VA - Gilles Peterson Digs America 1 & 2 (2005 & 2007)

This is the first in a series of "Digs" compilations raiding the record racks of some of the most outrageous music collections. Over the years, Peterson has delighted dance floors and listeners of his radio show (his weekly BBC Radio 1 show is syndicated worldwide) by joining the dots between musical styles and eras. His record collection is so serious he keeps it in a separate house known as Brownswood and his regular listeners are occasionally treated to a Brownswood Basement selection (where all the records are oldies, all are on vinyl, and none have been re-issued). This comp features some of the Brownswood Basement rarities from the US. Peterson selects and blends choice tracks from around the world, from swinging vocal jazz selections to ultra rare funk nuggets to sweet soul to super rare manic breakbeat funk. He's the listeners' listener and the collectors' collector. Comp includes liner notes, artist images, and quotes from Gilles. For fans of "Under The! Influence" and "Back To Mine" comps, Jazzman, and world psychedelic classics.

Gilles Peterson is of course one of very few dance, soul and funk-based musician/ DJs to have brought "world music" to a larger, dance-oriented audience without being cheesey about it. This is a pretty big deal, and has garnered Peterson comparisons to John Peel. His fan base is large, worldwide, and rabid. As you might guess by the title, the jazz, funk and soul tunes on this album were all compiled for the crate-digging Ubiquity label's Luv N' Haight series. These sixteen tunes are some of the rarest and heaviest Gilles was able to dig out of his Brownswood estate, a mini-mansion that holds nothing save Peterson's massive record collection. For funk fanatics and beat-seekers who don't have thousands of dollars laying around, this is pretty necessary. --Mike McGonigal

This is the second in the "Digs" series of comps and, like Volume 1, this album was curated by DJ Gilles Peterson, world renowned tastemaker, DJ, and BBC radio host. Some of the quality rarities he found include tracks by Mary Lou Williams, James Tatum, Lorez Alexandria, RAMP, Dee Edwards, Carrie Cleveland, The Diddys, and more. For fans of Luv N' Haight, Light In The Attic, Now And Again, Numero Group, and Back To Mine.