Excellent work from this soulful piano combo – a group who were a lot like the Three Sounds, but who added in extra percussion on congas and bongos from the great Percy France! There's some nice twists and turns on the record – and the set includes some great originals like "Harambee" and "Lucky 28" – mixed with strong takes on cuts that include "Amor", "Feelin' Good", and "Moon River". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful album from the height of the exotica years – but a set that's got a fair bit more jazz in the mix than most from that generation too! Gene Rains plays vibes – and moves between moodier moments, ala Martin Denny/Arthur Lyman, and more straightforward jazz styles – which often have some great modal elements in the mix! The Rains group played hotels in Hawaii during the late 50s and early 60s – but are maybe more like a Pacific take on territory of the Quartette Tres Bien, thanks to strong work from Allen Watanabe on drums, Archie Grant on bass, and Byron Peterson on piano. Titles include "Mapuana", "Bancock Cock Fight", "Tiki", "Off Shore", "Shadow Of Love", "Jasmine & Jade", and "Lonely Winter". CD