Very hip session!  “A LIVE performance recorded on February 25, 1968 at the Affro-Arts Theater, a cultural center in Chicago operated by Cohran from 1967-1970.  This concert was a tribute to the late Malcolm X in the form of a suite of 4 tracks, each capturing a period of his life, ‘Malcolm Little,’ ‘Detroit Red,’ ‘Malcolm X,’ and ‘El Hajj Malik El Shabazz.’  The personnel and instrumentation are almost identical to Cohran’s ‘On the Beach’ session.  This historic and mesmerizing concert was originally an LP issued on Cohran’s Zulu label.  Original copies of that record are very rare collector’s items and sell for hundreds of dollars.  Kelan Phil Cohran is an unsung hero of jazz history and a cosmic treasure.  He played with Sun Ra in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s and was a co-founder of the world famous AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians).  In a manner similar to Art Blakey, Chico Hamilton and Betty Carter, Cohran identified and nurtured young jazz talent, many of whom went on to achieve worldwide recognition.  The Malcolm X Memorial material is in a category all its own.  Cohran lives in Chicago and continues to compose and perform at the age of 79.”  Lovely gatefold cover!  Also available on CD.

Many shades of longing / wistfulness from recent immigrants to the United States, recorded from 1927-1948.  Rebetika, Cajun, Hawaiian, calypso, and more flow together in lovely and ear-opening fashion.  Includes a fetching sleeve that takes off on the cover to the classic Really! The Country Blues album.

Cleoma Falcon – Prends Done Courage
Two Gospel Keys – I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore
Wilmouth Houdini – Blow Wind Blow
Marika Papagika – Zmirneikos Balos
Mme. Riviere’s Hawaiians – Edward the VIII
Sexteto Bolona – Te Prohibido el Cabaret
Jacob Hoffman & Kandal’s Orchestra – Diona & Hora
Blind Uncle Gaspard & Dela Lachney – Baoille
Mike Hanapi’s Ilima Islanders – Hilo Hula
Lydia Mendoza – Palida Luna
Blue Sky Boys – Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone?
Unknown – Sorban Palid
Big Boy Cleveland – Quill Blues

Stellar collection of prewar blues and gospel, some of the greatest hits alongside other fantastic lesser-knowns.  Hard for me to argue with any compilation that includes Robert Wilkins, Geechie Wiley, Sister O.M. Terrell, and Robert Petway’s “Catfish Blues”. 

Track listing:
Geechie Wiley – Last Kind Words
Kid Prince Moore – Church Bells
Robert Petway – Catfish Blues
Sister O.M. Terrell – I'm Going To That City (To Die No More)
Lottie Kimbrough (The Kansas City Butterball) – Rolling Log
Louis McDaniels & Cid Smith – It's Hard To Leave You Sweet Love
Lulu Jackson – Careless Love
Robert Wilkins – That's No Way To Get Along
The Anglin Brothers – Money Cannot Buy Your Soul
Blind Willie & Kate McTell – Don't Let Nobody Turn You 'Round
Cannons' Jug Stompers – I'm Going To Germany
Isiah Nettles (The Mississippi Moaner) – It's Cold In China
Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe McCoy – I Called You This Morning
Rev. Edward Clayborn – Death Is Only A Dream

Hot post-war gospel compilation put together by Mike McGonigal of the great Yeti zine.  Lots of terrific music on here, but perhaps most noteworthy is the gospel collector crowd’s recent “discovery” of the Straight Street Group, who hit a massive, joyous sacred guitar groove.  You also get one of Rev. Anderson Johnson’s absolutely off the hook first recordings, Elder Beck’s barnstorming “Rock & Roll Sermon”, Rev. Lonnie Farris’ early sacred steel, and plenty more to get you doing the holy dance.  Note that this second pressing does not contain the bonus 7” that was included on the first go-round.

Track listing:
Utah Smith – Take a Trip
Rev. Lonnie Farris – A Night in the House of Prayer
Sister O.M. Terrell – Life is a Problem
Straight Street Group – Angels Keep Watching Over Me
Rev. A. Johnson – Lord Will Make a Way
Elder Charles Beck – Rock & Roll Sermon, parts 1 & 2
Crumb Brothers – Seat in the Kingdom
Bishop Perry Tillis – I Found a Solid Rock
Utah Smith – I’m Free
Willanette Singers – Pray On
Professor Johnson – Standing in the Safety Zone
Tom Dutson – Lil’ School Song
Oakland’s Famous One Man Band – Amazing Grace

A quite lovely collection of African pop music, “Love Is Love is a beautifully compiled twelve-song LP of incredibly hard-to-find African pop music. The recordings are from between 1965 and 1972, and span the entire continent from places like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Sierra Leone. Styles are culled from R&B, highlife and acoustic guitar folk. Includes tracks from S.E. Rogers and Alemayno Eshintay (whose song gives the compilation its title).”

Alemayno Eshintay – Love is Love
S. E. Rogers – Toomus Meremereh Nor Good
Peter Tsotsi, Nashil Pichen, and the Equator Sound Band – Pole Musa
Miss Smodern – S’modern
Leribe – Sax Jive
William Siwale and Friends – Castle Beer
Jimmy Amukamua – Khukhaua Minyinzi
W. John Ondolo – Kerena
George Kazoka – Ulayinda Kubota
W. John Ondolo – Tumshukuru Mungu
Eliga Ishmael – Jumbe Nipelek Kwetu
Unknown – Chemirocha