Guitari Baro - meaning "Guitar Conversations"- is a groundbreaking instrumental trio showcasing extraordinary virtuosity. The ensemble features three renowned griot musicians from Guinea and Mali: guitarists Gaoussou Kouyate and Kerfala Diabate, joined by master balafonist Lassana Diabate.

Eric Truffaz has covered a lot of ground - both literally and metaphorically - since releasing his first album on the Blue Note label in 1996. Recorded in several locations but cut to sound like a single concert, Face-a-Face reveals the success of this artist who, with consistency and determination, has travelled a long road to success that has been filled with detours, long stretches in the fast lane and occasional pit stops, but which has never veered away from the source of his originality and the happiness of his waking dream. For Truffaz, each concert is a chance to meet his public "face à face".

European Escapade offers an adventurous musical journey across the continent, with surprising detours and appealing songs at every stop. Think of it as a Eurrail pass for the ears: no fixed route, no predetermined destinations, just the pleasure of hopping on and off and seeing what each new destination has to offer. The continent is full of new music and artists waiting to be discovered, and this album is a reminder of how much you miss when you stick to the tourist trail.

In the liner notes to these carefully packaged reissues, all four of the Incredible String Band principals– co-founder Clive Palmer, core duo Mike Heron and Robin Williamson, and Elektra records executive Joe Boyd– offer their insights in separate essays. Three of them mention the smell of patchouli. Such were the times, certainly, but the ISB are loved equally by avant-garde musicians, psychedelia enthusiasts, and those slightly dweeby young gentlemen who hang around music shops on college campuses. The reissue of their first four albums probably put to rest any notion that the ISB were a properly great band, releasing just one true classic, but they were rarely anything less than brave, inspired, and profoundly weird.

Grammy-nominated Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist Fatoumata Diawara returns in 2026 with MASSA, her most personal work to date. Introspective and powerful, the album explores motherhood, faith, memory, and resilience, transforming intimate reflection into universal storytelling. Through these songs, Fatoumata invites listeners, of all backgrounds, to embrace gratitude and accept that destiny is an inevitable part of the human journey. The album also carries a moving tribute to her late father, whose love continues to guide her beyond his passing.

Purbayan Chatterjee, one of India’s most celebrated and exploratory modern sitarists, and five-time GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist, composer, and producer Mark Lettieri (Snarky Puppy) have announced their collaborative debut album Feathered Creatures, set for release on June 5. Throughout the new project, the duo channel their masterful musicianship into a bold new sonic territory – forging a dynamic dialogue between progressive Indian classical sitar and electric guitar. Feathered Creatures is an artistic team-up crafting new and exciting sounds out of pure skillful collaboration, the result of true cross-continental creative kismet.

This compilation of songs is not meant as a historic reflection of popular music of the “Arab world.” It is a very personal selection of songs we grew to like at Habibi Funk. It is music that historically never existed as a unified musical genre. We think it’s important to make this distinction and to have the listener understand that the majority of the music on this compilation does not come from the highly famous names of the musical spectrum of North Africa and the Middle East. Instead, the final body compiled for this record consists of some – at least for us – nichey pearls and often overlooked artists; resulting in a diverse range of styles from Egyptian organ funk, disco sounds from Morocco, an example of the lively reggae scene of Libya, political songs from Lebanon, soundtrack music from Alge- ria, a musical union between Kenya and Oman, and much more.

A 14-song, 63-minute collection (originally a double LP) comprising many of the highlights (but no "Light Flight") of the original group's history from 1968 through 1972. The notes are minimal, and there are no original release dates or any identification of the albums (The Pentangle, Sweet Child, Basket of Light, Cruel Sister, etc.) whence this material originated. The latter are the only flaws in what is otherwise a fine if not completely comprehensive cross-section of the group's work, showcasing their many and varied sides – Bert Jansch's, Danny Thompson's, and Terry Cox's jazz leanings in "Train Song," John Renbourn's more traditional approach in "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme," their forays into medieval music ("Lyke-Wake Dirge") and progressive folk ("House Carpenter," "Bruton Town"), etc., much of it projected by Jacqui McShee's clear, soaring vocals. The CD also highlights their early records' effective use of stereo as a format for their contrasting technique, especially among the guitars and the rhythm section.

Mancini Country is a wonderfully warm, breezy, and deeply charming crossover masterpiece by the legendary American composer, pianist, and master arranger Henry Mancini, originally released in 1970 and beautifully archived here via RCA Victor's highly collectable 1999 international reissue. Spanning 33 minutes across 11 timeless arrangements, this high-fidelity document captures the Oscar-winning maestro executing a brilliant, high-concept musical fusion, taking the defining Nashville sound and dressing it in his signature, sophisticated Hollywood orchestral luxury. Backed by a breathtaking dream team of legendary "A-Team" country session heavyweights—including steel guitar icon Lloyd Green, guitar virtuoso Grady Martin, harmonica master Tommy Morgan, and drummer Jerry Carrigan—Mancini sits at the piano to deliver fluid, elegant solo lines that dance effortlessly alongside sweeping strings and lush choral backdrops. The tracklist serves as a stellar historical songbook of classic Americana and country-pop royalty, highlighting gorgeous, symphonic reimagining of Tammy Wynette's Stand By Your Man, Skeeter Davis's The End Of The World, Floyd Cramer's piano-driven Last Date, and Don Gibson's timeless soulful anthem I Can't Stop Loving You. Exceptionally preserved in pristine dual-format lossless and high-bitrate audio alongside full artwork scans, this definitive reissue stands as a mandatory cornerstone and a prized collector's treasure for global purists of vintage easy listening, cinematic pop-jazz orchestration, and unique country music history.

From soulful Sahara blues to mesmerizing mbira melodies from Zimbabwe, African Sojourn offers an expansive yet intimate journey across a continent rich with music and culture. Putumayo's latest African collection brings together singer-songwriters and troubadours from north to south, east to west, who, despite their diversity, share songs united by enchanting melodies, soulful rhythms and rich storytelling. Singing a wide array of languages and performing with local acoustic instruments such as the kora, balafón and mbira, these exceptional artists share stories of love, land, identity, and resilience that are rooted in local traditions yet open to the world.