Three film soundtracks from Morio Agata, including the animated film Red Elegy. (Japanese, Soundtracks) CD

Some of the rarest material ever recorded from this legendary Italian maestro – and some of the funkiest too – tracks that all originally appeared in erotic films of the late 70s, and which definitely represent a more secret side of his career! You might know Alessandroni for his key contributions to 60s soundtracks, or his early 70s sound library work – and here, he delivers goods that definitely live up to the legacy of that music too – cuts that appear here on record for the first time ever, and which are even groovier away from the sexy images on the screen! Each single features tracks from a single film – the softcore movies L'Adolescente, Frittata All'Italiana, Le Pornoschiave Del Vizio, Emanuelle A Tahiti, and Uomo Uomo Uomo. (Funky 45's, Soundtracks) 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the first great Italian cop movies of the 70s – and a superbly-scored film with a really wonderful soundtrack! The DeAngelis brothers are clearly drawing heavily from an American tradition initiated by Lalo Schfrin – using heavy guitar, funky undercurrents, and even some soulfully righteous touches to really set this one apart from other Italian films of the time. Yet the approach here is also a bit more different, touches with some of the darker modes and more redemptive themes of Italian westerns – a sense of suspension and drama that's incredibly powerful, and heard to best effect on the solo instrumental passages – which include guitar by Maurizio and flute by Guido. Titles include "Festa A Genova", "Gangster Story", "Chicca", "The Life Of A Policeman", "Il Libanese", "Casa Di Moda", "Rock Al Porto", and "La Storia Comincia". LP, Vinyl record album

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The final album in the "qatsi" trilogy, and one that's got the same sublime Philip Glass scoring as the others – but which also features some beautiful cello solos from Yo Yo Ma too! Given that there's a darker side to this film, the warmth of the cello balances things out nicely – and occasionally creates a nice juxtaposition with a few of the more urgent moments in the larger orchestrations – which are performed by the Philip Glass ensemble. Titles include "Media Weather", "Old World", "Intensive Time", "Primacy Of Number", "The Vivid Unknown", "Point Blank", and "Definition". (Out Sound, Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album

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A lost 70s score from Ennio Morricone – penned for a period piece set in 19th Century Italy, and done with a driving, dramatic sort of feel! Some of the numbers here have that subdued orchestral mode that Morricone used at his most subtle moments – a style that's not as crazy as some of his other work from earlier years, but which still comes across with some nice dark edges – especially in the mellower moments. Other numbers feature violin solo work, or chorus vocals from I Cantori Moderni – not used that often, but enough to provide some nice variety in the album. (Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Italian horror work done by Franco Piersanti – done for a creepy film, as you might guess from the cover – but one that's scored by Piersanti with a surprising degree of sensitivity, and some very rich orchestrations that are very different than the stark, more electric modes being used in so much of 80s horror! There's some really beautiful woodwinds in the music, and some darker strings that echo 70s atonality from Morricone – on titles that include "Labirinto", "Omicidio", "Radio Jazz", "Budapest", and "Illusioni Ottiche". LP, Vinyl record album

(Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most enigmatic records we've ever gotten from the Numero Group – especially since they usually go out of their way to tell the full story of most of their releases! This set purports to be the never-issued soundtrack from a 60s film titled You're Not From Around Here – but none of the film details, director, or writer show up with an internet search – leading us to believe that the label just felt that the whole thing was a great story to serve up some twang-heavy rarities from the underbelly of early 60s rock and roll. Turns out, they were plenty darn right – as the package alone is a dream – a cool octagonal box with a replica poster and a very cool look – housing a record full of rare rockers that include "A Song For Mary" by Gene Sikora, "First Love" by Bailey's Nervous Kats, "Spacewalk" by Nicky Roberts, "Wandering" by The Expressos, "Lonely Walk" by Alvie Self, "Somewhere Down The Line" by Shelley Duncan, "Haunted After Midnight" by Slim Martin, "16.88" by Hayden Thompson, "Wouldn't It Be Nice To Have Wings & Fly" by Buzz Clifford, "Tomorrow's Gone" by Charlie Megira, and "Ebb Tide" by Houston & Dorsey. (Rock, Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "I Just Called To Say I Love You", "Love Light In Flight", "It's You", "Woman In Red", "Moments Aren't Moments", "Weakness", "Don't Drive Drunk", and "It's More Than You". (Soul, Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album

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A fantastic sexy soundtrack from Bill Loose – scored for a Russ Meyer Sexploitation film, but handled with a care that goes way deeper than you might expect! Bill brings in some nice jazzy moments on organ and guitar – and there's also some Sunshine Pop-styled vocals at points – sometimes with lyrics, sometimes wordless singing in a cool harmony mode – all of which make the whole thing feel more like some higher-level rock-era score on a label like Uni or Tower! A few tunes are more romping and groovy – most likely for some of the sexier scenes in the film – and titles include "Toys Of Our Time", "Harry's Theme", "Here's Harry", "Cherry & Raquel", "Franklin & Cherry", and "Cherry's Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

The action scene on the cover is a hint at all the great action within – a mad mix of music that has plenty of the guitar, basslines, and keyboards of Italian cop/crime scores of the time – but which also maybe includes some deeper rock currents as well! There's a few moments where the guitar does a lot more than just riffing – serving up these really strong solos that almost make us wonder if Roberto Pregadio managed to lure a figure from the Italian prog scene into the studio for the recording – giving him just enough small space to deliver a few key solos, without ever disturbing the overall groove of the set! The package features ten tracks in all – including "La Fuga", "Ripresa", "Favolosa Festa Di Danza", "Un Pomeriggio Di Sole", and "Costretti A Fare L'Amore". LP, Vinyl record album

Moscow Symphony Choir & Orchestra conducted by William Stromberg. CD

A beautiful later album from Miles Davis – and a tremendous collaboration with composer Michel Legrand, in a set that returns Miles to the French soundtrack tradition he first started back in the late 50s! Some of the tracks here are quite spare – the kind of moody, ethereal solo moments that Miles still does better than most folks at this point in time – and other numbers feature fuller musical backings that echo some of the older Legrand soundtrack flair, but which come off with a slightly more contemporary approach too. Chuck Findley also handles some of the trumpet solos on the album – so all the musings here are not Miles' alone – and titles include "The Departure", "The Arrival", "The Dream", "Paris Walking I", "Going Home", "The Jam Session", and "Club Entrance". (Jazz, Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album

Haunting horror work from the great Bruno Nicolai – an album that's got some wonderfully-crafted themes mixed with some lighter, breezier numbers – almost in a Rosemary's baby sort of mode! Bruno really gets to show off both sides of his talents here – and comes up with some spare and melodic orchestrations that recall his work with Morricone, mixed with other numbers that diverge into sweeter territory and dance along nicely. The set features a total of 24 numbers – nearly all of which are more redemptive than the darker horror plot of the film – and titles include "In Cantina", "Servizio Fotografico", "Minaccia", "Scoperta & Sesto Delitto", "Confronto Finale", "In Automobile", "Ufficio Vuoto", and "Terzo Delitto". LP, Vinyl record album

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A real standout set from the end of Les Baxter's run at Capitol Records – originally scored for a film that was never released, but a great set of tracks that more than stands strongly on its own! The theme here is a Mexican/Latin American one – explored by Baxter with his trademark blend of larger orchestrations and lighter exotica touches – often swirling around in an extremely evocative mode that makes us wish the film had been issued to the public, and at a few key moments even hinting at the funkier modes that would follow on some of Les' later work for other labels. Titles include "Aqueducts", "Gardens Of The Moon", "Pyramid Of The Sun", "Temple Of Gold", and "Procession Of The Princes". (Now Sound, Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful music from Chicago, set to another Chicago-themed project – a film based around the Roy stories of writer Barry Gifford! Yet that literary reference aside, the music here has fantastic merits of its own, even if you've never read Gifford at all – a very different, more compositional side of the spectrum from vibist Jason Adasiewicz, yet still music that has a loose small combo vibe as well – serve dup by a cool quintet that features Jonathan Doyle on saxes, Josh Berman on cornet, Joshua Abrams on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums! There's a mix of new tones and modern ideas that take us back to that late 50s time on the Chicago scene when Sun Ra's Arkestra was still in town – and the tunes penned by Adasiewicz are not only superb, but a perfect showcase for his incredible tones on vibes. Doyle is a real revelation too – a player we don't know well at all at this point, but whose sense of timing and presence really makes the whole record sparkle – as does the work of the rest of the better-known players in the group. Titles include "Ballad For Kitty", "River Blindness", "Walkin To Clinton", "Rudy's Basement", "Sand", and "Blue People". (Jazz, Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago – and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer – and plays with a creative tightness that you'll be hard pressed to find on other record. Some tracks are almost straight jazz – but there's all these wonderful little breakdowns and burst of creative energy that keep the AACM spirit alive and true. The centerpiece of the album is the massive "Theme De Yoyo", a righteous powerful groover that features vocals by Fontella Bass (wife of Lester Bowie of the group), and which has become an all-time jazz dance classic! Other tracks have a sparer soundtracky feel, and a few more are in the experimental vein of the Art Ensemble's other Paris work at the time. Wonderful overall though – and an incredibly righteous album filled with power and imagination! Titles include "Theme De Celine", "Proverbes", "Theme Libra", and "Variations Sur Un Theme De Monteverdi". Very hard to find original French pressing – with different cover image! (Jazz, Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime soundtrack music from Edward Artemiev – not a big name for film scoring on this side of the Iron Curtain, but a really well-remembered talent for his classic 70s work for the films of Andrey Tarkovsky! Side one of this album features wonderful sounds from the film Stalker – music that begins in a sweet electronic mode, but soon gets darker – a weird space that's somewhere between the German elements of Cluster and Tangerine Dream, and some of the more abstract electronics of the underground academic scene! Yet throughout it all, Artemiev has a very visual approach to his sounds – one that steps out nicely on the one track from the film The Mirror, and an extended tribute to the director too. Titles include "Exodus", "Dedication To Andrey Tarkovsky", "Meditation", "They Go Long", "Stalker", and "Train". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Burt Bacharach's finest moments, and a soundtrack that we never tire of hearing! Burt wrote all the tunes – and the album's a wonderful romp, with lots of odd twists and turns that are quite different from Burt's usual bag (baby!), but which still have all of the charm of his best work. A few performances on the set are by Herb Albert & The Tijuana Brass, who do the completely chaotic "Casino Royale Theme" – and the lovely Dusty Springfield sings a versions of "Look Of Love" that has to be the best ever recorded! Other tracks include "Home James, Don't Spare The Horses", "Money Penny Goes For Broke", "The Venerable Sir James Bond", and "Hi There Miss Goodthighs". This expanded 50th anniversary edition is different than any of the other bonus versions on the market – as it first features the full album in stereo, then includes another 22 mono tracks, many never heard before – tunes from the film and a few singles – with titles that include "Sitar Background", "The Black Rose", "James Bond In Scotland", "Gymnasium Training", "Le Chiffre's Magic Act", "Bond Arrival In France", and "Have No Fear Bond Is Here", with vocals by Mike Redway. CD

Although the initial release of this music was a cheap attempt to cash in on the tragic fame of the late James Dean, this 1956 session was also one of the nicest big band dates to come out of the Pacific Jazz catalog of the 1950s! Chet Baker and Bud Shank are the featured soloists of the set – and the group's conducted by Johnny Mandel and Bill Holman, both excellent arrangers with a strong feel for soundtrack-oriented material of this sort. Tommy Sands sings vocals on a version of "Let Me Be Loved", which is the only standard on the set – as the rest of the tracks are originals by the great Leith Stevens. The band's filled with other west coasters that you'll recognize – and titles include "The Movie Star", "Jimmy's Theme", "The Search", "Lost Love", and "Rebel At Work". (Jazz, Soundtracks) CD

A lesser-known moment of genius from John Barry – quite different than his work for the James Bond films of the time! Barry's working here in a mix of more ambitious orchestral themes – dark, brooding, and moody – but also interspersed with some lighter jazzier numbers that are really great too! The film had a short life as a blockbuster – surprising, given that it was directed by Arthur Penn, written by Lillian Hellman, and starring Marlon Brando, Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, and Angie Dickinson amidst a host of other well-known talents – but the real charm is almost Barry's music, which olds up really well over the years! Our favorite titles include "Saturday Night Philosopher", "Look Around", "The Beating", "Blues For Bubber", and the sweetly jazzy "I'll Drink To That". And oddly, there doesn't seem to be a single traditional "chase" number in the whole film! LP, Vinyl record album

A fairly straight orchestral score by John Barry – written for this early 60s film that starred George Segal, Tom Courneay, and Denholm Elliott. The film's a war one, and the themes are pretty typical for that sort of thing – but they do have some nice instrumental touches that push them past the usual bag, and which show that Barry's younger writing was always a treat, no matter what the setting. Titles include "There Is A Radio In This Hut", "Just As You Were", "Grey's Day", "The Recovery Of Marlowe", "Touch & Go", and "King Rat March". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the lesser-known John Barry scores of the 60s – penned for an equally lesser-known comedy that starred Michael Caine, Peter Sellers, Peter Cook, Tony Hancock, and Dudley Moore! The tunes have kind of a period feel with slight whimsical touches – not as mod and groovy as you might expect for the time, or for Barry – but with a strong orchestral approach overall, showing John's ability to work well in a more mainstream setting. There's a nice undercurrent of darkness at times, as on some of Barry's other orchestral work – and titles include "Morris Visits Dr Pratt", "Bournemouth Strangler", "Morris Hides As He Sees Handcart", "Montage Of Deaths", and "Yes Who Is That". LP, Vinyl record album

One of John Barry's first true moments of genius – recorded back when he was the leader of a fab little instrumental combo called the John Barry 7, and was tagged to do some soundtrack work that would forever change the rest of his career! The album's got some incredible instrumental tunes that mix electric guitar and beatnik jazz in a mode that's keeping with the juvenile delinquent theme of the film – with some strings sneaking in to cheese things up a bit, but in a great way that only makes the tunes sound even better! Adam Faith sings vocals on "The Beat Girl Song", "Made You", and "I Did What You Told Me" – and other tunes include "Blues For Beatnicks", "Blondie's Strip", "Beat Girl", "Time Out", "The Sharks", and "The City 2000 AD". This El UK edition includes bonus tracks by Gillian Hills, The John Barry Sound and Adam Faith. CD

The soundtrack that put John Barry over the top – and to many, THE James Bond soundtrack! The album chills from the first notes of the haunting title theme – the majestic "Goldfinger", sung by Shirley Bassey with a tone that's as dangerous as a razor-sharp hat spinning through the air! Barry then takes over with some wonderful instrumentals – a blend of crime jazz, mood pieces, chase themes, and more – all peppered with that dark dark Bond theme that we love so much! Titles include "Into Miami", "Teasing The Korean", "Alpine Drive", "Bond Back In Action", "Gassing The Gangsters", and "Death Of Goldfinger". LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost crime jazz soundtrack – penned by Elmer Bernstein in the style of some of his best work from the 50s! There's a real Man With The Golden Arm feel here – as the orchestra rises and falls in a mode matching the Staccato title – and solos break out with a fluid and brazen sort of feel – plenty of jazz to show the west coast origin of the recording! Players include Don Fagerquist and Pete Candoli on trumpets, Dick Nash on trombone, Ted Nash and Dave Pell on saxes, John Williams on piano, and Barney Kessell on guitar. The show itself is pretty darn cool – and starred a young John Cassavetes as detective Johnny Staccato – a role that supposedly gave Cassavetes enough money to shoot the film Shadows in his free time! Great all the way through – with tracks that include "Staccato's Theme", "Thinking Of Baby", "Poi & Juice", "Deadly Game", "Night Mood", "Jazz At Waldo's", "Like Having Fun", and "MacDougal Street Special". LP, Vinyl record album

Art Blakey's soundtrack to this fantastic French film is one of his best non-Blue Note albums ever – and it's got the additional bonus of featuring performances by the great French tenor star Barney Wilen! The tunes here are way more than just short scene-setting soundtrack numbers – and are instead some incredibly memorable numbers from these great years of the Jazz Messengers – handled with all the fire of their Blue Note sides. The date was recorded in New York – with Wilen on tenor, Lee Morgan on trumpet, and Bobby Timmons on piano – and the tracks are a great mix of hardbop riffs and very catchy jazzy themes for the soundtrack. Titles include "No Problem", "Weehawken Mad Pad", "Valmontana", and "Miguel's Party". (Jazz, Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album

A killer little soundtrack – and one that's quite different than the usual blacksploitation set, but still pretty funky overall! The film Black Girl was a surprisingly sensitive movie directed by Ossie Davis in the early 70s – not as much about action as it was about the everyday life, and the hopes and dreams of the lead characters – all of which made for some really well-rounded music, of the sort you'd find on some of the other great Fantasy Records soundtracks of the time, especially the classic Cornbread Earl & Me score. Ed Bogas and Ray Shanklin put together the whole thing, and the album's a mix of hip instrumental tracks with some other vocal ones – a really nice range that draws from singers like Betty Everett, Rodger Collins, and JJ Malone – and jazz players like Sonny Stitt and John Hunt (plus organ from Merl Saunders on one cut.) Titles include "BJ's Step", "Black Girl", "Sister", "Earl (Still A Pearl)", "Mothers Day Song", "Power", "Get Me To The Bridge", "Chock-lite Puddin", and "Black Girl Cue". (Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

Rare soundtrack work from French composer Claude Bolling – best known for his "jazz meets classical" recordings, but equally great at penning a compelling score! The tracks on the set have a mix of styles that includes some Mexican-styled instrumentals mixed with more dramatic orchestral themes, some of which feature some incredible piano work from Bolling himself. Tracks include "La Plaza", "Karpoff", "Noches Mexicanas", "Pop Mod", and "Tatiana". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare television soundtrack from Italian jazzman Sandro Brugnolini – easily some of his most hard-hitting work, and a mighty cool record to boot! Brugnolini mixes small combo jazz and some darker orchestrations in a shifting palette of sounds from track to track – which means that some numbers are hard groovers, others have this brooding quality, and still others have this incredible tinkling piano that seems to float in the air – maybe the most gentle passages of the record, but also some of the most eerie too – especially in the way that Sandro mixes darkness and light with effortless ease! Most numbers are short, and work together beautifully – a very vivid record, even away from the images on the screen. Titles include "Aggressione", "Tallonato", "La Notte Muore", "Colluttazione", "Quasi Un Sogno", "Incidente Provocato", and "Tempus Fugit". CD

Maybe the greatest moment ever from Brit soundtrack genius Roy Budd – an artist who started with his roots in jazz piano, but who really explodes here in a range of groovy styles! The main title is an incredible blend of Eastern percussion and moody jazz – and other cuts bring in some trippier elements, mixed with funkier bits and warmer moments – all at a level that have Budd even outdoing the best late 60s work by Lalo Schifrin! The keyboards are often at the forefront – either acoustic or electric – and the album's got so many groovy grooves, with such variety, it's got a feel that's much richer than the usual soundtrack set. Titles include "Love Is A Four Letter Word", "Carter Takes A Train", "Looking For Someone", "The Girl In The Car", "Livin Should Be This Way", "Manhunt", "Goodbye Carter", and "Hallucinations". LP, Vinyl record album