Following are additional albums released during June, July and August 2020 across multiple genres—some will be reviewed in future issues of Black Grooves.
Blues, Folk, Country
Big Bill Broonzy: Midnight Special: Live in Nottingham 1957 (vinyl) (Org Music)
Big Mama Thornton: Singles Collection 1951-1961 (Acrobat)
Bobby Rush: Rawer Than Raw (Deep Rush)
David Kimbrough Jr.: Say You Don’t Love Me: The Last Recordings (Dolceola Recordings)
Don Byrant: You Make Me Feel (Fat Possum)
Gerald McClendon: Can’t Nobody Stop Me Now (Delta Roots)
Joe Louis Walker: Blues Comin’ On (Cleopatra)
John Lisi & Delta Funk: Retox (Rabadash)
Johnny Iguana: Chicago Spectacular (Delmark)
Junior Parker: The Singles Collection 1952-1962 (Acrobat)
Kat Riggins: Cry Out (Gulf Coast)
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne: Go, Just Do It! (Stony Plain)
Bessie Jones: Get In Union (dig) (Alan Lomax Archives/Bandcamp)
Brides of Funkenstein: Complete Atlantic Recordings (Wounded Bird)
Eugene McDaniels: Outlaw (50th Anniv. Ed.) (Real Gone)
Fantastic Negrito: Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? (Cooking Vinyl)
Five Alarm Funk: Big Smoke (Ropeadope)
Funkinchely Band: World tossed Up! (dig) (Bandcamp)
Lightning Orchestra: Source and Deliver (Acid Jazz)
Mojo Buford: Mojo Workin’ [lost studio recording] (Americana Anthropology)
Various: Lockdown Sessions: An International Down Home Blues Revue (Crosscut)
Classical
Laraaji: Sun Piano (All Saints)
Vienna Radio Symphony, Arthur Fagen: Wm. Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony / Ulysses Kay’s Fantasy Variations / Umbrian Scene (Naxos)
Wayne Marshall: Born to Play Gershwin (CAvi-music)
Funk, Rock, Pop, House, Electronic
Adeva: Ultimate! (Cherry Pop)
Exotic Sin (ft. Nina Cherry’s daughter): Customer’s Copy (Blank Forms)
J.S. Ondara: Folk n’ Roll Vol. 1: Tales Of Isolation (Verve Forecast)
Mali Music: The Book of Mali (RCA Inspiration)
Mansur Brown: Tesuto EP (Soulection)
Narada Michael Walden: Immortality (Quarto Valley)
Sault: Untitled (Black Is) (Forever Living Originals)
Sean Ardoin: Bigger Love (Zydekool)
Space Kamp: Electric Lemonade
Various: Juneteenth Mix Tape (dig) (Bandcamp)
Gospel, CCM, Christian Rap
Benita Jones: The Entreating (Integrity/Tyscot)
Brother Theotis Taylor: s/t (Mississippi)
Chicago Mass Choir: My Soul Says Yes (New Haven)
Chip Dixson: Gotta Be Real (dig)
Christ Walker: Vessel (dig) (C-Mac Productions)
Dedicated Men Of Zion: Can’t Turn Me Around (Bible and Tire)
Fisk Jubilee Singers: Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album) (Curb)
Lecrae: Restoration (Reach)
Myron Butler: My Tribute (Fair Trade/Columbia)
Pastor Austin Hill & Renewed: Fresh Start (Ecko)
PJ Morton: Gospel According to PJ (Tyscot)
The Echoaires: Through The Years (Ecko)
International, Latin
Bamba Wassoulou Groove: Dankele (Lusafrica)
Burna Boy: Twice as Tall (dig) (Atlantic)
Gordon Koang: Unity (Music in Exile / Light in the Attic)
Groupe RTD: Dancing Devils of Djibouti (Ostinato)
Harold López-Nussa: Te Lo Dije (Mack Ave.)
John Santos Sextet: Art of the Descarga (Smithsonian Folkways)
Kutiman: Wachaga (Siyal Music)
Les Frères Smith: Mutation (Amour et Son)
Mayor the Bass Prophet: African Superman (Red Eye)
Modou Toure: Touki (Arc Music)
Oumou Sangaré: Acoutis (Nø Førmat)
Sharhabil Ahmed: The King Of Sudanese Jazz (Habibi Funk)
Various: Brazil: Samba, Bossa and Beyond! (Putumayo)
Various: Rap Francais (Wagram)
Various: Africa Airways Six: Mile High Funk 1974-1981 (Africa Seven)
Voz Di Sanicolau: Fundo De Marê Palinha (Analog Africa)
Jazz, Fusion
Analog Players Society: Tilted (Ropeadope)
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers: Just Coolin’ (Blue Note)
Babatunde & Phenomena: Levels Of Consciousness (reissue) (Pure Pleasure)
Benny Rubin, Jr.: Know Say Or See (Bandcamp)
Billy Childs: Acceptance (Mack Ave.)
Black Art Jazz Collective: Ascension (High Note)
Black Light Collective: S/T (Ropeadope)
Bluey: Tinted Sky (Shanachie)
Bobby Watson: Keepin’ It Real (Smoke Sessions)
Brenda Nicole Moorer: Marrow (Ropeadope)
Champian Fulton: Birdsong
Chanda Rule + Sweet Emma Band: Hold On (Pao)
Charles Tolliver: Connect (Gearbox)
Charnett Moffett & Jana Herzen: Round the World (Motéma Music)
Chris “Big Dog” Davis: Focus (Shanachie)
Christian McBride Big Band: For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver (Mack Ave)
David Gilmore: From Here To Here (Criss Cross)
Dee Dee Bridgewater: Afro Blue (reissue) (Mr Bongo)
Derrick Gardner & Big dig! Band: Still I Rise
Derrick Hodge: Color of Noize (Blue Note)
Doug Carn: Spirit of the New Land (reissue) (Black Jazz/Real Gone Music)
Eddie Henderson: Shuffle and Deal (Smoke Sessions)
Erroll Garner: Gershwin & Kern (Octave Remastered Series) (Mack Avenue)
Fats Waller: Rare Home Recordings (Sounds Of Yesteryear)
Gerald Clayton: Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note)
Greg Ward’s Fitted Shards: High Alert EP (Sugah Hoof)
Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids: Shaman! (Strut)
Jazz at Lincoln Center w/ Wynton Marsalis: The Ever Fonky Lowdown (dig) (Blue Engine)
JD Allen: Toys / Die Dreaming (Savant)
Jeff Cosgrove: History Gets Ahead of the Story (Grizzley)
Jimmy Health: Love Letter (Verve)
John Beasley: MONK’estra Vol. 2 (Mack Ave.)
Kahi El’Zabar and David Murray: Spirit Groove
Kenny Washington: What’s the Hurry (Lower 9th)
Kim Waters: Shakedown (Shanachie)
Mafalda Minnozzi: Sensorial – Portraits in Bossa & Jazz
Marcos Valle: JID003 (Jazz Is Dead)
Marcus Adams: Love Letters (dig)
Mulatu Astatke & Black Jesus Experience: To Know Without Knowing (Agogo)
Nicole Mitchell & Lisa E. Harris: Earthseed (FPE)
Nicole Mitchell and Moor Mother: Offering – Live at Le Guess Who (Don Giovanni)
Nissi: Ignite EP (dig)
Norman Brown: Heart to Heart (Shanachie)
Nubya Garcia: Source (Concord / Decca)
Oneness of JuJu: African Rhythms 1970-1982 (reissue) (Strut/Black Fire)
Paulette McWilliams: A Woman’s Story (BluJazz)
Randy Scott: Elevation (Trippin & Rhythm)
Redman, Mehldau, McBride & Blade: RoundAgain (Nonesuch)
Sam Newsome: Sonic Journey: Live at the Red Room (dig) (Bandcamp)
Sam Newsome: Subspace Interception: Live at the Women from Space Festival (dig) (Bandcamp)
Sam Newsome: Free Wyoming: Live at the Metro Coffee Co. (dig) (Bandcamp)
Teodross Avery: Harlem Stories: The Music of Thelonious Monk (WJ3)
The Awakening: Hear, Sense and Feel (remastered ed.) (Black Jazz/Real Gone Music)
The Flowdown: yo-lk EP (Ropeadope)
Thelonious Monk: Palo Alto (Impulse!)
Tracye Eileen: It’s Time EP
Various: Black Fire (5 LP set) (Now-Again)
Vibration Black Finger: Can You See What I’m Trying to Say (Jazzman)
Walter Bishop Jr.: Coral Keys (remastered ed.) (Black Jazz/Real Gone Music)
Zara McFarlane: Songs of an Unknown Tongue (Brownswood Recordings)
Zawinul Syndicate: Black Water / Lost Tribes (reissue) (Beat Goes On)
R&B, Soul
Adeva: Adeva! Ultimate (4 CD set) (Cherry Pop)
Annie Laurie: Since I Fell For You: Essential Annie Laurie (Jasmine)
Aretha Franklin: Live at the Jamaica World Music Festival 1982 (Radio Loop)
Arthur Young: A Trucker’s Blues (dig) (Summit Boy Ent.)
August Alsina: The Product III: stateofEMERGEncy (Empire)
Avant: Can We Fall in Love (SoNo)
Bettye Lavette: Blackbirds (Verve)
Black Pumas: The Electric Deluxe Sessions EP (Amazon)
Brandy: B7 (eOne)
Brian McKnight: Exodus (SoNo)
CeeLo Green: Is…Thomas Callaway (Easy Eye Sound)
Coasters: Rock (Bear Family)
Daniyah Jezel: Love Therapy (dig)
Diana Ross: Supertonic Mixes (Motown)
Donna Summer: Hot Summer Night [CD/DVD] (Driven by the Music)
Esther Phillips: Brand New Day: Lenox / Atlantic & Roulette Recordings 1962-1970 (Soul Music)
Five Keys: Collection 1951-1958 (Acrobat)
Gaidaa: Overture
I Ced: Interpretations (Mo Funk)
Irma Thomas: After the Rain (vinyl reissue) (Craft)
Jagged Edge: A Jagged Love Story (dig) (HardCase)
James Booker: Classified (remixed and remastered ed.) (Craft)
Jay Proctor: Spirit & Soul (Forevermore)
John Legend: Bigger Love (Columbia)
Kem: Love Always Wins (Motown)
Ken Boothe: Freedom Street (vinyl reissue) (Music on Vinyl)
Kevin Ross: Audacity Vol. 2 (Art Society Music Group)
Lady Alma: All the Way Far Away (BBE)
Ledisi: The Wild Card (BMG)
Leroy Hutson: The Curtom Years 1972-1979 (Rhino)
Lianne La Havas: S/T (Nonesuch)
Lionel Richie: Truly: The Love Songs (Universal)
Lord Finesse: Presents Motown State of Mind (Motown)
Mariah Carey: The Live Debut – 1990 (dig)
Nat Turner Rebellion: Laugh To Keep From Crying (reissue) (Org Music)
Pip Milett: Lost in June (Plus Fours Music)
Ruth Brown: Juke Box Pearls: Mama He Treats Your Daughter Men (Bear Family)
Shaun Escoffery: Strong Enough (Decca)
Society Hill Orchestra ft. Herb Smith: Soul City Walking: A Tribute To Archie Bell & The Drells
Solomon Burke: King of Rock ‘N’ Soul: Atlantic Recordings 1962-1968 (Soulmusic)
Sylvester: Step II (remastered ed.) (Craft)
Thom Bell: Ready or Not: Philly Soul Productions 1965-1978 (Kent)
Toni Braxton: Spell My Name (Island)
Tyree Glenn Jr.: Superbad!: The Best of (Tramp)
Various: Soul Love Now: The Black Fire Records Story, 1975-1993 (Strut)
Victoria Monét: Jaguar (dig) (Tribe)
Voices of Service: Rise EP (dig) (CAMMO)
Rap, Hip Hop
42 Dugg: Young & Turnt 2 (dig) (4PF/CMG)
6lack: 6 PC Hot (Interscope)
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie: Artist 2.0 Deluxe (dig) (Atlantic)
Akon: Ain’t No Peace (dig)
Aminé: Limbo (Republic)
Apollo Brown & Che’ Noir: As God Intended (Mello Music Group)
Black Noi$e: Oblivion (dig) (Tan Cressida)
Black Thought: Streams of Thought Vol. 3: Cain and Able (Passyunk)
Blu & Exile: Miles: From an Interlude Called Life
Blueface: Famous Cryp (Reloaded) (dig) (eOne)
Bodega Bamz: Yams Heard This (dig) (Duck Down)
Boldy James & Sterling Toles: Manger on McNichols (Sound of the Block)
Boldy James & Alchemist: Price Of Tea In China (Dig. Deluxe Ed.) (ALC)
Boosie Badazz: In House (Bad Azz Music)
Buckwild: Fully Loaded (Kurrupt Money Ent.)
Casey Veggies & Rockie Fresh: Fresh Veggies 2 (dig) (PNCINTL)
Chevy Woods: Since Birth (dig) (Taylor Gang)
City Morgue: Toxic Boogaloo (dig) (Republic)
Coi Leray: Now or Never EP (dig)
Conway The Machine: From King to a God (Griselda)
Curren$y & Harry Fraud: The Out Runners (dig) (Jet Life)
Da Baby: Blame It on Baby (Interscope)
Dave East: Karma 3 (dig) (Def Jam)
Dizzy Wright and Demrick: Blaze With Us 2 (Cinematic)
Duckwrth: Supergood (dig)
E-40: Curb Commentator Channel 2 (dig)
Earl Sweatshirt: Feet of Clay (Deluxe)
Eddie Griffin: E-Niggma (dig)
Famous Dex: Where’s Dexter? (dig) (300 Ent.)
Fat Trel: Big-Homie (dig) (Slutty Boyz)
Flatbush Zombies: Now More Than Ever EP (Glorious Dead)
Flo Milli: Ho, why is you here? EP (dig) (RCA)
Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist: Alfredo (Empire)
Gucci Mane presents: So Icy Summer (dig) (Atlantic)
Ian Dior: I’m Gone (dig) (TenThousand Projects)
IDK: IDK & Friends 2 (dig) (Warner)
II Tone: Church and Liquor Sto (Burger)
J Stone and Pacman Da Gunman: Ground Zero (dig)
J. French: JAGG (Just Another Gift from God) (dig) (Ropeadope)
J.I the Prince of N.Y: Welcome to GStarr Vol. 1 EP (dig)
JayDaYoungin: Baby 23 (Ruffwayy)
Joe Moses: Westside 2 (dig) (Empire)
Joell Ortiz & KXNG Crooked: H.A.R.D. (Mello Music Group)
Joey Bada$$: The Light Pack EP (dig) (Columbia)
Juice WRLD: Legends Never Die (Interscope)
Juicethegod: Million Dollar Dream
Justin Rarri: Youngest in Kharge (dig) (Interscope)
K Camp and Rare Family: Rare Family (dig) (Rare Sound)
Kay Wayne: It’s Crazy Outside EP (dig) (For the Win)
Kee Beez: Grind All EP (dig)
Kemba: The World Is Watching (dig)
KenTheMan: 4 Da 304’s (dig)
Knxwledge: 10000 Proof (dig) (Stones Throw)
Kyle: See You When I am Famous!!!!!!!!!!!! (dig)
Leaf: Fashion Bitch EP (dig) (Slang Music)
Lil Durk: Just Cause Y’all Waited 2 (Alamo/Geffen)
Lil Keed: Trapped on Cleveland 3 (300 Ent.)
Logic: No Pressure (dig) (Def Jam)
Lord Finess: Motown State of Mind EP (Kings Music Group)
Luh Soldier: Thug Luv (dig) (Cinematic Music Group)
Lupe Fiasco + Kaelin Ellis: House EP (Thirty Tigers)
Madd Scientist: New Day EP (dig) (Hodari Music Group)
Malik: Spectrum (Demo) (ARTium)
Marlowe: Marlowe 2 (Mello Music)
Marques Martin: Brave and Afraid
Max B: Charly EP (dig) (Amalgam)
Mayhem Lauren: Glass 2.0 (dig) (SRFSCHL)
MBNel: Child of the Trenches EP (dig)
Mike: Weight of the World
Mulatto: Queen of Da Souf (Streamcut / RCA)
Naeem: Startisha (37d03d)
Nas: King’s Disease (Mass Appeal)
NLE Choppa: Top Shatta (NLE Choppa Ent.)
NoCap: Steel Human (dig)
Oddisee: Odd Cure (dig)
Paul Wall & Lil keke: Slab Talk (SoSouth)
Pi’erre Bourne: Life of Pi’erre 4 (deluxe) (Interscope)
Pop Smoke: Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon (posthumous album)
Ralo: Free Ralo (Famerica)
Revnge of the Truence: H1N1 (Fat Beats)
Robb Banks: Calendars (dig)
Rome Streetz: Noise Kandy 4 (next)
Run the Jewels: RTJ4 (BMG)
Sada Baby: Barier Bounty 2 (dig) (Big Squad)
SahBabii: Barnacles (dig) (Casting Bait)
Saigon: 777: The Resurrection (dig) (Strange Music)
Shoreline Mafia: Mafia Bidness (dig) (Atlantic)
Skyzoo: Milestones (Mello Music)
Sleepy Hallow: Sleepy For President (Empire)
Sleepy Rose: Ethereal Hell (dig) (The Real U)
Slug + Murs: Felt 4 U (dig)
Soulja Boy: King Soulja 9 (dig) (SODMG)
StaySolidRocky: Fallin’ (dig) (Columbia)
Steven G: ShowGreat University (dig) (eOne)
Summer Walker: Life on Earth EP (dig) (Interscope)
Tech N9ne: More Fear (Strange Music)
Terrell Ralo Davis: Free Ralo (FAMERICA)
Black Eyed Peas: Translation (Epic)
The Lox: Living Off Xperience (Roc Nation)
Tony-B: Behind Enemy Lines (dig)
Trav: Nothing Happens Overnight (dig) (MBB/Empire)
UnoTheActivist: 8 (Republic)
Wale: The Imperfect Storm (dig) (Warner)
Walt Jack: Snap Out (dig)
Westside Gunn: Flygod Is An Awesome God 2 (Griselda)
Westside Gunn: Who Made the Sunshine (Griselda)
Wifisfuneral: Pain (Alamo)
Wiz Kid: Made in Lagos
Young Dolph: Rich Slave (dig) (Empire)
Yung Bleu: Bleu Vandross 3 (dig)
Yungeen Ace: Don Dada (dig) (Cinematic Music Group)
Reggae, Dancehall, Calypso
Aswad: Gold (3 CD set) (Crimson Productions)
Buju Banton: Upside Down (Roc Nation)
Chezidek: Hello Africa (VP)
Chosen Few: Trojan Albums Collection (Doctor Bird)
Dre Island: Now I Rise (Dubshot)
Errol Dunkley: OK Fred: Storybook Revisited (Burning Sounds)
Fyah Roiall: Underrated (Easy Star)
Glen Washington: I’m Livin Well (VP)
Groundation: The Next Generation Live (Baco)
Jamaica Johnny and His Milagro Boys: Trinidad: The Land of Calypso (Bear Family)
Michael Franti & Spearhead: Work Hard and Be Nice (Boo Boo Wax)
Richie Spice: Together We Stand (VP)
Roots And Tings: All of This
Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Vladislav Delay: 500-Push-Up (VP)
SumeRR: Downs District (VP)
Tarrus Riley: Healing (Zojak World Wide)
Toots & the Maytals: Gotta Be Tough (WEA)
Various: Blue Coxsone Box Set (7″ discs) (Studio One)
Wailing Souls: Back A Yard (VP)
Soundtrack
Staple Singers: Let’s Do It Again (OST reissue) (Omnivore)
Various: The High Note (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Republic)
Terence Blanchard: Perry Mason Season 1: Music from the HBO Series (Water Tower)