• Record Shopping Etiquette

    The do’s, the don’ts, and best practices when it comes to shopping for vinyl.

    Record Shopping Etiquette
  • BeatCaffeine's Favorite Recordings

    Browse through BeatCaffeine's favorite new recordings, compilations, reissues, tracks and more from the past few years.

    BeatCaffeine's Favorite Records of 2018
  • The 100 Best Jazz-Funk Songs

    From Roy Ayers to Lonnie Liston Smith, here are the essential jazz-funk tracks of the late sixties and seventies.

    100 Best Jazz Funk Tracks
  • 20 Essential Sun Ra Records

    Sun Ra was one of the most original and creative musical minds of the last century. Here are 20 essential records from the Afro-futuristic legend.

    Sun Ra Essentials
  • Diggin' In with Detroit's Tribe

    We take a closer look at one of the most legendary jazz collectives of the 70s in Detroit’s Tribe, and some of their groundbreaking recordings.

    Diggin' In with Detroit's Tribe
  • 15 Essential Roy Ayers Records

    Composer, vibraphonist, and vocalist Roy Ayers is one of the greatest jazz-funk musicians of our time. Here are 15 essential records from the legendary artist.

    Roy Ayers 15 Essential Records
Alfa Mist — Bring Backs

UK pianist & producer Alfa Mist returns with superb new groove-oriented jazz album ‘Bring Backs’

From his collaborative work with Yussef Dayes, 44th Move with Richard Spaven, and a number of breakthrough recordings of his own, including his highly acclaimed 2017 debut Antiphon and stellar follow-up Structuralism, the London-based producer, self-taught pianist, and rapper Alfa Mist has become one of the leading artists among today’s UK jazz scene. He returns with a brilliant new groove-oriented jazz full-length album, titled Bring Backs.

Kenny Mann with Liquid Pleasure

Mad About Records reissues 1980 modern soul “Holy Grail” album from Kenny Mann with Liquid Pleasure

After a number of years of re-releasing some of the best and most obscure recordings, you can basically guarantee that if Portugal’s Mad About Records is putting something out, it’s going to be absolutely incredible. That string of essential releases continues with their recent reissue of the 1980 modern soul full-length gem from vocalist and keyboardist Kenny Mann and his group Liquid Pleasure.

GALXTC - Life Is A Mirror (Space Grapes)

GALXTC release incredible new Brit-funk twelve-inch ‘Life Is A Mirror’ on Space Grapes label

With the massive new album from STR4TA and other recent releases from Koji Ono (w/ members of Atmosfear), The Expansions (2018 track “Mariposa” specifically) and others, it feels like their is bit of a Brit-funk revitalization that is brewing. The momentum to take this DIY new-wave-jazz-funk sound, that originated in the UK during the late 70s and early 80s, into the future continues with an incredible new twelve-inch single, titled ‘Life Is A Mirror’, from the French group GALXTC.

José Carlos Schwarz & Le Cobiana Djazz

Hot Mule releases retrospective of Guinea-Bissau activist and poet José Carlos Schwarz & Le Cobiana Djazz

The Paris-based label Hot Mule, which has produced some of the best reissues over the past few years, has just released an incredible retrospective celebrating the music of poet and activist José Carlos Schwarz and his superb group Le Cobiana Djazz, who were highly influential and outspoken in the fight for the West African county of Guinea-Bissau’s independence during the 70s.

Billie Harris — I Want Some Water

Nimbus West reissues Billie Harris’ soulful spiritual jazz masterpiece ‘I Want Some Water’ on vinyl

Over the last several years, Nimbus West, who released some of the greatest recordings to come out of the spiritual Jazz scene in Los Angeles during the late 70s and early 80s has been diving deep back into it’s vaults and unearthing a number of incredible sessions. Most recently, they have issued saxophonist Billie Harris‘ masterful 1980 album I Want Some Water on vinyl for the first time.

Kaidi Tatham — An Insight To All Minds

Broken Beat innovator Kaidi Tatham releases brilliant cosmic jazz album ‘An Insight To All Minds’

Following last year’s superb collaborative EP with Andrew Ashong and the reissue of his groundbreaking 2008 sophomore solo recording In Search Of Hope, pioneering producer and keyboardist Kaidi Tatham, who has made his mark as one the most innovative broken beat artists over the past two decades, has just released an absolutely incredible new cosmic jazz album, titled An Insight To All Minds on First Word Records.

Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble — NOW

Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble return with incredible new powerful spiritual jazz album ‘NOW’

Over the last couple of years, the Chicago-based collective Black Monument Ensemble, led by visual/sound artist, and producer Damon Locks have released some of the most powerful and forward-thinking music. Their 2019 debut, Where Future Unfolds was arguably the best album to come out that year, and last year, the group put out the timely and very much needed uplifting track “Stay Beautiful”. Locks and the stellar ensemble have returned to release an absolutely brilliant new sophomore record on International Anthem, titled NOW.