Various Snowboy Presents the Return of the Hi-Hat: Essential Cuban, Brazilian Hard Bop + Fusion From the True Jazz-dance Session (Ocho/Fusion III) Like it says. Amazing grooves--thanks, Snowboy. 9 (RB)

Bill Harris Live at Birdland 1952 (Baldwin Street/Trend) Three live and one studio session from this giant of the jazz trombone. 9 (LD)

Various Landspeed Records Essential Underground Hip Hop (Landspeed) Underground buttas, bubblers and bangers handlin' their B.I. 8 (SC)

Ruby Altered & Proud (The Short-Staffed Remixes) (Thirsty Ear/Outside) Everyone and their cousin digs into Ruby's recent disc. From hip hop to digi-breaks to chill lounge. 7.5 (LC)

Frank McComb Love Stories (Columbia/Sony) This is on some adult contemporary bullshit, but Frank is Donny Hathaway reincarnated. 7 (SC)

Swell Everybody Wants to Know (Beggars Banquet) Bare, mellow alt-pop with darkness in the silences. Like taking one of mom's mystery pills. 7 (LC)

Toploader Onka's Big Moka (Epic/Sony) Brit hippies take a deeply '70s soul-funk trip. Jamiroquai sans chapeau. 5 (LC)

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