Back catalogue: Jazz

Review: East London record label and shop BBE assign their curators' arm over at If Music another reccy in Latin and Afro-infused "deep jazz", yielding this brilliant fourth edition in a series. Made up solely of material formerly licensed to, but not necessarily released by, If Music, this one represents a global diversity of Afrobeat and jazz artists: from the creeping, hair-raising panter 'N'Kon Kini N'Kon N'Kon' by none other than stowaway Cream drummer Ginger Baker (cut from the album Eleven Sides Of Baker, on which there is an impressively mammoth cast of contributors) in collaboration with Ransome Kuti, through to the Japanese drummer George Hirota ('Process Of Cloud') and Kan Digor ('Croonardise').

Review: BBE, known for its groundbreaking J-Jazz and J-Jazz Masterclass series, now shines a light on an inerasable gem in Japan's national discography: the debut LP Rainbow Love by Orquesta Del Sol, the country's first authentic salsa band. Salsa's roots in Japan trace back to the post-WWII era, with groups like Tokyo Cuban Boys, but it was the 1977 Fania All-Stars tour that initiated wider interest. Percussionist Masahito "Pecker" Hashida, influenced by New York's salsa scene, formed Orquesta Del Sol on his return. Their debut, put out in 1981, blends compositions in Japanese, Spanish, and English, while working in a cover of Noro Morales' 'Rumbambola'. Produced by Shuichi "Ponta" Murakami, the album's bold sound was a product of Japan's studio scene and the band's connection to the Nuyorican salsa style. This reissue includes seven bonus tracks from the band's later years, remastered for a new generation.