Our selections this month are centered around four main themes:  Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, Reggae Month, and Carnival.

Starting off with Black history, our featured CD is Golden Gate Groove: The Sound of Philadelphia Live in SF 1973, an historic concert emceed by the late, great Don Cornelius. This is followed by an overview of Etta James’ final album, a DVD release about the history of Chicago’s famous Maxwell Street, the debut from Justin Robinson & the Mary Annettes celebrating old-time music, a compilation documenting the Original Sound of Cumbia & Porro: As Told by the Phonograph 1948-79, a reissue of music from the Afro-centric Trinidadian group Black Truth Rhythm Band, and  Soundtrack for a Revolution from the documentary by the same title.

Love is celebrated in a number of projects: Kim Burrell’s The Love Album, Maya Azucena’s Cry Love, Kindred the Family Soul’s Love Has No Recession, Maysa’s Motions of Love, Robin Thicke’s Love After War, and Boyz II Men’s 20 which features the romantic tracks “One Up For Love” and “More Than You’ll Ever Know.”

February is also reggae month in Jamaica, and following that theme we’re featuring new releases from Lee “Scratch” Perry, Gregory Isaacs, St. Croix’s The Midniters, and Kenyan-American newcomer KG Omulo who weaves reggae into his debut album Ayah Ye! Moving Train.

Last but not least, our celebration of Carnival, Mardi Gras, and Louisiana in general includes Putumayo’s new compilation Brazilian Beat, Trombone Shorty’s For True, Irvin Mayfield’s Love Letter to New Orleans, clarinetist Dr. Michael White’s Adventures in New Orleans Jazz, NOLA native Curren$y’s Weekend At Burnie’s, and C.J. Chenier’s zydeco fusion album Can’t Sit Down.

Title: Ayah Ye! Moving Train

Artist: KG Omulo

Label: KG Omulo

Formats: CD, MP3

Release date: January 10, 2012

Funded completely by donations made by fans to a Kickstarter project, K.G. Omulo’s debut solo album Ayah Ye! Moving Train fuses Afrofunk with American soul and Jamaican reggae to create a familiar yet worldly sound. To say that Fela Kuti has had a great influence on the Kenyan-born Florida-based Omulo would be an understatement. Songs such as “Quality Women” and “Ready to Love” contain funky horn riffs that were so characteristic of Fela, as well as a mix of African drumming and singing in both English and Swahili: