Category: DIGGIN’ IN
For nearly a decade, London’s Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, have led the charge in reissuing some of the most adventurous and elusive Japanese jazz recordings through BBE Music’s acclaimed J Jazz Masterclass Series. Ahead of the highly anticipated J-Jazz Volume 5 compilation, two essential titles join the growing collection — Sachi Hayasaka & Stir Up!’s 1988 full-length Free Flight and a rare 1971 7inch from Christal Zone.
Brazilian fusion pioneers Grupo Um, whom made their mark performing in Hermeto Pascoal’s mid-1970s São Paulo collective, mark their 50th anniversary with a previously unreleased album on Far Out Recordings, titled Nineteen Seventy Seven, named for the year it was recorded.
As with the new music releases of 2025, many incredible reissues and previously unreleased recordings emerged throughout the year. The recordings unearthed each year continue to amaze. As mentioned in past years, the quality of these reissue releases seems to keep improving over time.
Similar to past years, narrowing down this list was probably the most challenging task among all the year-end lists (sorry, I always forget a few worthy titles). For this list, the focus is mostly on full-length reissues, though a few standout 7-inch selections are included.
The superb New York-based Frederiksberg Records has unearthed and recently reissued an extremely hard-to-find mid-70’s spiritual jazz album from the Oakland ensemble The People’s People, titled The People’s People Present The Spirit Of David.
In what is undoubtedly one of the best reissues of the year, London’s Strut Records has recently put out the lost 1975 session Candy Girl by legendary jazz pianist Mal Waldron, recorded in Paris with core members of the iconic Paris-based funk group Lafayette Afro Rock Band.
London’s Outernational Sounds, which is run by deejay and radio broadcaster Harv Nagi, has reissued the much sought-after 1981 jazz dance fusion classic Thi Nam by the widely talented German group Mr. Circle.
The London-based Trunk Records has recently issued, for the first time on 7inch format, two selections from acclaimed British actor, comedian, composer, and pianist Dudley Moore’s 1969 full-length featuring his trio of bassist Jeff Clyne and drummer Chris Karan.
Detroit’s Funk Night Records has recently reissued the incredible self-tilted debut from Estonian-based quintet Estrada Orchestra, which marks the record’s 10th anniversary.
German-based Tramp Records, who have been one of the leading labels over the past two decades when it comes to unearthing some of the rarest funk, soul and jazz recordings, has just put out a previously never-released-before album from the Stuttgart-based jazz fusion combo Baobab.
London’s Far Out Recordings has unearthed and released a previously lost 1978 session featuring legendary Brazilian drummer Edison Machado and his incredible, yet short-lived sextet ensemble, Boa Nova.
New York-based Frederiksberg Records has recently reissued the extremely rare 1984 spiritual soul-jazz private press album, Looking For Love, by Hebrew Israelite vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Margeeah Aharon.
Paul Murphy’s Jazz Room Records kicks off 2025 with a massive scorcher, releasing a welcomed reissue of trumpeter John Lamkin’s extremely rare 1984 jazz-funk album appropriately titled, Hot.
With much-anticipation, London-based BBE Music imprint label Impressive Collective has recently released a deluxe reissue of Ginger Johnson’s 1967 groundbreaking Afro-percussive album, African Party.
