BeatCaffeine’s Favorite Reissues, Lost Recordings & Retrospectives of 2023
As with new music releases, 2023 was an outstanding year for reissues and previously unreleased recordings. It feels like with every great new release or artists that breaks through on the scene, there are still so many records from the past to still discover and dive into as a listener. The quality of the actual reissue releases themselves also seems to improve in time. The care and work that goes into many of these releases is astonishing and handled like the artifacts that they truly are.
Trying to narrow down my favorite reissues, unreleased albums from the past, and new retrospectives is about as challenging to put together as any of the year-end lists on this site. For this list, I focused mostly on full-length reissues. With a few weeks left in the calendar year, there is a possibility that I will get the opportunity to also highlight some of my favorite reissued 12inch and 7inch singles (plenty of ground to cover there).
As always, a strong shoutout to all the labels and people behind these reissued releases. You can truly tell that this is a labor of love, and record collectors/DJs continue to be indebted to those that are putting in the work behind-the scenes to make these titles available.
Here are BeatCaffeine’s Favorite Reissues, Lost Recordings & Retrospectives of 2023
25. Sun Ra And His Intergalactic Research Arkestra – ‘Paradiso Amsterdam 1970’
(Jazz In Paradiso)
Jazz In Paradiso is a brand new series launched by Nederlands Jazz Archief, to document memorable jazz concerts that saxophonist and jazz promoter Hans Dulfer organized in the Cosmic Relaxation Center Paradiso from 1968 onwards. With their first release, they issued a unreleased 1970 live concert featuring the Sun Ra Arkestra. The recording includes a very early version of the classic track “Space Is The Place”, and the limited-edition 2xLP release also includes a 28-page booklet with liner notes and rare photos.
24. Gal Costa — ‘Índia’ (50th Anniversary Edition)
(Originally released: 1973 / Philips)
(Reissued: Mr Bongo)
Sadly in November of 2022, the great Brazilian singer Gal Costa passed away at the age of 77. In tribute to her and the 50th anniversary of her 1973 post-Tropicália masterpiece Índia, UK’s Mr Bongo put out a special commemorative reissue of the release. For this release, engineer Miles Showell from Abbey Road was enlisted to do the mastering and lacquer-cutting at half-speed master. The album is also housed in its original replica gatefold cover with an OBI, and there is an insert with an interview and a poster.
23. Yusef Lateef — ‘Yusef Lateef’s Detroit Latitude 42° 30′ Longitude 83°’ (Mono)
(Originally released: 1969 / Atlantic)
(Reissued: Arc Records)
This past year, Gilles Peterson’s Arc Records began diving into the Atlantic jazz vaults and began reissuing some of the labels most notable releases in mono. One of those reissue releases was Yusef Lateef’s 1969 classic, titled Yusef Lateef’s Detroit Latitude 42° 30′ Longitude 83°. Great from start to finish, this 8-track recording is one of Lateef’s more soulful recordings, combining spiritual grooves with soul-jazz, and funky blues, as a tribute to the city in which he grew up.
22. Hermeto Pascoal — ‘Hermeto’
(Originally released: 1970 / Cobblestone)
(reissue: Far Out Recordings)
Each year, London-based Far Out Recordings always seems to release some must-own Brazilian gems, and in 2023 that was certainly the case. One of the many standout records the label put out this year was a reissue of Brazilian legend Hermeto Pascoal’s 1970 recording, simply titled Hermeto. Originally released on Cobblestone, and later on Muse Records, this album represented the first album under Hermeto Pascoal’s name, even though he had already made a strong name for himself playing in notable groups like Sambrassa Trio, Quarteto Novo and Brazilian Octopus. Featuring other greats like Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, and Ron Carter, along with an expanded band and string ensemble, the music blends together orchestral arrangements, haunting cosmic textures and tones, and experimental instrumentation.
21. Danny Ward & Reality — ‘s/t’
(Originally released: 1977 / self-released)
(Reissue: Jazz Room Records)
In 2023, iconic London jazz dance DJ and innovator Paul Murphy and his label Jazz Room Records continued their string of must-own releases, including a must-own reissue of the extremely rare 1977 private press self-titled album from Seattle-based Danny Ward & Reality. The lively feel-good session features funky renditions of some classic dancefloor material written and made famous by George Benson, Lydia Pense and Coldblood, The Headhunters, Mandrill, and Aretha Franklin.
20. Harold Land Quintet – The Peace-Maker
(Originally Released: 1968 / Cadet)
(Reissued: Verve Records / Verve By Request)
Verve Records reissued one of the true underrated jazz gems from the late sixties, and represented the first of ten collaborations between the great tenor saxophonist Harold Land and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. The session also includes The Crusaders’ Joe Sample on Piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Donald Bailey on both drums and harmonica. Great from start to finish, this is sixties era acoustically driven jazz at it’s absolute best.
19. Max Roach — ‘Members, Don’t Git Weary’ (Mono)
(Originally released: 1968 / Atlantic)
(Reissued: Arc Records)
Continuing with the deep dive into the Atlantic Record vaults, Gilles Peterson’s Arc Records reissued Max Roach’s spiritual hard-bop classic Members, Don’t Git Weary, which is arguably one of the top jazz releases of all-time. The session includes a legendary cast of musicians, including Roach on drums, pianist Stanley Cowell, trumpeter Charles Tolliver, saxophonist Gary Bartz, bassist Jymie Merritt, and vocalist Andy Bey. This is the session that basically set-up the foundation for Cowell and Tolliver’s iconic Strata-East label. The well-crafted reissue also includes a full-color 4-page insert with brand new sleeve-notes featuring words from Tolliver and Bartz.
18. The Free Music — ‘Free Music (Part 1)’
(Habibi Funk)
Each year, Habibi Funk continues to release some of the greatest and rarest eclectic music from the Arab world. In 2023, the string of incredible releases continued, including part 1 of their retrospective of Libyan composer and producer Najib Alhoush’s funky ensemble, The Free Music. The group’s sound covers a lot of territory, blurring the lines between soul, funk, disco and reggae.
17. T. Honda — ‘What’s Going On’
(Originally released: 1973 / Trio Records)
(Reissued: Jazz Room Records)
Originally released on the Japanese label Trio Records, this incredible reissue from Paul Murphy’s Jazz Room Records features funky large-ensemble renditions of soul classics like James Brown’s “Ain’t It Funky Now”, The Impressions’ “Check-Out Your Mind,” Otis Redding’s “Sitting On The Dock of the Bay,” and quite possibly the best rendition (other than Marvin Gaye’s original version) of “What’s Going On”. The record also features superb takes on Eddie Harris’s “Sham Time,” The Crusaders’ “Greasy Spoon,” and Honda’s original cut “Ain’t Tell You A Good Way But”.
16. McNeal And Niles – ‘Thrust’
(Originally released: 1979 / Tinkertoo)
(Reissued: We Are Busy Bodies)
Toronto-based record label We Are Busy Bodies reissued the extremely rare 1979 soulful jazz-funk full-length Thrust by guitarist Wilbur Niles and his then-girlfriend, Machelle McNeal. Recorded at the makeshift Man-Ray Studios located in the back of a car wash in Akron, Ohio, this incredible 7-track album was put on the map for the cosmic jazz opener “Ja Ja”, named after an African king who rose from slavery to become a wildly successful broker of palm oil in the 19th century. With original copies now going for upwards of $1,600 or more, this was a much welcomed reissue release this year.
15. Minas – ‘Num Dia Azul’
(Originally released: 1983 / Blueazul Records)
(Reissued: Mr Bongo)
Recorded in North Carolina just after Patricia and Orlando Haddad had graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts, this incredible 7-track recording brilliantly mixes the sounds of bossa nova, jazz, MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) and lush vocals. Even though the recording took place in the U.S., the album was only released for the Brazilian market on the group’s own Blueazul Records imprint. As with most private press labels, they could only afford to have it pressed in small quantities. To add to its later obscurity, hundreds of copies were also destroyed in a house fire.
14. Arthur Russell – ‘Picture Of Bunny Rabbit’
(Audika)
Audika continued it’s deep exploration of Arthur Russell’s music with another brilliant collection of unreleased material from the late legendary artist, that was recorded roughly around the same time he did the mid-80s World of Echo sessions.The bulk of the material was recorded with engineer Eric Liljestrand at Battery Sound Studios, New York, which was located directly opposite the World Trade Center, and at Arthur’s apartment studio in the East Village.
13. Mário Castro Neves & Samba S. A. — ‘s/t‘
(Originally released: 1967 / RCA)
(Reissued: Mr Bongo)
Led by Brazilian composer, pianist and producer, Mário Castro Neves, his superb self-titled recording blends together 60s bossa nova with jazz, samba, sublime vocal harmonies, and some sunshine drenched easy listening moments. The album also features some jazz dancefloor primed material, including “Nanã”, and the classic song “Candomblé”.
12. Hideo Shiraki — ‘Plays Bossa Nova’
(Originally released: 1962 / King Records)
(Reissued: Jazz Room Records)
Another standout reissue release this year from Jazz Room Records was a re-release of Japanese drummer Hideo Shiraki’s rare 1962 Brazilian jazz full-length, titled Hideo Shiraki Plays Bossa Nova. Heavily inspired by both Horace Silver and the Bossa Nova explosion that he was exposed to on a trip to the United States, Shiraki returned to Japan to immediately record an album infused with those early 60s jazz influences. Featuring 7-tracks, this recording fuses the sounds of swingin’ hard-bop, Samba, and Bossa Nova grooves that will surely keep you on your feet.
11. Al Tanner Trio — ‘Happiness Is… Takin’ Care of Natural Business… Dig?’
(Originally released: 1967 / Touché)
(Reissued: 2023 / Jazzman Records)
London’s Jazzman Records continued its incredible Holy Grail Series with a couple of new additions in 2023, including the extremely rare 1967 modal jazz gem Happiness Is… Takin’ Care of Natural Business… Dig? by San Francisco pianist Al Tanner and his trio. The six-track recording features the classic modal piano trio sound at it’s best, and could easily be mistaken for a notable release at the time off of Columbia, Verve, Prestige or Blue Note Records. Limited to just 1,000 copies, this well-crafted reissue includes extensive in-depth liner notes and rarely seen photos.
10. Guilherme Coutinho E O Grupo Stalo — ‘s/t’
(Originally released: 1978 / Erla – Estudio Rauland)
(Reissued: Mr Bongo)
UK’s Mr Bongo label and record shop released a very welcomed reissue of the highly obscure and in-demand 1978 self-titled release from elusive Brazilian band leader and keyboard player, Guilherme Coutinho and his Grupo Stalo. The 8-track recording features a unique blend of lo-fi grooves, Brazilian tropicalia, jazz-funk and MPB (Música Popular Brasileira). Given that it was originally released on Erla – Estudio Rauland, which was located in the Brazilian town of Belém (thousands of miles away from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo), this record was insanely difficult to find, even in Brazil.
9. Mustafa — ‘Polygamy’
(Originally released: 1984 / Fatimah Records International)
(Reissued: Eating Standing)
The Italian-based Eating Standing label re-released the 1984 spiritual jazz-funk masterpiece from producer, tenor saxophonist, and percussionist Mustafa Abdul Rahman. This 6-track recording features a fusion of spiritual jazz melodies, funky layered percussion grooves, soaring trumpet solos from notably Ahmed Abdullah and Malachi Thompson, soulful Leon Thomas-like vocals by Odell Grier and more.
8. Grupo Um — ‘Starting Point’
(Recorded: 1975)
(Far Out Recordings)
London’s Far Out Recordings unearthed the previously unreleased 1975 recording from Brazilian fusion trio Grupo Um, who first made their mark performing in Hermeto Pascoal’s Grupo. Made up of brothers Lelo Nazario (piano/keys) and Zé Eduardo Nazario (drums/percussion), alongside bassist Zeca Assumpção, this brilliant 6-track recording blends together cosmic Rhodes keys and acoustic piano with funky electric bass lines, and Afro Brazilian layered percussion rhythms that straddle the lines between adventurous improvisational moments and spacey jazz-funk grooves.
7. Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Solar Arkestra — ‘Space Is The Place: Music From The Original Soundtrack’
(Originally released: 1973 / Blue Thumb)
(Reissued: Modern Harmonic)
Modern Harmonic, who have been extremely active over the last several years in repackaging Sun Ra material, released a well-crafted box set of the group’s iconic soundtrack to their Afrofuturist science fiction film. This deluxe package includes 3 LPs (one LP of previously unreleased material), a BluRay Disc, and DVD of the film, a large format 8 page booklet with liner notes by numerous esteemed Afro-Futurism scholars, and an ‘Outer Space Employment Agency’ Tote Bag in a pizza box style package.
6. Alain Goraguer — ‘La Planète Sauvage (Expanded Original Soundtrack)’
(Originally released: 1973 / Pathé)
(Reissued: Decca/ Cam Sugar)
French jazz composer and pianist Alain Goraguer’s soundtrack to René Laloux’s cult-classic 1973 animated film La Planète Sauvage (Fantastic Planet) is arguably one of the greatest film recordings. The music, which has everything from funky psyched-out jazz, haunting melodies and tones, cosmic kraut grooves and everything in-between. The record has also been sampled by generations of hip-hop luminaries, including KRS One, Big Pun, Madlib (as Quasimoto), J Dilla, Mac Miller, Little Simz, Flying Lotus and so many others. For this 50th anniversary reissue, this release includes 10 unreleased cuts and 12-page booklet.
5. Grupo Los Yoyi — ‘Yoyi’
(Originally released: 1977 / Egrem, Areito)
(Reissued: Mr Bongo)
For over 30 years, Mr Bongo has been at the forefront of some of the most notable Brazilian, African, hip-hop, and Latin reissue releases. The UK-based label and record shop continued their high quality output of rare material as they launched their new Cuban Classic Series, beginning with the hard-to-find reissue of Grupo Los Yoyi’s 1977 fusion gem. This obscure classic features nine predominantly instrumental tracks that blend together a wide array of sounds and influences, from Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms to psychedelic-funk, jazz dance, disco, trippy soundtrack-like excursions and beyond.
4. Southern University Jazz Ensemble — ‘Goes to Africa With Love’
(Originally Released: 1973 / Jazzstronauts)
(Reissued: Now-Again Records)
Now-Again Records reissued the Southern University Jazz Ensemble’s very rare 1973 spiritual jazz “Holy Grail” record, titled Goes to Africa With Love. Originally given away as souvenirs at Southern University, this represents the first-ever commercial release of this album. This incredible recording, which was led by New Orleans’ legend Alvin Batiste while he was instructing the Baton Rouge college band, features both vocal and never-before-released instrumental renditions of each composition. The album’s major highlight is the group’s 16-minute version of the spiritual Afro-Brazilian jazz dance gem “Samba Dee”.
3. Airto Moreira & Flora Purim – ‘A Celebration: 60 Years – Sounds, Dreams & Other Stories’
(BBE)
For over six decades, there has arguably not been a more pioneering duo that has brought together the sounds of Brazilian jazz, fusion, and samba more so than Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. Through their own collaborations and individual works, the legendary musical tag-team and longtime life partners have over time gained a vast global fan base that includes everything from UK’s jazz-funk and jazz dance scenes, to experimental jazz and Brazilian-rooted music fans. The London-based label BBE released the a 5LP Box Set highlighting some of their most notable tracks.
2. Indigo Jam Unit — ‘Colin Curtis Presents: Indigo Jam Unit’
(Jazz Room Records)
With the help of jazz dance pioneers Paul Murphy and Colin Curtis, some of the best dancefloor material from the groundbreaking Japanese quartet Indigo Jam Unit was made available on an incredible vinyl-only release (first time outside of Japan). Made up of a combination of two drummers, piano and bass, including Isao Wasano (drums percussion), Katsuhiko Sasai (bass), Takehiro Shimizu (drums), and Yoshichika Tarue (piano), this 8-track recording is firing on all cylinders from start to finish, featuring a heavy dose of Latin-tinged jazz dance grooves. With copies of the original releases extraordinarily difficult to come by and often pricey, it’s great to see this material have new life with a whole new generation of listeners.
1.Pharoah Sanders — ‘Pharoah’
(Originally released: 1977 / India Navigation)
(Reissued: Luaka Bop)
Almost exactly one year after the unfortunate passing of the legendary Pharoah Sanders, Luaka Bop re-released an expanded edition of the saxophonist’s classic 1977 album Pharoah. Originally released on the iconic India Navigation, the spiritual jazz masterpiece featured an extremely unique group of musicians, which is so unlikely that they were never all in the same room again. The lineup included guitarist Tisziji Muñoz, organist Clifton “Jiggs” Chase, bassist Steve Neil, drummer Greg Bandy, and percussionist Lawrence Killian, and Bedria Sanders, Pharoah’s wife at the time and a classically trained pianist. The recording originally featured three brilliant tracks, including the 20-plus minute all-time classic “Harvest Time”, the soulful “Love Will Find a Way”, which features Pharoah on vocals, and the cosmic spiritual closer “Memories of Edith Johnson”. For this reissue edition, Luaka Bop has unearthed and included two remarkable live renditions of “Harvest Time”.
