iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Joe Henderson - Tetragon (Milestone 1968 / 2026 reissue) Top notch reissue from Craft’s Jazz Dispensary series. Joe Henderson at a peak and on 🔥🔥🔥 throughout, with two different piano quartets. More straight ahead than his other Milestone records and probably my favorite. #nowplaying #jazzsky

Cover of “Tetragon” by the “Joe Henderson Quartets,” showing colored triangles forming a square inside a yellow circle against a brown background, with Joe Henderson’s picture in one of the triangles.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

I bet that bloke was a punk rocker in the 80s.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Wow, Record Store Day in 1956! … (I’m kidding)

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

My haul from #recordstoreday. A surprisingly strong list of titles this year, and all the ones I got are impressing me — I’ve never bought this much from record store day before, and there were a couple comps I still want to get. Mark Dimond - “Brujeria” in particular knocked me on my ass, so far

Photos of 5 record covers. Left to right bottom row: Ike White, Brandi Carlile, and Mark Dimond. Left to right to row: Billy Strings and Buster Williams.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Minnie Riperton - Come to My Garden (GRT 1970) For Minnie’s debut album, she was going for a sound like the great Bacharach + Dionne Warwick collaborations of the 60s. Charles Stepney’s genius orchestrations took this to an otherworldly level. A true work of art. #nowplaying #vinylcommunity

Cover of “Come to My Garden” by Minnie Riperton, featuring Minnie wearing a long white dress in a garden surrounded by green grass and bushes with flowers in spots.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Father’s Children - Father's Children (Mercury Records, 1979) This right here is one the crown jewels of “rare groove”, with Wayne Henderson’s signature At-Home Productions sound. There is a reason this one usually costs a small fortune. Go check it out! #nowplaying #vinylsky #funksky

Red album cover with “Father’s Children” in yellow glowing stylized letters.

Late 70s Mercury records label on a vinyl record showing the Chicago skyline with the album and artist info in black letters.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

My stepfather Kip Carmen recorded a demo for Atlantic Records in 1978. He was offered a deal but turned it down to remain an independent artist. The tapes were thought to be lost for decades, until they were unearthed in Oct 2025. I ❤️ the groove and lyrics on this one. youtu.be/4wMfESO7bNc #musicsky

youtu.be

Kip Carmen - "Brother, Sister" [1978 Demo for Atlantic Records]

YouTube video by xentakis

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 12/04/2026

Shirley Scott - On a Clear Day (Impulse 1966). Great organ trio session by the always underrated Shirley Scott, with a couple all stars behind her: Ron Carter on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. I love albums like this where Shirley has space to let things simmer. #nowplaying #vinylcommunity #jazzsky

Album cover for “On a Clear Day” by Shirley Scott featuring a picture of Shirley framed by orange, blue, and green rectangular panels.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

The Pointer Sisters - The Pointer Sisters (Blue Thumb, 1973) A slept-on record if there ever was one, not enough people talk about how hard this one hits. This album proves there is no genre Anita, Ruth, June, Bonnie and the band couldn’t crush with ease. #nowplaying #vinylsky #jazzsky #randbsky

The album cover for the Pointer Sisters self-titled album j showing the sisters seated a table posed for a portrait in their Sunday best dressed and hats.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 09/11/2025

Curtis Mayfield - Curtis / Live! (Curtom 1971 / 2023 reissue) A live album so intimate and visceral I can almost smell the liquor and wooden tables at the Bitter End. Hard to think of a live R&B record that tops it, though Donny's at the same club comes close. #nowplaying #randbsky #vinylcommunity

Record cover for "Curtis / Live!" by Curtis Mayfield, in shrink wrap with various hype stickers. Features a photo of Curtis playing live in a yellow shirt with a guitar.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

Oh yes, classic funk! 🔥🔥🔥

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

The McCrary - Emerge (Cat’s Eye 1973 / 2025 BBE reissue) A record so rare I’ve never even heard more than a few minutes of it digitally, until this reissue (the first since 1973). The McCrary family were a gospel group and this is their first secular R&B / funk record. Mind blowing stuff! #funksky

Album cover showing “The McCrary” in stylized glowing font against a dark brown/black background, above an image of a cracked egg shell.

Red label on a vinyl record with the album, artist, and label info in black font.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

Yeah, I agree about Miles Smiles!

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

Miles Davis - Nefertiti (Columbia, 1968) Miles’ second great quintet in absolutely peak form, featuring what may be the greatest recorded drum solo in jazz history by Tony Williams on the title track. OG two-eye stereo copy. #nowplaying #vinylcommunity #jazzsky #vinyl #milesdavis #wayneshorter

Record cover for “Nefertiti” by Miles Davis featuring an 3/4 side angle close up photo of Miles’ face.

Red label on a vinyl record with the two Columbia “eye” logos on the left and right sides in white, label info in white typeface at the bottom and top, and the album and artist info in black typeface in the middle.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

They actually did one other batch earlier this year with Charles Rouse, Stanley Cowell, Pharoah Sanders, and Music Inc 🔥

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

Ah ok it is on Discogs! I’ve only seen that toucan and “Musica Nova do Brasil” on this Tim Maia record, didn’t realize it was a thing beyond that www.discogs.com/release/9686...

discogs.com

Tim Maia - Musica Nova Do Brasil

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1972 Vinyl release of "Musica Nova Do Brasil" on Discogs.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

Interesting, I’ve never seen that cover of Elis & Tom before and I don’t think it’s on Discogs. Is that a Mexican pressing?

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

Ahmad Jamal Trio: The Awakening (Impulse 1970). I happened upon a somewhat beat up OG copy of this legendary record. But it’s just as glorious even with a bit of snap, crackle, and pop. As usual for this period, Ahmad is joined by Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums. #nowplaying #jazzsky

Record cover of “The Awakening” by Ahmad Jamal featuring a circular portrait of Jamal in the center over stacked half-circles in different shades of red leading down to three horizontal stripes in purple, red, and blue.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Don Blackman: Don Blackman (1982 / 2024 VMP) Relentlessly funky album from one of the core members of the “Jamaica Kats” crew from Queens behind so many killer early 80s cuts on Arista GRP (folks like Marcus Miller, Omar Hakim, etc). Dennis Chambers is monstrous on the drums! #nowplaying #funksky

Record cover for the self-titled album by keyboardist Don Blackman, featuring a close-up photo of the artist wearing beads in his hair against a blue background. A Vinyl Me Please OBI is on the left.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Etta James: Losers Weepers (Cadet 1970) Few artists poured their heart and soul into a song like Etta James. Her 70s albums don’t get the acclaim of her great 60s work like “At Last,” but this is an Etta who has been through some stuff and she WILL make you feel it. #nowplaying #soulsky #randbsky

Record cover for Losers Weepers by Etta James, featuring a sepia tone close-up photo of Etta’s face singing with her eyes closed.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

Robert Palmer: Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley (Island 1974) If you only know Palmer from the 80s music videos with the girls in tight dresses, you’ll be surprised how deep the funk gets on this one. Backed by The Meters on some tracks and Bernard Purdie + the crew from Stuff on others. #funksky

Record cover of “Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley” by Robert Palmer, featuring an overexposed, green-tinted photo of Robert Palmer stumbling through an alley with a woman whose eyes are covered by a black bar.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Elis Regina & Jair Rodrigues: Dois Na Bossa Número 2 (1966). #CDFriday Few countries put out as many live recordings (“ao vivo”) as Brazil, though sound quality is not always top tier. But some recordings radiate so much power and chemistry that it doesn’t matter. This one an old fav. #nowplaying

Black and red CD cover of Elis Regina & Jair Rodrigues – Dois Na Bossa Número.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

That record is gonna go to the grave smoking a pack a day.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Ojiji: The Shadow (1979 / 2025 reissue) My pal Graham at Continued Sound just reissued this wild funk-jazz-reggae album by Rupert Ojiji Harvey, a Jamaican-Canadian artist who got his start playing in Jackie Mittoo’s band as a teenager. This record slaps, check it out! #nowplaying #funksky #vinyl

Record cover of “The Shadow” by Ojiji, featuring a colorful illustration of a beach landscape with a rainbow and a man sitting cross legged with his arm reaching toward the sun.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

The Ellington & Coltrane album is in my top 5 for jazz albums.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

The “Masterpieces by Ellington” album (which has this song) is incredible. One of the first 12” LPs to have extended songs like that (which wasn’t possible on 78rpm and 10” records). Truly groundbreaking genius!

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

The Crownhate Ruin: Until The Eagle Grins (Dischord 1996) Feeling nostalgic today so I pulled out a record I’ve had for nearly 30 years. Great @dischord.com band I used to see all the time. Features members of Hoover and 1.6 Band. Some of the best musicianship you’ll find in this genre! #vinylsky

Record cover for “Until The Eagle Grins” by The Crownhate showing three small vertical pictures depicting a tornado in silver and blue against a navy blue background.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Bill Stewart is phenomenal! A truly unique and musical drummer. Really hard to stand out in an era where you’d think all the cool licks and styles had already been invented, but Bill Stewart definitely does.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

I have an older model Humminguru and love it. I don’t know how I collected vinyl without it, frankly.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Donny Hathaway: Live at the Bitter End 1971, previously unreleased performances (Rhino, 2013) I can never get enough Donny. Especially this disc from the “Anthology” CD boxset, with unreleased cuts from the set featured on Side A of his legendary “Live” album. #nowplaying #randbsky #soulsky

Cover of the “Never My Love: The Anthology” CD boxset, featuring a black and white photo of Donny wearing a hat, turtle neck sweater, and peacoat or trench coat.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

I think this joke is very annoying and not funny.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

Harold Land Quintet: The Peace-Maker (Cadet 1968). Truly gorgeous record from one of the all-time great jazz pairings: Harold Land and Bobby Hutcherson. Part of the fantastic Cadet box set, which is probably my favorite VMP release. #nowplaying #jazzsky #vinylcommunity

Album cover for “The Peace-Maker” by the Harold Land Quintet, featuring four vertical columns in red, brown, yellow, and green showing what appears to be Ancient Greek statutes, against a bright yellow background.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Ron Carter once said that to appreciate how huge Elvin’s influence was, simply listen to a jazz drummer before Elvin Jones and listen to a jazz drummer after Elvin Jones. That says it all. Elvin changed everything about drumming!

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 07/09/2025

Dr. John: The Sun, Moon & Herbs (ATCO 1971) The last of Dr. John’s psychedelic Night Tripper albums, this one nicely captures the transition to his more funky, New Orleans influenced era (Gumbo, Right Place, etc). W/ appearances by Eric Clapton Mick Jagger & the Memphis Horns. #nowplaying #funksky

Album cover of "The Sun, Moon & Herbs" by Dr. John, featuring a surreal illustration by John Millerburg of a half-man/half-lion on the left, a topless woman with wings on her robe on the right, and Dr. John as the Night Tripper in the middle.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

Ok that reference I had to look up 😂

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Then you definitely won’t want to buy my 16-cassette course on tape on how AI can make you rich (the first cassette is free if you send me a self-addressed stamped envelope).

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Shelly Manne on drums 🔥🔥🔥

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

I’m not a doomer, but I am a bit concerned about this House making mischief out of Article I, Section 5 with regard to 2026 House election results. I know the rationale would be baseless and contrary to law, but is there really no reason to be worried about this?

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

Marisa Monte: MM (EMI 1989). The debut album this legendary Brazilian singer. And only a next-level talent like Marisa could pull off releasing a live album as her first album! Showcases her range in a variety of styles (jazz, show tunes, Mutantes and Tim Maia covers, etc.) #nowplaying #vinylsky

The album cover for MM by Marisa Monte, featuring an overexposed blue-tinted black and white photo of Marisa with an old style Shure mic against a black background.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

Ray Bryant Trio: Piano Piano Piano … (Prestige 1957 / 1998 XRCD) #CDFriday A giant of a musician who deserves WAY more attention than he gets now. Chops for days, but also a gentle touch that worked just as well playing R&B with singers like Aretha. Great CD of one of my fav trio albums #jazzsky

Album cover featuring a black and white photo of Ray Bryant wearing a suit and smoking a cigarette, with someone sitting on a bench in the background.

Face of a silver compact disc with “RAY BRYANT TRIO” in block letters at the top.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

Clifford Brown: The Quintet Vol. 1 (Mercury 1976) Fantastic sounding 2-LP set presenting the EmArcy recordings of the legendary Clifford Brown & Max Roach quintet in chronological order (there is also a second volume). One of the best bargains you’ll ever find in jazz vinyl. #nowplaying #jazzsky

Record cover of Clifford Brown: The Quintet Vol. 1, featuring a brown pen drawing of two angles of Clifford Brown playing trumpet against a white background.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 26/08/2025

Very few people give love to Wayne’s 80s albums, but there was genius in EVERYTHING the man did.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 26/08/2025

Ahmad Jamal: Jamal Plays Jamal (20th Century, 1974) If you’ve never heard Ahmad Jamal lean into funk with percussion, fender rhodes, and Richard Evans string arrangements layered in with his usual trio, it is a breathtaking experience and one hell of an album! #nowplaying #jazzsky #vinylsky

Album cover of “Jamal Plays Jamal” featuring an extreme close up of Ahmad Jamal’s face with half of his face in a shadow and the album title in orange cursive letters at the top right.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

Tain is one of the very best drummers of the past 30+ years IMO. The true heir to the Elvin tradition.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

Midnight Sugar SACD is on the way 👍

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

Brandi is incredible! Big fan ever since Give Up the Ghost.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

Stevie Wonder: Innervisions (Tamla 1973). Been too long since I spun this classic, which is my personal favorite Stevie album. Simply perfect from start to finish, every track, every texture, every transition. Not a moment wasted. #nowplaying #vinylcommunity #randbsky #vinylsky

Album cover of “Innervisions” by Stevie Wonder featuring an abstract illustration by Efram Wolff in brown, gray, orange, and beige.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

Curtis Mayfield: Curtis (Curtom 1970 / 2010 MoFi) #CDFriday While the world looks worse and worse everyday, I can at least turn to one of my very favorite albums for some solace (and a fantastic sounding Mobile Fidelity CD). As Curtis says, “if there’s a hell below…” #nowplaying #funksky #randbsky

Cover of CD of "Curtis" by Curtis Mayfield, featuring a photo of Curtis sitting on the ground in a yellow outfit, shot from below.

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xentakis.bsky.social @xentakis.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

I made a mini-doc for YouTube about my stepfather’s most sought after single, which he recorded in 1980 with the great Cornell Dupree on guitar and other top tier session musicians. If you have 7 minutes please check it out! 🙏🙏🙏 youtu.be/GAuNYLAADYw

youtu.be

The Story of This Island Is Our Home by Kip Carmen

YouTube video by xentakis

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