Issue 35 cover artists Roger Troutman and Booker T. Jones were both innovative musicians of extraordinary vision. Each is known for a career defined in part by an instrument. While Troutman took the talk box to the people, Booker T. ruled the Hammond B-3. Also: Mahavishnu Orchestra, Def Jef, E.Z. Mike Simpson, and Ralph Macdonald.

• re:Discovery Willie and the Bumblebees, The Joe Cuba Sextet, Jerry Moore, Kip Hanrahan, Alfredo Gutierrez y Los Caporales Del Magdalena
• Shaolin Soul El Michels Affair Channels the Wu-Tang Clan’s Ruckus
• Gravitational Pull U.K.’s Broken Keys Forged a Funky Core of Heavy Sounds
• Organic Synthesis STS9 Integrates the Power of the Computer Into its Live Instrumentation
• The Hard Way Glass Candy Fights to Shatter Disco’s Stereotypes
• Daily Operation Lord Finesse is on a Habitual Quest for Musical Knowledge
• Natural Groove Ralph MacDonald Put His Artistic Touch on Classic Soul and Jazz Sides
• Soul Current Organist and Memphis Native Booker T. Jones Was the Life Force of the Stax Sound
• Dynamic Dragon Musician Byron Lee’s Renowned Studio Lit a Fire Under Jamaica’s Music Scene
• Cold Fusion The Mahavishnu Orchestra Broke New Musical Ground Despite icy Relationships
• Dusty Fingers Dust Brother E.Z. Mike Simpson Pulls Endless Possibilities From the Funky Past
• Heavy Rhymes Rapper Def Jef Weighed in with a Conscious Voice
• The Black Last Supper Thellus Singleton
• Golden Throat Roger Troutman’s Talk Box Sings the Human body Electric
• Analog Out Talk Box