Spent a week on a work and mini-birthday trip, and got some serious digging in at a number of spots, both places I'd been and some I'd never been to before. Some great come-ups and here's just a few of stack I brought back with me! Hope you dig it.

Tracklist: Alvin Queen, Oscar Peterson Quartet, Al Hobbs, Howard University Jazz Ensemble, Jasmine, Manfredo Fest Trio, The Great Jazz Trio, Nathan Davis, John Gordon, Henry Franklin, Doug Riley

It felt important right now to come back to the words and teachings of Howard Zinn, when the U.S. government is causing and propagating so much fear and racism and oppression and just plain meanness, and things seem tilted toward hopelessness. This is the third in my series of mix-tributes to Zinn, and the vocal samples here come from a few great interviews and programs you can find on Youtube, including a great interview Laura Flanders did with the amazing Staceyann Chin and Imani Perry a couple years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4R3-OyS2ho

The beats are from a variety of producers, all vinyl selections from the crates. Finally, in these times, I always turn back to this essay from Zinn: https://www.howardzinn.org/collection/a-marvelous-victory/ "What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, it energizes us to act, and raises at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."

Two legends have passed on recently - Roberta Flack and Gwen McCrae, both of whom had records that have been important to me for many years. Unfortunately some of my Roberta Flack records were damaged in a flood years ago, and so I tried to pull a few favorites from what I still have, and mostly less obvious pieces from both artists catalogs. That being said, I still included two big hits on here because of the impact that each song had on me - McCrae's "90% of Me" is such vintage funk, a record I got in my earliest days of digging, and I will always cherish. And Flack's amazing duet with Donnie Hathaway, "Back Together Again" - I will never forget when Bobbito dropped this at APT in late 2001 and DJ Center and I lost our minds. RIP to these incredibly amazing women.

Back this week with some amazing pianists covering jazz (?) standards (?) old and new! Some recent digs and some old favorites. Enjoy.

Tracklist: Tony Lee, Johnny Costa, DJM Trio, Eugen Cicero, Ashley Henry, Herbie Hancock

Ok, this is a really special one. The amazing artist Josh MacPhee, of http://JustSeeds.org and many other places, has dug deep into his collection of revolutionary wax and put together an incredible and inspiring mix for Pullin from the Stacks! Everything from funk, free jazz, hard rock, folk, nu-wave and more, from all parts of the globe, all off original pressings. Commie Freaks!! (Josh's name but I actually had a high school teacher call me that once lol). Please please follow Josh and check out and support his and other JustSeeds artists' amazing work!! And check out this entire mix - I guarantee there's records on here you've never ever heard before! - Ian

Tracklist:

1. AREA, “L'Internazionale,” 7”, Italy, 1974.

2. Ton Steine Scherben, “Macht Kaputt, Was Euch Kaputt Macht!,” Warum Geht Es Mir So Dreckig? LP, West Germany, 1971.

3. Zuno Keisatsu, “Pick Up Your Gun,” Second LP, Japan, 1972.

4. The Peter Brötzmann Octet, “Machine Gun” (excerpt), Germany, 1968.

5. Horn, “Free All My Brothers and Sisters,” On the People’s Side LP, Canada, 1972.

6. Peace, Bread, and Land Band, “Angela Davis,” Liberation Music 10”, US, 1971

7. Tania Castellanos and Pedro Coto, “Por Angela Davis,” Libertad Por Angela Davis 7”, Cuba, 1971. [side A]

8. The Lumpen, “Free Bobby Now,” 7”, US, 1970

9. Colette Magny, “Babylone/U.S.A.,” Répression LP, France, 1972.

10. Fran Ferrer and Puerto Rico 2010, “Camillo Torres,” Puerto Rico 2010 LP, 1972.

11. Franklin Boukaka, “Les Immortals” 7”, DR Congo, 1972.

12. Voz de Cabo Verde, “Viva Liberdade,” Viva Liberdade LP, Cape Verde, 1975.

13. Knutna Nävar, “Richard Dollarhjärta,” Vi Slåss För Vår Framtid 2x7”, Norway, 1972.

14. Röda Ropet, “Ge Mig Sanningen,” Spänn Bågen LP, Sweden, 1975.

15. Soul Service w/Røde Klaus, “EEC’s ABC,” Superfaellesmarkedet 7”, Denmark, 1972.

16. Henry Flynt and Nova’ Billy, “The International,” Nova’Billy LP, US, 1975.

17. Cem Karaca & Dervişan, “1 Mayis,” 7”, Turkey, 1977.

18. Sedition Ensemble, “Inside/Outside,” Regeneration Report LP, US, 1981.

19. Cornelius Cardew, “Smash the Social Contract,” 1936–82 LP, UK, 1982.

20. Funkionaries, “Replacable Parts,” 7”, US, 1979.

21. Perplex, “Wahltag,” 7”, Germany, 1981.

22. Talking Reds, “The Programme,” The Workers United 7”, UK, 1980.

23. Red Crayola, “Born In Flames,” Born In Flames 7”, UK, 1980.

24. May Day Singers, “In the 80’s,” 7”, US, 1980.

25. Are & Be, “If There is No Struggle,” 12”, US, 1982.

26. Kohl and the Gang, “Äh Mama Fix,” flexi-disc, West Germany, 1983

27. Saal 2, “Die Internationale,” Angst Vorm Tanzen 7”, Germany, 1980.

I love records. But I love records because I love music. And sometimes, in fact often, great music doesn't get pressed on vinyl. And that's ok! That's why Bandcamp is so great. It's endless in how much great stuff is available there. Here's just a small sampling of the beautiful music I've found that as far as I know, has not been pressed onto vinyl, but is available digitally if you seek it out.

Tracklist: Jazzbois, Nautilus, Raffy Bushman, Okonski, Soil Pimp Sessions, Chicago Soul Jazz Collective, Sunstrider

Some music for these extremely troubled times. Hope everyone is staying as safe and healthy as possible.

Tracklist: Adrienne Rich, Dollar Brand, Melvin Sparks, Sly5thAve, Ill Considered, Latarnik, Dezron Douglas and Brandee Younger

Seemed like a good moment to salute the city of LA, a city I never thought I'd end up residing in as a kid but where I now live and don't plan on leaving. A huge city, where horrible fires and climate change have destroyed the homes of thousands of people including some of those featured on this mix. If you are looking to support folks in need, check out: https://mutualaidla.org/ I recorded this mix live on Twitch, totally unplanned and a bit rough but fun, might try and do that more often this year? We'll see. Thanks as always for tuning in!

Tracklist: Elusive ft. Aceyalone, will.i.am, People Under the Stairs, Warren G, Warren G, Vooodu ft. Meen Green, Funkdoobiest ft. Cypress Hill, Kankick, Lootpack, Snoop Dogg, Abstract Tribe Unique, MC Eiht, Pharcyde, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Phoenix Orion, MURS, DJ Quik, Warren G, Alkaholiks, Yo-Yo, Madlib, T-Love ft. Chali2na, Haiku D'Etat, Medusa

Spent the holidays in Portland with the family, had some good adventures at the record shops and thrift stores - one of these records I pulled out from underneath an old rug at a Goodwill for a dollar. Was fun getting back into the sale bins and antique stores rather than just shopping at the fancy places. Grabbed all of these while on the trip, with one being gifted to me by the homie while there. Now it's a New Year and the other side of Los Angeles is burning up and Trump begins his reign in under two weeks. Hope these tunes bring some type of calm for a few moments in between all the horrible things in the world.

Tracklist: Baba Yaga, Bronx River Parkway, Johnny Frigo Sextet, Marva Josie, Ed Bennett, Stanley Cowell, The Piano Choir, the Cosmic Tones Research Trio, Eje Thelin Group

Ending the year with a number of my favorite purchases this past year. Maybe one or two of these I actually "dug" up somewhere - the Dick Drew Trio was something I pulled out from deep under other record racks in a store in Las Vegas last May, for instance, but I also bought several of these via Discogs. Record collecting continues to change in ways that make it less familiar to me - many records are now status symbols for wealthy people to show off rather than listen to, when previously they were "status" symbols for many of us in terms of our digging commitment or record knowledge. Actual "digging" for records isn't something I've had as much time for, but still what I love. But shout out to the amazing dealers who are out there with the rusty shovels every week, finding these gold nuggets for the rest of us! And huge, huge thank you to all the people tuning into the podcast - you are massively appreciated!

Tracklist: Raffy Bushman, Latin Tempo, Sambalanco Trio, Dick Drew Trio, Masaru Imada Trio, Milcho Leviev, Frank Cunimondo Trio, Morning Sky, Jazzbois, Aquila, Johnny Costa, Billy Harper Quintet