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A pair of Italian comedy soundtracks – both put together with a very unique feel! The scores on both sets is by the trio of Franco Bixio, Fabio Frizzi, and Vince Tempera – well known from edgier work on other soundtracks – but coming across here with some really unusual elements – including some plunky rhythms on main themes, mixed with melancholy melodies – plus isolated instrumental passages that really run the gamut – clearly changing to fit the whimsy of different scenes. There's a huge amount of material in the set – 62 tracks between both soundtracks, most of them relatively short and playful – and the set also comes with a DVD that features interviews with the composers.

Late work from Miles Davis – his last-ever appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival – but a set that still has him sounding great! The performance is a special tribute to Quincy Jones, so instead of playing material from the Doo Bop generation, Miles is going more for a late 50s mode – blowing over backings put together by Quincy Jones and Claude Nobs, intended to recreate the sound of the Gil Evans/Miles collaborations. Titles include "The Duke", "Miles Ahead", "Blues For Pablo", "Summertime", "The Pan Piper", "Maids Of Cadiz", and "Gone Gone Gone". DVD features inerviews with Betty Carter, Helen Merrill, Charlie Haden, Monty Alexander, Stanley Clarke, and others.

The long-awaited release of some brilliant live sessions from the key Miles Davis group at the end of the 60s – the really freewheeling quintet that featured Chick Corea on electric piano, Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums! Rhythms here are completely unbound – wilder even than the sounds on Bitches Brew, and played with a similar intensity on the keyboard, trumpet, and reed solos – an unbridled power that really takes off over the space of the very long cuts on the collection! The whole thing's an essential addition to these very important years for Miles – and the 3CDs features live performances from the Antibes Jazz Festival on July 25 and 26, 1969 – plus a November 1969 performance from Stockholm. Titles include "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down", "Sanctuary", "It's About That Time", "Footprints", "Paraphernalia", "Nefertiti", "Masqualero", "Spanish Key", "Directions", "No Blues", and "Bitches Brew". DVD also features a November 7, 1969 performance from the Berliner Jazztage – of titles that include "Directions", "Bitches Brew", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "It's About That Time", and "The Theme".

A wonderful tribute to the mighty talents of trombonist Raul De Souza – a package that features individual DVD and CD performances by the musician, brought together in one cool little set! Both formats feature recent material, ostensibly recorded for this package – and all tracks on the CD are not on the DVD – and vice versa – which means that you'll get an even broader picture of Raul than you might expect! The performances are great, too – very jazzy, with a style that focuses heavily on De Souza's lead trombone lines and solos – without much other instrumentation getting in the way. Given the many styles that Raul's used over the years, it's great to hear such a back to basics jazz-based set – echoed by guest work on the DVD from Joao Donato on piano and Hector Costita on tenor sax. DVD titles include "Spiritual", "A Vontade Mesmo", "St Remy", "Funky Man", "Bossa Eterna", "Jumping Street", and "Violao Quebrado" – and CD titles include "Alibi", "Ligia", "10 Minutos", "Voila", "Viva O Rio", "Up Jumped Spring", and "Todas As Tribos". Comes in an oversize package – with notes in English and Portuguese!

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too far over the top – catchy, compelling numbers that played well all over the world of pop – but which still hang onto just a little part of his soul roots too! That balance is a key factor to the success of this set – a record that helped re-ignite interest in Jackson's music, and introduce him to a whole new generation – while still keeping most of the older fans plenty pleased too. Titles include "Just Good Friends", "Smooth Criminal", "Bad", "Another Part Of Me", "Man In The Mirror", and "Speed Demon". Second CD is filled with great bonus material – a huge amount of tracks that include "Free", "Song Groove", "I'm So Blue", "Don't Be Messin Round", "Streetwalker", "Fly Away", "Price Of Fame", "Toto Mi Amor Eres Tu", "Je Ne Vieux Pas La Fin De Nous", "Bad (Afrojack rmx)", "Speed Demon (Nero rmx)", and "Bad Afrojack club)". Also features the CD and DVD of Michael Jackson's massive performance at Wembley Stadium in 1988 – part of the Bad world tour,a nd filled with great performances!

A great lost performance from Michael Jackson – finally brought to light! The concert features Jackson before a stunningly large crowd at London's Wembley Stadium in 1988 – part of his world tour for the Bad album, and a perfect document of Michael's impressive magic on the stage – a live energy that neither the strength of his studio albums nor his video performances could even hope to convey! The Jackson here is a completely different creature – almost a "Michael+" – moving with incredible physical dexterity, undeniable charisma, and still-soulful vocals on a set of tunes that includes "I'll Be There", "Human Nature", "Smooth Criminal", "Wanna Be Startin Somethin", "This Place Hotel", "Thriller", "Dirty Diana", "Rock With You", "Beat It", "Bad", "Man In The Mirror", and "Billie Jean". DVD features two more bonus performances too!

A great performance from this ultra-hip group – a set of American players who got plenty of chance to work on the European scene of the 60s and 70s – hence the Paris Reunion name! The lineup features Woody Shaw on trumpet, Johnny Griffin on tenor, Nathan Davis on tenor and soprano sax, Slide Hampton on trombone, Kenny Drew on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Billy Brooks on drums – and they're joined by London legend Dizzy Reece on trumpet too. Titles are different than those on the For Klook album, although the spirit here is the same – a performance dedicated to the recently-departed Kenny Clarke – with titles that include "Rue Chaptal", "Lonely Windows", "To Kill A Brick", "Foofy For President", "Fifty Six", and "The Big Fist".

A tremendous overview of Carribean sounds from the 50s through the 70s – served up with exactly the kind of depth and care we've come to expect from the folks at Soul Jazz Records! The collection goes way past the obvious – and way past any obvious cliches as well – to really dig deep and draw some strong lines between the grooves of nations like Cuba, Colombia, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and St Thomas – all of whom are represented by really rhythm-heavy and uncommon sounds! Most numbers are heavy on percussion, but also show a bit of jazz and soul influence as well – the continuing influence of American styles on the sounds of the area, but always taken in by the local talents, and made into something new entirely. There's a number of heavy groovers here that lie somewhere in the territory between Jazzman mambo reissues and Honest Jon's compilation cuts – and titles include "I'll Be Right There" by Techniques, "Pa Los Obreros" by Frank Ferrer, "Elegua" by Gina Martin, "Nassau Cha Cha" by Andre Toussaint, "Saturday Night Reggae" by Mark Holder, "My Conversation" by Slim Smith, "The Queen Sings Calpyso" by Lord Brynner, "Chango" by Celia Cruz, "Canela" by Peanuts Taylor, "Repentino" by Grupo De Experimentation, "Pa Coco Solo" by Fajardo, "Don't Blame It On Elvis" by Fabulous McClevertys, "Mambo Caliente" by Bebo Valdes, and "Vitalolgy" by Duke Of Iron. Also includes a great documentary on DVD – Mirror To The Soul, the story of the British Pathe record label in the West Indies!

A tremendous overview of Carribean sounds from the 50s through the 70s – served up with exactly the kind of depth and care we've come to expect from the folks at Soul Jazz Records! The collection goes way past the obvious – and way past any obvious cliches as well – to really dig deep and draw some strong lines between the grooves of nations like Cuba, Colombia, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and St Thomas – all of whom are represented by really rhythm-heavy and uncommon sounds! Most numbers are heavy on percussion, but also show a bit of jazz and soul influence as well – the continuing influence of American styles on the sounds of the area, but always taken in by the local talents, and made into something new entirely. There's a number of heavy groovers here that lie somewhere in the territory between Jazzman mambo reissues and Honest Jon's compilation cuts – and titles include "I'll Be Right There" by Techniques, "Pa Los Obreros" by Frank Ferrer, "Elegua" by Gina Martin, "Nassau Cha Cha" by Andre Toussaint, "Saturday Night Reggae" by Mark Holder, "My Conversation" by Slim Smith, "The Queen Sings Calpyso" by Lord Brynner, "Chango" by Celia Cruz, "Canela" by Peanuts Taylor, "Repentino" by Grupo De Experimentation, "Pa Coco Solo" by Fajardo, "Don't Blame It On Elvis" by Fabulous McClevertys, "Mambo Caliente" by Bebo Valdes, and "Vitalolgy" by Duke Of Iron. Also includes a great documentary on DVD – Mirror To The Soul, the story of the British Pathe record label in the West Indies!

Rod Perry plays the lead in this mid 70s action flick – a hustler trying to stay clear of the drug trade on the mean streets – until he's been crossed by a mobster played by Don Chastain. Perry then teams up with ghetto boss Big Nate Williamson (played by Jimmy Witherspoon!) – all in an effort to drive out the mafia and their drug-dealing ways!

One of the most electric albums we've heard from Rob Mazurek in years – no surprise, given that the set's billed to an Electro Acoustic version of his Exploding Star group! The music here was done in collaboration with videomaker Marianne Kim – whose video is included with the package as a separate DVD, and also features some work from visual work from Mazurek as well. But our main focus here is the music, which is great – all the earthy, exploratory tones that Rob's been unleashing in recent years – clearly inspired by some of the best Miles or Don Cherry moments of the 70s, but very different too – as handled by this range of key contemporary players from Chicago. Rob speaks a bit on a few tracks, and the set also features work from Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flute, Matt Bauder on electronics, Guilherme Granado on sampler, Carrie Biolo on percussion, Jeff Kowalkowski on keyboards, and John Herndon on drums. Titles include "We Are All One With The Moon & Planets", "Only", "The Shifting Sequence", "Indra's Net", and "Seven Blues".

A famous live performance of material discovered after the death of Charles Mingus in 1979 – played here a decade later in New York, but a group of musicians all directed by Gunther Schuller! Performers include Wynton Marsalis, Randy Brecker, and John Handy – and titles include "Freedom", "Wolverine Blues", "Monk Bunk & Vice Versa", "OP", "Please Don't Come Back From The Moon", "Self Portrait The Chill Of Death", "The Soul", and "Main Score Part One". DVD runs for approximately 131 minutes.

A well-done look at the legendary Ahmet Ertegun – founder of the equally legendary Atlantic Records, and a key force in popular music during the 20th Century! The DVD features rare clips, classic performances, and other great visuals – with appearances from Solomon Burke, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, David Geffen, Robert Plant, Leiber & Stoller, Chris Blackwell, Jerry Wexler, and Ertegun himself. Narration is by Bette Midler – but hey, what are you gonna do?

Amazing sounds from San Basilio De Palenque – a unique cultural crossroads on the coast of Colombia! The town was the first free slave community in the Americas – a distinction it's held for centuries – and continues to have strong ties to Africa, partly because of its roots, partly because of its longtime isolation from the rest of Colombia. As a result, the music is a very unique hybrid – very heavy on traditional modes, but evolved into very different directions too – and only marginally influenced by some of the more familiar Colombian styles. The sounds here are especially rootsy – given that they were recorded as part of a documentary project, which is also included in the package – and are easily some of the deepest ethnographic recordings that Soul Jazz has ever released! The music is heavy on percussion instruments and chanting – and the collection features music by Estrellas Del Caribe, Son Malagana, Santiago Ospino, Manuela Torres, Sikito, Curramberos De Gamero, and To Ane E Lo Memo Sexteto.

Grand Slam take plenty of inspiration from the P-Funk universe – and as proof of that fact, they've got Gary Mudbone Cooper on vocals for a few tracks on this sweet little set – a record that definitely offers up a 21st Century evolution of the original P-Funk groove! The combo are heavy on basslines and keyboards – often used with that best slinky style that the George Clinton groups hit at the end of the 70s – and occasionally touched by some modern rhythms, although overall the group have a very live funky mode! Vocals are often layered together nicely, and sometimes vocoded too – as a few cuts echo that early 80s shift to more electric funk, particularly from the Zapp generation. Lige Curry sings lead on a few other numbers – and titles include "Long Term Ticket", "You Can't Nickname The Truth", "Camp Down", "Elemelemel", "Streets Of Harlem", and "The Fog".

A classic early 80s groover by Nick Straker – not really as jazzy as you'd expect, but with some nice piano work that hints at use of the instrument in later house singles. "Space Age" is more of an electro track – with vocoded vocals and lots of keyboards.

Like the back of the cover says "WARNING: The bass in this LP is contaminated by radioactive material!!"! Insanely hyped electro beats meet ridiculously radioactive low end tones with the best tracks being the instrumentals featuring some vocoded vocal bits, which is about half the record. Titles include "Da Intro", "Let it Flow", 'Freak Out", "Stay Awake", "Rollin With Da Boom", "Planet Bass", "Klickinda Bass" and "Bionic Bass".

We never get enough of Jose Roberto Bertrami's vocoded vocal melodies! Sparkling Brazilian fusion, from the prolific Azymuth, with laid back grooves and light melodies, but not "lite" jazz. One of their more mellow outings, at most these tracks might approach mid-tempo, with a beautiful spaciousness throughout. Eight tracks in all, including "Tu Mi Delirio", "Broken Key", "If You'd Like To Know", Marcos Valle's "Pygmalion", the title track and "Samba Da Barra".

A classic early 80s groover by Nick Straker – not really as jazzy as you'd expect, but with some nice piano work that hints at use of the instrument in later house singles. "Space Age" is more of an electro track – with vocoded vocals and lots of keyboards.

Classic work from the legendary Alexander Robotnick – an artist who not only scored big on European dancefloors in the early 80s – but one whose electronic grooves also went onto really shape the sound of house music here in the US! Although a few of Robotnick's tunes were issued over here on an EP, this full length set was a European-only release – and offers up even more of him to love! "Problemes D'Amour" is the real winner here, and probably most well known cut – a classic blend of beatbox and keys, all percolating together with a "wikky wikky" magic that still really sends us, with nice vocoded vocals, too! The rest of the set's nothing to dismiss either, and includes "Computer Sourire", "Dance Boy Dance", "Hola Macci Kola", "Ce N'Est Q'Un Debut", and "Afrikan Kola".