Category: DIGGIN’ IN

BeatCaffeine's Favorite Reissues of 2023

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.

Grupo Los Yoyi – Yoyi (Mr Bongo Reissue)

Mr Bongo launches new Cuban Classic Series with reissue of Grupo Los Yoyi’s 1977 fusion gem

For over 30 years, Mr Bongo label and record shop 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 continue their high quality output of rare material as they launch their new Cuban Classic Series, beginning with the hard-to-find reissue of Grupo Los Yoyi’s 1977 fusion gem.

Mr Bongo Brazilian reissues

UK’s Mr Bongo reissues two essential Brazilian gems

For over the past 30 years, the Brighton-based record shop and label Mr Bongo have been at the forefront of reissuing rare Brazilian gems from the past, from their Brazil 45 series to full-length albums, notably Arthur Verocai’s 1972 self-titled “holy grail”. Over the last month, they have recently added two more must-own releases to the list in Minas‘ 1983 private press bossa nova recording Num Dia Azul, and Mário Castro Neves and his group, Samba S. A.‘s 1967 breezy samba self-titled classic.

Pharoah Sanders — Pharoah Harvest Time

Luaka Bop releases expanded reissue of Pharoah Sanders’ classic 1977 album ‘Pharoah’

On September 24, 2022, the entire jazz world and beyond mourned the passing of the late great Pharoah Sanders, who was one of the most influential and groundbreaking artists of our time. Almost a year later, in what has become one of the most highly anticipated reissues of 2023, Luaka Bop has re-released an expanded edition of Pharoah Sanders’ classic 1977 album Pharoah.

Mike Dogliotti — Hagalo,​Camaleon

Jazz Room Records issues 7inch with two funky gems from Urguayan pianist Mike Dogliotti

On top of continuously putting out a number of well-crafted full-length reissues, over the last few year’s Paul Murphy’s Jazz Room Records has also issued a number of essential 7inch releases, often included selections on that format for the first time. That is certainly the case here, with the double-sided single from Urguayan pianist Mike Dogliotti featuring two rare dancefloor gems.