuing to become more and more pricey, the actual need for affordable reissued releases seems to be more an more necessary.

With that being said, in one of the most challenging lists to compile this year, here are BeatCaffeine’s favorite reissues and previously unreleased albums* of 2019. 

Please note: *Reissued singles will appear in a separate upcoming list.

 
 

10. Steve Reid ft. The Legendary Master Brotherhood — ‘Nova’
(Reissued: 2019 / Soul Jazz Records)
(Original Release: 1976 / Mustevic Sound)

For the second time in ten years, Soul Jazz Records reissued legendary drummer Steve Reid’s 1976 spiritual jazz-funk masterpiece Nova. Following the formation of the group The Legendary Master Brotherhood after serving four years in jail as a conscientious objector of the Vietnam war, the original album was released in 1976 on Reid’s own Bronx-based Mustevic Sound label. Featuring the all-time jazz funk classic “Lions of Juda”, the record is a brilliant blend of deep spiritual melodies, funky rhythms, and explosive horn solos. To add to this well-crafted reissue release, the first 1,000 copies were pressed on orange colored vinyl.

 
 

9. Sun Ra Arkestra — ‘Live in Kalisz 1986’
(previously unreleased)
(Lanquidity Records)

London-based label Lanquidity Records released for the first time on vinyl, Sun Ra Arkestra’s, now considered, legendary 1986 performance in Kalisz, Poland. This ten-track live recording, which was discovered three decades after the actual performance, took place during the Cold War when the Soviet Union still occupied Poland, and the country was largely separated from the West. During the concert, the group performed a number of avant improvisational instrumentals, as well as classic Sun Ra compositions “Discipline 27-II,” “Yeah Man!”, and “Children of the Sun,” as well as incredible cosmic versions of jazz standards “Prelude to a Kiss”, and “Mack the Knife”.

 
 

8. Rob — ‘s/t’
(Originally released: 1977/ Essiebons)
(Reissued: Mr. Bongo)

Originally released on a small independent label, Rob’s 1977 West African funk classic Funky Rob Way has become one of the most sought after 70s era Afro-funk records, with original copies going for upwards of around $2,000-$3,000. Heavily influenced by James Brown, this recording features a lot of wah-wah guitar, funky organ grooves, cosmic synth lines, blaring horn melodies, heavy-hitting African-influenced rhythms, and a fury of call-and-response vocals. 

 
 

7. Joe McPhee — ‘Nation Time’
(Originally released: 1971/ CjRecord Productions)
(Reissued: Superior Viaduct)

Bay Area’s Superior Viaduct label reissued saxophonist Joe McPhee’s 1971 free-willing jazz classic Nation Time. Originally released on the small CjR imprint, the very rare three track recording, was recorded live over a three day weekend at Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, New York) in December of 1970. The recording was comprised by two simultaneous playing bands, one with a more guitar and organ driven funk foundation, and a more standard jazz ensemble featuring two drummers. The highly obscure album features the all-time cooker “Shakey Jake,” fuses funky backing grooves with McPhee’s fiery post-Coltrane tenor solos and melodies. 

 
 

6. Fabriano Fuzion ‎– ‘Cosmik Sindika’
(Originally released: 1982)
(Reissued: BeauMonde Records)

French label Beaumonde reissued Fabriano Fuzion’s highly obscure album Cosmik Sindika, originally released in 1982 by the small independent label Safran. The group was lead by native Guadeloupe and Paris-based bassist Serge Fabriano, who was joined by a large number of Caribbean’s most inspired musicians. The album is brilliant from start to finish, fusing together a wide array of influences including Guadeloupe’s rhythmic Gwo Ka roots, electric jazz grooves, funky percussion, spiritual melodies, and hypnotic chanting vocals. Even though this was the only record from this band, it’s safe to say that this eight song album is one of the true masterpieces to emerge from the French West Indies.  

 
 

5. Azymuth — ‘Demos (1973-75) Volumes 1 & 2’
(previously unreleased)
(Far Out Recordings)

Recorded over 40 years ago, the earliest demo recordings from legendary Brazilian fusion band Azymuth have finally been made available in two volume release by London’s Far Out Recordings. Bridging together influences from both the United States and Brazilian, the Rio de Janeiro quartet made their mark during the seventies and eighties by brilliantly fusing together jazz, funk, and progressive rock with their native sounds of samba, bossa nova, and tropicália. These quality recorded demo sessions truly help to captures the band’s early creative vision, and musically rank right up their with some of their greatest work. 

 
 

4. Ana Mazzotti — ‘Ninguem Vai Me Segurar’
(Originally released: 1974 / Top Tape)
(Reissued: Far Out Recordings)

Around the same time this year, Far Out Recordings reissued two obscure mid-seventies Brazilian jazz fusion recordings from multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Ana Mazzotti, who fellow Brazilian musician icon Hermeto Pascoal dubbed a “super-musician.” These were unfortunately Mazzotti’s only two studio recordings, as she unfortunately passed away in her mid-thirties due to losing her battle with cancer. Her 1974 debut, titled Ninguem Vai Me Segurar, features Azymuth’s bassist Alex Malheiros and percussionist Ariovaldo Contestini, and is brilliant mix of electric jazz grooves, samba rhythms, hypnotic bossa melodies, and Brazilian funk.

 
 

3. John Coltrane — ‘Blue World’ (previously unreleased)
(Impulse!)

While the band was on the road in 1964, jazz legend John Coltrane and his classic quartet featuring pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Elvin Jones took a short break from touring and recorded music for Gilles Groulx’s Canadian film Le Chat Dans Le Sac. Excerpts of these recordings ended up being featured in the film, however up until now, full versions of the recordings were never released. Finally Impulse! Records has now made the fully unedited session available in it’s entirety. The recording features both never heard before compositions like the title track “Blue World,” and re-recorded renditions of classic Coltrane compositions like “Naima,” “Village Blues,” and “Traneing In”. Interestingly, this recording preceded two of Coltrane’s most groundbreaking albums in Crescent and A Love Supreme. 

 
 

2. Marvin Gaye ‎– ‘You’re The Man’ (previously unreleased)
(Motown / Universal / Tamla)

Marvin Gaye’s 1972 previously shelved album You’re The Man finally saw the light of day in 2019. Following the remarkable success of Gaye’s 1971 socially conscious masterpiece What’s Going On?, the singer decided to work with a number of different producers and collaborators like the Mizell Brothers, Willie Hutch, Hal Davis, and Gene Page on the follow-up release. Similar to What’s Going On? and to the disliking of Motown, this material followed similar sociopolitical themes like the pains of the Vietnam War, the morning of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nixon’s exploits, and African-American rights. Motown decided to release the , however the record’s strong political stances ended up playing a major part in the album’s eventual shelving. 47 years later, this previously unreleased material finally was officially released. This brilliant recording is oozing with soul and features Gaye’s masterful vocals, backed often by funk rhythms and heavy grooves, making it the perfect bridge between What’s Going On and the blaxploitation classic Trouble Man.

 
 

1. Reggie Andrews and The Fellowship — ‘Mystic Beauty’
(Originally released: 1969 / H.M.E.)
(Reissued: Mad About Records)

The Portuguese-based Mad About Records released a number of remarkable reissues over the past twelve months, spanning a wide range of genres and sounds including jazz, soul, rare grooves, and more. Even though they were all worthy titles worth checking out, I feel that their release of Reggie Andrews and The Fellowship’s highly obscure 1969 spiritual jazz masterpiece Mystic Beauty stood above the rest, and was the best reissue of 2019. For over five decades, Andrews has been a highly influential musician, teacher and mentor among the Los Angeles music scene. He was the keyboardist and one of the founding members of the jazz fusion group Karma, and has produced records by Patrice Rushen, Terrace Martin, Ndugu Chancler, the Dazz Band, and Moacir Santos to name a few, while also collaborating with Earth, Wind & Fire, Donald Byrd, J Dilla, The Pharcyde, and numerous others. The late sixties Mystic Beauty recording, which was originally released by the small independent label H.M.E., was actually the only album Andrews released under his own name. Backed by a septet, this nine-track recording is very soulful in it’s overall sound, mixing together elements of deep spiritual grooves, Latin and Afro-Cuban percussion influences, layered horn melodies, and modal jazz. With original copies going upwards of $3,000, it’s not surprising that the reissue quickly sold out. Worthy of “holy-grail” status, this brilliant album is an absolute essential chapter of Los Angeles’ underground and fruitful jazz history, and kudos to Mad About Records for making it available again (even if it was just for a short time).

 
 

MORE RECOMMENDED REISSUES WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Steve Reid — ‘Rhythmatism’ (Soul Jazz Records)
Gülistan — ‘Oriental Groove‘ (Hot Mule)
9th Creation — ‘A Step Ahead’ (Past Due Records)
Minoru Muraoka — ‘Bamboo’ (Mr. Bongo)
CRAC — ‘All For You’ (KingUnderground Records)
Akofa Akoussah — ‘s/t’ (Mr. Bongo)
Tubby Hayes Quartet — ‘Grits, Beans and Greens’ (Fontana Jazz)
Seeds Of Fulfillment — ’s/t’ (Mo-Jazz Records)

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