Early soul jazz brilliance from a young Gary Bartz – music that pre-dates his Ntu Troup, and his work with Larry Mizell! Libra is fantastic early work from Gary – and probably his rarest record ever! The album was cut at a time when the young Bartz was first coming to prominence in the hip late 60s soul jazz group of Max Roach – and Bartz's playing at the time is a perfect model of mid-Coltrane searching with some of the tighter sides of soul jazz that were being forged at labels like Blue Note by players like Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan. The record's a masterpiece of youthful soulful energy – and the group includes Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, Albert Dailey on piano, and Billy Higgins on drums, all players who are perfectly matched to fit Bartz's stridently creative vision. His solos on alto are impeccable – some of the most meaningful we've ever heard on the instrument from the time – and the album's a great one all the way through! Titles include "Air & Fire", "Eastern Blues", "Libra", "Freedom Of The Day", and "Cabin In The Sky". Another Earth is amazing too – one of the first that Gary Bartz ever cut – done during a time when he'd been working with Max Roach and a super-hip group of younger soul jazz players who would go onto shape the sound of the 70s. Bartz leads a group that includes Stanley Cowell, Freddy Waits, Charles Tolliver, Pharoah Sanders, and Reggie Workman – and the music sounds like it was lifted from one of the best albums on Strata East from the 70s. There's no funk, no vocals, no weird rhythms – just pure spiritual jazz, played to perfection, and filled with a creative vitality that most of the players had lost a few years later. Tracks include the album-side "Another Earth", plus "Dark Nebula", "UFO", and "Perihelion & Aphelion". Note: CD omits the track "Disjunction" from Libra – due to space restrictions. CD

Early soul jazz brilliance from a young Gary Bartz – music that pre-dates his Ntu Troup, and his work with Larry Mizell! Libra is fantastic early work from Gary – and probably his rarest record ever! The album was cut at a time when the young Bartz was first coming to prominence in the hip late 60s soul jazz group of Max Roach – and Bartz's playing at the time is a perfect model of mid-Coltrane searching with some of the tighter sides of soul jazz that were being forged at labels like Blue Note by players like Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan. The record's a masterpiece of youthful soulful energy – and the group includes Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, Albert Dailey on piano, and Billy Higgins on drums, all players who are perfectly matched to fit Bartz's stridently creative vision. His solos on alto are impeccable – some of the most meaningful we've ever heard on the instrument from the time – and the album's a great one all the way through! Titles include "Air & Fire", "Eastern Blues", "Libra", "Freedom Of The Day", and "Cabin In The Sky". Another Earth is amazing too – one of the first that Gary Bartz ever cut – done during a time when he'd been working with Max Roach and a super-hip group of younger soul jazz players who would go onto shape the sound of the 70s. Bartz leads a group that includes Stanley Cowell, Freddy Waits, Charles Tolliver, Pharoah Sanders, and Reggie Workman – and the music sounds like it was lifted from one of the best albums on Strata East from the 70s. There's no funk, no vocals, no weird rhythms – just pure spiritual jazz, played to perfection, and filled with a creative vitality that most of the players had lost a few years later. Tracks include the album-side "Another Earth", plus "Dark Nebula", "UFO", and "Perihelion & Aphelion". Note: CD omits the track "Disjunction" from Libra – due to space restrictions. CD

A great package – one that features some wildly experimental work from French electronics whiz Philippe Besombes! First up is the album Libra – tripped out electronics meet progressive rock jamming – all in a weird and wonderful film score from the early 70s! The record's one of the best by French experimentalist Philippe Besombes from the time – and it's got a style that sort of starts in the territory of Francois De Roubaix similar electronic work for film – but gets a lot darker and noisier right away! There's a textural depth here that's really great – almost a pre-industrial music exploration of sounds – but the work's also not that over-indulgent, either – and Besombes always has a great way of getting back to a tune, especially on the shorter tracks. Titles include "La Plage", "Rugby", "Ceremonie", "Hache 06", "La Ville", "Les Cosmonautes", "Tis A Song", "Boogimmick", and "PJF 261". Next is the record Esombeso – also release as Ceci Est Cela – a strange mix of sound library electronics and much more experimental work from Philippe Besombes – a set that carries echoes of some of the best Italian soundtrack electronics of the 70s, but which also features much darker, more turgid moments as well! The album collects some of Besombes' performances for ballet and other settings – and stands as an even starker document of his talents than some of the other albums issued under his name in the 70s. Titles include "Pawa"," Geant", "Seul", and "Ceci Est Cela". Next are two more albums done under the name Hydravion – both of which show Besombes turning his electronics into tighter, more song-based territory – although not without some noise from time to time – shorter tracks that sometimes get a bit tuneful, but which are still light years from mainstream music of the period. CD set also features bonus tracks for the first two albums – 8 more numbers that include "L'Or Des Fous", "Traversee", "Trio", "Piano Prepare", "Orgue Hache", and "Chocolate Cream". CD

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A strange one for Motown – for a number of reasons: The group's European, for one, and they're more of a spacey rock group than a soul outfit. The vocals are a bit lackluster, but the group does have a wonderfully jazzy sound to their playing – and on the best cuts, they hit some strident grooves that really take off nicely, with a bit of a funky prog feel. Highlights include "Keepsake", "Pollution", "Words & Music", and "Time Is A Good Friend". LP, Vinyl record album

Libras take note! This record is for you, with a book on your star sign, plus lots of music to accompany your reading. Tracks include "A Man and A Woman", "I Say a Little Prayer", and "Love Theme from 'Elvira Madigan'", a keen fave with all the Libras we know. LP, Vinyl record album

Natasuki Tamura on trumpet, Satoko Fujii on piano, Kelly Churko on guitar, Tatsuhisa Yamamoto on drums. CD

A cool quartet with some very groovy vocals – a combo who seem to take some great inspiration from Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 – as well as other hip vocal groups of the 60s! The lineup features one gal and three guys – often with the gal singer in the lead, supported by warm harmonies from the male singers – all grooving to their own instrumentation, played on organ, guitar, and drums! This lean approach is mighty nice – and has the group soaring through a cool mix of soul and pop material that's all pretty upbeat and lively – given a few 70s touches on the keyboards at times, and coming across with a spontaneous feel that almost makes you feel like you're catching the combo in a club. Titles include "Dream A Dream A Day", "Scarborough Fair", "Summertime", "I Thank You", "More Today Than Yesterday", "What The World Needs Now", "Let's Make It One World", and "Day Dreaming". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool quartet with some very groovy vocals – a combo who seem to take some great inspiration from Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 – as well as other hip vocal groups of the 60s! The lineup features one gal and three guys – often with the gal singer in the lead, supported by warm harmonies from the male singers – all grooving to their own instrumentation, played on organ, guitar, and drums! This lean approach is mighty nice – and has the group soaring through a cool mix of soul and pop material that's all pretty upbeat and lively – given a few 70s touches on the keyboards at times, and coming across with a spontaneous feel that almost makes you feel like you're catching the combo in a club. Titles include "Dream A Dream A Day", "Scarborough Fair", "Summertime", "I Thank You", "More Today Than Yesterday", "What The World Needs Now", "Let's Make It One World", and "Day Dreaming". CD

Early sextet session with Taisei Aoki on trombone and Sachi Hayasaka on saxophone! CD

Solo piano album – titles include "Horizon", "Wave Crest", "Light On The Sea Surface", "Voyage", "Cut The Painter", and "Torrent". CD

Features Satoko Fujii on piano, Takashi Sugawa on bass, and Ittetsu Takemura on drums. CD

Satoko Fujii on piano and Taiko Saito on marimba and vibraphone. CD

The second meeting between Kaze and Ikue Mori – with Mori on electronics, Satoko Fujii on piano, Natsuki Tamura and Christian Pruvost on trumpets, Peter Orins on drums. CD

Satoko Fujii on piano, Natsuki Tamura and Christian Pruvost on trumpet, and Peter Orins returning on drums for their fifth album as Kaze – this time with electronics from Ikue Mori! CD

Kaze is Christian Provost and Natsuki Tamura on trumpet, Satoko Fujii on piano, and Peter Orins on drums. CD

Kaze is Christian Provost and Natsuki Tamura on trumpet, Satoko Fujii on piano, and Peter Orins on drums. CD

Satoko Fujii on piano, Natsuki Tamura and Christian Pruvost on trumpet, and Peter Orins on drums. CD

Features Satoko Fujii on piano and Tatsuya Yoshida on drums. CD

One of the coolest, baddest, funkiest albums Cannonball Adderley ever recorded – a massive suite of tunes based on the signs of the Zodiac, produced to perfection by David Axelrod, and featuring some hip recitations from the mighty Rick Holmes! The double-length set is completely compelling all the way through – a darkly brooding batch of funky jazz that shows a strong Miles Davis electric influence at points, thanks to Nat Adderley's spacey trumpet lines, Mike Deasy's trippy guitar, and George Duke's excellent keyboards! Other tracks are a bit more laidback, fitting the mood of their respective signs – and overall, the whole thing slips and slides wonderfully from cut to cut – taking you through the star signs with a really righteous, soulful approach. Titles include "Cancer", "Sagittarius", "Pisces", "Aquarius", "Capricorn", "Virgo", "Taurus", "Aries", "Libra", and a special "Introduction". CD

One of the coolest, baddest, funkiest albums Cannonball Adderley ever recorded – a massive suite of tunes based on the signs of the Zodiac, produced to perfection by David Axelrod, and featuring some hip recitations from the mighty Rick Holmes! The double-length set is completely compelling all the way through – a darkly brooding batch of funky jazz that shows a strong Miles Davis electric influence at points, thanks to Nat Adderley's spacey trumpet lines, Mike Deasy's trippy guitar, and George Duke's excellent keyboards! Other tracks are a bit more laidback, fitting the mood of their respective signs – and overall, the whole thing slips and slides wonderfully from cut to cut – taking you through the star signs with a really righteous, soulful approach. Titles include "Cancer", "Sagittarius", "Pisces", "Aquarius", "Capricorn", "Virgo", "Taurus", "Aries", "Libra", and a special "Introduction". LP, Vinyl record album

A great CD that features 2 of the Art Ensemble's best French recordings! The first part of the CD features the stunning album Les Stances A Sophie – probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago – and also one of their rarest! The group's never been finer – and plays with a creative tightness that you'll be hard pressed to find on other records. 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". People In Sorrow is quite a different record – and features one long track, the title cut, with very spare music, and lots of isolated bass work, horn solos, and percussion – played by the quartet of Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman, Lester Bowie, and Malachi Favors. The track's a nice counterpart to the music on the first part of the disc – long, moody, and almost chillout in nature! CD

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 records. 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". CD

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! LP, Vinyl record album

Reedman Nat Birchall digs deep for this masterful set – creating timeless music that easily stands next to the work of some of his key ancestors in jazz – especially musicians of the generation of John Coltrane! The set is one that has Birchall layering his tenor, soprano, and baritone solos with other self-created sounds – on piano, organ, balaphon, shruti box, bass, and other percussion – all with this slow-building, extremely spiritual quality that never lets up! The music feels much more like the work of a cohesive jazz combo than it does a solo performance by one artist – and that's another testament to the ever-growing powers of Nat, one of our favorite forces in jazz for more than the past decade! Titles include "The Drum Thing", "Sun In Libra", "Song Of The Ancestors, "Ogunde Uarerre", "Africa", and "One For The Son". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful take on the Zodiac Suite composed by Mary Lou Williams – one that has the same mix of piano and larger arrangements as her initial performance, but which takes the tones and colors in some much different directions overall! The core of the set has Aaron Diehl on piano, in the trio of David Wong on bass and Aaron Kimmel on drums – but there's some beautiful larger arrangements that really flesh out the sound in a wonderful way – with performances from Nicole Glover on tenor, Brandon Lee on trumpet, and Mikaela Bennett on soprano sax – all ringing out beautifully next to Diehl's work on the keys, which maybe have more sensitivity here than we've ever heard before! As with the original, the work features twelve parts, each divided up into a sign of the zodiac – "Cancer", "Libra", "Scorpio", and so on. CD

A beautiful take on the Zodiac Suite composed by Mary Lou Williams – one that has the same mix of piano and larger arrangements as her initial performance, but which takes the tones and colors in some much different directions overall! The core of the set has Aaron Diehl on piano, in the trio of David Wong on bass and Aaron Kimmel on drums – but there's some beautiful larger arrangements that really flesh out the sound in a wonderful way – with performances from Nicole Glover on tenor, Brandon Lee on trumpet, and Mikaela Bennett on soprano sax – all ringing out beautifully next to Diehl's work on the keys, which maybe have more sensitivity here than we've ever heard before! As with the original, the work features twelve parts, each divided up into a sign of the zodiac – "Cancer", "Libra", "Scorpio", and so on. CD

Any record from pianist Orrin Evans is worth of attention – but this set might be worthy of a bit more, given that it features some really beautiful work from alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins – a player who's a perfect accompaniment for all the great ideas that Evans brings to his music! Immanuel's horn has all these sharp edges – currents that really set him apart from the rest, and make his voice known instantly when he appears on the tunes – often set up with those darkly rich lines that Evans can cast so well in a small group setting, which he does here on tunes penned both by himself and Wilkins. The pairing is wonderful – and balanced with work from Vicente Archer on bass and Bill Stewart on drums – on long, fresh tunes that include "Momma Loves", "MAT Matt", "Libra", "The Poor Fisherman", "Levels", and "Dave". CD

An excellent album from trumpeter Dusko Goykovich – and one that has a hell of a lot more to offer than the simple "bebop" promise of the title! Sure, there's something of a bop approach to a few of the tunes – but overall, the album's a myriad of colors, tones, and pulsating rhythms – handled in the best mode of Goykovich's classics from earlier years, by an impeccable group that includes Alvin Queen on drums, Kenny Barron on piano, and Ralph Moore on tenor sax! Titles include "Sunrise In St Petersburg", "In The Sign Of Libra", "Lament", "Brooklyn Blues", and "No Love Without Tears". CD

Quite possibly the best album ever from funky maestro Monk Higgins! The record's got some of his tighest work of the time – with plenty of tight breaks, nice keyboards, and soulful sax riffs – and Monk is going full-out on the arrangements, in the manner that he used for his best late Blue Note work with The Three Sounds or Blue Mitchell. The group's listed as "The Specialties" on the cover, and they vamp along nicely, like some of Monk's funky groups from the late 60s funky 45 days. Titles include "Gotta Be Funky", "Big Water Bed", "Up On The Hill", "Last Flight To Dallas", and "Libra's Way". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most righteous albums ever from jazz vibes legend Johnny Lytle – a soaring, spacious set that's almost to Lytle's career what Gears was to Johnny Hammond's! Of course, Lytle's groove here is different – no Mizell production, and a mellower feel overall – but the unbridled space of 70s Milestone is definitely a key influence here – and Johnny stretches out here like never before! The players are all pretty hip – and include Daahoud Hadi (aka Butch Cornell) on electric piano and organ, Marvin Cabell on flute and tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Betty Glamann on harp, and Jozell Carter on drums – all perfect mates here for Johnny's spiritual exploration of sound with his vibes – in ways that are almost more amazing than work from Bobby Hutcherson or Roy Ayers at the time! Titles include an amazing original called "Libra", plus "Tawhid", "Where Is The Love", "Family", and a version of "People Make the World Go Round". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of samba soul tracks – new, but with a classic feel, and dedicated to soul legend Tim Maia! The record's led by singer/percussionist Dom Mita – and features work by members of Banda Black Rio, Os Devaneios, and others. The production's a bit modern – but the record's got the same jazzy approach to soul that you'll find in later work by Band Black Rio or some of the other Brazilian funk groups of their generation, touched with some of the later modern soul of Tim Maia's work at the end of the 70s. Titles include "O Som Do Tim", "Menina Do Corao", "Que Sorte A Minha", "Libra", "Te Amo Demais", "Rio Sem Voce", and "No Pique Do Amor". CD

Fantastic stuff, and a record that was virtually the blueprint for spiritual soul jazz in the 70s! Although Max Roach first rose to fame during the bop years, by the time of this set he'd really stretched out a lot – moving past initial righteous projects in the Civil Rights era, to even more progressive work with a group like this! The players are all youthful geniuses who would go onto shape the sound of 70s jazz tremendously – working here at a point that already shows their brilliance – Gary Bartz on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, and even Andy Bey, who sings vocals on the title track. The overall style is very similar to Bartz's early albums on Milestone, or to some of the Music Inc records on Strata East, which feature Cowell and Tolliver. It's no surprise that Cowell contributed 3 tracks to the set – "Effi", "Equipoise", and "Abstrutions" – and the group also performs a great version of Bartz's "Libra"! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff, and a record that was virtually the blueprint for spiritual soul jazz in the 70s! Although Max Roach first rose to fame during the bop years, by the time of this set he'd really stretched out a lot – moving past initial righteous projects in the Civil Rights era, to even more progressive work with a group like this! The players are all youthful geniuses who would go onto shape the sound of 70s jazz tremendously – working here at a point that already shows their brilliance – Gary Bartz on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, and even Andy Bey, who sings vocals on the title track. The overall style is very similar to Bartz's early albums on Milestone, or to some of the Music Inc records on Strata East, which feature Cowell and Tolliver. It's no surprise that Cowell contributed 3 tracks to the set – "Effi", "Equipoise", and "Abstrutions" – and the group also performs a great version of Bartz's "Libra"! LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant pairing of talents – Brazilian trumpeter Marcio Montarroyos and the soulful Stone Alliance group of the 70s – coming together here in Rio with extra help from Hermeto Pascoal on reeds, and added work from Brazilian musicians David Slon, Dom Bira, and Erasto De Holanda Vasconcelos! The style is tighter and harder than the usual Brazilian jazz of the time – a bit fusiony at points, but always with a richer vibe that's almost more in a 70s Latin jazz mode – maybe because of the strong bottom end from the trio of Gene Perla on bass, Don Alias on drums, and the mighty Steve Grossman on reeds! It's an especially nice treat to hear Grossman in this setting – a nice change from usual, but one that he really illuminates with his soulful lines – and titles include "Hey Bicho Vamos Nessa", "Risa", "The Greeting", "On The Foot Peg", "A Child Is Born" and "Libra Rising". LP, Vinyl record album

Very moody stuff – especially for the time it was recorded! The album came out in the late 60s, a time when most guitarists were plugging in, fuzzing out, and really getting crazy – but George Van Eps was still keeping his cool, playing gently swinging lines on his unique 7 string guitar, working here in the Capitol studios completely on his own! Tracks include "Kisses", "Satin Doll", "Stop Look & Listen", "Glad To Be Unhappy", and "A Libra Rhapsody". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most righteous albums to ever bear the name of King Britt – a selection of spiritual jazz tracks from the 70s, all of which show a definite inspiration for Britt's recent work in the 21st Century! There's no remixes or remakes here – and the collection features all original gems from a few decades back – stretched out and cosmic grooves from some of the leading lights of the soul jazz underground in the post-Coltrane years! Most numbers are obscure tracks licensed from smaller indie labels – brought together beautifully with a sense of depth and darkness that goes way beyond the usual King Britt groove. Titles include "Space Spy" by Grachan Moncur III, "Beyond Yourself" by Brother Ahh, "Scorpio Libra" by Eddie Henderson, "Kawaida" by Herbie Hancock, "Ekim" by Michal Urbaniak, "Yebo" by Mtume, "Conviction" by Dane Belany, "Naima" by Doug & Jean Carn, "The Time Now For Change" by Phil Ranelin, "Moving Pictures 4 The Ear" by Don Cherry, and "Encounter" by Flora Purim. CD

Beautiful harmony soul from Act 1 – a group we totally love when they're in this mode – just grooving enough to open up the vocals a bit, stepping along with some great east coast sweet soul production! "Night Of The Wolf" is a completely different track, but equally groovy – a sharp funky instrumental with all sorts of fast-riffing guitar, taken from a rare Italian sound library album of the 70s – and topped with a cool whistle that almost has a spaghetti western vibe! 7-inch, Vinyl record

This is Leo Addeo's entry into the "Stereo Action" RCA series, and is housed in a perfectly preserved white die-cut sleeve with a vivid spirograph type drawing showing through the hole. LP, Vinyl record album

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. 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the grooviest racing soundtracks we've ever heard – a set that's a lot more funky than some of the better-known racetrack film scores that were coming into the racks during the late 60s! The vibe here is almost a bit like some of the sound library material of Alessandro Alessandroni – lots of great melodic elements, wrapped around rhythms that are nice and slinky on the slower moments, and downright funky on the faster ones – mostly instrumental, but with just a bit of vocals at points from I Cantori Moderni – that very cool harmony group that Alessandroni used on many recordings. The instrumentation is never too complex, and the focus feels more small combo than some of the larger orchestrations on Italian scores at the time – served up here in an assortment of 20 tracks from the film! CD

One of the grooviest racing soundtracks we've ever heard – a set that's a lot more funky than some of the better-known racetrack film scores that were coming into the racks during the late 60s! The vibe here is almost a bit like some of the sound library material of Alessandro Alessandroni – lots of great melodic elements, wrapped around rhythms that are nice and slinky on the slower moments, and downright funky on the faster ones – mostly instrumental, but with just a bit of vocals at points from I Cantori Moderni – that very cool harmony group that Alessandroni used on many recordings. The instrumentation is never too complex, and the focus feels more small combo than some of the larger orchestrations on Italian scores at the time – served up here in an assortment of 17 tracks from the film! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the grooviest racing soundtracks we've ever heard – a set that's a lot more funky than some of the better-known racetrack film scores that were coming into the racks during the late 60s! The vibe here is almost a bit like some of the sound library material of Alessandro Alessandroni – lots of great melodic elements, wrapped around rhythms that are nice and slinky on the slower moments, and downright funky on the faster ones – mostly instrumental, but with just a bit of vocals at points from I Cantori Moderni – that very cool harmony group that Alessandroni used on many recordings. The instrumentation is never too complex, and the focus feels more small combo than some of the larger orchestrations on Italian scores at the time – served up here in an assortment of 17 tracks from the film! LP, Vinyl record album

Demonic sounds, but surprisingly sweet as well – done with this easy-flowing style that's really wonderful – and much more similar to the seductive sound library work of Alessandro Alessandroni, than to some of the starker, darker horror of the time! There's definitely some spooky passages, but they're almost always warmed up in really nice ways – both with keyboards, and with these wordless vocals from the lovely Giulia De Mutiis, who drifts through the record like some sexy ghost. Her vocals almost give the whole thing a more dream-like feel at times – not too atmospheric, but with clouds of sweet sounds that blow through the space in a wonderful way. Titles include "Demon Night II", "Demon Arise", "Dark Dreamer", "Devil's Nightmare", and "Erotic Demon". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a sound library record from one of the all-time greats – and maybe one of the few artists who gave his equal all, whether he was cutting a full film soundtrack, or just a discreet batch of tracks like these in the studio! The music is as groovy as groovy can be – sometimes funky, sometimes slinky – and done in this blend of heavy electric bass, nicely snapping drums, riffing guitar, and some great use of wordless vocals – maybe no surprise, since Alessandroni was the man behind the legendary I Cantori Modern! There's a great sense of variety all the way through – all killer, no filler – and titles include "Vocalisation", "Spiagge Azzurre", "Aliante Giallo", "Ciclamino", "Arioso Spirituale", "Cielo Verde", and "Marmittone". LP, Vinyl record album

The sound of industry, circa 1969 Italy – which means that everything sounds a heck of a lot groovier than you might expect! Soundtrack genius Alessandro Alessandroni handled the album – and it's completely fantastic right from the very first note – nothing like an industrial album, nor even some of the peppier "industry themed" sound library sets of the European postwar theme – and instead, the music is full of jazzy elements and cool wordless vocals – especially those scatting styles you'd know from Alessandroni's work with I Cantori Modern! Tremendous throughout – and quite possibly one of the grooviest albums the composer has ever given us. Titles include "Moto Blues", "Dialogando", "Circolazione", "Basso Regime", "Vie Motrici", "Escursione", and "Numero Uno". CD

A contemporary project, but one that was initially intended for the legendary KPM Sound Library – and one that has Emil Amos serving up instrumentals that offer up his own take on classic sound library modes from years back! There's definitely more of a 21st Century vibe going on here at times – as 80s elements get more of a twist through production learned from the beathead generation – all of which almost makes for a more industrial take on sound library styles! Titles include "Bad Night At Cowboys", "Theme From A Personal Prison", "Moving Target", "Interloper 1", "Zone Bleu", "Red Palms", and "Jealous Gods". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary sound library album on the famous Italian Octopus label – and a set that's maybe one of the most unusual to be recorded by Amadeo Tommasi! The music is filled with all sorts of weird sounds and production elements – almost taking the experiments of the musique concrete generation, and then mixing them with groovier, more upbeat sounds from the early 70s Italian scene – so that things might be jazzy one minute, funky the next, and haunting after that – all at a level that makes the whole thing one of the tip top Italian library gems of the period! Titles include "Crisi Politica", "Episodio Di Cronaca", "Manifestazione Mondana", "Avvenimento Drammatico", "Ripresa Esterna", "Colpo Di STato", and "Problema Ecologico". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unusual albums ever released on Island Records – a gem from the early days of the label, and one that's especially interesting for fans of UK sound library work – as the sounds within are handled by library maestro Syd Dale! The music is nice and jazzy – covers of a fair bit of late 60s tunes, but done with some nice woodwinds and breakout solo moments. LP, Vinyl record album

A great mix of mellow soul and sweet disco – and a lost treasure from the 70s Twin Cities soul scene! There's a groove here that almost sounds like east coast group soul in the early pre-mainstream disco years – hitting some uptempo tunes for the clubs, but also kicking back into some mellower harmony tracks that are equally great. The production and arrangements are all totally top shelf – thanks to help from sound library studio maestro Herb Pilhofer – and the group's got a solid sound that easily matches bigger groups of the time! Titles include "Sweet Lady", "City Slicker", "A New Day", "Call On Me", "My Story", "Love Me Or Leave Me", "In The City", and "I Need You". LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite chapter in the long and storied career of film score legend John Barry – music from a moment when he'd moved past the fame of his earlier James Bond soundtracks, and started hitting territory that was even more mindblowing overall! Barry was already great with Bond, and as those films moved on, he developed this amazing ear for more sophisticated, subtle elements – which unfold here at a level that easily puts the composer/arranger in territory of much more lauded studio and sound library talents! There's still some catchy vocal tunes in the mix – but what's even more striking is Barry's evolved sense of sound and timing – so that familiar instruments can sound all weird and unusual – yet still tuneful too – almost as if he were running over to the European avant garde to borrow a few sonic ideas, then fold them into the groovier numbers included within. The set features some of our favorite John Barry tracks ever, mixed with other more obscure numbers that are equally great – tunes that include "Follow Follow", "The Adventurer", "Highway 101", "The More Things Change", "Theme From The Appointment", "Fun City", "Midnight Cowboy", "Theme From Romance For Guitar & Orchestra", "We Have All The Time In The World", "Afternoon", "Theme From The Persuaders", "Lion In Winter", and "Who Will Buy My Yesterdays". CD

A sweet keyboard-heavy sound library set from the 80s – a record from that time when the sound library studios had gone down to one or two man performances, instead of the fuller groups from the past – and were making best use of the keyboard and drum machine elements of the time to come up with all sorts of catchy, playful grooves! That's definitely the case here, as things are lean, but very melodic – and the record almost feels like a more upbeat take on territory that Young Marble Giants had explored on their Testcard EP a few years before – but with more Italian funky club elements from time to time too! Titles include "Expander", "Forth", "Personal", "Pet Speed", "Software", "Basic", "Speech", "Programmers", and "Language Monitor". LP, Vinyl record album

A really heady record from British drummer Brian Bennett – an artist known for both jazz and funky sound library work – here stretching out in a mode that really fits the image on the cover! The tunes are longer than some of Bennett's earlier sound library material – almost a mix of progressive energy with jazzier funk – a lot cooler than the disco reference in the title might imply! The set's got tremendous keyboards from Francis Monkman – who handles all the spacier elements, while the drums of Bennett works the rhythms with bass from Alan Jones – on long tracks with plenty of complexity, but also plenty of groove! Titles include "Voyage", "Solstice", "Chain Reaction", "Pendulum Force", "Air Quake", and "Ocean Glide". LP, Vinyl record album

Two rare KPM sound library grooves – back to back on a single piece of wax! "Name Of The Game" is fantastic – slow funk, but super-heavy – with measured drums that space things out as keyboards really take their time to build up the mood, before serving up a mighty sweet solo in the middle! The drums break nicely by their own at one point too – and "Confunktion" has a similar slow funk start, then really builds with frenetic energy on the drums – almost a proggish take on funk at times! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A really fantastic pairing of forces – as keyboard collector Matt Berry serves up a special set of instrumental tracks for the KPM sound library – many of which are done on the kinds of keys that KPM were recording back in the day! You might know Matt for his work on screen, but he's also a very devoted musician, with a rich legacy of projects – and although we love his vocals on his more pop-oriented records, this set lets his keyboard skills really come to the forefront! The set features Berry on electric pianos, guitars, bass, and other keyboards – assisted by the funky drums of Craig Blundell, on titles that include "Rising Bass", "Set The Scene", "Simple Basics", "Widescreen Features", "Too Many Hats", "Telescopic", and "Driving Seat". CD