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One of the more evocative Lalo Schifrin soundtracks of the 60s – music scored for a Clint Eastwood western, but handled in a mix of modes that goes way beyond the usual! About half the tracks are more familiar western fare – with the kinds of bold themes and action-filled elements that you'd hear from other composers – but others bring in some warmer, lyrical elements – and a few others turn the guitar from country twang to jazzified riffing – in ways that hit the kind of Schifrin groove we really love! This deluxe CD edition features a whopping 24 tracks from the film – plus 8 more bonus tracks, including some unusued numbers and radio spots too! Titles include "Green Worms", "Get Out", "Arizona Desert", "Coogan's Wild Ride", "Song To Julie", "Five Minutes", "Where's Ringerman", "Looking For Jimbo", and "Capture The Chief".

A wonderful album from Lalo Schfrin! This one mixes together bossa piano and sweeping string arrangements – in a style that's incredibly dark-edged and driving, with a sound that's at once spooky and lovely – a dancing groove that makes the best tracks really sparkle! The album's light years away from other "piano with strings" albums of the time – proof that Schifrin was easily one of the most imaginative forces of his generation, and an arranger who really helped reshape music in the 60s. Titles include the incredible version of "Maria" that's played quite often by Gilles Peterson – plus loads of other nice ones, like "The Wave", "Insensatez", "You And Me", "Murmurio", "Rapaz De Bem", "Rio After Dark", and "Time For Love".

A western soundtrack from Lalo Schifrin – but one that features a fair bit of the electric piano lines you'd hear in some of Schifrin's best cop and crime work of the 70s! The music's not entirely funky, but the presence of the keyboards definitely makes it different than the usual western score of the time – more modern and moody! As the soundtrack moves on, it features a few more dramatic orchestral numbers – balancing out the vibe with some more traditional elements – yet even some of these still have more of a cop show sense of drama, and really showcase that Schifrin charm we love so much. Titles include "Joe Kidd", "Mitchell", "There Was A Fire", "Chama", "Arrival", "Manolo", "Vita", "Out Of Range", "Mingo", and "Point Blank".

One of Lalo Schifrin's greatest soundtracks ever – a gem of a TV score that's been lost for years – and not nearly as famous or well-reissued as Mission Impossible, Bullitt, or Enter The Dragon! The tunes are pure Schifrin all the way through – a mix of jazz, bossa, and funk – served up with a style that's always tight, and which makes for plenty of great groovers all the way through. Instrumentation includes vibes, flutes, guitar, and plenty of great horns – but the rhythms at the bottom are what really hold the whole thing together – romping along with lots of great 70s touches, in a groove that's much hipper than even most of the other cop show soundtracks of the time! Titles include "The Shadow", "Hunt Down", "The Edge Of Night", "Mannix", "Turn Every Stone", and "Fear".

A pretty darn rare Lalo Schifrin soundtrack – to a lost crime thriller that starred David McCallum, Stella Stevens, and Telly Savalas – all of whom are pictured in a nice collage-type movie painting on the front cover! The tracks run from mellow bossa to fast and jazzy, and the album also includes a few mellower Latin-tinged numbers to set the scene of the action. There's not as much funk as in Schifrin's other scores from the time – but it makes up for it with groovy passages and many great moments that make the album worth seeking out! Titles include "Charanga", "The Golden Trip", "Sol Madrid", "Fiesta", "Adagietto", and "Villanova's Chase".

Electric 70s work from Lalo Schifrin – with a tight uptempo funky sound that's similar to his strong "cop show" soundtrack themes at the time. Not totally up there with Bullit or some of the 60s grooves, but nicer than you might think, and proof that he was still a player back in the day! Titles include "Eagles In Love", "Macumba", "Theme From Most Wanted", "Theme From King Kong", and "Roller Coaster".

Pure genius throughout – two great albums on a single CD! Trombone Jazz Samba is an overlooked gem from Bob Brookmeyer – and a set that fits in strongly with the other Verve Records bossa nova albums of the 60s! Bob's the center star on valve trombone, but the record's awash in work from other great Verve talents too – a tight small group that features Gary McFarland on vibes, Jim Hall and Jimmy Raney on guitars, and Willie Bobo on drums – alongside some added percussion that really helps keep the bossa spirit strong! Tunes have that spare, soulful crackle that you'd find in the Stan Getz bossa sessions for Verve – except that trombone is the lead solo instrument here – and titles include "A Felicidade", "Col Bogey Bossa Nova", "Blues Bossa Nova", "Qual E O Po", "Chara Tu Tristeza", and "Samba De Orfeu". Samba Para Dos is a great lost groover on Verve – recorded during the heyday of the label's bossa years with Stan Getz! The record features Bob Brookmeyer fronting a large group arranged and conducted by Lalo Schifrin – soloing over the top, while Lalo comes up with sparkling bossa-tinged grooves that are in the spirit of his best soundtrack work of the mid 60s. Brookmeyer's playing is great too – very different than his sparer, modernist work on other records – and very much in the tradition of Brazilian trombone players who were a key force in bossa jazz at the time. The set includes one long original, "Samba Para Dos", plus shorter standards like "My Funny Valentine", "What Kind Of Fool Am I", and "I Get A Kick Out Of You" – all taken in great jazzy bossa versions!

This one's got a bluesy jazz approach – set by Ray Charles' version of the title theme, and followed through by Lalo's great instrumental tracks – which mix strings, soul, and just the right jazzy touches to keep things moving along with a subtle groove. Ttiles include "The Chase", "Dialogue In The Rain", "Melba", "The Game", "The Cinncinnati Kid", "The Cock Fight", and "Shooter".

The Marquis De Sade never sounded so sweet! For some strange reason, Schifrin decided to pay a musical hommage to De Sade with this one – but fortunately, he's not punishing himself with the subject matter at all, and is sticking to his jazzy bossa guns. The arrangements have a tight Verve mid 60s groove to them – with breakout solos on piano and flute, slightly baroque scoring that mixes strings, harpsichord, and some straighter jazz playing, and a good focus on strong rhythm playing throught. A breezy treat that would make any of us drop a paddle and kick back for a cocktail – if we had the chance! Titles include "Bossa Antique", "The Wig", "Old Laces", "Beneath A Weeping Willow Shade", "Renaissance", and "Troubadour".

An ambitious set of funky jazz tunes from Lalo – cut in the proto-disco style of some of his later CTI work, but also done with some interesting instrumental flourishes from track to track. The album's got a "gypsy" spirit in the compositions – sometimes touched with a bit of acoustic guitar – but overall, the main groove is electric, laid down by lots of keyboard grooves from Lalo and Mike Melvoin. A few tracks are a bit hokey, but overall, the album's as strong as most of Lalo's other work from the time – and tracks include "Fortune Tellers", "Ring Around The Moon", "Prophecy Of Love", and "Pampas".

A musical autobiography from Lalo Schifrin – but one that's also filled with lots of rare gems too – including some cuts never reissued on CD before, and even a few previously unissued tracks! The scope of Schifrin's talents is amazing – as you've probably heard us rave time and time again in these pages – and this hand-picked 4CD set only furthers our respect of the maestro, and reminds us of all the movie moments he's illuminated over the decades – as well as some side projects that stand alongside his cinematic work. The package features first-time release of music from Charley Varrick, Joe Kidd, The Beguiled, and Coogan's Bluff – plus loads more music from films that include Rollercoaster, Caveman, Fast Walking, Ins & Outs, Dead Pool, Telefon, Cool Hand Luke, Firebird, Che, Something To Believe In, Brubaker, Dirty Harry, The Venetian Affair, Osterman Weekend, and many other films! Packaged with a 48 page book that includes notes and archival photos too!

A crazy album of funky tracks from Lalo Schifrin – very different than most of his other jazz and bossa work! This set's got some very tripped out styles that mix together funky backings, jazzy riffing, and even some nice electronics – a sweet little groove that's even more wild and hip than even the best of Schifrin's soundtrack work from the 60s! Some tunes certainly show the deft talent for arranging woodwinds and rhythms that first caught the ears of so many listeners on famous soundtracks – but in the setting of this record, away from any directorial needs, Lalo's also free to explore some groovier music ideas – and he really lets loose tremendously as the set rolls on! The titles alone should tell you the feel of the record – with names like "Secret Code", "Dissolving", "Vaccinated Mushrooms", "Wheat Germ Landscapes", and "How To Open at Will The Most Beautiful Window".

A crazy album of funky tracks from Lalo Schifrin – very different than most of his other jazz and bossa work! This set's got some very tripped out styles that mix together funky backings, jazzy riffing, and even some nice electronics – a sweet little groove that's even more wild and hip than even the best of Schifrin's soundtrack work from the 60s! Some tunes certainly show the deft talent for arranging woodwinds and rhythms that first caught the ears of so many listeners on famous soundtracks – but in the setting of this record, away from any directorial needs, Lalo's also free to explore some groovier music ideas – and he really lets loose tremendously as the set rolls on! The titles alone should tell you the feel of the record – with names like "Secret Code", "Dissolving", "Vaccinated Mushrooms", "Wheat Germ Landscapes", and "How To Open at Will The Most Beautiful Window". CD also features four groovy bonus tracks by Schifrin – "Another Side Of Harry", "Blues A Go Go", "Lucille", and "Self Destruct".

A great lost groover on Verve – recorded during the heyday of the label's bossa years with Stan Getz! The record features Bob Brookmeyer fronting a large group arranged and conducted by Lalo Schifrin – soloing over the top, while Lalo comes up with sparkling bossa-tinged grooves that are in the spirit of his best soundtrack work of the mid 60s. Brookmeyer's playing is great too – very different than his sparer, modernist work on other records – and very much in the tradition of Brazilian trombone players who were a key force in bossa jazz at the time. The set includes one long original, "Samba Para Dos", plus shorter standards like "My Funny Valentine", "What Kind Of Fool Am I", and "I Get A Kick Out Of You" – all taken in great jazzy bossa versions!

An excellent little set that compiles some of Lalo's groovier sides for the Verve and MGM labels! The set focuses more on Lalo's jazz than soundtrack work, which makes it a nice companion to the Mission Impossible "best of" set on Motor Music. Some tracks are from albums under Lalo's own name as a leader, and other are from albums by Dizzy Gillespie, Cal Tjader, and Bob Brookmeyer. Whatever the source, though, the music's all pretty darn groovy – and the CD's a swirling mass of bossa, Latin, and jazzy jazz grooves! Titles include "Chorale", "The Wave", "Old Laces", "Samba Para Dos", "En Salon Mexico", and "The Chains".

Heist films always provided some of the best soundtracks of the 70's, and this one (starring Robert Shaw and Richard Roundtree, and issued in the US as Diamond Shaft) is no exception! Roy Budd rises to the groovy occasion and scores some excellent moments that match a light orchestral sound with a throbbing electric bass and percussion underground – in a style that's like Lalo Schifrin's best work from the time. The LP's overflowing with tracks, including a few bonus mixes, and there's even 2 vocal numbers that feature The Three Degrees. Titles include "The Thief", "Beauty & The Bass", "Diamonds", "Party Piece", "Thief On the Prowl", and more! Nice notes, and some nicely funky crime themes, too! Nice gatefold cover, too!

Nice funky 70s instrumentals, composed by Alan Tew, and performed by the group Bullet – a hip electric combo with a tight sound library feel. The overall style reminds us of Lalo Schifrin or Quincy Jones cop show work from the early 70s – with some tasty keyboards, plenty of riffing, and tight fast rhythmic tunes. The original's rare as hen's teeth, and the record is some of Tew's finest Brit easy work from the time. Titles include "Contract Man", "Killer HIll", "The Heist", "GBH", "Blue Panther", "The Spic", "Funky Bear", and "The Peterman".

A lost bossa jazz classic from Dizzy Gillespie – recorded at a time when Lalo Schifrin was working in his combo! The record's got a cool, laidback kind of groove – one that's miles away from Gillespie's earlier bop work, and which shows him opening up his rhythmic conception strongly in the 60s. Rhythms are percolated by the piano of Schifrin, guitar of Bola Sete, bass of Chris White, and some well-chosen added percussion work – and the overall groove is one of the best American takes on the bossa jazz sound of the time, delivered with wonderful horn work from Dizzy on trumpet, Leo Wright on flute and alto, and Charlie Ventura on tenor! Even familiar tunes are transformed by the sound – and titles include "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town", "Careless Love", "Taboo", "One Note Samba", "Pergunte Ao Joao", and "Chega de Saudade".

60s cookers from Dizzy Gillespie – back to back on a single CD! New Wave is a lost bossa jazz classic from Dizzy Gillespie – recorded at a time when Lalo Schifrin was working in his combo! The record's got a cool, laidback kind of groove – one that's miles away from Gillespie's earlier bop work, and which shows him opening up his rhythmic conception strongly in the 60s. Rhythms are percolated by the piano of Schifrin, guitar of Bola Sete, bass of Chris White, and some well-chosen added percussion work – and the overall groove is one of the best American takes on the bossa jazz sound of the time, delivered with wonderful horn work from Dizzy on trumpet, Leo Wright on flute and alto, and Charlie Ventura on tenor! Even familiar tunes are transformed by the sound – and titles include "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town", "Careless Love", "Taboo", "One Note Samba", "Pergunte Ao Joao", and "Chega de Saudade". On The French Riviera isn't really French, but actually a killer batch of Latiny tinged tracks from Dizzy & Co – with with great arrangements by Lalo Schifrin! There's a wonderful 10 minute version of "Chega De Saudade", done as "No More Blues" to start it out, and it's got a great loping Latin vibe, in the manner of Dizzy's best sides from the 60s. Lalo's on piano, and the great Leo Wright is on flute and alto, with Tzigane Elek Bacsik on guitar, Chris White on bass, Ruby Collins on drums and Pepitoo Riestria on percussion. Other nice ones include "Long Long Summer", "Desafinado", and "Pau De Arara". A great album, and one not to pass up!

An excellent soundtrack to this early 70s thriller that starred George C Scott! Jerry Goldsmith has come up with some strong action themes that are very much in a Lalo Schifrin mode – mixing guitar, electric harpsichord, and strings with a harder-edged groove so that there's a lot of space in the overall blend of elements – allowing each one to step out nicely, identified on its own! Even the mellower tracks are great – with an airy feel that recalls some of Michel Legrand's best action scores at the end of the 60s – with colors that flow out and really give the record a sense of soul! Steve Lawrence sings "The Last Run" in a mode that recalls Matt Munro's performances on other thriller soundtracks – and other titles include "Claudie's Stockings", "The Trap", "Border Crossing", "Rickard Escapes", and "Double Cross".

One of Quincy Jones' best for Mercury Records in the 60s – a very groovy record that was done with a feel that's somewhere in between his Big Band Bossa album and his best 60s soundtrack work! The format is simple – Quincy picks a sweet batch of jazz semi-hits from the early 60s, plays them with a nice mix of soul jazz arrangements, and works with a great ensemble filled with wonderful players – including Roland Kirk, Budd Johnson, Seldon Powell, James Moody, and Jerome Richardson on reeds; Lalo Schifrin and Patti Brown on piano, Jim Hall on guitar, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Melba Liston on trombone – plus lots of great percussion at the bottom, helping bring some Latin energy to the grooves at points. Tunes are familiar, but all given a great Quincy Jones twist – and titles include "Gravy Waltz", "Jive Samba", "Walk On The Wild Side", "Bossa Nova USA", and "Watermelon Man".

Classic Quincy Jones from the 60s – a pair of records that really show why his jazz skills were unlike anyone else! Quincy Jones Plays Hip Hits is a very groovy record that was done with a feel that's somewhere in between his Big Band Bossa album and his best 60s soundtrack work! The format is simple – Quincy picks a sweet batch of jazz semi-hits from the early 60s, plays them with a nice mix of soul jazz arrangements, and works with a great ensemble filled with wonderful players – including Roland Kirk, Budd Johnson, Seldon Powell, James Moody, and Jerome Richardson on reeds; Lalo Schifrin and Patti Brown on piano, Jim Hall on guitar, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Melba Liston on trombone – plus lots of great percussion at the bottom, helping bring some Latin energy to the grooves at points. Tunes are familiar, but all given a great Quincy Jones twist – and titles include "Gravy Waltz", "Jive Samba", "Walk On The Wild Side", "Bossa Nova USA", and "Watermelon Man". Golden Boy is a sweet bridge between Quincy's big band recordings and his groovier soundtrack work of the mid 60s – as the record combines straight jazzy grooving with some of the cooler elements of Quincy's soundtrack scores, like stepping strings, wordless voices, and a breathy mellow groove that floats across the disc in a wonderful way! Aiding Quincy in the album are a host of top-line jazz players – including Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Jerome Richardson, and Phil Woods on saxes – plus Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, and Jim Hall on guitar! Although titled after the show Golden Boy, only a few cuts here are from that musical – and the rest include Quincy Jones originals and some cool covers, given the Q twist. Titles include "Seaweed", "The Witching Hour", "Hard Day's Night", "The Sidewinder", and "Theme From Golden Boy", done in 2 versions, both great!

Music direction by Lou Levy – which is quite a surprise – with arrangements by Dave Grusin, Lalo Schifrin, and Billy May – on some unusual tracks that include "My Sin", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Talk To Me Baby", "The Right To Love", "Theme From Joy House", and "Senza Fine".

Two sweet bossa groovers from singer Pat Thomas – both of them with backings by Lalo Schifrin! The tunes were pulled from Pat's album of the same name on MGM – issued here in a pic sleeve by Verve, with "first vocal version in English" next to "Desafinado"!

A beautiful record, and one of the few albums ever cut as a leader by alto player Leo Wright! At the time of the set, Wright was really making some excellent records with Lalo Schifrin and in Dizzy Gillespie's group (where they both were working at the time) – and this set is a perfect example of the lyricism and Latin influences he'd picked up from Lalo, mixed with the soulful expression that was common for Dizzy's combos in the 60s. Leo plays flute on about half the record, and he's working with soulful modern players that include Richard Williams, Charlie Persip, Art Davis, and Junior Mance. Titles include "Two Moods", "Blues Shout", "Sigi", "Indian Summer", "Autumn Leaves", and "The Wind".

A record of incredible beauty from the great Leo Wright – and one that we'd never part with at all! Wright's one of those excellent players from the 60s who never really gets his due – largely because he was always hiding behind larger groups, and because he left the US in the decade for an extended stint in Europe. Still he cut some fantastic early work with both Dizzy Gillespie and Lalo Schifrin – and this album captures him right during the peak of that early period! The record features light lively backing from a quartet that includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Rudy Collins on drums – and some tracks have a beautifully groovy sound that's slightly bossa, slightly soul jazz. One of the best of these is Wright's great cover of "A Felicidade", but the record contains many other great moments, like "The Wiggler", "Tali", "Sassy Lady", and "Dionysis".

Stupid title, but a nice little set of grooves that takes material from both Brazilian and American bossa sources – in a manner that's similar to the wonderful Trip To Brazil compilation we've stocked for years! A few of these are sure to be ones you have, but there's also a huge amount of obscurities that are nicely selected and mixed together in a warm wonderful easy groove. Titles include "Lamento" by Nelson Riddle, "Canto De Ossanha" by Bossa Jazz Trio, "Samba De Uma Nota So" by Lalo Schifrin, "Exotique Bossa Nova" by Martin Denny, "Mas Que Nada" by Odell Brown, "Samba Pro Pedrinho" by Pedrinho Mattar Trio, "Berimbau" by Os Cincos Pados, "Chora Tua Tristeza" by Geraldo Trio, and "Cheiro De Saudade" by Os Cobras. 20 cuts in all!

A very cool batch of tracks that mixes together a wide range of bossa groovers from the 60s! The set features Brazilian-based classics, plus other groovy tunes from American albums that fit in just as well with the dreamy mix of tunes. Titles include "Baia" by Bill Perkins, "Jive Samba" by Jon Hendricks, "Amazonas" by Som Tres, "E Bom Assim" by Os Cobras, "The Man From THRUSH" by Lalo Schifrin, "Mestico" by Wilson Simonal, "Vou Te Contar" by Quarteto 004, "O Pato" by Lennie Dale, "Sambo Do Carioca" by Silvio Cezar et Meirelles, "Boranda" by Edu Lobo, and "Samba De Verao" by Sergio Mendes & Wanda De Sah.

An excellent idea for a bossa nova compilation – one that pulls tunes from groovy soundtracks of the 60s! The work on the set is of both American and European origin – and focuses on the kinds of tunes that often showed up in some of the best soundtrack work by our favorite 60s composers – light, jazzy numbers that were clearly inspired by the bossa, but which also felt free to expand a lot on the style – using interesting instrumentation, rhythm changes, and even a bit of vocals to highlight the tune in really great ways. Some tracks are straight off of soundtrack albums, and others are soundtrack tunes, lifted from jazz albums – but altogether, they make for a wonderful collection of work – with titles that include "Silvia" by Lalo Schifrin, "Mutiny On The Bounty" by Bob Brookmeyer, "The Bobo" by Francis Lai, "Bossa Nova In The Restaurant" by Ken Thorne, "Bossa Des Teurs" by Vladimir Cosma, "I Like The Look" by Henry Mancini, "Mr Lucky" by Jack Wilson, "Deiter's First Mistake" by Quincy Jones, "Naked City" by Laurindo Almeida, and Dax Rides" by Antonio Carlos Jobim.

A diggers delight through and through – even though the set will save you plenty of digging! The package is a killer collection of rare funky nuggets and sample tracks – put together with an ear for some of the best bits that have provided the building blocks for the hipper side of the spectrum in recent years – and with an eye for cuts that haven't been compiled that often! Many of the names here are big ones from 70s soul and funk, but they're represented by harder cuts that move past their hits – a great array of grooves that includes "Walk With Me" by Manchild, "Family" by Hubert Laws, "People Make The World Go Round" by Angela Bofill, "Mighty Mighty" by Earth Wind & Fire, "It's Rough Out Here" by The Modulations, "Funky Monkey" by Mandrill, "Elevate Our Minds" by Linda Williams, "Crab Apple" by Idris Muhammad, "Theme From King Kong" by Lalo Schifrin, "We Get Down" by Weldon Irvine, "Trogladyte" by Jimmy Castor, "Sneaking Up Behind You" by The Brecker Brothers, and "Turn Off The Lights" by Larry Williams.

An excellent early session from Candido – and one of his first to move from straighter Latin into a much groovier vein! The session's done in collaboration with Lalo Schifrin – who was also working for Roulette at the time – and it's got a style that links Candido's older 50s-styled Latin conga work with some of the more fluid grooves that Schifrin was just beginning to forge at the time. There's a very strong jazz sensibility to the album – with Lalo on piano, Charlie Persip on drums, Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, and some really great baritone solos from Jay Cameron – whose playing gives the album an especially soulful sound. Titles include "Conga Soul", "Toccata", "The Champ", "New Secrets", "Dark Eyes", and "Long Long Summer".

A very cool early 70s soundtrack by Stelvio Cipriani – and done with a killer jazz funk style! L'Uomo Piu Velenoso Del Cobra is a seedy Italian flick with globetrotting murder mystery plot – and the Cipriani's vibe here is clearly informed by Lalo Schifrin's work from the mid 60s to early 70s – and especially his theme for Mission: Impossible. Stelvio is riffing on maestro Schifrin's style here, but he's not ripping it off – as there's a charming loungey jazz funk groove here that's as unique is it is reverent! Lots of groovy organs, some killer horns, strongs and a swinging early 70s rhythm. Great stuff! 19 sequences on the title theme.

Rare work from one of our favorite Dizzy Gillespie groups ever – the quintet that featured Lalo Schifrin on piano and Leo Wright on alto and flute! The combo was easily one of Dizzy's most compelling of the postwar years, and really helped break him into a whole new groove rhythmically – thanks to Schifrin's key influence on rhythms – working here with bass from Bob Cunningham and drums from Mel Lewis. Yet the group only cut a handful of records together, which makes this well-recorded live date a key addition to their catalog – a set you'll proudly stack next to your early 60s Philips recordings from Diz. Titles include "Con Alma", "Willow Weep For Me", "The Mooche", "Kush", "I Can't Get Started", and "Oops Shoo Be Doo Be".

A sweet bit of funk from 70s France – and a great batch of electric keyboard tunes from Jacky Giordano, with a sound that's in the mode of 70s soundtrack work by Lalo Schifrin! The album was originally issued in 1976 as a small-run sound library record, and it's a masterpiece of keyboard grooves – spare and dark, with a mixture of moody and moogy grooves that lie somewhere between the American sound of CTI and Kudu. All tracks are great, and the album's got a warm finish that gives it a deeply soulful feel – a quality level that's high enough that would have made it a hit, were it issued over here in the US at the time. Titles include "Terefic War", "The Big Mameluk", "Moving Grooving", "Devil's Train", "Sex Girl", "Blue Circuit", and "Tabla Minor".

A groovy dream come true – the complete studio recordings of German bandleader Peter Herbolzheimer – easily one of the funkiest European talents of the 70s! Although Herbolzheimer's got a clunky name, his sound is incredibly fluid and tight – a large group approach to funk that rivals some of the best American work of his time – including classics from Lalo Schifrin, Johnny Pate, and other key maestros of the blacksploitation era. Peter's got a way of taking a large group of players and really making them groove – a sound that's kind of an electrified extension of the styles first laid out at MPS by the Clarke-Boland Big Band, but served up with a hipper, funkier 70s approach to rhythm. Like the CBBB, Herbholzheimer's groups often feature American players – such as Art Farmer on trumpet or Herb Geller on saxes – alongside more familiar MPS talents like Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Dieter Reith on organ, Ferdinand Povel on flute, Jiggs Whigham on trombone, and Sigi Schwab on guitar – joined by the legendary Sabu Martinez on a few of the best sessions here! The 4CD set is a massive discovery in music – as it features not only Herbholzheimer's Rhythm & Brass albums for MPS and Polydor, but also records under the group names Certain Lions & Tigers and The Galactic Light Orchestra. The package features a whopping 8 albums in all – Soul Condor, Time Travellers Galaxis, Waitaminute, Wide Open, Hip Walk, Touchdown, and I Hear Voices – most of which have never been reissued before – a whopping 61 long funky jazz tracks!

A cool little set from reedman Benjamin Herrman – even cooler than his work with The New Cool Collective! The album's packaged in a DVD-style case, and has a very cinematic feel – core sounds from a combo led by Herrman, and featuring lots of Hammond and guitar – but then backed by richer strings from the City Of Prague Orchestra, who shade things in with a sweet soundtrack sort of vibe –a great blend of jazz and grooves that likes somewhere in a space between Lalo Schifrin and Johnny Mandel – with rich sounds that perfectly skirt the late 60s/early 70s era! Totally great stuff – the deepest work we've heard from Herrman so far – and titles include "He'll Never Get Her", "Sara Sunbathing", "Room 1618", "Barcelona Daybreak", "She Wants Out", and "Sara Said Yes".

An incredible album of Latin funk – the only-ever record from this west coast combo headed by the legendary Benny Velarde! Benny's a name that you might recognize from earlier, straighter Latin dates for Fantasy – or for countless studio work during the 70s – but here, he's really got a talent for a funky 70s groove – and manages to hit a unique space that's somewhere between conventional funk, west coast Latin, and some of the hippest blacksploitation grooves of the time! The album also features some under-credited work from Lalo Schifrin – who was tied to the project somehow (Velarde claims that the record was killed by MGM upon release because of a feud with Lalo) – but never really fully credited in the notes. There's a definite link here with some of Schifrin's funkier soundtrack of the period – a great blend of jazzier elements and headier 70s funk – all served up with a tightness that has made the record one of our favorite funky treasures for years! Titles include "The Ghetto", "Latin Slide", "Who You Fooling", "Road Runner", "Soul Sauce", "Cocoa Leaf", and "Move Your Hands".

Groovy 60s spy soundtrack work – with a mod French twist! The CD documents a series of excellent scores by French composer Michel Magne – written for a run of mid 60s films based around the character of OSS 117 – a James Bond-like secret agent known to the French public through a series of 242 successful novels! The scope of OSS 117's adventures was large – as globe-spanning as that of James Bond, a fact that gave Magne plenty of room to throw in cool exotic, groovy, and jazzy elements to the soundtracks – in a style that was ultimately a heck of a lot more lively than that of John Barry, and which easily matches the best 60s soundtrack work of Lalo Schifrin, Jerry Goldsmith, or Hugo Montenegro! We'd honestly never heard any of these tracks before – but our love of Magne led us to the set, and we were certainly rewarded – as the 23 track package is overflowing with incredibly groovy tunes, and has the feel of some of the best Crippled Dick collections from years past! The four films on the set include OSS 117 Se Dechaine, Banco A Bangkok Pour OSS 117, Furia A Bahia Pour OSS 117, and Atout Coeur A Tokyo Pour OSS 117 – and titles include "OSS 117 Hully Gully", "Banco A Bangkok", "Poursuite Thailandaise", "Hubert Rit Jaune", "Samba Furiosa", and "Slow Du Soleil Levant" – as well as a bonus remix track by Roudoudou!

The folks at Plastic dig a little deeper than usual for this one, and they turn up a nice batch of cuts – some obscure, some better-known – to define the genre of 60's Noir. The 16 tracks on the compilation are a mix of crime/spy type tracks, moody jazz vocal tracks, and dark moody orchestral themes. Although some of the stuff is a bit funky, the mood is much different than the usual funk compilation, and has more of an overall spooky feel. Tracks include "Out Of This World" by Mark Murphy, "Crossfire" by The Hurricanes, "Ennloro" by Percy Faith, "Jesus Christ Superstar" by Armando Sciascia, "Goldfinger" by Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers, "Love For Sale" by Eartha Kitt, "Harlem Love Theme" by JJ Johnson, and more by Lalo Schifrin, Cal Tjader, Oscar Brown, and others!

A great lost chapter in the Cannonball/David Axelrod story! The record features Cannon's classic quintet performing some longer, more serious works with orchestral backing – and the sound is vaguely similar to some of Axelrod's "high concept" work for Capitol. The record features a recording of Axelrod's "Tensity" and William Fischer's "Experience In E", both conducted by Fischer, a hip modern soul-oriented arranger, with a sound that's not dissimilar to Axelrod. The last piece on the album is a nice long one by Lalo Schifrin, "Dialogues For Jazz Quintet & Orchestra", which is also conducted by him as well.

A great little live set – ostensibly a Dizzy Gillespie performance, but with some very strong guest stars! The core of the group is Diz's great one from the early 60s – with Lalo Schifrin on piano and Leo Wright on alto and flute, and they're joined by Stan Getz, JJ Johnson, and Candido for this tasty set of three long tracks: "Kush", "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Bop 'N' Boogie".

A great little collection of Jimmy's tight tight tight Hammond sides cut for Verve during the 60s – with backings by Oliver Nelson and Lalo Schifrin, plus a few other sides in smaller combo format. Tracks include "Walk On The Wild Side", "Ol Man River", "The Cat", "Got My Mojo Workin", "High Heel Sneakers", "Hobo Flats", and "Organ Grinder's Swing".

A bossa-styled set from singer Pat Thomas – one that boasts some especially nice backings from the great Lalo Schifrin! Lalo's using a fair bit of strings on the set, but he also keeps things lean too – a bit in the mode of his own bossa work for Verve during the time, although with Pat's vocals in the lead this time around! Thomas has a strong undercurrent of soul in her work – a much deeper vocal approach than you might hear from a more familiar bossa singer of the period, which is one of the things that really sets this album apart. Schifrin really seems to get this quality of Pat's, and he brings in a good sense of timing in rhythms to present Thomas at her best. Titles include "Recardo Bossa Nova", "Carnival", "To Welcome The Day", "Could Be", "Samba De Orfeu", and "Once Again".

A very hip collection of older funky cuts – ones that have been sampled in recent years by hip hoppers, but which stand up plenty darn great on their own! Most tracks here should be quite familiar from recent uses of their key elements, but they sparkle even more brightly here in their original versions – as really stand out soul, jazz, and soundtrack tunes from the 60s and 70s! The package features full notes on all tracks, and also lists a key sampling of each number – and as usual for Jazzclub, you get plenty of greatness here for a very low price. Titles include "Today" by Tom Scott, "California Soul" by Marlena Shaw, "I Love You More & More" by Tom Brock, "Oba La Vem Ela" by Jorge Ben, "Soul Bossa Nova" by Quincy Jones, "Yo Soy Cubano" by Chakachas, "Listen To Me" by Luiz Henrique, "Daylight" by Ramp, "Someday" by George Duke, "Get Up" by Vernon Burch, "Mellow Mellow Right On" by Lowrell Simon, "Enchanted Lady" by Milt Jackson & Ray Brown, "Jim On The Move" by Lalo Schifrin, "Viva Tirado" by El Chicano, and "Daydream" by Gunter Kallman Choir.

The grooviness continues! This set's a wonderful mix of obscure soundtrack grooves – plus a few other choice Latin bits – with an out-of-this world groove that's totaly excellent! The Mood Mosaic series is one of our favorite-ever – as they really go out of their way to pull together excellent little bits from rare sources, blending each volume with a thematic intensity that makes each individual track sparkle in the mix! Titles include "Jungle Fever" by Sheba, "Ape Shuffle" by Lalo Schifrin, "Willie Escapes" by JJ Johnson, "Crack Shot" by Max Harris, "Moneyrunner" by John Schroeder, "Free Tarrant" by Roy Budd, "Man With The Golden Gun" by London Royal Orchestra, "Galaxy A Go Go" by Jerry Goldsmith, "Dope Bust" by Flora Purim & Buddy De Franco, and "Mini Manhunt" by David Shire.

If Hawaii was this funky, we'd move there in a minute – and honestly, we wouldn't be surprised if this record did a heck of a lot for the image of state back in the day! The soundtrack is one of our all-time favorites – a driving batch of larger orchestrations that is heavy on percussion, filled with jazzy riffs, and which makes great use of electric bass to round out the bottom nicely! Mort Stevens goes way beyond the typical cop show groove on this one – filling up the record with rich colors, unique tones, and some great inflections on the horn passages that charge each tune with a mad level of excitement. There's some great instrumental touches in the set too – like occasional fuzzed-out guitar, Hammond organ, and even a bit of sweet flute and soulful sax – giving the whole thing a feel that reminds us of Lalo Schifrin's best work from the time. Includes the massive "Hawaii Five-O" theme, plus the cuts "Call To Danger", "Up Tight", "Blues Trip", "The Long Wait", "The Floater", "Beach Trip", "Operation Smash", "McGarrett's Theme", and "Front Street". Book 'em Danno!

Massive funk from CTI – some of the label's grooviest, jazziest, most soulful gems from the 70s – all hand-picked by the folks at Wax Poetics Japan! There's some familiar tracks here, and some lesser-known nuggets too – and the set is one of the grooviest CTI collections we've ever heard – filled with just the right sort of sounds to show the label's genius in its best light – including some tracks from related imprints Kudu and Salvation, too! Don't let the "dance" in the title put you off – because this isn't dance music, just tight funky jazz of the best 70s variety – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Baretta's Theme" by Ron Carter, "Macumba" by Lalo Schifrin, "Stanley's Tune" by Airto, "Star Borne" by Johnny Hammond, "Nights In White Satin" by Deodato, "Hard To Face The Music" by Idris Muhammad, "Corazon" by Hank Crawford, "You Keep Me Hanging On" by David Matthews, "Boy I Really Tied One On" by Esther Phillips, and "Sugar Free" by Hank Crawford.

Clubby takes on classic themes – mostly famous film numbers from the 70s, with a few other great cuts mixed in for good measure! The package is definitely heavy on the disco promised in the title – and features some killer cuts that really take off from the original tunes – stretching out the melody over longer readings that rely on heavy rhythms, sweet strings, and lots of other great elements to forge the groove! Meco are the clear stars of the package – as they virtually invented the genre – and the set features their versions of "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band", "The Empire Strikes Back Medley", "Love Theme From The Black Hole", "Love Theme From Star Trek", and "Theme From Close Encounters". But the set also features "Theme From King Kong" and "Theme From Superman" by Love Unlimited Orchestra, "Moonshine" by Philharmonic 2000, "Three Days Of The Condor" and "Lipstick" by Rhythm Heritage, "Also Sprach Zarathustra" by Galactic Light Orchestra, "Bolero" by Lalo Schifrin, and "Battlestar Galactica Medley" by Giorgio Moroder.

2 nice live sets – put together by Norm Granz, as a tour of the JATP all stars in Europe. Originally issued separately, but pretty much under the same title, the first LP brings together the hottest jazz stars of the day, and on this volume it includes Dizzy Gillespie, Cannonball Adderley, JJ Johnson, Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge. There's a great jamming take on "Bernie's Tune" and a sidelong riffing version of "All The Things You Are", plus "Swedish Jam". The second album was issued ostensibly as a Dizzy Gillespie performance, but with like the first features some very strong guest stars! The core of the group is Diz's great one from the early 60s – with Lalo Schifrin on piano and Leo Wright on alto and flute, and they're joined by Stan Getz, JJ Johnson, and Candido for this tasty set of three long tracks: "Kush", "The Mooch" and "Wheatleigh Hall".

John Williams come back! All is forgiven! We'll hardly complain anymore about all those overblown top-selling scores after hearing this gem from the early 70s! The record is a treasure – completely unlike any work that Williams did in later years – quite possibly because the film itself is a quirky little love story, starring James Caan and Marsha Mason in the sort of offbeat "when losers meet" sort of film that could have only been made in the early 70s. Some of the tunes on the set are nicely funky – almost in a Lalo Schifrin way – and others are mellow, but nicely moody, in a really understated scene-setting style that's great. Toots Thielemans plays some great harmonica on a few of the mellower cuts, and Paul Williams sings vocals to 3 of the tracks on the set, all contributed by him. Titles include "Wednesday Special", "New Shooter", "Boxing Montage", "The Ferry Ride", "Neptune's Bar", "Nice To Be Around", and "Maggie Shoots Pool".