Vocalists — All Formats  

A pretty cool little collection – a Japanese-only set that's filled with various versions of Burt Bacharach classics pulled from the vaults of Universal Music – including a rich array of 60s recordings we might have missed otherwise! The set appears to have been done in support of a 2008 Bacharach tribute tour, but all of the recordings are of older vintage – and the set includes a huge amount of rare numbers from the first years when Burt's music was getting out to the masses. Titles include "Forgive Me" by Babs Tino, "That's The Way I'll Come To You" by Jack Jones, "Rome Will Never Leave You" by Richard Chamberlain, "These Desperate Hours" by Mel Torme, "The Look Of Love" by Chris Montez, "Magic Moments" by Ronnie Aldrich, "This Guy's In Love With You" by Frankie Valli, "Alfie" by Dee Dee Warwick, "April Fools" by Vanessa Williams, "Promise Her Anything" by Tom Jones, "Who's Got The Action" by Phil Colbert, "Say Goodbye" by Pat Boone, "Waiting For Charlie To Come Home" by Marlena Shaw, "He Who Loves" by Lenny Welch, "Loving Is A Way Of Living" by Steve Lawrence, "With Open Arms" by Jane Morgan, "Ten Thousand Years Ago" by Rusty Draper, "Wishin & Hopin" by The Merseybeats, "For The Children" by Burt Bacharach, and "A House Is Not A Home" by Julie Rogers.

One of the earliest albums ever from Anna Maria Alberghetti – and a set that still really shows the singer's strong Italian roots! The style here is a mix of later vocal modes and earlier operatic ones – and Anna Maria definitely shows off her well-documented range throughout – really running up and down the scale with a skill that few other singers of her time could match! Backings frequently echo those Neopolitan elements that were big in postwar pop – and lyrics are mostly in English, but feature a few Italian songs as well. Titles include "Sleep My Baby", "The Blonde Girl In The Gondola", "Theme & Variations", "The Song From Desiree", and "Estrellita".

3 lost vocal gems from 50s Paris! The set pulls together some rare eps on the Barclay and Fontana labels – all the picture of Left Bank hip! The first 8 tracks are by Harold Nicholas – singing in French and English with a swinging combo on tunes that include "Que Reste-t-il De Nos Amours?", "That Old Black Magic", "Teach Me Tonight", and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" – in a style that's similar to early work by Claude Nougaro, but perhaps a bit more mellow. The next 4 tracks feature June Richmond singing with a hip group arranged by Quincy Jones – and featuring work by Billy Byers, Roger Guerin, Kenny Clarke, and Henri Renaud. Tracks on that set include "Sleep", "Everybody's Doing It", and "I've Gotta Right To Sing The Blues". The last two tracks are rare gems by Andy Bey and his sisters Salome and Geraldine – performing in the style of their classic Andy & The Bey Sisters albums in the US, and recorded in 1959, quite early in their career! Their two tracks are wonderful – and feature the trio grooving soulfully on the tunes "Smooth Sailin" and "Scoubidou".

A gem of a set from a singer who should have been much bigger back in the 50s – served up with the same sort of small combo backings you'd get on the Chris Connor albums for Bethlehem! Marlene Cord is a hell of a singer on her own – with a voice that's never hokey, yet full of feeling – and able to inflect things with a knowledge of jazz, but in ways that never go too far over the top – just perfectly balanced with a subtle power that's really amazing. Yet she sounds even better alongside the music on the date – creative Chicago backings from a quartet that features Dick Marx on piano, Johnny Frigo on bass, Mike Simpson on flute, and Jerry Slosberg on drums. The flute's an especially great element – underscoring the vocals with some great blue tones – and titles include "I'm Thru With Love", "I Remember You", "I Got It Bad", "Lights Out", and "This Love Of Mine".

Mitzi Gaynor's way more than just a pretty face and a nice pair of legs – as you'll hear on this late 50s set for Verve Records! Russ Garcia handles the arrangements – and proves again that he's a great choice for an unusual vocal date – able to add in lots of cool twists and turns that really keep things fresh – in ways that can really suit the special qualities of a singer's voice! The tracks are all Gershwin numbers, as you'd guess from the title – and Russ serves them up with some nice jazz flourishes throughout – little horn bits and larger tones from the orchestra, which both served to illuminate the best elements of Gaynor's vocals. Titles include "Soon", "Spring Again", "Treat Me Rough", "That Certain Feeling", "My Ship", "Isn't It A Pity", "I Can't Get Started", and "Gotta Have Me Go With You".

One of the few albums ever cut by Claire Hogan – an overlooked 50s singer with a wonderfully lush sort of style! Claire's never soppy or poppy, but has a way of sliding into the tunes with this easygoing approach that's mighty nice – definitely informed by jazz, but not really jazz vocals either – although she definitely knows how to make things swing at all the right moments! Backings are by LeRoy Holmes, who's already showing an equal skill for a subtle swing – and songs are all by the team of DeSylva, Brown, & Henderson – with titles that include "Just Imagine", "My Sin", "Thank You Father", "If I Had A Talking Picture Of You", "Lucky In Love", and "I'll Know Him".

Two excellent early albums from Shirley Horn – back to back on a single CD! Travelin Light is one of the greatest jazz vocal albums of the 60s, and probably the greatest album ever by Shirley Horn! The session's got a beautiful lively sound, with extremely interesting arrangements by Johnny Pate, and a flute/piano/guitar sound that works perfectly with Shirley's lovely voice. The material is a great mix of lesser-known songs, sung with a maturity and honesty that will make your heart break. We love this one way better than any of Shirley's recent albums, and we can't recommend it highly enough! Titles include "Sunday In New York", "Yes, I Know When I've Had It", "Someone You've Loved", "I Could Have Told You", "Travelin Light", and "Don't Be On The Outside". Horn Of Plenty is hip stuff from Shirley Horn – very mature and swinging jazz! The set features the sharp early vocals of Shirley Horn nicely set up with some larger backings – hip arrangements handled by Quincy Jones, Thad Jones, and Billy Byers – with all the groovy 60s punch you can imagine from a lineup like that! And although Horn later became well known for some gentler, mellower cuts, we're huge fans of her singing like this – which has a righteous power that really tops some of the vocalists from the previous generation. Titles include "Wee Small Hours", "That Old Black Magic", "The Great City", "On The Street Where You Live", and "Let Me Love You".

Nothing too slow and easy about this 50s set from Jaye P Morgan – as the album's got a gentle groove on most of the numbers – just the right amount of jazzy swing to open up Jaye's vocals just right! Ray Ellis handles the backings – and during this best stretch in his career, he's got a really great way of making things sound lean and groovy – which gives the music a nice sort of bounce, and plenty of jazz-based flourishes that really help Morgan step out at her best – with qualities that really make this album stand out from some of her other recordings of the time! Titles include "Should I", "I Never Knew", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Another Martini Another Call", "Did I Remember", and "Just For Two".

Incredible work from the songwriting team of Roger Nichols & Paul Williams – sublime greatness from the end of the 60s era at A&M! At the time of these recordings, Nichols had just finished cutting his landmark Small Circle of Friends album for A&M – and Paul Williams was an out of work actor hanging around the label with a few ideas for songs. The two were paired, and instantly began working on a string of hits for Claudine Longet, The Carpenters, and other artists. These rare recordings are demos cut by the pair to showcase their songs – with Williams doing most of the vocals, and Nichols handling the instrumentation on guitar, piano, and drums. The tracks have a rough quality that makes them sound better to our ears than their more famous versions by bigger stars – with the honest optimism that you'd hear in Nichols' earlier album, and the moody sad style that Williams brought to his own work. Titles include "Let Me Be The One", "The Drifter", "Time", "Somebody Waiting", "After All", "So Many People", "When Love Is Near", "Do You Really Have A Heart", and "Out In The Country".

Patti Page at her grown up best – sounding wonderful on this 50s album that shows that she was way more than just a pop singer – and instead a rich-toned vocalist capable of surprisingly great delivery! The backings have a slightly modern edge – not June Christy at Capitol, but maybe not that far off either – and although there's a fair bit of strings at times, they often have these tones that set off just the right sort of darkness for the tunes – and bring inflections to the music that we don't always hear with Patti. Yet the Page punctuation is still also nicely in place, especially on the few swingers – and titles include "We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye", "Indiscretion", "Autumn Leaves", "Everything Happens To Me", "I'll Walk Alone", and "You Call Everybody Darling".

A pretty great record from singer Jennie Smith – not just for her own vocals, but for the unusual batch of tunes on the set! Jennie sang regularly on the Steve Allen show – and Steve penned every tune on the set – giving Smith a batch of music that goes way past overdone standards or pop numbers from other artists – a great fit to match the fresh voice that Jennie brings to the music! The arrangements are lush, but compact too – handled by Bob Enevoldsen, with a quality that acknowledges his roots in west coast jazz – but served up with a bit more conventional swing. Titles include "Never Had This Feeling Before", "With You", "After You", "I Love You Today", "Spring In Maine", "After Awhile", "When I'm In Love", and "Life Is But A Dream".

Great work from this British singer of the 50s – a vocalist whose tones match those of the best American gals on the west coast scene of the time! Rosemary Squires sings here with a well-crafted approach to the lyrics – never too over the top, but never too staid either – a nicely punctuated mode that has an inherent sense of swing, even when things get soft and mellow! Backings are by Frank Phillips, who mixes strings and woodwinds nicely, but always lets Squires get out front – and titles include "When You Kiss Back", "Where Love Lies Waiting", "April Heart", "My Love Is A Wanderer", and "My Wayward Heart".

A standout early album from singer Gale Storm – and a set that boasts a surprising crossover with R&B of the time! The album steps out with Gale's big hit version of "I Hear You Knocking" – a version of the Fats Domino tune, and one of those unusual 50s moments in which a pop singer took on the sound of soul – with results that struck a surprisingly big note with the mainstream. Yet overall, we're more partial to those tunes when revel in the upbeat, soaring sounds of Storm's vocals – 50s vocal charts that put Gale somewhere between post-swing big band vocals, and the trilling of contemporaries like Kay Starr or Georgia Gibbs. Titles include "I Hear You Knockin", "Brazil", "Goody Goody", "That's My Desire", "Memories Are Made Of This", "Teen Age Prayer", "Sweet Georgia Brown", and "The Three Bells".

Excellent work from singer Maureen Tomson – a vocalist who originally hails from Scotland, and who sings here with the well-articulated style of some of the best British singers of the 60s! The album's definitely an old school vocal affair, but Maureen brings a nice sort of punch to the lyrics, even when things are gentle – a bit like Shirley Bassey, yet not so much over the top! Dick Jacobs' arrangements for the date are mighty nice – understated in all the right ways, so that Tomson's voice slides right in without any pressure at all. Strings are light, and there's a few jazzy currents too – and titles include "My Man", "Mediation", "I'll Never Smile Again", "The Thrill Is Gone", "I Can't Get Started", and "Funny World".

A really rich album by Sarah Vaughan – recorded in Paris in 1958, with orchestrations by Quincy Jones – and large group backing that includes some great tenor work by Zoot Sims! The session's one of Vaughan's most cohesive albums of the period, and although it's got "violins" in the title, it's not too drippy or sleepy, thanks to Quincy – who keeps the whole thing moving along nicely, with just the right amount of swing and soul to work perfectly with Vaughan's vocals! Titles include "Live For Love", "Please Be Kind", "I'll Close My Eyes", "That's All", "Day By Day", "The Thrill Is Gone", and "Love Me".

A classic set from this massively underrated singer/songwriter! Paul Williams was definitely at the height of his mainstream popularity by the time of this set – with endless appearances on countless TV shows, not to mention work in The Planet Of The Apes films – yet the record's got a nicely personal feel at times – still that fragile intimacy that's always made Paul's recordings of his music so great! A few cuts definitely show a bit more swagger than before – the growing Williams public persona, although not yet at Paradise Phantom level – but it's the gentler tunes that really stand out best, including Paul's own readings of "Rainy Days & Mondays" and "You & Me Against The World". Other titles include "Born To Fly", "You Know Me", "That's What Friends Are For", "Inspiration", "What Would They Say", and "In The Beginning".

Yes, that's right – THE Paul Williams: the short blonde guy who was a bit of a celebrity in the early 70s, showing up on countless variety and talk shows, and even making an appearance in the later Planet Of The Apes movies. Despite Williams' short stature and strange looks, he was actually a heck of a songwriter – and this brilliant album is a soft rock masterpiece that more than proves that fact, put together with some simple smooth LA arrangements, mostly done in small group format, and occasionally handled by jazz musicians Tom Scott and David Spinozza. A number of songs were co-written with the great Roger Nichols – and the album includes Williams' fantastic versions of the hits "We've Only Just Begun" and "An Old Fashioned Love Song" – plus the tracks "Waking Up Alone", "I Never Had It So Good", "That's Enough For Me", and "When I Was All Alone".

Subtle sounds and gentle soul from Paul Williams – the wonderful singer/songwriter who cut some real gems for A&M Records in the early 70s! The album's filled with Williams' wonderful compositions – including a few penned with Roger Nichols – those great songs that other singers picked up and recorded famously, but which Paul always still sounds best singing himself! The arrangements are relatively subtle – full, yet never overdone – that great balance that A&M hit in these years, before sliding into too-smooth territory later in the 70s. The setting is perfect for Paul's vocals – and titles include "Little Girl", "Out In The Country", "The Lady Is Waiting", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "Life Goes On", "Rose", and "Where Do I Go From Here".

That's Paul Williams, lost amidst the whiteness of the cover – kind of fuzzy around the edges, just like the warm feelings in his music! The album's got all the best elements that Williams had to offer in the 70s – some incredible songs that are instantly more personal and more upfront than most of his contemporaries, sung by Paul in that weird, raspy style that really makes you know he's not making any of this up – no false bravado, or pop star cockiness – just that up-close element that made this lil' ol' short guy a surprisingly strong singer in the 70s. Arrangements are by Kenny Ascher, and are some of the best that Williams got at the time – and titles include "Sunday", "Margarita", "Sleep Warm", "A Little Bit Of Love", "The Family Of Man", "California Roses", "She Sings For Free", and "Sad Song".

A real gem from Paul Williams – the kind of well-penned, subtly-arranged record that marked his best work for A&M! Williams is getting a bit more confidence in his songwriting, yet also knows that he sounds best as a singer when he's got a slightly fragile feel – often recorded here with a nice bit of echo on the vocals, which makes his lyrics stretch out widely amidst the backings of the set! Piano is mostly the lead instrument, and tunes often build slowly, then hit a sort of proud moment in the middle – that kind of confidence even in times of trouble mode that we live in Paul's music. Titles include "Lifeboat", "Time & Tide", "Flash", "Even Better Than I Know Myself", "Don't Call It Love", "Old Souls", and "Ordinary Fool".

Really wonderful work from vocalist Monica Zetterlund – recorded at a time when she was really coming into her own! The album really has Monica stepping past her initial influences from American jazz – working in an idiom that's equally well suited to expression in her native Swedish, as it is filled with traces of a pan-global approach to jazz that features elements of bossa, modal jazz, and other compelling rhythms. Backings aren't credited, but they're plenty darn great – and titles include "Monicas Vals", "Konstigt", "Siv Larssons Dagbok", "Vilsevalsen", "Jag Tror Pa Dej", "Visa Fran Utanmyra", and "Spela For Mej".

A rare British session from vocalist Mark Murphy – and one of his grooviest albums of the 60s! Mark's working here with great backings from the orchestras of Tubby Hayes, John Dankworth, and Les Reed – all of whom give Murphy some of his hippest grooves to date, very much in the mode of some of his work on the Midnight Mood album cut for MPS during the same overseas 60s stretch. And as with that one, there's a nice selection of tunes that goes way past the usual – and which shows off the widest range of Murphy's groovy vocal talents – titles that include "Ballyhoo", "Iceberg", "Stablemates", "She Loves You", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "I Left My Heart In San Francisco", "From Time To Time", and "The Best Is Yet To Come".

A mighty nice collection of cuts – one that not only really gets at the genius of Burt Bacharach's songwriting, but also shows the way his music works well in so many different settings too! The 40-track collection is heavy on music from the 60s and 70s, and also features a few gems from later years too – and the music here is a mix of soul, vocal, rock, and other styles – with a wide range of artists that really show Burt's lasting impact on music in the 20th century! These tunes are undeniable gems – classics you've no doubt heard in some version over the years – yet some of the readings here are unusual, and unusually fresh as well – a lasting tribute to the sublime sounds of Bacharach. Titles include "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" by Isaac Hayes, "Wishin & Hopin" by Brenda Lee, "A House Is Not A Home" by Brook Benton, "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" by Dusty Springfield, "Take A Broken Heart" by Rick Nelson, "Baby It's You" by Smith, "Tower Of Strength" by Gene McDaniels, "Trains & Boats & Planes" by Astrud Gilberto, "Anyone Who Had A Heart" by Dionne Warwick, "Love's Still The Answer" by Ronald Isley, "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" by Gene Pitney, "My Little Red Book" by Manfred Man, "Nikki" by Burt Bacharach, "Wives & Lovers" by Jack Jones, "Walk On By" by Gloria Gaynor, "Make It Easy On Yourself" by Walker Brothers, and "Message To Michael" by The Marvelettes.

Burt Bacharach, but with a German twist – heard here in a very groovy batch of Bacharach tunes from overseas – most of which were never issued here in the US! The tunes are familiar, but the versions are nicely different – not just because the lyrics are in German, where there are lyrics – but because the arrangements are fresh and groovy too – especially on the instrumentals, which are handled by some of the grooviest German maestros of the time! The package features 18 tracks in all – and titles include "Hallo Pussycat" by Gus Backus, "Ein Rosarotes Himmelbett" by Ramona, "So Wie Ich" by Karel Gott, "The Look Of Love" by Roberto Delgado, "Alfie" by Heinz Schachtner, "Ein Haus Ist Klein Zuhaus" by Corry Brokken, "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head" by Henry Arland, "Ich Wunsche Mir So Viel Von Dir" by Bata Illic, and "This Guy's In Love With You" by Peter Thomas.

One of the grooviest compilations you could ever hope to buy! The set is sort of a complement to the brilliant Lounge Legends series from Germany – and it features tracks that aren't part of that series, but which fit wonderfully next to its titles based on full artists. Essentially, the compilers felt that there was so much groovy music in the Universal catalog of the 60s they could never hope to get out single-volume sets on the work, so they've wrapped up 20 great tracks in a package that includes loads of wonderful moments. Tracks on the set include some real killers by artists that you never knew could be so groovy – including "Dominique's Discotheque" by Sarah Vaughan, "It's Your Turn" by Nelson Riddle, "After Midnight" by Sergio Mendes, "Along Comes Mary" by Cal Tjader, "Shades" by Pat Williams, "Dreamer" by Sylvia Telles, "Sportin Life" by The JBs, "Fried Bananas" by Benny Golson, "Flying Easy" by Woody Herman, "Marrakesh Express" by Stan Getz, "The Look Of Love" by Willie Bobo, "Let The Love Come Through" by Roland Shaw, "Spinning Wheel" by Bossa Rio, and "Love So Fine" by Don Costa. Very very nice – and very nicely priced!

2 lesser-known sides of Blossom Dearie – both recorded in Paris in the 50s! The first 8 tracks on the set are from a rare 10" session recorded in 1955 – one that features Blossom only at the piano, not singing, but swinging in a solid trio format. Tracks on that session include "The Boy Next Door", "Down In The Depths Of The 90th Floor", "April In Paris", and "Blue Moon". The other 4 tracks on the set are from a 45rpm ep by Blossom's famous vocal group, The Blue Stars. The ensemble featured vocalese performances by young singers that included Christine Legrand, Jeanine De Waleyne, and Fats Sadi – and was the virtual blueprint for later jazz vocal groups, like Les Double Six or The Swingle Singers. Titles from that group include "Toute Ma Joie", "Embrasse Moi Bien", and "Toute Ma Joie".

One of the grooviest sets ever recorded by Swedish singer Monica Zetterlund – a cool late 60s album that has some really wonderful songs! At some level, Monica's still very firmly in jazz vocal territory – but she's also letting in strands of hipper 60s pop work, in a mode that's similar to some of Blossom Dearie's best work from the same period. Not surprisingly, the album's got a great version of Dearie's classic "Sweet Georgie Fame", as well as Swedish readings of Carla Bley's "Ida Lupino", Steve Kuhn's "Memory", and the tracks "A Man & A Woman", "Bachianas Brasileiras", "Alfie", and "Quietly There".

Excellent vocal jazz from postwar Paris! The Blue Stars were a legendary combo that were led by Blossom Dearie, and which featured a host of great vocal talents that would later go onto form groups like Les Double Six or The Swingle Singers, including Mimi Perrin and Christine Legrand, as well as instrumental jazz artists like Fats Sadi and Roger Guerin, who are doing some rare vocalization here. The first 4 tracks on the set are pulled from a 1956 ep – and it features the group on the tracks "Jumpin At The Woodside", "C'est La Vie", "Broadway At Basin Street", and "Grapevine". The next 12 tracks are from the Pardon My English LP – which has the group down to a sextet, working without Dearie, in a groovy accented English vocal style that's a direct precursor of the vocalese grooving of Les Double Six. Titles on that set include "Small Talk", "Move", "Did You Close Your Eyes?", and "Promises & Lies". The last 3 tracks on the set are a bit different – featuring vocals and guitar by Henri Salvador, with backing on bass and drums. The style of Salvador's work is still similar, though – way more vocalese than the "blues" in the title would make you expect – and the tracks are lifted from a rare Fontana ep-only release that was recorded in the same year. Titles include "Don't Blame Me", "Salvador Plays The Blues", and "Stompin At The Savoy".

The sun shines brightly on Mario Biondi – really making this record sparkle with a charm that goes way beyond Mario's previous albums – a quality that's less retro than before, and which shows Biondi as a growing soul star with really universal appeal! There's still some of the old school jazz in the mix that we love from Mario's Schema work – but the album's also got a fuller production style at times, one that really expands the palette of Biondi's colors, and which has him working here with help from key guests who include Omar, Leon Ware, Al Jarreau, Incognito, and Chaka Khan – and even a bit of organ from the James Taylor Quartet! Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick helped co-write a good number of tracks on the set – and titles include "Shine On", "Come To Me", "Woman Woman", "What Have You Done To Me", "Never Stop", "La Voglia La Pazzia L'Idea", "Girl Blue", "Light To The World", and "Catch The Sunrise".

A cool bit of bossa jazz from Italy – recorded by a group who clearly draw inspiration from Sergio Mendes, but also take their tunes in some bold new directions! Like other Euro bossa work of the time, there's really a strong respect here for the original Brazilian sound – but also a different sort of vibe too, one that clearly brings in some sunny Mediterranean moments to really spark things up! Percussion is heavy, vocals are often sung together and sweet – and there's some nice use of organ bubbling around in the background, which links the record a bit to some of the Italian film scores that we love from the time. Very groovy stuff throughout – with lyrics in Italian, but a universal appeal to any lover of warm bossa grooves! Titles include "Ci Vuol Pazienza", "Inquinamento", "Ride La Citta", "Davvero", "Foglie Gialle All'Imbrunire", "Gli Avvoltoi", "Muore Ormai La Domenica", and "Cento Volte Addio".

Quite an unusual album from Helen Merrill – but a set that also shows that quite early on, she was a singer with a keen ear for working on larger concepts too! Merrill first rose to fame as a cool-voiced singer in the 50s, but she does a surprisingly great job here with country tunes as well – sung not exactly in a western mode, but more in a jazz-based style, with arrangements from Chuck Sagle, who really helps find a creative new setting for the songs! Given that most of the themes are pretty universal, they translate well to this new approach – and Merrill really opens up on the record, in ways she'd later do on other creative sessions like this overseas. Tracks include "Maybe Tomorrow", "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "Heart Full Of Love", "Cold Cold Heart", "Any Time", and "You Win Again".

The sun shines brightly on Mario Biondi – really making this record sparkle with a charm that goes way beyond Mario's previous albums – a quality that's less retro than before, and which shows Biondi as a growing soul star with really universal appeal! There's still some of the old school jazz in the mix that we love from Mario's Schema work – but the album's also got a fuller production style at times, one that really expands the palette of Biondi's colors, and which has him working here with help from key guests who include Omar, Leon Ware, Al Jarreau, Incognito, and Chaka Khan – and even a bit of organ from the James Taylor Quartet! Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick helped co-write a good number of tracks on the set – and titles include "Shine On", "Come To Me", "Woman Woman", "What Have You Done To Me", "Never Stop", "La Voglia La Pazzia L'Idea", "Girl Blue", "Light To The World", and "Catch The Sunrise".

A cool bit of bossa jazz from Italy – recorded by a group who clearly draw inspiration from Sergio Mendes, but also take their tunes in some bold new directions! Like other Euro bossa work of the time, there's really a strong respect here for the original Brazilian sound – but also a different sort of vibe too, one that clearly brings in some sunny Mediterranean moments to really spark things up! Percussion is heavy, vocals are often sung together and sweet – and there's some nice use of organ bubbling around in the background, which links the record a bit to some of the Italian film scores that we love from the time. Very groovy stuff throughout – with lyrics in Italian, but a universal appeal to any lover of warm bossa grooves! Titles include "Ci Vuol Pazienza", "Inquinamento", "Ride La Citta", "Davvero", "Foglie Gialle All'Imbrunire", "Gli Avvoltoi", "Muore Ormai La Domenica", and "Cento Volte Addio".

The sun shines brightly on Mario Biondi – really making this record sparkle with a charm that goes way beyond Mario's previous albums – a quality that's less retro than before, and which shows Biondi as a growing soul star with really universal appeal! There's still some of the old school jazz in the mix that we love from Mario's Schema work – but the album's also got a fuller production style at times, one that really expands the palette of Biondi's colors, and which has him working here with help from key guests who include Omar, Leon Ware, Al Jarreau, Incognito, and Chaka Khan – and even a bit of organ from the James Taylor Quartet! Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick helped co-write a good number of tracks on the set – and titles include "Shine On", "Come To Me", "Woman Woman", "What Have You Done To Me", "Never Stop", "La Voglia La Pazzia L'Idea", "Girl Blue", "Light To The World", and "Catch The Sunrise". CD has a great package – hardcover book-style, with pages inside!